Being busy

     I decided that I would do a blog about being busy, now I am not just talking about in life. Though it does contribute to being busy. I was thinking I would talk about what all I have to do to help get my books to sell. It is a lot of work that all writers have do no matter if they self-published or traditionally published. Now I can only tell you about the things I do and how I do it being a self-published author. 

    After writing and rewriting, editing, formatting and cover designing. you have to start promoting even before your book is out. you have to get the word out about it. if you have the finances to hire someone to help with this, that's great. even if you have enough to run ads on social media that is good too, use the help. But if you have the help or not you still have to make social media posts, writ a blog, send out newsletters and if possible, sell you books online. you also need to take part of events, like craft/vender shows, conventions. you will need an author website as well. you can do book signings. I will talk about each thing as I have been doing them.

    Social media posting, I have posts scheduled of questions I ask to get my followers to interact a bit, and quotes from the book that is coming out or is already out on Facebook and Instagram. I also post those on twitter. I post random posts on all three of those about my writing and answers to questions I have gotten or just something I think would be helpful. I post weekly update videos and I read my books on video and post them on YouTube and post the link to the videos on Facebook. 

    Blog posts and newsletters, this is where I post a lot of my news and I try to post a blog at least once a month the links to the blog posts get put on other social media as well. I will also put my news in my newsletter which I also try to get out monthly.

    Selling your books online, now this one I am still trying to figure out, but this is one way to get you readers your signed books and merchandise. but I do not have any experiences with this. all my books are self-published through Amazon and have links I post on my social media and my website (I will get into that in a moment). Make sure you do your research on selling your signed books on a selling website.

    Events, your best bet is to look up craft/vender events, and conventions in your area at first. look up how to be a vendor (they may call it being a seller or exhibitor) send in an application and there may be a fee or table cost. at these events and conventions, you sell your books in person. you can charge for signing the books (I don't) and give swag (bags, pens or pencils, bookmarks, ex.) when you sell your books. you could also sell your merchandise.

    Author websites, now this could be just about anything. I have an author page where I have information about me, events I will be at, where you can get my books online, my social media pages, where you can sign up for my newsletter, and how you can contact me. I also post my news on the front page of it.

    Book signings, now this could be a bit harder to do, I have had no real luck with this. the only book signing I had was when I did a book lunch for New Life By The Full Moon. I suggest contacting libraries in your area and book stores where your books are sold.

    As you can see being a writer is busy, you have to do all this and still deal with life stuff. It is not easy to be a writer and a parent (stay at home or working), or work. But it can be done you just have to figure out how to balance it all.

    now I need to get back doing promoting and writing

    Happy reading 

    Happy writing