Twitterific Writing Links

Twitterific

Bluebird with beak open and 'Twitterific Writing Links' by ElizabethSCraig superimposed on the image

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 45,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

In observance of Memorial Day, I won’t be posting tomorrow, but I’ll be back with a post on Friday.  Enjoy your weekend!

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Contact Info and More in Amazon Author Central

Business of Writing

A cell phone showing contact buttons.

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I have seen some pretty pitiful bios on Amazon…usually when I’m looking for contact info because there is no contact info on the author’s website or blog.  This makes me realize that there might be a need for a basic reminder to check on your author page on Amazon.

Most writers are on the KDP dashboard a lot, checking on sales or adding new books. But how often do you check your author page to make sure it’s up to date and has all the information readers are looking for?

Contact Information to Include in a Bio:

Your newsletter signup link.  This is a great way to announce releases and keep readers updated.

Include a link to your website. Your website will give readers another opportunity to sign up for your newsletter as well as give them a showcase of your available books and formats.

Include a social media link.  I think some bios get a little link-heavy (especially since these links aren’t hyperlinked), but I think a listing of a Facebook or Twitter contact info can be good, especially worked in naturally. As an example, here is Lee Child’s:

Find out more about Lee Child and the Reacher novels on his official website: LeeChild.com, on Facebook LeeChildOfficial, on Twitter #LeeChildReacher, and YouTube leechildjackreacher.

While you’re there, is there anything else you need to do?

Update your bio? When was the last time you updated it there? I had to change mine recently as I was referencing myself as the mother of ‘two teenaged children.’ And I have a 21 year old. :) That’s now changed to ‘mother of two.’

Connect your blog to your author page? I like my author page to look dynamic and connecting your blog (if it’s kept updated) is a great way to do this.

Upload pictures? It can be a good way to help readers connect with you/your life/your pets.

Upload videos? Again, this is another nice way to connect.  You could upload a video of you speaking to the reader directly about your series, do a reading, or even upload a book trailer.

Going a step farther, you can set up your author page on international Amazon sites:

For further reading and step-by-step instructions on setting up these elements, see this article by Dave Chesson.

Have you checked in on your Amazon Author page lately?

Tips for a Better Amazon Author Central Page: Click To Tweet

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Two Different Talks As Writers

Business of Writing

Empty lecture hall with chairs.

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I can go quite a while without doing any speaking, and then I’ll have a flurry of engagements.  I used to have to put a lot more time into preparation than I do now (not that I don’t put a lot in…just that I don’t put as much in.  And it’s very nice not to sink more time in than I need to.  Here are my thoughts on the two types of talks I give and tips for making them easier. Continue reading

Twitterific Writing Links

Twitterific

Bluebird with beak open and 'Twitterific Writing Links' by ElizabethSCraig superimposed on the image

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 45,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

Continue reading

Empathizing With Your Character

Uncategorized, Writing Tips

Two senior men talking at an outdoor table at a restaurant.

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Every once in a while, I’ll grind to a halt with my story.  I’ll either want to flesh out a subplot or develop the main plot a bit more, but I won’t be sure which direction to go in.

I always manage to muddle my way through and solve my problem, but I’d never sent a lot of time thinking about how I solve it.

I read a post by Steven-John Tait recently and one of his tips really resonated with me. Tait said, “Find empathy. If you can empathize with a character, you can get into their head. Once you’re in their head, you can fill in the blanks.”

Tait’s tip was intended to help with developing a protagonist, but it works well with all of the characters in the story.  This is one of the main methods that I use when I’m ‘muddling’ through the book to find my way.Continue reading

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