Back Porch Writer

Fifteen Ways to Improve Your Odds of Author Success: (In order of importance)

Read Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck

Read The Willpower Instinct by Dr. Kelly McGonigal

Read Dangerous Personalities by Joe Navarro

Read The Definitive Book of Body Language by Allan and Barbara Pease

Contemplate what you've read. Allow it to weave its way into your mind, interactions with others, and your writing.

Create your author mantra. Post it where you'll see it.(Ex. Publishing isn't a race.)

Create a loose or detailed outline for your fiction project including completion expectations, goals, and objectives. Think about cover art. Hire a graphic designer.

Carve out writing time. Try a Pomodoro Timer. Sneak it in wherever you're able or schedule it into your day.

Create an author website. Nothing fancy. A simple landing page will work in the beginning. 

Complete the first draft. Edit and revise it. Send it to an editor. Begin writing your next book. After you receive edits for the first book, temporarily stop working on the second book. Finish book one, including formatting, cover art, and publishing BEFORE continuing your work on book two. (Unless you have no other obligations. In that case, you'll be able to juggle both activities.) Complete first draft of book two and repeat this step.

Don't obsess about sales rank or numbers, but if you can't help yourself, then check out KDPulse. 

Learn the importance of meta data: categories and keyword phrases. Play with these.

Be consistent as you create your author brand. Create and use the same (or basically the same bio everywhere. Also use the same image.)

List your book as a pre-order. Why? It motivates you to finish the book.

Create a print version.

Brain to Books Cyber Convention has come and gone! If you missed all the action, stay tuned, and I'll catch you up to speed!

North Downing: A Dezeray Jackson Novel (book 2) is available to pre-order. Get your copy for just .99!

Have you read the first book in my series? Snag Hush for .99 today!

Are you using Editor software by Serenity Software?

On today's show, Damon Courtney joins Kori to talk about how authors benefit from using Book Funnel.  He'll also share information about his books. 

Kori's second book in the Dezeray Jackson Novel series releases this month. Look for NORTH DOWNING everywhere fine mystery-thrillers are sold. Her first novel, HUSH, received a 5-star review from Readers' Favorite.

Are you looking for editing software that catches your errors and blunders? Are you trying to save on the cost of hiring an editor? Kori is too, so she signed up for the free trial of Editor by Serenity Software. In this episode, she'll introduce you to the tool that's been used by thousands of writers, editors, and teachers for thirty years to improve their work.

Special note: Kori will discuss Editor in more detail on next week's show.

Lynn Chandler Willis is the author of best-selling true crime, Unholy Covenant (Addicus Books 2000), inspirational mystery/suspense novel The Rising, (Pelican Book Group 2013) and private eye novel Wink of an Eye, Minotaur Books 2014) Wink was chosen as the winner of the 2013 Minotaur Books/Private Eye Writers of America Best First PI Novel Competition. Lynn was the first woman in 10 years to win the contest. Her current project is Nobody's Baby.

Brain to Books Cyber Convention is April 8-10, 2016. There will be hundereds of authors and readers mingling, competing for fun giveaways, blog-based interviews, and more! You can get in on the action via Goodreads, Facebook, and Blab.im, where I'll be hosting live author interviews.

How many movies can you name that have a female, in a lead role, who demonstrates a growth mindset?

D. C. J. Wardle manages emergency and development programs in Africa and Asia; his post-graduate qualifications are in development management and community water supply engineering. The author of humorous novels Trading Vincent Crow and Vincent Crow: Export, Wardle is originally from the Midlands in the United Kingdom and currently lives in Laos, South Asia. The Feiquon Heistby D. C. J. Wardle (published by Clink Street January 12th 2015, RRP $10.99 paperback, RRP $4.99 ebook ) will be available online at retailers including amazon.co.uk and can be ordered from all good bookstores. For more information, please visit www.dcjwardle.co.uk. 

The blurb:

As a night security guard plots an unlikely sting to steal from his own bank, the sudden realization that all may not be going to plan may well outweigh the expected gains, in this delightful South East Asian crime caper. Three people, three problems, one solution. That’s why the three of us have to rob this bank. What’s more we have to do it tonight.

Plus, Kori's report on KDROI and KDPulse. Are they worth the money?

Book blurb format:

When [identity] [protag name] [does something] [something happens]. Now, with [time lmit/restriction] [protag] must [do something brave] to [accomplish great achievement]/ or [sacrifice high stakes].

Source: ALLi member formum post

Writing is hard. Publication doesn’t have to be. Brain to Books takes the guess work and complications out of publishing for an indie author and makes the road less traveled a little less bumpy for those of us paving the way of indie publishing. We are the first. The generation of authors who are venturing forth, cutting our way through a world unexplored in hopes to find an alternative to Traditional Publishing. Why? Because writing is hard. Publication shouldn’t be.

REVIEW LOVE NEEDED FOR:

Check out Shannon Maguire's debut mystery, Mobile Home Murder over on Amazon.

Tony Wilkins is the host of the Internet sensation Small Business Forum Radio (www.blogtalkradio.com/tonywilkins) reaching nearly 125,000 listeners worldwide. Mr. Wilkins is also the publisher of Small Business Forum Magazine, Foodie Quarterly, and Podium.

The Career Whisperer is a series of books dealing with specific business topics. Book one-Behind the Podium, is a step-by-step guide for speakers looking to book more speaking gigs and how to generate money as a speaker.

Wesley Banks was born in 1983 and grew up on the west coast of Florida. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering.  After spending over 7 years building movable bridges from Florida to Washington he decided to focus on his true passion: writing.

Wesley recently moved from Florida to Oregon to get back to the great outdoors that he loves so much. He lives with his wife Lindsey, and his two dogs Linkin and Story. Most of his time these days is spent writing, with as much rock climbing, hiking, or skiing as they can fit in.

ABOUT THE BOOK: IN HER EYES

When Ben Wilder is given a second chance he focuses on the one thing he’s always been good at: running. After walking on to the University of Florida Track and Field team he begins to quickly move up the national rankings, paving a path towards the NCAA Championships. Everything is going the way he planned, until the day he bumps into Casey Taylor.

Kathy has been in the media and publishing industry for more than 20 years and has worked for such iconic editorial brands as Forbes and CBS. She was the founding editor of Forbes MediaCritic and a founding partner of PubSmart, an author-centric conference in Charleston, South Carolina. She speaks and blogs frequently on author branding, discoverability, social marketing and publishing.

Bublish is a publishing technology company that offers cloud-based tools, metrics and resources to equip today’s business-savvy authors for success. An innovative, award-winning platform, Bublish empowers “authorpreneurs” by providing a complete social marketing and digital publishing solution. Launched at Book Expo America in June of 2012, Bublish is changing the way writers share their stories and reach their readers. Thousands of authors around the world use Bublish to promote their work and build their brand. www.bublish.com Follow us: @BublishMe,facebook.com/bublishme, pinterest.com/bublish, bublishme.tumblr.com and bit.ly/BublishGoogle.

NOTE: I didn't connect with today's guest, so I'm flying solo (unless she happens to call in -- in which case, I'll roll with it, 'cause I'm flexible like a willow.)

For today's show, I'm highlighting a few author's books, so be sure to check them out! 

Mike Robinson recently released Waking Gods. Mike was a guest on BPW a year or so ago to talk about his other books, both of which have re-deisgned covers. They are Green-Eyed Monster and Negative Space. Mike's new book could use a little review love. His others have been well-received.

O.N. Stefan released "a dark, edgy thriller," called Sleep Then My Princess. 3.5 stars

Rita Carla Francesca Monticelli has a scifi series for your reading pleasure titled, The Red Desert and a crime thriller set in London called, The Mentor. The Mentor has received 936 reviews and has an average of 4 stars.

Will Patching newly released audio edition of Remorseless: A British Crime Thriller is available now. You also can get the ebook free on Amazon (which I did yesterday!) Will's book has a 4.5 star rating.

James Jacobs' historical thriller set in Mexico during the year of the 1968 Olympics is titled, Days of the Dead. His book could use some love! Read and post your reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Check out Amazon for more details!

Pygmalion, Galatea, and the Golem Effects all have a profound impact on our day-to-day lives, but most of us probably don't even realize it! Today that all changes. I'm sharing a little bit about what I know about these effects, and then I'll briefly touch on our superpower: Willpower.