Writing - Blogging - Marketing

Post by Doris McCraw

writing as Angela Raines

As I work to finish my book, the thought hit me, we're coming out of our homes, going to events, and of course bookstores. The reason it hit me, I never had the option, nor did I want it, to stay inside. I continued to work, hike, and take photos. The one thing I didn't do a lot of, and I've heard others say, was writing. It just seemed harder to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.

At the same time, I continued to write for the blogs I'd committed to. The exercise of following through on my promise was a good thing. It allowed me to keep the research and creative juices flowing. It was during this time that I started doing interviews for one of the blogs in addition to my regular post. 

It was also a time of education on the art of writing and how to market. So, even though I may not have gotten all the writing done on my WIPs, it was not wasted time. In fact, our writer's group still meets, just online. It has kept us all writing and connected. When we get together again, it will almost be like we never left. 

Therefore I thought I would share a bit of what I learned, or at least the resources I used.

1. My online improv writer's group

2. Attended two online conferences. (That was fun)

3. YouTube Videos. Here are a couple of favorites: How to get your life back on track

How to Show Not Tell

4. Book I found useful: 

Amazon

Amazon

Something I heard or read has stayed with me when it comes to marketing - People First/Books Second.

Now, what does that mean to me? It means it's more important that I connect with my readers, develop a relationship. I confess I'm still working on that one.

Some additional tidbits that fascinated me:

Raymond Chandler would type his manuscript on 4x6 note cards and something had to happen on each card. (That's approximately every 250 words)

Create a Story Box which is listing stories or ideas that resonate with you. If one stays with you for a long time, maybe it's the next story.

Write while you walk (I do that all the time, I just don't write them down. oops!)

The list could go on and on. The thing is, as people are getting back out again, are they taking the time to read, to study, to learn from others, like these blogs. Are we still going to continue to hone our craft or do we move on to something else? 

Regardless, I have set aside one morning a week, where for 2-4 hours I focus on learning something new on this author journey. What do you do?

Doris Gardner-McCraw -

Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in
Colorado and Women's History

Angela Raines - author: Telling Stories Where Love & History Meet

Books: Angela Raines Books

Website: Angela Raines - author

Angela Raines FaceBook: Click Here

 

THE THREE 'C's

There are three 'Cs' in my life at the moment. The three are Cats, Colorado and Creativity. I'm sure if I took the time, I'd find more, but these three will do for now.

Cats! I love cats, always have and probably always will. As I sit here writing, I can look up at a photo my mother sent me. I was about two years old at the time. Our dog is lying on his back looking up at me. I am holding not one, not two but three cats in my short, two year old arms. I loved out dog, a collie mix, but the cats were something special to me. Even today I have two that share the house with me. Gabriel came to me because the wife of his owner got mad because he scratched their three year old. Of course my thought was, teach you child how to be around cats. But I was the winner. Gabe is so special, easy going and so loving. Of course he is primarily a black cat. (Did I say, I love black cats?).

Gabriella came to me from a co-worker. She was from a litter and no one would take this sweet little black kitten. Since I had an eighteen year old at the time, I knew Gabe would be alone soon. As a result, I took Gabby in and she soon was ruling the roost. She lives life on her own terms, and sticks to it. Still, she and Gabe manage and both bring me a lot of joy.

Gabe on the left, Gabby on the right

Colorado! I've talked about my adopted state many times. I look out my windows and see the mountains. Pikes Peak is always in view, except for those few cloudy days. And speaking of cloudy days, we get very few of those. We average over 300 days a year where the sun shines at some point during the day. 

I also am enamored of the history of the state, and the region I live in. While many areas were settled by people who were 'leaving' for reasons wide and varied, Colorado was settled because the people wanted to be here. Usually it was for the mineral that came out of the ground. What most may not know, Colorado was a large volcanic plateau. Pikes Peak is not a volcano, it is solid granite, but a lot of the area around the peaks were very active. That activity created the minerals, gold, silver, gemstones and more, that brought so many to this region. Also the clear, dry climate was a haven for health seekers even as the gold seekers were heading to the mountains. 

Pikes Peak seen from the Northeast

Creativity!  As I've moved from my first and second career, I decided I would try writing. I love telling stories, you could have asked my mother when she was alive, of the validity of that statement. What most may not know, I've always had creativity as a focus in my life. 

I started performing for audiences when two and a half. I've always sang. I started playing the piano at five, and sometimes still sit at the keyboard. Unfortunately the piano I inherited from the lady who raised my mother was destroyed by the flood. I've written plays, music and even recorded, both as an actor and musician. Yes, I've done film, even directed a short movie. I've taught acting and worked as a semi- and professional actor. 

Helen (Hunt) Jackson at Seven Falls

All these 'Cs' fuel my life and my determination to keep doing what I love. There are other 'Cs' and more, but the three I mentioned are at the forefront of what is happening in my life now.

What is your focus? What fuels your life? What makes you happy? That's the joy of life. We all have those things that make getting up in the morning worthwhile.

ALSO: If you have been following, you know that Prairie Rose Publications and its imprints are now doing a themed 'blog a book scene' marketing tool.  If you are not on the Yahoo Group, just watch Twitter for the hashtag #blogabookscene and if you see it, retweet it. Check with Kaye Spencer if you wish to know more. 

Thus ends my first Sunday blog post for Prairie Rose Publications in 2018. It's a great venue to get your name and work/passion out there. We can all grow if we support each other. Life changes, but friends can be forever.

Doris Gardner-McCraw -

Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in
Colorado and Women's History

Member of National League of American Pen Women,

Women Writing the West,

Pikes Peak Posse of the Westerners

Angela Raines - author: Where Love & History Meet

For a list of Angela Raines Books: Here 

Photo and Poem: Click Here 

Angela Raines FaceBook: Click Here