We'll be reconfiguring the website next week, in which there will be no posts from 6/16/2014 - 6/20/2014. We'll return on 6/23/2014 with new material! Until then, enjoy the author's area, readers can listen to an author recorded excerpt, or chose one of our books from the book store -- if you're not entertained, it's not our fault!!
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 Inspirational author ULRIKE visits with Lois Berman - Lois on the Line. This interview is about 52 minutes and tells the story of an Austria girl (ULRIKE) from a small village who travels to Hollywood, California at the age of 18 and her experiences in the entertainment field. ULRIKE's interview starts at the 4 minute mark and continues on.
 For today's Tuesday Tools I'm going to point you in the direction of the Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation.
First, you don't have to buy the book. Second, consider getting on the email list for weekly tips on grammar if you struggle, like me, with grammar and punctuation. Third, consider taking the tests that they provide to get better at--grammar and punctuation. When I first found this site I was searching for the difference between effect vs. affect. I was impressed by the explanation, saw she had online tests to grade your skill and a weekly newsletter to help you get better for G&P. I signed up immediately and the newsletter has been immensely helpful. Word of mention--you might notice the author of the book has since passed on. The site however is maintained by her loyal students. I think if you have people dedicated like that, the person is worth a look see. ACTION ITEM: click the banner to go to the site. Buy the book, sign up for the newsletter or take a free test!  After going to the Writer's Life Conference in Provo, Utah I came home with copious notes!
Every conference I like to come home with one thing. I came away with a few on this one and in the marketing department I came away with wattpad. I almost feel this is a Tuesday Tools or a publishing platform post, (where I post about tools you can use as an author) but I'm looking at wattpad as part of creative fun marketing. One of the presenters, Jenni James, is a clean writer for children, teens and adults so I'm thinking what I thought about wattpad years ago--not for a romance fiction author that drives steamy up to the line of acceptable. Which is half my writers. However, the writer sitting next to me said there is stuff for adults on wattpad so I've decided I might give it a go! If you are unfamiliar with wattpad here is what they say about themselves: Wattpad is a place to discover and share stories: a social platform that connects people through words. It is a community that spans borders, interests, languages. With Wattpad, anyone can read or write on any device: phone, tablet, or computer. Find Any Story, Write Any Story. With thousands of stories added each day, there’s always something you want to read. Want a story about a daughter smuggling her zombie mother to safety? We have that. Want a story about a time-traveling frog with super powers? We don’t have that, and we’d be happy to see you write it. Free Reading, not eReading. Wattpad stories are free. Whether you’re online or off, use the devices you already own to carry an entire library wherever you go. Stories Made Social. Join the conversation about the stories you read: message the writer and interact with other people who love the story as much as you. Live Story Updates Get notified the moment your favorite writer shares a new chapter. ACTION ITEM: Sign up and put your stories up on wattpad! (Only for the brave! This may not be for you!)  I've been searching for book translation companies and I finally settled on Bablecube. So far we've put up 3 books and we've gotten translators within the week signing up to translate "Forever and 365 Days" in Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, and Italian so far. Offers come in, we review them and sign the contract. From what I understand the publisher gets 30%, the translator gets 50% and Babelcube gets 20% of the royalties. So it's free to start for the most part but I need to provide the manuscript (of course), and the covers for both Amazon standard ebook and CreateSpace dimensions for print. There customer service responds within 24 hours. If you're looking for your books to be translated but don't have the money for translators and don't know where to put the books up afterward, I think Bablecube is a company to check out! <-- that would be an ACTION ITEM. 
May 27th, 2014, Donna Seebo had author ULRIKE on her radio show! They talked about the inspirations behind "Forever and 365 Days" and the story behind the cover! 
Read and Continue Your Spiritual Journey...
 ULRIKE is an inspirational writer/author and metaphysics teacher. She teaches the art of right thinking in a scientific, step by step program, that benefits all areas of your life; health, wealth and most of all happiness...
you can contact her at: Website Goodreads Books on Amazon YouTube  More and more I see authors frustrated with their marketing efforts. I've had many claim they are "just bad marketers". It breaks my heart. I too struggle with marketing--I struggle with what to do, how much to spend, how much time I can afford, how to measure the results and how to balance my time. It is a balancing act, but I don't give up on it because I come back to my self proclaimed definition of marketing. mar·ket·ing märkitiNG/ verb: marketing
Marketing is never a noun to me because you are always practicing your marketing. From here I'm going to give you some options. If you need: 1. A pick-me up: go HERE. 2. Inspiration: go HERE. 3. How to balance your time: see below. 4. What the hell to do: go HERE. One of the complaints I see is: "I spend so much time on marketing that I don't get writing done." I'm going to be harsh here so weak-minded please turn around and pick a link above. Yes, you have no time for writing because YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG. 
Yes, that needed a meme.
If you're complaining that you're not writing, spending all your time on Facebook, then why are you not making writing the first priority? Why are you not timing yourself, making word count goals and setting reasonable time limits? Why are you not doing something fun when marketing? By all means--go write. Now I wrote about balancing your time and here's my secret. It's called--self control. I have a stop watch on my phone set to 90 minutes and every time that sucker counts down to zero, I get up, walk around, get water, walk the dog, do yoga and go back for another 90 minutes. It's so easy nobody does it. Except me. Because I'm all for easy. Easy is my middle name. Just ask my boyfriend. Wait...that sounded better in my...never you mind. I think one of the real problems is writers don't think about writing as a priority. Yes, marketing is a priority. Talking to fans is a priority. You also have to think about how much time you can afford and also, you need to think about where your marketing efforts should be spent. Five hours on Facebook isn't necessarily marketing time. Retweeting on twitter isn't marketing--it's promotion. Which is a whole other post you can find HERE. (The difference between marketing and promotions) ACTION ITEM: Really you should have it all. Promotions, writing, spending time with family. Cruise through my marketing and promotions lessons by using the Marketing and Monday Marketing and Promotion categories to get some ideas. |
Dear Reader,
My efforts are to make this a learning blog where writers can see the flip side of publishing. If you have comments that will improve your experience or have a certain topic you'd like discussed, please contact me through email - HERE. ~ Sincerley, Your Editor Stephanie McKibben Head Troll Troll River Publications Books on Kindle
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