Tricks of the Trade (Part 2) Writing on a budget – Using your resources


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Vision 73

 

Tricks of the Trade (Part 2)

Writing on a budget – Using your resources

By

By G R Colorado

Copyright © 2013, By G R Colorado, All Rights Reserved

 

TRADING SKILLS

This is much like networking. Many writers and freelancers shy away from trading skills. I don’t see why. Bartering is wonderful. Both parties gain what is needed with little to no money exchanged. Man has been partaking in trade since the beginning of time. It’s also a plus to learn basic terms of negotiating your own agreement. That’s the very essence of trading skills. Whether verbal or written, you are negotiating the terms of your own agreement with another professional.

Don’t think in terms of whose skills are more valuable or view networking as an imposition. Fact is, trading skills leads to stronger contacts which can only serve to enhance your opportunities.

I haven’t learnt how to design a great book cover yet – there, I’ve said it. But I have friends who do. While they are great at designing, they can’t write catchy blurbs worth a lick. We trade. Did I mention trading is free, well it is!

Tips

  • Any agreement, especially those with rights involved should be on paper.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
  • Keep active networks.
  • Be a professional, do the best job you can do.

PLATFORM

More publishers today are asking writers ‘How do they plan to help promote their work to potential readers?’ In a nut shell, that is a platform, your ability to help promote your work. Your brand. As your expertise widen so will your visibility and credibility. More and more publishers today are asking writers to have an established audience before that first books gets published.

The fastest way to build a platform is by teaming up or trading skills with established authors or credible organizations that can publicly improve your visibility.

Remember the manuscript you’ve been plugging away at? So a publisher is interest and all that stands in the way is your ability to reach an audience. What’s the problem? No problem. Remember that magazine you freelance for? You’ve built an audience with them, credibility and recognition for your expert advice. After asking the magazine editor – or begging profusely – you can now tell your publisher that X magazine with an established audience of ... will mention your debut novel!

But they are other ways. Most new writes don’t have the resources or a little black book of established authors jumping up and down to team up with.

When it comes to building your platform the internet is your biggest source of information and provides the most cost effective ways to gain visibility. It is important to note platform building takes time and dedication. So if you haven’t started. Get cracking now!

Tips

  • Create your own blog. It’s free. Keep it current and interactive.
  • Choose an area of expertise or niche.
  • Mingle. Introduce yourself.
  • Join book forums. Forward Motion for Writers, Absolute Write, groups.yahoo.com etc.
  • Social Networking. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.

ADVERTISING

The most valuable promotion you can give your work ... wait for it, is to keep writing. The more you write the more likely you are to be read.

Lets’ face it, with the world of publishing constantly evolving; it just doesn’t pay to put all our eggs in one basket. To spend all our income – which could be more than our advance if we are lucky to get even that – on advertising and promoting that special baby is dumb. The best advertising for book one is book two and so on.

Let me be clear, I’m not saying don’t spend any time advertising. But at some point you have to ask yourself, when does it stop being worth it. So you’ve created a site for your new line of novels, you’ve Twittered it, Blogged it and Face Booked it. You’ve even arranged a reading at your local library. All free by-the-way! Do you spend hours responding to every negative Amazon rating? No. It’s time to write book two and let all your social networking work for you.

Tips:

  • Keep writing
  • If you don’t link start now

Simply put, linking is data or material readers can follow from one site to another. It is a great way to gain readers, experience and mingle.

Sources and sites used to research:

Books: Writer’s Market

      2014 Writer's Market by Robert Lee Brewer (Editor) ISBN-13: 9781599637327

Sites: Dictionary - http://dictionary.reference.com, http://www.copyright.gov, http://www.cipo.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf/eng/Home,