Thankfulness Is A Year-long Habit

   

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

This week, our nation will pause and celebrate Thanksgiving. Do you have activities which you do each year on this holiday? Some people travel home. Other people run a local 5K or 10K race early that morning which is often called a Turkey Trot. Other people gather with their family and watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

In this article, I want to give the writing community some ideas and practices to celebrate gratitude. I believe thankfulness is more than an annual event but an attitude and action which should be a frequent part of your writing life.

The Apostle Paul listed a grave list of sins during the last days in his first letter to Timothy. He wrote, “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy.” (2 Timothy 3:1-2, NIV). Among these words, a single word stands out for this article: ungrateful. How can you increase your gratitude?

Several years ago, I began using a blank notebook as a gratitude journal. Every day I spend a few minutes writing some words of gratitude and thanks in this notebook. It is a regular part of my day and early morning activitites. 

Also I have a box of thank you notes. Several times a week, an author or a publisher will send me a physical book that they want me to read and review. When each book arrives, I take a few minutes, pull a thank you note and write a short note of appreciation, then mail it. Early in my writing career, I gained this practice and habit. Like my gratitude journal it is not something I do just around Thanksgiving but something I practice all year long.

With thousands of new books entering the marketplace every day, every author needs encouragement about their book. Here's a simple and practical way you can support them: when you see they have posted about their book on social media, comment, cheer, and even repost it so other people learn about it. You can also purchase their book, read it and write a few sentences of review. This second option is much more time consuming but as I’ve written here in other articles, reviews are often hard to get yet something simple each of us can do and another way to express our thankfulness for their writing.

Books from publishers and authors come into my physical mailbox. Sometimes when I get a book, I will pull the cover into my MockUp Shots tool and create a few images which I send off to the author and encourage them to use the images on their website or social media or their blog. To do this action doesn’t take a lot of my time yet it touches and helps the author and shows that I’m concerned about them and the success of their book. It’s another simple action that anyone who has MockUp Shots could take. 

Each week at Morgan James Publishing we are releasing new books into the world. It’s what happens when you publish about 180 to 200 books a year. Whenever I see a new book from an author that I’ve brought to the company, I reach out to them on email with a note and often I send a book marketing resource attached to my email as encouragement to them. 

This past week one of my authors had a book anniversary and made it into an event celebration. She invited me to participate for a few minutes and I came to her celebration and spoke for a few minutes. It’s another simple way to express gratitude with your presence and participation.

Thankfulness and expressing gratitude is not just something we do once a year on the national holiday. It’s an attitude which we carry with us every day. Look for ways to fill some of your days with appreciation, thankfulness and gratitude. I hope I’ve stirred some ideas for you in this article. What other ways can you suggest? Let me know in the comments below.

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Thankfulness and gratitude is more than an annual holiday but a year-long habit. In this article, this prolific author and editor encourages simple actions. Get the details here.  (ClickToTweet)

Through my years in publishing, I’ve written for over 50 publications and more than 60 books with traditional publishers. Several of my books have sold 60,000 to 100,000 copies. I’ve also written different types of books such as biography, children’s books, how to/ self-help, co-authored and devotional books. From speaking with different authors about their books, I find many unrealistic expectations. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote  10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

If You Are Missing Something

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

It’s been proven social media posts get better visibility and read if they include an image. What actions do you take if the article you want to use does not have an image? I’m going to share the details about what actions I have been taking in this area.

My actions stem from a key philosophy: to take 100% responsibility for my own success. I can’t fix what others are missing but I can take responsibility for what I do. 

Early on in my writing life, I learned that when I wrote for a magazine, I could not control what changes the editor made and eventually got published for thousands of readers. Yet I could control what I turned into my editor which is part of my 100% responsibility for my own success. When I interview someone, I make a point to show this person the article before I send it off to my editor to ensure I have the correct facts. I don't want this other person to rewrite my piece but I do want to have the correct facts. Taking this step preserves my relationship with that person. 

Now that you understand my basic philosophy, what do you do if you find an article which you want to share on social media, but it does not have an image? I quickly search for an image and add one. It sounds simple but it’s an action I didn’t take for a long time. 

To add an image, take stock of what resources do you for photos? Some people take their own photos and others (like me) use a site with royalty-free images. No one can simply pull an image from another website because that image may have a copyright attached to it. I’m not a lawyer but I do understand the necessity to be wise where you find and use your photos. I have several royalty-free sources. 

MockUp Shots is my primary tool to find royalty-free photos. For a low price, I got a lifetime access to royalty-free photos which I use in my blog articles and also in my social media posts which don't have a photo. The search process is simple and easy to use. Another reason to get MockUp Shots is they are continually adding new tools and resources.

Snagit I have used this tool for many years. Currently I have the 2003 version which also has access to a large selection of royalty-free images. It's another resource to consider in this area. 

Marketing expert Kim Garst wrote an article with links to many places with free stock photos. This site has a number of valuable ways to get these royalty-free photos.

As you post something to social media, it is critical to focus each one on the reader and what will attract them to read and process your information. If a photo will help you get more readers and more attention (a proven fact) then use these resources to add whatever is missing and get those readers. 

When you are missing something for a social media post like an image, what actions do you take? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

Sometimes when you want to share a social media post, it is missing an image or something else. This prolific editor and writer encourages you to focus on readers and gives resources for the missing elements. Get these 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.

Graphics for the Non-Technical

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Last week I corresponded with John Riddle, one of my long-term writer friends. John is launching a new book next month and he is the creator of the I Love to Write Day which will mark 20 years on November 15th. He told me, “I'm not technical.”

 

I identified with the statement because I'm a journalist, writer and editor but not technical. I acknowledge my lack and make up for it through hiring others or using simple tools that anyone can use. Today I want to tell you about a tool that I've been using for about a year called MockupShots. I purchased lifetime access to this tool for $80 and I use it almost daily. In fact, the tools have been expanded and improved in the last year with zero additional expense for me. Instead the improvements make the tool even more valuable and useful to me. This tool also created the GIF images that move and I use with my blog posts and social media.

 

The tools in the MockupShots package are extensive so I will not be detailing everything. Book Mockup Creator is where you upload your book cover and in seconds, it generates several hundred images with your book. If you can save an image on your computer then upload it to this tool, you can quickly create amazing images. I've used these images on social media, with book reviews and many other places.

 

Stock Photos gives you access to over two million images. You simply put in a keyword and it will show you the images. I often use this tool to find the royalty-free images for my various blog posts. Also to promote the posts, I use it on social media. The only limits on the usage is your own imagination.

 

Are you going to release a new book in the coming months? Then you can use their cover reveal builder.  It's as simple as the other tools but you can hide part of the cover and reveal it in stages.

 

I have enjoyed using the Testimony Builder too. Have people reviewed your book? If so, you can take those words and create images with the reviews. I've used this tool several times and continue to use the images on social media. If you can upload an image, you can use this tool. Yes, it is that simple. 

Possibly you enjoy using short videos with your book cover. It's as simple as uploading an image into the tool, selecting which words and images, then the tool creates the video. As I've said in this article, I'm non-technical so if I can do it, anyone can do it.

 

There are many other tools and resources in this package that I have not covered but hopefully I've given you some ideas. When I write a book review, I use this tool to create a unique image I can post with my Amazon review and use when I promote my review on social media.

 

Do you use MockupShots in a different way? Or maybe you have a completely different tool to tell me about? Let me know in the comments.

 

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Are you a non-technical person? According to this prolific editor and author, you can use create amazing graphics in seconds with this tool. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)

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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)

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

Improve Your Book Images With This Tool

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

I'm a writer and (if I'm honest) not the best person when it comes to visual presentation and graphic design. When I need a graphic, I get help from others. In recent days, I discovered a tool called MockupShots which is easy to use and has great diversity. The templates and designs are varied for many different types of authors and books. I've been using it and wanted to pass this experience along to you in this article.

 

MockupShots is simple to use because it is basically point and click. In seconds, any author can load their book into the template and the program generates hundreds of images (no exaggeration). The creators include short videos which illustrate how their program works.  Right now, there is a special on this tool and I gained lifetime access for only $80. For someone like me with multiple books, it made perfect sense.

 

You add your book to the program, select a design to download, then use it on your website, social media locations, your email list and anywhere else you need an image. Some of the designs are specific to a holiday or season while others are generic which you can use on other occasions. Beyond the stationary images, MockupShots also generates GIF images (which move when displayed). Also this tool generates short videos with your book. There are many different options to easily select, download then use.

 

Because I am writing this article just before Christmas, I'm going to include holiday illustrations for several different books. From my view, this tool is perfect for:

• authors
• publicists
• book reviewers
• editors
• literary agents
• anyone who writes about books and uses book covers

MockupShots includes a 30 day money back guarantee. In a few days of use, I've also written their customer support several times. I've been impressed with their responsiveness and quickness to correct anything wrong with their program.

 

I've only been using MockupShots for a few days and still have much to learn about this tool. Hopefully you can see the diversity and importance of this tool for the Writing Life.

 

I'm enthused about the multiple uses for this MockupShots tool. If I've missed some aspect, let me know in the comments below.

 

Tweetable:

We live in a visual world and as authors need diverse images for our books. Learn about a book graphic tool from this prolific editor and author. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)