In Saturday's blog at Rainy Day Thought, I wrote about the lack of support often seen in our country for all indie arts (painting, writing, sculpture, music). One of the commenters said something I thought was so true. "I do find that fellow artists ... are more supportive than folks who don't produce art. We know the creative experience, and the joy of selling our work."
In Amazon's Meet Our Authors forum, I have seen so much support for other authors that it's heartening. They take joy in someone's winning a contest or getting a good review from a top reviewer. They write about the works they have bought and enjoyed or what other authors are doing. What these writers understand and in which I've written here and totally believe-- we don't lose when we encourage others in what we are also doing. The pie isn't a certain size; and if they win, we lose. We all win by building positive energy.
In that vein, I thought I'd share a few of their blog URLs here for anyone who is interested in learning what's going on with other writers, what their latest project is, and who they are. These are just the ones I regularly peek in to see what they are doing. There are many more out there like them and if you have such places and would like to tell others, share them in the comments.
There are a few others I read when I come across them, not to mention some group blogs which you can find if you click on the authors' names above.
Marketing is my weakest point; and when I got into this in December 2011, I knew without a corporation behind a writer, marketing would be key. I understood that it would take going beyond Amazon to even get books seen.
To figure out how to market your work, you can buy a lot of books or go to many websites. Some of their ideas I have tried like Twitter (which I still don't really understand how it works to get your work seen), Pinterest, Facebook, and blogs just for the books.
In my opinion, after almost two years, it is the networks that help the most; and when it is made up of writers who support each other, that's the best of the best. Even if it didn't sell a book, it's the support that makes a writer not feel so alone.
For me, when I see the writers encouraging each other, it puts out a positive energy. So much of being a writer is solitary that it's good to go somewhere and see that kind of support which I've seen time and again at Meet Our Authors Forum and its 'Western Romance Authors Post Here' link.
August sunset in the Oregon Coast Range from our place
