by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
This is an ongoing series designed to give writers guidelines on where & when to spend your money. If you missed the first two posts in the series you can find them here:
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Dollars & Sense for Writers— Guidelines on Where & When to Spend Your Money—Part Two
by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
Last week, I began this series on Dollars & Sense for Writers Part One. I gave you a run-down on where to start by suggesting you look for a
local writers group and an online group or two. Today I’d like to continue by
looking at books and magazines for writers.
As a writer, I love books. Beyond that, I love books about
writing. I have an extensive library of books on the craft of stringing words
together—truthfully more than I need. But early on in my career I just couldn’t
pass up a recommended book. Looking back I should have spent more time at the
library than on buying books.
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Dollars & Sense for Writers—Guidelines on Where & When to Spend Your Money—Part One
by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
I remember what
it was like when I was just starting out as a writer. I thought it was
something I wanted to do. I even felt like it was something God called me to
do. It’s an exciting time—a time when we’re trying on the moniker of writer.
I’d say one of
the most valuable ways to learn about writing specifically and the publishing
industry in general is by joining organizations. It’s important that you don’t
just concentrate on learning to write, but you also need to know the process of
publication so you can begin to earn money. Here is what I suggest.
So which of these
choices should you make? It depends, in a large part, on what you want to write
and where you want your career to go. I recommend you start local, if possible,
and look for recommendations.
I remember what
it was like when I was just starting out as a writer. I thought it was
something I wanted to do. I even felt like it was something God called me to
do. It’s an exciting time—a time when we’re trying on the moniker of writer.
It’s also a time
when we’re deciding exactly how big a commitment we’re going to make. We
evaluate how much time we’ll spend an how much money we’ll invest. And it’s
rarely an all-ahead-full sort of decision. I took it one
step at a time. I would try something, evaluate the results and then readjust.
It was about the
time of my first few forays into the writing world that I discovered this
writing thing can get expensive . . . fast.
There are books to buy,
organizations to join, classes and workshops to take, even conferences to
attend—all without a single bit of profit to support these investments. My
budget was limited and I had to make some judgments about where to spend my
money.
Today, after many
years in the business, I’d like to offer some guidelines on where and when to
spend your money. It’s not always a straight-forward answer, but I’m going to
try to cover most situations.
Which Organizations Should I join and Why
1. Find a local
group. Good places to look are local libraries and bookstores. They will often
have a listing of any local writing groups. You can also do a search online. I
know it’s not always possible to find a local group, but that’s where I always
recommend you start.
2. Find an online
group. There are many excellent national groups that have an online presence.
I’m a member of several. Here are some I can recommend:
- ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers): is for Christian fiction writers. The membership is reasonable, starting at $50 per year. It also offers lots of benefits to members, including free online classes from publishing professionals, a national conference, and an email loop where you can ask writing related questions.
- My Book Therapy: This is another fiction group, specializing in Christian fiction. It’s a bit smaller and there is a free membership option. That’s good to give you a chance to try it out before you invest money.
- Word Weavers International: This is a great critique group option. They have local groups, as well as an online presence. This group was developed over years of experience in what works to help new and even more advanced writers.
- SCBWI (Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators): This is specifically for those who write for children and young adults.
- ASJA (American Society of Journalists & Authors): This is specifically for the non-fiction writers.
- RWA (RomanceWriters of America): This is a national group for romance writers, and ACFW actual was formed from the membership of RWA.
- NWU (Nationa WritersUnion): I’m not a member of the national freelance writers group, but it’s a reputable group and I hear good things about it.
- NWA (NationalWriters Association): Again, I’m not a member, but this is another reputable group that I hear good things from.
If you don’t have
a local group, you can often find communities of writers through writing blogs.
There are a large number of regular readers here on my site and they will be
more than happy to give recommendations about this sort of thing.
I’m out of room
for today’s post, but below are the topics I’ll be sharing in subsequent posts:
- Which Books Should I Own and Which Should I Get at the Library—and What About Magazines, are They Still Relevant?
- How Do I Evaluate Which Classes I Need or Could Benefit From
- Conferences—When Am I Ready for One and Which One Should I choose
- Website—When Should I Spend the Money?
- When & How to Hire a Freelance Editor?
Now it’s your
turn. What questions do you have about organizations and what other things
would you like to see covered in this series? Be sure to leave your thoughts
below.
Edie Melson is the author of numerous books, as well as a freelance writer and editor. Her blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month. She’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains ChristianWriters Conference and the Social Media Mentor at My Book Therapy. She’s also the Military Family Blogger at Guideposts. Com, Social Media Director for SouthernWriters Magazine and the Senior Editor for NovelRocket.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook. Don't miss her new book from Worthy Inspired, WHILE MY SOLDIER SERVES.
Friday, August 28, 2015
My All Time Favorite Marketing Tools
By Misty M Beller @MistyMBeller
Over the past twelve weeks, we've discussed a myriad of ways to market books, some free and some paid but with a higher ROI (return on investment).
Today, I'm going to share the marketing activities that are my Go To's. Those that have become my mainstays (my low-hanging fruit). As I help others develop their marketing strategies, these are approaches that I always highly recommend. With each item below, I'll link to the blog post that discusses the "how to" in more detail.
Are you ready? Let's hit the list!
Friday, August 21, 2015
Book Marketing in Nutshell - Part 2
By Misty M Beller @MistyMBeller
Elva Cobb Martin, President, ACFW-SC Chapter www.elvamartin.com
This is the final week in our marketing workshop, and we're highlighting the final takeaways from the course. Sort of the "Cliff's Notes" version. :)
Last week we discussed prerequisites and advertising. This week, we'll cover the rest!
Friday, August 14, 2015
Book Marketing in Nutshell - Part 1
By Misty M Beller @MistyMBeller
Elva Cobb Martin, President, ACFW-SC Chapter www.elvamartin.com
As we
wrap up the marketing workshop over these last two weeks, let's go back through and highlight some of the takeaways
from the course. Sort of the "Cliff's Notes" version. :)
No marketing approach will be very successful unless you have solid prerequisites
in place:
- Book cover that sparks emotion in target reader
- Product description (back cover blurb) that hooks
- Good reviews to validate book quality
Saturday, August 8, 2015
How to Plan a Successful In-Person Author Event
By Misty M Beller @MistyMBeller
Elva Cobb Martin, President, ACFW-SC Chapter www.elvamartin.com
Last week, we discussed online "appearances," but no marketing workshop would be complete without covering in-person events.
These are the traditional author appearances many of us think
about:
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