Replay…TITLES UNBORN
November 5, 2018 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed, WritingHappy November! I’m in the middle of another project and didn’t have time to write a new post, so I’m replaying one of my favorites. See you next month.
Have you ever been too tired to think or create? That’s how I feel right now, but unfortunately, I can’t relax. Or rather, I tried to take a little time off from writing and creating, but my mind refuses to cooperate.
After the full writing year, I had last year, I figured I’d take some time off from writing and become more of a reader. For the past few years, I’ve been doing the GoodReads Reading Challenge. Last year, I read forty-five books, ten were my own. Not a lot for most romance readers, but for me, it was a lot, and I struggled to get those read because of my production schedule. This year I pledged to read forty-eight and decrease the number of titles I created. Unfortunately, the joke is on me. Instead of relaxing my creative muscle, I’ve been writing. What’s even more bizarre is I don’t know how to turn off my writing muscle or even if I want to.
Like most writers I use or follow a Production Schedule. Last year it was easy to follow or stay motivated with my schedule because I set a challenging goal, 12 Titles in 12 Months. This year, I knew I wasn’t going to set such a lofty goal for myself, so I was able to breathe a little.
When I sat down to do my Production Schedule for this year, I looked at the titles that didn’t make the grade last year. Although I published 12 titles last year, I had actually started and brought close to completion four additional titles. Technically, last year I wrote approximately a half million words. For some that may not seem like a lot, but for someone like me that hasn’t been writing that long, that’s a lot.
Those titles that don’t have 2016 as their birth year have become the stars of my 2017 production schedule. Now the question is, when will they be born? I’m not quite sure. So far, I have one of the titles completed, a non-fiction lifestyle book. I’m very excited and passionate about this title because it deals with a subject that is dear to me…being a fabulous Christian single.
Originally, I wanted this book out in January because that’s when most people are searching for help on how to change their lives. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish the book until the end of January after rewriting the last chapter three times and adding an additional chapter. Now I’m waiting to proof it before I send it to my editor.
The other book I’m struggling to finish was originally supposed to be my December 2016 release. What started out as a five book series became a short story which has been reborn again as a novel. In its resurrection, it’s also undergone a name change and protagonist change. And one of the biggest changes about this book is voice.
I started writing this book in third person, but as the protagonist developed, I felt the need to tell his side in first person. So now, the story is being told by both the heroine and protagonist in first person. When I made that simple change…who am I kidding, that was by no means a simple task. Changing the voice meant I had to go back and rewrite and add some chapters after being thirty-thousand plus words into the story. I’m very curious to know how this story ends.
So here I am with a production schedule that’s taunting me because I’ve already missed my first release date. I want to move forward with the stories. However, I’m creatively tired. If you’ve ever experienced that, post or email me [tracyreedwriter@icloud.com] how you worked through it.
As for the other two titles, one is approximately thirty thousand words away from completion. The other story so far is charting the opposite path of the one I’m currently working on. It started out as a short story, but after writing the first three thousand words, I fell in love with the character and see he has more depth than a short or even a novella. His story will definitely be a full-length book, and if he talks to me correctly, he’ll become a series.
Let’s see how my unborn stories turn out.
Happy writing and creating….
Tracy Reed
I Came Up Blank
September 5, 2018 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed tagged as AutoCrit, deadlines, Self-editing, SWAG
Happy September. Hope you had a wonderful holiday.
I am stumped. I’m in the middle of cleaning up a book which is due in to my editor by Saturday morning. I thought I had a post I could replay, but when I checked my archive, I came up blank.
I couldn’t believe I didn’t have a post I could use. Of course, I’m kicking myself, because it’s almost midnight and this will be going live in a few hours. I could panic, but what would that accomplish…nothing.
So what should I talk about? I could talk about the book I’m working on, but that could stress me out. Although, I am very excited about this story. I’m working on A Southern Gentleman Book Two. It seems like the past couple of days I’ve been hit with quite a few interruptions or divine distractions as I like to call them.
I could talk about AutoCrit.com, but would anyone really want to read how excited I am about using it? Elena Dillon told me about this software. I was a little hesitant at first, but now it’s my new best friend. [I probably should have used it for this post].
When I did the test, I was very impressed. Then after my trial period, I went all in. Wow. It is something. There were a few times when I wanted to scream, because some of the parts I liked, AutoCrit deemed as repetitious. Those were some good lines, so I thought.
Using AutoCrit.com has pointed out things I hadn’t noticed. I get pissed with some of the suggestions, and then I implement them. I have to admit the book reads better. Let’s hope my editor agrees with me.
How am I using AutoCrit? Elena mentioned that she used it to polish her manuscript before sending it to the editor. I opted to use it the same way this first time. It takes a while to sift through the suggestions. However, as much as I don’t want to admit it, my book does read better. I’m seeing things I don’t think I would have in the past.
I could also talk about Swag. The subject of swag is almost a cuss word in my house. I am about to dip my toe in the swag pool and I’m overwhelmed. Apart for bookmarks, lip balm, business cards and postcards? What to get?
I have a couple of events coming up and I haven’t got a clue what to giveaway. These swag items are different from what’s in my store. In between edits, I’ve been reviewing swag. Talk about overload and I like shopping and work in retail. I’ve looked at everything from mints to pens to notepads to bags to mugs to door hangers. And lest I not forget the infamous refrigerator magnet and button.
I feel confident sharing that after reviewing swag for the past several months, I really haven’t made a decision.
What do you do for event swag?
Back to AutoCrit.
Au revoir
Tracy
2 0 Read more
RWA2018 Recap
August 5, 2018 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed tagged as LARA, OCC, RWA National Conference
I’m on vacation and trying to figure out what to talk about this month. I really didn’t want to bore you with another RWA2018 recap, but here goes.
Last month I attended my second RWA National Conference in Denver. Attending conference is sort of like the first day of school and a family reunion rolled together. I know that’s a strange observation, but work with me.
Remember your first day at a new school? There are two groups you were eager to see: the cool older kids and the popular girls. Like most newbies, you were excited if anyone from either group acknowledged you. That’s how it is at conference when you meet a “Superstar” and they speak to you. It’s even more exciting if they say, “I read your book.” That alone, propels your confidence. But when a Superstar says, “I bought your book and enjoyed it…” it’s time to call 911, because you’ve just passed out. I experienced both and I am still in shock.
Conference is like a family reunion because you get to see people you hadn’t seen since the last “reunion”, and are excited to see them and are thrilled they remember you. My schedule this year has prevented me from attending my local chapter meetings, so I was very excited to see people from my chapter. It’s like we’d just seen each other.
Another plus to attending conference this year is meeting up with old friends. I was stoked about getting to see my friend Kitty Bucholtz and her husband, John [who now live in Sweden]. Although we’re accountability partners, along with Elena Dillon and DeAnna Cameron, and talk once a week, we hadn’t physically seen each other in a couple of years. We got to catch up in person which we both needed. Yeah!
Another favorite thing about conference was getting to talk to Mark Dawson. I’ve taken his courses but had some questions I really wanted answered. I was delighted to get honest feedback from him. I also enjoyed my last session of the conference on audio books. I left that session armed and ready to tackle a new option in my writing career.
The most unexpected treat from conference was my three roommates: Christina, Joyce and Janine. I have never attended a conference where I had one roommate, let alone three. I have to be honest, I had college roommate horror flashbacks, but rooming with these three was so fun.
These ladies graciously allowed me to stay with them and I had a great time. We shared stories, mini brainstormed and laughed past midnight. Having a roommate[s] allowed me to experience conference in a different way. Because of my roommate Christina, I attended a fireside write-in at Sabrina Sol’s room. I only wrote about thirty words, because we were having so much fun chatting, but I did get some insight into a character I’m writing.
The other highlight of my conference was an impromptu plotting session on Friday. I know those last two words don’t really go together. However, if you ask the ladies [Christina, Sabrina and Alexis] at Friday night’s write-in about the “Ginger shape shifting unicorn hero”, they’d say, you can’t leave conference without a good late night write-in. SMILE. Every time I see a unicorn or a red-head man, I’m reminded of the story. We’ve really got to write that story.
My last-minute decision to attend RWA2018 was more exciting than I had imagined. Shout out to the LARA ladies, my second chapter home.
Here’s a little RWA2018 trivia. How much do 54 books weigh? The answer…31.5 pounds. Thank you Southwest for two free bags and the other six books I put in my carry-on. Next year, it’ll be a toss-up between which will weigh more, the books or all of my NYC purchases.
Happy August.
Tracy
2 0 Read moreThe Author Store [Part Two]
July 5, 2018 by Tracy Reed in category Writing
Happy July…smile.
Last month I started talking about my Author Store. I finally have it up and running. That’s the good news. Now for the bad or not as good as I would like it news. No sales, yet. However, there’s been plenty of traffic. Last month the store had almost one thousand visitors. YEAH! But no sales so far.
I have to admit I thought this would be easy, especially because I come from a retail background. What I forgot is this is a new venture and most new ventures need time to garner momentum.
So what’s my plan? Post about the store on social media. Run Facebook ads and possibly reach out to some bloggers and do giveaways.
I’m also working on a marketing campaign for the boxes. The Facebook ads are great and so are the blog posts and mentions, but it’s that in your face mentality that will hopefully generate sales.
Here’s a little info on my Author Store. I’m using Shopify. I already have a store on Shopify and feel comfortable with them. They have amazing customer service.
Before I switched to Shopify, I designed my own site in Adobe Muse. I liked it, but when I decided to offer signed print books as well as set up a store, I knew I had to switch to a shopping cart system. I could have gotten Shopify Lite, which would allow me to add a cart to my existing site for only $9.99 per month. It was too complicated to attach my old site to this vehicle. Instead, I opted for the basic Shopify plan which gave me more options.
Switching to Shopify gave me access to some really amazing templates and things I wasn’t able to do with Adobe Muse. One of the cool things about using one of their FREE templates, is you can adjust it for your needs. I did some minor tweaking to a free template and was very surprised when Shopify complimented me.
Another added perk to using Shopify, is the KIT VA Bot. This is one of my favorite tools. Kit sends me data based on internet activity and how it might relate to the products in my store. As well as marketing suggestions. I’ve tried Kit on Facebook Ads, but they weren’t as targeted as I’d hope. However, Kit is good for social media posts. Shopify also offers pretty good analytics. They may not be as detailed as Google, but they’re pretty good. There are other website hosts you can use, but Shopify happens to be my favorite.
So what’s in my store? I have curated a small selection of items to start: A mug, book plates and subscription boxes. In the next few months, if not sooner, I’ll be adding exclusive print books. I don’t want to overload my readers with a lot of choices in the beginning. I want to keep things fresh, which may mean rotating the inventory.
In the beginning, there will be a lot of trial and error and much needed feedback as to what to offer. But I believe my Author Store will become a valuable and profitable asset for me.
If you’d like to see my store, stop by www.readtracyreed.com.
Have an amazing month.
0 0 Read moreNow Open…The Author Store [Part One]
June 5, 2018 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed tagged as Marketing. Advertising, subscription boxes, writing
Happy June.
I have been researching a new project. No, it’s not about writing an insane amount of books in some crazy time span. I want to talk about Author Stores.
I don’t know if you’ve paid attention to something that seems to have popped up over night…Author Stores. I’m not sure who’s store was the first to grab my attention, but I know I’ve visited quite a few in the past few months. How did I miss this? I come from a retail background and I missed the launch of this marketing concept. As an Indie Writer, I understand I wear several hats: producer, manufacturer and wholesale distributor. Retail Proprietor, apart from selling signed book, never occurred to me.
In my retail business, occasionally, I produce or private label items. However, it never occurred to me to do the same for my books. At one time, I did briefly post my poetry book on my lingerie site, but took it down. It didn’t feel right. However, that’s about to change.
My awakening to this phenomenon came after reading a Brenda Novak post on BookBub [9 Book Advertising Tactics I’ve Tried… And Which Ones Worked!]. In the nine advertising things she tried several caught my eye, but the one about subscription book boxes really stuck out.
Now I was familiar with subscription boxes and to be honest, who hasn’t? Let’s talk, author friend to author friend. There are subscription boxes for everything. And I mean that literally. In my quest to research this, I found boxes for mixology, your pet, coffee/tea/hot chocolate, beauty/spa, fitness wear, clothing and my favorite feminine hygiene. Let’s take a pause, that last one really caught my eye. It include the obvious item, plus jewelry, chocolate and tea. Man, why couldn’t I have created that one.
Back to what I was saying. After reading Brenda’s blog post, I began researching. In my search, I discovered, apart from the companies that sponsor book subscription boxes, which seem to be more difficult to get into than my skinny jeans from ten years ago, but authors doing their own boxes. Bingo! That was it. If all these premium and newbie authors could do it, why couldn’t I. Pause for reflection. The last time I tried something someone else did, I wrote and published twelve plus titles in a year. I’m sure this will be a lot easier to copy.
This is where the Author Store discovery happened. In stalking, I found out not only were authors selling subscription boxes, but a host of other things as well. I saw stores with mugs, blankets, stadium cups, t-shirts, hats, journals, jewelry, candles, the list goes on. Oh yeah, and signed books. Here I thought I was doing well to offer links for my ebooks plus signed copies on my website.
Retail selling is my world. I know about online shopping, that’s what I do. I know wholesale shopping, private label products, gift packaging. Heck, I started out selling gift baskets and know how to get stuff. So how is it I missed this? It’s bad enough I have no swag to mention. Now let me explain that. I forgot as a writer that I have to think like a reader/consumer. I personally don’t collect a lot of branded items. Let me clarify. I collect designer clothes, shoes, bags and accessories. I do like to collect those cards Kate Spade puts out every month. But, I’m not the chip clip, pen, button, bag, mug, stickie notes girl. It has to be really amazing for me to get it. But after several conversations with the swag lady, she opened my eyes. It’s not about what I like, but about what will attract the reader. These little things I find insignificant, help to keep my name in the reader’s face. And if they like the item and your book, they’ll tell their friends, “Hey you have got to read this author. Oh yeah, and she gave me this amazing….”.
In my quest to sell more books, I forgot a key marketing principle “Seven Touches”. There have been studies about this. Apparently it takes seven touches before someone makes a decision to buy your product. Now I get it. The little things I thought were a waste of money are my seven touches.
This is bigger than just a few pieces of swag and the occasional reader contest, this is a side hustle and only limited by your imagination. And if it’s done correctly, it could become very lucrative. Plus you could sell a lot of books.
I’m putting on my retailer hat and building a new store, “The Sophisticated Reader Store”. Step one: A Coming Soon Sign…done.
Have an amazing month.
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