Guest blog by Joyce's client Carrie Fancett Pagels

Tips for Bloggers, Part 1 Blogger’s Perspective

*Send everything the blogger needs to do a professional post: headshot, JPEGs of all the covers for recent books, links to purchase from main sources (CBD, Amazon, Barnes and Noble), links to your websites. Don’t tell them “I have a media kit, go to my website.” While it is a great idea to have a media kit, if you fail to keep your own website updated (as I recently had happen with an author) the blogger won’t be able to access everything they need.

**Promote and link to the blog where your book or you are being featured. This is assuming the blogger made sure to link to your website, also. Put it up on Twitter and Facebook for example. Again, we are expecting the blogger to have also promoted the post.

***Show up and engage with the readers who leave comments. This is your golden opportunity to meet future readers (and purchasers!) of your books. If they actually show up to comment on your book or your interview--take the time to comment back. Readers LOVE hearing back from authors. Again, this is assuming the blog has people who leave comments. Check in periodically throughout the day to reply individually (some people cluster these replies together and put the commenters name in CAPS so they can easily find the author’s response to them.) People do check. You’d be surprised. And if you replied only to comments from your friends—they remember that, too. And it isn’t nice.

****Speaking of niceness—it counts! Jeane Wynn shared at the ACFW conference, two years ago, that if she could do anything for her clients it would be to have them be nice. A thoughtful personal reply is far better than saying something that is only about yourself or your book. I have to say I rarely see snark on my blogs. Think of yourself as visiting at someone’s house and they are having a party thrown in your honor. You wouldn’t spend the entire time talking about your book or yourself. But if you were asked something, you’d try to reply.


Tips for Bloggers, Part 2 Author’s Perspective

*Bloggers should be aware that many CBA publishers have blog tours which bloggers can sign up for--if they meet that house's criteria. That way the blogger receives free books and is then scheduled for blog tours they want to be a part of and can provide their honest opinion of a book. Revell's website has a form to fill out for sign-up.

**Bloggers need to understand that authors are often inundated with requests for interviews and giveaways, especially before a new book is released. It's very hard for authors to honor all these requests though we'd like to.

***Bloggers also need to understand that the author receives very few "free" books themselves and usually have to purchase a book to give to that blogger for the giveaway. Sometimes bloggers ask for 2 books, one for themselves and one for the giveaway. Yes, authors usually get a discount on their own titles but by the time we buy the book, pay for shipping, then ship it to the giveaway winner, it becomes more costly than the price of the original book.

****Bloggers often want authors to guest on their blog even if they have zero or no following. It takes time and work to create and maintain an active blog. Bloggers need to put in the time to make a go of a blog before asking authors to become involved. This may sound harsh but lots of bloggers begin and then don't stay the course. Or they receive a book from an author and don't follow through on their promise to post reviews, etc. I've even had bloggers receive the book and then "disappear," never to be heard from again. If we take time to answer your interview questions and possibly provide a book at our expense, please be gracious enough to be there in the end. SO—there you have it—two perspective on blogging. Did you read something that surprised you? Was this information helpful? God bless all the bloggers and authors out there who are trying to promote and write great Christian fiction!

Part 1 by Carrie Fancett Pagels (www.carriefancettpagels.com, http://colonialquills.blogspot.com), Carrie hosts two group blogs and writes Christian historical romance. Represented by Joyce Hart Part 2 by Carrie’s friend, a multi-published author who blogs and also contributes to a large group blog.

Promoting Your Book Isn't Hype by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

It's common sense business.

Lately, I've seen several blog posts and comments from authors suggesting that platform building and marketing is all a bunch of hype. The controversy centers around whether it is the responsibility of the author or the publisher, and the marketing ploys that take advantage of people without really helping, as well as concepts that cause authors to overburden themselves with unrealistic expectations.

I believe there is value on both sides of the argument, but we can't lose sight of the facts and our ultimate career goals as writers.

Let's take the first issue, who's responsibility is it?
I believe it belongs to both the author and the publisher. It's a fact that publishers do less than they use to do and many admit it. The fact that this is happening doesn't mean it's right or fair. Yet, it's our new reality, and we must learn to deal with it if we choose to be published authors.

Let's look at who has more at stake if the book doesn't succeed. Is it the author or publisher?

The publisher will lose money, and even that is something they can recoup in a better selling book. Therefore, they may decide not to publish future books by that author. Authors are easily replaced and new voices are rising up each day.

On the other hand, the author will lose money, credibility, and possible career set-backs. Readers don't look for publisher names on books. They look for author names. It isn't the publisher's career at stake, but the author's career. We are left to work with the resources that are given to us, and if the publisher isn't going to provide the necessary marketing and promotion, and the author wants the book to do well, it falls to the author. Complaining and resisting won't change the facts. It is, what it is.

Marketing ploys are in abundance and some of these are hype, but not all of them. Authors have to learn to weed out the bad and weave in the good where it can fit into their busy lives and schedules. Platform IS important. You can put a million dollar budget on your book, but if all that money is being spent on cold-calls, cold-ads, cold-announcements -- meaning none of the people have ever heard of you, it's a waste of money. Having a platform changes the game. People in your platform/network have heard of you, feel like they know you, feel that your work and your word has credibility, and they are more willing to pluck down their hard earned money for your book.

Concepts that overburden authors with unrealistic expectations ARE real. Authors feel overwhelmed, scattered everywhere, and they lose focus. You can't be expected to do everything, and no one is expecting you to. Some of us are our own worst enemy. We hear a few things and we automatically assume we must do this, that, and the other without sitting down praying about it, and fitting into our schedule logically and strategically. I've mentioned it before, create a Marketing Plan. It will help you focus on the needs that you need to be doing today, as you work toward your goals for a higher platform tomorrow.

When I find myself starting to complain and I'm feeling overwhelmed, that's when I need to sit down, pray and re-evaluate where I've lost my focus.

• What new things have I taken on and allowed into my schedule that wasn't planned?
• Am I comparing myself to others--way too much? 
• Am I spending quality time with God and seeking Him about my burdens, essentially turning it all over to Him?
• Did my editor/agent really say this or that had to be done or did I assume it just because they mentioned it would be a great idea. Do I need to get clarification?
• Am I being impatient, expecting results now that in reality are going to take a year or several years to accomplish?

Have you caught yourself in the midst of some of these cycles? Do you have other coping skills you can offer and share with your colleagues?

Would You Read On? hosted by Diana L. Flegal

Thank you for joining us today for this edition of Would You Read On? Please kindly comment below if you would like to continue reading.

Genre: Middle Grade YA Fantasy

Jonah Zackar stood at the woodpile, listening to the howling wind and remembering the warning Old Blind Alice had given him, last time he'd been out her way.

Her scratchy voice had added a creepiness factor to her words. "When birch branches clack in the wind, and rattle like dead men's bones, that means the little hairy men are searching." She'd trembled and pulled her afghan tight against the Alaskan chill. "Looking for victims," she'd whispered. "Wind makes 'em hungered."

Jonah squinted through the gap between his beaver fur hat and the wool scarf, which was wrapped across the bottom half of his face. All around, thin birch trees bowed, forced down by the unrelenting gale.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jonah caught a flash of color skittering across the snowy ground. He whipped around and stared.

Nothing.

Still the fine hairs on the nape of his neck stood up.

He shook the feeling off, telling himself to stop being silly. The movement he'd seen must have been twigs being blown about. He didn't believe in all that mumbo jumbo talk about little hairy men. He didn't believe they were out there, watching, with mouths watering, waiting for the perfect time to spring. What he did believe in was his uncle's temper. If he didn't get the wood in soon, he'd be a victim alright--Unc's victim. Moving clumsily, all bundled up in his thick fur parka and mittens, he shoved a piece of firewood into his bag.

Last weeks contributor was author Shelly Tucker. Shelly has recently set up a blog at www.shellytucker.com,  titled "Faith in the Desert". Please stop by and encourage her in this new endeavor.

An editor, a writer, and an agent  by Andy Scheer

An editor, a writer, and an agent were walking down the street ...

Sounds like the opening of a joke, but it might be the start of something much more significant.

A couple decades ago, we'd worked as editors on the same magazine. Now one of us, on staff with a Chicago-area publisher, had invited the others to take part in a daylong seminar for their freelance editors. We'd not seen each other in months, so on the eve of the meeting we helped walk the editor's dog and we caught up on each others' lives.

As the writer described the latest challenge she faced, she used a phrase that nearly gave me goosebumps.

I stopped her, repeated the phrase, and told her she'd just identified her brand—an angle she could use to create a series of Christian living titles. Everything she'd been living for the past fifteen years was available at her fingertips as material she could fit under the umbrella of that casual, unplanned phrase.

The editor seconded the motion and joined what became a three-way brainstorming process.

That was last Tuesday evening. It's way too early for any of us to count chickens. My writer friend may not follow through (though I plan to keep reminding her). Even if she does, she may not opt to have me represent her. While our editor friend has a seat on the company's publications board, she can't control if they'll accept the project. And even if it's published, there's still the matter of sales ...

But for now, I'm glad I volunteered to take that walk.

Are You a Cold and Timid Soul? By Linda S. Glaz

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

-Theodore Roosevelt

My brother was an incredibly talented man and never knew it. He was an amazing writer. Wrote VERY much like Rod Serling. And, he was a prolific writer. An idea one minute, and a complete story the next.

One day, in a particularly courageous moment, he decided to send what was my favorite out to a publisher. In short time he received a rejection. When I asked him about it, he simply said, “They don’t like my writing.” End of story, end of writing career. Not one more word on paper.

He accepted only defeat and on the word of just one person. My heart broke for him, because he was a brilliant writer and had only to keep the courage, await the victory, stand firm in the knowledge that his was a worthy cause.

How many others give up with the first rejection and remain cold and timid souls instead of jumping into the arena and fighting to victory? Sadly, there are those who will never even know the triumph of at least trying. Of giving their all in the face of criticism.

Most of us can tell those who do, however. You stand tall, your face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood of determination as you hold your first contract in your hand.

People Are Missing the Value of LinkedIn by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

People spend so much time concentrating on building their following on Facebook and Twitter that they forget the unique value that LinkedIn offers them. While Facebook is so busy making it more difficult for authors and businesses to connect with people who have liked their page, LinkedIn is making it effortless.

Before Timeline, and fans turned into likes on Facebook, you could send a book release announcement to all your fans. Now you have to take out a paid ad and target them. They have to "happen" to see your announcement on their newsfeed, "if" they ever see it. Lots of people publish their email addresses on their About page, but you would have to physically go and check each one and manually log each individual's published email address it you wanted to set up a database. Then you would have to give them the option to opt out of receiving emails from you. It's very time consuming, especially if you have close to 5,000 friends.

Twitter is only as valuable as your influence, your ability to get others to retweet your messages or the apps you're using with it. If you send too many people the same message on a list through direct messaging, you could also risk getting banned for spamming. Granted, Twitter and Facebook both have huge value, but LinkedIn often gets undervalued among all the hype centered around the other two social media sites.

LinkedIn is different and much more valuable when it comes to networking and making valuable business connections. For all the connections you have on LinkedIn, you can actually download and export their contact names and email addresses and add them to your database. What better way to build your contacts? And for those of us who are trying hard to build our platforms and make the marketing section of our book proposals look great, we all know the importance and power of a strong database. Once you download your LinkedIn connections, be sure to give them the option to opt out of receiving emails from you and be careful not to spam them.

Login to LinkedIn and click on "Contacts" at the top and select "Connections". Scroll to the bottom of the page and on the right-hand side is a link "Export Connections". (See the image above.) Once you click this link, you'll be given the option to export your connections into Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Yahoo Mail, or Mac OS X Address Book. It doesn't offer the option to export into Gmail or Excel, but I believe you'll be able to export it again from one of these formats into other formats that you might need. It still beats trying to manually download each contact you've made the way you would have to do on Facebook and Twitter.

Did you know about this feature on LinkedIn? Have you taken advantage of it and used it?

The first page by Terry Burns

The purpose of the first page is simple – to get the reader to turn the page and move on down in the book. It has to be about the story, of course, but it is even more about hooking the reader into the book and selling the book.

In my own writing the first page is not the first thing I write but the last thing. I consider my first couple of chapters as temporary, they may or may not go into the book or if they do will probably need to be rewritten after I am really familiar with the story and the characters. Then when I am through and happy with it I go back and say “Okay, now how do I get them off this page?”

Readers don’t really care about the weather or the setting until they have decided they are going to read, then we can set the scene for them. What do I like to see on a first page? An action initiated that is not completed, curiosity aroused and not satisfied, a question posed and not answered, anything that begins on the page but is not completed until the next page.

While an agent or editor may not reject a book on the basis of just a first page, most of them want the page to be compelling. They know a majority of readers standing at a book rack pull a book down and read the back cover copy and the first page. The object is to get them to turn that page and read a little further into the book, because that’s when they will carry it up to the checkout stand. And that’s why first pages are so important.