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Are you struggling with what to write about on your blog? If you’re anything like me, these are some of the thoughts going through your head:

Why would anyone listen to what I have to say?
There are already so many bloggers out there.
I’m not an expert in anything.

Let’s catch up with our resident beginner (fast becoming experienced) and ask her a few questions about blogging content.
Jeanie is a fellow Wordsower and newly published author with a story in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles Happen.

Here on Jeanie’s Perspective, she shares the process of building her platform. Connect with Jeanie on her website or on Facebook.

What do you blog about? Do you have an area you stick with or do you blog about whatever is on your mind at the moment?
Recently I started blogging about the oddest or most challenging event of my week. I format it like this:
1) Share a true, usually quirky, event. Like when I hid from the nativity scene in my front yard, or cooked a possum.
2) Apply a nugget of truth, lay my soul bare, and ask who else might be struggling in that area.
3) Give encouragement through a related scripture.
Do you have a tag line/mission statement?
I thought “Truth Through Fiction” would be an awesome tag line. So did about a thousand other people who are already using it. My blog’s focus is hope, humor, and encouragement. I want people to know God’s crazy in love with them, ala John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Do you ever doubt your choice for your blog topic? 
Pretty much every time I sit down to write it. The rule of thumb is “narrow your focus to broaden your audience.” I know it, but haven’t accomplished it yet. Last week I learned of an author who writes Amish science-fiction. Seriously. Now that’snarrowing your focus.
In order to determine what to blog about,
it helps to know 4 things.
Know your mission/purpose. Some people like to write a mission statement. If you don’t want something long and involved, try a tag line. Can you put in one sentence what the purpose is behind your writing?
For me, my tagline is “stories of surrender, transformation, and hope”. In other words, through each story I write (and each blog post) I want to encourage women in their faith walk. I think this tag line expresses that. Here are some questions to ask as you think about what your purpose is.
Where do you want to be in 10 years?
Is there a pattern of what God is doing in your life?
What is your personal life message?
What is your personal life verse?
 
Know your audience. Its common to want to include everyone. But the funny thing is, the more specific you get, the broader appeal your message actually has. When you have a very specific audience in mind, it is easier to get personal with them. Ask yourself:
What is their age range?
What is their gender?
What are their interest?
What are their talents /abilities?
What life issue/problem are you going to help them solve/answer?
What is their life circumstance (married, single, kids or no, working, retired, etc)?
What is it about their life that gets them interested in what you write?
Is your reader fellow writers or just readers?
 
 
Know yourself. You are the heartbeat of your writing. It’s how you shine through and stand out from everyone else. People are attracted to YOU, not just the WHAT you write.
What is your personality?
What is your passion?
What do you enjoy writing about?
What do you like to do?
What appeals to you to learn about?
What is your writing style? Don’t try to be someone else.
You are the heartbeat of your writing. 
 
Know what you know. People like to know you’re for real. And whether you outright state it or not, when you know something, it comes through. Your expert status shows. Ask yourself a few questions to shine some light on these areas.
What do you do in your spare time?
What are your talents and abilities?
When do people listen best to you?
What do people ask for your help with?
What is your degree in if you have one?
What are your experiences?
What topics “flow” out of you?
Do you see any common themes in these 4 areas? Take a minute and make some notes.
If you’re still struggling, ask those who love you to share their perspective. Write a few sample blog posts and run them by fellow writers. Then, if you’re still not sure, just START. As you blog, your spot-on-topic will rise to the surface. Don’t be paralyzed by fear or indecision.
Are you ready to get started? Did you get any aha moments as you went through these questions? 
If you have already started your blog, tell me what you blog about. 
Jill’s Workshop: 
Blogging: Creating content that will build your readership 

Wordsowers Conference February 28-March 1 
Add some God colors to your world (Click to Tweet)


Jill Hart first attended a WordSowers monthly meeting at Parables in January 2006. I remember the meeting well. The regulars talked about developing a critique group but not one of us felt confident enough to get our feet wet. In November a couple WordSowers asked Mark Littleton of Heart of America Christian Writers Network to help us. He turned to me and said, “Kat, you do it. You know enough.”

On that cold winter evening with Jill in attendance, she said, “I sure wish I could find a critique group.” That night I jumped in and got my feet wet. The next month the WordSowers first critique group came together. Wow, Jill has come a long way since then.
Lionhearted Kat: What do you remember about those beginning days of writing, Jill?
Jill: I remember being terrified. I thought you would all kick me out of that first meeting because I wasn’t a “real” writer. I was shaking in my boots!  You all helped me find the confidence to push forward and gave me a place to go to ask questions and get help. Oh, what a blessing WordSowers has been in my life!

Lionhearted Kat: You were already blogging at that time, right? Why did you decide you need to attend WordSowers and a critique group?
Jill:  I had started writing little devotionals and articles to post on my website in 2001. But, I only wrote them to have fresh content for my website, not because I enjoyed writing or thought that I was good at it.
I had a conversation with a writer friend in 2005 and she helped me see that the next logical step with CWAHM was a print book. So, I began trying to learn how to go about “real” writing and stumbled across WordSowers. The writing group gave me a safe place to learn, grow and network as a writer.

Lionhearted Kat: Let’s go back to before WordSowers.—what prompted you to build a business online and what do you wish you knew before you started—especially the writing aspect?
Jill:  When I began CWAHM I had know idea that writing would even be involved. I put the website together as I was learning HTML and web design, never thinking that people would actually see it. God had other plans. J
If I could go back, I was be more purposeful. I would definitely have some type of business plan in place and I would have tried to figure out what types of things I was going to need before jumping in head-first. I think, however, that had I done things that way, I would have never ever gotten started. I was have been too intimidated, too afraid of failing, and I think God knew that. He is so gracious to us and knows just what we need.
Learn how to blog: create, re-purpose and find content. 
At the Wordsowers Writers Conference. (Click to Tweet)



Lionhearted Kat: How did you come up with the title to your latest book: “Do Life Different.”

Jill: Do Life Different has really been the theme of my life over the last couple of years. So many of my friends think my life is so weird – working from home, writing, speaking – it’s not the typical Midwestern life.
And I find that my spiritual walk has that same flavor to it. We have to be a bit weird to live for Christ, we have to “Do Life Different” to stand out from the crowd.
Lionhearted Kat: In your info about your workshop you said mentioned blogging helping your audience finding new content, repurposing content, run more contests and more. What do you want your workshop attendees to learn from your presentation?
Jill:  I really would like people to walk away from the session with a sense of purpose and direction for their blogs. So many writers are told to blog, but they aren’t really sure what to do once they have the blog set up – how to engage their readers.
We’ll walk through the ins and outs of blogging for writers – what it means, why you should do it, and how to keep from spinning your wheels.
 On a personal note:
Lionhearted Kat: Who is your favorite author and what hits home with you when you read one of their books?
Jill: My favorite author is Liz Curtis Higgs. She amazes me with her imagery and her ability to make eternal truths easy to understand. Liz writes both fiction and non-fiction, she doesn’t let genre or subject matter stop her. I love that she blazes her own trail and writes what God lays on her heart.
Lionhearted Kat: Author Emily Dickenson said, “I dwell in possibility.” How does that thought pertain to you?
Jill: Dreaming is my favorite thing! It seems I’m always trying to come up with something new or a fresh way to do things. One of the best things about running an online business and doing all my own web work is the ability to do whatever I want, to some degree. I love the freedom of working at home and working for myself. And I love that I go wherever God leads me even if it doesn’t necessarily fit with where I’ve been.
Lionhearted Kat: Share about your family life, how do you balance your writing/speaking schedule with your life as wife and mother?
Jill: Oh, the balancing act. This is certainly where the pressure sets in. I think I’m constantly evaluating and re-evaluating what I spend my time on. I’ve learned over the last 15 years that success isn’t what the world claims it is. There are more important things that money and making a name for myself. Building a relationship with the Lord must come before all else and my family second. Anything else is a bonus.
I’m learning that I can never truly be balanced, I can simply be flexible. So, I wake up each day and set about doing what God has asked of me for that day.
Lionhearted Kat: Your children are growing up, how do you see your life changing in the near future?
Jill: I can’t believe how big my kids are already! Where does the time go? My daughter is 12 and my son turns 9 in a few weeks.  I honestly think that my kids need me more now than they did when they were small. They needed me to be present physically when they were little, but now they need me to be all-in emotionally and mentally as well. They are turning into young adults and it is a pleasure to walk through this journey with them.
While I have more time to work and write now that they are in school during the day, I’m much stricter with myself about not working evening or weekends. It does happen on occasion if I’m on deadline, but not often.
 Lionhearted Kat: How can we pray for you between now and the conference?
Jill: I would love your prayers and I prepare both my heart and mind for speaking. That God will guide me to cover the topics that people truly want and need.
Lee Warren is a freelance writer and editor from Omaha, Nebraska, and one of the founders of WordSowers Christian Writers. He has written six non-fiction books and hundreds of articles for various newspapers and magazines. He has also edited more than 50 books that are currently in print.
I met Lee at the first meeting of Omaha writers, before we chose the name WordSowers. For several years Lee served on the Steering Committee for WordSowers—he enjoys helping new authors find their voice. He is on staff for CLASSeminars, A Christian Writers Conference held in New Mexico and has presented dozens of writers workshops over the past few years.

Interview Questions:

Lionhearted Kat: When we met you worked at a bank. When did you decide you wanted to write?
Lee:My parents divorced when I was eight years old, so my dad came to get me on Saturdays to spend time with him. He was a painter (the kind who paints houses) and he owned his own shop, so we would often stop by there on Saturday afternoons. While he was busy, I often gravitated toward his big manual typewriter on his desk. I’d scroll a piece of paper into it and begin copying liner notes from albums, articles from newspapers, etc., sometimes picking up a story where it left off. I didn’t know it at the time, but the writing bug was planted in me back then.
During my teen years, I wrote poetry to deal with my emotions. As an introvert, the written page was my only safe place. During my twenties, I wrote songs to deal with my emotions. I became a Christian in my mid-twenties and a few years later got online, where I landed a singles column with Christianity Today Online.
And then in my thirties, I received a flyer for a Christian writers conference in Kansas City. I was intrigued so I registered and attended. For the first time in my life, I was among kindred spirits – creative types who expressed themselves with the written word. That’s when I really knew I wanted to write.
Lionhearted Kat: Before you started writing fulltime, you drove to Kansas City to attend a monthly writers group or critique group. It’s a long drive to Kansas City, how often did you go and how did that dedication help you as a writer?
Lee:The Kansas City conference above I mentioned took place in 1998. For a few years, they had annual conferences, but then the network changed hands and the new directors changed the conferences to scaled down versions that occurred quarterly. For the next few years I drove to Kansas City and attended nearly every one of them. I ended up building a relationship with an editor I met at one of those quarterly conferences and I still write for him to this day, even though he has changed publications.
Being around other writers on a consistent basis – writers who were serious about pursuing publication – really fueled my creative juices. Everybody is busy. Everybody has family issues, and church issues, and various other issues. But being around writers who were writing in spite of all that made me want to do it as well.
Lionhearted Kat: Were you involved in a critique group during the beginning years of your writing journey? If so, how did it help? Or if not, why not?
Lee:Being introverted I never had a big desire to be part of a face to face critique group. Takes too much out of me and too often those groups are not structured. They become social gatherings rather than critique groups. I did participate in a couple of them though – one with a few other writers here in Omaha. We would meet at Barnes and Noble monthly. The other one was not face to face. It was an online ACFW critique group. I was part of that for maybe a year.
I benefited more from going to writing workshops at conferences – especially ones that were dedicated to the craft. I took one workshop in which novelist Nancy Moser taught about the importance of showing rather than telling and that helped me a great deal. I took another one with novelist Angela Hunt about structuring a novel. It was gold. I sat in on workshops in which professional editors tore stories apart and then put them back together again. Andy Scheer, who used to be the editor at Moody and is currently an agent, taught one such workshop and I attended it several times. Again, it was pure gold.
Lionhearted Kat: You’ve given dozens of workshops over the years. Is there one workshop you enjoy presenting more than others–why?
Lee:I teach one called “Article Writing 101” that I really enjoy because part way through, I can see people’s faces begin to light up. They come to the class not really knowing how to structure an article and once they learn some basic journalistic techniques, then they feel equipped to give it a shot. I love that.
Lionhearted Kat: Your Contemplating Redemption is one of my favorite blog sites. One of your recent posts tickled my funny bone. I so related to your “Losing My Technological Touch.” What prompted this so true post and how do you think people older than you will keep up with the every changing technology?
Lee:The site you are referring to is my author website. But you picked up on the tagline: Contemplating Redemption. Most of my writing is steeped in redemption of one sort or another, so that’s the theme for my author website.
As a writer who is just trying to make ends meet every month, I have taken on a lot of different type of work. I love to edit, so I became an editor. I love to encourage writers, so I became a writing coach. I knew more than the average bear when it came to setting up blogs, so I began setting up blogs for writers. But somewhere along the way, I bit off more than I could chew and I found myself drowning in technology.
I think the moment of truth came about a year ago with I tried to set up an e-book for an author on Amazon.com and I lost a ton of time on the project. Learning to format the e-book wasn’t bad, but the layout afterward was a nightmare for me. The text somehow flowed into a hidden boundary. A horizontal line just appeared on the bottom of every other page and I couldn’t figure out how to get rid of it. Then the author told me he had a bunch of photos to insert. I was in over my head and I admitted it to the author.
I just learned to stick to what I can do well and then hire someone to do the rest. And that’s probably my advice for people who are older than me. Jump in, give it a try, but if you find yourself getting too frustrated or in way over your head, find someone who can do it for you.
On a Personal Note:
Lionhearted Kat: You are big into sports, watch them and write about them. You also interview many sports celebrities—often on the fly—in a few minutes. What do you enjoy most about talking with those in the sports world? Is there one interview you haven’t done and hope to in the future? 
Lee:I love talking to the athlete who doesn’t have a big name, but who is working hard behind the scenes either to excel on the field, or to excel in his or her faith.
I interviewed a baseball pitcher named John Wasdin in 2006, I believe. He was pitching for the Texas Rangers and was near the end of his career. Not many people knew who he was, but he found a way to stay in the game because of his work ethic, willingness to adapt, and continuing to tweak his game. Those players are called journeymen.
We were in the Rangers clubhouse in Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. I introduced myself as a sportswriter for a Christian publication and he pulled a seat up to his locker, inviting me to sit down. That doesn’t happen often. During that interview, I learned that he had witnessed to a Triple-A player when he was in Triple-A himself and that player became a Christian. Wasdin made a commitment to disciple him, but after he got called back to the big leagues, that made face to face discipleship impossible. So he committed to discipling that player on the phone every night after their games were over.
Digging for and finding a story like that is invigorating for me as a journalist. They are inspiring and faith building. Journalists live for the “get.” They want to get the story nobody else knows about. I feel that way too, but I want to get the journeyman story because the odds are stacked against him.
Even in a story like this, redemption is always lurking.

Lionhearted Kat: In the past you mentioned how you enjoy Jan Karon books. Is there another author you enjoy—one of those that the minute their latest book is off the press you gotta have it? What is it about the author that drives you to read their work?
Lee:I’m a huge Nicholas Sparks fan. His characters are often flawed, wounded, imperfect people who are just looking for another chance at love. That resonates with me, given that I’m 47 and never married. And there’s that redemption theme again.
I also love Richard Ford. His Bascombe trilogy about a sportswriter named Frank Bascombe is something to savor. He does something with a male protagonist that many in modern literature are unwilling to do – he explores the protagonist’s emotions as he struggles through his disappointments. I love that. As a man who is willing to explore my own emotions, I feel like I have a friend in Bascombe.
Lionhearted Kat: Last fall you participated in the National Novel Writing Month. How did you manage your daily schedule and producing a novel that fast? Where did you write most of your work, in a recliner or in a coffee shop?
Lee:I wrote that novel exclusively at night in restaurants, coffee shops, and bookstores. I got into a rhythm most nights, writing 1,666 words (the average you need to hit the 50,000-word goal) in two and half hours. That’s doable for anybody if you’ll turn off the TV. I was dead tired most nights by the time I finished, but it was a satisfied tired.
Lionhearted Kat: Because you are involved in other conferences, you are able to travel to other states. If you had the opportunity right now to travel, where would you go and why?
Lee:I’m assuming you mean traveling to the conference of my choice? If so, I would go to Mount Hermon. It’s probably the premier conference in the CBA and I’ve never had a chance to go. If you mean non-conference related traveling, I would love to travel to see the four tennis Grand Slam tournaments in New York, Paris, London, and Melbourne.
Lionhearted Kat: I know as a fulltime author you face struggles in receiving payments on time and also, you’ve had some physical issues. Is there a specific need you’d like us to pray about for you or your family between now and the conference?
Lee:I don’t really want to get specific, but you have named all three of my primary struggles as a full-time freelancer – finances, health, and family concerns. I would love it if you would pray about all three of those areas of my life.
Interviewed by The Lionhearted Kat, one of the Leadership Team of WordSowers Christian Writers Group and the author of Capsules of Hope: Survival Guide forCaregivers. She is published in seventeen compilations and has written numerous magazine articles. After the death of her husband she wrote From theEyes of  joyful Widow.

 

Last week, we had a great Hangout. You can still catch it here. We talked about building your platform starting with the basics: your website or blog. Today, you’ll find tips to make that website or blog look professional.
But first, let’s hear from Jeanie Jacobson about her progress building her platform from the ground up.

Jeanie is a fellow Wordsower and newly published author with a story appearing in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles Happen. Released February 4, 2014.

You can find at:

What are you working on this week? I’m learning how to put email sign up buttons on my blog and website. According to the video  tutorials, it’s a quick and easy task.

How is it going? Well…you’ll get a good idea from this piece of my last blog post: I started this blog last September by admitting I felt like Little Red Riding Hood wandering cyberspace with the Big Bad Blogging Wolf hot on my trail. I’ll be honest even though it’s embarrassing. That wolf is still breathing down my neck.
I need to set up an email sign-up form so nice people like you have access to my newsletters and fun insider stuff. It should be so easy to create, but I keep getting arrested by the techno-police.
At this moment I’m lost in cyber space on Planet MailChimp.
Danger Jeanie Jacobson! Danger!
MailChimp is owned by a conglomerate of out-of-work flying monkeys, bitter because the Wizard Of Oz was their last gig. To me their tutorials read something like:
“Link the snarfbladt with the poofathon utilizing the source code. However, if you plan to use a RSS feed, copy the 1st line of HTML into your rebakalator before dancing a jig in your pajamas. If that doesn’t work paste the last 3478 lines of code into the fizzmutter after pulling the flying giraffes from your doughnut maker.” Read Jeanie’s full post here.
What would you tell our readers who are reluctant to get started? Don’t let fear hold you back. Pursue the dreams God planted in your heart, no matter what your starting point is. I’m sharing my computer ineptitude publicly to encourage you. I’ll get better as I push forward. And so will you.
You’ll be hearing more from Jeanie as she shares her adventures in platform building.

As you build your platform, you want it all to look professional, starting with your blog/website. Remember, little things can add up to a great website experience. Here are 10 tips to keep you going in the right direction.
  1. Develop your tag line.This will help guide the direction of your website or blog. It’s that short sentence that tells the purpose of your content.
  2. Offer quality content. Be consistent, whether you post once a week or more. Start with what you know you can handle. You can always add extra posts.
  3. Make sure any links on your website open in new page, especially if these links are to another site away from your own. Check to make sure no links are broken.
  4. Add a picture to each post. Get permission to share and provide appropriate attribution when required. You don’t want people to randomly share your content that you worked so hard on, don’t share someone else’s even if it’s not the written word. There are lots of great places to find quality photos for free that are legal to use.
  5. If you have several pages, make sure tabs are easy to find so people can make their way around your website without frustration.
  6. Once you are on other social media sites, provide easy links to connect with you there.
  7. Have a professional photo to use for your publicity picture. The high resolution is important. What you start showing up on other places, they will ask for one. And you want to look professional.
  8. When you have books for sale, make it easy for people to find them for purchase. Also make a page about your writing, so people can decide whether they like your book right in the moment, before they leave your site and get distracted.
  9. Create an about/bio page. Readers want to know about you. Be authentic.
  10. Make your newsletter sign up easy to find. Best place, top right corner under your header.
Here are some great go-to websites with great information on building your online platform.
 Jeff Goines
Author Media
Michael Hyatt
Blogging Bistro
Next week, we’ll talk specifically about your newsletter. If you have a question you would like addressed leave a comment below.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it….make a goal of one  thing you can do to build your platform. And DO IT!
Now, do tell, what is your goal for the week?

If you want to connect with Jeanie, visit her website http://www.jeaniejacobson.com

Join us for our live hangout:
Pre-Published Author Platforms
February 6th at 10:15-11:15 am

 

~ ~ ~
Conference Sneak Peak
 Meet Gabriele Udele from Beacon Hill Press 
who will be presenting a workshop this year.

Gabriele Udele--Beacon Hill Press Editor

Wordsowers Writing Group is excited about Gabriele Udele presenting a workshop at our WordSowers Christian Writers Conference on March 1st. I first met Gabriele at the 2013 Heart of America Christian Writers Conference in Kansas City. She represented Beacon Hill Press, a publisher in business for over ninety years.

 
Lionhearted Kat: When did you begin work at Beacon Hill Press and what is your role there?
 
Gabriele:  I have worked at Beacon Hill two different times—from 1999-2004, and from 2013-present.  My title is Consumer Product Line Editor.  I am a content and acquisitions editor for Christian Living books.
 
Lionhearted Kat: What do you wish you’d known when you first started in your position?
 
Gabriele: I wish I’d learned the Chicago Manual of Style when I was in college! We used a different documentation style when I was in school.

Lionhearted Kat: See more of the interview and what Gabriele will share at the conference by reading LIONHEARTED KAT INTERVIEW 

You’re writing your first book and you want to be ahead in marketing when you approach a publisher or agent. You’re willing to jump in to social media, but it feels overwhelming and you don’t know where to start. I have a few suggestions to keep in mind as you start.

1. From the beginning, use the name you are writing under to name EVERYTHING to give it a streamlined look. Once you have an online identity, then every time you leave a comment, on a blog or on FB or Twitter, that comment will lead people back to you. Other bloggers will begin to recognize your name. You’re leaving breadcrumbs for people to follow right back to where you hang out.

2. Remember: you cannot do everything. You simply don’t have enough time. Don’t spread the time you have too thin. It’s better to be great at 2 or 3 than mediocre at a dozen or to start something and leave it unattended. Choose wisely. But do keep a list of all the ideas and links you run across – for possible use later.

3. Remember: one size does not fit all. Not everything works for everybody. And even if you are determined to use what another author uses, you need to MAKE IT YOUR OWN. Put your own twist and personality into it. Ask the questions in #5 to help you determine which ones will fit you best.

4. Start with JUST the basics: Facebook (I think google+ is also a great basic) and a website. By limiting how many you start with, you allow yourself plenty of time to become proficient at one thing before moving on to others.

5. Ask critical questions to help determine other social media involvement:

  • Where are you active already as a consumer or an
    author?
  • What are you comfortable with? If twitter  isn’t your thing – it can wait till later – see if you really need the headache of learning it. If you don’t do photography, then Flickr may not be for you.
  • Who is your target audience (genre/age)?
  • How much time do you have?
  • What is your brand/purpose/message?
Give yourself an edge as you head toward publication. Whether traditionally or indie published, you need an audience to read your book. Get ahead of the marketing by starting early. Avoid being overwhelmed by keeping it simple.
Action:
If you have a blog, leave the address in the comments below. Then visit someone else’s blog listed in the comments below or on the members page tab.
Are you already active in social media?

If not, what is your greatest deterrent?

Next week-Thursday, January 30 at 10:15am- we are hosting a panel discussion all about blogging and websites for beginners on a Google+ hangout. You can join us live or we will be recording for those who can’t join us. If you have a question you would like answered, leave it in the comments section below.
photo credit: www.freedigitalphotos.net //isophere
I have a confession. I don’t usually buy fiction at full price. I go to the library, look at garage sales, or borrow from a friend. If it touches my life in some way or I know the author I might invest in a brand new copy.
The other day, however, when I was in the mood for a good book I visited the bookstore. After reading a ton of book blurbs, they all started sounding alike. I defaulted to an author I was familiar with and whom I knew wrote quality stories.
Familiarity with your name influences the purchase of your book. The more places you get you and your writing in front of people, the more likely people will pause when they see a book with your name on it. And buy it.

Getting in front of potential readers is something you can do now. Well before the contract. Here are 5 ideas for building familiarity:

1.      Interact with potential readers and influencers on social media
2.      Write (articles, devotionals and stories) in offline markets
3.      Guest post on other blogs
4.      Write an ebook/PDF download to offer as free content
5.      Do reviews for others and post them
Action: Visit the social media sights of 3 of your favorite authors. Take note of what they are doing. Which of these things look like they would fit with your purpose?
When you go to the bookstore or library to find a good book, how much do each of the following affect your choice? Book cover? Back blurb? Author familiarity?
McConaughey lost 40 pounds to play the role of a man with AIDS.
Probably I won’t see many of the films up for the Golden Globe Awards, but I kinda watched the presentations on Sunday evening.
Several of the stars I wanted to win, like Tom Hanks for “Captain Phillips,” were left sitting on their chairs, instead of racing to the platform. But when Matthew McConaughey’s name rang out, I watched him.
Wow, his first major award. He looked like a little kid receiving his first bicycle. But what stood out to me the most is the opening of his acceptance speech.
Of the film McConaughey said “This film took 20 years to get made. People declined to make it 86 times. We got together with a group of people who laid skin on the ground. That was one thing. A year later, it’s living. It’s very present. And I’m standing up here with a Golden Globe. That’s incredibly rewarding.”
When any of our writers talk about rejection, we need to read McConaughey’s statement again.
THIS FILM TOOK TWENTY YEARS TO GET MADE.
PEOPLE DECLINED TO MAKE IT 86 TIMES.
 I’m printing the above and pasting it to my desk. I know we are looking at the years to produce a film, but what about our years in publishing a book—I’m glad McConaughey shared that information, it’s a great reminder of the dedication of writers, producers and the actors, too.
Why start now?I don’t even have a book written.

Whether you self-publish or publish traditionally, you need an audience to read your book. That’s what building a platform is all about. For the most effective book launch, you want that audience built ahead of time.

When approaching publishers and agents, that is one key element they will look for.

For myself, involvement with social media was limited prior to my contract and the learning curve for building a platform took away from actual connection time with people as well as creative time to write my content.

How do I start without getting overwhelmed?
  • Keep it simple.Choose one social media venue at a time. Take time to learn the ins and outs before you add more.
  • Supply quality content, one blog post at a time. Don’t worry about offering the same amount of content as an established blogger. But keep your promises. If you promise to blog once a month or once a week, do so. People don’t like to follow links to dead ends. They want to discover what you do. Show them.
  • Focus on making connections. How would you connect face to face? Keep it real in your interactions. Be helpful, not just self-promotional. Visit other blogs and Facebook pages and comment. Join online writing groups and participate.
Think of everything you do online as a piece of the puzzle. You are building your reputation or brand as a writer. Your brand is what people come to expect from you. What you write about, how you write about it and what you do with it.
Action: Do you have a FB fan page? If not, start one (link back to previous FB article). This is a great place to learn how to interact with your audience. And if you’re not ready to start posting on a regular basis to a blog or feel overwhelmed at the thought, this is perfect. You can still share content – in bit size pieces.

Here are two previous posts about using Facebook to help you get started: Building a Platform Part 1  and  Building a Platform Part 2

I first met Troy Griepentrog two years ago at the Heart of America Christian Writers Conference (HACWN) in Overland Park, Kansas where he represented Focus on the Family.

In a ten minute interview we talked about a story I’d written. Troy listened intently. Smiled often. Commented on a few ideas of mine—I left the interview feeling I’d met a new friend. Later at lunch we talked a bit about Colorado Springs.
This year Troy again represented Focus at the HACWN conference. He told me he doesn’t have a facebook—but he does browse there once in awhile to check out what is happening around him. Several things I learned about Troy in our short meetings. He has a great sense of humor, he constantly encourages writers, and he loves the Lord. He looks young—in reality he is Grandpa Troy.
Lionhearted Kat: You work for Focus on the Family publications, what is your position?

Troy: I’m a senior associate editor of Thriving Family magazine, and I edit marriage topics primarily.

For the full story see:  Interview and Reviews

A new interview on the interview and reviews page. 
Unfortunately, I didn’t meet Gloria Penwell at the Oregon Christian Writer’s Conference when her husband Dan encouraged me to publish my book. But because of mutual friendships and Lee Warren working with her at CLASSeminars, we’ve now connected.
I’ve posted an interview with Gloria—take time to read it. She has been around the CBA market for a number of years and is full of wisdom.
Still Lionhearted, Kat
 
 
Continued notes from Kat from the Q and A panel:
When our Q and A panel received questions from those attending WordSowers meeting in November, most people didn’t put their name on them. Jeanie added her name, and even if she didn’t, we know about her contract with “Chicken Soup” and applaud her tenacity—
The sign on my desk says,
If you don’t submit, you can’t sell.
Jeanie’note-question:
 “My story will be in an upcoming Chicken Soup book.
Is there a protocol for promoting that without being pushy?
I currently have a (new) website, (new) blog, (new) author’s
facebook page, and (new) twitter account.”
We need to do more than applaud Jeanie’s sale—she’s moved ahead in building the blog, getting her facebook up and going and is on twitter. Yahoo, Jeanie. Great job.
Is there a non-pushy way to promote your book? Any book?
With “Chicken Soup books” you are paid for the manuscript and given 10 free books. What you do with the book from there is up to you. Of course, the publisher hopes that every author will sell books for them, but how?
In my case, I waited years to be accepted by “Chicken Soup Finding Your Faith.” I might not have promoted the book, but when I spoke in the northwest this summer, offering books after my presentation worked well.
How would I share a compilation if I didn’t speak? In the beginning—maybe 2005, I held book events at Parables, Divine Truth, Borders and Barnes and Nobles. Did I make any more money? No, but I connected with managers in each bookstore. When I did self-publish my book, those same managers allowed me to hold more book events and even carried my book in their stores.
When I sold any compilation in a church setting or to family and friends, I bought the books at half price—sold them for list price.
I didn’t quit my day job. This isn’t a huge money maker, but you begin to build your platform and your portfolio.
Angela Meyer held a book launch party when her book “Hope Starts Here” published. Why not hold a book launch party with “Chicken Soup?” Yes, it’s lots of work, but if your book is published in January or February, everyone needs a reason to celebrate and you will start building your audience for the future. Invite family, friends and ask them to invite more people. Most of them want to celebrate a new publication—get the word out, Jeanie Jacobsen, you are an author.