Happy Insecure Writer's Support Group Wednesday. Thank you again to Alex J. Cavanaugh, the creator of the group. The first Wednesday of every month is dedicated to this group of supportive writers. If it's something you're not familiar with, then please click on Alex's link above for more information and to sign up!
I'm sure everyone's felt the heat of summer finally kick in. I know it's not as hot here in southern California as it is in other parts of the country, but it's been hot enough for me. I already can't wait for fall, but can certainly wait to see my next electric bill.
Summer also brings a lot of distractions. I thought getting work done around the holidays was tough, but summer is not an easy time for concentrating. Vacations, family events, and sickness (what? you can't get sick in the summer! I guess I can) have been eating away so much of my time...kind of like the langoliers (hungry suckers).
Not everyone needs a schedule, but I sure seem to. If I don't hold myself to a schedule, then I push unscheduled tasks off. Something in the moment becomes more important. Then an entire month goes by with only one blog post to my name. No more. Wednesdays will be my posting day. There...I've said it, I've scheduled it, and now I will be forced to keep myself to it.
I recently found out that you can use a custom domain name on Blogger. This really excited me because I had a custom domain name, michaelpiercebooks.com, which I've been using for a website that I never took the time to update. It was so much easier to move that domain name over to blogger and delete the website altogether. Now I can keep the domain name and forget about a secondary website. For being an indie author, the blog has more than enough information about myself and my books...as long as I keep it updated. Now, from the advice of successful indie authors like RaShelle Workman (who is also an IWSG member), my July project is to build a newsletter using MailChimp.
Do you have any newsletter building tips? Have any unique ways of beating the summer heat? Are you watching Under the Dome? Any fun and exciting 4th of July plans? Stay cool, stay safe, and as always, thank you for reading!
Smart to use your domain name where it counts.
ReplyDeleteWednesday - I'm going to hold you to that!
And I avoid the summer heat by hiding inside with the AC. And cold movie theaters. I'm visiting one this afternoon even...
As I mentioned on another comment we have had about 4 summer days so far, I listened on the radio the other day about the intense heat your country has endured. 5 years ago I visited Death Valley whilst on a tour and boy it was hot then but nowhere near the heat of last week.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post and as always a pleasure to read.
Yvonne.
Good luck posting every Wednesday! Schedules are always good :)
ReplyDeleteI have my domain yolandarenee.com directed to my blog, and that was ideal.
ReplyDeleteWe are hot and humid, so yes I would prefer the dry heat, but at that level - I'm not sure. We lived in the northwest and loved the low humidity - but no humidity - not sure that's better.
Hmm. Maybe I should do this.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you've been sick! It's funny because I was just thinking about how I need to try to start a newsletter. I haven't gotten any farther than thinking about it because it seems kind of overwhelming, but I know it's a smart thing to do. Good luck with yours!
ReplyDeleteI've forgotten to watch Under the Dome! Hopefully it's on demand or something, lol. I can identify with putting off tasks. So identify with that! Summer is definitely a huge distraction for me. I signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo for this month, and since the "real" NaNoWriMo helped me set a goal and work towards it, then I hope this month will do the same for me. Glad to see you back! :D
ReplyDeleteI signed up for the SUSY Asylum blog tour through Candace! So excited!! :D
I'm already something like a month behind my original schedule, and deadlines are fast stomaching. On the other hand, the girls are going to Mexico for the summer and I just want to enjoy the last few days I have with them. Then it'll be 'the writing ninja mode'. I promise.
ReplyDeleteAre you watching Under The Dime? What do you think? I haven't read the book but I'm enjoying the show do far. I just hope they don't make it in a series, that would ruin it for me. A mini-series is fun. Let's see the ending, though, 'cause that's usually where SK/adaptations drop the ball for me.
Enjoy, write, and have fun thus summer!
I'm happy about the summer heat! Winter was too cold.
ReplyDeleteAllison (Geek Banter)
I actually like the summer heat but I know lots of people don't. I'm thinking about a newsletter also. It's on my long, long list.
ReplyDeletePut the newsletter at the front and back of all your books. You want fans to sign up, not other authors and friends/family. They build slowly, but do build.
ReplyDeleteOffer things for the newsletter they won't get elsewhere. Fans hear first of new releases and get a discount. I usually offer them review copies, too.
Oh, I'm a mess this summer. We've been SO SICK too and I've pretty much accomplished nothing writing wise. It's frustrating! I feel like I'm just trying to survive so it can finally be fall and then everything can get back to normal, LOL. How many more days? ;-)
ReplyDeleteYuck to sickness. Yuck to summer heat. Texas had a spell for the past two weeks. 100+ no rain. It's terrible.
ReplyDeleteHave the past two Under the Dome's recorded. Hope to get them watched over the weekend.
Happy Independence Day. :)
I loved Susy Asylum! Nero and the other mirror people were awesome. I especially like how you came up with their names by mixing up the letters in Desiree and Oliver!
ReplyDeleteI most definitely need a schedule. If not, lots of things don't get done. Found you through Indie Life.
ReplyDeleteHugs and chocolate,
Shelly
http://secondhandshoesnovel.blogspot.com/2013/07/indie-life-things-i-miss-and-irk-me.html