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Goal Setting for 2012

November 28, 2011 by in category Archives

Thanksgiving is over, and the official holiday shopping season has begun. I was driving in my car just the other day and heard a famous Christmas song that made me pause, where the singer crooned about the year being over, and then he asked. “What have you done?”

What have I done? The question lingered in my mind. What had I done? Not what I intended, that’s for sure. I had set goals and hadn’t attained some of them.

Hearing author Susan Mallery speak at the recent OCC birthday bash really inspired me. She talked about goals and how she made business decisions based on how well they would help her attain her goals. Her ability to set a goal and stick to it impressed me, as did her willingness to occasionally refuse select prospects because they did not line up with her goals.

Many people get caught up in the moment and are afraid to let an opportunity pass. Sometimes it’s about money, sometimes about getting or staying published, sometimes about building a name or personal validation. Accomplishing goals means sticking to your guns and keeping your eye on the prize. As writers, we tend to get easily distracted, and we often need to work on the discipline needed to set and keep our goals.

Here are two tips for making and keeping goals that hopefully we can all apply to the upcoming year:

1. Make the goal ATTAINABLE. Sometimes we have goals that may set us up for failure because we have no control over them. Keep your goals to things over which you have most of the control. Setting the goal to get an agent by the end of the year might not be considered an attainable goal because you have no way of guaranteeing that an agent will sign you in that time frame. However, an attainable goal might be to query X number of agents in a year. You have total control over that because you are the one sending the queries. And achieving that goal might indeed result in you getting signed by an agent within a year.

2. Have SHORT TERM and LONG TERM goals. Your short term goals can give you that feeling of immediate gratification while you work towards the long term goal. Example of a short term goal: Finish the book by the end of the year. Long term goal: Have written three completed manuscripts in three years.

Here’s hoping we all reach our goals in 2012!

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A Fantasy Life by Janet Quinn Cornelow

November 28, 2011 by in category A Fantasy Life by Janet Cornelow tagged as ,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I did with all of my sons, their spouses, my sister, and my granddaughter. My babies, the kitten and the dog, were worn out by the end of the day with all of the company.

The Enchanted Hawk is now up at Kindle. It is a fantasy romance.

Brylyn, of the Hawk Clan, is drawn into the intrigue surrounding Thom McGarrety, when his brother is to wed Anna from another domain. Brylyn faces the danger of the feonds, the humans who rule the area where her people used to live. They would see her and her people dead because they are shape-shifters.

When Anna’s family wants the McGarrety castle, Brylyn must trust her secret to Thom. Thom, believing that the shape-shifters are nothing but myth, must learn to believe in Brylyn and trust her to help save his life and his domain. Together, can they save the castle, unite their people and find lasting love?

Rob, my youngest, came over yesterday and helped me put up the Christmas tree. Count Rugen, the kitten, loves it. He has already knocked off a branch – it is a fake tree – , brought me an ornament, and pulled the bottom piece of garland across the room. It is going to be a year of repairing the Christmas tree.

I am not putting up as many decorations this year because of Count Rugen. The village is staying in its boxes. Many of the other decorations will also stay in their boxes. We are going heavy on wall hangings this year. Some of them have not been up in awhile. I figure Rugen can’t knock things off the wall as easily, though he will try.

I took Rob and his wife to the Bower’s Museum to see the Chinese Sand Warriors. It was well worth seeing if you want something to do over the holidays.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season.

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Isabel Swift comments on the lessons of Rudolf, the red-nosed reindeer

November 24, 2011 by in category From Isabel Swift tagged as , ,

Some years ago I did a post on Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer. It’s a song that always troubled me, as it seemed so out of keeping with the general aspiration holiday cheer.

Rudolf, the Red-nosed Reindeer is such a straightforward statement that if you are or look different, others will ridicule, shun, humiliate and reject you. As you may recall, the other reindeer “laugh and call him names/They never let poor Rudolph/join in any reindeer games.”

That is his life until everyone suddenly discovers that the very thing that made him different will in fact deliver a unique and crucial skill that will overcome what had been an insurmountable obstacle. Of course, “Then all the reindeer loved him/as they shouted out with glee,/Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,/you’ll go down in history!”

Clearly, for some people, anyone that is different is seen as a threat.

Perhaps some people assume if something is different it must be an enemy (?)

Perhaps some people think that, since they are perfect, anyone that doesn’t resemble them is less than perfect, and must be eliminated (?)

Perhaps some people think they are perfect, thus everyone else must also think they are perfect, so their differences are in conflict, and are an alarming threat to some people’s own belief system, sense of self-satisfaction and comfort (?)

But some people appreciate differences in others.

Perhaps they respond to the fact that evolutionary theory rewards those species that have variety, as it gives them more options for species survival to respond more effectively to a changing world. If a species becomes too uniform, then one problem can wipe out the entire species, because all are equally vulnerable (?)

Perhaps they realize that variety enhances survival because not everyone wants the same thing at the same time, diminishing competition and allowing peaceful coexistence (?)

Perhaps they have internalized the Rudolf lesson, that the very things that make someone different will offer key skills to the team, and make the sum far greater than each individual part—a central theme in romances (?)

And clearly, the trial by fire that so many live through in environments that penalize differences can forge powerful, creative and remarkable human beings.

But it is hard on the young. For the lessons we learn in Kindergarten are not pretty and many live their whole lives trying to overcome or find forgiveness for what happened then.

In an effort to prevent teen suicides among kids with gender and sexuality issues there are resources. It gets better.org or The Trevor Project are two.

The focus there is gender, but the basic issue is the same. Being different may not be an easy road, but it gets better—even for Rudolf. And adults have only to pause for an instant to think of all the people who were “different” that have transformed their lives and the world around them and value and support the gift of being different.

Here’s hoping that the coming season gives us all things to be thankful for—the gift of accepting—indeed of celebrating our differences.  For therein lies our strength.

Isabel Swift

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Book Covers

November 19, 2011 by in category Archives tagged as , ,

By Member at Large Monica Stoner, w/a Mona Karel

Deep in the recesses of my overstuffed memory is a ditty that supposedly did the rounds at a SciFi Convention. To the tune of “She’ll be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain”

“There’s a dragon on the cover of my book
There’s a dragon on the cover of my book
He is green and he is scale-y but he’s nowhere in my tale-y
There’s a dragon on the cover of my book.”

In the process of research of this ditty, I came across several other stanzas, including a bimbo on the cover, and a castle on the cover (for a book set in Seattle) and slightly different wording. The ending I remember referred to having a “wrong” cover is still better than finding one’s book in a remainder pile. By the way, if you Google that first line you can have a lot of fun missing out on your NaNo count while doing research.
Mind you this was a long time ago, before even Rocket Books (remember those?) had been created. Authors had no say in their covers, and were occasionally seen to wince when presented with the scantily clad heroine and the buff hero in excruciatingly tight trousers, open shirt, blond hair flying in the wind–never mind that he’s written as a brunette and he’s French. They were told the publisher knew what sold books much better than any writer.

Fast forward to now, and look at the changes in the publishing world. Digital books, print on demand, self publishing, author input on covers. And what do we see on many books? Bare chests, flowing hair, large breasts–and that’s the male. Seems even when the option exists to have input on our covers, authors are opting for the beef cake.

Do these covers really sell more books, even when they’re only displayed on the computer screen because we read electronically? Is there really more market for headless bare chested men with impossibly large breasts and muscles where no one has ever seen muscles?

I realize some books lend themselves to these covers, since they are written more erotically. But not all of them. A friend did a survey for the cover of her second space opera book, showing various covers, and the most popular was the one with a bare chested man, with planets and space ships in the background. So maybe those covers do serve a purpose.

I’m contemplating covers since Black Opal Books has offered to publish my second book. The working title is “Teach Me To Forget,” and it’s about a photographer and a writer. So should I have a well muscled nekkid chested guy on the cover, holding a camera? I feel fortunate with the cover on “My Killer My Love,” since it conveys the mystery man in the woods concept, but I wonder if I should have looked farther for a more revealing photo?

What do you think, as writers and readers? Would you be more likely to pick up a book by an unknown author if the cover could qualify for serious eye candy?

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Marketing “Quick Response”: QR Codes, The New Sexy…

November 18, 2011 by in category Archives tagged as , , , ,

by Jenny Hansen

Are you capitalizing on the sexy little bit of free Techie gadgetry that’s currently all the rage? I’m talking about QR Codes, those little black squares you’re seeing on your television, in magazines and on the mail coming into your house.

I know, I know…QR just doesn’t sound sexy and, unless you’re more the nerdy type, “code” probably doesn’t either. But QR Codes are getting me hot these days. Seriously.

QR Codes are one of the EASIEST marketing tricks you’re not taking advantage of, especially if you’re a self-published author or a small business person.

Click here for the other 8 no-to-low cost social media tips we talked about last month and sit back to bask in the warmth of a new piece of technology fun that doesn’t cost a thing!

What is a QR Code?

QR stands for Quick Response and was created by the automotive industry to help track vehicles during the manufacturing process. How is this sexy, Jenny? you might be thinking…

Well, I’ll tell you. A QR Code is a barcode that stores a web address of your choosing. As an example, if you scan the one above, you’ll go to a cool place on OCC’s website that you might not visit very often. There are free apps available in both the Android and the iPhone that let you scan a QR code to quickly go to a website.

Note: To scan the code, you’ll need an app like QR Scanner [iTunes link] for the iPhone and iPod touch, or ShopSavvy for Android devices.

Uses for QR Codes…just think about this, folks:

  • QR Codes are being used at grocery stores to give you recipes and nutritional information for products you’re buying in the store.
  • To give you coupons, both in-store and on the internet.
  • On business cards, signs and brochures. A simple little barcode allows you to give the info you need to on the card or sign and, with a single click, also help the person to visit the webpage of your choice.
  • On clothing labels (Macy’s and other retailers are already using this) to tell you about that item and others you may like in the store.
  • On anything with packaging, to push people to a website, Facebook or review page.
Why couldn’t my self-published and indie author friends use this on the front or back covers of their books, or hidden as Easter eggs in the pages? Ex: Click here to get a free short story, or to submit a review, or to sign up for my monthly newsletter. The possibilities are ENDLESS.

Are you juiced up yet? Cause I am.

Can I get a QR Code of my very own?

But of course! There are tons of free spots to generate a QR code. Bit.ly and Social Oomph are the two I use the most often.

To use Bit.ly:

  • Visit bit.ly, write or paste in a URL address, click “Shorten,” and add .qr to the end of the generated bit.ly link (like so: http://bit.ly/tm90xj.qr).
  • Copy the modified link into a new browser window to view the QR code.
  • Once you see the code on your screen, you can print it out, send to your friends via e-mail, post on your blog, etc.
To use Social Oomph:
  • You need to sign up for a free account, whereas for Bit.ly, you could sign in with Twitter (but it still asks for your email address).
  • Once you’re signed in, l00k at the left navigation bar – “Shorten URL” is the fourth choice from the top.
  • Click the Shorten URL shortcut and type or paste the address in to the “Long URL” box and click the Shorten button.
  • There’s a box that says QR Code – copy the link out of there and follow all the same steps as above in the Bit.ly example.
From Wikipedia: Users with a camera phone equipped with the correct reader application can scan the image of the QR code to display text, contact information, connect to a wireless network, or open a web page in the telephone’s browser. This act of linking from physical world objects is termed hardlinking or object hyperlinking. Click here for more details than you probably want on how to work QR Codes. 🙂

UPDATE: In the last few weeks since I wrote this post, viruses have targeted QR Codes here and there. That doesn’t mean they aren’t safe but, just like email, watch where you click. More details here on how to avoid viruses.

Does this give you any new marketing ideas for your books, businesses or advertising? Are you already using QR Codes? What has your experience been?

Happy Writing!
Jenny

Jenny Hansen fills her nights with humor: writing memoir, women’s fiction, chick lit, short stories (and chasing after the newly walking Baby Girl). By day, she provides training and social media marketing for an accounting firm. After 15 years as a stand-up corporate software trainer, she’s digging this “sit down and write” thing.

In addition to being a founding member at Writers In The Storm, Jenny can also be found on Twitter and Facebook or over at her solo blog, More Cowbell.

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