November: Giveaway, Accountability, & Inspiration
NaNoWriMo, inspiring author profiles, important publishing court cases, & holy basil
Greetings writers!
Welcome and good luck to those participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)! I’ll be joining your ranks this November as I try to get a handle on a new novel project.
What I’ve enjoyed about NaNoWriMo in past years when I’ve attempted (though I always seem to stall out around 17,000 words and the Thanksgiving holiday) is that it’s about quantity rather than quality. Sometimes we need to get out of our own heads, be a little less precious about our work, and add in a few run-on sentences to hit our word count, for good measure. And to have someone (or in this case an international movement) hold one’s metaphorical feet to the metaphorical fire to get the work done.
One tool in a writer’s toolkit, for both the writing and marketing processes, is consistency. Having a writing ritual or routine can help you stay engaged in a project; having regular marketing goals can ensure you remain actively engaged with your audience. If writing 50,000 words in a month doesn’t fit your wants or needs right now, consider using November as a month to practice accountability anyway, in whatever form that takes for you. Touching base daily with a writer friend? Engaging with readers regularly on social media? Keeping a sticker/star chart ala V.E. Schwab? Attending a regular write-in? Find what works and stick with it.
In the meantime, draw some inspiration from the writers and resources below and see you at the other end of 50,000 words!
~Allison
Ps. You read the subject right, I’m doing another giveaway for a marketing consult! Read on down for specifics.
Upcoming Seminars
The events marked with ** require registration and usually fill up! And for the first time ever, I’m offering one online. Tune in from the comfort of your own home!
November 2nd: Marketing for Writers: A Business Seminar (Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance) <— ONLINE!**
November 7th: Speculative Fiction Variety Hour (The Writer’s Loft)
Not available these dates? Connect with me for one-on-one coaching that fits your schedule!
Writing/Marketing Resources: Authors Inspire Edition
“All language is new to a kid. Why not invite them into a vocabulary that’s special from the beginning?” author/illustrator Sandra Boyton explains in this great profile in The Atlantic that explores the magic behind Boyton’s 40+ years of crafting (and selling!) wry, rhythmic stories for our littlest readers. {Image is from Sandra Boynton’s fun and inspiring Facebook page}
“We pick up a book, it tells us about itself, through the cover, through the way it’s marketed. And it’s going to change how we process it, what we’re expecting when we read it.” Authors Daniel José Older and Marlon James go deep with the hosts of Fiction / Non / Fiction in this rich interview on the politics and meaning of literary categories. “Power isn’t just about who gets to write,” co-host V.V. Ganeshananthan points out, “it’s also about which characters get to have agency and power.”
“I found it was easier telling the story by making it more complicated,” says bestselling author Erin Morgenstern in this wonderful feature in EW about her new book, The Starless Sea, which releases this month. Her breakout novel, The Night Circus, started as a NaNoWriMo novel and has since sold nearly 3 million copies worldwide.
Bonus: Want to catch Erin in person? Brookline Booksmith is hosting her on Nov. 5th.
Industry News
The CASE Act, designed to protect creators via a small claims court specifically for copyright infringement cases, has been passed resoundingly in the House. While some internet advocacy groups take issue with the bill, many organizations that represent independent creators, such as the Author’s Guild and Copyright Alliance, are huge advocates. “At its core, this is a question of the independent and small content creator’s access to justice,” says the Author’s Guild. “Copyright law should protect all creators.” The bill still needs to be passed in the Senate before it can take effect.
Upon request, and in response to Macmillan’s decision to embargo e-books leased to public libraries for two months after release, the American Library Association (ALA) has delivered a report to the House Judiciary committee on competition in digital book markets. The report also covers such topics as the lack of public library access to Amazon Publishing’s ebook content; restricted public library/educational access to streaming services; and the bundling of e-journals. You can read the full report here. For more information on the Macmillan e-book decision, check out Publisher’s Weekly’s in-depth coverage and how some libraries have responded.
YouTube is launching “BookTube,” a monthly virtual bookclub with bestselling authors in conversation with well-known YouTube hosts and BookTubers. The first episode features Malcom Gladwell; future episodes will air on the third Thursday of the month and will include interviews with Margaret Atwood, James Patterson, and more.
Tea
One of my absolute favorite herbal “teas” is Tulsi, also known as “holy basil.” It has a lovely, aromatic quality, reminiscent of cloves, and adapts wonderfully to other flavors. A sacred herb of India, Tulsi is known for its medicinal properties, including reducing stress and restoring balance and harmony. Sounds good to me! Trader Joe’s currently stocks an affordable, mellow, organic blend.
Like what you’ve read so far and want more plus free stuff? Subscribe to Books, Marketing, and More by November 7th to enter a giveaway for a FREE 30-minute marketing consult! We can talk events, marketing, branding, tea, whatever will help you envision your marketing goals right now.
Let me know about upcoming events, marketing campaigns, and projects so I can help signal boost!
Happy writing!
~Allison
Writer & Marketing Coach
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Allison has happily made books her life’s work. She spent four years marketing and publicizing academic titles at The MIT Press before she went to work for Wellesley Books as a children’s bookseller and event coordinator. She is now living her dream: putting her B.A. in Creative Writing to good use as a novelist and as a writing/marketing coach for authors. She enjoys science fiction, cupcakes, and a hot cup of tea.