Labels

Yes, I Got Scammed


It all started when I was contacted by a "well-known" book blogger on May 22 (more to come on the "well known" part). I would have ignored her email had I not already been familiar with her site from my brief dive into the book blogger world. One of the most utilized book promotion services provides a comprehensive listing of book bloggers, and I researched many of them. This person's blog stuck in my mind, probably for a couple of reasons: the pink font she uses and the fact that her blog's title includes the same hair color as mine. (It's weird the things that catch our attention.) I may have even filled out her contact form, but I requested reviews from too many blogs to remember clearly, and I believe I received a response from only two of them.

I'd already given up on this enterprise by the time I received her email. I get a fair number of cold contacts, and I've talked about some of them in previous posts. While most are clearly scams, a few of them require some research on my part to ensure that they're truly only looking to take my money.

This time I didn't perform my usual due diligence. Why not? Because her blog was tacitly recommended by the afore-mentioned promo company. 

This person's spiel was convincing. She even included screenshots of sales spikes that her reviewed books generated and the number of copies sold. Now I'm thinking, how did she obtain those? Granted, she redacted the books' titles, but I assumed that was for "ethical" reasons. 🙄 (Didn't I tell you before that I'm a soft touch?) There is no source that would generate a list like that, so I (now) know she completely made it up.

Unfortunately, in a cleaning frenzy one day, I mass-deleted a bunch of emails, so hers is gone forever. I'd love to be able to refer back to it, if only to see the red flags I overlooked, and to, of course, warn my followers. Without the email for reference, I don't remember the exact cost of the review, but she did mention that an add-on she offers is an "author spotlight", for an additional fee (oh, and that this fee is donated to military veterans ~ nice touch). Shoot, I went for all of it! So, in all, I paid her $104.00.

Let's get this out of the way right now:

What is an editorial review?

"Editorial reviews are critical reviews of a book by recognized industry experts and professional reviewers (different from customer reviews).

These reviews are then published on various platforms, including as blurbs on the book cover, in acclaimed newspaper columns, and on book review sites.

Although these reviews are different to each other, the basic idea behind them is the same — to provide an expert evaluation of written work which results in an opinion piece being written, or a submission that progresses to eventual publication."

Is it ethical to pay for an editorial review? 

"As a new author, you might be wondering if it is okay to pay for editorial reviews, and the answer is, yes, it is completely fine. Unlike customer reviews, obtaining paid editorial reviews is quite common and completely ethical." (bolded mine)

I paid for an editorial review from Bookshelfie. It cost me $35.00 and boy, was it comprehensive! And it was fair; it noted both the good and the not-so-good. I've used that review for my book pages on Amazon and Goodreads, among others, and I've used snippets of it for marketing purposes.

I'm not so desperate that I'll pay Any Random Person for a review. (I'm not exactly desperate anyway, just downhearted about my lack of sales.) But "editorial review" covers a wide swatch. No, I won't go to Fiverr and buy a review package that guarantees a hundred reviews, because believe it or not, I only want real reviews, not prefab ones, and I'm willing to take the bad with the good. 

Thus, I've been (im)patiently awaiting my blogger's review and the resulting sales spike. On her website, she gives her turnaround time as three-to-five weeks:

"My turn around time for review is anywhere between three-five weeks. The time frame changes depending on the length of the book, how detailed the text is and how long it takes me to read the book and write the review. Usually, my reviews are posted within three weeks however I have to write up to five just in case an emergency happens in my personal life."

(Pro tip: "turnaround" is one word, not to mention all the other errors in her text.) 

Five weeks for me would mean that by June 26 I would definitely see my review published. But wait ~ her reviews are usually "posted within three weeks". Did something happen in her personal life? Sure, just my luck that she'd have some sort of "family emergency".

Still, a little voice in my head said, "Something's wrong! Check!" And so I did.  

I'm a big fan of Writer Beware, but this post is from 2018. Should I really need to go back seven years to find a warning? (Okay, granted, I didn't look, for the reasons I listed above.) And Google (as well as Bing) is swamped with warnings about this person. I'm such a fool.

Taking a look at her reviews, they're definitely enthusiastic, but they provide little detail about the books' plots that can't be found in the blurb. Others have questioned whether she actually reads the books she reviews. And it seems that she deletes, then reposts past reviews to make them look current. An example of that is noted in the third link below. Her original review of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" was dated August 25, 2018. Here's the current date from her website:

 

 

I'm not specifically naming her blog ~ yet ~ but if you want to learn more, here is just a sampling of blog posts I found when I finally did some research on her:

This one

Another 

One more 

I will be following the last person's lead and applying for a refund of my $104.00 from PayPal, but I need to wait the requisite five weeks. While she's clear about refunds in the following circumstance:

"If I am hired by an author to write a book review, and I can’t award the book four or five stars, I will refund the author the full amount of the book reviewing fee because that is how firmly I believe in not posting negative reviews."

...she is not clear at all about missed deadlines. If by some miracle her review lands before the five weeks are up, I have no recourse, and I will have wasted my money. No one is going to take that review seriously. 

Oh, and about those sales hikes? I pulled up one of her author testimonials, then searched out the book on Amazon. It's sold five copies. 

I'm not going to pull any punches on this site. I confessed to almost being scammed before, and I laid it all out in detail. That time, at least, no money changed hands. Only my pride was hurt. My only defense is, as I noted above, this blog was recommended. But that's no excuse for not investigating for myself, something I do as a matter of routine. 

Once I get my refund (or don't get my refund) I will update this post and name the scammer in question. I'm suddenly getting a fair amount of traffic (no screenshots, though!) 😉, so I will be happy to add to her infamy. 

 

P.S. Her Instagram account is set to private, even though she urges anyone browsing her website to connect with her. I tried to follow her last week, but my request remains in a pending status. What book reviewer wants to remain private? 

 


 


 



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Labels

"Authors Shouldn't Use Big Words"1 "just write"1 "unpublish"1 1275 free downloads1 A Book is a Commodity1 A Disappointing Sales Week1 a five-star Amazon review1 a link to blog topics for authors1 a little at a time1 a novel's opening1
a novel's theme1 a story with nowhere to go1 A Tiny Follow-Up on My Marketing Scammer1 a writer's confidence1 abrupt story transitions1 absolute write3 acquiring a fan1 adding content to my author site1 adding new characters1 adding scenes1 adding to a short book1 adjectives1 ads don't result in sales1 advancing a story2 adverbs1 advertising1 agent rejection2 agents1 aging out of the book market1 AI character art1 AI headshots1 AI is not an author's friend or helper1 all the breaks don't help1 am i deluding myself1 amazon3 amazon ads1 Amazon author page1 amazon book previews1 Amazon followers1 amazon free book promotion2 amazon indie author category1 amazon noticed me1 amy mulholland scams authors1 an author can't win1 an author's opening has to be good1 an editor will tell you to rewrite your story1 An Immature Main Character?1 an indie author will likely not make any money1 anonymous author1 another scam site? bookbeetel1 any conservative literary agents?1 anyone hear of bookpinks?1 applying a custom favicon to your website1 april tompkins2 apriltompkins.net1 ARC distribution1 ARC reader results1 ARC readers11 arc readers don't leave reviews1 arc readers not following through1 arc responses1 are book bloggers worth it1 are book reviews worth it1 are design shows real?1 are editors necessary1 are writers special?1 Are You a Better Writer Now?1 are you starting your novel in the wrong place? write your opening last1 aspiring novelist3 atticus doesn't work for paperback formatting1 audiobook1 audiobook options1 audiobook user stats1 audiobooks1 author67 author authenticity1 author book collections1 author complaints1 author copy of my paperback1 author dreams1 author failure3 author giveaway2 author interview1 author lack of success1 author mailing list1 author marketing1 author marketing budget1 author newsletter18 author newsletter fail1 author newsletter results1 author newsletter stats2 author newsletters1 author newsletters aren't productive1 author newsletters don't work4 author photo1 author promotions1 author rejections1 author resources1 author review sites1 author scams6 author scams?1 author still trying1 author voice1 author website6 author websites2 authors1 authors are people too1 authors beware1 authors can't get traction1 authors need to research1 authors should read their reviews1 authors' magical thinking1 Authors' Marketing Obsession1 authorsden1 authorsxp1 avoid filler1 awesome gang1 baby book promo sites1 baby steps1 back story2 back to writing already?1 background for writing1 bad at marketing1 bad author services1 bad customer experiences1 bad ideas1 bad plot?1 bad review1 bad reviews3 bad reviews won't kill you1 bad second novel1 bad self-published books1 bad service provider directions1 bad writing1 bad writing habits1 bad writing tips1 bargain booksy3 barnes and noble1 be grateful1 be wary of book promotion sites1 becoming too immersed in your story1 before and after book covers1 begging for reviews1 beginning writers can't be afraid1 Being Philosophical About My Book1 best and worst book promotions1 best book money1 beware of social media marketing scams1 blog followers1 blog locked1 blog neglect1 Blogger has many formatting issues1 blogger reactivated my blog1 blogger sites1 blogging and writing fiction are different1 blogs2 blurb tips from the experts1 bogged down1 book ads don't work1 book award pro1 book awards1 book bloggers lists1 book blurb2 book blurbs2 book buyer demographic1 book club questions for your novel1 book cover design4 book cover design site reviews1 book cover frustration1 book cover help1 Book Cover Psychology1 book cover trends1 book covers1 book covers and genres1 book description2 book descriptions1 book descriptions better than the books they describe1 book giveaway2 book giveaways2 book launch1 book launch party1 book launch steps1 book marketing4 book marketing doesn't work1 book marketing is a dead end1 book marketing services that work and those that don't1 book of essays4 book pre-orders1 book price drop1 book price points1 book promo ads1 book promo results1 book promo sites3 book promo sites off the beaten path2 book promo sites should be more transparent1 book promo sites that don't work2 book promo stats1 book promos4 book promotion doesn't work1 book promotions and paying for clicks1 Book Publishing is Dying1 book raid1 book reader magazine1 book reviewer review1 book reviews8 book reviews are authors' lifelines1 book sales1 book sales rankings1 book title generators1 book titles1 book titles are hard1 book titling1 book trailer1 book trailer tips1 Book trailers don't drive sales1 bookbub5 bookbub ad failure1 bookbub ad results1 bookbub ads3 bookbub is worthless1 bookbub promo1 bookcave1 bookdoggy1 bookfunnel and storyorigin do not find readers1 books not selling1 booksirens7 booksirens declined me1 booksprout3 booksprout review1 booksprout teams1 BOOM!1 brainstorming while writing1 branching out1 breaking harmful habits1 bringing characters to life1 budget book promotion1 bullet points for writing a synopsis1 calibre1 calibre doesn't produce mobi's1 Can a Book Never Have Boring Parts?1 can a novel be written without a subplot?1 Can an Author Be Too Old?1 can some scenes be boring1 can't get help from Blogger1 can't get help from Google1 can't stay away from writing1 Canva7 canva is versatile for social media marketing1 changing a story's direction2 changing a story's focus1 chapters1 check out other Amazon marketplaces for reviews1 chick lit1 choosing a book cover that's right for your genre1 choosing historical fiction1 cliched female characters1 close to publication1 coming up with new ideas1 comparing yourself to other authors1 compilation1 condensing a novel4 conflicted1 converting a novel into a novella3 copilot is frustrating to use1 country music1 cover creation2 cover design3 cover images1 cover reveal1 crafting an opening1 create a logo1 Create a playlist for your novel1 create a spotify playlist for your novel1 create an author website for free1 create epubs1 create your own book cover3 create your own book trailer1 creating an audiobook1 creating an author website1 creating audiobooks with KDP virtual voice1 creating book covers2 creating solutions to unexpected plot turns1 creative arts1 Creative Marketing Ideas Needed1 creative trailer house1 cringey writing1 critiques1 cta1 cults1 damonza1 david gaughran4 deciding where a story should go1 deciding which way to go in a novel1 decisions on my novel1 delaying the final scene1 design your own book cover1 designing book covers1 developmental editor cost calculator1 developmental editors are priced out of my market1 dialogue mistakes in writing1 dialogue-heavy1 different publishing platforms1 disappointing newsletter engagement1 disappointing sales numbers1 discovering new interest in a manuscript1 discovery writer2 discovery writing3 DIY author1 DIY marketing doesn't work1 do authors need a website?1 do authors need ideas?1 Do People Pick Up Free Books?1 do self-published writers make a living?1 do the tried and true marketing techniques work1 do what you love1 do you ever give up on your novel1 do you ever unpublish your books1 do your works have a message?1 does an author need a headshot?1 does having reviews help?1 domain doesn't connect to site1 domain registrars1 domains1 don't become distracted by peripheral tasks1 don't buy a review from the red headed book lover1 Don't fall for email solicitations1 don't limit your marketing advice research to just book marketing1 don't quit1 don't shortchange your characters1 don't use godaddy2 don't write to readers' expectations1 done with book promo sites1 done with marketing1 done with writing1 doubting oneself1 down days1 dreaded author tasks1 easter eggs in a novel1 editing2 editing a novel is an eye-opener1 editing advice1 editing goes on and on1 editing in small chunks1 editing my manuscript1 editing my novel is nearly impossible1 Editing on Wine1 editing the bad parts of your novel1 editing while writing1 editorial reviews1 elements that go into a book cover design1 email1 email phishing1 email scams1 eReader Cafe1 errors in self-published books1 essays2 everyone thinks they can write1 exhausted1 expand your marketing horizons1 expanded book distribution1 experimenting with second tier promo sites1 extraneous scenes1 facebook ads2 facebook arc readers1 failed author2 failed authors1 failed free book promotion1 failing oneself as a writer1 failure1 Failure in Book Marketing Isn't Your Fault1 fake book publicists1 fake book reviews1 falling in love with your characters1 feedback is important1 feeling good about my novel1 feeling pessimistic about my novel1 fiction34 fiction writing4 filler words1 Final Free Book Promotion Results1 Final Run-Through of My Novel1 finally connected to story1 find your book(s) rankings1 finding a cover designer1 finding an affordable cover1 finding ARC readers1 finding comp titles1 finding me1 finding readers1 finding reviewers is almost impossible1 finding your market1 Firming Up My Marketing Plan1 first day promo results1 first day's promos didn't work1 first draft done1 first drafts1 first line1 first look studios2 first novel1 first novel sale1 first person POV1 first two days promo results1 five weeks since I was scammed1 five-star review2 fixing the boring parts of a novel1 flashbacks1 flawed main characters1 forget past failures1 formatting woes1 four-star reviews1 free book promotion4 free book results1 free book stats1 free kindle promotion1 free promotions1 free website hosting with Blogger1 freebooksy3 FreeBooksy ad results1 freeing oneself as a writer1 Frustration: Trying to Make a Book Trailer1 futility1 gaining book reviews1 gaining newsletter subscribers1 gave up on reviews1 genre formula1 genres1 getting a pivotal scene wrong1 getting back to my novel1 getting out of writing1 getting ready to give up1 getting reviews1 getting the beginning right1 giveaways1 giving away books1 giving tiktok one more try1 giving up on writing1 goals1 godaddy sucks2 going ahead with a scene you're unsure about1 going back to a finished novel1 going off the grid1 going through the motions with my writing1 good review1 good writing tips1 goodbye to substack1 goodreads10 Goodreads author page1 goodreads bad interface1 goodreads groups1 Goodreads hard to navigate1 goodreads is a waste of time for self-published authors1 goodreads is bad for self-published authors1 goodreads pros and cons1 goodreads review1 google analytics1 google doesn't offer customer service1 google labeled me as spam1 google unresponsive2 Google your book1 grammar1 graphic artist1 hating your main character1 heading toward home1 here is what readers want1 hidden meaning in books1 highly recommend Voracious Readers Only1 hiring a book cover artist1 hitting a snag with my novel1 hopeless1 how about some non-romance promo sites1 how do authors convince people to buy1 how do you edit without an editor1 how do you market a new release?1 How hard are novel endings to write?1 how in the world do you create a paperback?1 how much do people read1 how much do trade published authors earn per book1 how people buy books online1 how to create an interesting main character1 how to create ARCs1 how to get subscribers2 how to market a new book1 How to Push Your Book Without Pushing Your Book?1 how to set up Google alerts1 how-to's of author newsletters1 i changed my book blurb again1 i created a facebook ad for my book1 i created an audiobook with KDP virtual voice1 i didn't win1 i don't care about sales1 i don't get tiktok1 I Entered a Book Award Competition1 i formatted my paperback1 I Have No Idea What To Title My Novel1 i like my current story1 I May Have Exhausted My Promotional Opportunities1 I redesigned my author site1 I Simply Can't Get Book Reviews1 I trashed my book cover1 i updated my website bio1 I Would Like a Better Website1 i wrote a song for my novel1 i'm a bad writer1 i'm a writer1 i'm bitter over my lack of sales1 i'm discounting my new novel1 i'm on google1 i'm rich1 I've Finished the First Read-Through of My Novel1 I've given up on querying1 ideas that go nowhere1 If You're Too Poor to Hire an Editor1 image enhancer services1 impersonation scams1 important elements to check when creating a facebook ad1 important factors in self-publishing1 impossible to find ARC readers1 impossible to get reviews1 imposter syndrome1 In Defense of Dialogue1 In Defense of Slow Writers1 in publishing you've gotta pay to play1 In Self-Publishing1 in suspended animation1 inciting incident1 incognito author1 increasing website visitors1 indie author8 indie author project1 indie author scams1 indie authors1 indie authors who sell a lot1 indie authors' expectations1 indie book marketing1 indie book reviewers1 indie book sales1 Indie MN1 Ingram iPage1 Inn Dreams announcement1 Inn Dreams is live today1 insecurity1 instagram1 introverted writers1 introverts and writing1 intrusive people1 is every author successful?1 is my catalog stale1 Is My Novel Too Unrealistic?1 is offering a book for free worth it1 Is Reader Engagement a Myth? how to entice readers1 is social media worthwhile for book marketing1 Is There a Psychology Behind Book Pricing?1 is your book discoverable?1 is your novel boring? what readers find boring in a novel1 istock1 it pays to be cranky as an indie author1 It Seems My Main Character Just Talks on the Phone1 it's award season and I'm a loser1 it's more than just writing the book1 it's my birthday1 jaded1 KDP keywords1 keep going on your novel1 keep writing2 keeping your story interesting1 KENP2 keywords2 kill your darlings1 kindle3 kindle countdown deal1 Kindle Create3 kindle create glitches1 know your social media market1 knowing when to say "when"1 kobo1 KU promotion1 lack of progress1 lack of reviews1 lack of sales1 lack of writing progress1 lack of writing success1 late nights and not writing1 learn from your writing mistakes1 Learning From the Amazon Pages1 learning from your writing mistakes1 learning to use SEO is worth it1 learning to write1 lessons learned1 letting a story rest1 library thing3 librarything4 librarything giveaway6 libreoffice works and it's free1 LinkedIn2 literary agent criticism1 literary agents5 literary agents are activists; author1 literary world doesn't want good writers1 little progress on current novel1 looking for arc readers1 Looking for New Book Marketing Avenues1 loomingliteraryhq2 losing interest1 mailerlite3 mailerlite disappointment1 Mailerlite update1 main character's goal1 making a book trailer1 making it as an author1 making money off writers1 making your book available to stores and libraries1 manic writing1 manuscript problems1 manuscript progress1 manuscript revisions1 mark zuckerberg stole my book1 marketers1 marketing3 marketing failure1 Marketing Methods That Are Unsustainable1 marketing plans for new book1 marketing problems1 marketing that doesn't work1 marketing that works1 maybe outlining isn't a bad idea1 mediocre writing1 messed up my novel1 microsoft1 Microsoft is Sabotaging Me1 misbelief1 miscellaneous thoughts about books1 missing motivation1 mixing the old with the new1 mixing up genres1 mobile website1 Money Talks1 most books don't sell1 most marketing expenditures aren't worth it1 most of my covers have now been changed1 most self-published authors don't make money1 most writers fail1 most writing advice is worthless1 moving older books that didn't sell1 multitasking while plotting1 mushy middle1 my adventures with book bloggers1 My Amazon Author Page Disappeared1 My Author Site's Analytics1 my birthday gift to me1 my blurb is not working1 my book is done1 my book is in libraries1 my book of essays1 My Career is at a Standstill1 my computer is sabotaging my novel1 my cover redesign results1 my cover review was devastating1 my crash and burn promotion ideas1 my current book's status1 my editing sticking point1 my facebook ad is a failure1 My Facebook Ad Isn't Really Working1 my first draft is finished1 My First Facebook Ad Day1 My First Review1 my free Damonza cover critique1 My KDP Free Book Giveaway failed1 my KDP paperback looks good1 my last novel1 my main character's life coaches1 My New and Improved Author Site1 my new novel has failed1 my nonproductive day as an author1 My Novel Gets Better As It Goes Along1 My Novel Has a Personal Backstory1 my novel is long1 my novel is not all bad1 my novel is not good1 my novel is titled1 my novel revision is not going well1 my novel took a turn for the worse1 my old novel has a new title1 my promos didn't work1 my review of aragon.ai1 my second novel is bad1 My Self-Publishing Delusions1 My Social Media Blitz is Over1 my two months of book promotion in review1 my week in review1 my weekly recap1 my weekly roundup2 my weekly summary1 my writing improved over the course of my novel1 nailing your opening1 namecheap1 narrator costs1 nathan bransford1 navigating a writing career with little money1 nearing the finish line1 needless words1 neurotic writers1 never-ending story1 new book release1 new hook for previously published book1 new name1 new novella1 new story focus is working1 new writing project1 newsletter host1 newsletter results1 newsletter signups1 newsletter subscriber list1 newsletter templates2 newsletters1 niche literary genres1 no ad results1 no ARC takers1 no clear path1 no genre called commercial fiction1 no longer marketing1 no luck with arc readers1 no more marketing1 no more time wasting1 no more tips1 no one will buy my novel1 no one will like my novel1 no response means no1 no response to queries1 no reviews1 no sales1 no site visitors2 no story focus1 no website visits1 noble books publishing1 nobody reads blogs1 nobody's buying1 non-fiction1 non-woke literary agents1 not definitively quitting1 not every writing session goes well1 not having fun writing1 not interested1 not knowing where to take a story1 not proud1 not quitting1 not selling any books1 not succeeding with story beats1 notes on reviews1 nothing is free1 novel27 novel endings1 novel pacing1 novel progress at last1 novel taking the wrong path1 novel to novella2 novelette1 novella9 novella collection3 novella compilation1 novella finished1 novella in progress1 novella is done1 novella progress1 novella too short2 novella unfixable1 novellas4 novellas don't sell1 novels4 novels becoming outdated1 obscure things that writers research1 offering books for free1 old versus new cover comparisons1 older authors1 one bad review1 only free books work for promos1 opting out of book marketing1 out of the publishing loop1 outline templates per genre1 outlining1 overcoming writing flaws1 overthinking a story1 paid book reviewers1 pantser1 passive marketing for authors1 paying for editing1 PDF1 peace of mind1 penniless author2 penning articles1 people are reading my novel?1 people pushing publishing services1 perils of first person1 personal attacks in reviews1 personal blogs1 perspective1 pexels2 phase one editing1 philosophical about sales1 pinterest for authors?1 pixabay1 please yourself2 plot holes1 plot problems1 plots that meander1 podcast failures1 poor scene structure1 positive professional review1 post-surgical delusions1 poverty affects a self-publisher's career chances1 pre-publication efforts1 preparing for publication2 price drop1 pride in one's writing1 print versus ebooks1 problems executing a story1 problems with discovery writing1 problems with story1 problems writing1 professional book covers1 progress2 progress update1 promo ads1 promo days1 promo sites and links1 promos1 promos that don't work1 promoting a back catalog1 promoting your book1 promotion doesn't work1 promotion works1 publish day1 published1 publishing has no emotional resonance1 publishing problems1 purging my newsletter1 qualifiers1 query letter1 query rejections1 querying2 querying a novel1 querying agents2 querying website suggestion1 questionable advice sites1 questioning yourself as a writer1 quitters1 re-reading what you've written1 re-reading your novel1 read your novel aloud1 readers are the deciders1 readers don't care about you1 readers' favorite1 reading reviews1 reading your own books1 reassessing my career choice1 recognition1 red headed book lover is a scam1 reddit1 Rediscover the Joy in Writing1 reducing online presence1 reducing your book's price1 rejection1 replacing book covers1 rereading first novel1 research1 Research any offers you receive1 resizing a book cover for a paperback is impossible1 reviewer scams1 reviews4 reviews matter to authors1 reviews vary widely1 revising a novel3 revising a plot1 revising a published novel1 revising an old book1 revising an old story1 revising another book1 revising band website1 revising my author website1 revision progress1 revisions2 revisiting first novel1 Revisiting the Book Trailer Idea1 rework a novel into a novella1 reworking a published book1 reworking the big scene1 rewrite a novel?1 rewriting a novel1 rewriting my opening1 rewrote a blurb1 rewrote my book blurb1 romance1 rookie writing mistakes1 sales1 sales report1 sales tallies1 sales update1 sameness in writing1 scammed by a "book blogger"1 scamming authors1 second day promo results1 second-guessing as a writer1 self-consciousness as a writer1 self-editing a novel1 self-evaluation1 self-promotion1 self-publishing20 self-publishing hobby1 self-publishing is awesome1 self-publishing tips1 selling self-published books1 sentence structure1 set up Google alerts for your book and your author name1 Setting your website's favicon1 shadow song3 sharing book marketing advice1 should authors take advantage of all writing opportunities1 should i only care about selling my book?1 should i quit writing?1 should storytelling be studied?1 should you ask book bloggers to review your book1 should you hire a book cover designer1 shouting Into the void as an indie author1 simple facebook ad tips1 slow writing3 social media does not sell books1 social media doesn't sell books1 social media doesn't work for book promotion1 Social Media Doesn't Work For Selling Books1 social media for authors1 social media is useless for authors1 social media pests1 social media scams1 social media user statistics1 Some Genres are Easier to Write1 some genres are impossible to market1 someone actually returned my book for a refund1 Sometimes I Wonder If My Books Even Exist1 sometimes my writing is really good1 songwriting1 spam1 spam marketing and authors1 spamming authors on social media1 sparse writing1 spelling1 spilling too many words onto the page1 spinning my wheels1 spinning my writing wheels1 spoiler reviews1 spoken press for audiobook creation1 spoken.press1 spoken.press review1 spoof emails?1 stacked deck1 standard querying template1 star ratings1 starting a new novel1 starting a new story1 Starting a Novel in the Wrong Place1 starting is the worst1 Still on the Fence About Publishing1 stop whining and make a plan1 stories that take an unexpected turn1 story concept1 story ideas aren't revelations1 story in progress1 story meandering1 story openings1 story pacing1 story problems1 story progress7 story research1 story transitions2 storytelling1 struggles1 stuck1 substack5 substack is very confusing1 substack notes1 substack post1 successful trade authors denigrate self-publishers1 successful writing needs to be real1 surgery1 surrender1 surrendering a domain1 suspense1 Synopses are the Devil's Handiwork1 T Minus One for my book launch1 taking a break1 Taking a Promotion Breather1 that1 the best way to write a book is to write it1 the book cover discussion1 the book industry1 the Canva trick i learned today1 the deck is stacked1 the diner girl1 the dreaded saggy middle1 the failed author1 the fussy librarian3 the importance of book cover images1 the long scene continues1 the more you write1 The Naivete of a New Author1 The One Story You Have to Write1 the reality of writing1 the reveal1 the saggy middle1 the slow burn novel1 the story progresses1 the writing community1 There is Book Marketing Help Online and it's Free1 think you don't need an editor?1 thinking about writing1 thinking of quitting1 threatening email1 tiktok1 tiktok for authors?1 Time For a Free Book Promotion1 time heals1 tips for goodreads reviewers1 tips for titling books1 titling a book2 Titling a Novel1 titling books1 titling your book wrong?1 too many ARC readers? story progress1 too many ideas1 too much detail1 too much fun in a novel?1 torn how to end my novel1 track your website visits1 trade publishing is dying1 trends in trade publishing1 trying new free marketing ideas1 trying new things1 trying to amend my writing style1 turn a Blogger blog into a website1 turning a novel into a novella2 turning all my books into audiobooks1 two parts of a novel that don't match1 two-star review1 unable to write well1 uninspired1 unlearning bad writing habits1 unpredictability1 Unprofitable Fun for Authors1 unpublished one of my novels1 unresponsive companies1 unsolicited requests1 unsolved mystery1 updated my author site1 updating band website1 use read aloud for your novel1 useless writing sessions1 using humor in novels1 using life experiences1 using unfamiliar occupations in novels1 very slow progress on my manuscript1 very slow writing1 videos on book editing are not helpful1 voracious readers only6 voracious readers only drawbacks1 walmart1 want story to be finished1 wasted writing sessions1 wasting money on book ads1 Weaving Characters Back In1 weaving together separate versions1 website analytics3 website design1 website hosting1 website stats1 website update1 website using Blogger1 websites1 week's roundup1 Weird to See a Full-Page Ad of My Novel1 what do agents want1 what helps sell books1 What If No One Visits My Author Site?1 what if your story has no destination?1 what is the benefit of a writer's group1 what is women's fiction1 when a character needs to make a big pronouncement1 when to send ARCs1 when you're an unsuccessful author1 When Your Main Character Won't Follow Your Orders1 where do avid readers go1 where my novel stands1 where to take a story1 whispers in the dark1 why can't authors break the mold?1 why do we write1 why do you need beta readers1 why don't my books sell1 why I dislike trade publishing1 why I don't like romance novels1 Why I Find Marketing Difficult1 why I'm done with writing1 why publish widely?1 Why This Novel is Important1 why use a pen name1 why write if no one is buying1 Will My Novel Even Have an Audience?1 Winding Down1 winding down my book marketing1 windows movie maker1 winning1 wired for story1 Wix1 women's fiction3 word choice1 Working to Get a Scene Right1 worst selling book genres1 Write the Story You Want to Write1 writer beware3 writer burnout2 writer goals1 writer themes1 writer's block1 writer's forum1 writer's procrastination1 writers second-guessing1 writers' insecurity1 writing5 writing a book blurb1 Writing a Book Blurb is the Hardest Part1 writing a final scene1 writing a good main character1 Writing a Likable Main Character1 writing a memorable final scene1 writing a sequel?1 writing advice5 writing again1 writing an author bio1 writing as a business1 writing can be frustrating1 writing competitions1 writing dialogue1 writing discipline1 writing epilogues1 writing exercise1 writing fails1 writing failure1 writing forums1 writing freedom1 writing frustration1 writing is a learned skill1 writing lessons learned1 writing long scenes1 writing nothing interesting1 writing or having written?1 writing patience1 writing physical description1 writing problems1 writing progress2 writing prose1 writing resources1 writing retirement1 writing rules1 writing secondary characters1 writing short3 writing suspenseful scenes1 writing the final scene1 writing the last scene is difficult1 writing themes1 writing while annoyed1 writing without expectations1 written word media1 written word media reader survey1 wrong roads in a novel aren't always wrong1 you can design your own book cover1 YouTube Publishing Videos1
Show more