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Last months TRP writer's retreat prompted this post. While I was gone Faith had to take over my duties. It was a rest well earned and well accepted and with some of my favorite people--writers! Enjoy! ~ Stephy (Head Troll, Troll River Publications)   I always use the phrase "recharge your batteries" but not in this context until very recently. I use it when referring to a cell phone, you know? As in "recharging a phone". Recharge your batteries is a phrase meaning to rest or relax for a period of time so that you feel energetic again; as defined in the Cambridge Dictionaries Online.
Today, we live in a "going" society. Everything is about go, go, go and go, 24/7 work time has become our norm and is celebrated as hard work. I don't blame us for this, different situations force us to stretch and step right in. The biggest situation in my opinion is the high standards of living causing us to want to work extra hard in order to survive. You can want to recharge your batteries for a variety of reasons; could be about your work life, relationship, family and many more but it's amazing how we never feel the need to actually take a break and rest. I have been thinking about it and I can't still figure out what was going through the mind from whomever came up with this phrase, but rest assured it's weighty and very crucial. Let's look at it from the point of view of recharging a gadget, in this case I will use a phone: Phone charged at 100% When a cell phone is fully charged, it's functionality and usability is longer. I use my cell phone as my internet hot-spot whenever I want to work on a longer project. I ensure it is fully recharged so it can serve me longer. Phone at 50% When the battery recharge level of a cell phone drops to 50%, it still works pretty well, but the duration of its service will be shorter as compared to a fully recharged one. Phone at 0% At 0% a cell phone has no functionality. Mine actually gives me a warning when at 15%, then goes off at 5%. Now I know that's the maximum it can go in serving me. One thing I would love to note is that this is a gadget, it is non-living but it is made in such a way to allow proper functionality by being able to be recharged. Looking at it from this point of view, how much more do we (human beings) need to recharge our batteries? Every time we put ourselves in the line to overwork, something gives in. I have witnessed instances where family, marriages, relationships, social life and even health gives in. We put so much energy, time, effort, emotions....name it, into work so much that we loose the focus on other aspects of life. I know I am making it sound like it is a bad thing to give 100% in our work....NO, NO. I am neither encouraging laziness nor am I propagating staying back and doing nothing. I am point out a fact of life....we all in one way or another need to take some time to rest or relax. It may seem as luxury but its worth it. Recharging our batteries makes us more efficient. Have you ever taken a retreat, vacation or just time out from your day to day schedule? How did it feel when you got back? That feeling is indescribable. I don't know about you but the last time I actually recharged my batteries I got back and achieved a ton of stuff I would have in months. My energy and psych was all the place. I got back in a "rock and roll" spirit. I could clearly make decisions, work for longer hours, multitask a couple of responsibilities....God knows I need one some time soon. Family and relationships are key to me, I prefer to spend time with loved ones when recharging my batteries. It is one of the reasons I sometimes have the desire to recharge. I am not sure who is like me in this but for whatever reason, we all need to take some time out to just "relaaaaaax". Once in a while I usually feel like digging a big hole on the face of the ground and taking time off inside a cave where no one can find or reach me, but in such moments I hold back because I remember I have my little girl who solely depends on me and if I were to vanish.....literally...I would be punishing her big time. Recharging our batteries just like we recharge our gadgets is essential in helping keep our productivity and functionality on track. Have you ever felt the need to recharge your batteries? How did that go? Did you satisfy that need? Why did you feel the need to satisfy your crave for time out? I would like to hear your story. Share with me in the comment below....: Faith Ombewa, Assistant, Troll River Publications
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 The past six months of my life have been a journey, I cannot exactly calculate of how many miles - but rest assured it has been quite an experience.
Follow me on this, let me tell you what I mean: So in November 2015 (and November also happens to be my birthday month - Yes! I am a scorpio baby) I joined Troll River Publications as an assistant. So yes, I had two things to celebrate; first it was my birthday - the thought that am not getting any younger, probably wiser and then the good news of getting hired with my very first job application and the relief that I wasn't going to travel the road of job hunting. Let me make something clear, the relief wasn't just because I got a job...no no, the relief was because I got a job of my first choice and something I was sure I would keep my energy high on doing so ultimately I would deliver positively. Author S.N.Mckibben who also happens to be the head Troll River Publications is my boss, I prefer to use Stephy so for the sake of this write up that is how I will refer to her. Stephy is amazing, she is just on a different level kind of boss, honestly I shouldn't even use the word 'boss' because that is not how she comes out to me. She is different, she has her leadership skills mastered and knows exactly what to do, what to say and how to say. Just that, makes me feel rewarded and appreciated for the work I put in. Sometimes I feel our relationship is those of business partners (I am allowed to be me, express my opinion, make changes where necessary and even growl if I had to). So excuse my limited lexicon for not being able to get one word to describe her. Full disclosure; once in a while I brag to my best friend and family that I am an assistant head to a publishing company, the next big thing in the world of romance novels. LOL. I know that sounds ridiculous but trust me the thought of it inspires me. The inspiration is not just the title or the excitement it comes with but the DESIRE to want to do more and be the BEST in what I do; the hunger to be a worthy investment to the company and not a liability. Aaah! I forgot to mention, I am not those "wake up in the morning, dress up, look at yourself in the mirror, get on your sexiest heels, ask for your family's opinion on how you look then report to the office looking so on fire that every one else gets a little distracted by your entrance"... I am a virtual assistant. Yes, once in a while I get all dressed up to create a working mode but most of the time I am just in my pyjamas behind my very faithful laptop and a corner stuffed with pillows to ensure my back is taken care of. Working from home is fun because you have the control of doing whatever you want - whenever you want it and if you are a mommy like me, it gets even more special because you have all the time to watch over the little one. And that is where the challenge comes in, one has to make it intentional to work. If there is anything I have learnt in this past six months, i would say self motivation, disciple and time management. I mean no one bothers whether I report to office or not, no one monitors what I do but everyone looks and expects to see the result of the work I do. I started working at five hours a week, now am at twenty and many more to come. The change has made me keep on toss, I have stretched and upped my game. I have learnt to create a timeline for my whole week and have a draft of how my day would look like. I love it, I have never felt this in charge and responsible of my life. I feel like I have the power to write my own story without anyone telling me who they think I am. I have also learnt that am very good in building lasting relationships, something I took for-granted in the past. For me,this has been a journey of traveling to an unknown land because each new day, month, book release, launch party, virtual tour and much more comes with its own experiences. The trickiest part is trying to read Stephy's mind to figure out how many star ratings she gives me in each of these projects. Some days I wake up feeling not satisfied with what I delivered, I wonder if she feels the same or it's just self - judgement. But some days I wake up feeling a hero at how I made a kiss-ass newsletter and played around with words. I cannot give an exact ratio of these two happenings or say which feeling comes more often but I can say I love both reactions, they help me strike a balance. The 'unsatisfied' feeling pushes me to do more while the 'hero' feeling makes me feel I am improving and getting better at what I do. I am dedicated to my work as a virtual assistant. I give it my all, I do it like I will never do anything else but sometimes I have fears; What if I wake up one morning and Stephy doesn't need an assistant any more!? What if she decides she needs to cut costs and I am top of her "cutting cost" list!? But in these moments, I hold onto the good relationship more like a friendship we have built and my loyalty to her and the company. I remind myself that whatever happens I will have given my best and will proudly walk head high knowing I was diligent. This is what am saying; working as a virtual assistant has taught me to build trust and see the very best in people, something I used to struggle with before. I was rather skeptical; but now I live each day at a time, give the best in everything I do and believe that nature has a way of rewarding faithfulness and hard work. I feel like am a new person: the first time I felt that was on the 10th of October 2014 when I became a mom to my beautiful baby girl (That was an experience of a lifetime), 10th October 2015 when he went on his one knee and popped that 'life trembling question'. LOL. Then again on the 24th of November 2015 when I marked officially as my first day at work as a Virtual assistant, Troll River Publications. Why do I put this date as part of my special days calendar date? Because it is special to me, right from the start... I knew it was the genesis of a beautiful journey. Faith Ombewa - Assistant Troll River Publications Hi there Readers! Today I have an informative guide for writers on finding success by Matt Banner from OnBlastBlog.com as seen on Forbes, Entrepreneur & The Huffington Post. Matt and I have been talking and he invited me to share this awesome infographic for my readers. It's a must read! I knew right away I had to share this with you after I read it. Matt has graciously written an introduction and starters on finding your audience. This article goes well with "The Beginner's Outline of How to Write Faster" and "Overcome Writer's Block Before It Becomes A Problem" if you need more in-depth knowledge of each topic. Check out Matt's article below! Writing a book isn’t easy, but it’s easy compared to the work you need to put in finding the right audience and marketing tools to promote it. Most writers don’t find success overnight, instead they need to find ways to support themselves while they build up their craft and eventually find that success they deserve with the help of a great publisher. Today I’ll show you how to narrow down your audience while also honing and sharpening your skills. I’ll even give you tips on how to find work so you can work from home and focus on your burgeoning career.  Finding Your Audience
Let’s first look at some key steps that will help you and your publisher find the right audience of readers that will enjoy your book. Once you have this in place, you can create your blog and start building hype for your books in between each release! #1 - Identify Your Readers Start by looking at the elements of your book and connect those with certain types of readers. If you’re doing an alternate history book where aliens invaded and interrupted WWII, then you’ve got a story for history buffs, sci-fi enthusiasts, and possibly military buffs as well. #2 - Look at Your Competition (And Who’s Reading Them) Take a look at other books in your genre and look at the kind of people reading and loving those stories. What is it about those stories that they love in particular? Latch on to those elements and you’ll have a better understanding of your readers. #3 - Establish Your Demographic Who are the people reading your book? Are we looking at young adults or teenagers? Where do they live? These kinds of answers will help you tweak certain aspects of the book to better reach your readers. Reaching Your Goals and Finding Success (Infographic) Being a successful writer involves combining a lot of different characteristics into one. This guide will help you define what tools, habits, and goals are best for you. Share your own tips in the comments! Every year I like to look at the progress each TRP author has made and some of them are surprised at how much they've written, progressed and produced. Others look at this and use it as a motivator to keep going. It's my no means meant to compare authors or make them feel inadequate. But sometimes when you see what is possible it helps with your own goals. However, I myself sometimes can't help but feel frustrated at my word count so I'm fully prepared to throw a fit, then get over it and make new goals for next year (2016).
Patricia A. Knight
Elizabeth SaFleur 
Elizabeth SaFleur had three releases in 2015. Lovely - 96K Untouchable - 63K Riptide in the Undertow Compilation - 24K Total=183K Carol McKibben
Kris Michaels 
Kris Michaels had three releases in 2015. Jacob - 73K Joseph - 71K Backwater Blessing from the Undertow Compilation - 26K Total=170K Marilyn Lakewood 
John J. Daly, Jr.
Rachel De Lune 
What is Writer's Block? If you are a writer, you probably have had this experience. If not, you are either a really good writer or you probably have no idea what writer’s block is. Just to be sailing in the same boat, I will first briefly explain what the writer’s block is and then we will go further into discussing what causes it and how we can deal with it. Have you ever at any moment in your writing sat down at your desk to write but all you seem to be doing is staring at blank papers? Or you are at your computer and all you have is an empty monitor having no idea of what to put down into writing or even where to start? This is what we call writer’s block. It happens in most of the writers’ lives in writing. A moment where you momentarily lose the ability to produce new work. Causes? Writer’s block can be caused by so many reasons. Some of these reasons are not so major and are related to the writer’s present attitude. Good examples are reasons like fear, anxiety, frustrations or just a mere change of lifestyle. If I were, however, to decide on the major cause of the writer’s block it would be what I call creative slowdown- running out of inspiration to come up with original content in their work. It is at times that this creative slowdown causes anxiety, fear and frustrations. For me the most common cause of writer's block is burn out. I write everyday. I know many writer's that write everyday and honestly, it's from exhaustion. It's not writer's block but writer's over load. But if you're thinking, why can't I write...then it could be a clog of too much stimuli at one time. Overcoming writer’s block. Having gone through what writer’s block is and what its possible causes are, let me now take you through ways in which you can overcome this condition. At the end of this writing, I will give you my recommendation. A number of ways and practices can be adopted to overcome writer’s block. Let me list down briefly just a few of these strategies:
In some cases doodling helps. But the 5 suggestions are a good way to power through a spurt where you're mind is just too busy to slow down for writing. If you're not having a writer's exhausted moment and a block from fear, stress or demands, try the above! Good work Minion Troll!
 Well, there's always being God to write faster. But while the Ghostbusters might say yes to "Are you a God?" the truth is, not all of us can be a writing God like Larry Correia.  I recently asked Minon Troll to write me the pros and cons of writing fast. At first Minon Troll grumbled. Seems my friend didn't like being taken away from the latest manuscript of Patricia A. Knight's fifth book in the Verdantian series. Which is why the blandness and the slight change of topic and title...but don't worry, I've got my own opinion's in which I'll be integrating for fun! So here it is below. What Can You Do To Be A Faster Writer? If you can write faster, you’ll be able to convey your messages quicker, and beat deadlines if there are any. But like any other skill, writing techniques has to be learned, polished or even unlearned before it is refined to a fine taste. You can learn how to write faster, and write faster, but first you need to understand what it requires. Let’s see what it takes! Sure thing, Sparky! It's so easy.  Relevant Tips on How to be a Faster Writer The following tips can help you improve your writing speed: Research Your Topic Regardless of your writing skills, techniques, or level of professionalism, you will find it extremely difficult to write faster, if you don’t know what you intend to write about. Simple research is often the answer. Before you pick up your pen to write or tap your computer keys, conduct some research. Find out more about the topic. See what experts have said; get an insight into the opinions and ideas of others. Make comparisons and pick an angle to cover. If you did your research quiet well, and pick an angle, you will find it easier to write. Once your writing is easy, ideas flow freely, and speed follows accordingly. If you have little or no knowledge of what you intend to write about, then all you have is often a blank sheet staring at you, as you force yourself to write slowly. Okay, I have to say that in the beginning, it was easy to write fast. So many ideas, so little time. I'm still like that, but not when it comes to ghostwriting. So, case in point, research actually gives me ideas. Now, I'm a fiction writer, however -- knowing the facts about your characters may require research. Looking up on yahoo answers or googling a topic about my characters line of work helps me collect ideas! Ideas give you plot. Carry on Minon Troll! Create an Outline After the research, you can make your writing easier and faster by creating an outline. Your outline should reflect what you intend to cover in your writing, and how you intend to cover it. If you plan to have four or five paragraphs, indicate that on your outline. Be specific by mentioning the ideas and example you intend to share in each paragraph. You may arrange the paragraphs in the order you want them to appear. Some writings start with an introductory paragraph and ends with a conclusion. Nonetheless, there are no rules, your outline should be based on how you intend to pass your messages across, and the type of audience it is intended for.  This doesn't apply to those that are not going to write an "outline" anyway. It's like trying to explain infinite chocolate to them. To those who still believe they are "pantsers" (writers who don't call an outline and outline) you actually do outline. It's called a blurb. You have a blurb or a line in your mind, (like Jane screwed Jack, HEA) otherwise, you don't have a story. You have kidnapped words that were taken in the dead of night and forced onto a page. I usually create an outline because I don't want to get lost as to where I am, writing wise, in the story. I use an outline to know what came before. When I write an outline, all those ideas to take my characters go right out the window once I start writing the long hand. I have a strange process. The outline is the synopsis of the story. When I'm writing a 20K word story, I have 4 paragraphs. These paragraphs represent 5K word scenes. I refer to the outline so that I know what happened. I also strikeout what was the idea and put in what really happened so that I can go back and see what I thought of doing in case it comes in handy later. Improve Your Typing Skills Except you still write with pen, you have to work on your typing skill. If you know exactly what you intend to write but cannot type very fast, your writing will still be slow. Do your best to familiarize yourself with the position of keys on your computer keyboard. Type often, type every day, use a timer, observe your speed, see if you’re improving and don’t give up!  Now wait a minute Sparky!! (For those of you who don't know, I do my first draft with pen and 5X8 flash cards. This is a direct hit on yours truly.) Shakes wild fist at Minon Troll!! Why I...I like my dinosaur ways. I'd rather write slow than not at all. Really pay Minon no mind if you're like me. Don’t Push Yourself Too Far There is no guarantee that anyone will be the next greatest writer of this generation. So calm down, and don’t over expect when you write. You won’t learn how to write a 1000 words article perfectly within twenty minutes in one night. Learn how to manage your expectations. Personal disappointment can slow you down when you write. Nonetheless, don’t settle for messy write-ups, set a reasonable standard and expectations. Within a short while, you can raise your standard and expectations and be a better and faster writer. I can't agree more! I've got no wise cracks about this one. Really, burn out is difficult to deal with. Find a Suitable Writing Time Writing at any level of speed often requires focus and lack of distractions. You need to find a suitable writing time that can bring out the best in you. Do you find it easier to write faster and better when you are all alone? Or do you write faster when your friend or spouse is around? At what time of the day do you feel more relaxed and can think better and faster? You need to give yourself an edge and write at the most appropriate time for you. Some writers prefer the early hours of the morning, others prefer daytime, some can write anytime, and most prefer to write while all alone. Only you can find your suitable writing time. Do it! To this, all I have to say is, find that time and commit!! Treat writing like a date, a marriage, your love affair. Because it is. Don't be afraid to tell other people this is your time to write. Defend the time with your life. Or like you're only happy me time.  Edit Thoroughly If you can write very fast, chances are higher that you’ll require more editing. Speed and accuracy in writing doesn’t often walk hand-in-hand. After you write, you need to edit thoroughly. Your speed has already saved you enough time for editing. Check for grammar, spelling, vague sentences, repeated ideas in different words, and run-on sentences etc. Speedy writing skills are useless if your final draft is a complete mess. As such, edit ruthlessly! In my case, writing fast let's me edit. I think you should edit just because it's the professional thing to do. Write Everyday The more you write, the better and faster you will be at it. Don’t write once in a while, or only when you feel like. Look for a reason to write every day. Write about a sport match you watched, your opinion about a topic on TV or online. Write about your favorite TV show, and why you love it. Write about your pets, about your spouse, about your kids, siblings and neighbors etc. Write about what inspires you, scares you, and about the things you love and hate. Learn from your mistakes, improve, and you will write better and faster. How many times have you heard this one? Well, it's because it's #1 on how to write fast. I think Minon was smart to NOT put this first as I'd give Minon the groan and "back to the blackboard with you". Groan as I may, it works. However, if your schedule doesn't allow it, then you weren't serious about writing anyway. Pft. I'm sure to get a smack for that comment. Really, if you can only write on the full moon of every month, then at least your writing. But if that's your schedule, be patient with yourself. It will take a decade to get a full novel done. Give Yourself Time to Master Your Speed Your writing speed will not be constant within few attempts. Sometimes the topic you’re writing on may slow you down or inspire you to write faster. Give yourself time to master your writing speed. Don’t get discouraged if your speed fluctuates sometimes, it happens to all writers. Give yourself some time for your new skill to sit in. You may use a timer to observe your speed, so you’ll know how well you’re doing or not. In all, speed and accuracy should be your ultimate writing goal. Well done Minon! The last one is patience. It's the hardest part to be fair with oneself but also be committed. In other words...  Hang in there!  The world of Social Media can be confusing. Many look at it as a chore. The biggest help you can give yourself is changing your mindset. If your bored it's going to be boring to your reader or your going to burn out.
Before you decide what you want to write about, post, or share take a look at where you want to concentrate your efforts. So now when you’re prepared to go out in the virtual social world, you just need to decide which tools might be best for you. Instead of choosing what’s easiest to use, or most popular at the moment, it’s good to fit it to yours and your audience’s needs. Here’s a little guide... Instant messaging If you’re not a big talker behind your computer and you’d rather stick to sharing links, photos and quick messages, you might try Twitter or Instagram. Twitter is the kingdom of quotes, public statements and attention-grabbing shout outs, while Instagram is a goldmine of captured moments, super short films and visual appealing creations of any sort. If you prefer fast texting, instead of sending an e-mail you should definitely try one of them, or even both! Storytelling If you’d like to connect with your crowd a bit more, you might try to post your everyday stories on Tumblr or using a custom made Wordpress blog. If you don’t like to write much, but you feel like you have a lot to say, record videos and post vlogs, there’s nothing closer to having a real conversation than this. Sharing your world to the others makes you appear more authentic and open and who knows, maybe you’ll get some videos of your viewers as a comment! Sharing photographs If you find Instagram to be a bit too mainstream for you, you should try Flickr or Pinterest. If you search for inspirational photos and young talents, Flickr is the right place for you. Join groups to discover images from similar categories or create albums for showing a portfolio. If you’re more into style and putting together collages, you should definitely go for Pinterest. You’ll create amazing mood boards, and share your latest “Pins” with your viewers. Connecting with the right people If your space will be mostly used for connecting with the world and promoting your work you have some good options with Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn. Just remember to create professional looking, good information-filled profiles, that are going to be your virtual business cards and start making contacts! Share links and posts from your other accounts so your audience can multiply and grow. Are you ready? It’s really that simple!  Contests I'm not too keen on...but Scholarships I applaud. I've been notified of one such scholarship by Build Your Own Blog for $4K. Please note that this isn't for published authors. Not that Build Your Own Blog doesn't love published authors but this is for aspiring authors and weekend writers who are looking for a chance to break into the craft. If you're looking for more of an explanation go HERE. These are the qualifications:
To all that apply good luck!  Click on the picture to be taken to the scholarship entry form!  I wanted to call this Essentials on hiring a VA, but I find "How to..." more effective for SEO--evil marketer that I am. But I've determined after hiring a few, there are some key elements you might want to think about before hand.
First, do you need a VA? Silly question because if you're looking for a VA, you've determined you need a VA. However, review your motives for hiring. You'll be able to ask better questions that way and it's possible you can just go to fiverr or mechanical turk for projects. Next, evaluate yourself. Again, sounds silly, but people don't always express what they are looking for in a VA. If you're a type A personality, you may, or may not, work well with other type A personalities. That needs to be acknowledged and expressed. Type A is difficult to get along with and needs a certain finesse. Here are some things to ask yourself:
Reflect on those answers. Ask your own questions. Manage your expectations and communicate those expectations to your VA. Next are the questions you should ask the VA to determine if they might fit you well. Based on the answers you give above, ponder on what type of person you want. Here is where that "who is your reader" exercise in writing applies to "who is your VA". Are they a stay at home mom? Do they work when you're online? Do you want them to report in everyday? Everybody wants a worker who "Pays attention to detail", is "available" at your whim, but lets face reality...unless you pay them a fantastic wage of $50,000 - $150,000/year they have to manage their time with you and other clients. Which means time sensitive projects should be handled by you. Daily work is awesome for VA's. Here are some things to ask your potential VA:
ACTION ITEM: If you're looking for a VA--prepare your questions ahead of time!  To Blog or not to Blog: Really? Think about what you just said. You’re basically saying, I don’t know what to write.
Writers spend a lot of time writing stories. Some say, I don’t have time to blog. I don’t know what to blog. Blogging is just so overwhelming. Let’s take a close look at each of these excuses and determine if they are valid. 1. I don’t have time to blog. Either you don’t see the value, you don’t know how to write short, sweet and fast or you have the issues of thinking what you have to say isn’t worth reading. Let’s look at subject A: a) I don’t see the value in blogging. *Sigh* You might have heard about SEO (Search Engine Optimization). SEO is one way readers find you. Remember, you write for a variety of reasons, but you PUBLISH for only 3 reasons. Those are: - To inspire - To entertain - To solve a problem Yes, you PUBLISH for one of those 3 reasons. Guess why I’m writing this post. If you said all 3, you’d be right! Back to "I don't see the value in blogging". The value of blogging is to reach readers. They don’t always search Amazon for your key words or specific title. They may type in “Free stories” or “Free money” or “Free sex” – whatever. If you had a title like that, I wonder how much SEO you’d get. The more eyes on your writing, the better. Sometimes you get people who want your books because you write well. b) I don’t know how to write short, sweet and fast. That’s okay. You know the recommended amount of posts are 2 – 3 a month. That’s because you can promote the post everywhere. Sure I do once a day but they are mostly short 300 – 500 word articles. You don’t have to write fast. You don’t even have to make the posts long. c) What I have to say isn’t worth reading. Okay. I’ll come out and say, if that’s how you feel, then don’t publish. Stop the bullshit “I’m a horrible writer” crap excuse to prevent from blogging. If your ego is so low that you’re constantly asking for an ego boost by way of compliment, you don’t have thick enough skin yet to publish. If this is the excuse you use for not blogging, don’t publish yet. Get your boot straps laced and pull your pants on first—then blog. There’s a theme here—there is only one good reason not to blog. If someone tells me they don’t want to—that’s a good reason. They think it’s a waste of time, blogging is dead. Well, I say, it depends. Thirteen year olds aren’t allowed to go on social media yet and therefore, they interact with blogs because it’s the only social thing they can do. Maybe your audience isn’t thirteen year olds. Maybe your audience are people that can’t discuss the kind of things on social media platforms because it’s a hot button. Those adults will find your stuff if you present it on your blog. Politics for instance—for some they don’t want to discuss it with friends on Facebook, but they would on another forum if they felt safe enough to. Through out this, the point that’s most important is the 3 reasons why you publish. When you don’t know what to write, think about why your write. It’s 1 of the 3, or maybe all of them. So blog about your writing inspiration, blog to entertain people, blog to help other people. But don’t think you have nothing to blog for. ACTION ITEM: Find your reason to blog: to inspire, to entertain or to solve a problem. Remember that helping a reader find your book is under the "solving a problem" and the "to entertain" category because being bored and not finding the right kind of entertainment is a problem. :) |
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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