Lessons Learned from a Private Investigator

from FundsforWriters, Volume 16, Issue 14

I write mystery, so that means I'm reading and researching sites, blogs, and books by cops, agents, and private investigators to make my work more authentic. However, in reading a PI site (Diligentia Group), I found the following post about lessons learned over the years as an investigator. I wasn't three items into it before I saw these lessons could be applicable to writers. 

http://www.diligentiagroup.com/legal-investigation/17-lessons-i-learned-from-15-years-as-a-private-investigator/

1. Always be learning. Learn by doing and observing others.
2. Know thyself. Know your strengths and where you need help, and don't be shy about either.
3. Differentiate yourself. Don't be ordinary. Create a brand.
4. Authenticity. Being genuine and authentic is very attractive these days when the world is wrought with fake and "Buy my book."
5. Stick to your principles. Be honest and straightforward. Protect your reputation.
6. Be helpful. Good things happen when you lend a helping hand.
7. Don't be everything to everyone. Pick your genre, find your readership base, and avoid trying to write for every reader out there.
8. Do work you are proud of. If you write slow, so be it. If you write Christian, erotica, YA; whatever the style, voice and genre, own it.
9. You are never the smartest or dumbest person in the room. Ask questions. Learn more. Help others do the same.
10. Don't stop thinking of new ideas. You're in a creative environment, and change is happening all around you. Be constantly seeking ways to be unique.
11. Adapt. This industry changes fast. Roll with that change.
12. Embrace technology. Yes, that means learning ways to publish, brand, and network, whether you like it or not.
13. Follow the facts. Make decisions or form opinions based upon fact, not rumors, gossip, innuendos, or half-truths.
14. Be inspired. Be aware of the world around you.
15. Do great work. Don't shortchange the quality of your writing.
16. Be skeptical. Operate with a critical eye. Don't fall for the latest class, how-to, software, or book that claims to teach you the perfect way to [fill in the blank].
17. Persistence. Probably the most important of the list, persistence carries you through those times when you think you should not be writing.

Amazing the similarity, huh?

Thanks ~ Hope

C. Hope Clark is a freelance writing expert, author of the award-winning Carolina Slade Mystery Series,  and the Edisto Island Mystery Series, and editor of FundsforWriters.com, a weekly newsletter service that reaches 40,000+ writers. Learn more at her website chopeclark.com

The Single Most Important Skill for Writing Success

Roy Furr is a proven direct marketing consultant and copywriter. He's worked with many of the best direct marketers on the planet, including: Agora Publishing, Boardroom, Investor's Place, and Nightingale Conant. This is his most popular article on The Barefoot Writer.

"Effectively setting goals … and following through with them."

Michael Masterson told me once that this is the foundation of everything he’s accomplished – from learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu … to writing New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling books … to creating multiple multimillion-dollar businesses.

Master copywriter John Carlton has said the only reason he’s one of the highest-paid copywriters on the planet is because of the goals he sets – knowing once he sets a goal, it will be accomplished … even if he doesn’t know how yet.

International marketing expert Dr. Joe Vitale is a goal-setting addict. (For good reason, too!) I asked him what goal-setting has helped him accomplish, and he told me, “I lost 80 pounds, appeared in a hit movie, sold half a million dollars of product, and bought a $350,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom … all due to goals.”

After I discovered the control over my time and finances I could get through my chosen Barefoot Writing path, freelance copywriting, setting goals has driven every step of my success.

Read the remainder here.

The 12 Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Blog

Brian A. Klems is a published author and the online editor of WritersDigest.com. His blog, "The Writer’s Dig," which covers everything from grammar rules to publishing, is one of the most popular in the writing community.  "The 12 Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Blog" is one of his most read articles.


Thinking about writing a blog? Been writing a blog for some time now and have yet to establish any growth (and by “growth” I mean “increased pageviews”)? Over the past 10 years I’ve refined my blogging skills—that’s right, I started my first blog back in 2001 and it is so embarrassing by today’s standards that I’m almost unwilling to link to it … almost. Blogs for writers are everywhere, and there’s often good advice on them about writing a blog. There’s also plenty of not-so-good advice. It can be frustrating.

Now I currently run several successful blogs, including "The Life of Dad" and this online editor blog. It’s been a challenge juggling them but, by sticking to these 12 specific dos and don’ts of writing a blog that I’ve developed over my years of experience, I’ve been able to establish growth (increased pageviews). I hope they can help you learn how to write a good blog too.


Read Brian's tips here...

ReBlogs via Indies Unlimited: Almost Everything You Need to Know about ISBNs

Are you considering self-publishing your book? 

Laurie Boris, a freelance writer and indie author, is a regular contributor to IndiesUnlimited.com and she recently discussed the how-to's and what-for's about ISBNs.




One of the most frequent questions I’ve heard lately from self-publishing authors is about ISBNs. Do you really need them? Do you really need to buy them? What are the pros and cons of buying an ISBN versus using the free or inexpensive ones offered by CreateSpace, BookBaby, Smashwords, and other online partners? Let’s see if we can clear that up some.

First, a little background

ISBN stands for “International Standard Book Number.” Early iterations began in the 1960s as a system for booksellers to better organize and track their inventory. Books published before 2007 have ten digits in their ISBNs. Books published after January 1, 2007 have thirteen digits.


Read the remainder of Laurie's article.

ReBlogs: How to Get Book Reviews: 50+ Resources to Generate Book Reviews

Stephanie Chandler, founder and CEO of the Nonfiction Authors Association, is the author of several books including Own Your Niche and The Nonfiction Book Marketing Plan. She recently discussed the benefits of book reviews and how to solicit them.

50 Ways to Generate Book Reviews

Book reviews are essential because they help potential readers make a purchase decision. Sending out review copies for potential review is something every author should include in their marketing plans. The more people who know about your book, the better the chance of building word of mouth buzz. Plan to send out 50 to 500 review copies of your book in both print and digital formats.

If you've been wondering how to get more book reviews, below you will find a comprehensive list of book review sources, including both free and paid options.

A note on paid options: We do NOT advocate paid services that promise to churn out X number of manufactured book reviews based on how much money you spend with them. However, we have included a listing of reputable services that offer quality reviews.

Read the remainder of Stephanie's article

What to Try and What Avoid When Self-Marketing Your Book

Unless you’re a brand-name author (e.g., John Grisham, James Patterson, Janet Evanovich, etc.) marketing your books likely feels somewhat akin to preparing for a colonoscopy.  I know.  I’ve done both--marketed my books and swilled 55-gallon drums of go-juice so a doctor can push a little camera (with attached snippers) up my posterior plumbing.  I look forward to neither.  But in the new world of publishing, unless you’re in the aforementioned group of elite writers, you’re going to have to get out there and gulp your 55 gallons.

As a minor leaguer, you aren’t going to have vast amounts of marketing dollars backing you up.  In fact, if you’re with a small or even medium-sized publisher, you probably aren’t going to have any.  Except if they’re yours.  I know I’ve spent more than a few of my own bucks trying to get bottle rockets attached to my sales.  I have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn’t.  Mostly what doesn’t.

Admittedly, it’s hard to measure success.  The only way I have of doing that is to track my ebook sales rankings on Amazon.  (That works fine for me, since the vast majority of my sales are in digital format.)  The biggest problem is that the rankings bob up and down due to a lot of other factors besides deliberate marketing efforts.

Anyhow, here are a few approaches I probably will avoid in the future: 

Virtual book tours

These are electronic tours through the blogosphere where you pay someone to set up book reviews, guest blogs, and interviews.  I’ve done a couple of such tours and can’t say they’ve ever moved the sales needle much.

Public Relations (PR) firms

I’ve been warned off hiring a PR firm by a number of authors.  Such firms might work well for a nonfiction writer with a platform, but for a novelist, such an investment is likely a waste of money.

Book signings/speaking engagements

Except if it’s a book launch, I’ve learned sales at book signings are close to zero.  I’ll do local signings since they don’t cost much (and they keep my name out there), but I always do so with low expectations.  I have to remember, except for friends and family, nobody knows who I am.  For a speaking engagements, a handful of sales are possible.

Facebook advertising 

I’ve tried FB advertising several times.  Often it’s been in conjunction with promotions on Amazon set up by my publisher.  (More on that later.)  I tried advertising on FB once without the benefit of anything else going on and I can’t say the results were stellar.  I tried to filter out the noise (typical ups and downs) inherent in sales rankings, and determined--best guess, anyhow--that I spent $180 to make about $25 in royalties over what I would have otherwise.

✦  ✦  ✦

Okay, there are some things I think are important to do, and that don’t cost much.  They are efforts that keep your name visible and (hopefully) make you look professional.

You MUST have a Website

I splurged to get one professionally built and maintained, but you don’t have to.  You do, however, need a site where you can promote your books, blog, list up-coming appearances, and crow about your awards and recognitions. 

Facebook Author page

By the same token, you should have an author site on Facebook.  It’s where you can keep your name and books in front of the public.  And it’s free!  (So far.)

Tweet

I don’t have a Twitter account, but I’ve been advised it’s a good idea--for all the same reasons cited above.  I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.  Again, it’s free.

Let me end on a positive note.  Here’s what really works, at least for me:

Promotions on Amazon

I don’t set them up, my publisher, BelleBooks, does.  And they are the only efforts I’m aware of that truly rocket my sales rankings. As I understand it, these days books have to be nominated for Amazon promotions, such as Kindle Daily Deals or Monthly Deals.  But once selected, a book will take off like an Air Force F-22 in afterburner.

H.W. “Buzz” Bernard is a best-selling, award-winning novelist. His novels include Blizzard (the most recent), Eyewall, Plague and Supercell.  Buzz is a native Oregonian and attended the University of Washington in Seattle where he earned a bachelor’s degree in atmospheric science; he also studied creative writing.  He’s currently vice president of the Southeastern Writers Association.  He and his wife Christina live in Roswell, Georgia.

ReBlog: What Good Sales People Know About Personal Branding That Everyone Should

The words "brand" or "branding" bring images grocery store shelves or maybe memories of a trip to the mall pop to mind first,  not writing, not your work. But writers have to be sales people to sell their work and themselves to clients and readers.  A strong personal brand helps to grab people's attention and keep it all on you. 

Joanne Tombrakos is an author and expert on building one's digital profile and personal branding. She recently published these tips for personal branding on the Huffington Post's "The Blog."

"Personal Branding is not a new concept.

"We used to call it building a good reputation and being clear on the direction you wanted your career to go. Then the age of digital dawned, and personal branding was taken to a whole new level. It's no longer just about the real life version of you. It's also about the digital version of you.

"Good salespeople have always been masters at this.

"The best ones have adapted their strategies to these new tools. Unfortunately there are not that many really good salespeople out there. I see too many using the new tools to automate instead of personalize and applying pushy tactics -- the kind that have always given sales a bad rap -- to technology that if used properly can enhance their image."

Read the remainder of Joanne's article.

Subscribe to The Purple Pros Blog (see above) to receive helpful and informative articles directly in your mailbox.  SWA does not share email addresses with third parties.

Crafting the Good Question: 4 Keys to Preparing for an Interview

The cornerstone of good writing is research and the most common prompt to research is a question. Who, what, where, when and how were Lesson 1 in my high school journalism class.  “This story is about So-and-So who wants what?” is how I learned to focus a screenplay in college four years later.  A writer can’t be afraid to ask questions, but you can’t just jump in with the first question that pops into your head either.

SELECT AN ARTICLE TYPE

Articles come in many forms and with many purposes.  Before you begin writing out your questions, know what kind of article you're writing.  The information you need for a travel article differs greatly from the information in a profile.  A how-to will not require the depth of feature article.  It is important to know what information you'll need before you draft your list of questions.

SHOOT FOR A PARAGRAPH  

Once you know what to ask, carefully word your questions.  Never ask a yes or no question.  Instead of asking “Do you like your job?” try “Tell me some of the aspects of your job you like.” The first question gives you one word.  The second can spark a paragraph. 

In the same vein, try to avoid one-word answer questions, such as “When did you start working for this company?” An alternative can be “How did you come to work for this company?”  Dates don't add much to the word count.  Again, shoot for the paragraph.

THE RULE OF THREE  

Have multiple versions of questions on sensitive subjects.  In comedy, you can run the same joke three times.  After that it isn't funny.  The same holds for interviewing - you can visit a issue three times before you turn your subject off. 

Say you have to interview two rival businessmen who have teamed up for huge event.  You know they don't like each other and are at odds over many business issue, but this event, if successful, will give both of their businesses a big boost.

Ask “What effect did your rivalry have on the planning of the event?”  and you'd get a firm denial and an alienated subject. Have several versions of hot-topic questions to pose at different times during the interview.  “What sort of obstacles did you have to overcome in the initial organization?”  “How did you coordinate all the different officials and their staffs?” “How do you imagine the planning of future events of this scope?”  

KEEP HIM TALKING

Finally, try to make your questions fit into the conversation.  Be prepared to scribble notes for follow up questions while your subject is answering the present one.  Or better yet anticipate what kind of follow up questions your subject’s answers may spark. How? As author Paul Auster said, “The truth of the story lies in the details.” Know your subject: his job, family, etc.  

Sometimes my questions take a rewrite or two to get them the way I want them, but the pay off comes when during the interview my subject blurts “Oh! That’s a good question!” 

Amy Munnell is has been a freelance writer and editor for over 25 years with her work appearing in various publications including the Chocolate for a Woman's Soul series, Saying Goodbye, From the Heart, Points North, ByLine, Athens Magazine and Georgia Magazine. Find Amy on Twitter: @amunnell

Exciting Member News!

One of our very own amazing writers, Lola Schaefer, was just featured on Kate Messner's Blog as part of her Mini-Lesson Monday series. Lola provides some extremely valuable information regarding non-fiction leads and how to draw readers in with catchy, well-written leads. For more information and to read the blog post, click here for a direct link.

Congratulations, Lola! We'll definitely be putting your lessons to good use.

Lola Schaefer is the author of several non-fiction books, including Just One Bite and Lifetime. She is also a teacher and writing consultant who is passionate about helping children learn to express themselves through the written word.