Author As Seller, How are you doing?

Going to Conference, a book expo, or a book signing? Angela L Ackerman's post on her observations of authors and readers at a Writing Conference are helpful. Her comments helped give me another way of thinking about potential buyers and my role as the author in selling. Most authors that I know are not sales people. We are much more comfortable alone in front of a computer writing our stories than trying to sell those stories. Although Angela is giving her thoughts on hands on selling, I wonder if her comments also apply to sitting at dinner at a conference or waiting for a speaker to begin as we interface with those around us. Am I so eager to tell my story that I forget to listen to others?

Hand-Selling Your Book: How Savvy Are You?

Posted: 02 Sep 2013 On The Bookshelf Muse by Angela Ackerman

Earlier in August, I attended a 3-day conference for writers and readers called When Words Collide. This unique event had lectures on writing technique, publishing options and content that focused on the business of writing.

Grandmother Lands Book Deal For Debut Novel Aged 82

"An 82-year-old grandmother is celebrating after landing a book deal for her debut novel. Myrrha Stanford-Smith, 82, saw her first work 'The Great Lie' start appearing on shelves last week. Myrrha Stanford-Smith, a teacher and theatre director, said she was ''gobsmacked'' to be handed the three-book agreement, which saw her first work The Great Lie start appearing on shelves last week...” Full Article

MY WRITING: KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING

Stephen Covey wrote, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” I write because I like to write. That is the main thing about my writing.

Why Be Persistent In Writing?

This week I have been involved in sending out five proposals. These were requested at the Writing For The Soul Conference that I attended the last of February.

Opening into a New Window

Hope your week is going well. Mine is progressing with me learning a little something. That is always good. I usually finish my day having discovered more that I don’t know.

I am constantly trying to decrease my techno-ignorance. Part of that is learning more how to put this blog together.

This week I learned how to make a link open in a new window. Not a big thing, but having puzzled over it for months, it is satisfying to learn the secret. And as usual, it is so simple, if, you know how.

So here is how to get a link to open in a new browser window. target=”_blank” attribute to your link tag, like so:

a href=http://ajhawke.blogspot.com/2009/01/j-hawke.html target=”_blank”>About A J Hawke (Please note that the beginning and the ending indicators are not where they should be because I couldn't get it to show currectly. Another techno-glich.

This will give you this link:

About A J Hawke

Click on the link. The browser will open a new window with my About A J Hawke page in it. Remember to close the window when you are finished. You will be back to your home page. Use the close option rather the exit option, because the exit option may close your browser entirely.

So there you have it. Wasn’t that fun?

A J

AJHawke.blogspot.com

Jane Kirkpatrick, an author worth reading

One of my favorite historical fiction authors is Jane Kirkpatrick. I enjoy reading interviews with her to get insights into her writing world. Joyce Hart, Jane Kirkpatrick's agent at Hartline Literary Agency, posted a good one.

I checked at my local library to see which books they had on the shelves by Jane Kirkpatrick. They didn't have any. WHAT! This is unacceptable! As a writer, I want good writing and stories available through the public library.

I marched over to the reference desk where you leave book purchase requests and handed the librarian a complete list of Jane's books. They now have ordered several and I’ll receive notification when they are available for check out.

At my local library, patrons can pick out a book and place it on the shelves next to the line for checkout for all to see and check out. Jane's books will soon start appearing there. My local library reached the one-millionth item checked out in July. We are heading toward a two million-item checkout year by December 2009.

So check out Jane Kirkpatrick's books, purchase them, and then ask your public library to purchase them.

Have a blessed day in the Lord,
A J

Marketing Tips For Authors - Tony Eldridge

I just returned from a workshop on Marketing For Authors presented by Tony Eldridge. What a lot of useful information! My only complaint of the workshop is that the material was given almost in a survey form, simply because there was so much material and too little time. But it's a big topic.

Tony Eldridge revealed a vast knowledge on the subject and was able to present it in a form that even a newbie at marketing could understand. Check back for more information on Tony as he is soon to release his video/ebook on marketing for authors. I'll keep you updated.

Check out his blog at http://www.marketingtipsforauthors.blogspot.com/. He is also the author of The Samson Effect, an action thriller with a cover endorsement by Clive Cussler.

Writing Tips Corral

Check out the following web sites for some good information for writers.

Advanced Fiction Writing - Randy Ingermanson
American Christian Fiction Writers
Forensics and Faith
Novel Reviews
Writer's Digest