Translate:
Subject Index Links
Larger Words = More Articles
#Conversations
#mainstreetwriters
#SocialEra
#TraditionalPublishing
#WritersLife
A book's beginning
Accountability Groups for writers
active imagination
Activism and Peace Work
Adrian G Hilder
advice
Advice for Authors
Advice for Writers
Alan Rinzler
Alexander M Zoltai
alien
aliens
ALLi
Alliance of Independent Authors
Alternative Facts
Amazon
Amazon Publishing
American Library Association
Andre Norton
Anne Enright
Annie Dillard
Apple
art
artist
Arts
Ask The Author
Aspiring Writers
Australia
author
Author's Advice
Author's Guild
Author's Resources
Author's Voice
Author Advice
Author Blogs
Author Earnings
author interview
Author Interviews
author platform
Author Platforms
author promotion
authors
Author Scams
Authors Finding Readers
Author Solutions
Authors reasons
Baha'i
Baha'u'llah
Bahá'í Faith
Banned Books
Banned Books Week
Barnes & Noble
Barry Eisler
Begin a book
Beginning a book
Beginning to write a book
Behind The Scenes
Best Friend
bestseller
BestsellerBound
Bestsellers
Bestselling Authors
Beta Readers
Be the Gateway
Bibliotherapy
Big Five
Big Six
blog
blog comments
Blog Conversations
Blog Discussions
Blogger
Bloggers
blogging
Blogosphere
Blog Poll
blog post
blog posts
Blog Post Series
blogroll
blogs
blog statistics
blog stats
Blog Survey
Blog Visitors
blues
book
Book Banning
Book Blogs
Book Covers
Book Depository
book design
Book Designers
Book distribution
Book Island
book marketing
Book Piracy
book promotion
Book Publishing
Book Recommendations
book review
Book Reviews
Book Riot
books
Book Sales
Booksellers
book series
Bookshops
Bookstores
Boring books
Brain Pickings
C. J. Cherryh
Canterbury Tales
Carl Jung
Center for Story-Based Strategy
Challenging books
characters
Charles Dickens
children
Children's Books
Choosing what to read
Climate Change
Coleman Barks
Collective Unconscious
communication
Consciousness
copyright
Corporate Control
Corporate World
Corporations
Cory Doctorow
crazy
CreateSpace
creative
creative writing
creativity
crisis
criticism
critique
Critique Group
Dan Blank
Darcia Helle
David Gaughran
Dean Wesley Smith
death
debut novel
depression
Developmental Editor
Diana Krall
Diaspora
Dictionaries
Dictionary
Difficult Books
Digital Books
Digital Book World
Digital Publishing
digital rights management
Discoverability
Discussion about libraries
Discussions about age and writing
Does age make you write differently?
Don Quixote
Doris Lessing
Dragon
dreams
DRM
E-book
E-books
E-readers
E. M. Forster
Earth
Eat Pray Love
ebook
ebooks
editing
Editing for Writers
editor
editors
Education
Education for Writers
Elif Shafak
Elizabeth Gilbert
Elizabeth S. Craig
Emily Dickinson
Engaging an Audience
England
English Grammar
English language
Environmental disaster
Erin McKean
Erma Bombeck
Ernest Hemingway
Espresso Book Machine
Etymologies
etymology
Evolution of Grammar
Facebook
facebook fiction
Fahrenheit 451
Failure
faith
Famous Authors
Fantasy
FastPencil
favorite author
feedback
feelings
fiction
fictional dream
Fiction Writing
fictive dream
Finding Readers
First Book
Flash Fiction
Forbes
Forest Avenue Press
Francine Prose
Francis Ford Coppola
Frankfurt Book Fair
Frank Herbert
free book
free books
freedom
Free E-books
Free Ebooks
Free Education
Freelance Writers
freelance writing
Freelancing
Free Novel
Free Online Courses
free software
Friday Fantasy
G+
Games
Gaming
Gatekeepers
Gene Doucette
genre
Genre fiction
George Orwell
Getting writing help
Glimmer Train
global
global crisis
global peace
God
GoodReads
Google
Google Plus
Grammar
Grammar Nazi
grammar nerd
grief
Hachette
Haley Whitehall
Harnessing the Power of Narrative for Social Change
Harry Potter
Healing
Help for writers
Help with Writing
Hermann Hesse
Hindustan Contessa
Historical fiction
How do you begin a book?
How do you choose what to read?
How should I begin a book?
how to choose what to read
how to write
How writers write
Hugh Howey
humanity
humor
iAuthor
iBooks
illiteracy
Illiterate
imagination
Improve Your Grammar
independent authors
Independent Book Publishers Association
Independent Publishers
Indie Author
Indie Authors
Indie Books
Indie Publishing
Indie Writers
Ingram
Innovation
International Literacy Day
International Writing Program
Internet
interview
Iowa City
Israel
Is Your Soul In Here?
J. A. Konrath
J.K. Rowling
J. R. R. Tolkien
James Joyce
James Patterson
Jamie
Jammers Inaka
Jane Friedman
Jane Watson
Jessica Bell
Joanna Penn
Joe Konrath
Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick
Joel Friedlander
John C. Gardner
John Gardner
Johnpaul Mahofski
Jonah Berger
Jung
justice
Kickstarter
kids
Kindle
Kindle Unlimited
Kinds of readers
Kitely
knowledge
Kobo
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Kurt Vonnegut
language
Language challenges
language difficulties
Laura Stanfill
learning
Learning How To Write
Learning to write
Legacy Publishers
Legacy Publishing
Leo Babauta
Leonard Balsera
Librarian
Librarians
Libraries
library
library classifications
library memories
Library of Congress
library pages
LibraryThing
LibreOffice
Lindsay Buroker
LinkedIn
Literacy
literary
literary community
Literary Fiction
Literature
Little Free Libraries
Little Free Library
LitWorld
Local Library
Lord of the Rings
Lynn Biederstadt
Magic
Main Street Writers Movement
making money as a writer
Margaret Atwood
Maria Popova
Mark Coker
Mark Twain
Massachusetts
Max E. Stone
meaning
means of communication
metaphor
metaphysical
metaphysics
methods of writing
microfiction
micro fiction
Mind
Mobile Reading
MOOC
Most common words in English
muse
music
Music video
My Next Book
mystery
Myth
Nail Your Novel
NaNoWriMo
National Novel Writing Month
Neil Gaiman
networking
New Blog Post Series
New York Public Library
New York Times
Nicholas Sparks
Nilofer Merchant
Nook
No Shelf Required
Notebooks
Notes from An Alien
Nova Sparks
novel
novels
Older Authors
Older Writers
Online Etymology Dictionary
opinion
Opinion poll
Original Stories
Orna Ross
Oxford Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford University Press
Paddy O'Reilly
Paulo Coelho
peace
Pearson
PEN American Center
Penguin Random House
PEN International
perfection
Personal Unconscious
Pew Research Center
Philosophy
Picking your next read
Pink Floyd
Piracy
planning
Plasma Cosmology
playing for change
plot
Poem
Poems
poet
poetry
Poets & Writers
poll
Polls
Porter Anderson
post
Poverty
Print Books
Print Books and E-books
Print Books vs E-books
Print on demand
Print readers
Project Gutenberg
promote
promote your writing
Promoting Books
promotion
Proper Grammar
psychology
publication
Public library
publish
publisher
Publishers
Publishers Weekly
publishing
publishing advice
Publishing Perspectives
Publishing Survey
Publishing Tips
Pulitzer Prize
Rachelle Gardner
Random House
Ray Bradbury
Re-blog
read
Read An E-book Week
reader
Reader's Poll
reader categories
reader category
Reader Comments
reader opinion
reader opinions
Readers
readership
reading
Reading Aloud
Reading challenges
Reading level
Reading Like A Writer
reading methods
Reading Poll
reading styles
Reading Survey
reading techniques
Reading To Children
Reality
Reasons for writing
Rebekah Webb
Reedsy
religion
Resources for Writers
responsibility
review
reviewer
reviews
Roleplaying
Roz Morris
Rules of Writing
Rumi
Salon
Sarah Kay
Sci-Fi
science
science fiction
Scott Turow
Scrivener
Second Life
Self-Editing
Self-Help Books
self-publish
self-published
Self-Published Author
Self-Published Authors
Self-Published Writer
Self-published Writers
self-publisher
Self-Publishers
self-publishing
Selfpublish
Selfpublished
Selfpublisher
Selfpublishing
Selling Books
Selling E-books
Serious Writing
Seth Godin
Shakespeare
Share your ideas
Shoghí Effendí
Short Stories
Short story
Short Tales
Simone Benedict
singer
Sir Ken Robinson
Slate
Small Presses
Smashwords
social media
Social network
social networking
Social Networks
social responsibility
soul
space
Special Blog Posts
Speculative fiction
spirit
Spoilers
Star Trek
Stealing Books
Stephen King
Steven King
stories
Storium
story
Story Bazaar
Storytellers
Storytelling
Strange Fantasies
Studying Grammar
Success
Successful Authors
survey
Surveys
Survey Says
Suw Charman-Anderson
SyFy
TechCrunch
Ted Talks
Telling Stories
Tennessee
The Alliance of Independent Authors
The Atlantic
The Book Designer
The Bookseller
The Curator
The Danger of A Single Story
The Guardian
The Hobbit
The Hot Sheet
The Lord of the Rings
The Millions
The Muse
The New Yorker
The New York Times
The Paris Review
Thesaurus
The State of Writing
The Writing Life
Thought
Tips for Writers
Tobias Buckell
Todd Bol
to make common
Toni Morrison
Tony Riches
Top Books
top posts
Top Tags
Traditionally Published Authors
Traditional Publisher
Traditional Publishers
traditional publishing
Truth
Truth in Fiction
Twitter
types of readers
Types of reading Styles
Typographical Errors
typos
UNESCO
United Kingdom
United Nations
Unity
Unleashing The Idea Virus
Unpublished Scenes
Ursula K. Le Guin
Various Stories
Various Tales
video
Virginia Quarterly Review
Virtual reality
virtual world
Virtual Worlds
Visual Thesaurus
Wattpad
What's the first step in beginning a book?
What About All The Authors Whose Books Don’t Sell Very Many Copies?
What Age Brings to Writing
What an author should do
What Are Words
What do you read?
What Should I Write
What’s The “Best” Way To Learn “Proper” Grammar?
When does a book begin?
Why Do Certain People Become Writers?
why writers write
Willa Cather
William Gibson
word
Wordery
word histories
word history
Word Meanings
Wordnik
words
Words are My Matter
Word Usage
world
World Book Day
World peace
World Read Aloud Day
Worldreader
World Wide Words
write
writer
writer's advice
Writer's Block
Writer's Digest
Writer's Life
Writer's Poll
Writer's Prompts
Writer's Survey
writer's tips
writer's voice
Writer Resources
writers
Writers' Groups
Writers' support groups
Writers and Money
writers discussion group
Writers Finding Readers
writers methods
writers on writing
Writers reasons
Writers Residencies
Writers Resources
Writers Tools
Writer Unboxed
writing
writing a book
writing advice
Writing Aids
Writing and Editing
Writing A Novel
writing blogs
writing challenge
Writing Challenge ~ Use The 1200 Most Common Words To Write A Story…
Writing Contests
Writing Courses
Writing for Money
Writing Groups
writing habits
writing help
Writing Maxims
Writing Poll
Writing Process
Writing Prompts
Writing Resources
Writing Rules
Writing Sites
writing software
Writing style
Writing Success
Writing Survey
writing tips
Writing Tools
YouTube
`Abdu'l-Bahá
Search here with your own keywords…
————————————————————
Special Pages . . .
Blogroll
- ! Alex's First Writing Site ~ FarShore Publications
- ! Awesome Author Friend Jane Watson
- ! Awesome Paddy O'Reilly Award-Winning Writer
- ! BahaiTeachings.org All About Humanity’s Evolution
- ! Course of Mirrors Ashen
- ! E-book Endeavors Lindsay Buroker
- ! Finding Time to Write Thinking, writing, thinking about writing…
- ! French Toast Girl the art and illustration of élena nazzaro
- ! Global Voices Citizen Media
- ! Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity Building capacity for discourses about the betterment of society
- ! Jasmine Arch Author and Writers’ Group Admin
- ! Jerry J. Davis Virtual Author Friend
- ! Lady P PenPusher Poet
- ! Letters to the Living essays, reflections, and poems on life’s “big issues”
- ! Lynn Biederstadt – Author Sky Diaries
- ! Once written… Awesome Poet Friend
- ! Philippa Rees Quite Serious Fun
- ! R. Jean Bell Author and Writers’ Group Admin
- ! Shout With Emaginette Anna Simpson’s Blog
- ! The Passive Voice David Vandagriff
- ! The Writing Desk Tony Riches
- ! Tribalmystic people, places, and things that have extraordinary stories
- ! Untold People, Living Stories Andréana Lefton
- ! Zen and The Art of Tightrope Walking Trying to stay in balance…
- * : Martina Sevecke-Pohlen Founder of the publishing house Wieken
- * Book Designer Joel Friedlander, proprietor of Marin Bookworks
- * C. J. Cherryh My Favorite Fiction Author
- * Jane Friedman Being Human at Electric Speed
- * Julie Christine Round Author Friend from LibraryThing
World News
- Children among 16 dead after asylum-seeker boat capsizes off Djibouti: UN
- Five people die in attempt to cross English Channel to the UK
- Photos: 200 days of Israel’s war on Gaza
- In numbers: 200 days of Israel’s war on Gaza
- Manchester United manager ten Hag furious at FA Cup win reaction
- UK passes bill to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda: What’s next?
- EU lawmakers approve ‘right to repair’ law
- Sunak to announce UK’s ‘largest ever’ military support package for Ukraine
- Ukraine cuts consular services for potential conscripts lodged overseas
- Are celebrities doing enough to stop the war on Gaza?
Global Voices
- Behind every purple door in this Zimbabwean community, is a safe haven for victims of gender-based violence
- Mali: Political parties call for presidential elections to end military transition
- In Nepal, families that farm together stay together
- Unpacking pro-Palestinian activism in Taiwan: Interview with Aurora Chang
- Jelena Milušić and Merima Ključo: Balkan soul expressed through music
- Explaining the politics behind Chinese language translation: The year of “Loong”
- Sevdah: The perfect marriage of preservation and innovation
- Four decades of strife and resistance: A deep dive into what's happening in West Papua
- The fight for justice continues for thousands suffering from the effects of lead poisoning in Zambia
- Georgia draws criticism and protests as government debates the foreign agent bill
Bahá’í World News
- “A solace to humankind”: Bahá’ís of India mark centenary at Lotus Temple
- Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Work begins on building systems and exterior surfaces
- CSW: The critical role of institutions in promoting gender equality
- Bahá’ís of Iran: Iran’s government must end “crime against humanity of persecution,” says Human Rights Watch
- Youth: BIC highlights essential role of youth in social transformation
- In conversation: Exploring contributions of the Bahá’í International Community to the betterment of the world
- Chile Bahá’í Radio: National sound archive of Mapuche culture comes to life
- In conversation: Podcast explores collective inquiry through Bahá’í studies
- BIC New York: Reimagining the role of institutions in building gender-equal societies
- Bolivia: Women’s education a catalyst for societal progress
Headphones Recommended for The Following Videos
When I first started my blog, I would get 2 to 10 visitors per day (thanks Mom!) I thought, what’s the use? But I kept on posting. Once I started visiting other people’s blogs, I started to get a more steady stream of visitors. It’s been one year since I built my website, and (not counting spammers) I usually get about 400 to 500 visits a day. I rarely post excerpts from my books, so the purpose of my posts is just to get people to enjoy my writing.
I’ve found that a combination of putting out quality posts that are entertaining and taking an honest interest in others has really helped grow my audience. I try to support other writers, and am truly appreciative of their support for me.
I’ve read recently that you need to network with readers, not writers. My next step is to start focusing more on networking with my target audience – middle age women. Not as easily done for an introvert trying to connect to strangers.
LikeLike
Hi Karla I read you blurb and it was very informative. My own dreamy inexperienced notion was that I write the book and somebody else prints and sells it…silly me, it looks like things are changing in book publishing with ebooks, etc. I’ve been writing a book about my life growing up in a highly dysfunctional home. Lots of people can probably relate, but like you said, it may not be attractive to read. I know some readers but they like fluffy pet stories, etc .I’m getting to the point where I don’t think my book will work. I’ve incorporated a lot of my poetry in the book where applicable. I too am introverted and middle aged and just wonder how much effort this will take?
LikeLike
Yes, Karla, it takes time. I expect I’ll need to continue promoting my book long after its launch…
And, to the comments I made about my book, about its subject matter being hard to sell, I could add that my blog, while sometimes a bit witty, is far from the humor I love so much on your blog…
Reaching readers could be done through networking with writers since they have readers and may want to recommend someone to them but, also, places like BestsellerBound, which specifically tries to connect writers and readers are invaluable………
LikeLike
I suppose what I’ve been doing for the last year could be considered relationship marketing. I just thought of it as sharing my work and ideas with readers and other writers, and encouraging them in their own work. I know that my stories will never have a big market and it was just by luck that I found sites where people would be interested in them. As you said, sites like Twitter and Facebook are too much “noise.” If you want to be noticed, you have to spend some time hunting for the high signal to noise ratio sites.
LikeLike
Well, Catana, I think sharing conversations here with folks like you and, in turn, visiting other’s sites is going to remain my prime promotion activity. Very clear signal :-)
I am going to make time for BestsellerBound, too………
LikeLike
Excellent information in your post. Aside from the insanity of it all, do you feel the process has stolen writing time from you?
LikeLike
“Stolen”, Simone…?
I can’t use that word really. I’m still writing this blog regularly and I have the sequel to Notes from An Alien buzzing in my unconscious, not yet ready to commit itself to the page…
I feel like I really would be “unfaithful” to my current book if I launched into another project. Sort of like spacing the birth of children so each receives its due :-)
LikeLike
Oops, stolen wasn’t the best word to use. I mainly wanted to know if you still had the energy to write and you answered that. :-)
I suppose it is much like the traditional way of relationship building when writers went around the country talking to people about their books. I seem to remember you talked a bit about doing some of that. I’ve met quite a few writers travelling and selling their books. Perhaps the internet is just another method similar to that route?
You raise an interesting question in your post. What sells a book? I was telling someone I know about your book and he was very interested as a reader. I’ll send him your way in May. Personally, I feel positive about your book. I think all of your hard work is going to pay off!
LikeLike
Well, thanks for that encouraging comment, Simone :-) and, you could send that interested reader my way now since I’m still offering the free pre-pub manuscripts…
I do feel the Internet is extending the old traveling author idea onto the digital highway and, especially, virtual worlds, like Second Life, where you can sit around with people from all over the world and read your book or talk about writing or just socialize :-)
LikeLike
I’ve been trying to find readers for you who will pay for your book. :-)
LikeLike
Are you one of those people I mentioned in the post–a “sneezer”? ;-)
LikeLike
I must be known as a sneezer. Someone in one of my social circles just sent me his vanity published book, um…postage due. The bigger problem is his book makes no sense whatsoever. I guess I must have some sort of reputation. It’s hard to sneeze though when there’s nothing to make you sneeze, lol.
With your book though, it’s easy for me to identify who would be interested in reading it. As a member of the tribe, could I maybe have the function of Book Pusher? It’s more motivating to me than Sneezer. :-)
LikeLike
“Vanity” with “postage due” cracked me up ;-)
Sure, we can change the title. I was thinking of Re-Infecter but Book Pusher definitely works :-)
LikeLike
Phew, I’m so glad to hear your advice about FB and Twitter, because I really can’t get into that. Thank goodness, I don’t have to go there. Sounds like your book is a bit too cerebral for them, anyway.
Blogging may be a slow process, but I kind of like the way that I can forage for people of interest to me. Putting money and fame aside, better a few good friends that a thousand acquaintances. Right?
One must know how to garden, before one can farm. ;)
LikeLike
Damn good word that–cerebral–and, yes, my book is more that than an emotional heart-grabber (though it does have its moments). My book deals with how to get from greed/war/violence to peace/equity/justice and the Earth has been dealing with the issue far too emotionally for far too long. Even if my book becomes a mere lonely fog-horn in the mists of culture’s irrational sea, it might save a few worthy souls…
And, Yes, “better a few good friends than a thousand acquaintances”.
LikeLike
I just caught your article and I agree with Catana. Good name, relationship marketing. I am learning how blogging and connecting online offers much more than I expected, as I’ve met many virtual friends this way: and learned a ton.
Thanks for being here, Alexander!
LikeLike
And, thank you for such encouraging remarks, Selena :-)
Today’s post, to go live in about 10 minutes, has the “other” side of my promotional story………
LikeLike
Pingback: Self-Publishing: Carnival of the Indies Issue #6 — The Book Designer
Pingback: Book Promotion & Social Networking Frenzy ~ Pondering Google+ « Notes from An Alien
Pingback: The Courage To Move Forward . . . « Notes from An Alien
Pingback: Top 42 Posts & Pages on Reading, Writing, and Publishing « Notes from An Alien
Pingback: One Author’s Journey ~ Self-Publishing A Novel « Notes from An Alien