Indie Way

Take a Moment to Enjoy the View

December 22, 2018 By Erika Liodice 5 Comments

In July, my husband and I had the opportunity to hike Mount Rainier in Washington state. At 14,411 feet, Mount Rainier makes our local Pocono Mountains look like anthills. Though our goal was not to reach the summit (because you need extensive training, special gear, permits, and serious survival skills), we challenged ourselves to hike the Skyline Trail up to Panorama Point, a scenic vista halfway up the mountain.

The morning of our hike, we woke to fog so dense we couldn’t see past our fingertips. We considered postponing, but the spirit of our fellow hikers motivated us to continue. We set out, tackling the 1,700-foot ascent one step at a time. An hour passed, yet the fog didn’t relent. The wildflowers at our feet hinted at beautiful meadows beyond the thick wall of white. Two more hours passed, and suddenly our boots were crunching through snow, the only proof we were making any progress.

By the time we reached Panorama Point, the thick white veil was beginning to lift, revealing a staggering view of the peaks of Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams, and other neighboring giants. As my eyes followed the trail back down the mountain, I was amazed to see how far we’d traveled and proud of what we’d achieved.

My own writing and publishing journey has been a lot like that hike up Mount Rainier. I tend to get so focused on my goals and the tasks at hand that it clouds my vision, and I forget to look up and appreciate all the progress I’ve made. The problem with this mentality is that it can trick you into believing you’re not getting anywhere because there’s always another item on the list. More challenges to overcome. A new mountain to climb. Ultimately it can cause you to burn out.

So, before you start planning your goals for 2019, I encourage you to take a moment, here at the end of 2018, to look back over the past twelve months and acknowledge how far you’ve come.

Begin at the beginning.

Do you remember where you were in your writing and publishing journey at this time last year? What project(s) were you working on last December? What dreams were alive in your heart? It’s easy to forget the little accomplishments that move us towards our big goals. But as my dad once said, “It’s important to celebrate life’s little achievements because the big ones are few and far between.”

If last year is a distant memory, take a quick stroll through your computer files and sort them by date to zero in on the documents you were modifying at the end of last year. Open them and reread your work. Take some time to appreciate the brainstorming and development that went into your creation. If you keep a writing journal or idea notebook, flip back in time to see what ideas had captured your imagination. Revisit the last twelve months in your calendar to recall the activities that led you here today.

I recently did this exercise, and I realized that at this time last year I was venturing into an unknown world. By writing High Flyers: Rookie of the Year, I was stepping away from women’s fiction and entering a new (to me) genre, children’s literature. This decision came with new challenges, like learning how to work with an illustrator, produce an illustrated chapter book series, and reach young readers. At this time last year, I was nervous and full of self-doubt. Today, a year later, I’m on sturdier footing. My illustrator and I have found our flow. I have a better understanding of the production challenges involved in publishing books with illustrations. I’ve experimented with different marketing tactics and have a clearer sense of where my time and money are best spent. This month, I published the second book in the High Flyers series, Pigeon Poacher Strikes Again, and the nervous self-doubt has been replaced by excitement and joy.

What project(s) were you working on at the end of last year? Where do they stand today? What obstacles did you have to overcome to get here?

Acknowledge your growth.

It’s been said that if you’re not growing, you’re dying. Having experienced several periods of stagnation throughout my life, I can attest that I feel more alive and engaged when I’m learning new things and expanding my skills and abilities. But growth can be a tricky business. As desirable as growing may be, it still requires us to do the hard work of leaving our comfort zones. Of trying and failing, and trying again. Of opening our minds to different perspectives and new ideas. Of facing rejection. Growth takes intestinal fortitude. At the very least, it deserves a moment of recognition and respect. So, I ask you to think back over the past year and take stock of all the ways in which you’ve grown. What did you try in 2018? What did you learn? [Read more…]

7 Tips for Avoiding Publisher’s Remorse

June 23, 2018 By Erika Liodice 12 Comments

Every now and then, we all have those unfortunate “What was I thinking?” moments. Mine usually come when looking at photographs of myself from the ’80s when I rocked a hairstyle called “the flower.”

Unlike a bad hairstyle that eventually grows out, a poorly produced book can haunt you for the rest of your author life. Today we’re going to talk about common mistakes indie publishers make, so you never have a “What was I thinking?” moment again … well, at least in terms of your books.

To-Don’t List:

1. Serve a half-baked story.

As an indie, you don’t have an agent who tells it like it is or an editorial team poring over your manuscript hunting for problems and mistakes. These responsibilities lie with you. Don’t let the excitement of publication blind you to potential quality issues. Being independent doesn’t mean you to have to go it alone. Create your own editorial team to provide feedback throughout the writing and editing process. This group might include a writing partner, critique group, beta readers, and/or a developmental editor who can help you identify and fix story problems long before your book reaches readers.

2. Skip proofing.

There’s no better way to irritate readers and embarrass yourself than to publish a book full of typos. This is often the result when we try to edit our own work. Our brains are wired to know what we meant to say, so they automatically correct typos and fix errors, allowing us to gloss right over them. Hiring a professional proofreader should be a standard best practice before going to press. Proofreaders not only offer a fresh set of eyes for catching errors but also are masterful at tightening clunky sentences and putting the final polish on your prose. Skipping this step might save you money, but it can end up costing you far more in reputation.

[Read more…]

How to Find Unique Speaking Opportunities to Promote Your Novel

February 24, 2018 By Erika Liodice

If the title of this post makes your palms sweat, you’re not alone. Public speaking is often cited as people’s top fear, even over death. But if you calm your racing heart long enough to open your mind, you’ll see a world of opportunity awaiting writers who are willing to step out from behind their computer screens and speak about their work.

Have you ever seen an artist perform live only to discover a newfound respect for that person and a heightened sense of admiration for their work? When an author delivers a well-crafted speech to the right audience, it can have a similar effect on potential readers. Hearing you speak not only helps readers connect your face and personality to the name on your book cover but also gives them the opportunity to behold your passion for your novel’s subject matter, which can translate to book sales, valuable word-of-mouth marketing, and a following of super fans clamoring for your next book.

So, where does one find such speaking opportunities? And how do you compete against the pros who have been doing this for years? Opportunities abound when you seek out targeted speaking engagements with specific audiences that are most likely to connect with you, your message, and your novel. Today, I share how to find those unique speaking opportunities and what to do once you have.

Step 1: Determine who you want to reach.

To reach the right people with the right message, you need to know exactly who you’re targeting. Obviously, you want to speak to audiences full of potential readers and book buyers. Depending on your book, the reader and buyer may be the same person, or they may be different people. For example, my new children’s book, High Flyers: Rookie of the Year, is for readers ages 7-10, but buyers are likely to be parents, relatives, teachers, and librarians. Just as you might create profiles for your characters, similar summaries can help you clarify who your audience is and understand their behavior patterns, which is invaluable when determining where to find them and what to say once you do.

When creating an audience profile, consider not only demographics (“who” you’re trying to reach) but also psychographics (“why” they buy) and geographics (“where” to find them). Be as specific as possible; the narrower the definition, the easier it is to find the right speaking opportunities. The list below will get you started, but feel free to add characteristics that are relevant to your particular audience(s).

Demographics:

Gender
Age
Occupation
Income
Education level

Psychographics:

Attitudes
Beliefs
Habits

Geographics:

Country
Region
State
City
Neighborhood
Community

If your novel has more than one target audience, create a separate profile for each segment, because they’ll likely have unique traits that influence their behaviors.

Step 2: Identify your “sweet spot.”

With the aid of online resources and the proliferation of online groups and communities, finding speaking opportunities has never been easier. Once you’ve determined who you want to talk to, you can use clues from the profiles you’ve developed to find the intersection between your target audience’s interests and your novel’s subject matter. I think of this as the “sweet spot” because the speaking opportunities tend to be more plentiful and the competition less intense than with more-generalized prospects. [Read more…]