Categories
Promotion

The Business of Short Stories: Writing, Submitting, Publishing, and Marketing

This post contains affiliate links. If you click through to make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Any amount I make goes towards my dream to host a book fair in Hampton Roads (Coastal), VA. Please see my About page for more details. Thank you for your support.

Amazon.com

Title: The Business of Short Stories: Writing, Submitting, Publishing, and Marketing
Author: Shannon Lawrence
ISBN: 978-1-7320314-5-6
Format/Price: Print ($13.99), e-book ($3.99)
Release Date: February 1, 2022
Pre-order: eBook and Paperback at Amazon.com

Soon to be available at other retailers such as Ingram, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and more.

Blurb: Whether you’re looking to add short stories to your repertoire as a solo pursuit or in addition to novel writing, The Business of Short Stories covers every aspect from writing to marketing. Learn the dynamics of short story writing, where to focus your editing efforts, how and where to submit, how to handle acceptances and rejections, what to do with reprints, and how to market yourself and your stories online and in person. The information in The Business of Short Stories has been distilled from over a decade of short story publishing experience so you don’t have to learn the hard way. You’ll find information on submission formatting, cover letters, querying a collection, sending proposals to writing events, how to create a website, SEO, social media, and so much more. This is an invaluable resource for short story writers.

There’s never been a better time to get into short stories!

Author: Shannon Lawrence has made a career of short stories, with over a decade of experience and more than fifty short stories published in magazines and anthologies. In addition, she’s released three horror short story collections with a mix of new and previously published stories. Her true-crime podcast Mysteries, Monsters, & Mayhem is going into its third season.

Website: www.thewarriormuse.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewarriormuse
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thewarriormuse
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewarriormuse/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/shannon-lawrence
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/shannondkl
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shannon-Lawrence/e/B00TDKPOAO
Podcast Website: ww.mysteriesmonstersmayhem.com

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter

Categories
IWSG

#IWSG December 2021- There’s a thin line between stress and delight.

Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click here to learn more or sign up.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click through to make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Any amount I make goes towards my dream to host a book fair in Hampton Roads, VA. Please see my About page for more details. Thank you for your support.

Optional Monthly Question: In your writing, what stresses you the most? What delights you?

At times, the writing process itself can be stressful, when the words and or ideas aren’t flowing, but for me, that’s a good kind of stress. I always enjoy the process of writing a story and working out the plot and characters. Even in the developmental editing phase when critique and beta readers are giving me feedback I don’t want to hear because I know that part is good no matter what five other people tell me (well, maybe). Once I get passed all that and start to think about publishing, that’s where the stress comes in.

I don’t even stress about marketing anymore. I will do the best I can and hope for the best, but I’m not stressing over advertising. For me, editing and the actual process of publishing is what stresses me out. Making sure all the edits have been applied, making sure all the formats are ready, making sure files and codes are ready for upload, etc… This isn’t so bad when publishing traditionally because someone else takes care of all that, but still, the waiting drives me crazy- waiting for the release date to be announced, waiting for author copies to arrive in the mail, etc…

So, I guess my point is that writing isn’t that stressful, even when I never have enough time to do it as much as I’d like. It’s the stuff that comes after writing that stresses me out. Writing is the delightful part… when it isn’t driving me crazy. There’s such a thin line between stress and delight.

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IWSG BOOK CLUB ON GOODREADS

Member Spotlights

#iwsgbookclub

The books we’ve chosen to spotlight in the month of December are Falling for the Villain by Kim Elliott and Being Human by Patricia Lynne. Please check these out and consider giving one or both of these a read this month. If you’re not up for reading them, no worries, you can still help spread some love for these publications and or participate in the book club activities.

My co-mods and I have done a lot of research into the books written by IWSG members to help facilitate the current direction the book club is taking. In the process, I’ve learned about how readers find and don’t find books by our members. So, I’ve put together some, hopefully, helpful tips I like to call…

Ways to Make Your Book(s) “Findable”

…and increase their chances to be featured and discovered.

4) When listing your books on your website or blog, go a few extra miles and do more than simply post the book cover. By listing a description and or genre, it will clarify for a potential reader whether it’s something they really want to know more about. I discovered several wonderful-looking books with great cover art, that didn’t explicitly let me know what to expect from the pages within. When a description and or genre was listed, I had a better idea of whether I was interested or not. The books without descriptions or genres were overlooked because I didn’t want to risk it. *Also, if you have books in a series, please list the series number.

Reminder: Here’s our new spotlight schedule.

IWSG blog list 1-50 = Feb, Jun, Oct
IWSG blog list 51-100 = Mar, Jul, Nov
IWSG blog list 101+ = Jan, May, Sep (Anthologies)
IWSG Registry Apr, Aug, Dec

In January we’ll feature books from authors in the 101+ position of the IWSG blogging list. We are very excited to be featuring books by IWSG Facebook members this month. Don’t forget, if you are not currently on the IWSG blog hop list and don’t plan to join, the registry is the only way for your books to have a chance to be spotlighted by the book club.

Please click this hyperlink to fill out the form to be added to the IWSG Book Club Spotlight Registry, and please help us spread the word.

Now, on to the personal updates.

I think I’m finally ready to start working on something for publication. I’ve been playing around with the idea to release another collection of short stories but didn’t really know what direction I wanted to go. Next year, releasing that collection by my birthday will be a big focus. I’ll be needing critique readers early on and ARC readers closer to publication. It will either be a collection of fantasy shorts or science fiction, but not both together. Perhaps I’ll release one and then the other, depending on how the first wave of critiquing goes. When I’m ready, I’ll see if any IWSG members are interested in reading ARCs. I have a list of people I want to ask for critiques. We’ll see how that goes.

Also, I’m excited to announce that the Kickstarter for RavenCon relief was so successful that they released two anthologies. My contribution to the effort appears in the first book. I’m so excited about another royalty opportunity.

Amazon.com

Last month, I posted my previous month book reviews with my IWSG Book Club Poll announcement and will do that again this month. Come back next week if you want to see that. Below I’ve attached a fun video of me unboxing some new glasses!

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So, what about writing stresses you?

Where do you find delight in the process of writing?

It may take some time, but I promise, I will eventually stop by your blog. My response time has gotten slower but I’m still making my rounds.

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:
PJ Colando,
Diane Burton,
Louise – Fundy Blue,
Natalie Aguirre, and
Jacqui Murray!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #31).

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter

Categories
IWSG

#IWSG September 2021- Success Isn’t What it Used to Be

Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click here to learn more or sign up.

Optional Monthly Question: How do you define success as a writer? Is it holding your book in your hand? Having a short story published? Making a certain amount of income from your writing?

When I first started writing, I had no idea what I was doing. For me, at that time, success was all about anyone wanting to read something I wrote. I couldn’t get over the idea of people wanting to read something I wrote. Then once I published and sold a few copies of my work, I lost my mind.

I started trying to “make myself a huge success” but never really defined what that meant. At the time, I knew being a “huge success” was something that I wasn’t but that was about it. I think maybe it had to do with several factors. I still worked a day job, my work wasn’t selling consistently, I wasn’t writing consistently, I wasn’t improving my skill the way I’d hoped, and no one who didn’t already know me knew who I was- I wasn’t getting famous. Plus, I was doing a lot that wasn’t taking me anywhere.

After 8 years of blogging and self-publishing something here and there, while submitting to a few anthologies here and there, something finally clicked with me. I was doing too much and expecting too much. I had to take a step back. I cut back on a lot of the “things” I was doing and began to focus on my joy of writing or using writing therapeutically. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t care whether my books sold well or not, but the truth is, I stopped worrying about sales and started focusing on what made me feel whole and happy. Once I found a way for writing to fit back into my life naturally, my idea of success changed and my approach to writing changed.

I think I’ve reverted back to an innocent newbie writer who was amazed anytime someone wanted to read something she wrote. I guess in terms of writing, that’s success to me. Writing something for myself and sharing it with the world and discovering that at least one other person likes what I wrote.

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IWSG BOOK CLUB ON GOODREADS

Member Spotlights

#iwsgbookclub

I’m so excited to be part of the next chapter of the IWSG Book Club on Goodreads. We’ve made some changes that we hope will excite, motivate, and encourage members on their writing, reading, and blogging journeys.

The books we’ve chosen to spotlight in the month of September are Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime and Parallels: Felix Was Here. These are both IWSG anthologies featuring the talents of several IWSG members. Please check these out and consider giving one or both of these a read this month. If you’re not up for reading them, no worries, you can still help spread some love for these publications and or participate in the book club activities.

My co-mods and I have done a lot of research into the books written by IWSG members in preparation for the new direction the book club is taking. In the process, I’ve learned about how readers find and don’t find books by our members. So, I’ve put together some, hopefully, helpful tips I like to call…

Ways to Make Your Book(s) “Findable”

…and increase their chances to be featured and discovered.

1) Post to Goodreads and other Library/Cataloging type sites, such as Library Thing (I admit I never finished setting up my profile there, but I am on Goodreads). These are great places for readers to discover books without feeling any pressure to buy books. Plus, since this is a Goodreads club, it’ll be easier for us to feature IWSG member’s books if they are searchable on Goodreads.com.

Now, on to the personal updates.

My personal writing has gone pretty well lately. I’m still struggling to get to the point where I feel I have anything I’m willing to pursue publishing, but that’s ok. It’s not like a have a deadline. I did submit a story for the IWSG anthology, but it was mostly just me going through the motions of submitting. I still submit stories from time to time just to stay in the practice. Sometimes my stories are selected and sometimes they are not. I don’t take it personally. Especially with this story. The story I submitted was one of, at least three, prequel short stories I’ve been working on for my Sayings Series that I’ve neglected for far too long. I would have written the story whether the anthology submission was on the table or not, so I figured, why not.

I finally posted my book reviews for June and July since the two months blended together after I took some time offline. Click here to see my monthly “What I Read” post. I just finished reading two ARCs and can’t wait to talk about them.

My health issues are still an issue, but I’m working through them. I was finally able to see a specialist and I’m on a treatment plan as they continue to run more tests. I don’t consider myself young or old. I have no shame in stating that I’m middle-aged. I like being in the middle, at least, I thought I would. With my health issues, I feel as though I’ve been robbed of my middle-age and jumped straight into seniorhood. It had to happen eventually, but I thought I had another twenty years to prepare. Oh well, can’t complain too much. There are others in this world who would give anything to be where I am, and so, I count my blessings.

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What does success as a writer mean to you?
Wrote anything new lately?
It may take some time, but I promise, I will eventually stop by your blog.

*I’m having some access issues. If you see comments from WordPress support, that’s likely me.* 

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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:
Rebecca Douglass ,
T. Powell Coltrin @Journaling Woman ,
Natalie Aguirre,
Karen Lynn, and
C. Lee McKenzie!

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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #34).

This post contains affiliate links. If you click through to make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Any amount I make goes towards my dream to host a book fair in Hampton Roads, VA. Please see my About page for more details. Thank you for your support.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter