Category: Business of Writing

About ‘Marketing to Writers’

Business of Writing, Promo Tips

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraigfile4661306949432

I read many posts online where writers worry over centering their platforms on writing and writers.  ‘Marketing to writers’ is the phase I read over and over.

This is because many writers (well, most of the writers I see, actually…me included) are blogging to writers, commenting on other writers’ blogs, and sharing writing tips with other writers.  We make friends through our blogs and those writing friends of ours follow us onto our other hangouts online (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.).Continue reading

Thoughts on Reader Reviews

Business of Writing, Uncategorized

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraigCustomer Reviews

I’ve learned not to talk to my family about reviews.  I’ve seen them flinch in the past when I’ve mentioned some of the negative things said about my books. I realize that they haven’t developed that ability to be detached about it yet.  To them, a negative review is as hurtful as if someone publicly said something negative about me.

For me, it’s not like that.  Not unless, maybe, it’s been a bad, bad day and the review is the final straw. Or if I’ve lost a reader.  That’s probably the single most hurtful thing I can read from a reviewer—something along the lines of: “I’ve read all her other books but after this one I won’t be buying any more.”  That does have the power to really mess up my afternoon…if I let it.Continue reading

My Mistakes and Procrastinated Bits

Business of Writing, Writing Tips

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraigfile8851246481245

The last time I ran a post on mistakes I’d made, it helped illuminate areas I’d fallen behind on so that I could stick them on my calendar as to-dos.  I’m hoping that will be the same today, too (some things can’t really be fixed, but can serve as a warning to others).

Here we go:

Not making sure I’m updating all the pages in my website.  Embarrassingly, a reader emailed me on this.  She wanted to see immediately, on my site’s home page, when I had an upcoming release.  She’s right—that’s really the point of the site.  I had the information on my books page, but the welcome page is a bit better.  Plus, I hadn’t updated that page often, thinking I’d left it as a static generic welcome.  Not so…it listed “recent releases” from a year ago. Continue reading

Newsletters as Promo

Business of Writing, Promo Tips

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraigmail chimp

I was very late to hop on the newsletter bandwagon.  I’ve finally started sending them.  Of course, before I start anything, I have to try to find out as much as possible about best practices…because, sadly, I’m neurotic that way.  So I spent several days researching best practices and the various newsletter services before sending my first newsletter.  The newsletter itself took a fraction of the time to create.

I heard over and over that successful newsletters have one thing in common—it’s all about what we could do for the reader instead of what the reader could do for us.Continue reading

Hooking Boys on Books

Business of Writing

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraigOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

This post is written by both Elizabeth the Mom and Elizabeth the Author.  Although the subject of encouraging boys to read is one that’s been important to me for seventeen years, it recently came to the forefront of online debates with the publishing of a report by UK writer Jonathan Emmett.  The report’s findings were covered by industry reporter Porter Anderson in his Publishing Perspectives story on April 22, “What if Boys Can’t Find the Right (Reading) Stuff?”  The report focuses on the gender gap in both reading ability and interest in books, and looks for possible causes.

What I wanted to cover today was primarily ways that we can hook boys (early) on books and reading. Early action is best since it’s too hard to play catch-up after boys have had years of poor reading experiences…and have moved on to gaming, television, and other mediums that get it and target boys. Continue reading

Scroll to top