Wednesday's Links to Writing & Marketing Blog Posts

WRITING WHAT YOU LOVE AND EARNING WHAT YOU’RE WORTH

By: James Scott Bell

Many folks, including your humble correspondent, feel that this is by far the best time on earth to be a writer. In the distant past (you know, before 2007) precious few scribes were ever able to eke out a reasonable living from scribbling alone.

That’s all changed.

Every month more writers are added to the roster of those making enough lettuce to consider leaving their day jobs. But even short of that, many more are making a side income that is significant and steadily growing.

I love this! I love it that more writers can now earn a fair, merit–based return on what they write.

Today, let’s forget about the prognostications, vitriol, cries of doom, and hand-wringing over the future of culture in general and publishing in particular. Today I want to talk about being a professional writer.

For two decades now I’ve studied, analyzed, and practiced what works in this arena. I have determined that writers who make it almost always share these seven characteristics:

1. Love

An inner fire to make it as a writer will get you through years of cold reality. I suspect that the majority of writers who make it to full-time status love what they do. Writing is a part of them, a calling as well as a vocation.

It’s certainly possible to write out of sheer business-mindedness (I think, however, that this is much easier when you write non-fiction). Yet there’s a certain something that gets translated to the page by the writer who loves the work. I believe you can write what you love and, if you do so with the other characteristics listed below, earn a fair return.

2. Discipline

. . .

Read the full article HERE!

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If you missed my writing & marketing tweets and retweets yesterday, here they are again:

1. The Kill Zone: Writing What You Love and Earning What You’re Worth http://ow.ly/E6JN4
2. Think Like a Bookstore Retailer - Books & Such Literary Management : Books & Such Literary Management http://ow.ly/E6JRU
3. The Potential Perils and Pitfalls of Signing with a Small Press – And How to Avoid Them — The Book Designer http://ow.ly/E6JWl
4. Novels aren’t movie scripts: how to write great dialogue in prose | Nail Your Novel http://ow.ly/E6K17
5. 22 Mind-Blowing Book Designs by Iacopo Bruno http://ow.ly/E6K94
6. 50 Ways To Reach Your Reader. # 2: Indie Authors & Amazon | Self-Publishing Advice http://ow.ly/E6Kdr
7. AuthorCulture: One Great Way To Write A Book Review http://ow.ly/E6Mmj
8. Negative Thinking and Writing Blocks | David Rasch PhD http://ow.ly/E6Mt3
9. Indies & Audiobooks: An Alternative to ACX - Jane Friedman http://ow.ly/E6Mz2
10. 10 Things to Know About Pitching Agents and Editors - Elizabeth Spann Craig http://ow.ly/E6MJK
11. KDP Select & Kindle Unlimited: Why Ebooks Not Enrolled Are at a Disadvantage | Lindsay Buroker http://ow.ly/E6MS9
12. Seriously Write: Heroic Characters and the Law of the Original by Angela E. Arndt http://ow.ly/E6NSS
13. Great Storytelling: 3 Secrets Revealed | Nikki Woods: Global Visibility Expert http://ow.ly/E6O4O
14. A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Embrace Change – Guest Post by David Gaughran http://ow.ly/E6S4R
15. 6 Ways to Make Money as an Author (in Addition to Selling Books) | Lindsay Buroker http://ow.ly/E6Sb0
16. 10 Things You Should Not Ignore In Your Digital Marketing Strategy - Jeffbullas's Blog http://ow.ly/E6Sg9
17. Email Marketing - Five Key Email Automation Takeaways for Marketers : MarketingProfs Article http://ow.ly/E6SkP
18. Quick Tips for Great Social Media Graphics http://ow.ly/E6SvM
19. How to Use Pinterest to Boost Blog Traffic Dramatically http://ow.ly/E6SFo
20. 6 Social Media Marketing Tools to Make Your Management Quick and Easy http://ow.ly/E6T1F
21. Fiction University: Stay Motivated With Writing Goals http://ow.ly/E6TdC
22. Author, Jody Hedlund: How to Make Your Book Play Out Like a Movie http://ow.ly/E6TjY

Happy writing and running, Kathy

P.S. I had foot surgery last Thursday and won’t be running for a few months, so those of you writing and running, run a few miles for me! 

I'm facing 6-8 weeks non-weight bearing, followed by 6-8 weeks in a walking boot.  If I get released (ha!) by mid-February, I'll have two and a half months to get ready for the Flying Pig Half Marathon the first of May. I might have to settle for the 10K, but even that would be an accomplishment.