Tag Archives: Books

A blog about the topics of writing, My writing journey

One of my publishing house has closed

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This year, one of my publishers closed. Based on what I know, I completely understood the reasons.

I decided to self-publish the books I had with the company as opposed to going with the publisher of my Jasper, Amazon Parrot series.

It did make me pause. I thought of the pros and cons of traditional publishing versus self-publishing. Everyone has their opinion on the topic.

Over the years, self-publishing played second fiddle in the publishing world. Things have shifted, with major players turning to self-publishing. I am talking about already established authors.

But if you are not established and you are a small fish in the ocean, it is not always easy to get noticed, especially when big-name authors enter the fray.

One needs to be persistent with our writing.

A plus to self-publishing is that your royalty is higher. You have more decision-making in the cover, quicker publication release date, and more control over the book, just to name a few. One big difference is marketing. You have to do it all on your own in comparison to a traditional publishing house.

Traditionally, you do give up money since they are doing all the work. Yet you are not forking money in for an editor, illustrator, or to market your manuscript.

It all depends on where you land on the spectrum. Both have pros and cons, and that is when you need to spend time deciding what is right for you.

For me, I have dipped into both baskets, feeling it gives me a better understanding of the industry and a better prospect of where I want my books to go.

The Squirrel Mafia series, I feel good about going the self-publishing route. Quite a few people know about this series, so when I release volume two, I’m not starting from the beginning. Then I can move on to my next project however it is published.

A blog about the topics of writing, Author

Getting back into the swing of writing

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How often do you check your books online to see ratings or read comments? I used to do it regularly, but over time, it became something I did only when I remembered.

When I checked Amazon, I was thrilled to discover that my book, Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure, now has over 100 reviews. Jasper and I are flying higher than ever!

I know it took some time to reach this milestone, but I intend to savor it. There are those who enjoy the book and don’t leave a review for various reasons. That could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your perspective.

Every time something positive happens with my books, it just confirms that this is what I should be doing: writing. It brings joy that is hard to contain, well, for me anyway.

It has been a long journey for me with my writing, but the newness of it when I start a new WIP is still there with me, and may that never change.

The self-imposed deadlines to the actual deadlines, the endless editing, which is one of my least favorite things to do, the going over book covers, and so much more. There is a lot to do when you are an author, no matter how many pages or genres. We birth it and watch it unfold and grow, if you are fortunate.

Not everyone is a success, and not every book gets out for people to read. Just another part of the process.

I am back to updating my blog, working with my social media platforms, and reviewing edits for the second volume of my Squirrel Mafia book. Recently, a fan asked if I had started on volume five of my children’s series, the Jasper, Amazon parrot series. That question caused me to pause to consider my next steps.

But having a fan reach out to ask was such a great feeling. It made my day.

Back in the saddle again, I am ready to go once I decide on what project to work on.

A blog about the topics of writing, Writing ways

When do you start promoting your manuscript?

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Photo by Tracy Le Blanc on Pexels.com

This topic landed in my email box. When should you start promoting your book?

The writers I know in this area start once their manuscript is complete. To me, that is getting on this way too late. I mean, once your book is complete and you tell your friends and family, then what?

I started on my social platform brand once I had my first draft of my Jasper, Amazon parrot series. By the time the drafts, edits, cover, and more, I had grown a following of people engaged in me as I was in them. I had people to shout out to saying, “Finally, my book is done.”

If you wait until the end of your book, you are shouting into the wind in hopes someone will take an interest.

Your book deserves more than that. You deserve better than that.

And one more thing. When submitting my first book to publishers, they always asked where I was. It meant what is your social platform?

Fortunately, I was able to point to where I am at. If I had not done the work, I am unsure if the publishers would have picked up the book.

It does take time. You do a quick search online, which will show you the various platforms. Not all will work for you. Take one platform at a time. Put the work in. If it does not feel right, dump it and try another.

Some of these platforms allow you to schedule the posts, which helps since this frees up time.

Start slow as you build your social platform, your brand, and a gateway for you to shout to a larger audience once your book is complete and not only full but complete and published.