It's your party and you can cry if you want to!

Tears are cleansing. Don't let anyone tell you there's no crying in writing. Whoever says that isn't doing it right.

Welcome to October’s Insecure Writers Support Group - we share because we care (Name that Movie, but the share is ‘scare’ in the actual quote)

There’s a time to be strong, but there’s also a time to cry. It’s okay to let it all out. A good cry is cathartic and stress-relieving. I'd say I cry about once a week or so. That might sound like a lot, but I'm going through some major changes lately (2 sons flying the coop and the sweet one turned into a teenage monster overnight, WAH! plus we're trying to sell our house--talk about stressful!) But please do not feel sorry for me! I'm okay with crying a little then I move on. I have tons of high moments too, lots of inspiration and hope. The low times make the high times feel even better, am I right?




So when those rejections hit, and I know they hit hard! go ahead and cry about it. Just don't give up. Keep working and improving. You will connect with the right publishing option at the right time.




Now, for my SHOUT OUT of the Week!

Juneta Key!

Juneta is super sweet and supportive. She's a big proponent of short stories and the quarterly writing challenge, the Storytime Blog Hop (founded by Holly Lisle) Check it out and give it a try sometime!

More about Juneta - she's Texas born and raised, living in Central Florida--hanging out with pirates and playing with the dolphins. And in her spare time, she makes Magic! A Story Spinner, Tale Weaver, Fate-maker, World Creator, Mythology Bender, Star Mapper, Journey Planner, Fortune Teller.

Fun Fact: Juneta used to be a police/fire/EMT-911 communications dispatch. 

She writes half speculative fiction and half Gothic. She's also a moderator for the Insecure Writer's Support Group Goodreads Book Club. Right now, Juneta is working on her novel in a Ninja Write-Along with Shaunta Grimes founder of Ninja Writers Club. This will be Juneta's first finished novel. She has also written several flash fiction/short stories that you can find on her website.

And here are a couple of quotes by Juneta... (I love quotes!)

"The best thing about being a writer is you don’t have to make excuses for pretending. It’s part of the job." -- Juneta Key

"Life is the mythology of living that creates the stories of our lives and imaginations." -- Juneta Key

How to catch up with Juneta:

 Website Writer's Gambit ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Medium ~ Google+ ~ Tumblr ~ Linkedin ~ Pinterest 

And lastly, I'd love to have you join me on my adventures. Sign up for my street team--anyone who volunteers will get early info, freebies, and more!



Thanks for your support and for stopping by! Happy October!

What's a Street Team??

First, I want to thank you all for the positive comments and vibes from my last "woe-is-me" post. On the financial front, we are moving on up--actually, downsizing to save mucho money and afford the latest college addition. Plus I'm ready to go back to work at my own pace. Things are working out, as they usually do! I also found some fabulous writing prompts that inspired some new stories! (Like the new IWSG Anthology Contest - Check it out!)

And I came up with a new outlook on life...

Life is like a favorite t-shirt--It starts out bright and clean but eventually gets worn out and stained. It also gets more comfortable and refreshed with every wash!

Next, I wanted to talk about "Street Teams" - What the heck are they? Have you heard of them? Do you have one? Does it work?

Well, I researched it and here's what I found:

• Street Teams have been around forever--they started out as marketing for new artists - Probably because they're cheap, relatively easy, and effective (article 1)
• A Street Team is a group of people actively going out and talking to your potential audience to help sell your product. They create BUZZ - How awesome is that?!

Authors could always use some help with marketing. It's a hard job to do on your own. So here are some thoughts and advice I compiled for creating and managing a Street Team: (article 2)

• RECRUIT! Doesn't hurt to ask. So ask. You have fans. You have followers. Create a form and offer it to them. Many will be happy to give your new book a shout out or tweet at the very least! Hopefully, you'll get some regular reviewers. Mentioning it on Goodreads is also a good place to recruit (article 3)
• PREP - Put together a rap sheet that includes expectations, volunteer duties, and room for suggestions. Let your Street Team pick and choose the best way they can help. Your Street Team will mostly be called upon to help with new releases, but can also be there for between-release-events as needed.
• INCENTIVES - your Street Team deserves a little something for their hard work. Give them a special name, too. And maybe offer a bonus trinket for recruiting more members to join in the fun!
• A SPECIAL PLACE - You need a way to communicate with your Street Team. Now, you can do a group email or even a group message, but for a broader method of notification and fast feedback, a Facebook Page might be more efficient. (article 4)

I know many people (like me) don't like to solicit help. But a Street Team is a voluntary group who shares your passion and love for your work. They want to promote and help you succeed. Then they are guaranteed that more of your books will be published!

I hope this was helpful. I'm going to start recruiting a Street Team soon for my next release: WINDY HOLLOW - which has a release date - January 19, 2019! Let me know if you'd like to read and review an ARC.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Street Teams - Do you have one?

Thirdly, here are the results of my latest survey - interesting info on WRITERS CAREER GOALS:

Of those who have an agent, no one was sure if she was helping them, yet...

Do you have tips for making a living from writing?

• Diversify - be a speaker as well as a writer.
• Know how to market yourself well!
• Write a lot of books!
• No. Though I've found when I pursue something, it eludes me. When I stop chasing it, it comes to me. Like a cat.
• Not really. It's a personal thing with me.
• Nope
• Nope, just learning, watching and listening while taking notes and practicing.
• I wish I knew how to make money from writing!

Finally, the best for last. My SHOUT OUT OF THE WEEK:

ELIZABETH SECKMAN!

I'm so lucky to know this sweet woman in person! Liz and I live close enough to do book events together, at least one a year, sometimes more. We both raised boys, so we have lots to commiserate and relate with each other about--and we both have loads of advice, stories, and some recipes to share on our joint venture website: The Really Real Housewives of America. She's supportive, loves her family, and always sees the bright side!

Originally from Ohio, Elizabeth was moved to West Virginia and so was dubbed "Grit" as a child. She grew up in a tiny town with no red lights and no fast food where everyone knows everybody--oh the gossip! Thankfully she escaped to Marshall University then began a family of her own. (I'd say writing is her escape!) Liz is a daydreamer, a football mom, and an author of Women's Fiction & Romance.

"I have boys, books, and a dirty house. It's all good."

facebook ~ twitter ~ pinterest

By the way, since I'm in the process of moving, my posts will be a little scattered. But you know how life goes!

Got any advice or more info on Street Teams? Or how to make a living as a writer? Do tell!