Category Archives: Sharon C. Williams

An author and her thoughts on writing, Sharon C. Williams

Marketing your brand: Keeping up with the times

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As an author you have to constantly work on your book. But I am not talking about writing, editing, revising, editing again and revising again.

With a brand you have to do marketing. That marketing is always evolving and one must try to evolve with it.

Back in the day you had hard and soft cover books. You did interviews live and you went into the stores to have book signings.

Now there is so much more. At the moment I am being interviewed four times but online. A few people have scoffed at me thinking I was fibbing. But when one is not in the business it could sound far fetched.

But online interviews are a real thing. When I was still working for a local magazine I did go to the sites to do my interviews for it to be in the magazine. But now you can get questions via email, answer them with a few pictures and bio and viola you are in a magazine, a site online or for a promo.

There is more. My children series are now in audio. This is a perk of the publisher I am with. This format is huge now with Audible.com having huge volumes of books on their sites purchased and downloaded.

As someone who had the first two volumes of her books made into audio, volume three is being recorded soon, be on the Amazon Best Selling list for audio for over a month it was a new way to showcase my brand.

Times are changing and we need to change with it. But it comes down to this. How far do you want to go and at what point are you happy with what is going on.

If you do only a bit of this and that but are content good for you. But if you want a bit more you need to reach and keep reaching or soon you will be left behind. Jasper and I are working on not being left behind.

A blog about the topics of writing, Sharon C. Williams

Author interview and raffle: Chance to win a copy of my books

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I was interviewed by the amazing James J. Cudney. Not only did he interview me but we are including a raffle for a chance to win a copy of one of my books in a few different formats.

The way he laid it out I thought was really lovely and he did it in a way to make it shine. I am grateful for this chance to have a spotlight on my books and myself.

At the moment my children’s chapter book series in audible books are still in the top 100 on the Amazon Best Sellers list. WOOHOO.

So if you want to check out the interview click on the link below. Even if you have copies of my books, whether it is the old or new cover, go on and enter. They make great gifts.

 

Author Spotlight: Sharon C. Williams

 

 

A blog on writing, Sharon C. Williams

Do you know your writing voice?

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According to Margaret Maron, creator of Judge Deborah Knott: Voice is the most important ingredient in a successful book. The plot may be clever, but if the voice doesn’t engage us, how can we care?

According to John Morgan Wilson who writes the Benjamin Justice mystery series: There is difference between voice and style though it is difficult to get at. To me voice is closer to attitude and the emotional quality of the prose, reflecting the personality of the author.

Jason Pinter, ( an author who I love reading) a former St. Martin’s Press editor states: Voice is the conversational quality of your writing, the way you “talk” to your reader. It’s as important in writing as it is in conversing aloud with someone or speaking to a group. If your voice isn’t confident, assured, authoritative, natural, and appropriate for your characters and story, the writing will feel stilted, forced, ragged, weak, awkward. Just as speaking aloud is ineffective if one is halting, hesitant, lacking in confidence, and so on

Now that is all well and good until I try to find my own voice. My Character Development instructor said he knew my voice and I did as well. I do? Funny I thought to myself for my last instructor told me the same thing. This is a trend for people out of my writing groups concur with these teachers. How come everyone knows what my voice is but me? I try hard not to think on this and just write. Apparently I am accomplishing the voice subconsciously.

One good way is to read your story aloud. It may sound silly but it is a good way to hear one’s errors, pace and flow. Perhaps a writer will discover their voice. Will I ever be able to describe this important ingredient to others, I do not know. Hopefully though my voice is being written loud and clear in my writings.