Doreen McGettigan

Writing Wednesday

Wednesday is the day I like to share information, tidbits I picked up along my journey from beginner writer to published author. Information I wish someone would have shared with me back then.

Establishing Writer/Blogger Credibility

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Writing Wednesday

On Wednesday’s I like to share information I picked up on my path to publishing, marketing and preparing to publish again. Information that I wish someone would have shared with me, back then.

Writing Spaces, Routines and Rituals

When writing my first book I used a PC. We kept that computer in one of our extra bedrooms. Back then I had a writing schedule and I didn’t have any trouble sticking with that schedule. I would get up an hour earlier each morning, make a cup of tea and I would sit down and write for an hour before going to work. I would spend another hour, writing at night. If there were no family events to attend, Saturdays were dedicated to writing.

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The first Wednesday of every month is officially:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group day #IWSG

Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your writing doubts and the fears you have or have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time.

Read the rest of this entry »

Writing Wednesday

On Wednesday’s I like to share information I picked up on my path to publishing, marketing and preparing to publish again. Information that I wish someone would have shared with me, back then.

Social Media Manners

What in the world did we do with our time before social media? I for one was definitely more productive writing wise and my house was much cleaner than it is now. I have a feeling that social media caused the cancelling of most daytime soap operas. Why watch scripted on T.V. when we can scroll through non-stop reality.

Whatever negative side effects social media might have it does have equal and opposite positive effects as well. For me I have never felt so much a part of so many completely different communities as I do now. Writers/Bloggers truly are the most supportive, genuine and friendly people I have ever known.

Because it is the start of a new season I thought this would be a good time to share some social media etiquette and tips that I have learned over the years, some of them the hard way.

It is social media not sell media. There are many companies out there that will take your money and instruct you to auto post the same posts across all of your social media platforms. Posts like ‘BUY my book’ ‘Must Read’ 500- 5 star reviews.’ Then there are those direct messages you receive thirty seconds after you follow someone. The requests to, buy my book, like my page, follow my blog and don’t forget to favorite and share this message. These companies will fill your head with numbers that sound important but they are useless. Social media is about being social and making real connections. Automatic cross posting and constant selling will leave people thinking you are lazy and unapproachable and they will keep scrolling.

Once you post it, it cannot be erased. In 2015 this is still important. If you are not sure about posting or responding to something take the time to think about it before you post or respond.

Ignore Posts that offend you. It would be great if we never had to lay eyes on or hear anything that offends us but when it comes to social media we are going to see plenty. It always feels good to be part of a ‘do good’ mob but choose your mobs wisely. Don’t take someone’s dislike of children or pets so personally and just scroll on. Trust me your mood will be better if you just ignore and scroll on. If they persist and you have trouble ignoring the offensive posts you can hide them, disable notifications from that person or un-friend them.

You owe no one an explanation to unfriend/unfollow. There is never a need to post things like ‘I am cleaning up my friend list.’ Just unfollow quietly and move on.

In 2015 it is still a bad idea to vague post, chronically complain, over share and post in clumps, frequently. ‘I am so upset’ ‘Some people need to just shut up and you know who you are.’(My personal least favorite) If you share someone’s post or article always write something personal about it such as why you liked it or didn’t like it. I can’t believe people still get upset when someone shares what they have posted. That is the gold people. It is all about the sharing.

Do not post spoilers. Be considerate of our friends in different time zones. If you cannot wait to talk about that winner or scene, take it private.

Limit rants. Sometimes a good rant can be healthy and prompt positive conversation. It is a good idea to only post them occasionally.

Never use more than two hashtags in one post.

The buzz about you, your book or your blog should NEVER come from you. This is simple; you only gain credibility when other people post, talk about or share your work. That doesn’t mean you cannot share exciting information or big news. There is a difference between good news and overselling.

If you wouldn’t say it to someone in person don’t say it on social media. It is a good idea to stop and think before reacting on social media. There is a way to say and mean what you want to say without being mean. We are writers, right?

It is okay to discuss politics and religion. Discuss is the key word here. We should always respect each other’s views or beliefs even if they are different from our own, especially if we have no idea what is behind those views. Discussion and debate are healthy. Headlines, talking points and surveys are annoying. Most people have their minds made up when it comes to religion and politics. Your post will not ever change their mind so stick to reality, discussion and healthy debate.

Do you have any to add to this list?

Happy writing,

Doreen

WRITING WEDNESDAY

On Wednesdays I like to share information I picked up on my path to publishing, marketing and preparing to publish again. Information that I wish someone would have shared with me, back then.

As much as I intend to stay in the moment and enjoy every single second left of summer it is time to plan for the fall, winter and spring.

If you are like me, achieving your writing goals is nearly impossible during the summer. Having a book to market, a new one coming out this fall and writing another has kept me busy and I didn’t quite meet my goals so of now I am in panicked catch-up mode.

How did you do with your writing goals over the summer?

I have a few author events coming up and I need to start preparing for them so I thought I would share what I’ve figured out with you.

Preparing for Author Events

I’ve been reading a lot lately about authors that no longer want to do book signings because they have no luck with them. While I agree that there are times when no matter what you do to prepare for the event people just don’t show up and other times there can be a line out the door.

What I have learned is there are things you can do to improve your chances for a successful event. The fact is publishers are not doing much these days to market and or promote their authors. Book stores depend on the author to bring the crowd to their store. It is up to us to advertise; market and promote ourselves.

Two months before the event:

Contact the community relations manager (CRM) and ask if they have ordered your books from their distributor or if they need you to supply them. Ask if he/she sends out press releases and if they do provide them with your bio, high definition book cover and author photos. I always send my own press releases too.

Most newspapers have an event calendar online that you can add your information to. Place a series of ads in your local newspaper or magazine advertising the event. Ads can be pricey so ask about specials or discounts and check the rates of large and small publications. You don’t want the ads to run sooner than two-weeks before the event but they may have to be ordered weeks in advance.

Create and order postcards. I use Vista Print and use my book cover, author photo and the bookstore’s logo or a photo of the front of their store. Ask the CRM if they will put the postcards on their counters.

Create a Facebook event. I always mention that I have a gift for the first ten people that buy the book. I get ten gift bags from a dollar store and pens, candy, small notebooks, bookmarkers and other small items from Sam’s or BJ’s. It doesn’t have to be much and the ten small bags with bows look nice on your table.

Send pitches to your local TV and radio show producers.

Six weeks before the event:

Send out an announcement to your e-mail list. Add the event to your website/blog and check with local bloggers to see if they will do an ad for you on their blog. These can be as inexpensive as $15.00 a month. Some will offer to do a write up and a review as well.

Mail postcards to everyone you know, friends, family and co-workers. Ask them to spread the word.

One Month before the event:

Think about how you will set your table up. You may want to bring a table cloth that matches your book cover, business cards, bookmarkers, a stand to put your book or poster on and a big bowl of candy. I put a sign up on my table that says ‘Meet the Author.’ Believe it or not sometimes people just have no idea what you are doing there.

Attend one or two author events at the store and network while you are there.

If you can afford to hire a professional photographer to take photos during the event it can create a lot of interest in you and your book.

Write an announcement for the store to use. I write three so they aren’t repetitive.

Two weeks before the event:

Follow up with whoever you invited. Place reminder calls. Create social media posts. Do not post about the event more than once a day. It can annoy people. Two or three times a week is plenty.

What are you going to wear? Whatever you decide on it should be business casual.

The Event:

Plan to arrive ½ hour early so you have plenty of time to set up your table and deliver the announcement you wrote to the person who will be doing the announcing.

Bring a small gift for the CRM. One of the small gift bags is fine.

Get out from behind your table and mingle. Always have a book in your hand. If someone ask you what the book is about hand them the book with the back cover up and invite them to read the synopsis.

No matter how many people show up, have fun. I once had a signing and only two people showed up. One of them was the host of a radio show, she invited me on her show and I sold dozens of books because of that appearance.

Ask the CRM if you can sign a few books to leave in the store. Post on social media that you left signed copies at the store.

After the event:

Send a thank you card to the CRM and let him/her know that you are available for future events, author panels etc.

Good luck and happy writing,

Doreen

It’s the first Wednesday of the month and that means it is:

Insecure Writer’s Support Group Day

I am SO excited to be co-hosting this month along with Nancy Gideon, Bob R Milne, Chrys Fey, Bish Denham, and Pat Garcia!

Post your thoughts on your own blog. Write about your writing doubts and the fears you have or have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group as well as the other co-hosts and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers at all stages of writing.

To join us, sign up here:

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Visit our Facebook Page here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/IWSG13

Twitter: #IWSG

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Wednesday is also Writing Wednesday

Writing Wednesday is the day I like to share what I have learned on my journey from writing to publishing to marketing my first book and then doing it again. The type of information I wish someone would have shared with me, back then.

Politically Correct or Not

My summer was so laid back. I was relaxing and enjoying the slow pace and occasionally working on my third book, anxiously awaiting the final proofs and the release date for my second book.

And then it happened. Somebody posted something that I knew was not true and going against that little voice screaming from deep down inside of me, I went about trying to prove that person wrong. It got ugly fast and I wasn’t the only one that day whose comment and inboxes were flooded with the ugliest, hateful and most vial messages.

I was so hurt and angry with myself for falling into that trap and going against my own rules of not getting too awfully deep with politics or religion on my blog or on social media.

What happened to the art of debating? There were rules. You stick to the issue and the facts. You don’t get personal. We accepted defeat gracefully or we accepted to agree to disagree. Now it seems we are not happy until we have driven the last nail in the coffin of the person that dared to offend us just by having a different opinion than our own.

Last week I saw posts that wished evil things on our president and other posts that called half of the women in America f*&@ing idiots.

I’m not sure if I am more embarrassed or more frightened for our country. I am definitely worried about the example some women in prominent positions and older women are setting for younger women. They are watching, listening and paying attention.

How do you decide what is appropriate or not appropriate for your blog, social media or writing in general?

Happy writing,

Doreen

It has been awhile since I have participated in Friday Fragments and I have missed the opportunity to share tidbits from my week.

Friday Fragments are bits and pieces of your week that are usually brief; too short for a stand-alone post, but too good to discard. Collect humorous observations, “Heard” items, other small gems and put them together in a Friday Fragments post. Then leave a link to your Friday Fragments post and link back to our host Mrs. 4444 at Half-Past Kissin’ Time.

It’s not too late to join in on the fun and we would love to have you!

The best news of my week is the cover for The Stranger In My Recliner is on the drawing board and I cannot wait to share it with you. (I hope I like it, I am going to love it, I hope I love it) I am just a bit nervous.

I have the first cold I have had in at least two-years. I kind of forgot how awful they are.

The workshops I have been facilitating (along with an amazing committee) have been better than I could have imagined. I cannot believe there are only two more (one is our writing workshop, I cannot wait) and then we will have a fair. I am already looking forward to the next season.

We had our warmest day in months yesterday, it was 66 degrees and sunny for forty-five-minutes before the downpours started. Today it is freezing again. Freezing cold, windy and raining again. I am trying to be patient. Hurry up Spring!

My Mom is going on her dream vacation. She has been missing my Dad terribly so I am thrilled for her and so proud of her for stepping out of her comfort zone and taking a Viking Cruise. Have you heard about these things? A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Her traveling buddy is her high school bff. They are going to have a blast.

They will be flying Lufthansa and I admit to being slightly unnerved. I am guessing their security will be heightened, even though there wasn’t much security could have done to avert this intentional crash. Crazy scary isn’t this whole suicide/crash thing?

Are you getting excited for the next presidential election yet? Oh my I can hardly wait. Ted Cruz announced and was immediately attacked by the media for being a one-term senator and for not being born in the U.S.  Sound familiar?

I just saw that Hillary supporters sent a warning to the media stating that they will be reading and watching for ‘coded’ sexism and if they find it they will report on it. What is coded sexism? Making fun of a pantsuit? It was kind of rude.

I am not looking forward to the messiness of it all.

Who is participating in the A-Z April Blogging Challenge this year? This will be my 4th year. I am still excited! There is still plenty of time to sign up and give it a try:

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com

My big -bunch -of -grandbabies continue to get older and there are no signs of any new ones on the horizon. I am not complaining thirteen is enough for now and I am so grateful for each and every one of them.

I had so much fun shopping for a prom dress for my oldest granddaughter. She graduated last year but her bf is still in high school. I can’t show any photos yet but she promised I could when the big night gets here.

My next oldest granddaughter (15) is being bullied, again. More on that in its’ own post but I am furious at the way it is not being handled.

Have a blessed weekend,

Doreen

Keep Moving Forward Challenge…

My friend and the facilitator of Bucks County Creative Explorers, Kelly wrote a blog post about being stuck. She wrote that she felt like her feet were stuck in concrete. That is exactly how I was feeling too.

I’ve enjoyed the challenge and hope Kelly will bring it back at the beginning of every season.

Kelly then posted this challenge. If you are feeling stuck too please join us. Let’s inspire each other to smash our concrete shoes.

CHALLENGE:

I will post an entry in the Keep Moving Forward Challenge every Thursday from now through March 2015. To join in on the journey, use the comment section to tell us about how you “kept moving forward” that week. Write about it on your own blog site (and include the link in the comments), make a video, and/or use the hashtag #KeepMovingForwardChallenge on the social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

http://kellydeeny.com

Please make sure to use #KeepMovingForwardChallenge on social media so that we can comment, like, share, favorite, or retweet.

As usual my goals were pretty mighty this week. Life got in the way so I didn’t complete everything I wanted too.

I spent an afternoon with my nineteen-year-old, fifteen-year-old and five-year-old granddaughters. We went shopping for and found a beautiful prom dress, for Allyson (the nineteen-year-old.) I practiced making videos with the five-year-old. She is quite a director, oh my. I need SO much more practice.

I facilitate workshops for the Press Club and we had to cancel one in January due to weather. The make- up was last Saturday and this Saturday we have a regularly scheduled workshop. The committee, presenters and attendees are all having a really good time but it is time consuming. I never imagined I would enjoy teaching so much. Next month we have a writing workshop. This is the one I have been most looking forward to.

http://www.thepressclubpa.org

Although the workshops are taking up a lot of my time I did manage to write and post my A-to-Z April Blog Challenge Theme Reveal post and I wrote 2 ½ posts for the challenge. Only twenty-four more left to write. Are you participating in the challenge? I highly recommend it.

https://doreenmcgettigan.com/?p=5638

I finished my book cover questionnaire for The Stranger In My Recliner and received some great feedback on my back matter (text on the back of the book) from my writing friends at Bucks County Creative Explorers. So I guess you could say I finished a lot of ‘business’ writing this week.

I still haven’t found a forward writer or blurb writers for the book. I haven’t tried very hard either. This goal needs to be #one next week.

All in all I feel like I have moved forward this week, slightly.

How about you?

Have a blessed week,

Doreen

Writing Wednesday

Wednesday is the day I share what I have learned on my writing journey and on to publication, marketing and publishing again. If you have any questions please feel free to leave them in the comments and I will do my best to answer them. If you have any tips please share them with us in the comments…

Are books really judged by their covers’

I hate to admit that I am that person that is attracted to books by their covers’, wine by the label, heck I even choose my shampoos and body washes to match my bathroom. So you can imagine how full of anxiety I will be when it is time to choose my own book covers.

Actually I don’t get to choose the cover at all. I get a vote but the ultimate choice is the publishers. They tell me the cover will be chosen based on marketability.

I got the call today letting me know that my cover questionnaire was sent and would I please take my time to think about and then answer the questions and have it back to the art department by April 20th.

The cover has been in my thoughts for months and honestly I had no vision or clue what I wanted. I did know that I was getting it done today and sending it back because continuing to think about it would be awful.

The first part was easy, title, sub-title, do I have a currant author photo. The next question was to describe the message I want my cover to give. What? That made my heart race so I skipped it and went on to the next question. What feelings do I want people to have when they look at the cover? The feelings I chose were contradictory. Did I really want to confuse people?

I was starting to get frustrated. A friend suggested I look through my photographs and see if any imagery popped into my head. It worked. I had a vision for the cover so then all I had to do was put that vision into words. I cheated and sent a few photos with my words.  Now I wait. Will the artists get it? Will I love what they come up with?

Will people judge me and my book by its’ cover?

Now I can start stressing about blurbs, back matter and a forward. It truly is like having a baby. I cannot wait to see the book, I know production will be painful but once I see it and hold it I will be in love.

How do you choose a book? If you are writing a book have you thought about the cover? If you’ve written a book how was your cover chosen?

Happy Writing,

Doreen

It’s almost time have you signed up yet?

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com

Keep Moving Forward Challenge…

My friend and the facilitator of Bucks County Creative Explorers, Kelly wrote a blog post about being stuck. She wrote that she felt like her feet were stuck in concrete. That is exactly how I was feeling too.

Kelly then posted this challenge. If you are feeling stuck too please join us. Let’s inspire each other to smash our concrete shoes.

CHALLENGE:

I will post an entry in the Keep Moving Forward Challenge every Thursday from now through March 2015. To join in on the journey, use the comment section to tell us about how you “kept moving forward” that week. Write about it on your own blog site (and include the link in the comments), make a video, and/or use the hashtag #KeepMovingForwardChallenge on the social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

For more information:

http://kellydeeny.com

Please make sure to use #KeepMovingForwardChallenge on social media so that we can comment, like, share, favorite, or retweet!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It happened again. I lost another dear friend far too soon. At first I was in shock, then, I was angry and wanted to know what cruelness snatched her from her family and friends. Now I am so sad.

Recently I heard that every time you lose someone close to you, you re-grieve everyone you have ever lost. That would explain a lot.

I know I am supposed to wake up every morning feeling grateful and ready to attack the day but today I just want to pull the covers up, find the cool spot on my pillow and go back to sleep.

Time has no trouble moving forward no matter how I am feeling. In fact it just sprung ahead an hour leaving me desperately wanting that hour back. Just sixty-minutes to make my brother one more cup of coffee and tell him how much I still miss him, to laugh at one of my Dad’s goofy jokes one more time, to watch my BFF’s eyes fill with those proud Mommy tears as she watched her baby girl being sworn into the Navy and to catch up with my friend because I hadn’t seen her in awhile. None of this is possible now except for in my dreams, which is why I want to sleep.

Last week my goal was to clean up my e-mail and as hard as it was I got it done. Email is like laundry though because it keeps coming. I am hoping to get rid of the junk daily.

This week I need to take care of a frightening health issue. My blood pressure has been consistently spiking for days now. I take blood pressure meds so it is usually controlled. Perhaps it’s a warning to keep moving forward but doing so a bit slower.

This week it will be one hour; one day and one foot at a time but the motion will be forward.

How do you keep yourself moving towards your goals when life or death keeps getting in the way?

#keepmovingforward

Doreen