My $5,000 Publishing Nightmare

When I was a young writer in my 20s, I had just finished a children’s book. Eager to see it in print, I submitted it to a publishing company. To my delight, they responded enthusiastically: “We’d love to publish your book! It’s wonderful!” The only catch? They required me to “share in the investment.”

That should have been a red flag, but I was naive and unaware of the publishing industry’s darker corners. I did my due diligence—or so I thought. I researched the company, and everything looked legitimate. I even traveled to their headquarters, met the staff, and shook hands with the CEO.

Confident I was in good hands, I took the leap. Five-thousand dollars later, I believed I was on my way to becoming a published author.

Six months passed, and the updates stopped. My emails went unanswered. Phone calls were ignored. Eventually, I learned the awful truth: the CEO had taken all the authors’ money and fled the country. Lawyers tried to track him down, but he was never found.

I lost my $5,000. And I had no book to show for it.

The Scams Are Worse Today

Thirty years later, I’d love to say things have improved, but they haven’t. If anything, scams have become more sophisticated and widespread.

I receive frequent calls from supposed representatives claiming they want to turn my book into a movie or help me market it. When I research their companies, they don’t exist.

Recently, a subscriber to my website emailed me about a publishing offer she received: $17,000 to publish her book.

No. No. No. I urged her to think twice…and then three times…before signing that deal!

Understanding Publishing Models: Traditional, Vanity, Hybrid, and Publishing Services

In today’s publishing landscape, authors must remain vigilant against scammers who know how to exploit a writer’s aspirations.

First, it helps to understand just who the legit players are.

Traditional Publishing

First, there’s traditional publishing. You submit your manuscript to a publishing house, where the editors or their assistants review it. If the publisher chooses to invest in your story, they will cover all the costs associated with editing, cover design, printing, and distribution.

As the author, you do not pay to publish your book. Instead, you sign a contract giving the publisher certain rights in exchange for royalties. (Always review your contract with an intellectual property lawyer before signing it.) Traditional publishing is highly competitive, and acceptance rates are low.

Vanity Publishers

Vanity publishers are the worst of the bunch and the type you should avoid! They charge you a hefty upfront fee to publish your book, often without quality editorial services or marketing support. They get to enjoy the profits whether the book sells or not, and you may have difficulty retaining rights to your work.

How can you tell if you’re dealing with a vanity publisher? First, they accept all submissions as long as you’re willing to pay. Second, they charge large sums of money without detailing where that money is going. My writing friend who was offered the $17,000 publishing “deal” was dealing with a vanity publisher.

Next, they offer no real advantage in terms of distribution. They will “say” they distribute to bookstores, but double-check. Often, they just list the books on Amazon and call it good. They may also be unclear about how they handle royalties, taking a large percentage themselves or creating vague payment structures. Some will even require you to purchase a minimum quantity of books before receiving royalty payments and then may delay sending those payments.

Finally, most vanity presses do not have a good reputation in the publishing industry. Check the Writer Beware website and other online sources (Google “company name” and “scam”) to find out what people are saying about any company you’re considering working with.

Hybrid Publishing

Hybrid publishing serves as a middle ground between traditional and self-publishing. A reputable hybrid publisher will vet submissions, provide professional services (editing, cover design, marketing), and share risks and profits with the author.

The key word here: share!

That means they will take on some if not most of the costs. They may pay for production expenses, like cover design, formatting, or distribution. They may offer editing services for free. As the author, you may take on any expenses the publisher doesn’t cover.

A key difference between a hybrid publisher and a vanity press is that a hybrid publisher has a financial stake in the book’s success. They are paying at least some of the cost, but you may pay for some too. In turn, the publisher may offer higher royalties and a shorter publishing term, after which the rights will revert back to you.

The danger here is that a publisher may present themselves as a hybrid publisher when they are really a vanity publisher. Watch for these key factors to evaluate whether they are legitimate:

• They Have a Vetting Process: A reputable hybrid publisher does not accept every manuscript. They are selective and look for quality books that they can help succeed.
• They Offer Clear and Transparent Services: The publisher should provide a detailed contract listing all their services (editing, design, marketing, distribution) and a transparent pricing structure. They should also be clear about what they are investing in your book.
• They Have a Proven Track Record: Check their website for a list of published books and find out how well they are doing. Then, contact some of their authors to ask about their experiences.
• They Do Not Make Unrealistic Promises: If they guarantee bestseller status, movie deals, or instant bookstore placement, it’s a scam. Real publishers do not guarantee success.
• They Share Royalties with You: Unlike vanity publishers, reputable hybrid publishers invest in your book and often take a portion of the royalties rather than just charging fees upfront.
• They Have a Strong Reputation in the Industry: Look for third-party reviews from sources like the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) or Writer Beware. If they have a history of complaints, be cautious.

Always do your research, and be sure you want to be associated with this publisher for the next several years.

Publishing Services

Finally, we have companies that offer straightforward publishing services. You can choose to pay for editing, cover design, formatting, and/or distribution, as your needs demand, but you retain ownership of your book—the publisher does not gain the rights.

Unlike vanity publishers or hybrid publishers, publishing service providers simply offer whatever services you need while allowing you to maintain complete control over your work. This can be a good option for authors who want professional help while remaining independent.

Five Signs a Publisher is Trying to Scam You

No matter what kind of publisher you’re thinking of working with—traditional, hybrid, or other—before you sign any publishing contract, watch for these warning signs.

1. They Have a Shoddy or Nonexistent Website

Always research a publisher’s website and social media. A reputable publisher will have:

• A professional website with clear details about their books and services.
• Active social media accounts featuring their authors.
• Real book listings with links to major retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Scam companies often have poorly designed, one-page websites that lack clear details about their authors or books. If a website looks hastily thrown together, be wary.

2. They Ask for Large Sums of Money Upfront

Traditional publishers never charge authors to publish. Legitimate hybrid publishers and publishing services companies will charge fees but provide quality services in return. If a company is asking for a lot of money upfront and it isn’t clear what you’re paying for, it’s likely a scam.

3. They Make Grand Promises

Scammers know what authors want to hear. They’ll say things like:

• “We guarantee you’ll be a bestseller!”
• “We’ll get your book into all major bookstores!”
• “We have a rigorous selection process, and we’ve chosen YOU!”

Real traditional publishers do not charge for selection. If you’re paying, you’re not working with a traditional publisher. You “may” be working with a hybrid publisher, but again, be cautious. Scammers love to “say” they’ve chosen you and then turn around and charge exorbitant amounts to publish your book because they are making no investment themselves.

Also, anyone can get their book distributed to major bookstores—this doesn’t mean those bookstores will actually stock it.

4. They Pressure You to Sign Quickly

Real publishers give you time to review your contract. They understand that you will likely hire a lawyer, review the terms, and potentially ask for revisions.

Scam publishers rush you: “Sign now! Limited spots available!” If you feel pressured, walk away.

5. No Credible Authors Work with Them

This one step has saved me a lot of heartache. I’ve done it before signing every publishing contract I’ve signed.

Contact at least three authors published by that company. Ask them about their experiences. If you hear about late royalty payments, bad communication, or legal battles, that’s a massive red flag. This happened to me once, so I ripped up that contract and never looked back.

When I followed this step with the traditional publishers I ended up signing with, I received glowing recommendations.

Authors help each other, so don’t be afraid to reach out.

Final Thought: Do Your Research

No matter which publishing path you take, always research your options. If a company asks for money, look them up, ask other authors, and be skeptical of big promises.

(NOTE: If you’re thinking about it but haven’t self-published before, check out my Self-Publishing Success Plan for a straightforward checklist to help you stay organized and ensure you don’t miss any key steps as you prepare to publish your book.)

Check this post out if you’re trying to choose between traditional and self-publishing.

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post Before You Pay Thousands to Publish Your Book, Read This appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

I’d always heard that landing a Bookbub deal could really help with marketing your book.

I’d tried a couple of times before with no luck. But recently, I submitted my historical fantasy, The Curse of King Midas, and was selected for a BookBub Featured Deal.

But there was a catch—it wasn’t for the U.S. market. My deal was for international readers only.

When I realized that, I wasn’t so sure about moving forward. I did some research and then decided to go for it.

In this article, I’ll discuss my experience, share my results, and tell you whether it was worth it.

How Much Does a BookBub Featured Deal Cost?

Cost is one of the biggest factors in deciding whether to apply for a BookBub deal. Prices vary depending on several factors:

• Your book’s genre
• The price of your book during the promotion
• Whether your deal includes the U.S. or is international only

For my deal, I promoted a fantasy novel at $0.99 (the second-lowest pricing tier available, after “free”). My international-only deal (which included the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia) cost $196.

The price would have been significantly higher if I had been selected to include the U.S. Since this was my first experience with Bookbub’s featured deals, I was kind of glad to have been chosen for international only. It gave me a chance to see what the deal would do for me without spending as much as a U.S. deal would cost.

The trade-off between price and royalties is important to consider. A lower-priced book will sell more copies but yield lower earnings per sale. (At 99 cents per book, I earned only about 30 cents per copy, for example.) Plus, the Bookbub featured deal costs less.

A higher-priced book (you can go up to $4.99) means fewer sales but greater royalties per copy. It also means a higher price for the Bookbub deal, though. (You can find the prices here.)

I’ve also heard that you have a better chance of being selected for a Bookbub deal as an indie author if you price your book on the lower end of the spectrum.

I opted for the $0.99 price point because my primary goal was to increase readership rather than maximize immediate earnings—and I wanted to improve my chances of being accepted for the deal.

What Was My Goal with This Bookbub Featured Deal?

My main objective was to introduce more readers to The Midas Legacy series before the release of Book II in June (2025). I wanted to get my book into as many hands as possible so new readers could discover the series. I was hoping to earn some of my money back, but I wasn’t overly concerned with breaking even or turning a profit from this deal alone.

Results from My BookBub
Featured Deal

BookBub estimates that a deal like mine (in the fantasy genre) could result in between 10 and 2,250 copies sold. Thankfully, I sold more than ten! Considering my book remains relatively unknown to the general fantasy audience, I feel pretty good about the results.

My BookBub email went out on February 12th, and by the end of the next day (February 13th), here were my total sales:

• 124 copies sold (all ebook)
• Amazon: 102 copies
• Draft2Digital: 22 copies
• Total royalties earned: $46.93
  • Amazon: $36.40
  • Draft2Digital: $10.53

By the end of the day on February 15th, I had sold 50 copies total on Draft2Digital (all international buyers), bringing my Draft2Digital earnings up to $23.24. Additionally, I sold eight more copies on Amazon (not counting U.S. sales), adding roughly $2.40 to my total Amazon royalties (I’m not sure how the exchange rates may affect this).

Updated Totals:

• Total books sold (excluding U.S.): 160 copies
• Total royalties earned: $62.04

(A few more sales trickled in later on that I didn’t include here.)

Since this was an international-only deal, I’m counting only UK, Australia, and Canada sales. I did have some U.S. sales at the same time, as I ran a concurrent 99-cent deal in the U.S. to take advantage of the opportunity. (I sold nearly 200 books with the deals combined.) I’m not counting those sales here, though, as they were not due to the Bookbub international deal.

Was My BookBub Featured Deal Worth It?

Based on my primary goal—introducing more readers to my series—I’d say yes, it was worth it.

Did I make all my money back? No. I spent $196 and earned $62.04 in direct royalties, meaning I recouped about 31% of my investment. But that wasn’t the only metric I was tracking.

Here’s why I still consider this deal a success:

1. New Readers Found My Book – 160+ new people in international markets now own my book. Some of them may read it, love it, and go on to buy Book II when it releases in June. That’s my hope, anyway!
2. Potential Long-Term Impact – I’ll be watching to see if I gain new reviews, email subscribers, or follow-up sales in the coming months.
3. Exposure in Key Markets – The UK, Australia, and Canada all performed well. These are valuable markets for fantasy books, so getting my foot in the door was beneficial.

Would I do it again? Possibly! If I see strong engagement from the readers who picked up my book, I’d consider another international deal—or, ideally, a U.S. BookBub deal to see how it compares.

If I do get another chance, I think I may go for a higher price point. One drawback of the 99 cents is that many readers will purchase, but then not read the book. They’ll leave it to languish on their ereaders. A higher price point may result in fewer sales, but inspire purchases from readers ready to read—though I’m not certain on this.

If you’re a writer considering a BookBub international deal, I hope my experience helps you decide whether it’s the right move for your books!

Note: Get more articles, free reports, and free chapters of Colleen’s award-winning books when you sign up for her motivational newsletter for writers!

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post I Tried a BookBub Featured Deal—Here’s What Happened appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

It’s not easy finding new readers these days.

The secret to drawing just the right readers your way might be finding your niche.

A niche isn’t just your genre—it’s the unique angle, theme, or audience focus that makes your writing distinct. It sets you apart and makes marketing feel natural rather than awkward.

Here’s why having a niche matters and how to get started finding yours.

Why Finding Your Niche is Critical

Many writers I’ve talked to don’t think they need a niche. If you’re selling a lot of books and finding it easy to market, then you probably don’t have to worry about it.

If you’re struggling to market your work, though, and you’re tired of creating “buy my book” posts, a niche might be just what you need.

1. It Helps You Stand Out

Both brick-and-mortar and online bookstores are crowded. Finding your niche helps prevent your voice from getting lost in the shuffle.

Instead of being a fantasy writer, imagine being known for your magical retellings of ancient myths or deeply emotional stories exploring family dynamics. A niche highlights what makes your work unique, making it easier for readers to find and remember you.

2. It Attracts the Right Readers

We all want everyone to like our books, but we know that’s unrealistic. We need to find those unique readers who will be big fans of our stories.

A clear niche helps you focus on readers who are most likely to love your work. The more specific you are, the more likely you will grab the right person’s attention.

For example, if you write cozy mysteries with a culinary twist, you’re more likely to attract readers who adore mysteries and cooking. These readers will enjoy your work and be more likely to recommend it to others.

3. It Simplifies Your Marketing

This may be the best benefit of having a niche.

Marketing books is challenging for writers. Most of us aren’t naturally inclined to be good marketers, and we often feel uncomfortable trying to sell our stuff.

A niche allows us to naturally communicate with readers about what we’re doing. When we talk about our niche, we can focus on what we’re passionate about, and that will be attractive to others interested in the same types of things.

When you know your niche, you always have something to talk about that aligns with your audience’s interests. That means you can stop struggling with what to post about today!

Common Misconceptions About Niches

Myth: A niche limits your creativity.

Truth: A niche actually frees you to focus and grow while still allowing room for future exploration.

Myth: You’ll lose potential readers by narrowing down.

Truth: You’ll gain loyal readers who are genuinely excited about your work and are more likely to support your career.

Myth: Your niche has to be permanent.

Truth: Your niche can evolve as you grow as a writer. Think of it as a foundation you can build on rather than a box to stay inside.

What Happens When You Don’t Have a Niche

When you don’t have a niche, you may fall into some of these traps:

• Scattershot Marketing: Without a clear niche, your promotional efforts may feel inconsistent and fail to resonate with potential readers.
• Lack of Connection: Readers won’t know what to expect from you, making it harder to build a loyal fanbase.
• Missed Opportunities: Writers without a niche often fail to capitalize on the unique aspects of their work that could set them apart.

How to Start Finding Your Niche: 3 Actionable Steps

If you’re convinced that you need a niche, your next question is probably, “How do I find one that works for me?”

Here’s how you can get started.

1. What are you passionate about?

Start by asking yourself:

• What topics or themes do I love exploring in my writing?
• What kinds of stories or ideas excite me the most?
• What feedback have I received about my writing strengths (e.g., dialogue, world-building, character development)?

Write down your answers and look for patterns. For example, if you notice a recurring interest in historical settings and strong female leads, your niche might involve feminist historical fiction. That’s only a start, though. You’ll want to go deeper, so continue with the next set of questions.

2. Define Your Ideal Reader

Think about the type of person who would love your work.

• Who are they? (Consider their age, interests, and values.)
• What do they enjoy in stories? (Genre tropes, themes, or character types.)

For example, you might write for readers who love romance with witty banter and youthful, outcast-type protagonists. The clearer your vision of your audience, the easier it will be to connect with them.

Combine that with what you found above, and you may see that your niche might focus on historical romance with youthful, strong, feminist heroes.

3. Pinpoint What’s Unique About Your Stories

Let’s go a little further:

• Is there something special about your story’s location or setting? (e.g., small-town charm, futuristic cities, or magical kingdoms.)
• What makes your characters stand out? (e.g., age, profession, personality, or cultural background.)
• Do your stories explore recurring themes or ideas? (e.g., redemption, resilience, or found family.)

By identifying these unique elements and combining them with what you found through the other questions above, you can craft a niche that highlights what’s truly distinctive about your work, making it irresistible to the right readers.

Need More Help?

Finding your niche is about aligning your passion and strengths with what readers are searching for. It usually takes time and reflection, but it can be a game-changer for your writing career.

Don’t worry if it doesn’t come together overnight. Your niche will evolve as you grow, and the more you write, the clearer it will become.

Start with the three steps above, and if you’re ready to dive deeper, check out my course, How to Identify Your Niche and Attract the Right Readers, for a proven formula to help you stand out and succeed. For a limited time, WHW readers get 20 percent off the total price with the code, “WHWNiche” at checkout!

Bonus: Free Worksheet

Want to start working on your niche today? Download my free Niche Discovery Worksheet and take the first step toward finding your unique focus!

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post How to Find Your Writing Niche and Connect with the Right Readers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Try this: Think about your writing or writing business as a partner.

Start by giving it a name. What would you call your writing (if you haven’t started selling yet) or writing business (if you are selling books)?

Mine is “Dolores,” because she’s demanding. (If your name is Dolores, my apologies!) During all my waking hours, she’s babbling on about what I need to do for my next book, my author platform, my website, and more. She’s a slave driver and never lets up enough to give me a break.

Once you have a name, it’s time to see what sort of partnership the two of you have.

Do that, and you can better understand what the problems are and what you might need to change so you feel more energized, motivated, and successful.

Let me give you some examples. I based them on well-known movies just for fun.

Five Writer/Writing Business Relationship Types

1. Pride and Prejudice: Too Sweetly Perfect!

You are like Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, perfectly suited for one another. You have your strengths and your writing business has its strengths, and together you are the perfect combination. You feel motivated, excited, and eager for tomorrow, and if problems arise, you have faith that you’ll solve them together.

Key Characteristics:

• Strong partnership that regularly produces great products (books and related writing business items).
• Thriving relationship that gives both partners energy, motivating each to be at their best.
• Both sides give back—you to your writing business, and the writing business back to you (via positive feedback, reviews, income, and growth).

Couples Counseling: Keep doing what you’re doing and enjoy the ride! It may also be wise to establish some checkpoints to make sure you both continue to thrive.

2. Titanic: Sweet but Doomed Because One of You Is Dying for the Other

If you have a Titanic relationship, you know it, because one of you is dying. Maybe it’s the writer. Her books are doing well, but she is exhausted, burned out, and ready to quit. Or perhaps it’s the writing business. Subscribers are down, reviews aren’t good, money is near nonexistent, and it feels like a deep dark hole. The iceberg is looming, and the ship is headed right for it.

Key Characteristics:

• The partnership is unbalanced—one of you is giving too much and the other is taking too much without giving back.
• One of you is exhausted and running on fumes while the other keeps demanding: give give give!
• A sense of doom surrounds you, and you wonder if you are cut out for this writing thing.

Couples Counseling: Step back and assess. Which of you is giving too much? Usually, it’s the writer. You’re slaving away to the point of exhaustion, but your business isn’t giving back. You’re not getting the rewards you hoped for, whether that be money, positive feedback, recognition, or an expanding readership.

If you’d like to earn more money, stop doing anything that is not earning money and regroup. Educate yourself on how to earn money as a writer, then restart your efforts incorporating that learning.

If you’d like to grow your readership, stop everything you’re doing that’s not working. Educate yourself on how to do that, then start again.

The point is to clearly identify the issue so you can direct more of your time and energy toward those things that will bring you the rewards you crave.

3. Alien: You Started Out Curious but Now You Want to Run and Hide

Things were great in the beginning. You were writing and building your business and feeling wonderful. But then you submitted your book and were rejected, or you published your book to poor sales or lackluster reviews. You thought this partnership was going to be great, but now you’re having a hard time looking (Dolores) in the eye.

Key Characteristics:

• The partnership is on a tenuous footing. Things haven’t gone like you wanted them to and you’re thinking of getting out.
• You feel overwhelmed at the prospect of trying to figure out how to kill the monster that’s tearing everything up.
• You’ve read books and taken workshops, but self-doubt is consuming you. You’re not sure you’ll get out of this alive.

Couples Counseling: Take a deep breath and realize that every partnership goes through dark times. Failure is part of the deal. Try to relax, take a break, then try again. Few succeed their first time out—be compassionate with yourself, reconnect with “why” you’re writing, and believe in your talent and ability to improve.

4. Harry Potter: You Can Do Magic but There’s an Unknown Problem That Will Not Be Named

You love the writing, and people love your writing! Those who read your stories have nothing but wonderful things to say, and you know this is where you’re meant to be. Why then, aren’t your stories selling? Why can’t you grow your subscriber list? What demon is in the shadows obstructing your hero’s journey?

Key Characteristics:

• Some parts of the partnership feel magical—they keep you motivated and excited.
• But something is still not working right and you’re not sure what.
• Because you’re lacking some true markers of success (lots of readers, high sales numbers), you question whether you’re just deluding yourself that writing can create a viable future for you.

Couples Counseling: If you’re doing everything you should be doing—updating your website, creating an attractive freebie for your subscribers, getting yourself out there on social media and podcast interviews—and you’re still not reaching the goals you’ve set for yourself, reach out to a mentor. A fresh set of eyes can often see more clearly what needs to change to root out this unnamed demon!

5. ET: Everything Was Exciting but Then the Alien Went Home and Now You’re Bored

You got that three-book deal, or your series of romance novels are selling well. The reader feedback is good, the money is coming in, and the two of you are on your way! But there’s one big problem: you’re bored. What you’re doing no longer excites you. Your creativity waddled onto the spaceship and left. Your writing business partner wants you to keep it up because, um, success! But you don’t know if you can muster the motivation.

Key Characteristics:

• By all indications, the business is going well, but the writer is not excited about it anymore.
• The writer may feel guilt or remorse for her feelings—she should be happy for the success she’s experiencing.
• The writer is starting to see writing and everything related to it as a chore.

Couples Counseling: It’s time to go looking for another alien—or at least a way to make writing fun again. If you’re locked into a publishing contract, maybe you can work on something new on the side. If the business tasks are dragging you down, perhaps you could hire an assistant. No matter what, you have to find a way to infuse excitement back into this partnership or it’s likely to eventually dissolve.

What Story Describes Your Relationship?

I hope these examples gave you some ideas for how you might describe your writing business relationship. I’ve found that using your imagination to look at it creatively can often reveal new insights about how to do things better. The more fun you can have with it, the more ideas will come to mind.

Note: Colleen offers coaching on breaking through stuck spots and balancing writing with life. Get your FREE report: The Secret to Powerful Writing: Embracing Your Shadows.

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post How to Identify Your Writing Business Relationship Type appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Are you struggling with a boring main character? Are you afraid that he or she is limiting your story’s potential?

This happened to me with my most recent release, “The Curse of King Midas.” Here’s how I not only fixed the problem but created a character powerful enough to spawn a whole series of historical fantasy books.

I Was Stuck with a Boring Main Character

I wrote “The Curse of King Midas” because a friend asked me to.

Usually, my main character is already there when I write a story. But this time, it was different.

My friend was thinking of creating a musical on the well-known Midas myth. But he knew that the best musicals were based on books. Having read some of my previous novels, he asked if I might like to write it.

I told him I’d give it a try. I was concerned, though. I didn’t care for King Midas. In the myth, he’s not a very likable character. Driven by greed, he wishes for the touch of gold, but soon discovers it’s more of a curse than a gift. Ultimately, he begs for the curse to be lifted. The god Dionysus agrees, and all is well.

Ho-hum. Who wants to write about him? Not me.

Looking for inspiration, I researched the myth. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that King Midas was a real person who ruled the Kingdom of Phrygia in the 700s B.C. That blew my mind! Suddenly my main character had a lot more to him.

I uncovered many more historical treasures about this real king and dove confidently into the story.

Unfortunately, my troubles with Midas weren’t over.

My Main Character Was a Ghost

In the beginning, I loved writing the story. The characters came to life: King Midas’ two children, his three advisors, his sworn enemy, and the wandering rogue with a secret connection to both kings.

It was all happening on the page in a fun and exciting way, with King Midas at the forefront.

Except he wasn’t. He was like a paper doll, thin and faceless. He was fashioned after Sean Connery. Then Ed Harris. Then Daniel Craig. Then Christian Bale. Nothing worked.

I kept writing scene after scene, but Midas only went through the motions, as hollow as a bamboo tree.

By the end of the first draft, I was getting worried. Despite my best efforts, Midas wasn’t coming through. He was the main character, but the only one who felt soulless on the page. I didn’t care about him, which meant the reader wasn’t going to care about him either.

What Finally Brought King Midas Out

Here’s what helped me—three steps that brought King Midas into the light.

Observe him interacting with other characters.

I don’t outline my stories. I discover the plot and the characters as I go. So despite my troubles with Midas, I just kept writing.

That meant that Midas was regularly interacting with these other characters, even though I wasn’t sure who he was. The other characters, meanwhile, were delightfully clear. They came through like people I’d known all my life, fully fleshed out and real.

Writing and editing the scenes where Midas appeared with these other characters helped to gradually woo him out of the shadows. It was as if their authenticity was forcing him to be more authentic, too.

Figure out what he really cared about.

In the myth, Midas cares about wealth. But I couldn’t relate to that, and we all know that we can’t write convincingly about things we can’t relate to—particularly not for an entire novel.

That left me to figure out what my Midas cared about. The first thing had to be his daughter. He cares about her even in the original myth, so I started with that.

As king, he provides for his daughter and wants to keep her safe. I built a few convincing scenes showing his real feelings for her, but it wasn’t enough to fully understand him. His relationship with his daughter was only a small part of him.

I turned to his interactions with his son. That helped too, because I learned how much Midas cared about his son and wanted to see him prosper.

But it still wasn’t enough. When not interacting with his son or daughter, King Midas still appeared on the page as a stand-in rather than the main act.

Determine what I really cared about.

The author Willa Cather is quoted as saying, “The creative writer can do his best only with what lies within the range and character of his deepest sympathies.”

In other words, we can only write convincingly about those things that touch us deeply. Greed isn’t one of those things for me. Neither is the desire to provide for family or grow an empire.

But personal loss does.

I don’t remember quite how it happened—the idea for the prologue. But one day, somewhere in the middle of draft 3, it was just there—a slice of King Midas’ history when as a child. In a tragic attack, he lost everything he cared about.

Suddenly my flat and boring King Midas was a wounded, angry man who despite having risen to great heights, was consumed with the desire for revenge against the man who had stolen everything from him.

Finally, he became real. This man, I could care about, which meant that finally, I had created a character that readers could care about too.

Bring Your Boring Main Character Out of the Shadows

If you outline your story before you start, you may be able to create a character based on a set of characteristics and run with that. As a discovery writer, though, I lose interest in that approach and struggle to achieve the originality I desire. I have to write my way through to figure out who my characters are.

Usually, they come through fairly easily. This time was different because I was assigned a character to work with—a character I normally would not have chosen. I’m so glad, though, because by using the three methods listed above, I found my way to a new and original King Midas that I’m proud of.

Don’t give up on your boring main character. Give her time, watch her interact with the other characters, and dig deep into her emotions—and yours—and gradually, she’ll come out of the shadows as a much more authentic and interesting person.

Note: August is Colleen’s birthday month, so in celebration, she’s offering The Curse of King Midas ebook for only 99 cents! Get your copy here at that price for a limited time.

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post How to Fix a Boring Main Character and Save Your Story appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

I’ve rarely attempted to be funny in my writing.

There are a couple of reasons for that. One, my stories tend to lean toward the serious side. The characters deal with difficult situations. There is tension, action, and mystery. Humor didn’t seem to fit.

Two, I thought I wouldn’t be any good at it. I tend to be more serious overall. I do have a wry sense of humor that my friends and family seem to appreciate. But I never thought I could translate that onto the page.

Until my most recent historical fantasy, The Curse of King Midas.

This time, I added humor, and I got a lot of positive feedback on it from readers. Plus, it made the writing a lot of fun!

If you, too, may think you’re not “good” at writing humor, but in your heart of hearts, you’d like to try it, I have some tips that may help.

1. Approach Your Story Differently

There’s one reason that humor was on my mind when I started writing this story: ultimately, it was going to be a musical.

At least, that’s how it started. A talented friend who is also a music composer asked me if I’d consider writing the story of the mythical King Midas. He was toying with the idea of making a musical out of it but told me that the best musicals are based on books.

Would I write the book?

I was between books and needed a new project, so I researched the idea. I was delighted to discover that King Midas was a real person. (More about that in this post on how to combine myth with history to create historical fantasy.)

That bit of knowledge gave me the inspiration I needed for the main story, but there was one more piece I felt I needed to have: humor.

Most musicals have humorous scenes in them. I should know—I’m a horn player and have played in the pit orchestra for countless productions.

When you’re in the pit, you see the musical performed numerous times. It’s easy to get bored, but I always look forward to the funny scenes. There is often some character or group of characters that lighten the mood at various times during the show.

I needed something like that in my story. Considering how it was usually done in musicals helped me come up with a way that worked perfectly for my writing style.

Thought: If you want to add humor to your story, imagine how you may approach it differently. What if it were to form the basis for a musical, play, or movie script? How might that change the way you write it?

2. Use Your Characters

Authors use humor in many different ways. They may play with word choice to arouse humor through sound. They may use asides (in parentheses) to state the obvious, allow the narrator to make fun of themselves, or make a witty remark. They may use irony or exaggeration.

So far, I haven’t found that any of these methods come easily to me. But I knew from experience that in most musicals, it’s certain characters that create the humor.

With that in mind, I chose King Midas’ three advisors. Since I’m a “pantser” or discovery writer, I didn’t create them beforehand. I just started imagining these three advisors standing near the king and what they might be like.

One of my Goodreads reviews may describe them best:

“The characters and plot are skillfully introduced with some interesting supporting characters including the king’s three advisors who are deliberately quirky and come across as a blend of the three wise men and the three stooges. One of them talks at cross purposes, always saying the opposite of what he means which takes a bit of getting used to and is surprisingly fun.”

Thanks, Gavin!

Once I had these characters in mind, I was good to go. Whenever they entered a scene, the humor seemed to flow naturally.

My serious nature still comes through in the story. The plot deals with hefty themes of loss and revenge. But I now know how effective it can be to have a few humorous characters lend a little comic relief now and then.

Thought: Could your story use a quirky character or two (or three) that might add humor where needed? What characters might they be? How would their interaction create a laugh for your reader?

3. Ask Yourself: Am I Laughing?

I am producing the audiobook version of The Curse of King Midas at the time of this writing, so I’m listening to each scene to check for errors. I’ve edited the draft so many times I have each scene nearly memorized. Yet I still chuckle when the advisors come in.

If you’re laughing when you’re writing your humorous scene, there’s a good chance readers will laugh too. It’s even better if you’re still laughing after multiple drafts.

4. Listen To Your Beta Readers

The final test is to see if others get your sense of humor.

This is tricky because humor is just as subjective as everything else—perhaps more so. The humor in my story is wry and sarcastic. That’s a style many people enjoy, but some just don’t get it.

A few of my beta readers were confused instead of amused at my advisors. But they were in the minority. Most readers loved them and made a point to say so in their feedback. (Another reason why it’s a good idea to have several beta readers!)

Just as not everyone will love your story, not everyone will get your sense of humor. It’s when most readers talk enthusiastically about your humorous scenes that you know you’ve aced this facet of storytelling.

Give It A Try!

I never thought I’d write humorous scenes in my stories, but I’m so glad I did. It’s always rewarding when readers enjoy our stories, but I think it’s even better when they get a laugh or two out of them.

If you have a story that you think would benefit from a little humor, I encourage you to give it a try!

Note: Get your free sample of The Curse of King Midas along with insider news about Colleen’s writing life here!

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post Unlock Your Funny Bone: Writing Humor Is Easier Than You Think! appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

If you’ve never had professional author photos taken—or if it’s been ten years or more since you have—it’s time to do it now!

We live in a visual world. Readers want to see and connect with the author. When you invest in professional photos, you are likely to feel confident about sharing your photo wherever you need to.

Updating Your Author Photos: It’s About Who You Are

I got my first professional author photos taken about 11 years ago. I have used those photos so much! I was surprised at how often I was pulling from my “author photo” folder. It made it clear to me that it’s worth it to invest in this important tool for your author platform.

We authors often feel uncomfortable with author photos. Many of us would prefer to hide behind caricatures or simply avoid photos altogether. But today’s reader is more demanding. They are visual and used to seeing photos. If you don’t have one—or if you use some other alternative—it looks like you’re hiding, and readers will have a harder time relating to you.

You can help yourself feel more confident by getting professional photos, as they are likely to show you at your best.

Several weeks ago, I got my photos taken again. After a decade, I look different, and I didn’t want my photo to be a lot different from who I am in person.

I was afraid I wouldn’t like my new author photos. More wrinkles! Sagging! Ack! But I was surprised to find that I prefer them.

These more recent photos reflect the person I am now. I look at them and think, Yes, that’s me. The older photos, much as I have liked them, seem distant to me now—I’m not that person anymore.

Even if you’re concerned that you won’t like your new photos, I urge you to make that appointment. You may be surprised!

5 Tips to Help You Get Great Author Photos

1. Find a Good Photographer

The right professional photographer can make all the difference in your author photos. Yes, today’s cell phones have better cameras than ever. But that’s not all that it takes to get a good photo.

Today’s photographers are more affordable than you may think. I paid less this time around than last time, and it’s 11 years later!

Check their portfolio first. Look at lighting, locations, and creativity. Once you’ve narrowed it down to your top three, call them and talk to them. Email isn’t good enough. You want to feel like this person knows what they’re doing, and like you will feel comfortable working with them.

2. Choose Your Outfits

Most photographers allow you to use 2-4 outfits in your photo session. I highly recommend you go with at least three. This will give you a variety of photos to use in your branding and increase the odds that you will be happy with at least some of the final photos.

Set out the outfits you’re thinking of using—at least 5-10. Take selfies in each one, then send those to a trusted friend for input. Some of those outfits I thought would look best on me turned out not to be the final outfits I ended up going with.

Look for something that looks good on you. Colors are critical. Choose those that light up your face. The wrong colors can kill a photo shoot!

3. Check Your Hair and Makeup

Make sure your hair looks as you want it to before the photo shoot. This isn’t the time for drastic changes. Go with a style that flatters your face. If you need a trim or color, do it a couple of weeks beforehand. Don’t wait until the day before. Give your hair time to settle in.

It’s likely your makeup will need to be different than it was 10 years ago. Don’t hesitate to go to a makeup counter for help if you need to. And don’t go too heavy—makeup that naturally accentuates your features is best.

4. Be Rested and Calm

Nothing messes up a nice photo like fatigue. Schedule your photo shoot at a time when you’re likely to be relaxed (not right after a big event). In the days beforehand, get enough rest, eat well, and exercise. Take care of yourself—it will show in your photos.

On the day of your appointment, block out some time. You don’t want to feel stressed or like you’re running late. You need time to prepare your outfits, get ready, and feel relaxed before you go.

5. Take Your Time Choosing the Photos

Once the photo shoot is done, your photographer will likely email you a “roll” of the raw, unedited images. This is your chance to go through and choose your final photos.

Most photographers include a certain number of images with the photo session. (Mine included 15.) Be sure to check beforehand so you know how they manage this. You can usually get extras for an additional fee.

I’d suggest you take screenshots of those you like (usually photographers prohibit downloading initially), put them in a file, and let them sit overnight. The next day, look at them again and eliminate those you don’t like as much.

Ask one to three other people to weigh in. It helps to get outside opinions, but you don’t want too many. Opinions are subjective, and too many can be confusing. Choose a select few people whose opinions you value and see what they think.

Through a gradual elimination process, a few photos will rise to the top as those you want to use in your author branding.

Use Your New Photos!

Once you have your new photos, update everything. That includes your website, social media channels, and any new books you’re putting out.

My photo shoot coordinated with the release of my new historical fantasy, The Curse of King Midas. That was on purpose, of course! I dropped my selection in the back right before it went to print, and I’ve been in the process of updating everything else since then.

Don’t hesitate to invest in yourself this way. You’re an author—it’s okay to look like one.

Note: Get a free inside peek at The Curse of King Midas here, along with stories from Colleen’s writing life.

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post Top Tips to Help You Get Great Author Photos appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Three years ago, I never would have guessed I’d be writing a blog post on this topic.

Back then, I was focused on pure fantasy stories. My first novel was an epic fantasy, while my second and third were paranormal fantasy.

I thought I had “found my voice” in paranormal fantasy, but then a friend of mine asked me a question:

“Would you like to write a book about the King Midas myth?”

That question, and my answer to it—“Sure, I could give it a try”—opened up a whole new world for me in terms of fantasy writing.

Why?

Because when I started researching the King Midas myth, I discovered something very interesting: King Midas was a real person.

It’s Fun to Find History in Myth

King Midas, according to the latest research by the University of Pennsylvania, ruled the kingdom of Phrygia back in the later 600s and early 700s BC.

As far as the records show, this is the same Midas the Greeks were talking about when they created the King Midas myth—you know, the one about him asking the god Dionysus for the touch of gold. When I found this in my research, I was super excited. Not only did I have the myth to play with in my story, now I had the real life of King Midas, too. Combining them both in a new narrative opened up creative avenues I would have never explored before.

Writing the story was a lot of fun, and though I didn’t plan it that way, “The Curse of King Midas” has now spawned a series called The Midas Legacy. I’m knee-deep in book two at the time of this writing.

What I’d like to share with other writers is the fun that can be had when you try this type of setup for your story. If you’d like to explore something new or get out of a rut, I urge you to give it a try!

It’s Up to You How Much You Use of Either One

The main question I had getting into the story—and the one I still find myself asking as I look ahead to books two and three—is how much to pull from the real history and how much to use of the myth.

With this story, it made the most sense to rely heavily on the myth. This is what most people are familiar with when it comes to Midas. I’ve read other authors like Gregory Maguire (Wicked) and Madeline Miller (Circe) and I could recognize the main story (The Wizard of Oz and The Odyssey, respectively) within their novels. It was important to me to have the same recognition in my book about Midas, as readers attracted to the title will be looking for that.

I did change some things, though. The main one was Midas’ motivation. In the myth, he’s motivated strictly by greed. I couldn’t relate to that. Nor could I imagine a father as devoted to his daughter as Midas was risking it all for gold coins. So I shifted his motivation to something I felt was more relatable and greatly increased the stakes of the story: revenge.

I also played with some of the main characters, and here is where the real history helped me a lot. I needed a rival for Midas, and history gave it to me. According to the records that survived that time, King Sargon II—who ruled Assyria—found King Midas to be a pain in his behind. He often had to face him in battles and didn’t like that he was trying to squelch his expansion plans.

My research on King Sargon II helped me form his character in the story, and he turned out to be the perfect antagonist. He added a lot more drama and action to the story, which was just what the myth needed.

History Can Supply the Time and Setting

The other thing that I pulled from the history of King Midas was the time and setting. Whereas the myth is set in a general time in the past, the real King Midas’ life spanned a limited number of years in a very specific time. This helped create guardrails for my novel in terms of how people lived then and what sort of tools they had.

I was also delighted to discover that archaeologists were in the process of excavating the city of Gordion as I was writing! This is the capital city from where King Midas ruled. It was an amazing coincidence, and I’ve stayed as true as I could to the location of the city at that time.

The geography and the climate were already decided for me—I didn’t have to make them up. It also made creating the map that sits at the front of the book a lot easier!

A Basis for a Series

The last thing history gave me was a way to carry on with the story past the original myth. I didn’t expect that Midas would spawn a series, initially. Book one has a satisfying ending, but it does leave some questions unanswered, particularly concerning a couple of key characters. When my beta readers started asking me if there was going to be a sequel, I knew I had more in this world to explore.

I’ve returned to what really happened during that time as the basis for the second book. It’s presented some challenges for me, in terms of how it has to end. But I like a challenge and have enjoyed tackling a type of story I might not have tried otherwise. And I think it will naturally lead into the third and final book, though what will happen then I don’t know yet!

Might You Like to Combine Myth with History?

If you’re considering this type of approach to a story, here are some advantages I’ve found:

• The myth and the history together will present a ready-made plot, or at least the foundation of it. That can give you a jumpstart on plotting, making it a little easier.
• The history can give you time and place—making the setting simpler to create. (The research is fun too.)
• The myth can provide fun fantasy elements to include. (I used the gods and their magic to plant the story firmly in fantasy territory.)

Overall, this was a fun story to write. As a writing exercise, you may want to try combining one of your favorite myths or fairy tales with a certain time in history, just to see what you might come up with.

Note: To get a glimpse of Colleen’s new book, The Curse of King Midas, click here!

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post How to Combine Myth with History to Create Historical Fantasy appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Your author newsletter freebie is a success! You’ve got lots of new subscribers eager to read your next email.  

Now what?

You have two options: deliver just what your reader wants to ensure they stick around, or disappoint them so that they unsubscribe.

How can you increase your odds that your newsletter will do the former and not the latter?

These three tips should help.

1. Always Think About Your Reader.

One of the main reasons people unsubscribe from email newsletters is that they don’t find them interesting, entertaining, or useful.

Your newsletter will be none of these things if you neglect your reader’s wants and needs when you’re writing it.

Yes, authors maintain email newsletters to grow their readership, hoping to sell more books (and other products) down the road. But if someone signs up for your newsletter and all they get in return are emails encouraging them to buy your stuff, they’ll unsubscribe.

You’ll get a similar outcome if you spend most of your time talking about yourself and your next project without delivering anything of value for the reader.

“But my progress on my next book is of value to my reader!” you may think.

Well, if you’re Margaret Atwood or Stephen King, perhaps. But most of us haven’t reached that level of fame, so we have to be a little more creative.

When drafting your email, think of your reader first. Imagine if you were that person. What would you hope to find when you double-click?

You’d probably want something that would enhance your life—practical tips you could use, an entertaining story that might make you laugh, or pertinent information you need and can’t find anywhere else.

Which (or which combination) of these you deliver depends on the expectations you created in your reader’s mind when they signed up. Which brings us to tip #2.

2. Exceed Your Reader’s Expectations

Think back to the freebie you offered your reader. When they gave you their email address in exchange for that freebie, they assumed that in your newsletter, you would continue to deliver similar material.

This is assuming you were creative in your free offer. (See our post here for more on that.) If you offered a short story or chapter in a book, you may assume that your reader would want more of your writing. That may work with readers who are already fans, but often it’s difficult to get new people to sign up—or to stick around—for stories alone if they’re not that familiar with your work.

You can grow and maintain a much larger list if you offer something of more immediate value. Romance writers may offer dating tips, for example. Mystery writers may talk about true crime stories. Sci-fi writers may enjoy making predictions about the future of technology.

Whatever you offer in your freebie, your reader will expect more of that, so be prepared. If you offered dating tips, understand that your reader came to you for those. They’ll be happy with your newsletter if at least part of it meets this expectation.

You can go beyond that, of course, as long as you keep your reader’s needs in mind. You might talk about how to navigate certain disagreements in relationships, magical places to go for your anniversary, or the best topics to discuss on a first date.

Along the way, watch your open and click rates. (Most email programs track them.) Make a note of which emails perform well and use that information to continue to deliver what your readers are most interested in. Maybe they love dating tips, for example, but don’t care as much about navigating disagreements.

Once you deliver that “thing” of value to your reader, then you can add a little about your next project, or drop in an ad for a book that is on sale. You’ve made your reader happy, so they will be more open to learning about the work you’re doing and what you have to offer.

3. Be Consistent!

This is one of the harder parts of providing an email newsletter to your subscribers, because it requires commitment on your part.

Decide how often you’re going to send your newsletter and stick with it. Otherwise, you risk your reader forgetting all about you, so that when you finally send another newsletter, they’ll unsubscribe because they no longer remember signing up.

You can choose to send something once a month, twice a month, three times a month—whatever works, but once you’ve settled on a frequency and day of the week (sending on the same day each time is best), you need to stick with that.

There are many benefits to doing so. First, you cement your name and your work in your reader’s mind. Soon they will easily remember who you are and what you do.

Second, you create an expectation—your reader can expect an email from you twice a month on Wednesday mornings. If she likes what she finds, she’ll grow to look forward to those days. At the very least, she won’t penalize you for “bothering her,” because you’ve already set up the expectation of that regular delivery.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, you give yourself the opportunity to build a relationship with your reader. With every email you deliver that meets his expectations, you’re letting him know that:

a) you are the expert in the topic you’ve chosen to focus on, and
b) you’re the one to remember when he’s ready to buy his next book.

These relationships are the most rewarding part of having a newsletter. You’ll be able to turn to them when you need a book launch team, early buyers for a new work, or feedback on another project. They are the gold you’re mining for, and over time you’ll get “rich” as long as you consistently deliver what your readers want.

Note: Make 2024 your year when you pick up Colleen’s free goal-setting guide for writers!

What other questions do you have about growing and maintaining a newsletter list?

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post Ensure Your Newsletter Lives Up to Subscriber’s Expectations appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

You need to build your email list. Everyone says so.

It’s the best way to grow a loyal readership. Simply lure people to your website and then encourage them to sign up for your enewsletter.

So you’ve got your website and you’ve got your newsletter sign-up, but not much is happening. Maybe you get a subscriber now and then, but your list isn’t growing nearly as much as you’d like it to.

How do you get more people on board?

One of the best ways is to give away a freebie in exchange for an email address. Unfortunately, a lot of authors get this part wrong. Here’s why and how you can avoid making the same mistake.

Why Authors Need to Offer Freebies

Today, more of us are trying to cut back on the number of newsletters we receive each week. They take up our valuable time, so we’re being choosier about which ones we sign up for.

That means that you, as an author, have to work harder to overcome your reader’s resistance.

Offering a freebie can help, but it needs to be the right one. Too often, authors feel they should offer an example of their writing, like a short story, missing chapter, or free book.

This is great if the person who’s coming to your website already knows you and your work. Or if you write nonfiction and the short piece you’re offering helps your reader improve her life in some way.

But if you write fiction and you want to capture readers who don’t know you yet, often a free bit of storytelling isn’t going to help much.

That’s because the reader doesn’t yet know you or your writing. They don’t know if they would like your short story, book of poems, or novella. So it’s far too easy for them to pass by the sign-up form.

It’s much better to get creative and think up something that would be more attractive to your reader.

5 Steps to Offering an Irresistible Freebie

1. Take an attitude of experimentation.

No writer is going to know straight out of the gate the type of freebie their readers will best respond to. This is marketing we’re talking about, and it’s not an exact science. Plus, every author’s audience is different, so you have to find out what works for your readers.

That’s going to take some time and experimentation. Understand that your first try is probably not going to be your last one. You’ll want to test at least three different freebies and then compare how they perform.

2. Consider your reader’s point of view.

As you’re coming up with ideas for your freebies, the most important thing to keep in mind is that they need to be valuable from your reader’s point of view.

Yes, your short story is valuable to you and you hope it will be to your readers. But they’re not going to see that value if they haven’t read any of your work before. You need to entice them with something they believe will be valuable to them the second they see it.

Make sure that each freebie idea has the following characteristics:

• It gives readers something they want, even if they don’t know you
• It’s appealing to your reader right away (i.e., write a great headline!)
• It offers enough value to your reader that they’re okay with giving up their email address
• It connects to your writing somehow

This doesn’t mean you can’t include a short story, chapter, novella, or other similar option along with your main freebie. That’s often a good idea. Nothing is saying that your freebie can’t include more than one item.

Just make sure that your main item is attractive on its own.

3. Create your first three freebies.

Once you’ve got your three ideas, it’s time to write, design, and prepare them for downloading.

“But I don’t know what to create!” so many writers say.

Here are some ideas off the top of my head to get you thinking:

For Romance Writers

• Report: Relationship Tips for Moms
• List: Most Romantic Date Ideas for Couples on a Budget
• Quiz: Which Celebrity Would Be Your Best Match?

For Mystery Writers

• Instructions: How to Organize Your Own Murder Mystery Party
• Report: The Most Common Mystery Clues and What They Mean
• Quiz: Name that Mystery Author!

For Fantasy Writers

• Quiz: What Would be Your Best Fantasy Pet? (dragon, unicorn, troll, etc.)
• List: 5 Real-life Fantastical Locations Perfect for Your Next Vacation
• Report: 5 Fantasy Games You Can Play with the Whole Family

4. Advertise It

Once you have your freebie completed and up on your website, it’s time to advertise it. Often writers neglect this step. They’re good at advertising their books, but not their freebies.

The best way to get the word out about this great free offer you have is to share it in:

• Social media posts
• Guest posts (add your offer at the end of the post with a link)
• Your blog
• Podcast interviews
• Email signature
• Anywhere you can talk about it

5. Compare Your Numbers

Remember that your first freebie may not be your best one. The only way to tell is to experiment with the other two freebies you created. Run the first one for one month, then the second one for the next month, then the third one for the third month.

Each time, keep track of your new subscribers. Make sure you advertise each freebie equally or your results will not be reliable.

At the end of the three months, go back and see which freebie brought in the most subscribers. Put that one back up (if it’s not up already), and then create three more that are similar. Over time, your readers’ responses will show you what kinds of things they like or don’t like.

This is valuable information for you to have as you grow your list. The more you know what your readers like, the better you’ll get at giving it to them. As you do that, your list will continue to grow, as will your fan base.

It takes time, but it’s worth it. The information you’ll gather is information you can’t get any other way.

Note: Your results hinge on your ability to deliver what you promised in your enewsletter. We’ll talk next time about how to make sure your email lives up to your subscribers’ expectations!

Here’s my newsletter advertisement! Click to get my free report and free chapters of my award-winning books for writers. If you’re interested in affordable, personalized writing coaching, click now and contact me for a free introductory call!

Here are three additional helpful posts from Resident Writing Coach Colleen M. Story. If you have any newsletter, freebie, or blog questions for Colleen, please leave them in the comments.

Three Things Your Author Newsletter Must Do to Please Subscribers
Six Ways to Make Your Author Blog More Successful
5 Reasons Why It’s Still a Good Idea for Writers to Have a Blog

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post How to Create a Fun Freebie Your Newsletter Subscribers Can’t Resist appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

I hear writers talking all the time about building their enewsletter subscriber list. Build a subscriber list, the thinking goes, and you’ll sell more books.

Except it’s not that simple. These authors are focused on only the first half of their job: attracting new subscribers to their list.

They’re missing—often, completely neglecting—the other half: pleasing those subscribers once they get them.

Are You Too Focused on Numbers?

Holding a giveaway where you gather a long list of new subscribers may feel exciting in the moment. But how excited will you be when most of those subscribers unsubscribe? Or ignore your enewsletter completely, letting it collect dust in some unchecked inbox?

Dead weight on your newsletter may boost your numbers, but that doesn’t help you much. Those who aren’t regularly opening, reading, and clicking aren’t doing anything except giving you a false sense of how large your email list is.

It’s only by pleasing subscribers that you have any hope at all of ever selling anything to them. That’s because most people need to know you and the value you can deliver before they’ll be willing to part with their hard-earned money for something you created.

You have no hope of establishing that relationship if you don’t keep them opening and reading on a regular basis.

It Starts with Targeting the Right People

First, you have to be sure you’re targeting the right people when you’re building your list. (I’m assuming you’ve established your niche—if not, check out this post.)

However you’re reeling in new subscribers—through a freebie, giveaway, or other dangled carrot—the more that carrot fits your readers’ needs, the more likely they will be to stay with you for the long term. (We’ll talk more about newsletter carrots in a future post.)

In other words, if you write cozy mysteries, it’s not going to help if you join a multi-author giveaway where the rest of the books are in the horror genre.

A report on vacationing in the most famous cozy mystery settings—or even in your favorite cozy mystery settings from your books—might work out great.

3 Ways to Please Your Subscribers and Keep Them Coming Back

Think about how often you open an e-newsletter and READ it. Or click on a link to check it out.

Most likely, there are fewer than five that earn this special place in your life.

That’s because we’re all busy. Managing our email inboxes is just one of a zillion things on our to-do lists. Your subscribers are in the same boat. They’re looking for any reason to dump your email from their inbox so they have one less to deal with.

Not only must you avoid giving them that reason, but you must also give them lots of reasons to keep opening and reading. Yours has to be one of the few newsletters that earn that top spot in your readers’ lives.

How do you do that?

1. Give Them Something They Want

Too often authors fail to focus on that age-old question when it comes to their e-newsletters: “What’s in it for me?”

That’s what your reader is asking. If all you do is talk about you—without relating to them—they’re likely to leave pretty quickly.

Again, think about what you are looking for in your newsletters. Most likely, it’s one or more of these things:

• Helpful information
• Something funny or entertaining that will brighten your day
• Awesome deals you wouldn’t find anywhere else—on something you want

This is where a blog can come in handy. Every time you have a new post—if your posts offer readers something they value—alerting them to that post in your e-newsletter is one way to give them helpful information.

You can also alert them to other posts you’ve found that you think they would be interested in. Share some news that affects your niche, or alert them to a deal on a piece of equipment they may regularly use.

The key is to provide value to your reader. Go beyond talking about your latest book. In general, fill 80 percent of your newsletter with things meant to benefit your reader, and only 20 percent with self-promotional material.

2. Establish a Connection with Them

People stay on a newsletter list for several reasons. One of them is that they feel some kind of connection with the person who’s sending it.

You can help establish that connection with every newsletter you send. Write it as if you’re talking to a friend. One of my favorite newsletters is from Nick Stephenson of “Your First 10,000 Readers” fame. I often open and read his newsletters just to see what crazy story he’s sharing that day.

Nick is very good at taking stories from his life and turning them into valuable takeaways for his readers—all while talking in a way that makes you feel like he’s chatting away with you.

Of course, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. One, stay professional. You want to treat your reader like a friend, but obviously, keep some boundaries in place.

Second, remember to always think in terms of what your reader needs, not what you need. This is not the time to rant about your crazy editor, for example—unless you have some valuable lesson to share at the end of your rant that will benefit your reader.

Protect yourself—you don’t know who most of your readers are or what their intentions are. But sharing a few safe details or stories that help them to get to know you a little better will increase the odds that they stay with you over the long term.

3. Surprise or Delight Them Now and Then

A couple of writing friends of mine regularly give something away in their newsletters. They do this frequently enough that their readers feel compelled to open their newsletters “just in case” they may find some sweet giveaway there that they want to enter.

What to give away? You’re limited only by your imagination. Free books, reports, prizes, swag, quote cards, recipes, special graphics, coupons, and more will work. You could also hold a contest and award the winners.

Another way to surprise and delight is to include photos of your subscribers. If you recently went to an event where you met up with some of them, snap some selfies and then be sure to give those subscribers a shout-out.

You can also ask their opinion about something and then include quotes from some in your next newsletter.

The general idea is to regularly provide value, but now and then, provide a little more just to make your readers happy. That way they’ll be more likely to stick around.

Are Your Subscribers Still Reading?

I have several subscribers that have been with me since I started the Writing and Wellness e-newsletter in 2014. I love reviewing my audience data and seeing that most of those subscribers are highly rated—meaning after all this time, they’re still opening and reading my e-newsletters.

These are your most valuable readers by far, so do all you can to keep them coming back!

“The bottom line is that a newsletter can help you make more sales and reach more readers than any other marketing technique,” writes Catia Shattuck for Book Cave. “The key is to build an audience over time. Remember, you’re in this for a lifetime, not just a few months. Happy emailing!”

Note: Get Colleen’s free report on finding your blogging niche plus free chapters of her award-winning books for writers here!

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post Three Things Your Author Newsletter Must Do to Please Subscribers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

How can you make your author blog more successful?

Whether you’re just starting a new blog or you have one you’ve been working on for a while, the following steps will help you increase your readership.

1. Ask Yourself: What’s in It for My Reader?

By far the biggest mistake I see writers making with their author blogs is making it all about them.

They talk about their books, their writing process, their cats and dogs, their irritating family members, their travels, and sometimes, their meals.

Some writers can create entertaining posts on these topics, but not for long. (There’s only so much you can say about your cat, after all.)

What writers must remember is that they’re competing with millions of other blogs for their readers’ attention.

Think about what makes you stop and read a post. Usually, it’s because the headline promises to tell you something you want to know. Or it intrigues you for some other reason—often because you’re interested in the topic the writer is covering.

When writing a post, pretend you’re standing up in front of a group of strangers to talk about something for 10 minutes. You don’t want your listeners turning to their cell phones because they’re bored. Whatever you talk about, make it interesting to them!

2. Find Your Niche

Roughly 70 million posts are posted on WordPress sites alone each month.

To stand out amidst all that competition, it helps to have a unique niche—something to talk about that sets you apart from the rest.

I recommend you combine your personal strengths (are you funny? romantic? organized?) with your writing genre to come up with a unique niche that sets you apart from others.

Let’s say Paula is a thriller writer who is also passionate about flying airplanes. She could combine those two into a niche that would serve her well on her blog. Maybe she writes about thrilling flight adventures, exciting places to fly for vacation, or thrilling crimes that have taken place on or around airplanes.

How about Rose? She is a romance writer who loves gardening. Maybe she could have a blog that combines the two somehow. She could blog about the unique way that plants bring people together, plants that inspire romance or signify love, or how getting back to nature can help relationships.

As long as you choose something that you’re interested in, you can usually blog about it for years to come without getting bored. Choose a topic that’s at least distantly related to what you write about (it doesn’t have to be exact), and you’ll be likely to attract people to your blog who may be interested in your books.

3. Write Longer, Quality Articles

When people first started writing blogs, they were encouraged to write short—500 words or less. That’s changed today.

According to Backlinko, the ideal content length for maximizing social shares is 1,000-2,000 words. SEO company AHREFS also notes that long-form content (about 1,000 words) gets more backlinks than shorter articles—and that helps your posts show up higher in search engine results.

Then, make sure you’re creating quality posts. That means that your posts are deemed helpful, informative, and/or entertaining by your readers. In a survey by GrowthBadger, “quality of content” was the #1 most important success factor among all bloggers.  

Take some time to craft a good post every time you write one. Make sure you have at least a few solid takeaways for your readers—things they can use to make their lives better in some way.

4. Write Great Headlines and Subheads

There’s a science to creating “clickable” headlines. Fortunately, several companies have researched that science and made it available for us to use.

I highly suggest you use Coschedule’s free headline analyzer to check every blog headline you write. It will “score” your headline so you can see the difference between high-performing headlines and those people tend to ignore.

The Advanced Marketing Institute also has a headline analyzer and some helpful information on writing good headlines.

Then don’t forget to include subheads in your post. These are minor headings placed about once every 300 words or less to break up the text.

Most blog readers skim articles rather than carefully reading from beginning to end, so subheads are critical to keeping them on the page.

Headlines and subheads also help increase your SEO score. (Read on!)

5. Learn SEO and Use It!

You’ve probably heard about search engine optimization (SEO). If you’re already using it, you’re good to go. But if you haven’t started yet, don’t wait another minute.

SEO activities are those that you use to help your post show up sooner in search engine results. It sounds intimidating, but it’s not.

All you have to do is choose the keywords you want your blog to rank for—words that someone looking for your blog or stories might type into the search engine. Then use those keywords in your headlines, subheads, and articles.

You can learn more about SEO here. Once you have a general idea, make sure your blog has an SEO plug-in on the backend of the website. Yoast SEO has a good one you can use for free that will guide you toward improving your SEO score for each post.

6. Post Consistently!

A blog is a commitment. Promise yourself that you will post at least once a week (twice is better) for at least six months. Then check your results and see how you’re doing. (Google Analytics is the best way to see how your posts are performing.)

Orbit Media Studios found in a survey of bloggers that those who published more often were more likely to report “strong results.” I’ve found that choosing one day (or night) a week to write a blog helps keep me on track.

It’s easier to post more often and increase traffic if you invite guest authors to your blog. Interview people who are “experts” in your niche. You’ll expand your network that way, plus get more quality content for your blog. A win-win.

Yes, there are a lot of blogs out there. But if you find a niche that sets you apart, create quality posts, use SEO, and post consistently, you increase your chances of attracting new readers to your website and potentially to your e-newsletter as well. (I’ll talk more about e-newsletters in my next post!)

Note: Get Colleen’s free report on finding your blogging niche plus free chapters of her award-winning books for writers here!

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

The post Six Ways to Make Your Author Blog More Successful appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.