Henry David Thoreau

How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live ~ Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862) was an American author, poet, philosopher, best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings.

Writing, like life itself, is a voyage of discovery ~ Henry Miller

I am currently reading a wonderful book not just for aspiring writers, but for anyone interested in learning more about creativity. It is Henry Miller on Writing and it contains such gems as this list of eleven commandments, a daily routine to keep his writing on schedule.

For those of us prone to procrastination when it comes to our own writing schedules we could do worse than read through these commandments on a regular basis, don’t you think?

Write first and always….

Are you passionate about your book, but less passionate about promoting it?

I have worked with clients who were positively bursting with confidence in their book, and have relished every opportunity to go out there and sell their expertise. An attitude like this will of course make the job of self promotion so much easier. But what if you are naturally shy and diffident, and the thought of engaging so publicly with your audience brings you out in a cold sweat? What can you do then?

I believe the answer lies in starting with some great online promotion. Today, I want to briefly outline some ways in which you can do this and we will look at each of these points in more detail in the coming days.

6 ways to engage your reader online

1. Have a visually appealing website with compelling content related to your book. If you don’t want to invest in a professionally designed website, there are more cost effective ways to achieve the same effect with a simple blogging platform such as wordpress (more on wordpress in the future).

2. At a minimum, write an interesting biography which will engage your reader (author bio tips coming soon).

3. Set up an account on the main social networking sites, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn (there are more but these are the main players). Add your bio, your book title and any other details which you feel will entice readers to learn more.

4. Add links to your social networking accounts, your website, blog and the name of your book to your e-mail signature.

5. Start engaging with your audience by responding to tweets, facebook messages and comments on your blog – it’s much easier to do this online than face-to-face.  You will also gain valuable feedback from your readers on what appeals to them in your book which will in turn help you be more passionate about promoting it.

6. You can work up to more public engagement incrementally. Start off with step 5, and when you are comfortable with this level of online engagement, you can start thinking about making a video or podcast to get used to speaking about your book. Before you know it, your confidence will build and build, and you will be ready to speak passionately about your book in public for the first time.

Have you found it difficult to promote your book? Can you share any tips on what worked for you? 

Francoise Sagan, playwright and novelist (1935-2004)

I shall live badly if I do not write, and I shall write badly if I do not live.

Here’s a nifty little marketing tip from Dave Lieber aimed at those who inquire about you.

Collect your best testimonial quotes from 2011 and put them in a blog post so they are collected in a unique URL: “See-what-audiences-said-about-Suzie-in-2011.” Add a link to your demo video, your list of topics and your short video clips. Put a photo of yourself speaking along with the covers of your books. Add contact information. Then include this URL in your email signature line. It’s an up-to-date link that can easily be passed around to others.

Writing Desk by Colin Page

I love this quote from Anne Rice on writing (I am also in love with this Colin Page painting and dream of just such a room for myself!)

I loved words. I love to sing them and speak them and even now, I must admit, I have fallen into the joy of writing them. 

As we start a new year afresh, my wish for you is that your own writing will bring you much joy and I look forward to another year of reading and promoting your writing.

A writer needs three things, experience, observation, and imagination, any two of which, at times any one of which, can supply the lack of the others. -William Faulkner, novelist (1897-1962)

Stephanie Butland, author of How I Said Bah! To Cancer is embarking on her virtual book tour tomorrow, Monday, 17 October.  You can catch her on the following blogs to read more about her book and be in with a chance to win a copy.

Monday 17 Oct

Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer

Tuesday 18 Oct

 Me And My Big Mouth

Wednesday 19 Oct

Help! I Need a Publisher!

Thursday 20 Oct

Ramble Away

Friday 21 Oct

 Ben Johncock

Saturday 22 Oct

 Claire’s Stuff: Snapshots Of My Life

Sunday 23rd Oct

The view from my garret

Monday 24th Oct

Caroline Smailes

Tuesday 25th October

The Mad House

Click on image for more information

Would you like to win a copy of  When Cancer Hits – Your Complete Guide to Taking Care of YOU through Treatment?

Then pop on over to Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer to enter today’s competition.

Click on image for more information

When Cancer Hits is a practical guidebook for cancer patients designed to fill the gap between the doctor’s office and everyday living.

Written by entrepreneur, natural beauty expert, makeup artist, and author Britta Aragon, it delivers resources, services, and products to help anyone dealing with side effects from chemotherapy, radiation treatments, or medications, or experiencing skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and extremely dry skin.

“My journey started when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease at the age of 16,” Britta says. “I went through chemotherapy, lost most of my hair, had night sweats, got really dry skin, and suffered weight gain, but I was fortunate. I got through it. Afterwards, I realized life is a precious gift that can be taken away in the snap of a finger. It made me stronger, and I know it helped develop my free spirit and positive outlook on life. But it also shook me up a little, and took me in a new direction that I never would have expected—and that would eventually lead me to my purpose in life.”

Eight years later, when her father was diagnosed with colon cancer, she sought solutions for the difficult side effects he suffered on his hair, skin and nails, but was disheartened by the lack of straightforward information or effective solutions. After her father passed away in 2007, Britta made it her mission to honor her father’s legacy by founding the  lifestyle care website CincoVidas.

Cinco Vidas means “five lives” in Spanish. Britta’s heritage is Mexican, and since her father experienced cancer in five different areas of his body, the name had a meaningful ring. The number five is also the number for harmony and balance, signifies perfection in the Mayan culture, and numbers the elements in traditional Chinese medicine. “These connections reflect all that my father is and what his journey meant to me,” Britta says. “Cinco Vidas exists in his honor.”

When Cancer Hits is a natural extension of Britta’s work in raising awareness of the toxicity of many of our personal and home care products. Her book offers tips on how to navigate the journey from cancer diagnosis to recovery, not just physically but emotionally and spiritually too.  Offering hope, compassion, practical guidance and advice, When Cancer Hits would make a welcome gift for a family member or loved one newly diagnosed with cancer.

Read Britta’s interview on Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer where she discusses what led her to write her book, her relationship with her beloved father and her top tips for which toxins to avoid in our personal care products.