One of the first things I read from my list of incoming emails each morning is my Google Alerts. Are you using Google Alerts to:
• Check on your competition?
• Locate promotional opportunities (blogsites related to your book topic where you can leave comments)?
• Find out who’s writing about you?
• Keep up on what’s happening in your genre/industry?
• Discover how your blogsite rates within your industry?
This morning, I found myself listed in Google Alerts related to “writing, publishing, books” TWICE. I saw an excerpt from what sounded like a mighty interesting article at Mike Geffner’s blogsite. When I went there to take a look, I discovered that I was the author. The article is “Guarantee Your Publishing Success” and it’s posted on July 11, 2009 at http://mikeswritingworkshop.blogspot.com
Then I noticed that my own blog post from yesterday is listed in the headlines at Google Alerts this morning.
If you have a book to promote; you’re trying to establish a writing career; or you want to know more about publishing, the genre you’re working in or how you fit into your field, sign up for Google Alerts: http://www.google.com/alerts.
It’s free and it’s kinda fun!
Speaking of Google
I heard an interesting comment on a talk radio show yesterday. The caller asked the computer/internet expert what other search engines he should use besides Google. The commentator said, “Google is really the only search engine.” Is this true? Do you ever use Yahoo, AltaVista or any of the other search engines anymore? Or is Google the only search engine for you?
Your Projects
So what are you working on this summer? A tan? A better relationship with your family members? Or are you hard at work on a novel, developing a freelance writing career or outlining a nonfiction book?
I’m involved with the SPAWN transition. SPAWN is Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http://www.spawn.org and we’re assembling a new leadership team as we speak. Watch for the BIG announcement in the August 1 issue of the SPAWN newsletter—SPAWNews. (Subscribe for FREE at the SPAWN website.) This means that I’ve been interviewing candidates for the board, working with them, revamping the bylaws (they’re 13 years old), writing press releases and responding to numerous questions.
I’m also working with a few clients on some interesting projects and I’m doing some promotion mostly through published articles. I have an idea for getting some exposure and maybe a new editorial client or two by sending announcements to key publications offering something for free. When I do a free evaluation for an author, for example, they are generally blown away by my observations and suggestions. Those who can afford it (and no one should be producing a book if they can’t afford a good editor) and those who want to produce the best book possible will return to me for a complete edit once they’ve finished their work on their projects.
But I’m not all work and no play. I play with Lily (our new kitten) often throughout the day. I’m planning to spend a week at a beach house to celebrate one of my daughter’s large number birthdays and, once summer is over, I’m flying east with a girlfriend to see the fall colors. After all, it’s those experiences outside of our work-a-day lives that provide us with the material and the perspective to write the next bestseller, right?
If you are planning to write a book, you’re struggling through the process, you’re searching for a publisher or you are trying to market your book in this competitive climate, it’s the right time for you to read my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. I wrote it expressly for you, you see. Pick up a copy and you’ll see what I mean. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html