Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. I hope everyone is doing well; busy reading, writing, editing, promoting, selling, etc. Wherever you find yourself, I hope you are happy. If you simply love to read and talk about books, I hope you have found some great stories out there. If writing is your dream, I hope your dreams are coming to fruition. I know mine are.
Last week, I wrote of attempting to turn over a new leaf with regard to networking. I just found that with my limited amount of time, that I was spending way too much time posting items that few were reading. It wasn’t a matter of me throwing a fit or being upset about it or anything. It was simply a fact. And I think I knew why, which was: I hadn’t been visiting anyone’s blogs either.
So I decided that I would instead focus on writing one piece per week and spend the rest of the week doing promotion for it, as well as to visit the blogs of others. Hopefully by this time many, if not all of you, have already caught me prowling about your pages. *winks*
Once again, please don’t think of this as me being upset. I want to know what you guys are up to. I want to help promote not only my stuff but yours as well, as I can. Not only have I read some of your books this year, but I have adored them, too. I was missing out on a lot things that you guys were up to, and I do not like that. The upside of me more closely following the blogs and doings of others is the wonderful fact that people returned the favor and visited me. Hopefully, this will be a new direction and not simply a recent and short-lived fad...
Updates:
This month my edits are supposed to return to me for Dance on Fire: Flash Point. Beyond that, I have two articles that I wrote for Kings River Life Magazine: one was on my town’s community band, which holds concerts in the park; while the second article is a profile of the Kingsburg Police Chief. That one will be going live this coming Saturday. I also just had a review come out Saturday that I did a few months ago on the delightful novel Menopause in Manhattan by my buddy Anne Kleinberg. My editor is always looking to do reviews and was good enough to want to use this one.
Other than that, I simply press forward. I have two library events coming up. The first will be in my hometown which is the site where my novel takes place. If you have yet to read my novel and you like e-books, then you are in luck! *grins* This month, Smashwords is having a sale. You can get my book for almost nothing. If you would rather have the signed softcover version, send me a note. I'm sure we can work something out. *grins again*
We'll talk soon.
Nice to see things moving along for you, my friend. Knowing good is happening certainly helps to negate the bad.
ReplyDeleteOne good thing about visiting other sites is you meet new people and pick up friends from that blogger's friends. Then, in turn, you visit that person's blog and the cycle keeps going. No hard sell, just friendship breeding familiarity with everyone's personas.
Have a great week, James.
Blaze
You're right it takes time to make it all work.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Liz, Blaze. I really appreciate you both taking the time.
ReplyDeleteBefore last week, I had been spending way too much time writing posts, but no time at all visiting blogs. It has been so refreshing spending more time interacting with all of you instead.
-Jimmy
It's hard to visit everyone. But I try to see them every once in a while to let them know I'm thinking of them.
ReplyDeleteEven when i don't stop in to comment, I still read your posts.
I'm still around, I just don't always comment (which is bad, since I love comments on my blog - thank you for that!!). I never knew a writer's life could be so busy, but add in a full-time job, and it's like having two. Sounds like you have more than two, too! Good luck on your edits!
ReplyDeleteHi, James! I like your networking plan. Think I'm going to borrow it. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your edits and upcoming events. You are definitely living the dream. Very inspiring!
Sounds like you have a lot going on. That's always good.
ReplyDeleteStacy, Jamie, RaShelle. Thanks for your notes. They make my day, you know. I get up at 3:00 am and the first thing I do, with one eye still sealed shut, is check my iPhone. Then, throughout my 11-hour work day, I catch up and am pleased when my buddies have dropped by and left a note. It very often means that I don't get an opportunity to comment back until well after, but I eventually get around to it.
ReplyDeleteThanks again.
-Jimmy
Jimmy, it was only yesterday I was at Marissa's blog and she and I had the same problem about leaving comments,and I wanted to just thank you for solving this problem for me as well. It's why I have not been able to comment at many blogs, like this one, unless I hit the anonymous button--if the blog had this. Some don't. But now, you will see today I'm making this comment and here I am. I sure am glad I know you.
ReplyDeleteWhat would it take to get a signed copy of your book? PM me on facebook, if you want. (:
Thanks, Lorelei. I just sent you that note. Glad I was able to help with that blogger commenting issue. I wish I recalled who it had been who helped me with the same problem.
ReplyDelete-Jimmy
P.S.: Anyone reading this who is struggling with commenting, uncheck that stay logged in box. When you log in without it, you should be cured.
You sound so much like me. I want everyone to read my posts, but I don't take the time to go to anyone else's. Sigh. I've been trying to do the same as you. Write less often and use that time I would have posting other posts, reading blogs. I figure I'll visit those that came to mine most recently. It's all I can do. Can't do everything. ;)
ReplyDeleteHi. You are absolutely right: "we" can't do everything. I'm hoping that by being involved in the "network", be it Twitter FB, Linked IN, etc., etc., that I'll cover most of my bases.
ReplyDeleteJust do the best you can, Melissa. Take care.
-Jimmy
Glad to hear your dreams are coming to fruition!
ReplyDelete