What type of writing do you do?

At networking events, I most often introduce myself as ‘a writer’ or ‘a business writer.’ Both lead to one of two  inevitable questions: ‘What do you write?’, or ‘What kind of writing do you do?’

Then I take a deep breath and try to explain myself in 30 seconds or less, (even typing this, I took a deep breath.) I’m interested and have experience in a lot of different types of writing. For my business, I can write marketing collateral – and that in itself can be an arm-long list of different things from success stories to business profiles to solution profiles and product briefs.

Then there’s ghost blogging for businesses, web content, press releases, content for newsletters, interviews, process guides, and more.

I’ve found that my business card is a great ice breaker, however. My business tagline is “Your words, only better.” And I constantly get a lot of compliments on that phrase. Business folks who are intimidated by writers, especially, smile at that and visibly relax. That’s when they’ll share a bit about their insecurities or concerns with their own writing.

I’m also realizing that if I can find out what type of business the person I’m meeting is involved with before I answer, I can give examples that he or she can relate to.

• For instance, many businesses have websites that have existed for 5 years or more and never been updated – I can talk about my web copy experience.
• Or if the person mentions sales letters that have resulted in zero inquiries, I can talk about how I can write marketing and sales pieces that catch attention.
• Social media scares a lot of business owners – they don’t know how to even approach LinkedIn or Twitter for business. If I know this is what they’re thinking about the most, I can talk about how each has a different goal and therefore the writing has to also be different. I can mention that it isn’t rocket science, but it is a skill, and I’ve been writing professionally for more than 25 years.

Empathy goes a long way, and I love it when someone gets inquisitive about the art of writing. For me, asking questions about their business is natural – I need to know more in order to be able to write for them and keep their ‘voice.’

It’s probably not best to reply to ‘what do you write’ with ‘whatever you need,’ but in most cases, it’s true. I love working with words and helping others express what they need to in their own words, only better.

How do you answer the question, ‘what type of writing do you do?’

Lisa J. Jackson is a New England-region journalist and a year-round chocolate and iced coffee lover. She loves working with words, and helping others with their own. She writes fiction as Lisa Haselton, has an award-winning blog for book reviews and author interviews, and is on the staff of The Writer’s Chatroom. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. 

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Getting the most out of a writer’s conference

If you’re a writer, attending conferences can benefit your efforts to be successful.

On this blog, we’ve talked about meeting other writers and the benefits of networking. Attending a writer’s conference brings these together – especially if you plan ahead.

Conferences generally offer a mix of professional development sessions in the forms of workshops and panels. Options generally range from the big-picture view of the writing business as a whole down to topic-specific. And offerings can be for newbie writers to multi-published professionals.

There are a wide variety of conferences available that cover all types of writing, so researching what fits you best is imperative. If you’re an animal writer, attending a travel writer’s conference probably won’t do you much good.

Once you know where you’re going and when, spend time preparing. You want to have questions ready for editors you’ll meet. Maybe you can even take advantage of pitch sessions, so work on a few pitches and take advantage of the opportunity.

Sometimes conferences will post names of attendees. You can start networking with people before you meet them by taking advantage of social media.  Connect with them, if you can, on Facebook or Twitter.

One important tip is to try not to plan to do too much. It can be enticing to want to pitch to every editor possible. But you’re only human. Focus in on 1 or 2, no more than 3 editors or agents you want to meet. And prepare. Know the person you will be talking to.

At the conference:

• Ask intelligent questions. Show the person you are speaking with that you know what magazine or publisher she represents. Sincerity goes a long way to turning an initial contact into a long-lasting relationship.
• Have your business card ready. Make a note on the back before you hand it over, noting the date and place of the meeting to help the person remember you after the conference.
• Attend with an open mind. You make the best choices you when planning, but once at the conference,  you will (most likely) learn something new, find a contact that fits your goals better. Sometimes, the most successful meeting is the one you don’t anticipate.
• Be real and know that you probably won’t land a contract or be asked for a full manuscript that day. It can and does happen, but know that patience is important, and developing relationships takes time.

After the conference (for me it takes a couple of days to come off the ‘high’ of being with other writers), there are a few things to do.

• Go through your notes to (1) make sure you can read them and (2) address any items you starred or highlighted. If you made a note to e-mail someone, do it!
• Connect with your new acquaintances, friends, editors, and agents through social media. You probably received a lot of contact information during the conference, use it!
• Dig deeper into the publications, publishers, or agents that now have more of your interest. It’ll improve your queries and pitches.
• Follow-up or connect with people in a professional, yet casual way. You want to build relationships that help you reach publication, so take care in how often you contact someone.

These are just a few pointers I can recommend. Writers conferences exist for everyone. I’ve always found Shaw Guides a great place to start my search.

What do you think? Is preparation a key to getting the most out of a conference? Do you have any other tips to recommend?

Lisa J. Jackson is a New England-region journalist and a year-round chocolate and iced coffee lover. She’d be a writing conference junkie if her finances allowed it.  She writes fiction as Lisa Haselton, has an award-winning blog for book reviews and author interviews, and is on the staff of The Writer’s Chatroom. Connect with her on Facebook or Twitter. 

 

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An essential for freelance writers – the business card

Business cards are just one essential tool freelance writers should have in their marketing toolboxes.

Business cards can be a way to start branding yourself. The colors, fonts, and designs are just a few ways to start discovering yourself as a business.

Think of how you’d react to these examples – plain white cards, no images, standard horizontal placement:

Business Card A is entirely in blue script (cursive) font.

Business Card B is entirely black Arial font.

Without know anything about either cardowner – you already have an impression about each one, right? So when you design your card, play around and find what feels right for you.

As for what to include on your card, here are a few recommendations:

• Have the cards be simple and inexpensive
• Include your name
• Include your business name (if you have one for your freelance writing business) or a tagline that says “freelance writer”
• List a business telephone number (I use a Google Voice number so I don’t have to share my personal phone number)
• Use a PO box (instead of a home address) if a mailing address is required for your business
• Make sure to list an e-mail address

[You never know where your business card may end up, so keeping your home address and personal phone number private are ways to stay safe.]

I use Vistaprint (and am in no way compensated by anyone for saying that). Over the years, I’ve found them to be the most reliable, reasonably priced, and of consistent good quality. It also doesn’t hurt that even when I ask for ‘standard shipping’ (up to 2 weeks), I always receive my order much sooner.

Where do you hand out your business cards?

• In-person networking events for business owners, chambers of commerce, industry-specific organizations, and so on
• Bulletin boards in places where your target market visits
• Speaking engagements
• Conferences
• Basically, wherever you meet people you want to work with or who may be able to connect you with someone you could work with

And, remember, just because you hand someone your business card, doesn’t mean you’re done marketing. People need to get to know you a bit before hiring you. So make sure to develop (and follow) a process for following up with people you meet – that is, if you truly want to build a career as a freelance writer.

What do you think about using business cards as a freelance writer?

Lisa J. Jackson is a New England-region journalist and a year-round chocolate and iced coffee lover. She has several business cards to suit different needs. She writes fiction as Lisa Haselton, has an award-winning blog for book reviews and author interviews, and is on the staff of The Writer’s Chatroom. Connect with her on Facebook or Twitter. 

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Strength in Numbers

Writing is a solitary occupation. – Deborah Lee Luskin photo

Writing is a solitary occupation, but marketing doesn’t have to be. In fact, there are only benefits to joining others as part of a good marketing strategy. All it takes is someone with energy to start the ball rolling, someone like Beth Kanell, an author of adventure travel guides, poetry, local history, and young adult novels, who just launched The Vermont Book Shelf.

Beth Kanell, author photo

Since most of Kanell’s work is set in Vermont, and since she and her husband run Kingdom Books, a bookshop specializing in Vermont literature, Kanell started The Vermont Book Shelf to help promote the work of Vermont authors and fiction set in Vermont.

In a recent interview on Vermont Public Radio, Kanell explained that the idea behind The Vermont Book Shelf is a loose affiliation of Vermont-based literary artists seeking fellowship and sharing marketing strategy. There’s nothing formal about it: no president or secretary, or obligatory meetings. So far, there’s a blog to which Vermont writers are invited to join by contacting Kanell (bethpoet@gmail.com). The group grew from fifteen to over a hundred in a single week.

As Book Shelf member and author of Heron Island, R.A. “Robbie” Harold explains, “It’s like a farmer’s market for Vermont authors.” Readers interested in Vermont fiction can now find a bountiful harvest of fiction set in the Green Mountain State. Rather than foster competition between writers, the Vermont Book Shelf actually makes it easier for readers to find us all in one place.

It’s also a resource for writers. When a writer new to marketing is invited to speak at a school or a library, that newbie now has several dozen colleagues with experience to guide them through the process of asking for advice from what to wear, how long to speak, and how to ask for money. Since most writing is a solitary endeavor, most of us don’t realize that 1) we can’t show up in our pajamas; 2) public speaking is a one-shot chance; endless editing from the podium not allowed; and 3) our time is worth something.

The Vermont Book Shelf also makes it easier for outside organizations to find and to engage Vermont writers to speak at their events. In just a few weeks, Kanell, who seems to have endless energy and boundless generosity, has put out calls for various speaking gigs, serving as a kind of clearing house or speaker’s bureau. She’s also figured out how to have a bit

Vermont Home, Deborah Lee Luskin photo

of fun. She sends quirky questions members can take a moment to answer, similar to this blog’s Friday Fun. Last week, she asked us to name our favorite place in Vermont. While the majority of us answered “home,” “home” is a different place for each of us. This week, we’re invited to confess if we’ve ever based a character on a grandparent. Beth posts a few replies each day, so that the site is always refreshed with new content.

Vermont is home to many writers; it’s an environment that fosters creativity. It also represents an almost mythical place of rootedness, especially to people from away. These people translate into a potential audience for Vermont writers; The Vermont Book Shelf helps develop audience for us all. It’s a win-win way to market our books.

The Vermont Book Shelf is also a place where a writer can post information about a local reading or author event that might not otherwise be publicized in a mainstream news outlet. Once readers of Vermont writing catch on to the blog, they will learn to check it for the cameo appearances Vermont authors regularly make at parades, history fairs, and other community events.

Echo Lake, NH

Perhaps one of the reasons I’m so enthused about the collaborative and regional nature of The Vermont Book Shelf is due to my positive experience with the New Hampshire Writer’s Network, the parent of this blog. Live to Write – Write to Live is about the writing life in all it’s myriad forms and it has shown me the success of shared work and shared glory. No single one of us could produce the variety of essays we post each week, but each of us is able to produce an essay once every two. And while the group is nominally based in New Hampshire, it includes outliers in two neighboring states as well. In addition to learning from my comrades in ink, I also benefit from extending my reach to their audience base. As a result of joining this group, I’ve developed a wider audience. And when we talk about audience, we’re talking about readers. As a writer, my object in life is to be read.

What this blog and The Vermont Book Shelf have in common includes shared effort, common purpose, expanded audience, and regional identity. At a time when competitive capitalism has landed us in a recession, and national branding has created a bland culture of sameness, cooperating locally to promote homegrown stories makes great marketing sense.

How else could writers collaborate? What kind of collaborative group would you like to be part of? How would you go about getting it off the ground?

Deborah Lee Luskin is the author of Into the Wilderness, an award-winning love story set in Vermont in 1964. She keeps bees and chickens in southern Vermont.

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5 ways to increase your exposure

You’re a writer who needs to get her name out in the world. You want magazines, businesses, and organizations to discover how talented you are and hire you to write for them. Here are five ways to get you started on a plan that will get yourself and your business better known.

Network, network, and network some more
You’re making writing your business, and like many businesses, it’s more about who you know than what you know, at least to get in the door. Networking, both in-person at events and online through social media, is a solid way to add new clients. Make sure to at least know who your target client is and what makes you the best writer for their needs. You can also think of who can introduce you to the person who can introduce you to the contact you really want to meet.

Ask for referrals
Sure you need to have clients to be in business, so you can’t ask for referrals until you have some satisfied customers, but referrals are a powerful way to build your credibility. When a client compliments you on a job well done, take that moment to ask them for a recommendation or referral. It’s nice to assume that that client will tell a friend who will tell a friend, but ask, and you’ll make sure it happens. Or it may be more comfortable for you to could offer a future discount to clients who refer new clients to you.

Publish content
You’re a writer, so, write something and publish it. It’s the best way to get exposure. You can publish online, through your blog or online article directories (as a way to start). Get your writing published in print newspapers or magazines. Starting with local and regional publications is fun (at least I’m enjoying myself immensely writing for community papers and a regional magazine). And then you can move up to  national and international publications. And a lot of print articles also end up online, so that multiplies your exposure.

Offer a freebie
Everyone loves giveaways, especially those that are relevant and helpful. Free reports can help you accomplish two goals at once. Report content can help establish you as a good writer and as a solid, credible source of information. Offering a useful freebie can entice prospective clients to your Web site and motivate them to hire you for your services.

Blog
Having a blog helps drive traffic to your business and your business site, and it builds your brand. Your writing ability will shine through in your blog’s content, but don’t make it all about you all the time. Make sure to include useful information for your visitors. Of course you want to share what you can do, but also offer helpful links to other sites, links to resources, ways for your reader to find events local to themselves, and other similar things.

What do you do to get your name out there and showcase your writing?

Lisa J. Jackson is a solopreneur who works hard to take her own advice. She’s also a New England region journalist and a year-round chocolate and iced coffee lover. She writes fiction as Lisa Haselton, has an award-winning blog for book reviews and author interviews, and is on the staff of The Writer’s Chatroom. 

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Starting a blog even though it seems scary

Today’s post is from guest blogger Diane MacKinnon.

For years, I wanted to start a blog.  I am a life coach and feel a strong need to connect with other people and try to communicate about how to live a happier life. I would write blog posts in my head, in my journal, and even in a folder on my computer marked “Posts for Future Blog.” So why didn’t I start a blog?  One word: fear.

Once, when I was eleven, I came home from school to find my mom and my older brother laughing over my journal.  While there was a part of me that was flattered they thought it was funny, I was horrified to think they were reading my private thoughts.

Although I kept journaling, I never wrote down anything that I wouldn’t want anyone else to read.  Pretty boring.  Eventually, as an adult, I consciously stopped censoring my thoughts and actually wrote down in my journal my true thoughts—even the really petty, stupid ones that make no sense at all unless you were there.

But to write things down and then put them out there into the world? Saying, “this is what I think and this is what I believe?”—that still seemed very risky to me.

So I snuck up on it.

I read other people’s blogs, I kept writing my own blog posts in my journal, and then in January of 2011 I took a Blogging 101 class with Dan Blank. I did all the class assignments, including getting a blog set up on Word Press.  I wrote out an editorial calendar and brainstormed more topics.  What fun!

And did I start my blog on February 1^st, as my editorial calendar had scheduled? Nope.  But I kept thinking about it and doing little pieces.  I’m a big fan of turtle steps—taking such small steps forward in completing a task that they feel doable, even easy.  But if you want to start a blog, one day you actually have to publish a blog post.

I finally took the leap in June.  I just pasted a blog post into my Word Press blog site and clicked Publish. I didn’t tell anyone I did it, but it still felt really scary—and exhilarating.  About a week later, I mentioned to a close friend that I had started a blog.  Then I told a few more people.  And when I sent out my monthly life coaching newsletter, I mentioned it there.  Every time I mentioned it, it felt a little less scary.

My blog is not getting a ton of hits, I don’t have all my “tags” listed.  My RSS feed sign-up is not working exactly the way I want it to.  But I can fix all that.  The important thing is that I am being true to myself and I am putting it out there.

Have you started a blog? What was the scariest part for you? If you want to start a blog and haven’t, try turtle steps.

Diane MacKinnon is currently a full-time mother, part-time life coach.  She is passionate about her son, her writing and using her mind to create a wonderful present moment.  Find her blog at http://www.dianemackinnon.com/blog.

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Your Book, Your Way

Shortly after Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, the publishing house was born: Publishers owned the presses, bought the rights to what they published, and established a network for marketing and distribution. Five hundred years later, digital technologies now allow authors to publish their own books, retaining the rights and sometimes earning money from the enterprise. In this rapidly changing industry, there’s a lot for an author to learn, and Sonja Hakala’s Your Book, Your Way: How to Choose the Best Publishing Option for Your Book, Your Wallet and Yourself is a great place to start.

            Hakala has many years’ experience in all aspects of the business, from author to book designer to publicist to publisher. She knows the industry, and she has written a guide outlining the many different methods writers now have to get their work to their audience. Audience is key: the author of a family history written for thirty to a hundred relatives has different publication needs from the author of a educational workbook, who has different needs from the author of a fast-paced thriller.

Your Book, Your Way lists and defines all the methods available to those who want to publish privately (books usually given as gifts to a small, specific, audience) or openly (books meant for sale in the marketplace), and then breaks down all the steps required to create a finished book, regardless of format. As Hakala points out: even eBooks need editing, formatting and design. She gives an overview of design elements a publisher must keep in mind for reading ease.

The heart of Your Book, Your Way, however, lies in the two chapters in the center of the book, one on marketing and the other on publishing math. In this digital age, it’s easy to publish; it’s much harder to sell books – no matter how they’re made available. Chapter Nine on marketing is full of advice for anyone who intends to sell their books, no matter how they’re published – including by a traditional, big house. It is these big houses that have set some of the – now archaic – standards in publishing, like the Standard Trade Discount, and other oddities of an industry whose established model is imploding.

In Chapter Ten, Hakala explains Publishing Math – including how independent publishing is likely to be more profitable for more writers than publishing with an old school publisher. Any writer intending to turn a profit would do well to learn the arithmetic Hakala explains with great clarity.

Your Book, Your Way is an essential text for anyone considering publishing their own or others’ books in today’s publishing arena. It includes a glossary of publishing terms, ample examples of parts of a book, cogent warnings against rushing unedited books into print, and a useful index. My one complaint is the sometimes hokey authorial voice, but even this is well-meant, and the clear presentation of complex information more than made up for this one stylistic tic.

Deborah Lee Luskin is the author of Into the Wilderness, winner of the 2011 Independent Publishers’ Gold Medal for Regional Fiction. Learn more at her website: www.deborahleeluskin.com

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E’s your way into being an oft-published author

Today’s post is by guest blogger Marlene Caroselli, Ed.D.

The ebook is gaining greater acceptance now that consumers are finding they actually like holding their Kindles and Nooks. If you’re a not-yet-published author, the ebook affords you a great opportunity to transition into the world of multi-book authorship. Some of the “books” can actually be booklets. They can be sold for 99 cents or even given away.

“But I won’t get rich this way!” I can hear you shouting out right now. That’s right. You won’t. But remember, the rationale behind doing a small book is not wealth. It’s credibility. You can direct readers of your blog to the book. Or, you can refer potential clients there. You can use the ebook as a giveaway to your followers. Or, link up with a charity and make the book available for fundraising purposes. And, best of all, you can list your book(s) on your resume.

VERBUM SAT SAPIENTI (A WORD TO THE WISE)

Just because it’s short, you shouldn’t give your ebook short shrift. A hastily-assembled collection of ideas can definitely taint your future if it’s filled with grammatical and typographical errors. In the world of business, they say you are only given one chance to make a lasting impression. Similarly, if your early ebooks do not reflect quality, buyers will remember and will be less likely to purchase books in the future.

HOW TO DO IT

You may wish to start with a list. You can broaden your ideas by asking friends, colleagues, and even strangers to add to your list. Then, simply expand upon each of the items. Voila. Your ebook is done.

To illustrate, you may be interested in writing for other moms. You could make a list of “Why Kids Hate Vegetables.” Brainstorm ideas and ask for input from other mothers. Then offer a love-antidote for each of the hate-reasons.

Of course, there are many other ways beyond list-making to get your book done. Once it is done, upload it to places like Booklocker, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. (If you can’t do the requisite formatting yourself, I recommend Dan Case, the editor of Writing for DOLLARS, who is both reasonable and extremely qualified.)

WADING IN THE INCOME STREAM

You probably won’t be able to do more than get your toes wet in your new income stream–at least not at first. On the other hand, you may be able to replicate the success of Amanda Hocking, a 26-year-old author, whose 99-cent books have turned her stream into a ocean-ful of dollars. In January of this year, she sold more than 400,000 copies of her books!

Dr. Marlene Caroselli is the author of 60 business books and uncountable curricula and articles. She has served as an adjunct professor at UCLA and National University, while conducting training for Fortune 100 companies and numerous federal agencies. Her assignments have taken her all over the country and the globe as well.

Hew newest book, Jesus, Jonas, and Janus: The Leadership Triumvirate explores leadership through the prism of historical figures.

In addition to books, Dr. Caroselli writes frequently for Stephen Covey’s Executive Excellence, for the Employment Times, as well as for numerous other print and electronic publications. She also writes podcasts for Workplace English Training E-Magazine.

It may be time to “dive into” e-waters yourself.

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Writing book reviews – everyone has an opinion

A book review is part of an author’s marketing and promotion toolkit and if you’re going to write a review, to post on Amazon or any other venue, there are some items you should include in order to make it beneficial to the author and potential readers.

Let me start by saying, before writing a review, read the book. It seems an obvious point, but there are reviewers who do not do this.

After finishing the book, give yourself a day or two before starting the review. Let the story settle in your mind. It’s amazing how many ideas percolate to the surface if you give yourself some breathing room.

To craft a book review:

• Have a recommendation. Would you recommend the book to others? Yes or no.
• Open with a brief (1-3 sentence paragraph) summary that catches a reader’s eye. Don’t give away the climax. You want to entice a reader to read (or not) the book you’ve read.
• In the next paragraph, expand a bit on the storyline, include blurbs from the story if they help give a feel for the story that you might not be able to articulate. Summarize some main events in the book, but avoid giving away the spoilers.
• Include a paragraph that talks about the author’s writing style. Comment on what worked and possibly what didn’t. What you liked, or didn’t, and why. Sharing your why is what readers want to know.
• Depending on where your review will be posted, include a bit about the author’s bio in another paragraph. Mention a previous or upcoming book, and perhaps a couple of personal (non-writing) details to give the reader a feel for the person behind the words.
• Wrap up your review with your read/don’t read recommendation and a quick description of who the perfect audience for the book might be.

Everyone has an opinion, so if you read a book and have one you want to share, consider crafting a review that includes points you’d want to know if you were considering a particular title.

If you’re a reader and a writer, book reviews are a way to expand your writing experience and could generate some income.

Lisa Jackson is an editor, writer, and chocolate lover. She’s addicted to Sudoku, cafés, and words. She writes fiction as Lisa Haselton, has a blog for book reviews and author interviews, and is on the staff of The Writer’s Chatroom where she gets to network with writing professionals on a weekly basis — and you can, too! © Lisa J. Jackson, 2011

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A Reasonable Approach to Internet Marketing

This post comes from NHWN guest writer, Deborah Lee Luskin.

When White River Press offered to bring out my novel, Into The Wilderness, I was too thrilled and too naïve to understand fully what the offer involved: White River would produce the book; marketing would be up to me. My publisher provided me with a template of the cover art with which to make postcards and suggested I read Guerilla Marketing. After that, I was on my own.

My first move was to launch a website, which would be my calling card to the world. Because I hope that Into The Wilderness is the first of many novels, and because I’m also a public speaker, a commentator on Vermont Public Radio, a teacher and a pen-for-hire, I used the opportunity to make the site as all-encompassing as I could. In the freelance world of self-employment, I wanted the site to pull in any interesting jobs that floated through its orbit.
The website took about five months to develop. I was lucky to be able to work with a friend who was just expanding her graphic design business to include web design, so she gave me a bargain price in return for honing her skills on my site. We had a lot of fun working together, and we’re both immensely pleased with the results.

The website is the keystone of my marketing plan. To develop it, I researched other writers’ sites to learn what I liked; then I wrote and rewrote my content until it was spare and informative.

The site has served me well: It offers readers a place to buy my book, learn more about Into The Wilderness, my other published work, my teaching experience, and me. I send people to the site to find reviews, information, and templates for press releases, photos and posters. Many of the people who have sponsored author events for me have thanked me for these tools, and many of my readers have used the Contact page to email me heart-warming notes, telling me how much they have loved the book and my characters, Percy and Rose.

The website is linked to my Facebook Fan Page for Into The Wilderness. Some readers have clicked through to my main Facebook page as well. At this point, I don’t have a blog and I don’t use Twitter, but I do use Facebook a great deal. Through Facebook, I’ve discovered reviewers and reading groups, and I’ve kept news about Into The Wilderness front and center among my Facebook Friends. To my amazement, I’ve discovered that there are people who “follow” me, which is flattering and alarming and at the end of the day helps keep Into The Wilderness on their minds, so that these friends and readers keep mentioning the book to their friends, who are potential readers and fans.

Because I have limited capacity for sitting in front of my computer, I try to write first and market second. During the first six months following my book launch, this was impossible, and I lived and breathed marketing, using the internet to find venues that would review the book and venues that would host author events. In the process, I’ve stumbled upon sites where I’ve been invited to write guest blogs (like this one), which suits both my personality and my goals for connecting with readers and writers.

There may come a time when I regularly blog, tweet and text. For now, I’m pleased to have learned how to use a few of the internet’s many tools well and still remain centered and sane, with energy to spare for my prose.

About the Author: Deborah Lee Luskin is the author of Into The Wilderness, “a fiercely intelligent love story” between two 64-year-olds, set in Vermont in 1964. Luskin is a regular Commentator on Vermont Public Radio, an editorial columnist, and a free-lance writer. In addition, Luskin teachers literature and writing in prisons, hospitals and libraries; she holds a PhD in English Literature from Columbia University. Learn more at her website: www.deborahleeluskin.com

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