How To Support Your Writer

 


 Contributed by Margot Conor

Yes, I am talking to authors too. We all need to support each other.

It doesn’t matter if you read or write the same genre. Managing to get a book published is a huge accomplishment and it deserves to be celebrated. What I see too often is a lack of willingness to give others the credit and attention they need.

Many authors feel isolated, it is a solitary profession. It is also difficult for them to ask for support, so when they are brave enough to request it, why not do everything they ask?
Let’s go over the why-nots… You think there isn’t enough time. You don’t feel confident or don’t know how and are afraid to ask. You are not tech-savvy. You are afraid of the competition and think that promoting another author will take away from your success.

These are all excuses I have encountered. And while most of them are the result of inexperience the last one is endemic in the creative industries. I tend to follow and support others who have the same attitude that I do, there is enough to go around and we need each other to succeed.
Why and why not?

1. Join their Arc team. You get a free copy of their novel in advance with the promise of writing a review. Please don’t take the free copy and not bother to write a review. Yes, that happens a lot and is rather disheartening.

2. Join their Launch team. This is a group of people who help to advertise the book release by sharing cover art, a blurb, and /or the pre-order form on their social media or newsletters. In some cases, it involves local people who organize physical launch parties or events where the author can talk about their book and get preorders.

3. Get your book club to buy copies of their books, and then invite the author to talk at your meeting.

4. Promote them on your social media. It only takes a moment to like and share a post. If you can leave a comment of congratulations that means more to the author than you can imagine.

5. Author Tube is another place where writers may have a presence. If you are on YouTube, seek them out, watch their videos, “like and subscribe.”

6. Patron sites. I believe Patreon was the first to explore this format. I joined it a year ago, at the same time I signed up on Medium, and SubStack. (I get a lot more engagement on the last two, virtually none on Patreon). Why? Because I don’t have a huge following that I could take with me there. Some authors put all their stories behind a paywall. These are called tiers and they range in price. Joining a tear as a patron gives the author a small monthly donation, and gives the patron access to what they post. But some writers let you join for free, and post articles and stories for anyone to read. My pages on these sites have been free to join. I might put some stories behind a paywall in the future. You may find your favorite authors have a presence on these sites.

7. Subscribe to their newsletter. I suggest this only if you are reading the genre they write or if you know them personally. Authors tend to write a lot about their personal lives in newsletters. Funny things that happen, epiphanies they have, or frustrations and processes that involve their writing journey. They share helpful articles, and short stories, or give you the option to get free books and stories through promotions they take part in.

8. Book reviews are very important for Authors. It gets their books noticed by the algorithms and that means more people see the listing, and that leads to sales. Reviews can be placed on Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub. A review doesn’t have to be long. But leaving a few kind words of support means everything.

9. I am, however, of the opinion that if you don’t have something good to say, don’t bother to leave a review. You are likely not an expert paid by a publisher to give a critical review. Neither are you bound by your sense of honor to save others from suffering. So, if the book didn’t resonate with you, refrain from leaving 1-star reviews that will most definitely hurt them.

10. Never review-bomb another author! It will come back to bite you. If you think you need to make others fail so you can succeed, that will not lead to your success. Eventually, others will find out what you are up to, and well, that will get around. Be nice. Pay it forward. Give more than you take.

Join, Follow, Like, Subscribe… Your support is always appreciated. Even authors who seem to have “made it” suffer from doubt and insecurities and are happy to get a kind word of encouragement. They love to hear what you liked or what you connected with when you read their novel.

Please don’t threaten your favorite authors if they kill off a character you liked or didn’t write what you wanted them to. I never knew this was a thing. But evidently, some authors are hounded with threats and mean letters because they didn’t meet the expectations of their fans.

It’s a story, we are dedicated to entertaining you, but it is our story. We will write what we are inspired to write.

We hope that it will plant some seeds of hope, give you moments of joy, or keep you on the edge of your seat. We want your interest and engagement. We hope to write something you can’t put down until it’s finished. We want to share what we love with you, and we hope you will support us in return.

I am going to be completely honest with you. Until I became focused on publishing, I never thought about any of these things. It certainly never occurred to me to write a review or seek out the author on social media, Goodreads, or AuthorTube. I didn’t know that would be helpful or how needed it was. I assumed the publishers did a lot more for authors than they do. But the truth is, writers are dependent on your support. If you love what they write, let them know.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margot Conor has been writing for as long as she can remember, but it wasn't until the COVID lock-down that she had enough time to dedicate to the craft and bring something to completion. Having finished her first novel, she went through the grueling two-year process of editing. Now she has jumped into the author's world with both feet. Margot's debut multiverse adventure novel, Inverse, is now  available on Amazon.

She's spent the last year attending many writing retreats, seminars, and writers' events. She also listened to presentations specifically on the topic of publishing and book marketing. She will be sharing what she learns with the reader. Learn more about Margot at https://margotconor.com/


Jumpstart Your Signature Product Offerings by Writing a Book

 


Writing a book offers many benefits to professional coaches. You may be surprised to discover how the process of writing a book can help you jumpstart other projects, such as signature product offerings that gain you more business, a wider presence in you industry, and other avenues for helping others.

Writing Stimulates Creativity

Writing is an utterly creative process. Regardless of the endless hours you spend researching and outlining your book, the time you spend in front of the keyboard pounding out chapters is an entirely creative time that actually serves to feed your creative tendencies. These are the times when ideas, plans, and processes for other projects will come to you.

Take a little time to jot a not so you don’t forget about these new ideas, then get back to work on your book. You want to make sure you don’t lose track of these signatures ideas but also that you do not get lost in planning that project rather than completing your book.

Create Mini Classes for Group Coaching Sessions Based on Topics Your Book Covers

Your book offers a straightforward guide your readers can follow to achieve real success. However, diving in deeper to some of the topics your book covers through group coaching and mini classes can help your audience accomplish so much more. Jot down outlines for these classes and group sessions as you are writing those chapters for your book. Your mind is fresh with the details and you can get double rewards for the information you’ve researched.

Consider Developing a Book Series

If not a book series, at least consider creating a workbook series supplemental planners that are based on your book or topics related to your book. That offers you opportunities for greater profitability while helping your audience transition the principles in your book into actions in their lives. The more books, workbooks, planners, and other products you have available, in addition to your book, the more opportunities you have to earn greater profits from your existing audience.

Kick Your Price Point Up a Notch or Two

Books build confidence and trust among your audience. Now that you’ve written a book, it’s time to consider the value of the courses, products, and coaching sessions you offer and reevaluate how much you’re charging for your time.

Books create authority and expertise in the eyes of your followers. Make sure the prices for your new items reflects the added value your time and talent now command.

Also take the time to review existing products for ideas about updates and upgrades that can make them more valuable to audiences and help them command a greater price from consumers.

The more time you spend creating products, reworking existing products, and planning out new products for the future, the easier the writing, planning, and publishing process will become for you. The key is to actually start and see how quickly it all comes together for you.

***


Rebecca Camarena is the Book Coach that helps memoir and business book authors write, publish and market books that grow their brand. As a best-selling author with her co-authored book Out of My Comfort Zone: Stories of Courage, Perseverance and Victory she helped women share their stories of how they got of their fear zone to excel in their business.

Sign up for my FREE 30-minute Author Consultation call so you can start on your book writing journey. Click here www.rebeccacamarena.com/contact/

 

How Dickens Made a Word for Himself and Became Known for “Messiness"

Dickensonian Words for Inspiration


Creative Writing Isn’t for the Faint of Heart

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson


I included a chapter in the third edition of my multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers for the kind of writers who can’t resist making up words, especially if they feel insecure about it. Of course, writers should reassess such “indiscretions,” but knowing a bit about renowned writers who did the same thing helps them feel more comfortable about straying from the usual. I love MSNBC’s motto, “the more we know…” and it benefits by adding  “the more equipped we are to break a rule.”

Take the admired Victorian writer Charles Dickens, famous for his A Christmas Carol (1843) and Oliver Twist (1838). He invented a slew of words by making an adjective like messy into a noun with by adding a suffix. Some adjectives like messy very nearly demand to become a noun and Dickens’ messiness was so successful it can still be found in some of the best dictionaries. 

I think of new words attributed to Dickens as inspirational. They to dare us to proceed when we are so tempted. Here’s a little list of his adaptations—some that caught on and have been used for decades now and some…well, not so much.

§  Comfoozled: Some say Dickens invented this word, some prefer to call it a coined word. He used it in one of his Pickwick Papers which appears to mean “a horrid state of love,” and “done over with.” Popular or not, I put in in a class with Lewis Carroll’s poem “Jabberwockey.” A word doesn’t have to live long to be a lot of fun.

§  Sassigassity: Dickens said it means “audacity with attitude.” That makes it a superlative for audacity; you know, very sassy or very audacious. Perhaps it didn’t catch on because writers’ seem to have a natural aversion to redundancy. Today Dickens experiment might serve as an example of how we writers might evaluate our own creative efforts. In this case it did double duty for something we’re already uncomfortable with.

§  Whizz-bang met with greater success. Dickens used it to as a noun for the sound of gunshot. His word became popular during WWII to mean a small-caliber shell and it might have been adapted through the decades to describe a vigorous or smart person, but that theory might not be easily verified.

§  Jog-trotty: Apparently Dickens wasn’t thinking of jog-trot, a term used for the slow trot used by some breeds of horses. He seemed to equate it with it with something dull in his Bleak House (1852). That one, too, hasn’t found popularity.

 

Here are a few of Dickens’ words that have happily survived:

§  Sawbones is still occasionally used to refer to a surgeon. I suspect its tinge of humor has helped is longevity.

§   Mildewy was so useful Dickens used it twice—one in The Pickwick Papers and again in A Tale of Two Cities (1859).

§  Soupy, bulgy, swishy ,waxy, and trembly are all examples of how easy it is to add a suffix to most any word. Using that technique probably won’t add points in a game of Scrabble, but if your inventions are disputed because they don’t show up in dictionaries, you can try the old defense, “If it’s good enough for Dickens, it’s good enough for Scrabble.

I’ll be counting on your sassigassity to come up with some words of your own and maybe new techniques for the process. I’ll need new material for that chapter in The Frugal Editor I mentioned. It’s a favorite among poets and authors of children’s lit. You new words could be my excuse to pitch its fourth edition…and make your new word famous. Ahem!

---

MORE ABOUT TODAY’S BLOGGER

 



Carolyn Howard-Johnson brings her experience as a publicist, journalist, marketer, and retailer to the advice she gives in her HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers and the many classes she taught for nearly a decade as instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program. All her books for writers are multi award winners including the first edition of 
The Frugal Book Promoter published in 2003 now updated and published in its third edition. Her The Frugal Editoralso now in its third edition, won awards from USA Book News, Readers’ Views Literary Award, the marketing award from Next Generation Indie Books and others including the coveted Irwin award and includes an almost-new chapter for poets and other creatives who like making up their own words.

Howard-Johnson is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, and her community’s Character and Ethics award for her work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was also named to Pasadena Weekly’s list of “Fourteen San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen” and was given her community’s Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts.

Writing for Children? 3 Things to Avoid

 

Contributed by Karen Cioffi

It seems there are still new children’s authors or wannabe authors who don’t take the time to learn how to write for children… at least to learn the basics.

The absolute must-nots when writing for children:

The Picture Book Cliffhanger

A recent client of mine was for a picture book rewrite project with the ending missing, so there was a bit of ghosting involved. The intended age group was four to eight.

I rewrote the story and added a ‘satisfying’ ending with a takeaway only to learn the client wanted it to be a cliffhanger and didn’t want a takeaway.

Well, kind of a cliffhanger. The client wanted the ending missing.

No loose ends tied up. No satisfying ending. No full character arc. No full story arc.

This client scenario was a first for me.

Not wanting a takeaway is one thing, but not wanting a satisfying ending for a young children’s book doesn’t make sense.

The story was to leave the reader to guess what the author had in mind for the ending or create their own.

The author’s intent was to create a series of cliffhangers motivating the reader to get the next picture book.

I tried my best to help the client understand that a young children’s book needs all the elements of a ‘good’ story, especially when seeking a traditional publishing contract.

I understand that in self-publishing a lot of new authors do whatever they want (even though they should produce a quality book), but it’s a different ball game when going the traditional route.

The Perfect Story World

I don’t get too many of these types of authors, but it came up in another recent project.

This scenario is when the author doesn’t want any significant conflict in the story. No real stakes involved.

-No swarm of bees to block a path the protagonist must get through.
-No ferocious fire-breathing dragon blocking the entrance to a cave the protagonist must get into.
-No dangling from a cliff before being rescued.

The author also doesn’t want the characters, even the villain, to have any bad traits.

-No evil Professor Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis).
-No evil Joker or the Penguin (Batman’s nemesis).
-No evil Lex Luthor (Superman’s nemesis).

This type of story is sugar-coated.

Instead of a roller coaster that goes up and down, where the rider has to hold on tight, this type of story is the stationary horse on the carousel, no holding on needed, no real movement involved.

You always want your story to be the one the reader is motivated to hold onto, motivated to turn the pages. You want your story to go up and down and around.

Hitting the Reader Over the Head

Most of my clients have a specific goal for their story. They want to send a message to a child. They know exactly what they want the takeaway to be.

A number of stories have the bullying theme, but interestingly, that’s eased off. Now I get more requests for inclusion, standing up for yourself, and being kind themes.

Some new authors think they have to hit the reader over the head with their message. They blatantly want to tell the reader how the main character grew because he was kind, stood up for himself, or included someone different in her group.

Hitting the reader over the head with the story’s message is frowned upon. The story should convey the message subtly. The reader will pick up on it.

I hope these three absolute must-nots in kid’s writing help you on your children’s writing journey.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

 

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, working ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach. If you need help with your story, visit Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi.

Karen also offers authors:

HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S FICTION BOOK
A DIY book to help you write your own children’s book.

WRITERS ON THE MOVE SELF-PUBLISHING SERVICE
Self-publishing help for children’s authors.






Weave Hidden Messages into Your Stories

An early sketch of
Thistletoe the Packrat,
by Nancy Batra


By Linda Wilson   @LinWilsonauthor

The theme(s) in your story needs to be subtle and not stand out; the main theme is what your story is really about. It’s not the characters, plot or even what happens in the story, but the universal idea that runs throughout. Theme works best when readers discover it on their own. Theme is linked to whatever your main character values most. 

Examples of themes in stories include:

  • Friendship: What it means to have a friend and be a friend.
  • Responsibility: Owning up to one’s actions.
  • Overcoming fear: How to face challenges with integrity and courage.

Hidden Messages 

In my stories, in addition to the themes, are messages that I’ve strived to cloak in fun and interesting ways. It all begins with my overall message, “Stories from the Great Outdoors,” which is prominently spelled out on my marketing materials. And yet, children might not realize that each story involves activities that the characters enjoy out in nature— swimming, hiking, running, bird watching, feeding ducks, horseback riding, and bicycle riding—because these "messages" are hidden in plain sight.

Here are examples of some of my hidden-in-plain-sight messages, beginning with the Abi Wunder chapter book series:

  • The ghost in the story is a beekeeper; his interest in collecting honey a reminder of the importance of bees. The story takes places in the country, an experience not available to a lot of children, which might encourage readers to appreciate country living. A sheriff relays the message that police officers have authority, but are friendly and helpful. (The chapter book, Secret in the Stars: An Abi Wunder Mystery, Book 1)
  • A country living setting is explored more in this book. Abi lives in a town about two hours away in an apartment. A family Bible from the 1800s is part of the story in Mist, regarding the family record kept in it. The ghost comes from the 1800s, so her dress and background are explored. (Secret in the Mist: An Abi Wunder Mystery, Book 2
  • Apartment living and the love of grandparents will be integral parts of the story. (Secrets of the Heart: An Abi Wunder Mystery, Book 3),  currently a work-in-progress.

And in four picture books:

  • The story introduces readers to packrats, what they’re like and what their habits are; with information in the backmatter about the Southwest. (A Packrat’s Holiday: Thistletoe’s Gift)
  • A story about a 4-H horse show, with information about 4-H and how to join the organization. (Tall Boots)
  • A story about the discovery of a bird’s nest, which includes ideas about how readers can become birdwatchers. (Cradle in the Wild)
  • The story shows that ducks need to live in a healthy habitat. Readers are encouraged to feed water fowl nutritious food, rather than bread. (Waddles the Duck: Hey, Wait for Me!)

Pairing hidden messages with the themes in your stories such as these has the potential to provide readers with the motivation to go out and ride a horse, start a backyard bird sanctuary, or simply enjoy various characters’ positive life experiences so much that they’ll strive to make them their own.

Source: https://www.writeacademy.com/blog/thinking-about-theme/ 

Talls Boots and
Cradle in the Wild
are now available in Spanish
https://www.amazon.com/author/
lindawilsonchildrensauthor/

Linda Wilson is the author of the Abi Wunder Mystery series and other books for children. Her two new releases are Cradle in the Wild: A Book for Nature Loves Everywhere (2023), Botas Altas (2024), the Spanish version of Tall Boots, translated by Graciela Moreno and Adriana Botero, and Cuna en la Naturaleza (2025), translated by Adriana Botero. You’ll find Linda on her Amazon author page, on her website at LindaWilsonAuthor.com, and on Facebook.

Make Your Writing Plan for the First Quarter of 2025

 by Suzanne Lieurance


If you’re a writer, planning your first quarter can set the tone for an entire year of creativity and productivity. 

 

A solid plan gives you clarity, focus, and something to aim for as you turn your writing dreams into realities. 

 

Here’s how you can map out a winning Q1 plan that keeps you moving forward.

 

Step 1. Start with Your Big Picture Vision.

 

What do you want your writing life to look like by the end of 2025? 

 

Maybe it’s finishing a novel, landing a book deal, building an engaged audience, or launching a freelance writing business. 

 

Get specific about your goals and write them down. 

 

Then, ask yourself: what’s one milestone I can realistically hit by the end of March that moves me closer to that vision? 

 

This will be your north star for Q1.

 

Step 2. Break It Down into Quarterly Goals.

 

Take that big milestone and break it into smaller, manageable goals. 

 

Let’s say your Q1 focus is completing the first draft of your novel. 

 

Break that into goals like:

 

- Outlining your story in January.

 

- Writing 30,000 words in February.

 

- Finishing the draft by the end of March.

 

Keep your goals focused and measurable. 

 

The clearer your goals, the easier it is to stay on track.

 

Step 3. Schedule Writing Time Like a Pro.

 

Great intentions won’t get you anywhere without consistent action. 

 

Look at your calendar for January through March and block out dedicated writing time. 

 

Be realistic—whether it’s 20 minutes a day, three focused hours on the weekend, or daily sprints, commit to a schedule that fits your life. 

 

Treat this time like an unbreakable appointment with your future self.

 

Step 4. Create Systems to Stay Consistent.

 

Life happens, and distractions are everywhere. 

 

Set up systems that help you stick to your plan. 

 

This could mean:

 

- Using a habit tracker to log daily writing progress.

 

- Joining a writing accountability group.

 

- Setting weekly goals and rewarding yourself for hitting them.

 

The key is consistency—not perfection.

 

Step 5. Incorporate Flexibility for the Unexpected.

 

Even the best plans need room to breathe. 

 

Build flexibility into your Q1 strategy by setting buffer time in your schedule. 

 

For instance, plan to finish your draft by mid-March instead of the very last day, so you’re not scrambling if something unexpected comes up.

 

Step 6. Focus on Progress, Not Perfection.

 

The goal for Q1 isn’t to write the perfect draft or flawlessly execute every task. 

 

It’s to make progress. 

 

Each word you write, each goal you hit, gets you closer to your bigger dream. 

 

Celebrate small wins along the way—they’ll fuel your momentum.

 

Step 7. Reflect and Adjust at the End of Each Month.

 

At the end of January and February, take some time to reflect. 

 

What worked? 

 

What didn’t? 

 

Adjust your plan as needed. 

 

This ensures you’re not just blindly following a schedule but actively refining your process to get better results.

 

Step 8. Keep Inspired Action at the Core.

 

Your Q1 plan should excite you. 

 

Focus on actions that feel meaningful and energize your creativity. 

 

When you take inspired action—writing from a place of joy and purpose—you’ll find the process as rewarding as the outcomes.

 

A strong Q1 plan is more than a to-do list; it’s your roadmap to writing success. 

 

By setting clear goals, creating systems, and staying flexible, you’ll build momentum that carries you through the rest of 2025. 

 

Start now, and when April rolls around, you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come. 


Try it!

 


And for more tips and resources for writers, visit writebythesea.com and sign up for The Morning Nudge (it's free).


Suzanne Lieurance is the author of more than 40 published books and Law of Attraction coach for writers.

How To Support Your Writer

    Contributed by Margot Conor Yes, I am talking to authors too. We all need to support each other. It doesn’t matter if you read or write ...