LDSPMA

Advice from the Experts: Liz Adair (Wife, Mother, Mentor, Author)

September 15, 2019 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

By Lessa Harding

Once again, I find myself wishing I could take a poll when introducing the expert of the month. I would love to hear who your favorite authors are and why. I would love to hear whom you look up to, who your heroes are, and how you would react if you met one of them.

A few months ago, a friend recounted the first time she met her favorite author. My friend talked about going weak in the knees, not being able to form coherent thoughts, and stumbling over her words as she attempted to ask the author questions. I giggled as my friend said she had a “writer’s crush” on the author.

I have to admit that this month’s article was extremely difficult for me to write because of my writer’s crush on our expert. Liz Adair is one of my favorite authors, and I admire the depth that her characters have, the wit and humor they display, and her ability to write a story that both entertains and captivates. I also admire her as a person.

The first time I met Liz, I experienced what other aspiring authors experience when they’re lucky enough to meet Liz: the overwhelming feeling that I could do anything I wanted to do. One of the writers she has mentored described the experience by saying that Liz “helped me see that I have something to offer and encouraged me to grow beyond myself.” Another confided that Liz “made me feel like a real writer for the first time ever.” And another said, “She breathed into me a belief that I could write books.”

Liz has written 10 novels and 3 novellas, has received the Whitney Outstanding Achievement Award for mentoring writers, has owned and operated a bakery, and has helped found more writers’ groups and conferences than I can count, including the American Night Writers Association’s Northwest Writers Retreat and the Kanab Writers Conference. But the thing I admire the most is the effect she has had on the lives of people she has met along the way, including her husband of 58 years and her 7 children. I love this description of Liz given by someone who has known her for over 10 years: “Liz . . . becomes your true friend and just loves you. If she can share something she’s learned along the way, she does. She rarely asks for anything in return, [but] those who walk . . . the path with her . . . are forever changed. Liz makes you want to be a better person and to achieve great things by just being Liz.”

As you read the following insights she shared for this article, I hope some of the encouragement and confidence Liz exudes will leap off the paper and help you walk your own path.

You don’t need a rigid writing schedule. “I have no typical day of writing. I have things that have to get done, things that may get done, and writing. I try to write after doing the things that have to get done. I’m more of a mosey-along writer. I stop and smell a lot of roses.”
Associate with other writers. Her “tip for those trying to publish for the first time [is to] hang out with writers.”
Need ideas about writing rituals? Here’s Liz’s: “[My] process is to sit down “process is to sit down with a pencil and notebook and block out the plot points in each chapter. Then I sit at the computer and write about a half a page about each chapter. After that, I begin the first draft and grind it out to the end.”
“I’ve learned a lot about three-dimensional villains from watching Turkish films.”
If you want to publish but haven’t yet, “start learning the craft now. You’ll be so much further ahead when the barriers that are keeping you from doing it are no longer there.”
On writer’s block: “I think fallow times are useful in the creative process. When I’m ready to write again, I’ll know it. That’s why self-publishing suits me so much better than working with a traditional publisher. I don’t have to force anything.”
On rejection: “I think time and perspective are the only things that help.”
“Let others read and critique [your] writing. I mean, hard critiques. I belong to a critique group that has met for two hours a week for a dozen years now, and we pull no punches. It has made me a much better writer than if they loved everything I sent to them.”
Her personal motto: “‘Pull up your socks.’ I had that as a personal motto long before compression stockings became a part of my daily routine.”
“Writing is its own reward.”
“Write! Write! Write!”

“The Fighting Preacher” Delivers a Knockout and Tugs at the Heart

August 13, 2019 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

By Alice M. Batzel
Published Author, Playwright, Journalist, Poet, Freelance Writer

Writer/Director: T. C. Christensen
Producers: T. C. Christensen and Ron Tanner
Production Company: Remember Films
Distributor: Purdie Distribution
MPAA Rating: PG (for thematic content and some action)
Running Time: 121 minutes.

Review Ranking: 9 stars out of 10 (using IMDb’s ranking scale)

I attended the premiere of The Fighting Preacher, a movie by Utah writer/director T. C. Christensen, on July 17, 2019. Among those who attended were Christensen, cast members, the crew, the film editor, producers, Utah Film Commission representatives, production/industry associates, and family. In preparation, I did a bit of research and studied the promotional information regarding the subject of the film. I was interested and eager to see how the historical story of Willard Bean and his wife, Rebecca Bean, would be told.

The film takes the audience on a journey back to a time when religious prejudice in the United States was common, especially for a faith that was unfamiliar to the majority of Americans. And when such faith was accompanied by historical discord, acceptance would be a monumental feat. Willard and Rebecca Bean found such to be the case when attempting to set up residence in Palmyra, New York, in 1915. At the request of leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Beans accepted a unique missionary assignment. They were called to become residents and caretakers of the property known as the Joseph Smith family farm located in Palmyra and to preach the gospel. They were also called to establish community relations between the Church and residents in Palmyra and to help arrange the purchase of Church-related historic properties in the area. Any of those assignments would have been a challenge; in combination, they were daunting indeed.

*Used with permission from T. C. Christensen*

After the Beans arrived in Palmyra, they were emotionally tormented. Numerous attempts were made by community members to defame the Church and to make the Beans’ lives miserable. When Willard and Rebecca arrived, they had been married for less than one year, so you can imagine what an obstacle the opposition presented for the young couple. The fact that they chose to remain despite such circumstances shows their character, grit, and commitment to the calling that their Church leaders had extended to them. The Beans were the first members of the Church to reside in Palmyra in 84 years. A welcome was long overdue, but the Beans surely didn’t receive one. As I watched the film, I couldn’t help but feel empathy for the Beans because of the community’s negative reception of the couple. There was an occasional acceptance, and when it occurred the Beans felt as though it was a blessing from heaven. I felt the same way whenever the Beans achieved a victory during their earliest years in Palmyra. Additionally, I particularly enjoyed seeing this couple grow in their love and devotion for one another.

The Beans attempted through various means to make friends and contribute to the community, but often the responses were a deaf ear, unkind actions, and vicious remarks. Finally, Willard, with the encouragement of Rebecca, defended himself, his family, and the purpose of their mission. The community soon learned with whom they had been dealing. You see, at one time, Willard had held the title of middle-weight champion in the United States. At times, Willard had to call upon those boxing skills to defend himself and his family because of the enraged sentiments of the abundant number of individuals who opposed the Church. As a result of using his boxing skills while a Church representative, he was often called “The Fighting Parson,” to which the film adapted the title to be “The Fighting Preacher.” The boxing scenes in the movie show Willard’s boxing to be an asset to meeting the challenges of his Church assignment. The portrayal of gratuitous graphic violence is absent. Instead, the film successfully shows Willard’s sportsmanship, athletic ability, and defeat of his challengers.

While some residents responded through facing Willard in the boxing arena, others responded with continued contention. The Beans then implemented a more robust effort to provide community and individual service and compassion without any expectation of reciprocation. The endeavor was tedious and sustained over time, resulting in gradual acceptance and a feeling of belonging. Finally, after years of continued effort, the Beans became respected community members and took an active role in many service organizations in the community. Their children likewise received benefits from enduring their trials. What began as a Church assignment of five years ended up as a mission of twenty-five years, by the end of which the Beans were endeared to and honored by the community.

The film’s cinematography is exceptional. Attention is given to detail of subject and expression, as well as an expansive panoramic view. Such cinematography has become a trademark of Christensen, and audiences look forward to him delivering it in each of his films. I commend the casting director; each of the actors provided a solid performance, demonstrating skill, consistency, and sensitivity. I didn’t detect any weakness in the acting. Even the extras presented a colorful collection of characters of unique expression and appearance, adding to the entertaining visual quality of the film. The technical components of the film are aesthetically pleasing. The musical score is captivating and appropriate for the period. Even a seasoned critic would find it difficult, if not impossible, to point to any legitimate flaws in these aspects of the film.

Similar to other historically influenced films written/directed by Christensen (e.g., The Cokeville Miracle, Ephraim’s Rescue, and 17 Miracles), The Fighting Preacher demonstrates attention to biographical detail and historical accuracy throughout, excepting minor instances of artistic license. Filmed in New York and Utah, the cinematography takes advantage of the topography of the land. Clothing and architecture of the period are well represented. Even the interior of the old schoolhouse where a number of scenes take place helps the audience feel transported in time. After the film, alongside the credits, numerous historical photos and informational facts about the Beans were presented. My eyes were already teary, but with the archival and photographic feast, tears coursed down my cheeks.

The Fighting Preacher is a noteworthy filmmaking accomplishment. Christensen has written and directed an exceptional film worthy of numerous awards. He’s a well-researched visionary filmmaker—one of the most talented filmmakers of this generation—and he consistently delivers quality films. He shows the audience the truth and invites them to receive a valuable message. He uses the highest caliber of storytelling through his screenwriting, directing, and cinematography. This triple combination is unique among industry professionals. Whereas other filmmakers choose to work with fiction, he tells a true story of historical significance, one that is worthy of the audience’s time and that can inspire the human spirit. The running time of the film is not adequate to tell the entire story of Willard and Rebecca Bean, but the events depicted in this film portray the significance of this couple’s lives. In Christensen’s final remarks to the audience attending the premiere, he said, “My hope is that this film will go out and inspire others to be kinder to one another.” That takes courage and faith. That’s what Willard and Rebecca Bean had. That’s what Christensen has.

Adapted, with permission, from the review at https://www.alicembatzel.com/2019-1.

Advice from the Experts: Steve Piersanti (Former Publishing CEO, Founder of LDSPMA, Acquisitions Editor)

July 17, 2019 By LDSPMA 1 Comment

By Lessa Harding

In high school I had a homeroom-type class that contained a mix of students from every grade. There were a number of classic high school characters, as well as some who broke all the molds. There was the kind, handsome senior who’d fit in any Hallmark movie. There was the beauty queen who thought she was better than everyone else. There was the Christian girl who stood up to every attack on her beliefs. There was a soccer star, a basketball champion, a physics wiz, and a math nerd (that last one helped me solve homework problems using dry erase markers on the window). And there was the guy everyone wanted to be. He had a successful business, good grades, and a confidence that somehow removed him from the social hierarchy that is high school. We all knew he’d succeed at whatever he did, and we all looked up to him for it. Recently, my thoughts turned back to him. The reason? I was interviewing Steve Piersanti.

I know nothing about Steve’s high school experience, but I have to admit I felt like I was a freshman again looking up to that most-likely-to-succeed senior in my advisory class. Steve is the kind of guy who gets back up every time he gets knocked down, who accomplishes everything he puts his mind to, and who then helps others do the same. I was amazed to learn that he not only founded LDSPMA but also founded and edited a student scholarly journal while attending BYU, graduated with highest honors, began his career as an advertising copywriter at Jossey-Bass Publishers, and worked his way up to the position of president at the same company. Later, he founded Berrett-Koehler Publishers and served as CEO while also working as an acquisitions editor. He somehow also found time to play basketball, lead an annual gardening workshop, prioritize family functions, and go backpacking. The best thing about him, though, is that unlike the senior in my advisory class, Steve is approachable, is kind, gives encouragement, offers praise when it’s due, and is willing to help others who want to follow in his footsteps. Let me share some of his advice for traveling along the path to success:

“Most authors are primarily focused on how their books are written. That is important, but what is equally important is the marketing of your book.”
“The number of books being published annually in the US has tripled in 12 years, while total book sales have not grown.[1] . . . The only way publishers have kept afloat is by shifting more and more of the marketing to the authors. An author today must come to their publisher with a marketing plan…. What publishers look for now is the author’s so called platform. When you submit a proposal to the publisher, you need to include a strong section about what you are willing to do to help market your book.”
“If you want to get up to speed on how to get your book published, here is how you get started:
- Go to the annual LDSPMA conference, and learn about how to market books.
- Learn what successful authors do, and do it yourself.
- Figure out what your potential assets are (e.g., blogging, social media, connecting with audiences, and speaking).
- Get involved with groups and associations in your genre.
- Then think about publishing your book.
“You have to pick the right publisher to pitch your book to. Most have a particular area they are interested in. You need to do upfront research about the publishers you would like to pitch to.”
“When a publisher asks, ‘What are the competing works,’ don’t say, ‘It has no competition’ or ‘My book is unlike any other.’ Those kinds of statements work against you.”
“Everyone starts at the bottom and works their way up. Figure out what you want to do, and actually start going after it instead of going on your current inertia.”
“Everyone has many setbacks. I suppose [the best response] is going back and revisiting what you are really trying to accomplish. What really matters and what doesn’t matter? . . . [After a failure] you have to come up with a new game plan and come at it with a new perspective.”
“Some things are going to take decades. You just have to accept that. You can keep going!”
On how to balance family and work: “Family commitments that I make, I always came through on them. If I said I was going to be somewhere, I did it. Don’t let something ‘come up.’”
“Don’t work on Sunday. That is a day for family and church. Same thing with Family Home Evening. . . . Build [your schedule] around [those important family obligations].”

[1] See the article titled “The 10 Awful Truths about Publishing,” https://www.bkconnection.com/the-10-awful-truths-about-book-publishing.

So You’ve Written a Book. What Now?: 3 Steps from Lisa Mangum

July 17, 2019 By LDSPMA 1 Comment

By Lisa Mangum, Managing Editor at Shadow Mountain

So you’ve written a book. Now what? Well, after revising it and polishing it and reading it through one more time, you’re probably ready to send your book to a publisher. Here are three things to get you started on that journey.

1. Do your research. Not every publisher publishes everything, so make sure the publishing house you’re submitting to is actually looking for the type of thing that you write. A house that doesn’t publish children’s picture books will not publish your children’s picture book, no matter how well written it is. You’ll need to research publishers online, look at their backlist titles, and perhaps even follow them or their editors on social media.

Another way to narrow down your list of publishers is to look at other books in your genre. In addition to looking at who the publishers are, check the acknowledgments page, since authors often thank their agents and editors by name.

2. Follow the guidelines. In your research, you’ll likely have found submission guidelines posted somewhere on each publisher’s site. The best thing to do once you’ve read through the guidelines is to follow them exactly. If the guidelines specify to submit 10 pages, do that. If they say to send the pages in the body of an email (as opposed to an attachment), do that. If they say you must have an agent in order to submit, get an agent.

As a general rule, agents, editors, and publishers like to see manuscripts formatted with the following specs: double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins.

3. Write a query letter. Writing a query letter is one of the hardest steps in the process, but the document is required by agents and editors alike. There are a lot of resources online that can help you learn how to write a query letter (a great place to start is AgentQuery.com), but here’s a simple overview of how to structure your first draft:

A basic query letter has three paragraphs. The first is the “hook”—the premise of your story summarized in just one or two sentences. The second paragraph is where you can elaborate on the storyline, introducing secondary characters, plot points, and themes. The final paragraph is a short bio of who you are and why you wrote the book you’re pitching. Somewhere in the letter, you also need to mention the book’s title, genre, and approximate word count.

It can be hard to distill the entire plot of your book in one paragraph, so I recommend focusing on the four Cs: character, conflict, choice, and consequence. Introduce me to your main character. Explain the conflict he or she is facing—the goal that needs to be accomplished and some of the obstacles that are standing in the way. Focus on the choice your main character has to make at the end of the story. Make it clear what is at stake for the main character by presenting the consequences of that choice.

Finding a publisher for your book can feel like a marathon at times, so don’t panic if the path feels long and a bit unpredictable. Just keep moving forward and working on your craft, and you’ll find the path that is right for you.

Novellas: Why You Should Be Writing Them

June 17, 2019 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

By Heather B. Moore

The Basics

What is a novella? According to Jack Smith in the Writer magazine, a novella “combines the compression of the short story with the sprawl of the short novel, and many writers as well as readers find this attractive.”

How long is a novella? Novellas range from 20,000 to 40,000 words. Anything above 50,000 words is considered a short novel. Anything under 20,000 words is considered a novelette. Under 7,000 words is a short story.

Why novellas? Before the advent of digital publishing, novellas were a hard sell because print runs would be very small and profit returns would be slim. In fact, Chuck Sambuchino recommended in a Writer’s Digest article that if you’d written a novella, you should expand it to a novel before pitching to an agent or publisher. And to those who weren’t published yet, Sambuchino said, “My best candid advice is to finish this novella and stick it in a drawer.”

Times have changed. Oh, yes. Now, novellas can be published as e-books and achieve success.

The Benefits

The fact that esteemed publisher Covenant Communication is holding the Story Catcher novella contest is a good indicator that traditional publishers have now included novellas in their publishing lineups.

If you’re unpublished, writing a novella is a great way to learn the craft of fiction with a shorter body of work.

If you’re published, adding novellas to your lineup is a great way to give your readers a shorter work to read and enjoy (and purchase, of course) in between your novel releases.

A novella can be a story about one of your secondary characters—a character who maybe doesn’t need a full novel, yet your readers are asking for more information about that character. Writing a novella is also a great way to test out a new genre. Perhaps you write historical fiction and want to try writing a mystery or contemporary romance. Start with a novella to see how things go.

Novellas are also an excellent way to experiment with writing in a different point of view. For example, maybe all of your works are third-person narrative, and you want to try writing in first person. Or perhaps you’ve written a romance novel in the heroine’s point of view; as a bonus, you could write the same story in novella form from the hero’s point of view.

Your publisher might invite you to contribute to an anthology in order to cross-promote your work with other writers in your genre. You will be given a general theme to write to and will be asked to adhere to a word-count limit. In this way, writing a novella becomes a marketing tool to gain new readers, as well as a way to keep your publishing career relevant with more frequent releases.

How to Write a Novella

How to write a novella? Many novelists struggle with writing a shorter version of their full-length novel. In that same vein, writing a 20,000 word novella compared to a 40,000 word novella requires a different strategy.

Below, I’ve included tips on crafting your novella in a way that will satisfy the reader and help you stick to an appropriate word count. Keep in mind that if your readers are used to full-length books from you, you’ll need to be doubly sure they will be happy with your shorter works as well. You don’t want them throwing your book, or their e-reader, across the room in frustration. Yes, they can pine a little and wish the book was longer because your characters and storytelling are wonderful, but you want the reader to feel a sense of completion and satisfaction at the end of the story.

Your main characters should already know each other. You’ll catch the reader up on their established relationship, but it will save you word count if you’re not starting a relationship from scratch.
You need fewer influential characters—both primary and secondary. You might include the main character’s father or sister, but you won’t have scenes involving all six siblings, two aunts, and a grandmother. Or your detective might interact mostly with his partner, not with the entire police force.
In full-length novels, it’s important to avoid info dumps at all costs and to develop scenes fully. In novellas, you’ll need small info dumps strategically placed so that the story can move forward at a faster pace.
Your story timeline needs to be shorter. Instead of covering months or perhaps a year or more, as you would in your full-length novel, you’ll cover a few weeks in your novella.
Your plot should be simpler than in a novel. This doesn’t mean your story should be one-dimensional. In a mystery, perhaps only the final couple clues need to be found. In a romance, the heroine is at the point in her life that she’s ready to settle down but has to overcome one complication, not five or six. In a fantasy, you’ll create a world that is relatively easy to set up and is streamlined.
Your novella should have only one—or maybe two—viewpoints.
Novellas should have shorter chapters. Crafting 5- to 6-page chapters will move the pacing along much faster than 10- to 12-page chapters will.
You should scale down the conflicts so they can be solved by the main character or through a single circumstance.
You should craft smaller-scale events. In a mystery novella, the murder event should include one person and one incident, instead of a series of murders. In a historical romance, the romance should quickly fit into the plot arc; the hero shouldn’t need to first run off to war for two years. A fantasy should stick to a specific location and shorter timeframe rather than include epic battles or characters going on a year-long quest.
Your novella’s solution needs to be satisfactory. For example, in a historical romance novel, a typical arc might involve the relationship between the hero and heroine developing into confessed love and a possible marriage proposal. In a novella, the relationship might reach its pinnacle at the first kiss, with a promise of more.

Best of luck with your future novellas:

Check out some of Heather B. Moore’s novellas and novels:

Her next book is Deborah: Prophetess of God, coming in September 2019.

Works Cited

Chuck Sambuchino, “How Long Is a Novella? And How Do You Query Agents for Them?,” Writer’s Digest, November 18, 2008, https://www.writersdigest.com/publishing-insights/how-long-is-a-novella-and-how-do-you-query-agents-for-them.

Jack Smith, “The Novella: Stepping Stone to Success or Waste of Time?,” The Writer, October 4, 2017, https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/fiction/novella/.

Advice from the Experts: Ann Acton (Author, Day Care Owner, Wife, Mother)

June 17, 2019 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

By Lessa Harding

If you run a Google search on “how to be a good or successful writer,” you get suggestions like “read,” “write every day,” and “write what you know.” A search for the “characteristics and strengths every writer needs” provides a list of traits that include discipline, imagination, a good grasp of grammar, and a love of words. I recently met a writer who embodies these characteristics. It’s Ann Acton, author of The Miracle Maker and The Vanishing (the latter is set for release this September).

When I met with Ann, I asked her what she thinks her greatest strengths or talents are. I expected her to say something similar to what came up in the Google search results, and while Ann is indeed disciplined, imaginative, and a lover of words, she believes her greatest talent is that she was able to rewrite the poem ’Twas the Night before Christmas. I have to admit to laughing out loud at her answer. Her response was unexpected, but it really set the tone for the whole interview. In fact, rather than calling it an interview, I would prefer to call it a not-coffee date with a soon-to-be best friend.

Over the course of our not-coffee date, I began to see why Ann’s self-identified talent is truly her greatest strength. Ann is real, is down to earth, loves to laugh, and has learned the hard way how to deal with difficult situations. She rewrites her own story every day and makes it fit her world. When her children struggled with learning, she home-schooled them. And when her husband got sick, she turned to writing—even when it required waking up at 5:00 a.m. This difficult time in her life led to her writing The Miracle Maker, which was published by Covenant Communications.

Ann told me that she did not originally want to be a writer—it wasn’t in her story. She hadn’t even entertained the idea until she completed a spur-of-the-moment rendition of ’Twas the Night before Christmas and her husband said, “You know that not everyone can do that, right? I think you are a writer.” A little further down the road, her mentor, Liz Adair, gave her the final push. Ann said, “[Liz] told me I was a writer, and then I was one.” Sometimes it just takes a few gentle nudges for us to recognize our potential. And now for some advice from Ann:

“It has been the best thing for my writing—failing and then learning to not look at it as failing.”
“Sit down and write every day. Write consistently. It doesn’t have to be good, because that is what the delete key is for.”
“Writing is truly just therapy, so just pour it into your writing.”
“I think our strength [as women] comes from [our] softness.”
In speaking of the hard things we go through in life: “Someday, all these things will just be fodder for writing. I [didn’t think] anything good could come out of this part of my life, but now I can see it.”
“Because you are a writer, people will connect with you. People will come up to you and just start spilling their guts. These are dreams people have to be writers, and it is so cool to be a part of that.”
“The hardest part [about being a writer] is constantly failing. Writing is hard. It is subjective, [and] people are not all nice. A lot of writers say it is hard because of the solitude, but not for me. For me it is the constant reading something wonderful and going, ‘Will I ever be that good?’ Having to change that thinking process from ‘I am not good enough’ never goes away, . . . but I can get better. Whatever I put out today is not me. I can become better even if this [work] is a failure.”
“People are so afraid someone is going to tell them they are really not a writer. You don’t need permission. Be gentle with yourself. Enjoy the process, because it is going to be a process.”
“Comparing yourself only causes resentment. Someone else’s success has no effect on yours. Every writer struggles with something, and no journey is easy.”
“Support your friends because their success has no bearing on you.”
“Don’t let anyone have the power to take away your dreams. If there is something you want, why should you let anyone take that away from you?”
“There are times and seasons. You are never going to have extra time, [because] you are going to fill it with something. If you want to be a writer, you have to fill it with writing.”
“Just do something. Even reading a book is working on your writing.”

Ann also shared a tip from Liz:

“Every single writer is working on something. Grammar is the easiest thing to be working on because it can be taught.”

I hope some of this advice Ann shared will give you the gentle nudge you might need to take your own story in a new direction.

Three Marketing Strategies For Your Next Book Launch

March 4, 2019 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

By Michelle McCullough

I launched my first self-published book in 2013. In 2017, it got picked up by a publisher and released in an expanded form. Both times, I treated the launch like I self-published since most publishers don’t do much by the way of marketing these days.

The first time I published a book I took the “If you write it, they will buy it” approach to marketing. I posted a few times on social media, did a couple of podcast interviews, and refreshed my sales page approximately 27 times a day. As you can imagine, it wasn’t a very effective marketing plan.

The second time, I tried a few tricks I’d learned from friends and people smarter than I am. I watched and studied other book launches and dissected what worked. Then I figured out how I could put my own spin on the successful tactics. I could fill a new book with all the things I did, but today I’m going to share three of the most effective strategies with you.

First, I created a free call series the month leading up to the book launch. My web team designed a landing page so people could register for the series and I could collect email addresses. For four weeks, every Wednesday I offered a free one-hour group training call related to different sections of my book. I created a Facebook group so I could hold conversations with everyone between calls, and I offered giveaways for people who were willing to share the call series with their friends. I recorded the calls and made each recording available for seven days, to encourage people to listen close to the air date. Then, I offered all four of the recordings to folks who preordered the book at the end of the series (the recordings were part of a bigger bonus bundle, which I talk about below). Even better, I still have the emails and the Facebook group—two assets that outlasted my book launch.

Second, I reached out to friends and colleagues to contribute videos, audio, and ebooks that I could give away to people who preordered my book—I wanted to make sure online sales were incentivized and appreciated. In the end, I had over $800 in training materials that complimented my book and offered some promotion to the folks who donated. This bonus bundle also encouraged social sharing from friends and followers because it wasn’t just about “buying a book”; it was about getting a ton of value for a super low cost. My web team created a landing page where people entered their email address and receipt information, so once again I expanded my email list. Additionally, the bonus bundle helped me accomplish my main goal: climbing the bestseller charts on Amazon.

Third, and perhaps most important, I reached out to friends and family to be part of my book launch team. Many of them would have supported me anyway, but forming a team gave me a chance to remind people about key marketing launch dates, share artwork for the launch, and have fun with the people who supported me the most. I created a private Facebook group, added branded graphics (book excerpts and quotes, book reviews, etc.) that my team could use, and posted a schedule of key dates so that we could post in windows that capitalized on social media algorithms. I also held giveaways for my team. They received entries for sharing on social media channels, buying the book, and leaving a review. I had a lot of fun with my book launch team

These ideas are perfect for nonfiction book launches, and I’ve seen them used successfully for fiction books too. As you consider these options, ask yourself, “How could I make these work for me?”

Cheering you on during your next book launch!

Michelle McCullough, www.speakmichelle.com

Advice from the Experts: Terry Deighton (Author, Wife, Mother)

March 4, 2019 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

By Lessa Harding

One thing few people know about me is that I have pointed ears. I remember coming home from school crying because the kids in my class teased me about my ears. When I started reading fantasy novels and role playing with my daddy as a teenager, I thought my pointed ears were cool. On occasion, I even used dark eyeshadow to accentuate the pointiness and I styled my hair to draw attention to my ears. Who am I kidding? I did that through my 20s.

I secretly loved my ears, even when I was teased about them as a kid. I was certain I was really an elf princess with auburn hair to match the color of the Redwoods and with green eyes to match the leaves. My ears made me the heroine in many an imaginative story. I was drawn back into this reverie about my ears as I got to know author Terry Deighton.

After speaking with Terry, I can’t help but wonder how many of us have envisioned ourselves as the courageous hero who saves the day and changes the world. The thing about a courageous hero, though, is you can’t be one unless there is conflict or fear that has to be overcome. WWI hero Eddie Rickenbacker said that “courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.”

Terry is a quiet hero who loves reading, crafting, watching television, and talking with her family. Her friend Ann Acton, author of The Miracle Maker, describes Terry as a “grammar goddess,” but Terry describes herself as an introvert who “always wanted to write books that would affect readers the way [she] has been affected by [her own] reading.” Terry also fully admits to having to work to develop the thick skin—and, I would add, the courage—required to send her work into the wide world of publishing. Terry told me that “the hardest thing I’ve had to learn is not to be hurt by criticism. It’s important to let it sit until it doesn’t hurt anymore and then look at it objectively and see how you can revise your writing to make it better.”

Terry is the author of three Christmas novellas and a five-book middle-grade series called Tweaks. Her blog describes her series as having “a dash of science, a splash of humor, and a generous portion of character development.” Having read the books, I fully agree with that description and the 4-star and higher ratings her books have received on Goodreads. I’m pretty sure Terry is one of those amazing heroes who “is doing what [she] is afraid to do.” I hope her advice helps you find the courage you need to be a hero too:

“Try to get an agent, but if that doesn’t happen in a reasonable amount of time, give self-publishing a try. You don’t have to choose one or the other.”
You may wish you could just “write your books, publish them, and send them out on their own. Unfortunately, they just sit if you do that. . . . All authors have to do a lot of marketing, so understanding social media and setting up Amazon ads is important.”
“Write when and where inspiration strikes.”
In terms of balancing family and work, “you have to decide what is most important and organize your time according to those priorities. Give up what isn’t important so you have time for both family and writing.”
“Don’t set arbitrary deadlines for yourself, and don’t compare your output to anyone else’s.”
“Use rejection to fuel the desire to write better, to learn the craft, to find your niche.”
“Above all, don’t give up. [Giving up] won’t make you happy. If you are a writer, you have to write. Write for yourself, and publish when it seems right.”

LDSPMA

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