Peter Lopez Jr.'s Blog: Xulon Press Blog , page 14

Benefits of Reading

The benefits of reading go far beyond the ability they provide to escape your reality. Reading — even for just 20 minutes a day — can do wonders for your mood, sleep health, memory retention, and much more. Reading doesn’t just apply to books either; taking a few minutes every day to read an in-depth article about something new or reading a few blog articles centered on one of your favorite hobbies can have the same effect as reading a book. As it turns out, the simple act of reading is all that’s important, and it’s less about what you are reading.

How to Introduce More Reading into Your Day

As with any other hobbies you have, creating the time to invest in reading is important. If you don’t like reading, start by setting a timer for 10 minutes and then sit down to read distraction-free until the timer goes off. You’ll find that 10 minutes of reading isn’t as awful as you may think. Keep the timer handy until you get to a point where you want to keep reading after the timer goes off.

Choose the time of day you prefer to read. Some readers enjoy getting up a little earlier than everyone in their house so they can settle in with a cup of coffee and their book for a little bit before their day starts. Other readers prefer to read during their lunch breaks as a way to split up their workday, and the last group likes to read at the end of their day as part of their evening routine. Once you know when you like to read, start incorporating it into your daily routine at your preferred time of day.

Five Benefits of Reading More Regularly

The act of reading on a consistent basis:

1. Improves your vocabulary

The more you read, the larger your vocabulary will naturally become. The reason for this is because as you read more, you are exposed to more words on a regular basis. Even just reading new words in a specific context can help you identify their meanings, and in turn, you’ll find yourself incorporating those words into your writing and conversations with others.

2. Reduces stress

It’s reported that reading not only lowers stress but can also reduce your blood pressure, as well as your heart rate — as long as you aren’t up late reading the climactic scene of a thriller that is. Just six minutes of reading a day led to a lower heart rate and less muscle tension, according to a University of Sussex study in 2009.

3. Helps with memory retention

The brain is stimulated by reading, so the more you read the stronger your brain will be. This leads to a slowed cognitive decline, as well as a reduction in problems with retaining your memory while at the same time increasing your overall mental capacity and concentration.

4. Promotes better sleep

Because reading is shown to reduce stress, that also makes reading a great hobby to include during your wind-down routine before bed. By lowering your stress, preventing other distractions, and keeping you occupied so you don’t stare at the blue light on your phone or TV screen, reading right before bed can significantly improve your sleep quality.

5. Increases empathy toward others

In this case, not all reading is alike. Reading fiction has the power to increase your empathy toward other people because novels allow you the opportunity to comprehend other peoples’ motivations. Think about the last novel you read, did you start our rooting for the protagonist and felt that through the entire book or were you annoyed with the protagonist’s life choices but felt a change of heart when you began to see why that character made certain decisions? Supporting a protagonist through the good, bad, and ugly means you have a certain level of empathy toward that character. That also means you apply this empathy toward people in your life, too.

Are you reading as much as you’d like every day? Tell us about your reading goals in the comment section.

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1,000 Words Per Day Writing Challenge

Started by author Jami Attenberg in 2018, this writing challenge is focused on writing 1,000 words every day for two weeks. So, if you’ve been sitting on a writing project for a while or don’t know where to dive into writing, this 1,000 words a day challenge is going to be a great fit for you. You can complete this writing challenge at any point on your own, but if you’re looking for a community of writers all focused on the same challenge, Jami Attenberg’s real-time challenge starts May 31, 2021, and ends June 13. Sign up for Craft Talk, and join 13,000 other subscribers who are all aiming to complete the same challenge — 14,000 words in 14 days.

What Can I Get Out of a Writing Challenge?

A good writing challenge can be the motivation you need to push you through a writing lull. It can spark your imagination to a point where the words pour out faster than you can type. Having a plan you can actually follow through on is the difference between talking about writing a book and finishing your book.

A writing challenge can:

1. Create a sense of urgency.

There’s nothing like setting a deadline to make you feel like you’re already behind. Participating in a writing challenge that has a specified start and end date is a great way to create a sense of urgency that you can’t ignore. Deciding to join a writing challenge is similar to signing up to run a 5k — making the commitment is the hardest part. But once your foot is at the start line, your adrenaline is pumping, excitement is coursing through your body, and you’re ready to sprint as soon as the whistle blows. 

2. Force you to plan to write.

 Joining a writing challenge is a great way to force you to plan writing into your schedule. For instance, with this 1,000 words a day writing challenge, you already know that every day from May 31 to June 13, you have to write 1,000 words a day if you want to win the challenge. That means you have to sit down with your calendar and figure out where, when, and how you’re going to write 1,000 words each of those days.

3. Guide you in creating a writing routine.

Writing is half developing a routine that works for you and a half actually about writing.  The most diligent writers are able to stay on task because they have created a writing routine that not only works for them and their personal work habits, but it’s also something they thoroughly look forward to completing every day. Use the 14 days of this writing challenge to home in on what you like and don’t like about a writing routine, and use the trial and error of these two weeks to manufacture a writing routine that you love and look forward to.

4. Help you find your writing rhythm.

Much like developing a writing routine, finding your writing rhythm is also important. Use the challenge to decide if you prefer writing in the stillness of the morning or if you like a bustling coffee shop around lunchtime. Do you prefer to take your time with two, 500-word writing blocks each day to hit your 1,000 words or do you like to sit down once and write until you’ve hit 1,000 words? Your writing rhythm can be anything you’d like it to be — it just must feel like a comfortable pace for you.

5. Encourage you to set boundaries.

Writing 1,000 words in a day shouldn’t take you five hours to complete, but if you find yourself struggling to get to 1,000 words in less than two hours, examine what roadblocks might be hindering you from feeling successful with the challenge each day. Set up healthy boundaries to prevent those roadblocks. For instance, if you find yourself checking your phone several times while you wanted to write, set a boundary by leaving your phone in another room on silent or by putting your phone in the “do not disturb” mode, so texts, phone calls, and other notifications don’t ring through until you’re ready for them.  

6. Spark new inspiration.

Sometimes, all it takes is a new approach to a task to spark inspiration. If you’ve found yourself feeling uninspired or like you’re lacking creativity, taking a new approach, such as a writing challenge, can give you the boost you need to get your feet under you again.

7. Teach you accountability.

There’s no point in deciding to start a writing challenge if you have no plans of participating and finishing the challenge, right? This two-week challenge is a great way to teach yourself accountability when it comes to your writing. Mention the 1,000 words a day challenge to a friend or family member and ask him or her to check in on you the next 14 days to see how your writing is progressing. You’ll want to be able to tell your accountability partner about your progress, which means you’ll stay accountable.

8. Foster a personal writing community.

 When you just start out on your writing journey, the road can feel a little lonely until you make other writing friends. Joining a writing challenge is a great way to meet new people who are also interested in writing, which in turn will help you build your own personal writing community. That group of people will become sounding boards for you and can help you brainstorm when you’ve written yourself into a corner and simply provide support and friendship.

 

Are you going to participate in the 1,000 words a day challenge? Catch up on some of our other writing tips !

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Twitter for Writers

Twitter is a microblogging social media platform that allows you to publish short posts, up to 280 characters long, called tweets. Tweets can include images and links to websites. You can follow other accounts (the equivalent of friending someone on Facebook) to see their tweets in your timeline. You can even retweet (the equivalent of sharing someone’s post on Facebook) others’ tweets on your page.

Twitter is a great way to show your knowledge and share information about your works in progress. It’s the perfect platform to offer commentaries on recent books, blogs, scripts, etc.

Additionally, Twitter provides a fast-paced platform for you to pitch your writing. By limiting the number of characters that can be typed, the social media platform encourages the elevator pitch format: get your point out and bring in followers–that simple.

Growing Your Twitter

There are thousands of writers who are active on Twitter and want to help support each other’s work. Follow their accounts, like, and retweet their posts–many of them will return the favor.

While it is important to promote your work, you also need to provide value to the people following you–no one wants to see ad-like tweets self-promoting on their timeline every day.

Here are examples of post ideas:

Behind-the-scenes of your writing processWhat books you’re currently readingWriting tipsYour favorite quotes (from authors you love or from your own book!)Topics you’re passionate aboutTake advantage of the poll feature to ask your readers questions.

The main objectives in using Twitter should be to connect with other writers, market your work, and expand and connect with your audience.

Need help setting up your Twitter? We can help. Click here to learn more.

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Instagram for Writers

Over the last several years, Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms to date. The visually engaging app is easy to use and thriving and growing by the minute. Some writers might be hesitant to jump into Instagram, with the main concern being its focus on images as opposed to text. But regardless of images not being your forte, Instagram offers unique opportunities to interact with your readers and boost your audience in size.

Why is Instagram good for writers?

Instagram has 1 billion active users, with more than half signing on the app daily and 35% signing on multiple times a day. Users are also more open to finding new books as 60% percent of users claim to have discovered a product or service on Instagram.

Speaking of engagement, you have a better chance to gain visibility on Instagram compared to Facebook or Twitter, as the rate of engagement with Instagram is better than all the other social media platforms combined. This offers great potential for writers to reach new readers and develop a stronger engagement with them.

What Should Writers Post on Instagram?

Thinking of content to post every week can be a challenge. You don’t want to tell your followers to go buy your book every single day (if you do, they will most likely unfollow your page.) Here are a few ideas of what you can post:

1. Writing Quotes

Try creating an image with your quote written that you can share with your followers.

2. Behind The Scenes

Take a picture of your desk, writing space, your favorite tree–wherever it is you find yourself writing and finding inspiration.

3. Ask Questions

Try creating an image with questions! Ask for book recommendations, character name ideas, and any number of things that you think of. Questions are a great way to create engagement with your content.

4. Share Writing

Share a snippet of your novel, a short story, or even a poem.

5. Promote Your Work (Sparingly)

Engage people with your content and remind them occasionally where they can find more of you (your books, websites, other social media, etc)

Ways to increase following.1. Giveaways

One popular trick that always works for building followers and engagement, is to give things away. Try giving away signed copies of your book, prints, posters, and so on!

2. Use Hashtags

One of the best ways to get found on Instagram is through the strategic use of hashtags. With each post, you want to share a thought in the caption, followed by relevant hashtags. Include hashtags popular in the writing community, like #writingcommunity and #bookstagram, but others that are more specific to your post.

Need help setting up your Instagram? We can help. Click here to learn more.

The post Instagram for Writers appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.

Instagram For Writers

Over the last several years, Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms to date. The visually engaging app is easy to use and thriving and growing by the minute. Some writers might be hesitant to jump into Instagram, with the main concern being its focus on images as opposed to text. But regardless of images not being your forte, Instagram offers unique opportunities to interact with your readers and boost your audience in size.

Why is Instagram good for writers?

Instagram has 1 billion active users, with more than half signing on the app daily and 35% signing on multiple times a day. Users are also more open to finding new books as 60% percent of users claim to have discovered a product or service on Instagram.

Speaking of engagement, you have a better chance to gain visibility on Instagram compared to Facebook or Twitter, as the rate of engagement with Instagram is better than all the other social media platforms combined. This offers great potential for writers to reach new readers and develop a stronger engagement with them.

What Should Writers Post on Instagram?

Thinking of content to post every week can be a challenge. You don’t want to tell your followers to go buy your book every single day (if you do, they will most likely unfollow your page.) Here are a few ideas of what you can post:

1. Writing Quotes

Try creating an image with your quote written that you can share with your followers.

2. Behind The Scenes

Take a picture of your desk, writing space, your favorite tree–wherever it is you find yourself writing and finding inspiration.

3. Ask Questions

Try creating an image with questions! Ask for book recommendations, character name ideas, and any number of things that you think of. Questions are a great way to create engagement with your content.

4. Share Writing

Share a snippet of your novel, a short story, or even a poem.

5. Promote Your Work (Sparingly)

Engage people with your content and remind them occasionally where they can find more of you (your books, websites, other social media, etc)

Ways to increase following.1. Giveaways

One popular trick that always works for building followers and engagement, is to give things away. Try giving away signed copies of your book, prints, posters, and so on!

2. Use Hashtags

One of the best ways to get found on Instagram is through the strategic use of hashtags. With each post, you want to share a thought in the caption, followed by relevant hashtags. Include hashtags popular in the writing community, like #writingcommunity and #bookstagram, but others that are more specific to your post.

The post Instagram For Writers appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.

Facebook for Writers

It’s safe to say most of us are on Facebook. No matter what you write, your market definitely exists there. Facebook has the largest audience of any social media site–that’s a lot of potential book buyers.

Facebook Fan Page

If you haven’t done so already, you’ll need to upgrade from a profile to a Facebook Page. This way readers can simply “like” your page to follow your content instead of sending a friend request. Having a page separate from a personal profile is key in having a professional edge. You do not want to mix your personal life with your business. After creating it, ask all of your Facebook friends to go like it. Facebook even allows you to send an invite for friends to go like a page.

This author page will be your official writer page where you can post about your work or anything that is happening in your genre or subject matter. With a Facebook Page, you have more control over the marketing aspect of your writing. You can also dictate whether your followers have the ability to post on your page or not.

What should I post?

Thinking of content to post every day can be a challenge. Of course, you don’t want to post “go buy my book!” every single day. If you do, readers will likely mute your posts or unfollow your page.

Here are some ideas on what to post:

Quotes or excerpts from your book with a captivating image.
Fun facts about the author. Readers love getting to know you!Highlight and write a more in-depth description of different characters from your book.Share content related to writing, your book, or your genre. Remember people react more to visuals, so include images/videos!Ask your audience questions!Share video content. Try a brief behind-the-scenes look into your writing space!

Facebook can be a key way to stay engaged with your readers. Those who“like” your page have given you permission to be in touch and offer updates. So, make sure you’re conveying your personality, voice, and an image that correctly represents your brand as an author.

Need help setting up your Facebook? We can help. Click here to learn more.

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Social Media for Unpublished Writers

If you haven’t finished your book or it’s in progress you might be delaying building your social media presence. If this is you I’m here to tell you that you should be doing the exact opposite! I would even say you have an advantage because you can build your presence and demand before your book is even out. You have the power to build anticipation and get pre-orders going. The sooner you start, the bigger your audience will be by the time your work is ready.

Having a social media presence is essential for all writers in today’s digital age. Regardless of which genre you write, it can help boost your audience and make more people notice you and your work. Having a social media presence also gives readers somewhere to find out more information about you. You can engage your following with new blogs, upcoming events, live Q&As, just to name a few. Possibilities are endless on social media.

“If I don’t have a book published what would attract a following?”

Well, you can start by writing blogs, providing book reviews, sharing writing tips, creative writing exercises, giveaways, etc. Trust me, the ideas of what to do on social media will keep flowing after you’ve fully submerged yourself in it. For more ideas, you can also follow similar accounts for inspiration. See what others are doing and what’s working for them. And don’t be afraid to connect with them and ask for advice! This can result in some industry friends which can be very beneficial. For example, you can create writing challenges and tag your industry friends to try out the challenge! You could end up creating trends in the writing community and buzz around your account.

Social Media Platforms Every Writer Needs To Be On

Need help setting up? Check out our Social Media Services to help you get started.

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Social Media Every Writer Should Be On

If you are a writer looking to get noticed, inspired, or build an audience, you need to get on social media. Social media is a gold mine for showcasing your writing ability, building a following, and gaining exposure. In today’s digital world, social media has the power to boost writers’ success. The platforms enhance the ability to reach far audiences by allowing a writer’s work to be immediately shared. The more people who read your work, the better exposure you gain. In this way, you can increase the potential to develop a larger, loyal following.

Now it’s time to talk about which social media platforms you should be on. Because let’s be honest, it seems like a new social media platform comes out every year. If you try to get on every single one of them it can easily get hard to keep track of. The more thinly you spread yourself, the less time you have to spend on each platform, and the harder it is to increase your following. As a writer, you should put your focus on recommended, select platforms. We’ve provided the breakdown below.

Social Media Platforms Every Writer Needs To Be OnFacebook

It’s safe to say most of us are on Facebook. No matter what you write, your market definitely exists there. Facebook has the largest audience of any social media site–that’s a lot of potential book buyers.

If you haven’t done so already, you’ll need to upgrade from a profile to a Facebook Page. This way readers can simply “like” your page to follow your content instead of sending a friend request. Having a page separate from a personal profile is key in having a professional edge. You do not want to mix your personal life with your business. After creating it, ask all of your Facebook friends to go like it. Facebook even allows you to send an invite for friends to go like a page.

This author page will be your official writer page where you can post about your work or anything that is happening in your genre or subject matter. With a Facebook Page, you have more control over the marketing aspect of your writing. You can also dictate whether your followers have the ability to post on your page or not.

Here’s an example of an author using Facebook effectively: Neil Gaiman

Instagram

Instagram is perfect for catching your readers’ attention. It has one of the highest engagement rates out there and with hashtags like #bookstagram, it’s easy to find like-minded people.

You’ll notice there are many authors on Instagram posting exciting and engaging content via pictures and stories. Simple quotes and creative pictures of their work are just a small part of them. Many Instagram authors also take wonderful photos of their inspirations in order to show their followers a peek into how the writing gets done. For instance, if you wrote a poem about an old tree, it would be cool to see a picture of that live oak you drew inspiration from.

In addition, this may be one of the best social media platforms to promote or get book reviews from. As you explore you’ll notice the growing success of book review accounts.

Here’s an example of an author using Instagram effectively: Rupi Kaur

Twitter

Twitter is a great way to show your knowledge and share information about your works in progress. It’s the perfect platform to offer commentaries on recent books, blogs, scripts, etc. As of right now, there are very few platforms anywhere more watched than Twitter–it’s a huge arena to exchange ideas and get your author brand out there.

Additionally, Twitter provides a fast-paced platform for you to pitch your writing. By limiting the number of characters that can be typed, Twitter encourages the elevator pitch format: Get your point out there and bring in followers–that simple.

Here’s an example of an author using Twitter effectively: J.K. Rowling

 

Need help setting up your social media? Check out our Social Media Services to help you get started.

For more social media marketing tips click here.

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How to Choose Your Character Names

When writing fiction, you may not think you need to put too much thought into character names, but using interesting names that lend to your story can be a great way to keep readers engaged. If you can’t think of a good name while you write, use generic names so you don’t lose your pace, but then go back and do a search and replace and change your characters’ names to your final selections during one of your revision rounds.

If you’re feeling uninspired by your character names, we can help.

Here are 4 ways to choose strong character names:1. Start with a robust character profile.

First, if you haven’t done so, build out a detailed character profile for every character in your book. This will include the typical eye color, hair color, height, and body shape, but your profiles should also go into detail about personality types, pet peeves, likes and dislikes, and anything you can think of to write down. A strong profile can lead to naming inspiration.

2. Dig into your family genealogy.

You have a long line of family names—both first and last names—you can pull inspiration from to create strong character names. Get creative and use what inspires you. Plus, the family names will make your book feel even more special to you. If you loosely create a character based on your grandmother, give that character your grandmother’s name. Maybe your great-grandmother had a beautiful first name, name one of your characters after her.

3. Search names based on birth year.

If one of your characters was born in 1974, run a quick search on the internet to find the most popular names given to babies born in 1974. Whether you’re searching for a male or female name, you’ll surely find a long list to help steer you in the right direction.

4. Use the meaning of names to decide.

If your character is Swedish, look up meanings of Swedish names and choose one that fits your character. You can do this for any native country for any of your characters. It’s a great way to add a more authentic touch to your writing without a lot of effort.

 

Character names are not only a way to keep your reader engaged with your book, but they also serve your story in ways you may not have thought about. Your readers will see your protagonist’s name throughout the book, make it a memorable name, so your readers feel like they actually know your protagonist. Names can also pull together plot points and tie up loose ends. Names stay with people, and you want your characters’ names to stay on your readers’ minds for a long time.

If you’re writing a nonfiction book, and want to change the names of people in your story, you can also use these tips to help you generate naming ideas.

Looking for more writing help? Search writing tips on our blog.

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Current Publishing Trends

The publishing world continues to evolve as the times change. From creative book launch ideas due to the pandemic to new trends in published books, there’s a lot of trends to pay attention to right now. If you’ve found it hard to keep up with what’s popular in the world of authorship, this is for you.

Here are 5 publishing trends that aren’t going anywhere yet.1. Feel-good fiction.

When we first sheltered in place more than a year ago, writers asked these questions: Should I write a novel set during the pandemic? And “How do I write a novel set in 2020 and ignore the pandemic? Some publishers said, “We’ll take your pandemic story.” While others felt like the idea quickly became a cliché. Now that we are all completely worn out by the pandemic, readers are reaching for feel-good fiction. Some call feel-good fiction “escapist reading” because a person is reading a particular book to forget about his or her real-life for a bit. If you’re looking to write a book that gets noticed right now, make sure your story has a happy ending.

2. Virtual book launch parties.

When social distancing came into play, all in-person author signing events went out the window. The author world got creative, however, and the virtual book launch parties were born. You can plan your own virtual book launch party with your family and friends to keep up with this trend. Friends and family, near and far, can spend that special time with you during your virtual launch. They can also purchase books directly from you, and you can sign each copy before you mail them out.

3. Character diversity.

Editors and agents are still on the lookout for character diversity in the writing they help get published. Create a story where your characters are racially diverse, and if you need to find a sensitive reader to make sure your writing comes across genuine and in a good light, then take that step to ensure your book doesn’t read like your forced diversity in there just to hit a trend.

4. Hybrid publishing.

It wasn’t that long ago that self-publishing and traditional publishing were the only options you had to get your book published. Now, some publishers are offering a hybrid model. This means, the front end of the publishing process still runs like self-publishing. You’ll invest a certain amount of money up front to have your book published—this includes editing, design, and printing. The back end of the hybrid model, however, runs more like a traditional publishing project would. That means you are more easily able to set a publishing date and also take preorders because your book will have a print run of a specific quantity and your book will then ship out of a warehouse. Self-publishing, typically uses a print-on-demand approach, which means when an order is placed for your book, the printer is notified and just one copy of your book is printed to fulfill the order.

5. Audiobooks.

There are news stories floating around lately that some authors and publishers may decide to put out an audiobook as the first release of a book in place of a hardcover copy. This is a huge signal that audiobooks have officially made a comeback and aren’t going anywhere. If you’ve experienced the joy that is multi-tasking while reading a book, you know just how useful audiobooks can be. Unloading the dishwasher never has to be boring again, as long as you’re listening to your audiobook.

 

Looking for more? Read Top 7 Publishing Industry Trends .

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