I was thinking about the progression of an audience from hearing about an author for the first time to becoming a true fan. It looks something like this: 1. Notice People notice your name or books. They hear your name or books mentioned in conversation or in an interview or in something they read online….
The Learning Log
Writing Advice from R. J. Palacio, Author of Wonder
R. J. Palacio, author of the popular book and now movie Wonder, offers two pieces of advice to aspiring writers on her website about page: 1. Write every day. I would sum it up with another precept I wrote down when I was a teenager. It was from The Agony and the Ecstasy: “The most…
Stories > Strategies
When I read books these days, I read to learn what the author has to say but I also pay close attention to how she or he says it. I’m always very curious about how an author chooses to structure the book and the individual chapters. I hope to learn from them and improve my…
Why I Quit Social Media for Email
Today I am making it official: I quit social media. I actually quit more than a month ago. What I mean is: I blocked or avoided the news feeds (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.). I resisted the urge to post “updates” throughout the day. I resisted the urge to post links to articles and videos I…
The Rule of 30,000: How to Evaluate the Market for Your Book Idea (Steve Scott)
How do you know if there is an audience for a book about a topic that you want to write about? After you spend months writing a book, how will you know that there will be readers to buy it? Steve Scott, whose series of habit books consistently put him at the top of the…
