Write Now Editing

Just Write by James Scott Bell (book review)

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Writers are given a wealth of opportunities to cultivate a successful writing life, break out, and find an audience for their work. Yet so many writers, from beginners to veterans, find their careers stuck in neutral.

The solution is simple: Just write. Write yourself past fears, doubts, and setbacks, and use your desire for writing excellence to deeply immerse yourself in the craft.

In Just Write, best-selling author and veteran writing coach James Scott Bell shows you how to develop unforgettable stories while leading a rewarding writing life. You’ll learn how to master the nuances of fiction, discover what readers really want, and persevere through the challenges of getting started, conquering writer’s block, and dealing with rejection. Look inside to discover how to:

BRAINSTORM NEW CONCEPTS for your fiction and develop a believable premise.

CREATE MEMORABLE CHARACTERS that keep your readers coming back for more.

STUDY CLASSIC & CONTEMPORARY NOVELS to improve your writing.

EFFECTIVELY MARKET YOURSELF as a writer.

MANAGE YOUR TIME to maintain peak efficiency.
Fulfilling writing careers are developed through hard work, an investment in practice, and complete dedication to the process. Don’t succumb to excuses or procrastination. Dive into your career with gusto and enthusiasm. Fall in love with writing every day. Just write.

I’m a fan of JSB’s instructional books, so I was excited to pick up this one. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it would be good.

I was right.

If you’ve read any of his other books on writing, the first half of the book might be a bit of a repeat. Still, as I read it, it reminded me of some things I’d forgotten, and I went back to manuscript with a breakthrough idea for my previously stuck story.

Never underestimate the power of reminding yourself about things you already know.

What I wasn’t prepared for, however, was the second half of the book. “Creating a Rewarding Writing Life” really doesn’t do it justice. This book should be called Just Write: Creating Unforgettable Fiction and the Truth About (and encouragement for) Indie Publishing. I wouldn’t hesitate to give this book to any author considering self publishing. I would INSIST that frustrated indie authors read it. JSB is honest about what it means to self publish and he gives great advice for authors.

Another great book. I’ll definitely re-read this one.

(Note: most of his examples are older and for thriller/suspense. They might not translate perfectly for other genres, but the idea still works.)

Get your copy here!

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Newsletter Ninja 2: If You Give a Reader a Cookie by Tammi Labrecque (book review)

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You know you need a reader magnet. You know it will help you attract newsletter subscribers, launch to a bigger audience, and find more success as an indie author. You know that a good reader magnet can turn casual readers into superfans, and superfans into evangelists.

Everyone says so.

But knowing and doing are two different things, especially when all the advice out there is overwhelming and confusing.

Write this, not that. Use this service instead of that one. Give away a whole book. No, give away sample chapters. No, write a short story.

If only someone would just give you the information you need to craft killer bonus content that lures all the right readers to your mailing list signup, and turns all the wrong ones away at the door!

Well, you’re in luck. Tammi Labrecque — indie author, mailing list whiz-kid, and author of the best-selling Newsletter Ninja — is back with an all-new book that will kickstart you on your reader magnet journey.

Newsletter Ninja 2: If You Give a Reader a Cookie is a thorough breakdown of all the aspects of reader magnets—from choosing which type to write, through planning how it fits into your catalog, to getting it into readers’ hands. Written in the same down-to-earth style as Newsletter Ninja, and packed just as full of solid information and useful ninja tips, Newsletter Ninja 2 will help you:

• Recognize the difference between a good reader magnet and a bad one
• Ditch the false dichotomy of organic vs incentivized subscribers
• Identify the two types of readers you want to attract, and how to lure both with one reader magnet
• Build a solid plan for which reader magnets go where, and how they fit into your catalog
• Discover more than a dozen types of reader magnets
• Sample a variety of existing reader magnets, and see what’s possible!

Whether you’re ready to whip up that first reader magnet or want to optimize the ones you already have, Newsletter Ninja 2 has got you covered.

If you’re struggling to attract readers to your newsletter list, you need to read this book.

This book does exactly what the title promises–teaches you how to create a reader magnet. The book description explains most of it, so I won’t repeat it, but I’ll confirm that the book delivers on all of its promises. Labrecque not only provides lists and ideas for “cookies” (reader magnets), she also provides examples of real cookies that real authors have used so you can see more clearly what she’s talking about.

If you’ve read Newsletter Ninja, you need to read this book. If you haven’t read Newsletter Ninja yet, read it, then get a copy of this book and read it. This is a MUST reader for novelists building their newsletter list. (And double thumbs up for everything coming up Millhouse!)

Get your copy here!

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Strangers to Superfans: A Marketing Guide to the Reader Journey by David Gaughran (book review)

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From the author of Let’s Get Digital and Amazon Decoded, this book will change how you think about marketing. Strangers to Superfans puts you in the shoes of your Ideal Readers, and forces you to view your marketing from their perspective.

*Learn the five stages in the Readers’ Journey.
*Identify where your blockages are and how to fix them.
*Optimize each stage to increase conversion.
*Boost sales by making the process more frictionless.
*Build an army of passionate readers who do the selling for you.

It’s not enough to know who your Ideal Readers are, you also need to imagine how they feel when a recommendation email arrives containing your cover. You must figure out why they hesitated before clicking the Buy button. And it’s crucial to determine why they liked your book enough to finish it… but not sufficiently to recommend it to their friends.

The Reader Journey is a new marketing paradigm that maps out the journey your Ideal Readers take in their transformation from strangers to superfans.

I’ve been a fan of David Gaurghran’s articles/posts online for a while now, so I thought I’d take the plunge and read one of his books. I’ve heard amazing things about Amazon Decoded, but this book’s shorter, so I decided to read this one first.

It’s okay, but I don’t feel like I finished the book with much more knowledge or strategy than when I started it. He quickly identifies the five stages of a reader/buyer’s journey toward becoming a fan, but he repeats the information many times without providing any concrete strategies for improving each (there are vague guidelines).

Two things particularly frustrated me. First, that you have to visit a website to get more info (I bought the book for that info). Second, his “case study” in how everything works doesn’t start with an unknown author — it’s the case study of a well-known author with a large following who had already been working with a publicity specialist before Gaughran stepped in. That’s not overly encouraging for an author who doesn’t have any of that yet.

Overall, there’s some good information in here, but you have to dig for it, and if you want more specific information you have to go somewhere else. If you have some free time and money to spend, it’s worth a try to read this, but I might encourage you to save your money and use it on one of his other books.

Get your copy here.

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Your Guide to Marketing Christian Books by Sarah Bolme (book review)

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The advice and resources you need to promote your Christian books successfully! This updated, award-winning resource is packed with valuable information on promoting Christian books. Chock full of specific resources from launching your book to obtaining media coverage to utilizing social networking, this guide walks you step-by-step through the various aspects of book promotion. It is the perfect resource for authors and publishers.

This is another one of those books that I started reading and kept asking myself, “Why isn’t anyone talking about this book?”

There are a lot of marketing books out there with a lot of good advice, but when I finish reading them I’m still overwhelmed and unsure what to do next–I generally need more hand holding and guidance. What I loved about this book is that Bolme doesn’t just suggest joining a publishing organization then explain why; she lists all of the publishing organizations available, briefly defines them, then give contact info for them.

More than just a book of marketing ideas and suggestions, this is really a resource book full of contacts and specific information to make it easier to follow and implement the author’s suggestions. I would consider this a must-have for self-published authors, but many traditionally published authors will also benefit from her insights.

Get your copy here!

As am Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

ABOUT ME

Editor. Teacher. Novelist.
A passionate lover of fiction, Karin doesn't just write novels, she helps others write their best stories! A certified substantive editor with the Christian Editor Connection, her goal is to help authors to put her out of business by equipping them with the tools they need to become better writers.

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Karin understood my advertising and marketing writing needs and accomplished the project in record time. She asked all the right questions up front to equip herself with enough … [more]

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Substantive Fiction Editing: A substantive edit looks at the big picture. Start here to tackle the big issues before moving on to the nit-picky details. Substantive edits not only point out … [more]

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Lover of all things fiction, I also love University of Michigan football, the Detroit Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings, kayaking, gluten-free cupcakes, and my husband.

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Fiction: Substantive Editing Classes Substantive Editing for Fiction 101 In Substantive Fiction Editing 101, we’ll look at the basics of a well-written novel and learn how to help our … [more]