On April 4-6 the UW Madison held its’ 25th Annual Writers’ Institute.  I have been attending the Institute each year since 1997 so this was my 18th year.  Last year I was honored to participate on the Success Panel to share with attendees my experience publishing articles with The Writer Magazine.

This year I was able to sell my debut novel, MURPHY’S TROUBLES, at the mid-day Book Sale on Saturday.  Imagine having over 300 writers look over your book and considering buying it.  The room was huge for the Book Sale, with 45 authors competing for sales.

Initially I was asked to share a 24”round table with another author.  He hauled out two 8 ½ x 11 plaques and three books and placed them on the table, leaving me no room for my books and book marks.  I tried asking politely to have him display one book and one placard.  He didn’t budge.  Then I demanded that he remove all but one placard and one book.  He grunted and complied.

Before I turf war worsened he was moved to his own table.  I brought only 10 books to sell, expecting to sell none.  I didn’t have a fancy display, just my books and some book marks.  People passed by without saying a word and making direct eye contact didn’t work to gain their attention.

Next, as people passed by I offered them a book mark.  The book mark is a replica of my book cover and people would begin to read the back of the blurb on the book mark.  I then handed them a book suggesting it would be easier to read.  It worked.  When a person read the blub, it leads to questions and soon we were engaged in a lively conversation.

Competing against 45 other authors, some famous like Michael Perry, I sold 5 books.  I also talked with very interesting people who shared their experiences of traveling in Ireland with me.  One woman shared the story of how she was trapped in Northern Ireland with her parents because the border was closed at night.

Meeting other authors, hearing life stories and selling a few books, it doesn’t get any better.

Recently I heard a report on NPR about reading in America.  Since I was driving while listening to the report I wasn't confident I heard what I thought I did.  So, in the week the world wide web turned 25, I searched on Google for "reading statistics."

This is what I found:
    - Percent of U.S. high school grads who will never read a book after high school               33%

    - Percent of college students who will never read a book after they graduate                     42%

    - Total percentage of U.S. families who  did not buy a book in 2013                                 80%

Fortunately, several weeks ago I met with a local book club to discuss my novel, Murphy's Troubles.  I was invited to attend their discussion and was even asked to lead the discussion.  I prepared background material on Ireland, talked about my path to write and publish the book and then prepared a series of questions to spark discussion.

Two members of the group had traveled to Ireland and two others had Irish heritage.  I asked the members to be frank with me because that's how I grow as a writer.  They were frank but not unkind.  I was surprised how some of the club members reacted to various characters in the novel. We talked together for just over two hours.

As an author there is nothing better than sharing the experience of your book with readers.  The data shows we are not a book reading nation, however, there are enclaves of book clubs that maintain a fierce devotion to books whether hard copy, trade paperback or ebooks.

It's generally accepted that during the Dark Ages Irish monks saved the knowledge of Europe by copying and maintainng books.  Book clubs are keeping reading and discourse alive and well and by doing so saving the world.

I am working on my second novel and having a bad time of it.  Writing my second novel some days I feel like Sisyphus.  My first novel took fourteen years to write and I worked on in in bits and pieces with UW-Madison Writer's Institute classes; UW-Madison's Weekend with your novel; , UW-Madison's critique groups; and, UW-Madison's Writers by the Lake.  I did it this way because I was still in the work-a-day world and used these special classes to devote myself to writing in short, intense bursts of learning, energy and creativity.  In those days I thought being free from the stardard job would be a panacea for my writing life.

My career ended abruptly one Friday morning when I learned that my managers' salary was dragging the company I worked for into the financial abyss, twelve others got the same news that day.  I am fortunate to have a pension so financial security was ensured and I saw this change as my chance to finally finish my first novel.

Murphy's Troubles was published in November 2013, it had taken four years.  I've finally settled on what to write for my second novel, only because the protagonist, Ian Murphy scolded me in a dream and said he wasn't finished telling his story.  My working title for the second novel is:  There Was Sadness, There was Joy.  As I began to write I discovered I don't have a writing routine.

I have complete control of my time and yet I struggle to develop any sort of writing routine.  The entire book is in my head, of that I am certain.  I found myself obsessing with chapter one, which has been written and re-written at least 25 times.  There is some part of me that has to have the first chapter exactly right before I can move on.  So, I'm accepting that as part of my writing routine.  I've also been indecisive about point of view, that demon that haunts me whenever I splash a work across the screen of my lap top.

Just this week I've settled on first person point of view.  While some consider it limiting, it allows a more personal, in depth story.  I want to see the world only through Ian Murphy's eyes because that's the only way I can convey it on the page - the way Ian wants the story told.

I will be working on having a writing routine for a long time to come.  Who knows, maybe my routine is not have a routine.  I know there's a lot of advice to just sit down at the keyboard every day, same time, and do my thing.  That approach seems to be common among writers.  For me, it doesn't feel right; maybe I'm fighting the self-discipline it takes.

So, a lot of days I feel like Sisyphus, pushing the boulder up the mountain only to watch the boulder roll down and do it again tomorrow.    

A few weeks ago I was talking with a friend about a book that our community will read together.  Our library director is initiating a program called Sun Prairie Reads this year which kicks off in late March.  The book selected is a young adult fiction, Seedfolks, by Paul Fleischman which is a Newbery Medal winning novel.  I talked about the structure of the book, how the story built into a crescendo and how characters lives were woven together.  My friend looked at me and said:  "As a writer you read differently than I do.  I just liked the story."

His comment caused be to reflect on my reading life.  He was right, having completed the process of writing, editing and publishing a novel I do read differently that I did before that experience.  In the past I consumed Ray Bradbury novels, not for the science fiction, but the story.  I'll read any Wallace Stegner for his language and common life stories like going home after a lifetime away and learning about yourself.

When writers are asked for advice they often say that you need to read, deeply, exhaustively, in all genres.  In many ways this advice is self-evident.  I can't imagine a writer who doesn't also love to read.  I must confess that I don't read all genres.  I skip erotica, non-fiction, paranormal and dystopia just from personal preference, no judgment intended or implied.  I tendy to rely on my Tuesday Morning Book Club to introduce me to literature I might not choose for myself and that has proven very satisfactory.

This month I read my first Russell Banks, Continental Drift.  I don't know how I reached my age and be ignorant of Russell Banks.  Continental Drift was nominated for the Pulitzer and if I had voted it would have won.  I must admit that the point of view Banks uses initially confused me.  I felt like I was watching a movie about Robert Raymond Dubois and Vanise Dorsinvilles.  For perspective I contacted my friend and mentor Marshall Cook.  He suggested that the point of view was intentional because both characters often are just observers in their own life.  Eureka!

Reading Continental Drift taught me a lesson as a writer.  I'm working on my second novel and my worst problem, point of view, has reared its' ugly head in chapter one.  Reading Banks' book gave me a solution to my point of view problem.  So I agree with my friend that, as an author, I do read books from a wrtier's perspective, and that's just fine.

Since Murphy's Troubles was launched last November 18th I have been on a marketing roller coaster.  I was astonished at the local support I received.  Both our local coffee shop, Beans n Cream and the Sun Prairie Public Library agreed to host author book signing/reading events.  They also collaborated to design and print a poster advertising the events, I handled the distribution.  Our local newspaper, The Star, agreed to an interview and published an in-depth four column article announcing my book release. 

Yet, my presence in th internet world is almost non-existent.  I've had my website for several years and have been blogging once a week for a year.  I paid a consultant to review my website and made a lot of changes that resulted in about a 25% increase in hits.  It was worth the expense.

In January I took the time to develop a detailed marketing plan for myself.  Right away I learned about myself that my goal wasn't to sell books, my goal was to attract readers.  Really, the motivation to write is to have readers.  I have discovered there are numerous services to help independent writers/publishers but they all cost money.  Of course, the big wad was spent in bringing Murphy's Troubles into the world so there aren't a lot of resources to invest in marketing, which is a class catch 22.

I developed the strategy that the cost of any marketing dollars must be recovered through book sales.  Sounds like a rational policy.  Then I was talking with a consultant I trust and she said I could take that approach butr I had to realize I'm an unknown author and the effort to become known will cost money.  She was right and I knew it.

In my marketing plan my original goal was to devote at least five hours a week on direct marketing activities.  I also have the goal of finishing the first draft of my second novel this year.  In part, these goals were in conflict.  Part of my time devoted to finding readers for the first book while also devoting creative time for my second book.  I kept a calendar to record the hours I spent marketing and soon found myself a slave to that calendar.

By chance I found a blog, The 7 Worst Mistakes of the Indie Author and How to Fix Them by Joanna Penn March 4, 2012.  The seventh mistake is focusing everything into one book.  Her point is that yes, an author needs to market that first book but must remember that we're writers and not lose focus.  "Obsessing over marketing one book isn't as important as getting on with the next."

Eureka!  Now my marketing goal is to focus on one specific marketing activity a week and devote the majority of my time to writing my second novel.  It feels right.  I've found balance.  Thank you, Joanna Penn for blogging about your writing experience.    

Sometimes I feel like writing about things, unexpected things that happen in my life.  This week’s blog is one.  I live in the country off of a state highway.  My neighbor and I share a mailbox post that the previous owner ingeniously constructed to hold two mailboxes on a single post.  Saturday I ran a few errands and when I drove into the driveway I stopped to pick- up the mail.  Our mailbox was gone!  I saw huge tire tracks in the snow where our mailbox used to me.  The box now rested in the ditch about twenty feet from where it stood.  Black plastic parts of a vehicle were strewn in a path following the tire tracks in the snow.

There were footprints in the snow leading to our mailboxes.  Someone had checked it out but left the boxes where they were.  Soon our neighbor joined us and he showed me a business card from one of the local sheriff’s.  His wife noticed a car abandoned in the ditch and our mailbox and called the sheriff.  Apparently the car had an Iowa license plate and the driver took off.  My guess is that the driver was as drunk as a skunk.  The mailboxes rested on a 3 inch square post buried in the ground so to knock break through a solid piece of wood meant the car was traveling very fast.  By the tracks in the snow the only thing that stopped the car was the snow.

My neighbor wanted to repair the damage so we could have our mail delivered.  My solution was to notify the post office and have our mail held for us to pick up and address the problem in the spring.  My neighbor wanted that mailbox back up.  He agreed to make the repairs and prop it up; trying to break through frozen ground would be a folly.  My job was to google postal regulations on how to put up the mailboxes.

The temporary job is done, it’s not pretty, and it’s functional.  Living in the country has risks I never imagined but having a one acre wooded lot is worth it.

I have one huge pet peeve.  “Pet peeve” is my Father’s language and the older I get the more often I hear my Dad’s words escape my mouth.  A peeve is a particular grievance and mine is people who don’t respond to a specific request.  For example, if I write a friend an e-mail asking if they would be available for coffee on a specific day and time, I EXPECT an answer.  If that friend doesn’t answer – that peeves me.

In my journey to market MURPHY’S TROUBLES I make my initial contact through e-mail.  I was asked for a blog interview, completed it and was told it would be posted in a week; that was on December 1st.  There was no post.  I waited until January 15th and sent a follow-up e-mail, no response to my follow-up. That peeves me.

On November 29th I sent our book group leader a copy of my book and asked if it could be included in the group’s fall 2014 session.  No response.  Why?  Don’t I deserve a response?  Even if the response is – NO – NO WAY – it would be an answer.  Silence peeves me.

I placed on ad on Goodreads.  I spent good money on the ad.  In 10 days I had 3893 views of my ad.  Not ONE click to purchase my book.  Not ONE.  What are the odds that not one in nearly 4000 people would click into my ad?  At least I have the opportunity to change the ad to try to fix it.  

I’ve also sent e-mails to several bookstores asking how to schedule an author reading/signing and offering my book for sale on consignment.  Guess what?  No response?  I have been under the impression that business courtesy was to respond within at least a week.  I haven’t had any responses.  I suppose I’m old fashioned in expecting a business response to a business request, it’s easier just to ignore me.  I’m not giving up.  This week I’ll follow-up with a phone call.  With my luck, I’ll talk to a voice mail.

 So, if I ever contact you with whatever media (e-mail; phone-call, text) please have the courtesy to respond.  I always respond to requests, even if I say – no thank you.  

In researching elements of a marketing campaign for independent authors/publishers it was stressed that book reviews are essential.  In the traditional publishing world publishers send out either advance copies or copies soon after publication and tend to work with specific reviewers.  It is highly recommended that we self-publishers also send out advance copies and use the reviews received both as part of the back of the book blub and for initial marketing.

I didn’t send out advance copies of my book to reviewers.  I was caught up in the details of book production and was determined to hit the holiday market; there just wasn’t time for everything.  I met the goal of having MURPHY’S TROUBLES available for holiday book purchases (November 18th available on Amazon).  I did garner a satisfying number of readers locally and squeezed in two book signing events in December.

The truth is I have not attracted attention to MURPHY’S TROUBLES on Amazon.  I would like to have readers review my book.  I have had one local author offer to write a review, unfortunately, the offer came in mid-December through my website e-mail (which I rarely check) and it was a month before I responded to his offer.  I’ve responded to him but I’m not sure if he’s still interested.

What am I asking for?  I would like a one paragraph review of about 50-75 words, and approval to publish the review online and other appropriate places. If you are interested in reviewing MURPHY’S TROUBLES, please contact me at:  [email protected].  Of course I will provide a copy of the book.   

As a first time published author there are a lot of thrills.  Now it’s been about eight weeks since MURPHY’S TROUBLES became available on Amazon.  While some authors disparage book readings and signings I found them exciting and having feedback from readers is fascinating and educational.

In the last few weeks I’ve received several responses from readers, all people I know, that have been special little gifts.  One friend let me know she’s read through chapter seven this week and she e-mailed that I had “captured” her.  Another is an AARP advocate colleague.  He e-mailed me that he purchased my book on Amazon and was enjoying a good read during a frigid Wisconsin winter.  I never expected a person I’ve worked with in AARP to also become a reader.  Finally, one of the staff at Beans n Cream Coffeehouse told me she bought my book for her Dad for Christmas.  She wanted to let me know her Dad started reading on Christmas day, has finished the book and is passing it along to other family members.

Finally, I received an e-mail from my college roommate (yes, we still stay in touch).  He let me know he also bought my book on Amazon and would be giving me feedback soon.  He lives in Maine and with the extreme winter blizzards, if he has light and heat, he’ll have time to read.

Originally, I was terrified of what people who read the book might say to me.  I have been surprised at how kind and generous people have been. 

What experiences have you had when readers respond to your work? 

I have subscribed to The Writer Magazine since 2001 and it has been published since 1887.  I’ve been fortunate to have two articles published in The Writer (May 2012 and September 2012).  The February 2014 issue has a story by Neil Evans, “For a living”.  One sentence in the article grabbed by attention:  “Writing is an act; being a writer is a state of mind, a lifestyle, a necessity.”  By his definition Evans claims he isn’t a writer but he does earn his income from writing, working as a web content editor.

In an age of e-mails, e-zines, blogs, tweets, and content writing we have stretched what has been traditionally meant to be a writer.  I enjoy writing a weekly blog and a monthly feature in the e-zine Extra Innings; however, my first love is the novel.   In reflecting on the direction I want to take in 2014 Evans’ definition of a writer is critical.

For years I dreamt of being a writer.  At first I thought that if I was paid for my writing, I would be a writer.  I achieved that goal in 2010 but still didn’t view myself as a writer.  Then I decided I would be a writer when I published my first novel.  I achieved that goal in November 2013.  Yet, something was missing; I continued to struggle with the notion that I am a writer.

The missing element is in Evans definition:  “. . . being a writer is a state of mind, a lifestyle, a necessity.” In 2014 I plan to give myself the freedom to explore being a writer with this definition in mind.  Recently, I helped a friend polish his musical comedy, tightening the story, giving color to characters and tying up loose ends in the last act.  His focus was the music, not the story.  He asked me one day how I came up with the changes I suggested.  My response, without thinking was:  “That’s what I do.”    

There is some debate on the meaning of the expression; “cast the die”, some say the origin is Julius Caesar.  I prefer the version deeply rooted in metallurgy when molten metal was poured into a mold or die that would form an object once the metal cooled.  In 2014 I’m casting the die to have the freedom to live a writer’s state of mind, a lifestyle and accept the necessity of writing in my life.