This week has been an interesting one. I've been working on getting quite a few things organized, including my office - which is still a bit of a shambles. Plus, I've been working on some ideas for social media marketing involving my skeletal friend. Not that the algorithms of Instagram or Twitter push my posts to a large audience. Still, I think a few of them are a bit fun.
I chuckle every time I clean my office and bedroom. I have so many notebooks scattered everywhere!
The Interviews Have Been Awesome!
On Monday, I'll have Cendrine Marrouat on After Hours for an author interview. She'll be the third author I've had on in 2024, which is considerably more than I had last year - which is to say zero.
I've been trying to figure out what to do with the live shows on Mondays, outside of drinking and hanging out with my regular viewers. I think opening the show to author interviews has been quite beneficial for everyone involved. So far, my regulars have enjoyed the live streams and the interviews themselves generate more views than the channel average as VODs (video on demand).
For one thing, I love hearing about the journey of other authors and showcasing how we all progress at our own pace. Although many of us face similar challenges, the paths we take often differ. It doesn't mean one is better than the other, though.
And I like the idea of helping indie authors get more recognition for their work.
Guest Authors on After Hours
If you're an author and would like to be on a live show on YouTube to talk about your writing journey and the books you've published, feel free to use the contact form on the Guest Author post. I am currently working on a more permanent page for the blog so it's easier to find.
The only requirement that I ask is that you have at least one book that is currently (or scheduled to be) published. And yes, I vet everyone I have on my show quite thoroughly.
Whether you've published 1,000 books or are waiting for your first to go live, I would love to hear from you.
Still Haven't Set Up TikTok
This week, I was supposed to work on setting up the TikTok account and start looking into the #BookTok community. It's really hard to get excited for something that you completely loathe. Then again, it could turn out to be something that I truly enjoy doing.
For instance, I remember back when I started my weight loss journey. I thought planks were the most mind-numbingly dumb exercises. Most of that was driven by the trend that was going around of people "planking" on random objects for likes and attention on social media. It was one of those things that often made my eyes roll. What happened is that the plank exercise turned into one of my go-tos for ab work for the longest time. Perhaps TikTok will have a similar impact on me.
Then again, it could also reinforce my belief that it is a continuous tire fire.
What I plan on doing is setting my misconceptions aside and looking at it objectively as I set up a case study for a future blog post and video. Does #BookTok really work when you put in the effort?
Even if I don't sell a single book, it might help get a few more views on the YouTube channel as well as readers on the blog. So, technically, no matter what, I win. I just need to find the motivation to get started. Perhaps I'll try to remember to do that today.
Besides, I can use the videos I create for TikTok on YouTube Shorts and perhaps Instagram Reels.
Yay, marketing...sigh
Three Weeks to Go?
The plan is to have the first draft of Shadows of Atlantic City done by March 22nd. That means I have about three weeks to go and am only at the halfway point. Still, I am relatively confident that I can have it done before then.
I'm very excited about this book as it is the first thing I've written since taking the Reedsy masterclass for How to Write a Novel. And I am putting what I learned from that course into practice with this next book.
However, a lot of what I've learned will more than likely affect the editing process. While I have been mindful of certain aspects while writing, the second draft will give me a chance to narrow in on elements that I missed. Of course, that's what the subsequent drafts are for in regard to any book.
In any case, members should be expecting a beta reading link sometime after March 22nd. But I'll keep you posted as we know how chaotic my life can be sometimes.
Hoping for More Victories Next Week
My goal is to start March off strong and keep the momentum building. February wasn't a terrible month, but it wasn't nearly as productive of a month as I would have liked. Still, there are a lot of great things happening behind the scenes and I can't wait to see what next week has in store.
What kind of milestones have you reached in your writing journey this week?