If you are a rising author just beginning publishing journey or a seasoned pro who is making it work for you and would like to share how it’s done, I want to hear from you! I’m looking for authors to interview for two blog series: “Chatting with New Blood” and “Chatting with the Pros”. I offer both interviews and a book review for both series.
So send me your pitches and let me know what you have to offer my readers. Let me add your name to the 2025 interview schedules. I have openings as early as February. If you have a book scheduled to come out, let me know and I’ll try to schedule your interview around the release. Send your pitch to KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com with the series title your interview would fit in the subject line.
Check out past segments below to see what an interview and review on these blog series looks like to see if you might be interested.
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
____________________________________
This post sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services.
Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.
I received a copy of Falling to Fly, by Todd Fahnestock in the 2024 Novel Writing Story Bundle, and it was so fortunate that I did. This book is a must read for all struggling authors who have fallen more than once, and brushed themselves off to continue forward in pursuit of their writing dream.
This book is essentially the story of the author’s writing journeyThere were so many things that Fahnestock talks about that I could relate to. He talks about the failure of academia to validate genre fiction as legitimate literature. I was fortunate enough to stumble onto Western State Colorado University, where there M.F.A. program deals directly with genre fiction, but it is a rare program. Fahnestock did not let educators rigid viewpoints deter him, but instead rejected the idea of letting educators shape his writing career.
I also related to his “Say Yes to Everything” policy of not letting any writing opportunity which presents itself pass you by. That is what led him to in-person selling at Cons, and sent him on the path to success in his writing journey. Although I have been fortunate to attend a few writing conferences, the only time I had a booth was at the beginning of my own writing journey, before I had any books to sell. If you follow me, you may know that I sold poems on pretty backgrounds at that conference, and was surprised to earn $100 doing it. While that first conference experience didn’t send me soaring up the ladder of success, it did prove that the possiblilities are there when it comes to direct selling. Fahnestock’s experiences just reinforced this for me, reminding me that I’m not going find my success from behind my laptop.
There are two parts to writing as a business, and in order to be successful as an author, you must school yourself in both craft, and in publishing and marketing, which make up the business part. When I graduated with my M.F.A., I was ready to write and create story, and they primed me to enter the world of traditional publishing, which at that point in time, 2016, was the way it was done. But, I was in my forties, and I didn’t feel like I had time to wait years for someone in the traditional publishing to notice how awesome my stories were. They hadn’t prepared me to delve into the world of independent publishing, which at that time, still left a bad taste in most author’s mouths and held stigma in reader’s minds, well. Like Fahnestock, I stumbled through the plethora of information, and misinformation that flooded the Internet, and muddled my way through the independent publishing arena. Unlike, Fahnestock, I didn’t find the answers I was looking for, and I turned back to academia to learn the necessary skills to navigate the independent publishing community.
The author talks about his attempt at the rapid release marketing strategy, and why it didn’t work for him. He surmised that he was only able to keep the hype going for a short period of four months, and that if he could find a way to keep it going year round, he would have seen better success from his efforts. Then, he went out and found a way to do just that, by collaborating on an epic fantasy series with other fantasy authors. I employ a similar strategy by publishing in volume, releasing 5 – 8 books per year, but they aren’t in a series.
I found this book at a serendiptous time in my life, when I’m trying to pull myself up from a period of failures and obstacles over the past two years, and Fahnestock reminds me that I must keep working to achieve my Dream. He reminds me that sometimes it’s necessary to fall in order to fly.
Glimpse the gritty, behind-the-scenes struggles of author Todd Fahnestock as he reveals his dreams, trials, and adventures through the creative swamps of writing and the hard-edged world of publishing.
Fahnestock dodges junior high bullies armed with needles taped to Bic pens, cracks into traditional publishing by hitchhiking to the middle of nowhere to meet writing legend Gary Paulsen, and nearly falls to his death hanging cables inside an oil tanker. All to follow the author’s dream.
Submerged in the treacherous, ever-changing ocean of art and business, Fahnestock paints an unforgettable portrait with honesty and touching vulnerability.
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw,as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
__________________________________
Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
___________________________________
This segment of “Review in Practice” with Kaye Lynne Booth is sponsored by The Women in the West Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
As many of you may know, if you follow Writing to be Read, The D.I.Y. Author is included in the Novel Writing Story Bundle, organized by Kevin J. Anderson. But what you may not know is how useful Story Bundle is as a marketing tool. The fact is, it’s a great way to sell books.
This is the second Story Bundle in which I have had a book included. Back in 2022, Ask the Authors 2022 was included in the Writer’s Toolkit Story Bundle, also organized by KJA. That bundle sold quite well and WordCrafter and the contributing authors made a little bit of money from it. This year, the Novel Writing Story Bundle promises to do just as well, if not better, so I highly recommend it.
What is Story Bundle?
What Story Bundle is, is a platform that gathers together several authors with books in the bundle category, whether it is writing references, such as the two I’ve had books in, fantasy books, science fiction books, or romances, etc…, and they all get together virtually and cooperatively market and promote the whole bundle. This extend’s the reach of single authors immensely, and I can testify to the fact that their efforts are effective. By using the power of the masses, promotions are found on all of the social media sites, not just those of any one single author, and it gets your book in front of the readers of every author in the bundle. But I’m just an author with a couple of books in a couple of Story Bundles, and I’m still learning, too. So to give you all the details, I chatted with Story Bundle founder, Jason Chen, to let him tell you what Story Bundle is, how it works, and what the advantages are.
Interview with Jason Chen
Kaye: What inspired the idea for Story Bundle?
Jason: I started StoryBundle all the way back in 2012 because back then, the concept of bundling similar books in one package hadn’t been done yet! Selfishly, I wanted somebody to make bundles of similar books—if you like this book/author, then you’ll like all THESE—and because nobody had, then I saw the need for it. Also, in 2012, the indie authors were lacking for a place to reach more readers, which made it a perfect fit for letting folks discover authors they would have a hard time finding otherwise.
Kaye: Story Bundle uses the power of numbers, gathering many authors together and offering their books as a group, rather than individually. Could you explain the advantages of having a book included in a Story Bundle?
Jason: Not only does being part of a StoryBundle get you in front of the StoryBundle fans, but the core concept is that it gets you readers from other authors who write in similar genres as you. Because all our bundles are curated, the books in them make sense together, which means that if you like one author in it, you’re more than likely to like another. So getting awareness of your books out to fans who already like the genre is a big plus.
Kaye: What determines whether a book is included in the original bundle for the minimum amount , or as a bonus book for a larger donation?
Jason: There’s no secret to the sauce. The curator and I work together to make sure both the regular bundle and the bonus bundle are balanced for the amount that they cost. Sometimes an author will be in the bonus bundle and if they’re in another bundle, they’ll be in the regular bundle. It depends on what makes sense for that particular bundle.
Kaye: The Novel Writing Story Bundle is the second Story Bundle which I’ve been a part of, mainly because I am fortunate enough to know Kevin J. Anderson, who organizes the ones I’ve participated in. I know other big authors like Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Katheryn Rusch organize them, too. But how do you get into a Story Bundle if you don’t know someone organizing one? Can you create your own?
Jason: Yes! The only caveat we have is that (99% of the time) the bundles are curated by someone who’s been in a bundle before. Once you’ve been in a bundle, you understand what the bundle is about and what makes for a good bundle and what works for participating in a bundle. This way you know which authors to look for when you’re assembling one. You work with us to figure out a genre that you want, and we refine the idea and can help you get in touch with some other publishers if you need to.
Kaye: Both Story Bundles I’ve had books in are writing resource bundles. Can you make a story bundle of any genre?
Jason: Yes, any genre is fine, but to get a little inside baseball, there are a couple of genres that don’t do well on StoryBundle. The biggest one is romance, which for whatever reason doesn’t appeal to StoryBundle readers. But even more of a surprise is that romance authors’ own fans don’t really enjoy the bundling concept—at least on StoryBundle. We’ve tried all types of romance bundles in all varieties of flavors, but none of them ever have good uptake.
Kaye: Is there a cost to organize your own Story Bundle?
Jason: There’s no cost to curating a bundle!
Kaye: Now I know why as an author, I might want to have my books in a story bundle. But why would readers wnat to buy books through Story Bundle? What are the benefits to readers in purchasing a Story Bundle?
Jason: As a reader, there are a few benefits. First, there’s just the core concept of vetting—we choose our books carefully with our curators, and they have to meet a certain bar of quality to get in. Of course, it’s impossible to guarantee that you’ll like all the books in the bundle, but if you already like one or two of the authors in it, you’re likely to enjoy the rest.
There are other tangible benefits, such as getting DRM-free copies of books that you can load on any ereader, tablet or phone without having to worry about compatibility. You’ll also support indie authors and be able to donate to a worthy cause!
Kaye: Does every Story Bundle donate to charity?
Jason: Every bundle has a charity donation, but it’s up to each person if they want to donate part of their purchase to charity. If they don’t, that’s perfectly fine!
Kaye: What types of charities does Story Bundle support?
Jason: We have a long list of charities that we’ve supported before, from literacy charities, animal charities, science and gaming charities, to health and medicine and worldwide refugee focused charities, so there’s no real limit to what can be a charity target for StoryBundle. If there’s a specific one that a curator would like to have in their bundle, we can make it work!
Would you like your book to be in a Story Bundle?
Now that I know what it takes to currate a Story Bundle, I’m thinking of trying one of my own, because I know that they sell books. Since I’m a multi-genre author, I could do western, women’s fiction, paranormal, science fiction, dark fiction, or children’s books. If you’re interested let me know and tell me what genre(s) you write in. Either let me know in the comments, or email me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com. Let’s see if we can get together and sell some books.
About the Novel Writing Story Bundle
The Novel Writing Story Bundle features writing references on writing craft, writing business, and the writing life, which should be on every author’s bookshelf. In addition to my own The D.I. Y. Author, which is a bonus book, there are also featured Dollar by Dollar and Word by Word, by Kerrie Flanagan; Romance Character Tropes, by Jessica Barber and Tara G. Ericson; Booking the Library, by Jessica Brawner; Kevin J. Anderson’s On Being a Dictator; Steps to Self-Editing, by Jana S. Brown; A Writer’s Guide to Branding Success, by Mark Leslie Lefabvre; Mood & Atmosphere, by Joshua Essoe; From Page to Platform, by Matty Dalrymple and M.L. Ronn; Wit & Wisdom, by Craig Martelle; Wulf Moon’s Illustrated Super Secrets of Writing, volume 1; Falling to Fly, by Todd Fahnestock; and a year’s subscription to Indie Author Magazine. That’s 13 writing references plus the magazine subscription. What a deal!
A note on the designated charity for this StoryBundle, the Neil Peart Brain Cancer Research Fund from Cedars Sinai. In 2020 we lost Neil Peart, legendary drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush, to glioblastoma. He was my mentor, friend, and collaborator on numerous books, and his loss affected me deeply. Neil’s friends and colleagues and fans worldwide have contributed to this glioblastoma research fund in Neil’s name, and we are proud to add our efforts on this Novel Writing StoryBundle as well. – Kevin J. Anderson
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
______________________________________________
This post is sponsored by The D.I.Y. Author and WordCrafter Press.
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two, being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
The exciting news is that The D.I.Y. Author is included in the 2024 Novel Writing Tools Bundle. You can get this great writer’s reference along with other great referencce books which should be in every author’s library for one really great price here: https://storybundle.com/writing. Here’s a guest post by bestselling author and currator, Kevin J. Anderson to tell you more.
THE 2024 NOVEL WRITING TOOLS BUNDLE
The 2024 Novel Writing Tools Bundle – Curated by Kevin J. Anderson This year’s Writing Tools StoryBundle, curated by bestselling author and publisher Kevin J. Anderson, is another treasure chest of vital handbooks covering aspects of the writer’s craft, business, and way of life. We have thirteen titles on a range of subjects, plus a 12-month subscription to Indie Author Magazine, your best source to stay up-to-date on the industry.
On writing craft, there’s The Illustrated Super Secrets of Writing, Vol. 1—Wulf Moon’s award-winning system on how to write stories and does so with creativity, fun, and humor. Tara Grace Ericson presents Romance Character Tropes—far more than your average trope list; this is an encyclopedia packed with info to help you use and leverage each trope successfully.Freelance editor Joshua Essoe teaches about Mood and Atmosphere in his series of special-edition writing guides, each examining the most-common issues he encounters from writers he works with. Word by Word by award-winning author Kerrie Flanagan, shows you how to unlock your creativity and transform your writing. This is an essential guide for writers that offers inspiration, genre-specific strategies, and practical tips. Jana S. Brown gives you Steps to Self-Editing. You’ve finished your novel! Now learn the self-editing steps to smooth off the rough edges and really make it shine! And in the new revised edition of On Being a Dictator: Revised Edition, by Kevin J. Anderson, Martin Shoemaker, and Greg Vose—available exclusively in this StoryBundle,—you’ll learn how to use dictation to increase your productivity. One of the foundational books on a popular writing method, On Being a Dictator will help you think outside the box and up your game in the fast-paced ever-changing world of publishing.
Now, on to the writing business. Dollar by Dollar by Kerrie Flanagan is a comprehensive guide packed with proven strategies to help writers boost book sales, increase income from writing, and succeed in both traditional and self-publishing. Mark Leslie’s Author’s Guide to Branding for Success shows you how to make your Author Brand into one of your best long-term Intellectual Property assets! Matty Dalrymple and Michael La Ronn provide guidance and inspiration to share your message with the world from the stage in Page to Platform: How to Succeed as an Author Speaker. And Booking the Library by Jessica Brawner is tailored for authors, speakers, storytellers, musicians, puppeteers, and all living-wage entertainers. This guide is your key to unlocking fresh markets, cultivating a dedicated fanbase, and revolutionizing your livelihood.
And finally, on the writing life, these titles will help you stay inspired and remain strong as a creative. The D.I.Y. Author by Kaye Lynne Booth shows you the ropes in the business of being an author. Wit and Wisdom by Craig Martelle—exclusive first release in this StoryBundle—is chock full of quips and snippets to help authors stay focused on the right things to accelerate their business. And Falling to Fly by Todd Fahnestock is a deeply personal exploration into the creative process and the publishing industry. This is truly the book to read before you give up on your writing dreams.
In addition in this StoryBundle, you will receive full year’s subscription to Indie Author Magazine, your go-to resource for news, tips, and advice on self-publishing. Stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the industry. A note on the designated charity for this StoryBundle, the Neil Peart Brain Cancer Research Fund from Cedars Sinai. In 2020 we lost Neil Peart, legendary drummer and lyricist for the rock band Rush, to glioblastoma. He was my mentor, friend, and collaborator on numerous books, and his loss affected me deeply. Neil’s friends and colleagues and fans worldwide have contributed to this glioblastoma research fund in Neil’s name, and we are proud to add our efforts on this Writing Tools StoryBundle as well. – Kevin J. Anderson
For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay. For $5 (or more, if you’re feeling generous), you’ll get the basic bundle of four books in .epub format—WORLDWIDE. Romance Character Tropes by Tara Grace Ericson and Jessica Barber Dollar by Dollar by Kerrie Flanagan Essoe’s Guides to Writing: Mood and Atmosphereby Joshua Essoe Booking the Library by Jessica Brawner
If you pay at least the bonus price of just $20, you get all four of the regular books, plus 9 more books, for a total of 13 (with 3 StoryBundle Exclusives), plus a year’s subscription to Indie Author Magazine! Super Secrets: Illustrated by Wulf Moon Falling to Flyby Todd Fahnestock From Page to Platform: How to Succeed as an Author Speaker by Matty Dalrymple and Michael La Ronn A Writer’s Guide to Branding for Successby Mark Leslie Lefebvre (StoryBundle Exclusive) On Being a Dictator by Kevin J. Anderson (StoryBundle Exclusive) Word by Wordby Kerrie Flanagan The D.I.Y. Author by Kaye Lynne Booth Steps to Self-Editing by Jana S. Brown Wit and Wisdom by Craig Martelle (StoryBundle Exclusive) Indie Author Magazine: One Year Subscription by Indie Author Magazine
This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com . It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get a DRM-free .epub for all books!
It’s also super easy to give the gift of reading with StoryBundle, thanks to our gift cards – which allow you to send someone a code that they can redeem for any future StoryBundle bundle – and timed delivery, which allows you to control exactly when your recipient will get the gift of StoryBundle.
Why StoryBundle? Here are just a few benefits StoryBundle provides.
Get quality reads: We’ve chosen works from excellent authors to bundle together in one convenient package.
Pay what you want (minimum $5): You decide how much these fantastic books are worth. If you can only spare a little, that’s fine! You’ll still get access to a batch of exceptional titles.
Support authors who support DRM-free books: StoryBundle is a platform for authors to get exposure for their works, both for the titles featured in the bundle and for the rest of their catalog. Supporting authors who let you read their books on any device you want—restriction free—will show everyone there’s nothing wrong with ditching DRM.
Give to worthy causes: Bundle buyers have a chance to donate a portion of their proceeds to The Neil Peart Brain Cancer Research Fund!
Receive extra books: If you beat the bonus price, you’ll get the bonus books!
StoryBundle was created to give a platform for independent authors to showcase their work, and a source of quality titles for thirsty readers. StoryBundle works with authors to create bundles of ebooks that can be purchased by readers at their desired price. Before starting StoryBundle, Founder Jason Chen covered technology and software as an editor for Gizmodo.com and Lifehacker.com.
For more information, visit our website at storybundle.com, tweet us at @storybundle and like us on Facebook .
________________________________
This post is sponsored by The D.I.Y. Author and WordCrafter Press.
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two, being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two but being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
Topics Include:
Becoming Prolific
Writing Tools
Outlining
Making Quality a Priority
Publishing Models & Trends
Marketing Your Book
Book Covers & Blurbs
Book Events—In Person & Virtual
And more…
Meet the Author
Greetings! Thank you so much for dropping by to help us celebrate the release of The D.I.Y. Author. You all know me as author Kaye Lynne Booth, but with the release of this book, I hope to be known as the D.I.Y. author. This is the book that only I could write, where I share knowledge and experience as I build my author business. This is not a book on craft, but a reference for authors and aspiring authors who wish to expand and grow their author business on a limited budget. Learn the tips and tricks, sites and tools, which took me over a decade, and three masters degrees to amass.
I’ve always been a do it yourself kind of gal. I’ve built my author business up around this blog, finding ways around obstacles which stood in my way, learning new skill sets because outsourcing was more than I could afford. My first novel was published by a small independent publisher. But as the five-year contract ran out, I felt I could do better through my own small independent publishing house, WordCrafter Press, so I re-published it as the first book in my Women in the West adventure series last year, and I sold more copies than that other publisher had over a five year stretch. I just released the second book in the series this month. When Covid struck, I organized and hosted two virtual writing conferences, because writers are tribal bunch, and we need contact with like minded people. Networking is a huge part of building an author business. I use that networking to build not only my author business, but my own author tribe. I’ve published my own books, and collaborative anthologies, as well as publishing books for others. And I’ve built a winning blog team here on Writing to be Read with Robbie Cheadle, Jeff Bowles, Arthur Rorsch, and DL Mullan.
No one else has shared in these exact same experiences that I have, and that’s why only I could write The D.I.Y. Author, and why I can hold that title. But enough about me. The D.I.Y. Author is a great reference packed full of links to sites and tools and tips for increasing productivity, publishing choices, and marketing your books.
We have a great release party ahead to send this book off right. We’ve got exclusive offers running this week only. After Saturday, the whole D.I.Y. store will disappear, so take advantage of them now. By buying direct, you are supporting this author and her works more than when you purchase from retailers.
My D.I.Y. Video
Author Video Introduction – Author Kaye Lynne Booth
On with the party!
Thanks for dropping by for The D.I.Y. Author virtual release party. We’ve got some great things planned, including a giveaway for all attendees, so be sure to leave a comment, so I’ll know you were here. I’ll be monitoring the comments throughout the day and will answer any questions you might want to post there. While you’re here you can peruse the D.I. Y. store below, for exclusive and discounted offers that you won’t find anywhere else. The store will come down at the end of the week. After that you’ll have to pay full price through retailers, and signed copies will no longer be available.
And if you are already a bestselling author and you don’t need this book or the WordCrafter services offered here, you can still offer your support for the author and this project by using the ‘buy me a soda’ button below.
Buy me a soda
Show your support for author Kaye Lynne Booth and her many endeavors through WordCrafter Press & Writing to be Read.
Thanks for joining me today for The D.I.Y. Author Release Party. I hope you found a few useful tidbits here. For more tips and advice, you’ve got to buy the book. If you miss the window for the D.I.Y. Store, you can still purchase this useful writer’s reference here: https://books2read.com/The-DIY-Author
Many of you know me, but for those who don’t, I’m author Kaye Lynne Booth. Through Writing to be Read and WordCrafter, I’ve been able to do some pretty cool things, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, the annual short fiction contest, and the annual short fiction and poetry anthologies published by WordCrafter Press. But along with that comes the operational costs and the annual fee for this blog and domain name will be due in July, and I have discovered that I’m not making enough writing full-time to cover everything. So I got to thinking about other ways that this blog could start paying off, as I struggle to make all of this work.
I got an idea from watching what is working for one of my fellow authors, Patty Fletcher. She produces a sponsored newsletter, which seems to get the desired result. You may know that newsletters are not my strong point, especially if you are already a member of my readers group. Sorry about that guys and gals who are signed up. I promise to try to do better in the future.
I’ve decided to take on book related sponsors only for Writing to be Read. Sponsors will have a mention in the post of your choice, or for a little more you can have a full color ad for your book. Prices can be found on the new Sponsorship page which will be up soon.
So if you follow Writing to be Read and you like the content you find here and find it to be of value, or if you have contributed to or enjoyed any of the annual anthologies published by WordCrafter Press, please consider advertising your work here and becoming a sponsor, and contact me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com. I will have sponsor page up soon.
The D.I.Y. Author
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two but being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
This writer’s reference is must have for upcoming authors aspiring to build an author business and sell books. The D.I.Y. Author releases on June 4th, 2024, but it’s available for pre-order now at the purchase link above. It contains tips and advice on building an author business, from learning to be prolific, to publishing, to marketing and promoting your book.
I’m also hosting a virtual release party right here on Writing to be Read to give this book a proper send off into the world, and I hope you will come and join me. There will be exclusive offers available just for the event, where you can purchase them direct from the author: discounted eBooks, signed print copies, and discounted author services from WordCrafter. So, drop by on the 4th and join in the fun as we launch The D.I.Y. Author.
Here’s the link for the release party but it won’t work until the party goes live on Tuesday morning, June 4th: https://writingtoberead.com/?p=33911
_________________
Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.
You like to write, and maybe you’re good at it. You might even have written a book and published it. Now what?
What many people don’t realize, is that when you become an indie author, you are also an author business, and there’s more to it than just publishing a book. Hopefully, you have enough pride in your writing to want it to be , so you put your manuscript in front of an editor, or at least another set of eyes, then polished it to make it shine before you hit publish. But it’s after you hit that publish button that the real work starts.
Why? Because books don’t sell themselves. No one will buy your book if they never see it. You have to do something, or a lot of somethings, to get your book in front of readers’ eyes.
Isn’t that what Amazon is for? The answer is yes and no. Amazon’s marketing is based on several algorithms, and when although many things are still guesswork concerning those algorithms, one thing is for sure. The books they pick up on for promotion are books that are already doing well. Also, you have better chances of making some of the lists which get promotion if you are a KU author and your book is exclusive on Amazon.
So what does that mean for you? Well, it means that you have to do the heavy lifting of marketing and promotion to get your book selling before Amazon, (or other retailers), are going to see it as a book worth promoting. You need to draw in readers and stack up reviews, and we’re talking lots of them, so you can make those algorithms sit up and pay attention.
How do we do that? There are many avenues of promotion for your book, so that really depends on the route or routes that work best for you and your book. We’ll get back to the promotion in a bit.
Getting Reviews
But getting reviews requires research into book reviewers who are out there and what type of books they like to review, and making a list of those that read your genre. In my case, I’m a multi-genre author, so I have several lists. Then you write-up a press release to act as your official review request. Then you send that press release out to every reviewer on the list who might be interested in reviewing your list. There are a lot of reviewers out there, so your list may be a long one. I send out between 50 and 100 review requests for every book I publish, and from that, I may get four or five reviews, if I’m lucky.
You can also try making connections in the blogging community and asking blogger friends to review in exchange for an ARC or join a review group, like Sandra’s Book Club, where you list your book for a month in exchange for giving a review of someone else’s book. During your month you could potentially recieve two or three reviews.
You might also try building a street team of reviewers, who agree to review your book in exchange for an ARC copy of your book, and post it on or around release day. But this is more work, because it is your job to follow through and make sure they actually post their reviews.
Promoting Your Book
There are many avaneues of promotion. If you want paid promotions, which are always recommended, but not always affordable, there are Amazon Ads, Facebook Ads, BookBubs, The Fussy Libraian, King Sumo, Bargain Booksie, Free Booksie, and the list goes on. I don’t use paid ads, but I know they are available if I want them.
Social media promotion is the most easily accessible avenue for promoting your book. It is as easy as creating a post that tells us something about the book to make us want to buy it, has a call to action, and a purchase link, then promoting it to groups whose members are in your target audience and might be interested in your book.
My main tool for promotion is this blog. Most of my promotions start off here and then I promote the blog post on social media channels. A blog post is more permanant than a social media post, which easily gets lost in the scroll. I have people reacting or commenting on posts a week after I post it, but when it is a blog post, it is still there no matter when someone clicks on the link.
Conclusion
The point to all of this is that indie authors have to be able to do more than just write books. You are actually an author business and you are totally responsible for the success, (or failure), of your books. Getting reviews and promoting the book are only part of it. What are you doing about book covers? What about the back cover copy? Are you creating your own ads, or paying someone else to do it? These are things an indie author has to think about. You need an overall business plan and a marketing plan for each book. That’s why I wrote The D.I.Y. Author.
The D.I.Y. Author
Now you can learn from my experiences with a writing reference for building an author business.
About the Book
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two but being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
_______________________________________
Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.
I’ve never been one to worry about aging. I always thought I would just age gracefully, just letting the process happen naturally, sans a few boxes of hair color over the years. But recently, I’ve been feeling it more. My joints get stiff when the weather turns cold, I need a nap after a trip to town, it’s harder to get up from my seat at times, and I can’t seem to stay awake to write into the night, like I used to. I notice more wrinkles each time I glance in a mirror, and there’s considerably more gray in my hair. Maybe it’s because I just turned 60 that I notice the changes more now, or maybe it’s because I have been out of work for almost a year and I’m struggling to keep up on car payments, insurance, and basic necessities, but I’m having more and more trouble in dealing mentally and emotionally with the everyday stresses of life. Sometimes I feel like I cannot take anymore, but problems just keep coming at me. It has begun to effect my writing life, as well as the reality around me.
In the past, even when the rest of my life was falling apart, my writing was the one thing I had control of. I could keep it on track and moving forward. So when my Kickstarter camapign for Sarah didn’t fund, I tried not to take it too hard. I wasn’t done writing the book, which should have been finished in December, so I just pushed back my production schedule, setting Sarah for release in May instead of March, and I decided to add a May Kickstarter campaign for The D.I.Y. Author which had not been previously planned with my author services offered as some of the rewards. I reached out for the opportunity to have my own books, Delilah, Hidden Secrets, and The Rock Star & The Outlaw, available in audiobook with AI audio narrations on the spur of the moment, seeing a chance to possibly expand my audiences, and made all three of them $2.99 on Google Play during the entire month of March. I guess when I’ve made it through May, I’ll find out if these choices were solid decisions or acts of desperation, but I picked myself up by my bootstraps and carried on in either case.
My dream has always been to take my writing full time and not have to hold down the proverbial day job, but it is a slow climb to making enough from my work to do that. I haven’t given up on finding a day job, but lately I’ve been thinking that maybe my age is what is stopping me from arousing the interest of potential employers. I put in the time and work to earn two masters degrees, but I’m wondering if my efforts didn’t come too late in life. Does turning 60 and entering the world of senior discounts mean that I’m too old to be gainfully employed?
And it’s not like I haven’t been trying to use my writing skills to gain remote employment. I’ve put in more applications than I can count, some with over a hundred applicants, and most of them don’t even respond back to tell me to take a hike. I’ve thrown out my hook for editor and proofreader, as well as content writer and copywriter for countless companies without even a nibble. Maybe I’m using the wrong bait. Am I over educated?
I keep telling myself that something has to break soon, and I do have a couple of promising interviews scheduled even now, but as I approach the milestone of being unemployed for a year, I’m beginning to wonder. I find myself worrying more and more about what is around the next corner for me. The worry eats at me more than it did when I was younger. The depression weighs on me, making it feel like the next sunrise may not come. It makes it harder to focus on the part of my life that I’ve always maintained control of, and it’s more difficult to focus on putting words on the page.
I press on, putting in applications, interviewing, and writing my heart out with specific goals in mind. I had to push back the production schedule on Sarah and change my marketing plan for The D.I.Y. Author, but if I can meet my production goals for this year, it should be a pretty good year for WordCrafter Press. In addition to the above mentioned books, I’ll be releasinga poetry anthology, three books in the My Backyard Friends children’s series, and two different short fiction anthologies. I’m using that as something to look forward to and it motivates me to keep at it. I don’t know if this is what they call aging gracefully. Gracefully or not, guess I’ll just have to keep on going and see what happens.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah, and her Time-Travel Adventure novel, The Rock Star & The Outlaw. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
__________________________________________
Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.
I have to tell you, Kevin J. Anderson is the most prolific writer I know, but there are others. I met many of these incredibly productive authors through my studies under Kevin J. Anderson. I think they all hang out together. And honestly, when I first began to see what KJA does, putting out at least five novels a year, plus co-authoring books and screenplays adapted from his books, run WordFire Press, orchestrate his SuperStars Seminars every February and his classes at Western Colorado State University, and go to numerous Cons and writing seminars throughout each year, all I could say was, “Wow!”
Million Dollar Productivity, by Kevin J. Anderson is the book where he reveals all the tips and tricks which make him into the most prolific writer I know. So, when I received a digital copy of Million Dollar Productivity, for the 9th Stretch goal met in KJA’s Dragon Business Kickstarter Campaign last January, I had to give it a read. (I had already read the companion reward book for this stretch goal, On Being a Dictator. You can read my review here.) As I had suspected, I already knew and practiced many of the tips given in this book. After all, I studied under the author. But there were others that I either didn’t know about or hadn’t tried.
One of the ones I think have been most helpful to me was to set goals and stick to them. In class, we were required to create business plans and set goals for the coming year. I began to employ this strategy in the fall of 2021, a year in which I had published two anthologies, one poetry and one short fiction, and nothing else. When I am listening to people in the business who are telling me that you need to have a large inventory of IP (intellectual propeties), be prolific enough to put out several books each year, and have multiple streams of income to make a sustainable living from your writing, and looking at the couple of books per year that I was putting out, I knew I was going to have to do better, and I planned accordingly. I found that making a plan and setting some goals which keeps me moving in a forward progression.
As a result, in 2022, I published five anthologies: Ask the Authors 2022, Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships, Once Upon an Ever After, Refracted Reflections, and Visions. Anthologies probably aren’t as helpful as novels would be, but it was a start. In 2023, I will publish two anthologies, Poetry Treasures 3: Passions and Midnight Roost, plus two books of my own, Delilah and The Rock Star & the Outlaw, and of course, my debut poetry collection, Small Wonders. And I’ve already begun to plan out the books I intend to publish in the coming year. You have to admit, four to five books per year is an improvement on the one or two per year that I was producing previously, so that one suggestion, which is offered in this book, helped to make me a more prolific publisher.
Working on different projects at the same time is another tip which I have found helpful, although this is something that I have done for several years, but it is included in Million Dollar Productivity, and it is an effective strategy for getting a lot accomplished. I’m not talking about multi-tasking, but more like time-sharing – you work on your latest manuscript for a time, but when you seem to tire of it, you set it down and go work on the editing for the anthology you’re working on, and when you get tired of that, answer a few emails and then back to writing, for instance. Of course, KJA suggests an approach that is a little less haphazard, but it’s good advice none-the-less. He also points out other modes of writing, which can be used in various places.
Letting the first draft be bad and edit, goes hand-in-hand with knowing the difference between writing and editing, tips which most writers have heard many times in their writing careers, but that doesn’t make them any less true. These are both tips that I will have to work at incorporating into my writer’s toolbox. I am notorious for editing as I go, which takes extra time, but turns out a top quality draft with little editing required.
This book is filled with lots of writing tips and advice for busy authors who want to increase their productivity. These are the strategies that worked for the author, Kevin J. Anderson, and they could work for me or you. Whether you’re a full time author or one who writes on the side while working at some other job for your livlihood, this book will have something helpful for you. It’s one of those books I will have to go back and visit time and again.
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; and book 1 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah. Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
Want exclusive content? Join Kaye Lynne Booth & WordCrafter Press Readers’ Group for WordCrafter Press book & event news, including the awesome releases of author Kaye Lynne Booth. She won’t flood your inbox, she NEVER sells her list, and you might get a freebie occasionally. Get a free digital copy of her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction, just for joining.
Where can you find publishing industry experts willing to share their secrets?
Ask the Authors 2022is the ultimate writer’s reference, with tips and advice on craft, publishing and marketing. Eleven experienced and successful authors share what works for them and offer their keys to success in traditional publishing, hybrid, and indie. You’ll learn industry wisdom from Mark Leslie Lefebvre, Kevin Killiany, L. Jagi Lamplighter, Bobby Nash, Paul Kane, Nancy Oswald, Chris Barili, Jeff Bowles, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Mario Acevedo and Kaye Lynne Booth.
This book offers up-to-date and tried-and-true ways to improve your craft, explores current publishing and book marketing worlds. Take a peek inside and find out what works for you.
Every year, Kevin J. Anderson curates a Writer’s Career Toolkit Bundle in coincidence with NaNoWriMo, because we all know that those crazy writers who knock themselves out at this time of year to produce 50,000 words in 30 days, need all the help they can get.
This year, Ask the Authors 2022 is one of those books to be included in this useful bundle of books for writers! We are in great company. L. Jagi Lamplighter has a book of her own in the bundle, The Art and Craft of Writing and Mark Leslie Lefebrve has a book co-authored with D.F. Hart, MBA, Accounting for Authors. Also included are books by big name authors such as Joshua Essoe, Joanna Penn, Kevin J. Anderson, and David Farland. There’s even a book by one of my cohorts, Aisley Oliphant, Booked to the Gills, which is aimed at writers of 30 day writing challenges, and will be helpful to those preparing to participate in NaNoWriMo. (You can see my “Review in Practice” for Booked to the Gills, here.)
The Writer’s Career Toolkit Bundle
The Writer’s Career Toolkit Bundle – Curated by Kevin J. Anderson
This is the time of year when a lot of people turn their thoughts to writing. Challenges such as the National Novel Writing Month (November) and other writing groups and workshops encourage you to push your craft and productivity. So, each year I put together a big writing StoryBundle packed with insightful books on a wide range of topics relevant to writers, both newbies and old pros. I include craft books, basic advice, time management and productivity, careers planning, publishing, and marketing—the complete bag of tricks!
This year we have fifteen titles, enough to keep you busy planning your next project and your entire writing career.
For basics, I’ve included Kaye Lynne Booth’s comprehensive Ask the Authors 2022, the ultimate writing reference anthology, with writing tips and advice from eleven different authors on everything from pre-writing rituals, to character development and world building, editing and revision, publishing, book marketing and more.
L. Jagi Lamplighter’s sharply insightful The Art and Craft of Writing delves into the nature of storytelling itself to discover simple and practical steps that can bring our writing to the next level.
And if today’s most successful publishers, editors, and writers wanted to share the lessons they’ve learned, would you listen? Here’s your chance in Titans Rising: The Business of Writing Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror in the 21st Century by William Alan Webb and Chris Kennedy.
Next, if you’re ready to write that novel, Joanna Penn will get you started with How to Write a Novel, everything you need to write your book from idea to finished final draft.
David Farland’s Million Dollar Outlines is the seminal writing manual on outlining and structuring a book to make it reach the largest audience, written by well-known master and teacher.
And Kevin Ikenberry’s Mercenary Guide to Story Structure gives a great overview of your story: All stories have structure—learn the ins and outs of the most common modern structures and how they enhance your characters and thestories they inhabit.
And you can’t get anything done unless you learn how to find and organize your writing time. Booked to the Gills: How to Crush Thirty-Day Writing Challenges for Busy People teaches time management, workload distribution, and other skills for writers who feel they have no time to participate in writing challenges such as National Novel Writing Month. Now to more specific skills, depending on what you’re writing.
Joshua Essoe continues his series of Guides with Worldbuilding, written by an editor from the perspective of tackling all the most-common issues writers struggle with when creating worlds.
On Writing (and Reading!) Short by Ron Collins is a celebration of writing, reading, and living short fiction.
Interested in writing scripts? My own book of Clockwork Angels: The Comic Scripts contains nitty-gritty inside examples of how to write a comic script, all six complete scripts for the BOOM! Studios comic series from bestelling author and award-winning comic writer.
In The Non-User-Friendly Guide for Aspiring TV Writers by Steven L. Sears, a veteran successful TV writer shares tips and inside knowledge on how to break in to writing for TV.
Once you have your masterpiece completed, you need to turn your mind to the business. If you decide to go the indie publishing route, a vital guidebook is Chris Kennedy’s Indie Publishing for Profit: How to Get Your Book Out of Your Head and Into the Stores, which teaches both the craftand business of writing.
Sarah Painter’s Stop Worrying; Start Selling:TheIntrovert Author’s Guide to Marketing shows you how to take control of your success as an author and build your readership through authentic, low-stress marketing.
Christopher D. Schmitz sells thousands of paperbacks every year by identifying his fanbase and targeting where those folks go… and he shows you how to replicate his success in Sell More Books at Live Events.
And finally, you can’t forget about the numbers. Read Accounting for Authors by D.F. Hart and Mark Leslie Lefebvre. Regardless of how you are publishing, having a solid understanding of basic accounting principles allows you to make the most out of your author earnings and calculate your pathways to success. With this StoryBundle, you’ll be well equipped for your writing and publishing journey. – Kevin J. Anderson
For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay. For $5 (or more, if you’re feeling generous), you’ll get the basic bundle of five books in any ebook format—WORLDWIDE.
On Writing (and Reading!) Short by Ron Collins The Art and Craft of Writing by L. Jagi Lamplighter Essoe’s Guides to Writing: Worldbuilding by Joshua Essoe Indie Publishing for Profit by Chris Kennedy Booked to the Gills by Aisley Oliphant
If you pay at least the bonus price of just $20, you get all five of the regular books, plus ten more books for a total of 15!
Million Dollar Outlinesby David Farland Clockwork Angels – The Comic Scripts by Kevin J. Anderson The Non-User-Friendly Guide for Aspiring TV Writers by Steven L. Sears Stop Worrying; Start Selling by Sarah Painter Accounting for Authors by D.F. Hart, MBA and Mark Leslie Lefebvre The Mercenary Guide to Story Structure by Kevin Ikenberry Ask the Authors 2022 edited by Kaye Lynne Booth How to Write a Novel – From Idea to Book by Joanna Penn Sell More Books at Live Events by Christopher D. Schmitz Titans Rising edited by William Alan Webb and Chris Kennedy
It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get multiple DRM-free formats (.epub, .mobi) for all books! It’s also super easy to give the gift of reading with StoryBundle, thanks to our gift cards – which allow you to send someone a code that they can redeem for any future StoryBundle bundle – and timed delivery, which allows you to control exactly when your recipient will get the gift of StoryBundle.
Why StoryBundle? Here are just a few benefits StoryBundle provides.
• Get quality reads: We’ve chosen works from excellent authors to bundle together in one convenient package.
• Pay what you want (minimum $5): You decide how much these fantastic books are worth. If you can only spare a little, that’s fine! You’ll still get access to a batch of exceptional titles. • Support authors who support DRM-free books: StoryBundle is a platform for authors to get exposure for their works, both for the titles featured in the bundle and for the rest of their catalog. Supporting authors who let you read their books on any device you want—restriction free—will show everyone there’s nothing wrong with ditching DRM. • Give to worthy causes: Bundle buyers have a chance to donate a portion of their proceeds to the Challenger Center for Space Education! • Receive extra books: If you beat the bonus price, you’ll get the bonus books!
StoryBundle was created to give a platform for independent authors to showcase their work, and a source of quality titles for thirsty readers. StoryBundle works with authors to create bundles of ebooks that can be purchased by readers at their desired price. Before starting StoryBundle, Founder Jason Chen covered technology and software as an editor for Gizmodo.com and Lifehacker.com.
For more information, visit our website at storybundle.com, tweet us at @storybundle and like us on Facebook . For press inquiries, please email press@storybundle.com .
The 2022 Writer’s Career Toolkit Bundle launched on September 29th and will be available thorugh the end of November. So, before you sharpen your pencils and limber up your fingers for the upcoming writing challenge, grab you bundle and warm up your brain cells to do your best writing ever!
In celebration of this momentus event, eight of the contributing authors to Ask the Authors 2022 are getting together to tell us more about this great bundle and offer more writing tips and advice. Contributing author Mark Leslie LeFebrve will host myself, Bobby Nash, L. Jagi Lamplighter, Kevin Killiany, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, Nancy Oswald, and Mario Acevedo, on his Stark Reflections podcast. I’ll keep you posted as to when that podcast session will air.
