R.L. Herron's Blog, page 10

Do You Think Before You Promote?

  Are your promotional efforts sending out an impenetrable fog of Buy, Buy, Buy that no one pays any attention to? Perhaps it’s because the considerations that matter most in the social platforms indie authors use to promote their work are also the things that should matter most in their personal life. 1. Write More […]

Should Writers Make New Year Resolutions?

What’s on Your Writing Horizon in 2016? If you’ve been around here a while, you know I quit making New Year resolutions a long, long time ago. I never managed to keep them anyway (particularly those related to exercise and weight loss), despite my best intentions. The only resolution I’ve ever come close to keeping […]

Why Writers Help Writers

If Only My Fingers Would Move That Fast. Writers tend to stick together. I think it’s got something to do with the craft we’ve chosen to pursue. For the most part, it tends to be a rather solitary business, and to a lot of people it looks easy. “After all,” they say, “all you have […]

My Book Signing … and Story Ideas

The Source of My Ideas Funny thing about book signings. As active and engaging as I try to be, there is often a lot of time for reflection. Like when you’re just sitting around waiting for someone to show up. Like today. It’s never wasted time, however, because it gives you an opportunity to talk […]

Are You Doing Book Signings?

The holiday season is here again, and it’s a very family time of year. I’m extremely grateful to have good people with whom to share it. I hope you, Gentle Reader, are just as fortunate. ********** Orion Township Public Library I’ve been invited to participate again in “The Giving Season” – a local author book-signing […]

What the Heck is a Tetrology?

Making a Splash Now that I’ve written and published three books that are considered a trilogy: (Reichold Street, One Way Street and Street Light) what do I call a fourth book in the series? This recently became an issue, when I mentioned on social media that I’m writing another book featuring some of the characters […]

It’s All About Character

Witchy Watercolor It’s Halloween, and I’ve been having a ball watching all the little goblins, demons, caped crusaders and princesses come to the door. The event hasn’t changed a whole lot since I was a kid, and that’s just fine with me. Some things are just too special to try to improve. My bride got […]

What is the Story Within?

I spent the day Saturday at the Eighth Annual Rochester Writers’ Conference at Oakland University. It’s one of the best one-day conferences going, and a tribute to its organizer, Michael Dwyer. I find Michael’s conference a veritible treasure chest, and have attended every fall session since its inception. I’ve never failed to come away without […]

How Should an Indie Writer Market?

Exciting the Crowd is Important Every indie writer must also think about marketing. It’s a given, I’m sad to say, when talking about independent publishing. Even if you don’t like to do it. Marketing is crucial to your success. But every indie soon learns self-promotion is a tricky balancing act. There’s a very slim line […]

How Do You Find Writing Success?

Relax. Write. Enjoy. Every few years someone becomes a million-seller with a first novel, and many writers and wannabes believe lightning can strike them, too (writers tend to be an optimistic breed … they always expect to win). My advice? Drop expectations of mega-success. If everyone who writes a novel expects to be the next […]