#SmartAuthor WRITE THAT BOOK!! JUST DO IT!!

#smartauthor I started writing in 2012. Well, that is not really true. I started writing when I was a little girl. The first “Diary” I have is dated 1949. I wanted to record things – thoughts, secrets, events. I want to spend time with my best friend – ME.

During the day, I “behaved” – at the table, to the neighbors, at school, to relatives, to shopkeepers, to salesladies, to Sunday School teachers, to the Preacher. Ugh. I started writing before 1949. Over the years, I wrote journals, poems, plays, lyrics, research papers, critiques, knowing “one day” I would write books.

Well, thanks to Mark Coker, Lee Goldberg, and Derek Haas, “one day” arrived in 2012, at a Writers Guild of America workshop in Los Angeles. The topic for discussion was self-publishing, eBooks, and subsequent legal considerations. I was legal counsel (copyright and publication issues) on the Panel. The speakers were dynamic. The atmosphere and interest in that room was inspiring. I came home and began to self-publish. My first project was the publication of my work, “The Origins of George Bernard Shaw’s Life Force Philosophy”. It was my thesis I wrote for my Masters Degree in Drama at the University of Georgia. It got attention at the University for a short period of time and was used as a textbook in How to Write a Thesis by a University professor. It was a perfect “let’s see if I can really do this” project. After that, I published two journals – which were awkward, learning experiences. Then, I published “Janet Tallulah”, “Moments in Time”, “Capturing Beauty”, and “JAYSPEAK on the Cote d’Azur”. The George Bernard Shaw book and “Janet Tallulah” are both published on Smashwords. All of my books are published on amazon.com. I have unpublished two of the Journals for further editing. I am currently working on my next journal, working title “My Best Friend”.

Since 2012, friends and strangers have asked me about self-publishing and eBooks. Everyone seems to have projects, plays, novels, or writings they want to publish but don’t follow through. Do it. It is easy. And, now, Mark Coker will help you. His podcasts for writers are excellent. Take a look.

SMART AUTHOR PODCAST– FIRST FIVE EPISODES AVAILABLE NOW!

Hosted by Smashwords founder Mark Coker, The Smart Author Podcast guides writers step-by-step from the very basics of ebook publishing to more advanced topics. Think of it as a free masterclass in ebook publishing best practices. If you’ve never had the opportunity to attend one of Mark’s recent classes at a writer’s conference, now’s your chance to do it from the comfort of your own home or car.

Where to Listen and Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/smart-author/id1298180300?mt=2
Stitcher – https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/mark-coker/smart-author
Google Play Music – https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Inyyeidlihl2vizh4cegieizsvu
TuneIn – https://tunein.com/radio/Smart-Author-p1043483/
SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/user-845581352
Smashwords (Listen over your web browser) – https://smashwords.com/podcast

Episodes CURRENTLY RELEASED (we recommend listening in sequential order):

7 Trends Shaping the Future of Authorship – learn seven trends shaping your future as an author.
Introduction to Ebook Publishing – learn the basics of ebook publishing.
16 Bestseller Secrets – learn how to make your book more discoverable, more desirable and more enjoyable to readers.
How to Sell More Ebooks with Preorders – learn how 12% of Smashwords authors are using preorders to vacuum up over 50% of the sales, and learn how you can put preorders to use today to make your next release more successful.
Working with Beta Readers
11/10 – Marketing to Libraries
11/17 – Smashwords Survey 2017
11/24 – The Art of Delusion (How to keep writing despite inevitable challenges)

Supplemental Links:

Following the release of each episode, we’ll post supplemental links and resources along with edited transcripts at our Smart Author hub page at Smashwords. The full transcripts for the first four episodes are up now!

Join us on Facebook at the official Smart Author Facebook Page where you can discuss each episode with fellow listeners, or pose questions following each episode.

Please take a moment to subscribe at your favorite podcast service so you don’t miss any episodes!

If you enjoy the episodes, please share with friend!

Enjoy!

JOIN THE ANNUAL SMASHWORDS NANOWRIMO PROMO

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) kicks off November 1.

Each month, thousands of writers around the world take on the challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.

If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo, join the Smashwords NaNoWriMo Promo! For the entire month of November, we’re showcasing the works in progress of Smashwords authors in a special NaNoWriMo Promo catalog on the Smashwords home page.

To join our promotional catalog and gain more exposure to readers, starting November 1 you can upload your WIP to a special NaNoWriMo version of the Smashwords publish page, and then as you make progress, just visit to your Smashwords Dashboard, click “upload new version,” and then your book and your word count progress will update on our NaNoWriMo Promo page.

More information at https://www.smashwords.com/about/nanowrimo