Time for something a little bit different today. In catering for my writing friends, it’s easy to forget that some readers aren’t actually that interested in what I have to say about writing, and just want the latest on my projects. I’ve decided for this reason to set up a monthly progress report, of sorts, to keep you in the loop of goings-on.
July has been a busy month, that’s for certain. I managed to get a couple of rewrites done, which I spoke about in more detail here. One thing I have learned is that book revision is a bitch. I don’t personally edit very much during my first draft, so knowing where to start with the rewrite is certainly a learning curve I have to get used to. Should I attack those niggling typos, or sort out structural issues first? In the end, it was a mixture of both. I will have to set myself a stricter method in future, but on a whole, the content and line editing went pretty well.
So now, What We Saw is in the hands of my editor. Not being able to tweak something you’ve spent the last nine months working on is a bizarre sensation to get used to at first. As you have probably gathered, I have spent the time going hard on the marketing. I’ve been tweeting useful links, Facebooking blog posts, and blogging writing advice and marketing tips.
A word on marketing
What have I learned from marketing so far? Well, Twitter is a godsend, when used correctly. It’s a slow-burn approach, and one you absolutely have to stick to, but by only sharing the content of others (and the odd link of my own), people are beginning to gradually pay attention to the website.
And Facebook? Facebook has been great, for keeping you people I already knew in the loop. It’s kind of like a hub of content, where I can be a little bit more chilled and personal. But as things stand, Twitter now brings in the bulk of my traffic. In a nutshell: Facebook has been great for people I already know, Twitter has been great for making new friends and contacts.
In other endeavours, I revealed the cover of What We Saw, which went down pretty nicely. I did a guest post for Karen Woodward outlining the cover design process, so do check it out.
What We Saw, and other projects
About What We Saw: thanks for being patient. The reaction has been overwhelming so far. I keep being asked for a release date, but the truth is, even though I have a rough idea, I am still not 100% sure yet. I want some breathing time after receiving my final copies to provide reviewers with them, and run a few nice giveaways for readers too. You ask me for a release date? Before the end of the year. That’s a promise.
Oh, but I do have something for you to pass the time. You might have noticed on the ‘Books’ section of my site that there is a very mysterious looking ‘Other Projects’ area. Well, this isn’t just for show.
You’ll know what it is by this time next week. You’ll know even sooner if you sign up to the mailing list, so please, go for it! You’ll be kept in the loop about upcoming projects, receive an exclusive fortnightly newsletter (the first of which goes out this weekend), and for the writers out there, a Top Ten Tips For Writing a Mystery Novel tip book comes as standard.
Back to normality on Monday, by the way. I’ve decided on Monday as my day of marketing chat. Yes, it is because of the ‘M’. No prizes for guessing Wednesday’s focus.
For writers: how was your July? For readers: any questions or words of encouragement? Leave a comment below!
Your monthly update reports are a cool idea, Ryan! Might start one of those myself. It must help keep you accountable to your reader fanbase.
I love your cover, btw. Very professional.
As far as FB, I’m assuming all of your family and friends know what you’re up to. I have yet to officially reveal that I’m a writer (except to a few friends and family members) so I never see much activity over there on my fan page. I think I want to tell everyone soon, though. Get it over with and feel free to write about writing on FB 🙂 I’d probably get a few more likes too.
Thanks for the comment Yesenia!
Monthly reporting is something I’ve been considering for a while. I think it’s so important to remember that not all readers are writers, and whilst it’s good to find a niche, keeping some of the focus on your own projects is crucial in the build-up to a product launch.
Thanks for the cover feedback; it’s great, isn’t it? I’d highly recommend 99designs. Even if you don’t like any of the submissions, you are guaranteed your money back. Brilliant idea.
The family and friends are aware now, yeah. Good luck with the reveal. It’s a strange transition to make at first because, as you know, you are dropped into the spotlight all of a sudden. You are no longer just ‘that person’, but ‘that AUTHOR’. It’s a strange one to adapt to, but worthwhile in the long run. I debated leaving it right up until my book launch before revealing, but now I’m so glad I have a crowd of great friends and family to cheer me on.
What more, pitching to the family is perfect practice for pitching to people you perhaps don’t know quite as well. I’ll head over to your FB page and check it out.
Good luck, and thanks again for dropping by!