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. 

More Lessons on New Doors

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Last week I wrote about how I’m knocking on some new doors through podcasting and using PodMatch. In this article, I want to continue that topic with some new insights and actions for you.

As I was looking around inside PodMatch, I saw a book for someone like me who wants to be a guest on podcasts. I reached out to the author and asked for a review copy of the book. He responded and sent the book. I wrote a review and posted the review (my responsibility). It’s a step you can take when you see a new book. Instead of buying it, reach out to the author and ask for a review copy. If they send it, then write and post a review. It’s something you can do with new books but also with books that have been in the market for a while. 

When I received a review copy of PODMATCH GUEST MASTERY, I began to read it. My experience reminded me of a basic publishing principle I have learned when I started writing query letters or book proposals or news releases or back covers or any other type of writing in the publishing world:

1. If you are starting something new, you need to learn the system before you leap into it.

2. Gain the inside track on how the system works by learning from successful people who use the system.

3. Pick up on their habits and suggestions for your own work.

As I read this book, I liked the simplistic structure of the book. With 16 successful PodMatch experts, each one was asked a series of questions. They answered the questions with a word limit of 1500 words. This word limit made the answers short and to the point and uniform. 

Also each contributor was given a promotion page in the back of the book for their podcast or website. Finally each one offered a special website gift to connect them to the readers.

Could you use the format of this book for something you are writing? It's a nonfiction pattern which could be duplicated with other tools and other systems. It’s something to consider and possibly incorporate into your writing life.

Another aspect I learned reading this book about guest podcasting, if you don’t learn the rules and the system, you will waste a lot of time, energy and possible rejection from other podcasters. Yet if you learn the rules, you will be able to succeed and use the system for your needs and the promotion of your book. For every system, there is a learning curve and a path for success--if you are aware and use it.

Here’s my review with some more bits of insight and advice:

“This is a quick reading book and 16 successful PodMatch guest members give their advice and insights about effective use of PodMatch. I’ve been in publishing for years but I’m new to PodMatch and this book contains valuable yet not unexpected information. Like any system, you will get out of PodMatch whatever you put into it. Repeatedly these authors stress the importance of careful and targeted pitching to the podcast hosts where you are matched through PodMatch. Then (and equally important), watch the podcast and get to know the host and format BEFORE you are interviewed on their program. Finally know your focus and where you are sending listeners for your particular topic and make a point of making it easy for the listener to connect with you.”

 

“Without this type of focus, you will struggle to be a successful guest. I highly recommend PODMATCH GUEST MASTERY for everyone who is a guest on podcasts and especially on PodMatch.”

I’ve been using PodMatch for about four weeks and I’ve booked at least 15 podcasts. These podcasts are scheduled over the months ahead--something you can control as you schedule them. Here’s a couple of the podcasts which are now live:

Joe Dimino (@jdimino) on the Neon Jazz podcast interviewed me about publishing myths watch it on your favorite channel at: https://bit.ly/40Fb1g5 

Kyle Yates (@TheVibesBrdcst) interviewed me on The Vibes Broadcast Podcast. Watch our conversation. Also notice the different live links in Kyle’s show notes which is another benefit from the podcast.

When each of these podcasts launch, if I don’t have an image to promote, I create one using MockUp Shots. Also I promote the podcast on my social media channels. Finally I don’t promote it once but put the post into a file for regular rotation on social media and an ongoing promotion. Each of these steps is a way to distinguish yourself from other guests and build relationships with the podcast hosts.

When you start a new marketing campaign, what lessons do you learn? Am I missing something? I look forward to your comments to this article. 

Tweetable:

Are you beginning to use a new tool or system? This prolific author and editor details some insights and lessons to use for success.  (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. 

Do Book Gimmicks work?

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Throughout my week, I often receive packages from authors and publishers with books. I read these books outside of my work and write reviews to support other authors and publishers. Occasionally a package will stand out as different. Some people call this an attention-getting gimmick. Do they work? In this article, I want to give you some ideas and cautions.

Once I received a book to possibly review. This author added confetti into the package which caught my attention but also made a mess in my office. Confetti was on the floor, on my keyboard and anything sitting on my desk. It was a nuisance and took some extra energy to clean up. The confetti caught my attention but it wasn’t what the author was expecting because it was negative attention and not the right impression. Whatever you do in the book gimmick area, you want to think about the person who will receive the package and make sure you are making a positive impact.

Several weeks ago, I received a package with a book which was in a pink package. When I opened it and looked closely at the book, I was interested in reading it and writing a review about it. The pink package received positive attention and increased my interest. The book gimmick worked in a positive way to encourage my reading and writing about the book.

More recently, I received this package:

I opened it right away and it had a signed copy of a new book from Jacquelyn Lynn called Christian Business Almanac. She emailed recently and showed me a page in the book where she quoted something from these entries in my blog. I reviewed the book on Amazon and Goodreads plus promoted it to my various social media connections (an example). It’s a simple way we can help each other as writers and authors. Her package got my attention. You can use this same envelope (follow this link).

I recommend you be selective about where you use it. Ask yourself, who will help me tell others about my book and where can I get the biggest impact for using this tool? From my experience, just a little forethought about this question will help you use the envelope for the greatest impact on your book.

I want to show you another simple book tool that every author should create and use for their book: bookmarks. I love creating this tool and use it with my books and at conferences. People may not purchase my book but will take a bookmark and maybe buy the book at a later point in time.

As you create this tool, I encourage you to pour some thought and creativity into it. For example, I wrote a biography on Billy Graham. While the book has been out a few years, I continue actively telling others about it. I have bookmarks in my briefcase and use them often. I’m adding an image of this bookmark do you can see the thought I poured into the creation?

The front includes ten facts about Billy Graham and at the bottom, I have my book website. The reverse is also full color with the book cover, an endorsement from biographer and bestselling author Jerry B. Jenkins and the words “Available at bookstores everywhere.” Finally I include the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) to help the reader or bookseller easily locate this book.

If you are going to invest in printing a bookmark, spend the creative energy to make it effective. I collect these bookmarks from others and I'm always surprised at the missing information. One of the hardest things to proofread or see is something that not there.

 

Do you use any book gimmicks? How did they preform and what am I missing? Let me know in the comments below. I look forward to your comments.

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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.

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.

Serve Before Asking

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Several years ago I was at a conference and in the hallway listening to the director of the conference talking with another leader about a faculty member. This director said, “I encourage you to be cautious about how you use ______. She’s a taker and not a giver.” It was the first time that I’d witnessed this categorization. 

In this article, I want you to consider the importance of your reputation and how you want others to know you. My encouragement is for you to be known as a giver and not a taker. 

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to get connected to as many people as possible through LinkedIN and through exchanging business cards at conferences or events. It is important to know as many people as possible. As I’ve often said who you know is almost as important as what you know.  On a deeper level, how are you serving or helping those people you meet? 

For example, if you have a new book and are gathering endorsements for this book, how can you serve the person before asking for their help? A simple method is to get their latest book, read it then write a review and promote that review to your social media channels. When you promote the review, use their name, hook it to their Facebook page or their X (Twitter) account or any number of other ways to connect your review and get their attention. 

Then when you reach out for their help, add a sentence in the request about what you've done and even include a link. Don’t overdo it but your message is that I’m a giver and helper to you before I’m asking for your assistance. 

For example, several years ago I read and reviewed a new book from author and journalist Piers Morgan. After my review appeared, I wrote about my review to my social media channels and used his X (Twitter) name in my post. Piers publically thanked me for my review. It’s the only exchange we’ve ever had but it happened through social media. If I can do this sort of reach, you can too. Admittedly it takes some effort on your part but is possible.

In the most basic form to build relationships, you want to give the other person a reason to connect with you instead of making a random request. 

Here’s another important element in the asking process: don’t overask. Narrow your focused ask down to one thing. Recently I received an email request from another writer friend--but it included four or five asks in this email. I read it and almost did not even respond. Yes, I could have ghosted this friend and not responded. That can happen if you ask for too much in a single email. Instead, I did respond but picked the easiest element to do for this friend--and said no to the rest of them. The overask made an impression--but not the one that my friend expected or wanted. 

In what ways can you serve another person before asking for their help? Let me know in the comments below.

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As a writer, are you a giver or a taker? This prolific writer and editor encourages you to serve others before asking for their help. Get the details in this article. (ClickToTweet)

Much of the publishing process is outside of the writer’s control. 10 Publishing Myths helps writers have a realistic perspective and take their own actions--no matter who publishes the book. Get 10 Publishing Myths for only $10 +FREE shipping + over $200 of free bonuses.

Getting Reviews Is Hard But Possible

        

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

This week I looked at the reviews on a major online bookseller site for a children’s book which released several weeks ago. It had three five star reviews. This beautiful book was from a major publishing house which sends review copies to various people ahead of the release date. I know because I’m one of those people who receive these releases. Just seeing this lack spurred me to get my review written and posted. It also showed me the challenge for every writer to get reviews.

To understand this process, there are several basics. First write and produce an excellent book. Your book should not look homemade or self-published. Your writing should be excellent with an attractive cover, well-written back cover, endorsements and all of the markings on your book just like something from Random House with a proper barcode including the price, a publisher imprint on the spine and other important details. 

Also understand getting reviews is hard for every writer but you have to constantly work at it. For example, add a page in the back of your book and ask readers to write a review. Just including this page takes planning but will spur some readers to write a review.

Another important step for every author is to be a part of the solution--write reviews. As you read a book or even listen to an audiobook, take a few minutes and write a review. As you become a part of the community of reviewers, when you ask others to review your book, they will be more inclined to write a review. 

People who are readers and not writers likely need your help to write that review. They have no idea of the importance or even what to say for a review. In this situation, you need to provide a template or tool for these readers. I’ve mentioned this resource in other articles but my friend and PR Expert Sandra Beckwith has created an inexpensive reader review form. I purchased both the fiction and nonfiction templates. The form comes with the rights for you to give the template to others and use it yourself. 

For years, I’ve been writing reviews. As a result, publishers and authors send their books for me to read and review. Way more material pours into my mailbox than I could ever read and review. While I’m grateful for these opportunities, it bothers me that I can’t do it all--yet it does not keep me from continuing to chip away at it, write and post reviews.

Another tool I use when I write reviews is MockUp Shots. There are numerous tools in this package but one of them allows up to upload the book cover, then create a variety of images with the book. I use this cover on social media to tell others about my review and also post it with my Amazon review. 

It’s not simple for any writer to get reviews. My encouragement is to not shy away from it but lean into it through asking others and also writing reviews. How have you gathered reviews for your book? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below.

Tweetable:

This prolific writer and editor understands getting reviews for his books is hard but possible. Get some ideas and resources for your books in this article. (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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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)

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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)

Whatever you write, every book needs a business plan. Get this resource.

Gratitude and Subtle Changes

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Last week over 30 people on my launch team did remarkable work on various book review sites like Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, Goodreads and Amazon. They wrote reviews about Book Proposals That Sell, 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success (The Revised Edition). It was an amazing experience to read reviews on Medium and other places.

 

Through the years I've written many reviews of books for print publications, Amazon and Goodreads plus promoted those books on social media. It's one of the ways that I support other authors and tell people about worthwhile books that I've discovered. I'm full of gratitude for each of these people who last week made this sort of effort for my book. With many new books releasing each day, it's not easy for any book to get reviews or attention in the market. I understand firsthand the effort it takes to write a good review about the contents in a book, then get it posted on one of these sites.

 

Years ago I wrote Book Proposals That Sell to help editors and agents get better submissions and also to help writers receive publishing contracts and better reactions. The reality of the publishing world is a huge volume of material is being submitted to editors and agents. When something is rejected, you often get a form rejection letter (if a response at all). These form rejections say something generic like “it wasn't a good fit for us” but do not give you any information about what you can do to improve your submission for the next time you send it out (if you send it out at all. Many people get rejected a few times, give up and stop submitting their work. Every book needs a proposal or business plan—even if you self-publish or write fiction or write children's books or write nonfiction books. I'm delighted to get the revised edition of this book back into the market to help a new generation of writers.

 

Subtle Changes From the Launch

 

Because of the release of Book Proposals That Sell, I also made a couple of design and image changes.  First, I changed my header on the top of my Twitter profile to emphasize the new book. Also this images tells the reader how to get a free Book Proposal Checklist. I have a pop up button for it at my book website or you can go to this site and sign up for the Book Proposal Checklist.  In the past I had a one page checklist but I've made this checklist into an 11–page free ebook.

 

My second change is something I've not done in years: I changed the image at the top of this blog on The Writing Life. I published the first entry in this blog December 31, 2004 and yes, I have been blogging each week for a long time. The original design included a book laying on the cover of a keyboard. That book was Book Proposals That Sell (the original edition). The designer built a subtle element (which I suspect no one has ever used) and I didn't call this element to anyone's attention—but I'm doing it now. If you move your mouse over the book laying on the keyboard AND click the book, it will open up a window and take you to that book location.

 

Years ago when I published Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams, I changed the clickable book on the design to Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. In celebration of the revised edition of Book Proposals That Sell, I changed the book a third time (and the book is still clickable to take the reader to the book website).  Finally I changed the template header for my email subscribers. Everything matches.

 

I've written these details today to help you see the types of changes you can also make to your own website, Twitter profile and blog, when you launch a book or have any other special event. When you publish a new book, do you make these sorts of changes? Ir maybe you change something else in this process. Let me know in the comments below.

 

Tweetable:

When his book launched, this prolific editor and author expresses his gratitude and tells about some subtitle changes tied with the publication of Book Proposals That Sell. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)

Are You Missing A Key Element to Publish Your 

Book? Get the details here

A Cautious Tale About Recommendations

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As a writer, I am constantly looking for tips and insights to improve my work. In this process, I read books, blogs, articles and many other things. When I find a recommendation, I will track down the recommendation and sometimes buy the book.

 

Recently a long-term source of reviewing books strongly recommended a writing how-to book. This source said it was filled with practical tips for every writer. I went to the book's page on Amazon and ordered the book. I ignored the fact that this book was published a couple of years ago—and has zero customer reviews. The lack of reviews and customer feedback should have been a warning sign but I ignored it and purchased the book.

 

Last week I received and read the book. It turned out to be a lengthy rant with almost no valuable tips or advice. I wasted my money on this book and didn't find anything valuable. I will not be giving the name of the book or writing a review or promoting the book. I believe my recommendations and reviews have value and I want to recommend books—and not write about books I don't recommend. It's my personal stance on reviews. My experience with this book has tarnished my respect and appreciation for the source of the recommendation. In the future, I will check and double check those recommendations before I purchase the book.

 

When you get a recommendation for a book or an online course or a product, I encourage you to look for validation from another source. Does the book have customer reviews? How many reviews does the book have in relation to the date it was released? What is the overall ranking of those reviews? As I look back at my poor writing how-to book that I bought, I should have been clued into the poor content from the lack of Amazon customer reviews since the book has been out a couple of years. Yet I ignored this warning sign and purchased the book—a waste of my time and money.

 

When I teach at writer's conferences (which has been limited with this pandemic), people can easily look into my background and see that I've not just written one or two books but worked with a wide variety of publishers as an author. I've also been on the inside of three publishing companies as an acquisitions editor and for a season I ran my own literary agency. Just reading those sentences, you can see that I have had a wide variety of experiences in publishing and also in the magazine area (not just books). This type of information gives weight to my recommendations.

 

How do you validate recommendations? In particular, what adjustments do you make when you buy a recommended book or product and it doesn't meet your expectations? It's why I wrote this cautionary tale and I look forward to your comments and insights.

 

Tweetable:

Are all recommendations equal? This prolific editor and author write a cautionary tale about recommendations. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)

Are You Missing A Key Part of Publishing Your Book? Get the details here