Stuff I Learned Recently to Make me a Better Writer/Marketer

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At my day gig, we finished annual reviews, and now we’re working on our developmental goals for the next review cycle. (I’m doing an Agile certification.) All this made me think about what I had learned lately about writing and book promo that I can share.

  1. From a writers’ group (Guppies) from Sisters in Crime, I learned from Mary Feliz how to make 3D graphics of your book covers with DIY Book Design.

  2. I took an online class a few weeks back with Tiffany Yates Martin ( “The Biggest Mistakes Writers Make”) . My biggest take-away was NOT to rush the tension in your scenes. Maximize it, and build suspense for your reader. I went back and rewrote some scenes in my WIP.

  3. I learned about the “Air Drop” feature in my iPhone’s camera app. When you select to send a picture option, you can select this (the icon is above the text/email icons) and people (with iPhones) who are nearby you at the moment can be selected. Their names pop up and you can send a picture. I tried it in a restaurant last night at dinner, and it gave me an idea for a future story.

  4. I downloaded a free version of Hootsuite. It is great for scheduling Facebook and Instagram posts. One nice feature is the template sizes for pictures. It helps you keep your images scaled for maximum visibility on the different social media sites.

  5. Podcasts - Who knew they were so much fun? I have ventured into the world of audio. My favorite is NPR’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.” I listen to that every week. I love the improv and the humor. I also like Holly and Tracy’s “Stuff You Missed in History Class.” They have some wonderful snippets from the past. They are great story tellers, and the topics often inspire some ideas. I also like “Grammar Girl’s” quick and dirty tips.

What did you learn this week that you can share?