Give Excellent Customer Service

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As I go through my day, I encounter a lot of negativity and disappointment on social media and other places. People are always complaining about something. Where is the praise for the companies who are making the effort and giving excellent customer service? 

In this article I want to highlight a couple of places which I have noticed great customer service and appreciate their efforts. At the end of this article, I want to bring the point of this piece home to every writer with some ideas how we can give excellent customer service. 

As an author I am active on Goodreads where I’ve been since 2011 and written over 900 reviews and have over 5,000 friends. Some of my followers read these blog articles on Goodreads because I’ve connected it and the new articles show up on my profile. Sometimes I discover a missing cover or a progress bar which doesn't work or any number of other book-related issues on the site. Each time, I will go to their help menu and use their contact form (follow this link if you have never seen it). Within 48 hours (often sooner), I will receive an email where someone has handled the issue which I raised. With more than 150 million members, I find that type of customer service incredible and to be applauded. If you need help with Goodreads, my recommendation is to fill out their help form.

Another company is Adazing which is located in Australia. Follow this link and scroll down to see their free author resources.  I have purchased several of their products and even been on their podcast as a guest. Recently I was trying to use their program and found a glitch in it. I filled out a support ticket and right away I received an email from them. It took several exchanges until it was resolved but again, remarkable customer service and it was a matter of filling out a support ticket and asking for their assistance. 

Often in these entries, I mention using Hootsuite as a tool to schedule my social media posts. I’ve been using it for years and have a lot of my own time and energy invested in this site. I started with their free version but have been using the paid version for a few years (and that price has been gradually increasing--unfortunately). It's rare that I’ve needed to approach support but each time when I fill out a ticket, they get back to me and even if with several exchanges, eventually the issue is resolved.

In each of these companies, the key to get help is to ask for it using a support ticket, then the company has to have a solid system for aa response. Recently Morgan James Publishing has started such a ticket system for our author support team. The ticket link is built into an autoresponse to an email to author support. Because I’m often the first person that an author interacts with at Morgan James, if authors have some issue they will reach out to me--but often I can’t answer their concern. Now with this support ticket system, I have a simple place to send them where their concern will be heard and resolved. 

There are many other companies who are constantly working at delivering good customer service. It is hard because if you approach them you have had some interruption to the use of their service. Each response is critical because that will play into their reputation and how you will perceive of them and recommend them in the future to others. 

What is your customer service? Each of us as writers have relationships with editors, literary agents and other writers. Your reputation is involved in each interaction to show people that you will do what you say you will do, when you said you would do it and you deliver excellence. Here’s some practical steps each of us can practice:

Deliver with kindness. Take deep breaths before you write that email or return that phone call and have the right attitude with your response.

Respond in a timely manner. Publishing is a communication business where many people do not communicate. Your timely response is a simple way to stand out to others.

Meet the deadlines. Many authors are late and if you meet the deadline, you have another simple way to be memorable and stand out.

To deliver good customer service is a decision that is made every day and your consistency in this area will pay off in the writing community. As writers, we face a great deal of rejection in the process of finding the right place to publish. Novelist Randy Ingermanson published an article, Every Yes is a Thousand Noes. I hope it encourages you to take action for your writing life.

For this article, I used the image of two hands with a ball of respect in between them. At the end of the day, respect is a strong element and motivator for delivering excellent customer service.

How are you providing excellent customer service or what other companies have you noticed in this area? Let me know in the comments below.

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To give excellent customer service is a simple way to stand out in the writing community. This prolific author and editor provides some examples and detailed actions. (ClickToTweet)

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As I’ve worked in the publishing world for years, I’ve spoken with many authors about their expectations and dreams for their books. I’ve found many of these authors have  unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help and take actions no matter what the publisher does for your book. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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See Something and Say Something

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

The details of publishing are important. Each of us as individuals can make a difference in our world--but only if you see something and say something about it. In this article, I want to give several specific examples.

As a writer, it’s easy to feel like you are writing and putting material into the world, but getting little feedback and few things are changing. Or you feel like there is little you can do about incorrect things you see in your work. I understand these feelings and yet I want to tell about a couple of actions that I took this week. They are actions any writer can take whether you are experienced or a beginner. 

As a regular practice from time to time, I will join a launch team for a forthcoming book. I’m a part of such a team for a new book which releases on Tuesday, June 18th. The launch manager sent us a list of websites where we can post our review. In general, I write my review in Microsoft Word. I also create a unique image for the book that I can post with my review. When I got this list of possible places, I opened each one, then cut and pasted my review into the right section. Some of these sites will send a confirmation email to make sure you are who you say you are. Others will take time to post the review and still others will not post the review until when the book releases. 

One of the review sites on this list was a well-known bookseller. The forthcoming book was listed but this website did not have the book cover. Instead they posted a generic book graphic. I posted my review but without the right book cover, my review has less visual impact on the consumer. On my computer, I had downloaded the missing book cover. At this bookseller site, I looked for how to contact customer service about this missing book cover. I filled out a form on their website and attached the book cover asking them to add it to the appropriate place (and I gave them the exact website address). After a day or two, the customer service area sent an email they had added the book cover to their site. I checked it and now the image of the book appears with the book information. My action took a little effort but hopefully helps this author sell more copies of his book. Anyone could have made this change. It did involve seeing something that was missing, then saying something so this missing element was added.

Recently one of my friends on Facebook posted the cover of his new book. It was an attractive cover but when I read the words, I noticed a key word was misspelled on it. I could have shrugged it and figured others would catch this error. Instead, I reached out to this author. I was hopeful that what I was seeing was a preliminary cover and not a final one. My friend appreciated my feedback but I was seeing a final, printed cover. Ouch. As he told me, I would be surprised how many people had reviewed this cover and didn’t catch the misspelled word. I encourage you to help others when you see errors, then say something.

In these articles, occasionally I highlight my consistent actions on Goodreads. There are millions of dedicated readers on Goodreads and I encourage every author to take the time to build their Goodreads profile and connect with friends. The average person on the site has about 200 to 400 friends. I’ve got over 5,000 friends or the maximum. Why is this detail important? When I review a book on Goodreads, the review shows up on the main page of each of these friends. That translates into lots of exposure for my review and the book. Exposure is one of the first actions to drive book sales for every author.

While reading a recent book to review on Goodreads, I noticed the cover was white instead of blue. It was a small detail but important. The book wasn’t my book nor from Morgan James Publishing where I work. I could have ignored it. Instead I filled out a help form on Goodreads and sent them the cover with the right color. BTW, Goodreads has excellent support for such questions. Within 24 hours, they responded and fixed the cover. 

Each of us can take these types of simple actions to improve our world. My encouragement to each of you is to take these small but significant actions. Much in our world is outside of anything in our direct control. Yet each of us can take our own responsibility for making our own changes and fixing what we see needs to be fixed. If you are a Christian, you have a powerful underutilized resource for whatever you see needs to be changed outside of your control: prayer. We can talk with the God of the Universe about these aspects and ask for his help. 

Recently I read and reviewed 1001 Ways to Be Kind by Dallas Woodburn. Each of us can use more kindness in our lives and that can begin with you being kind and spreading kindness. Get this little book and tuck it into your desk or briefcase or purse, then read it and get a practical idea to apply into your life. 

If you want to be a world-changer, that process begins with you and your actions. What actions can you take to improve what you see and make a difference? Let me know in the comments below. 

Tweetable:

When you see a book with a missing image or some other wrong aspect, do you say something? This prolific author and editor encourages simple actions. Get the details here.  (ClickToTweet)

Much of the publishing process is outside of the writer’s control. 10 Publishing Myths helps writers have a realistic perspective and take action. Get 10 Publishing Myths for only $10 +FREE shipping + over $200 of free bonuses.

Just Do It

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

How in the world have I written thousands of book reviews? Like the Nike slogan says, I just do it. My commitment to writing book reviews springs from several motivations.

 

First, I want to support other authors who write good books. Also I want to encourage other writers to write book reviews—selfishly for my own books—but also for books from other writers. Finally I write reviews because good books can change lives. I know this firsthand because years ago reading a book changed the direction of my life.

 

Through the years, I’ve worked out a detailed routine of what I do when I write a book review. First, I create a short link for the book that I store in a text file. Then I download a copy of the cover and upload it to MockUpShots where I quickly create a unique image for the book. I use this image on social media but also on my Amazon review. This different image helps the book standout and get attention from readers.

 

I’ve created my own book review template with my information. Next I pull up this template in Word and add the short link then save the review in a book review folder on my computer. When I write a review, in my mind, I have an idea of the shape of this review. Because I’ve done this mental work, it does not take me long to create my book review.  It begins with an eye-catching title. Then I write a short summary of the book and give some overall impressions. As I read the book, I will often mark a quotation or two in the book. I will quote a brief section in my view which show readers that I actually read the book. I end my review with a simple recommendation for the reader.

 

Because I’ve written my review in Word, I will often print my review, then wait a bit (sometimes even a day). I re-read my review and make any changes or modifications. Then I go to the book page on Amazon and cut and paste my review. Sometimes my review appears right away and other times it will take a day or two for it to appear.

 

Next I go to Goodreads where I have 5,000 friends and have written over 800 reviews. My reviews get a lot of attention on Goodreads. I will cut and paste the same review into Goodreads and post it.

 

If I know the author or publicist for the book, I will create an email with the links to my review on Goodreads and Amazon. Why? Because when the author or publicist receives it, it shows them them what I have done. Then when they have another book, often these authors will reach out to me. It happened a week or so ago with an author who has a new book coming out in a couple of months. Your activity can breed more activity if you communicate about your review work.

 

Finally I promote the book on social media. When I craft my post for social, I look and see if the author has a Twitter account. If they do, I include their twitter name in my post. Why?  It’s another subtle way to get that author's attention that you have reviewed their book. You never know where such attention could lead such as a future opportunity. In January 2014, I reviewed Piers Morgan’s book, Shooting Straight and included his Twitter handle in my social media post. He responded with appreciation through Twitter which showed me that Morgan read it. It’s another little detail that I just do it.

 

Help With Writing Reviews

If you don't know what to write for a review, my friend Sandra Beckwith has created a nonfiction and a fiction template. I have both of these tools and they give wise and experienced guidance.

 

How do I do it over and over? It's simple. I just do it. I tell you about it here because you can do it too. It takes no special creditials. If I do it, you can do it too. Some of the keys to the writing life is consistency, persistence and perserverance. The honest truth is I never get it all done but I continue to take action day after day. Have you created a writing routine which you do over and over? Let me know in the comments below.

 

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How to Write a Book Review

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Last week I gathered with a group of local writers for a backyard barbecue to celebrate the beginning of our school year and to begin again our monthly meetings. One of the writers brought her first book which was going to release in a few weeks. I asked if she had a launch team or any other plans to get her book into the market. She looked a bit lost how to answer my question then said, “I'm going to put the cover up on my Instagram account and tell people it is available.” 

 

I encouraged this author to get friends and others to write book reviews because readers are making buying decisions every day when they read reviews online at any place books are sold and not just Amazon. I understand the influence of book reviews and it's one of the reasons I've been writing book reviews for decades in print publications as well as online. As you read or listen to books, writing a simple book review is a way to support other writers. If you want to know more about how to get reviews, I have created a free teleseminar on this topic (follow the link). 

  

I've seen many people write a sentence or two for their review but I believe a more detailed review is helpful to the readers (and the author). In this article, I want to give you more of the details about how I write a review. While each review is individually crafted, there are some consistent elements in my reviews to give you some ideas for y0ur reviews. The books that I read and review come from a variety of places. Sometimes publishers will send them to me, others will come from authors, and other times I learn about books from reading other reviews or news releases. I'm often reading one book and listening to a different book. As I read the book, I will open a Word file and sometimes make some notes about the book. These brief notes often turn into the review. Also as I read, I will mark interesting quotes or sections with post-its to be able to easily reference these sections with my review.

 

Every review begins with a headline. This headline can be a summary statement about the book but involves using a few words to draw the reader into reading your review.  Spend a few moments crafting your headline for the review.

 

In my review, I summarize the contents of the book, point out key sections of the book and in general, I include a few sentences which I quote from the book and reference the specific page where it comes from. I inelude this quote to show the reader that I've actually read the book and it gives the reader some more insights about the book. I conclude each review with my recommendation about the book.

 

In recent years, I've learned to use an online program called Mock-Up Shots which has a set of diverse marketing tools. One of those tools allows me to upload the book cover then I select a unique image with the book which I add to my review on Amazon and also use the image to promote my review (and the book) on social media. If you want to learn more about these tools for your use, follow the link. You can get lifetime access which is well worth it in my view and I use these tools almost daily.

 

The bulk of my reviews are about 150 to 200 words in length and afterwords, I will often print the Word file with my review, then read it again and make any changes before posting it on Amazon and Goodreads. The Goodreads review appears right away but Amazon sometimes takes a day or two or three before it appears. When the Amazon review appears, I will post about my review on social media to my different channels (Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn).

 

The final step in my process relates to how I received the book. If I got it directly from an author or publisher or publicist, I will send the Amazon and Goodreads links to my review along with a link to my posting on social media. Taking this step is important to affirm to the receiver, I have completed the review—and it opens the door to additional books for possible review.

 

Do you write reviews for the books you read or hear? Do you have a pattern or system you've created for these reviews? Let me know in the comments below.

 

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Do you write book reviews? This prolific editor and author gives the details about how to write a book review. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)

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Put Your Spin On Your Writing

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Within the writing world, there are countless stories to be told in many different formats such as blog posts, magazine articles and books. As a writer, I enjoy helping other people shape and write these stories. It gives me a chance to put my own spin on these stories and get them out into the world. Each of us have an endless supply of such stories and personal experiences. One of the keys is to get your fingers on the keyboard and create them in the first place, then do the work to get them out into the world so other people can read them. Without pitching and making that right connection to an editor or agent, it remains something in your mind but not into the world.

 

Like the picture of the the spinning top in this article, the toy does not spin without someone taking action. Action is what we do as writers—day in and day out—especially if we want our words to get into the world. In this article I want to give you a couple of examples of how I put my own spin on my writing.

 

Social Media Posts

 

Through the years I've posted thousands of times on social media. In these articles, I've told about using tools like Hootsuite and ClickToTweet in this process. These tools help me be consistent and ClickToTweet gives others an easy way to pass on the article. In my social media plans, I will highlight articles and other writings from others. Each time I post, I make sure to include an image (since this image often draws people to read the words with the post). If the article I am highlighting has an image, I will use that image or if not, I will quickly find one to use with it.

 

For my social media posts, behind the scenes I've created my own “standard” and it's something I encouorage you to do as well. In addition to a photo with each post, I attempt to include the name of who wrote the article along with their Twitter handle (not everyone has a Twitter name but I search for it and try to add it each time). If the person has a tool to pass on the article, I use that as a starting point, then I add the name, shorten the link and if not there (add a couple of relevant hashtags). It does not take a lot of time to meet this standard but it brings consistency to my various social media posts—and yes I put some effort into these posts—something I encourage you to do as well.

 

Most of the time, I hear little from my social media posts (12–15 times a day) but then someone will comment or share or indicate some way they have read the post. Sometimes these posts are new and other times they have been out there for a long time. The interaction shows me that people read this material—whether they say anything or not. Don't be surprised if you don't get a lot of response. The key is go keep on going and be consistent.

 

Book Reviews

 

I've been writing book reviews for a long time with over 1,100 on Amazon and over 700 on Goodreads (follow this link if you want to see some of them). My reviews are my own spin or perspective on a particular book. Often I will quote part of the book (especially on print and not so much on audiobooks) which shows the reader that I've actually read the book and found a relevant quote to include in my review.  Throughout any week, I receive many more books that I can possibly read—much less write about—but I continue doing some of them on a regular basis (even though no one pays me for these reviews). If you read a book or listen to it, I encourage you to take a few minutes and write a review. It will be a way to support the author and also good for your writing life.

 

How are you putting your spin on your writing? Let me know in the comments below.

 

Tweetable:

As a writer, you put your own spin on your writing. Get some examples and ideas from this prolific writer and editor. Read the details here. (ClickToTweet)

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Small Things Matter

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Last week an online group had a discussion about small or short writing projects. Do they matter and do they lead to longer writing projects? Yes they do and in fact the small things matter. Many forget big doors turn because of little hinges. A small or short writing project can lead to bigger things.  In this article I want to give you some specific examples and ideas for your own writing life.

 

Your relationships with others in the writing community is important. Often who you know as much as what you know or pitch is weighted with importance. For example, people recognize birthdays and anniversaries on Facebook. Do you particpate and say something? If you do it's a way for you to be back in the thoughts of that person. When someone passes, do you say something on Facebook? Do you mail a physical sympathy card? I have a box of these cards and when I see that someone's relative has passed, I will often reach for a card, fill it out and mail it. It doesn't take much time but the gesture is appreciated and remembered.

 

In these articles I've talked about getting your book into libraries and the importance of promoting these books to others so the books get checked out and used. It's a small effort but I have a series of social media posts that I've created to promote my own books to a local writer's group. I don't use them very often but from time to time I post that my books are available at our local library. In my short post, I include a link which goes to the place where they can check out my book and use it. I make this small effort occasionally but it helps others to know about and use my books in the library.

 

Recently I noticed one of my long-term writing friends is speaking at a nearby church. We had not seen each other in decades but I reached out to him and we arranged to meet for coffee. During the time we have known each other, this writer has published about 30 different books. He was telling me about one of his books which consistently sells about 50,000 copies a year. I don't have any idea about the sales of  his other booksl but this one book has consistently earned year after year.  You may have written many books but if you write one like my friend with consistent sales, then that book will be a small portion of your overall books but something huge for you personally.

 

Follow-up Opportunities. Often throughout the day I will think about a social media post or an email to send or a phone call to make.  Everyone is busy and often it takes a gentle follow-up with this person. I use the word gentle because if you push, you can easily hear no response. Are you taking action when these ideas come into your mind? To have the idea in the first place is great, but the people who take action are the ones who get it done.

 

Write Reviews and Articles. The ability to write a short book review or short magazine article is a different skill than writing a longer book project (nonfiction or fiction).  I don't want to get rusty in this skill I've developed over the years. I continue to write book reviews (over 1,100 on Amazon and over 700 on Goodreads). I continue to write articles for magazines and blogs. I encourage you to write these shorter pieces as well.

 

In the world of publishing, there are many other important yet small actions which matter. What small actions are you taking which matter? Let me know in the comments below.

 

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In the world of publishing, the small things matter. This prolific editor and author is aware of the importance of his “small actions.” Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)

Does your fiction or nonfiction have a business plan? Every type of book needs a proposal—even if you self-publish. Get this resource.

What Is Your Back Up Plan?

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Sometimes even the best plans have hitches. For example, these weekly articles I write about the writing life. For many years, I've been writing and putting up these articles. Ahead of time I write the article, set up the details and check it. Then early on Sunday morning, I check to see if it worked.

 

Last week, I went to my blog—and nothing was posted. Behind the scenes, I checked and my post had a headline but nothing else. The day before I had carefully written my article, added links like my ClickToTweet and others. I had checked everything and scheduled it to go live online. Yet my article was not there. It was completely blank.  

Many writers in this situation would panic. I did panic for a few minutes but then I sat down and went to work—because I had a back up plan. While I rarely use this back up plan, it is there and something I'm going to explain in this article so you can create your own back up plan.

 

For years, I've been writing my original articles in a different program—reviews, articles and blog posts. My back up didn't have everything—but had the majority of the information. Years ago for my blogging, I began to use a program called BlogJet and that's where I had my original article. In fact, I use this program to keep my ideas and notes for future blog articles. 

Some of these notes are never used. Throughout my day when I get an idea for an article, I will often go to BlogJet and create a new file, then scratch a few words of an outline. Later I use this outline to craft my article. When I looked for my blogpost and nothing was there, I turned to my article on BlogJet which had most of my original article. I still had to re-do some of my work but not all of it to put it into place.

 

Back-up Is For More Than Blog Articles

 

I've written over 1,100 reviews on Amazon and over 700 reviews on Goodreads.  I begin the process writing my review in a Word document—not online. I craft my review in this document, sometimes even print and read it later then rewrite before I post it on Amazon and Goodreads.  I create my reviews in this way because it gives me a back up place.

 

Through my decades in publishing, there have been a few rare times  I've lost writing and it is painful to have to recreate something. I've learned the hard way the importance of planning a back up plan ahead of time. It's a simple concept to write and preserve your material in another location than the online place but a regular part of my practice. Then when the rare day like last week happens, I don't panic and can still meet the deadline.

 

I captured this experience in this article as a part of my writing life to help you. What do you have as a back up plan for your writing or online work? Let me know in the comments below.

 

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When something unusual happens in your writing,  what is your back up plan? This prolific editor and author gives the details of how he handles this writing situation. (ClickToTweet)

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Advantages to Batch Writing

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Since my recent move, I've been doing some batch writing. This term “batch writing” is where I will write a series of the same type of writing. For example, one of the ways I support other writers is through writing and posting book reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. It happened gradually but I've written over 1,100 reviews on Amazon and over 700 reviews on Goodreads.  Because I've written so many of these reviews, I can write the review in a short amount of time. Several publishers have been sending me children's books and in particular board books—which do not have many words. I've been reviewing these books in a group or batch.

 

One of my long-term writing friends Bob Bly is the author of THE COPYWRITER’S HANDBOOK plus over 100 other books. His COPYWRITER’S HANDBOOK originally was published in 1985 and last year Bob's publisher released the Fourth Edition. If you have not read this book, I encourage every writer to get a copy and study it. For many years, Bob has made a highly profitable career as a copywriter and this valuable skill is one every writer needs to learn. Here's what I wrote about THE COPYWRITER’S HANDBOOK:

 

One of the critical skills for every writer is copywriting. I’m delighted to see this classic book from the 80s updated with a fourth edition. Years ago, I read the first edition and still have it on my bookshelf. As Bly writes in the preface, the psychology of convincing others has not changed in centuries but the details of achieving success with your words continues to change and evolve. As Bly writes, “For instance, we used to say a disgruntled customer would tell ten other people about his dissatisfaction with the merchant. Now, with online reviews and social media, some can and do tell thousands.” This new edition includes chapters on critical elements like landing pages, online ads, social media, video content and much more. Every writer needs to read and study THE COPYWRITER’S HANDBOOK. Your writing will be improved, and you will be able to profit more from your words if you have this invaluable skill. I highly recommend this book.”

 

I believe there are advantages to writing some things like reviews in batches. You get into a frame of mind and can crank them out in a brief amount of time. While each review is distinct and different. While I've been writing reviews in batches, you can also write entries for your blog, articles, guest blog posts and many other types of writing. Do you ever write in batches or groups? Let us know your insights in the comments below.

 

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How Do You Kill Time?

As I write these words, I’m traveling to my first live event in 14 months. The connection on my flight got pushed back several hours. I had three hours to fill in my connecting airport which gave me plenty of time to reach my connecting gate. What do you do during those times of sitting around waiting?

Some people pull put a novel and read. Others sit and watch people. Others shop in the airport shops. I tend to pull out my AlphaSmart 3000 and do a bit of writing.

This little gismo is rarely seen—old technology yet it holds over 140 pages of text. A full size keyboard, you only see four lines on your screen and it is not connected to the Internet. It works on several AA batteries and you never lose anything you put into it.

Of course when I get to my computer, I move the material from my AlphaSmart to my computer for editing and safe keeping. This little keyboard is just for writing. I’ve written on airplane, in libraries and all sorts of places because it is so easy to use.

To be honest I am not skilled at texting on my phone.  If I were, I could possibly do this unexpected writing on my phone. You do have to plan ahead to carry the AlphaSmart with you and then pull it out and use it in these unplanned moments to kill time.

For each of us, unexpected things come in our day.  Maybe you plan a meeting and that person doesn’t come. Or you arrive at a session at the wrong time. Do you have something which feeds into your writing life to pull out and use in these spare moments? 

Here are some writing related ideas:

Listen to an audiobook. In the past, I’ve mentioned my love for audiobooks. I carry some ear buds. I’ve checked out these audiobooks through my local library (overdrive). If I have a few moments, I will put on my ear buds and listen to a few more minutes of my audiobook. I’ve listened when I’m standing in a long line and other places. I normally listen to nonfiction books which feed into my writing life. After I complete the audiobook, I usually take a few minutes and write a review to post on Goodreads and Amazon.  

Read a small physical book. I select a small book and carry it with me in my briefcase or travel bag. In these unexpected moments, I will read more pages in my book. Like the audiobook, when I complete it, I will write a short review.  

Plan a new writing project. Like most of us, I have more ideas than I can ever possibly write. When these ideas come, often I will make some notes and maybe the start of an outline for it to get it moving. For my writing life, capturing the essence of the idea is an important part of the process and can happen in these moments when I’m killing some time.

I’m probably missing some ways to kill time. Let me know your methods in the comments below.

 

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The Importance of Consistent Action

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Early on a Saturday morning before the sun had risen, I was working on my social media posts for next month (May). Why? It's part of my consistent pattern of collecting then posting content for my social media feeds on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Through the years I've posted thousands of entries. It takes consistent action to get results. Not everyone reads every one of your posts on social. Sometimes someone will email me about an interview I've posted—like they are hearing it for the first time—when I recorded this interview months earlier but I'm consistently putting it into my social media posts. It's all about taking consistent action.

 

Often in these articles, I've written about the importance of taking consistent action with your writing life. You may not see the results immediately (or ever) but the fact you are consistent will pay off.

 

Recently I was one of the speakers at a virtual writing conference. One of the people attending the event was a writer in Nigeria.  He learned about the event from one of my tweets on Twitter. Which tweet? I have no idea but the fact I was posting consistently paid off and this writer saw my words and took action and attending the event. Because of the time difference, many of the sessions were in the middle of the night in Nigeria but this writer saw the importance of attending the event—and he came because of one of my social media posts.

 

I am writing consistently—like the hundreds of entries in this blog on The Writing Life. Like clockwork, I write something new every week. Are you consistently blogging or writing for something else? Besides these blog articles, I regularly write for several other blogs. Sometimes I write an original article. Other times I repurpose and rewrite older articles and use them. Each article includes links to resources where people can subscribe to my email list, buy my books or other strategic ties. Sometimes from these consistent efforts, people buy my books. Yet not everyone buys my books from these articles. I know someone has to hear about your book 8 to 12 times before they buy it. These articles might be one of those exposure times. It's not always about book sales but consistent action will pay off in other areas of your writing life—even if you can't see the results.

 

Often in these articles, I've written about the importance of reading for writers. While I love to read, several years ago I began to write reviews on the books that I read (or if I hear the audiobook version) I've done it so often, writing a review only takes me a few minutes. I've written over 1,100 reviews on Amazon and over 700 reviews on Goodreads.  While that is a large amount of reviews, it didn't happen overnight but through consistent action.

 

What consistent actions are you taking with your writing life? Let me know in the comments below.

 

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Why I Don't Review My Publisher's Books

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

For years I have consistently reviewed books. In fact, I've written over 1,100 Amazon reviews and over 700 reviews on Goodreads. I've frequently written in these articles about the importance of reviews to support other authors and how every day readers use these important reviews to make buying decisions. I've alwo written about my work with Morgan James Publishing acquiring (or finding) the books to be published.  Sometimes my authors will ask me to review their book—and I respectfully decline. Why not?

 

In this article, I want to give some of these reasons and it will help you understand. As a trained journalist, I understand the dangers of conflict of interest. I can't acquire or find an author for Morgan James and then when their book is published, read and write a review because it is a clear conflict of interest. It's the primary reason I don't review books from my authors. I don't acquire every book that Morgan James publishes so at times I do review some of these books.

 

There are good reasons to be careful in this process. Amazon and Goodreads monitor their reviews (often through an algorithm or bot). If you mention you are a friend or a relative, your review may be deleted or never appear in the first place. Be wise and careful about these issues as you write reviews.

 

I read and review many different types of books such as nonfiction, Christian and general market books, children's books, and occasionally a novel. I write these reviews for fun and no one pays me for them. Yes from the publisher or author I receive a review copy of the book or Advanced Reading Copy, but these books come into my mailbox in an almost daily stream. It is way more reading material than anyone could possibly do—even if they did it full-time (which I don't). I'm selective about what I read and review. I'm fairly certain I disappoint some authors who don't understand the volume of books I've received over the years. Just to give you a visual, there is a church library in Kentucky where I donated the majority of their books and years ago the mayor of the town in appreciation declared a “Terry Whalin Day.”

 

From an early age, I learned to love books. I'm in publishing because I know firsthand books change lives. Years ago I wrote a magazine article about it called Two Words That Changed My Life (and follow this link to read it).

 

How do you select the books that you read? Do you write reviews? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments below.

 

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