Humans4PuertoRico Giveaway

My dear friend and fellow author JD Estrada has launched an awesome book giveaway called  #Humans4PuertoRico to support hurricane victims.

The idea is simple. Make a donation to the cause and win books.

The grand prize is a hefty bundle of paperbacks, including a copy of Strange Luck. Donate today!

Victorian Epitaphs and Horror Novels - My Interview with Fiona Mcvie

Now that I've finally finished my new book (YAY!), I have more time for interviews.

I had a blast answering Fiona Mcvie's questions. She asked me everything from what I want on my tombstone to what new authors have grasped my interest. You can check it out here.


~~~

Have a question for me that's not posted here? Leave it in the comments and I'll respond. :)

Review Time!

It's truly a remarkable feeling when authors you admire write glowing reviews about your own books. I'm so flattered that suspense author Ingrid Foster had this to say about Strange Luck:

"As a reader, I love any book that can pull me in on page one and keep me turning pages. Strange Luck is definitely that sort of book."

And had this to say about The Nightmare Birds:

"Original plot, unusual, captivating and memorable characters and story line. A must read for fantasy lovers.

I also just got a review of Strange Luck from the talented Sarah Noffke, author of the Lucidite series. 

"This book grabbed my attention from the beginning...A great story with fantastic writing."

 

~~~

If you're looking for something new to read, I highly recommend checking out any books by these authors. You won't be sorry :)

www.ingrididfoster.com
www.sarahnoffke.com

10 Famous Writers’ Fascinating and Pecuilar Hobbies

Need some inspiration for a new hobby to pick up? In today’s post, I’ve put together a list of ten famous writers and their fascinating (and sometimes peculiar) hobbies. Enjoy!

Neil Gaiman: The master of fantasy enjoys beekeeping in his spare time. How awesome is that!? Sylvia Plath was also into beekeeping.

Ernest Hemingway: The Nobel Prize-winning author loved spending time outdoors, hunting, and fishing. He went on several African safaris and was an accomplished deep sea fisherman.

Susan Dennard: The Truthwitch author unwinds by practicing martial arts:

“I was immediately hooked. Everyone was so nice! The class ranged from all ages—kids to grandmas, other UGA students to officers off the nearby army base. Best of all, no one was competing with each other. The whole karate philosophy was about competing with yourself. A “be better than you were last time” mentality.”

She's also way into steampunk culture.

Madeleine L’Engle: Best known for A Wrinkle in Time, L’Engle would play the piano when she had writer's block:

"Playing the piano is for me a way of getting unstuck. If I’m stuck in life or in what I’m writing, if I can I sit down and play the piano. What it does is break the barrier that comes between the conscious and the subconscious mind. The conscious mind wants to take over and refuses to let the subconscious mind work, the intuition. So if I can play the piano, that will break the block, and my intuition will be free to give things up to my mind, my intellect. So it’s not just a hobby. It’s a joy."

Ransom Riggs: He unwinds by collecting creepy vintage photos:

"I have an unusual hobby: I collect other people’s pictures. The ones I love are old and orphaned and have found their way into flea markets or swap meets or into the hands of collectors. I have thousands, some of which have found their way into my books. Here are 18 that inspire me but have never been published."

Beatrix Potter: Potter was a successful breeder of sheep and well regarded for her work to protect the beautiful countryside she adored.

J.R.R Tolkien: When not writing, Tolkien invented new languages, many of which (e.g., Elvish) he used in his writing. He wrote songs and poems in his fictional languages. In addition, Tolkien worked to reconstruct and write in extinct languages like Medieval Welsh and Lombardic.

Agatha Christie: The British murder-mystery writer lived quite an adventurous life. She frequently accompanied her husband on his archeological digs.

Leo Tolstoy: The Russian writer was an avid chess player. He learned how to play as a young boy and recorded many of his games.

Ayn Ryad: Although she spent most of her time writing and promoting her philosophy of Objectivism, she was also a passionate stamp collector:

"I feel tired after a whole day of writing, I spend an hour with my stamp albums and it makes me able to resume writing for the rest of the evening. A stamp album is a miraculous brain-restorer.”

~~~

If you're curious how I unwind, I cook. A lot. Primarily Mexican and Italian dishes. I just got a dehydrator and have been busy making fruit rolls, dry rubs, and homemade jerky. My specialty is baking desserts though. I have a major sweet tooth. 

J.D. Estrada's Top Books of 2016

I love J.D. Estrada's booktube videos. They are funny, witty, no nonsense videos with a hint of quirk. Today he posted a new video of his top 10 books of 2016. Get your pen and paper ready because he has some great recommendations.

As I was watching I was delighted that he chose Strange Luck and The Nightmare Birds for his list! What a truly wonderful surprise :) You can watch the video below. Don't forget to subscribe to J.D.'s channel.

Book Impressions - Paperback Junkie

Paperback Junkie Book Review just read Strange Luck and I'm thrilled to share their review. Here are a few snippets:

"Have you ever been wrapped up in your own thoughts, dreams, goals, and ambitions that the world around you seemed to disappear for what seemed like forever?  Have you ever wanted to help someone so much that you were willing to do anything in your own power to help that person?  Have you ever been so consumed by your own memories that the world around you seemed to change?  Well, that is what this book is all about."

"This book is an all around 5 star from the writing, to the content, to the ending.  I cannot wait to start the second novel in this series."

"Well-written, thought out, and put together in such a way that there are surprises around every corner." 

You can check out the full review here.

Also, you can now purchase personalized books directly from me, including Strange Luck! My books are the same price as Amazon and shipping is FREE! I'll also include a limited edition bookmark and note from yours truly. You can purchase via my blog (see widget on the right) or from my official website amieirenewinters.com.

Movie Dream Cast, Binge-Watching, and Writing - My Inteview With Mercedes Fox

Bella Thorne is the perfect Daisy Darling!

Who would be my dream cast if my books were made into a movie?

Why do I write?

What am I currently binge-watching?

I spill all in my interview with author Mercedes Fox.

Book Impressions - Fantasia Reviews The Nightmare Birds

"An impressive addition to the series."

"Fun and beautiful."

"Her use of the language, the pacing of the story, the imagination behind her imagery, each is admirable in their own right, but together pushes her strong narrative to be even greater."

Wow! I'm beyond thrilled about this review. Reading reviews like this makes it all worth it. :D

Read what else Fantasia Reviews had to say about The Nightmare Birds in their five-star review!

Book Impressions - Fantasia Reviews Strange Luck

"A fantastic story. Miss Winters has woven a tale that will enthrall readers and leave them begging for more."

"She paints in broad strokes and fine details, giving us food for thought and imagery to fawn over – we loved it."

"Miss Winters possesses and abundance of talent and imagination that she has poured onto the pages of this book to deliver something that is not only delightful, but worth reading, and that is a rare talent indeed."

I'm absolutely ecstatic about this review!!! These kind words mean the world to me :)

Read what else Fantasia Reviews had to say about Strange Luck in their five-star review.

This Old Dog's New Tricks - Guest Post by Joe Compton

The first thing I think about when I hear the name Joe Compton is GoIndieNow - an online platform that highlights, fosters, and supports Indie Artists of all art forms. A few months ago, I had the privilege to participate in a GoIndieNow author panel discussion called Women in Publishing/Exhibiting Strong Leadership. Not only was it a blast, I met some really talented authors, including Joe (who's a fellow metal head by the way :)) Since then, GoIndieNow has added a bunch of really cool new features and hosted more awesome panels. Joe is an incredibly talented and dedicated individual whom has graciously agreed to write a post today about the importance of having an online video presence as an author.

Take it away, Joe...

This Old Dog's New Tricks

How do we market ourselves at a pace that keeps up with the world’s rapid growth and advancements? Are we holding on to tightly too tried and true methods that prevent our actual growth?

Let’s face it, virtually gone are the days wherein authors and artists use mailers and press releases. Even book festivals and writer’s conferences that were once the only quick fire way to have direct contact with industry folks and readers have dwindled in not only attendance but hierarchy. One of the more prominent reasons is the average median age of someone publishing their first novel is between 36-38.

I bring up the age thing because at 36 you are more likely to have a steady job and a family with responsibilities that are not just financial but time consuming. Which makes conferences and festivals logistical nightmares, as most of them fall on a weekend or take place over the course of several days and are very expensive (even if you find one local to you).

Age also slows you down or make your priorities shift. No matter how you might view that statement, it’s fact. You can’t do what you did at 24 or care about what you cared about at that age. That usually equates to missing the best part of the conference or at least the most productive part, the networking events.

Even if you curtail your intake or don’t drink at all, you most likely will be mainlining coffee for 6 hours to keep your eyes open for the next day’s conference lectures, panels, and group exercises. Even if you go to the networking events but leave early you just might miss out on that one or two agents or publishers because they went up to their room or sat in the lobby doing business on a call or on their laptop, and couldn’t get down to the fun till well after your bedtime.

Now if you are 21-30, you might be more apt or in a better place to do these conferences but then again if you are the only one at the bar or in your age range, then it becomes that measuring stick of is it really worth for you as well.

Sure all this doesn’t mean conferences are useless. There is still a lot of great knowledge to glean and opportunities to pitch yourself to established professionals that can help you. It’s all a matter of what it means for you to be there.

Book festivals are an even more harsh reality. As most will tell you, the goal is to sell but in reality the goal quickly becomes to get as many names for your mailing lists or hand out as many rack cards/bookmarks as you can. Half way through the day you start to realize that breaking even on sales would be almost a victory.

Now, again, there are some festivals that are better than others. Sometimes it’s just perspective as they are better for the person next to you or across from you for whatever reason. There are even some unconventional conventions (i.e swap meets, craft fairs, comic cons, etc.) where you fall into a groove and just sell your ass off. Truth of the matter is though, those happen only in 1 out of every 4 and they almost never repeat themselves the next year.

So with these 2 very prominent ideals being on the tail end of their lifespan and almost being shoved into the publishing hospice to be left for dead, what’s an author, especially an indie author to do?

Well social media is redefining itself and its effectiveness everyday for sure. Even that has uneasy and unsettling results though. One month Facebook parties are the best. The next they are stale, and that depends on who you ask. Some look at it like those happy hours that were such a huge part of the physical conference ideal. Some think it’s just seeing the same 6 facebook postings over and over, to the same audience as the last 1 or 5. One month Twitter is the best. Then Instagram kicks Twitter right between the .jpegs. Then there is the cool kids hangs like Pinterest, Hootsuite, or LinkedIn. Interesting to explore, no doubt, but for some hard to understand the appeal and for others it morphs into something else. Then there are the out of touch, who still look to MYSQL/Proboards’ Message boards, GoodReads, and even have the nostalgic love for MySpace.

I have no doubt that some will defend their personal favorite(s) to the death. We certainly lock on to what works and fight for their relevance. Yet the merits are debatable at best but still essential.

Right now though we all can agree that audiences are quick and need to be fed within an arm’s length of them passing you by and that they never or rarely look back. So if you miss them, there is no getting them back or going after them because if you go after them, the next wave comes by you as well. Before this becomes a generational divide argument (which it’s not in my mind) and for as much as we might want to blame or play “the millennials don’t have the attention span and have driven patience away” game, it isn’t just them. All of our lives are faster and we only have so much time in a day, let alone a week, a month, and a year. That means you have to hook and connect them almost before they get to you instead of by you.

Hmm, I wonder where this principle came from? Sounds super familiar doesn’t it?

Yes book festivals and writer’s conferences do hold a merit after all. If nothing else, for the relevance of the audience not being much different. If you sit at your table at a festival, looking disinterested, scared, or downright bored, nobody will stop; not even for a second. You have to get up, engage, and sometimes drag them, even if they are kicking and screaming, to your table. You have to hone your pitch and have answers to questions you never thought of until you went to a festival or pitched to an agent or publisher at a conference. At the very least you have to know your source material so well, like it was your child. So with those principles being what an audience is, and if they are no longer at these festivals or conferences, where then? Where did our audience go? You see it’s not generational, it’s just a different way audiences go looking now.

I give you YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion. Yes, video platforms. You can throw Skype, Facebook live, Snapchat, Vine, Periscope, and Zoom in there for an even more measured two prong approach to this type of marketing.

Why? Why this method?

YOU STILL HAVE TO BE SEEN!

Let me repeat that..YOU STILL HAVE TO BE SEEN!

While they may not be leaving their living rooms or workplaces, they are Hunkered down on some computer, somewhere. So you being seen makes the connection and makes the metaphysical actually feel physical again. What I mean by that is we are actually conversing in real time and looking at each other. The trick is to turn your conversation to your source material and your expertise.

Honestly here’s the great thing about doing this and doing this right now...you don’t even need to have the best camera, know the best editing methods, be tricky, and/or be so technical that your resolution and pixelation have become resolute and in HD. Just make sure people can hear you and see you. Even seeing you, is not always necessary, as some people use these videos as background and listen more than they watch.

I mean the curve of forgiveness as far as quality goes, right now, is medium to high. Especially right now because not many are doing it perfectly. So it’s just as cool to be out there with it. Eventually you will just get better, you will find what works for you and your audience, and even more so start to get into the technical aspects. Which of course might just benefit you, as those tedious things become important and help you separate yourself from everyone else.

I know, one more thing to stress about but I am telling right now if you aren’t out there with a youtube channel or at very least participating in others endeavors to be out there, you will be left behind and wondering why you are one of the first 2 at the happy hour at the hotel bar at the 22nd Annual Bland Conference. Could it be that maybe, just maybe, you are the only 2 at the bar because everyone else is doing a youtube video or facebook live about their experiences at the same convention you are at right now? Just look at your facebook feed or twitter feed and you will see the answer is yes. It is already happening. I counted 3 facebook friends this week alone who have done just that.

See people are even using this new marketing wrinkle at the old marketing methods. If that isn’t telling you its relevance, nothing ever will, and you can go back to your MySpace profile now. Tell AOL4life on the book tours message board I said hello.

Look there is no wrong way. That’s not what I mean to say when I talk about old methods. Those still work to a degree and for some people it works how they wish it to work. If you are doing all the things people have done since the beginning of time or since the boom of self publishing, and are happy with that, sobeit; more power to you.

However if you are hungry and looking for that game changer and getting to the next level, then follow me into this world.

I spent nearly an entire weekend online, on camera in 2016 at the Brain to Books Cyber Convention. I was up and streaming live for 47 hours. I also created 7 hours of content that ran when I wasn’t online live. That’s how much content I have in my folder on my youtube channel from just that weekend. You can go check it out at my YouTube channel.

It’s under the 2016 Brain to Books Cyber Convention Video Playlist there.

Am I crazy? Yeah probably but that’s what I decided to do. Why you might ask? Well the simple reason is I am crazy, but really it’s because I know making those connections were invaluable. I paid $0 to be a part of that convention. Ok, not true I bought a new camera for $29.95, and posters for another $30, plus all the coffee I drank while I was there. Still I did not need a hotel, still got my drink on, and still had a ton of networking done throughout the weekend in pajamas. I even made 4 sales from it. Pretty awesome considering I wasn’t even talking about my book at this event nor had a goal of making sales for the most part. I was mediating conversations and keeping conversations about other people’s works going.

My point is, there are not that many opportunities like that out there but there is going to start to be. The ones that are out there already are growing and growing faster than they probably even thought they would. Booktubers is a thing. NaNoWriMo has a youtube channel. For those 2 specifically it’s being used as the fun way to connect commonalities we all thought no one else shared.

There are other such formats like Panel discussions. Panel discussions are sharing the most interesting ideals and life lessons within a peer group. It’s invaluable information that is being shared and put out there. If you watch a panel discussion and don’t learn something, wow I feel sorry for you.

Look I know all about the introvert or anonymity thing. Most would feel these are good reasons and yes I will acknowledge that if you have genuine fear or get hurt by the judgemental aspects of being online and criticized, or are a high profile or very private person not wanting to mix your lives with this endeavor, you have some claim to not being or wanting to be a part of this new found glory. However the bottom line is you are the only one hurt by your resistance, no one else. SO you can’t complain about being left behind. I am sorry, you can’t.

I am really sorry, and understand I am not making light of these reasons I have heard for someone not to come on one of my shows or be a part of a Cyber Con or have a youtube channel. I understand, They are real fears and concerns. I can’t imagine what you must go through. It could explain why you are an author and not an actor. I get it but then be who you are and embrace that. Don’t look to the future and think you will reinvent the wheel or that what you are doing now will come back to style so why change. Technology is moving too fast and what I am sharing here may be out of date by the time you get done reading this.

You can’t avoid being swallowed or engulfed by the darkness without stepping one of two ways; forward or to the side. To the side gets you that light and warmth you know but it never rewards you for taking a forward step. It comforts you and leaves you be. There is nothing wrong with that but I guarantee that you all have friends taking those steps forward and they are going to get further away and then you are all alone. If you are good with that, cool. If not why not take that person’s hand who you know is not afraid to step forward and step with them, It is always better to have a friend because they won’t let you fall or be hurt. The buddy system works, remember as a young kid how much better you felt with that ideal? Well right now your buddies are lining up, they are ready to step forward, are you?

Go get yourself a youtube channel, a camera/webcam, and smile. Then take my hand, I promise I won’t let you down.
~~~
Great post on how to be seen, Joe. You provided some excellent ways to get out there. You also shed some light on the reality of what events are like for authors, something I don't think many people are aware of. It's been awhile since I've made a new video for my YouTube channel, so this is certainly the kick in the pants I need to start making videos again. :)
~~~  
 

Bio:
Joe Compton is the author of the crime thriller Amongst The Killing, published in March of 2015 under his publishing company Never Mind The Fine Print Publishing LLC. Joe also runs a subsidiary company called GoIndieNow which is an online platform that highlights, fosters, and supports Indie Artists of all art forms. He does this mainly through his youtube channel where he produces, writes, and hosts a few different shows that post on a regular basis there, Joe has made a half dozen short films, 3 of which he wrote and directed. He also served his country in the United States Marine Corps. Joe is working on a sequel to Amongst The Killing entitled, "We The Moral Majority".

Book Links:

Amazon USA (available in Kindle ebook, paperback, and audiobook)

Amazon UK (available in all 3 formats there as well)
Barnes & Noble (Available in NOOK and Paperback):
Smashwords:(available in electronic formats only)

Social Media Links:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Youtube 
Audio podcast version of show 
Instagram
Pinterest
Vimeo

Writing, Lovecraft, and Kickboxing - My Interview With Mistral Dawn

What's the easiest part of being a writer? What am I working on now? Why is H.P Lovecraft my favorite author of all time? Am I really a kickboxer? Find out the answers to these questions and more in my interview with author Mistral Dawn.

TBT Writer - The Word Wizard

It's #TBTWriter! Time to share some writing throwbacks and awkward pics. If you’ve got a writing throwback, post it with this hashtag so everyone can read your story.

In elementary school, we were given a class assignment to write about our favorite words. They even gave us this nifty handout to fill in the blanks.

Check out that self portrait in the middle. I'm wearing a bow AND a pearl necklace. Fancy. I'm also labeled as "a word wizard." I like the sound of that!

Looking back now, the teacher who assigned this was awesome. What better way to learn how you feel about writing than to dissect words. I especially liked looking at which of these answers are still true, which I've noted beneath each prompt. Here we go...

Words that make me happy: Good, fantastic, great, nice job
These words do still certainly make me happy. :D

Strange or fun words I know: Ice skating, music, soccer
I must be going with "fun" words here.

Special words: Amie
Interesting answer. I probably wrote this because not a lot of people spell their name like me.

Places we find words: Paper, rooms, clothes, school, homes
Yep.

Words I say to cheer up others: Are you o.k., I'm sorry, comets
Not sure what 'comets' means here. Maybe I meant 'comments' as in giving people feedback.

Words that scare me: Croak
This is still true! There's something about this particular word that I absolutely hate.

Words that I love to hear: Piano, music, soccer, Amie
Apparently I liked people saying my name. Not sure these are still true. I think my new answers would have to be cake, Loki (he's my puppy), and I liked your book.

I use words with care because: More people will be kind and will become our friends
I can't believe I wrote this. How adorable!

Words are important because: That's how we learn how to read and talk
Agree.

These words always cause a strong reaction: Hate
Agree.

I learn new words best when: I look in a dictionary
Somewhat agree. I'm more likely to look at the thesaurus in Word than go to a dictionary. 
 
And no TBT post would be complete without a silly picture. This one is so wonderfully 90's that I had to include it. Check out that rockin side ponytail. Oh, and if you're curious about what I'm doing, I'm weaving a lanyard. Remember those? I miss the 90's :(

Have you checked out my other TBTWriter posts yet? You might find these amusing:

• Confessions of a Sugarholic 
• Good Ideas, Sometimes!  
• A Sparkling Dog Named Millie
• An OCD's Worst Nightmare

The Nightmare Birds Book Giveaway!

I hope you've been enjoying all of the book goodies this week to celebrate the release of The Nightmare Birds. In case you missed it, you can meet the characters HERE and read the first chapter HERE.

I have lots more fun extras planned in the coming weeks, but first I'm going to be giving away some books. Woot!

Click HERE to enter my Amazon book giveaway!

I'll be giving away special signed copies and limited edition bookmarks of The Nightmare Birds soon, so keep checking back for details, or, you can sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know about my giveaways.

It's been a very exciting week and I greatly appreciate everyone's support. It seriously means the world to me :D Think I'll celebrate with some chocolate cake...

 

TBT Writer - An OCD'S Worst Nightmare

It's #TBTWriter! Time to share some writing throwbacks and awkward pics. If you’ve got a writing throwback, post it with this hashtag so we can all read your story.

When I was ten, we were given a class assignment to write a creative story about our bedroom. Being the OCD neat freak that I was (and still am), I guess my little mind thought it would be a fun experiment to write about a completely disorderly room. I mean, look at the picture below! Not a scary porcelain doll out of place. Apparently, I thought run-on sentences would also be fun. :D Enjoy!

Is it just me, or does it look like a Disney princess threw up in here?

My Room Was Messy

I walked in my room. It looked like a tornado hit it. I saw crunched up papers, mud on the carpet, my encyclopedia missing a few pages, my socks I put in the laundry were on my bed torn up, my drawers were open with clothes thrown everywhere, my lunch box was torn in half, my sheets to my bed were hanging on my blinds, my homework assignment I put on my desk was no where in sight, my puzzle I did was missing a few pieces, my dirty clothes had bites on them, my pillow had mud paw prints on it. That could only mean one thing, "Millie." I found her outside with all of my stuffed animals circling around her and my homework assignment right beside her. I said I love you Millie, and I also think I saw her wink.  

Here's the culprit of this story - Millie.

 

There's not a single picture of me in the 90's without a funky bow in my hair. Will they make a comeback? 
I hope not!

 

Have you checked out my other TBTWriter posts? You might find these amusing:

• Confessions of a Sugarholic  
• Good Ideas, Sometimes!
• A Sparkling Dog Named Millie

Self-Promotion – An Author’s Guide

We all have dreams of a publisher who does everything for us, but the reality is that authors are responsible for almost all publicity and outreach to the general market. This means that you have to put in the work and fork over the $$$ if you want to do a book signing, or place an advertisement. Only under rare circumstances…like your name is Stephen King…do they do everything for you. Whether you’ve signed with a publisher, or you are an indie author, it’s time to make your marketing plan. Let's get going!

Focus on Your Story/World: Until you’ve gained some traction, and fans, try focusing on extra content for your readers and going from there. If you’re a social butterfly and really want to get out there and share yourself with the world right away, it’s best to take a 50/50 approach – 50% of the time on your book (world, characters, etc.) and 50% of the time on you (interviews, events, etc.). 

I'm Ready for my Close-Up: Start locally. Look into book signings and author talks at local coffee shops, bookstores, schools, and libraries. Once you figure out what you’re doing and how to do it well, move to panels, online interviews/videos, major author events, etc. If you’re kinda shy, like me, the important thing to remember is to stay within your comfort zone. Do things that you really want to do, not the things that you think you should do. 

Set A (Realistic) Budget: Book advertising and appearances can get pricey fast, and it’s really easy to overlook this when you’re excited and full of GREAT ideas. Pick an amount you won’t go over and stick to it, then decide where to focus your marketing. All online? All events? Merchandise? All of the above? 

Don’t want to break the bank? You can still promote your work for free…it’ll just take some effort. There are tons of book sites out there where you can advertise your work for free (or for cheap). Start Googling similar authors/books and see what you find. Book reviewers will also read your book for FREE and post a review with links to purchase it. Almost all reviewers accept ebooks or PDF formats, so you don’t have to pay to ship your book. You get free advertising and they get a free book. :)

Where to start?

Get Social: At the very least you should have a personal website and/or a Facebook page. You can create an author website using a number of free templates like Weebly (this is what I use) or even Wordpress if you want to include a blog component. If you're not tech savvy, hire someone who can get the job done. It doesn't have to be fancy schmancy. Update your content frequently and be sure that links to purchase your books are easily accessible. Your domain name should be something simple like your name (if it's easy to spell or it's abbreviated) or the name of your book (again, if it's easy to spell). If you have a popular name, or just want to stand out more, try adding the words author, writer, or your particular genre to your name. For example, www.jsmithauthor.com or www.jsmithfantasyauthor.com.

If you’re able, try to use at least one or two more methods of social media for regular promotions. Different media means different audiences. Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, they’ll all work. If you want to take it one step further, get Google Analytics, or utilize the tracking metrics provided by your website carrier, and monitor where traffic is coming from and tweak your promos accordingly. I try to look at my metrics at least once a month and noticed early on that my audience varies widely from each of my social media accounts. I get the most traffic to my personal website from Facebook and subsequently more clicks to Amazon. I also get the most FB clicks when I post pictures. I limit my posts to once or twice a week. I don't get a lot of Twitter traffic to my site in general, or click-troughs to Amazon, but  I do get a lot of retweets and likes if I'm doing a giveaway or promo. My Twitter audience has also been more likely to sign up for my newsletter. Again, it varies depending on what you're putting out there, your intended audience, and your social media platform.  

Time-zones and days of the week are also something to be mindful about. I've read tons of articles about the best days/times to post for particular social media accounts, but never felt they were accurate. It's all about trial and error. Even then though, there is no set pattern. My advice...post what you want when you want. 

Look into writing guest posts on book blogs. You can write about writing, genres, reading, etc. Almost all book blogs are always looking to do author interviews as well. This is a win-win because you get free promotion and they get fresh content.  

Did you say free?

Free Stuff: Giving away anything, especially free autographed copies of your book, is a great way to gain free exposure from people who might not otherwise pick up your book. You can kill two birds with one stone if you implement a required call to action, like entrants have to sign up for your newsletter in exchange for entering your contest.

Amazon giveaways are my go-to for giveaways. It’s super easy to set it up and they ship everything for you. In addition, you can make it required for entrants to follow you on social media, etc. Score! You can also try hosting giveaways on Goodreads or on book reviewer websites. You'll have to package and ship your books/merch though.

Give your books to other authors in your situation. Why? Because authors know what it’s like to, well, be an author. They know it’s hard to get reviews, so they will be much more inclined to sit down and write a well-written review for you. They know how hard it is to promote books, so they will most likely promote your work. I’ve yet to encounter a fellow author, in my genre or other genre, that wasn’t helpful in this way. It can take awhile though. Most authors work a day job, in addition to having a buzzing personal life, so don't take offense if they can't get to it for quite awhile. If another author is kind enough to review your book or provide you with a blurb, always be sure to return the favor. Don't be afraid to make the first move either. Buy their book, read it, post your review, and tell them what you thought. I absolutely LOVE IT when other authors reach out to me in this way! I always add their book to my reading list and tell them I'll review their book within a certain timeframe. If you're not getting a response, you might be targeting authors who are too big and/or only allowed to review books that their publisher tells them to. In the beginning, I foolishly contacted some big names for a review and had to learn the hard way that not everyone will review my book.

Create Some Hype: Teaser trailers are super popular for a reason. If you can’t afford it, or just want to do it yourself, you can download a movie making program, although almost all computers and iPads already have a program on them. iMovie is probably the easiest. Everything is already programmed (music, transitions, etc.), so all you need to do is add your content. Get stock images/videos from a high-quality stock image websites like Shutterstock. You can also find tons of free stock images/vids, like on Photype, it just might take a little bit more time to find them. Before you publish anything, be sure to run it past your publisher first. If you’re an indie author, run it by other authors or friends to make sure everything looks as intended.

Other Stuff:

Bookmarks: Include your book cover, short summary, the ISBN numbers, and your name. Give them to booksellers, librarians, and pretty much anyone who you think would enjoy it. 

Introduce Yourself: Get out in your community and introduce yourself to booksellers and librarians.

Send Out ARCs or Advanced Copies: You can easily set up a template for readers to request a copy.

Thank Those Who've Helped You: Thank the people who read your book and took the time to leave a review. Thank your fellow authors who’ve supported you. Thank the people who took the time to promote your work on their blog, Twitter, or You Tube channel. Thank everyone who has helped you get where you are today. Having said that, I have to give a BIG thanks to the following authors who’ve helped me tremendously with writing advice, promotion, and awesome support: Christie Stratos, J.D. Estrada, Penny Warner, and J.E. Plemons. All of these authors are amazing writers and I highly recommend that you check out their work! Also, thank you to all the people who’ve walked this journey with me, especially to all those kick-ass book bloggers out there. And, a giant thanks to all those who’ve read and posted a review of Strange Luck. Your words mean the world to me. 

♥ ♥ ♥

Have you checked out my other posts on writing? You might enjoy these too:

How to Write A Novel, Part 1: Let The Journey Begin

How to Write a Novel, Part 2: Brainstorming, Drafting, and Getting Organized

How to Be a More Productive Writer

Comments? Questions? Marketing tips? Share below.