If You Don't Know Where You're Going . . .

If you don't know where you’re going, then you’ll end up in a place you don't want to be. Or, if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?

As a writer, do I know where I’m going?

It’s okay not to know your destination as a runner. I strap on my Garmin and head out the door knowing how many miles I want to run. If I get to a road under construction, I can take a detour. It’s only a minor inconvenience. It’s different though with writing and marketing. If I go in a wrong direction, getting lost could cost me not only time, but lost sales.

The Internet is like a massive cave without signs to indicate which side tunnels lead to nowhere. How can I write if I'm lost in a dark cave. I can’t. So what’s a girl to do?

Stick like Superglue to my 5-point plan: reviews, blogs, social media, free sites, and interviews. I have two today. One at There for You and the other at Mostly Reviews. Stop by and visit and enter the contests for a chance to win a copy of The Ruby Brooch.

The best free site has to be Goodreads. I mentioned this a few days ago and referred to Rachelle Gardner's article on How Authors Can Effectively Use Goodreads. It’s the largest site for readers and book recommendations in the world with more than 7,500,000 members. Count those zeros! I can buzz around the web  and waste time, or I can focus on Goodreads, specifically Rachelle's list and continue with my plan to reach casual readers and bona-fide bookworms who hang out there.

Last night I joined the Author Program at Goodreads and my blog now shows up on my Author Dashboard. There is so much more to learn and do:

·     Create a Q&A group to interact with readers and create a buzz about The Ruby Brooch

·     Connect my Facebook fan page (currently under construction) with Goodreads to display ratings and reviews

·     List my book for a giveaway, and

·     Explore other advertising opportunities to reach readers

I can spend an entire morning at Goodreads and won’t feel like I’m lost in a dark tunnel because I'll have a good light source. There are, after all, 7,500,000 members who love books.

Here's what my Author Dashboard looks like while it's also under construction.

I'm off to Goodreads now for some speluking. Happy writing and running, Kathy