I respect your privacy and will not rent, share or sell your personal information.

Archives for January 2017

2017 Indie Author Day Gears Up

By 2 Comments

My table at the 2016 Indie Author Day October 8, 2016 Anaheim Main Library, Anaheim, CA

 

 

Thanks to my friend Melissa Guzzetta, author of Private Lucky,​ for notifying me of the Indie Author Day webinar , Evidence for Indies, presented on Tuesday, January 31, 2017. Somehow I missed seeing the announcement, but thankfully I jumped on just as it was starting.

The panel of four was made up of the following:

  • Kiera Parrott, reviews director for ​School Library Journal and ​Library Journal and a former children’s librarian
  • Carla Sarratt, Virtual Services Librarian with New Hanover County Public Library
  • Carl Pritzkat, president of ​BookLife.com​, Publishers Weekly’s website dedicated to indie authors
  • K. S. Brooks, an award-winning author and photographer administrator for the superblog IndiesUnlimited.com and member of the Indie Author Day advisory boardRead more about the panel from their biographies on the pdf EvidenceforIndiesWebinar-Bios

The second annual Indie Author Day has been set for Saturday, October 14, 2017, and a few libraries are already making plans.  The organizers plan to have other webinars and encourage libraries to host events throughout the year to help indie authors learn and follow best practices for indie publishing.

While they confessed that libraries have been not always been open to self-published books, the attitude has changed as indie authors are becoming more professional. It also helps that highly successful best-selling indie authors such as Hugh Howell and JA Konrath  have freely shared their journeys and advocated for authors. Check out their websites of these two successful authors for loads of encouragement and guidance.

The speakers encouraged indie authors to approach your local library, but be sure you’re talking to the decision maker. They reminded us that a library’s decision to invest in a book are based on many things, but they strongly rely on reviews from respected third party sources.

I’m not sure the Evidence for Indies webinar was recorded, but they provided a download of the slideshow. Download it here Evidence for Indies Slideshow

Visit http://indieauthorday.com/ to learn more about what’s shaping up for 2017. They will need our support and involvement, so please offer your ideas as they request on the site, and by all means, approach your local library to encourage them to participate.

In the meantime, read the post below to see what authors from last year’s Indie Author Day had to say about their participation.

Indie Authors Have More to Love at the Library: Transformation

Filed Under: indie author day, indie authors, self-publishing Tagged With: , ,

Five Unique Alternatives to Making New Year’s Resolutions [Revisited]

By 8 Comments

Making promises at the start of the year to improve ourselves has a long and colorful history dating back 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. They were typically reaffirming loyalty to the reigning king or promising to pay debts or return borrowed items.

In spite of the fact that most of us are unable to keep our resolutions, we can’t seem to resist making them when a new year holds the promise of a new start. Perhaps taking a different approach will help us be more successful. Here are five unique alternatives to making New Year’s resolutions.

 

Do One Big Thing Each Day

Making to-do lists, completing planners, and setting priorties aren’t new, but Nick Burka a developer based in Montréal, Canada made this app for himself that simplifies this process. It’s free. Since I tend to spread myself too thin trying to do too much in a day, this approach appealed to me. You can do other smaller things, of course, but your main daily goal is just one thing. If you insist on themes and stickers, you can upgrade to a paid version.  What kind of developer would he be if he didn’t give you that option?

[divider style=”1″]

Create a Want List

Jennifer Mattern says ask yourself what you really want for your life, what will make you happy. Then write it all down. Avoid setting deadlines or creating SMART GOALS that may begin to feel like putting pressure on yourself. The things on your want list are not time-sensitive. Some may take more than a day or a year to achieve.  You can do tiny things to move toward your wants, but you also can change your mind when you discover that you don’t REALLY want an item anymore.

[divider style=”1″]

 

Take a Trip of a Lifetime

Suzy Strutner, Associate Lifestyle Editor, The Huffington Post lists 12 types of trips you should take in your lifetime. Forget about setting loads of resolutions, and take one amazing trip instead. As much as I travel, I discovered I’ve only taken four of the types she recommends. How about you? Check out her list and share in Speak Your Mind which of these you’ve taken.

[divider style=”1″]

 

Set an Intention with One Word

Zoe Saldana and her sisters explain in the video below

 

[divider style=”1″]

Make a Commitment to Someone Other Than Yourself

 

Who says resolutions have to be about fixing what you see as wrong with yourself or going after achievements. Instead, how about donating time to a cause you care about. Or visiting a friend or relative who can no longer get around as they once did. Or supporting a fellow author or entrepreneur at  book signing or other event. These commitments do not have to be long-term or forced. Last year I committed to spend the day with an 80 year old friend once each month of the summer. I also attended book signings to support fellow authors, helped set up an auction for one of my favorite charities, and volunteered as a mentor at my alma mater.

Give your presence. It means a lot.

[This article was originally published in 2017, but since the ideas in it are still worth doing, I’m sharing it again.]

 

Tell us in Speak Your Mind which idea resonates with you or suggest another alternative to making New Year’s resolutions.

 

Filed Under: self-publishing