Don't Let Being an Introvert Stop You From Living Your Creative Dreams

If somebody outlined what I do now to a younger me years ago I would have thought they were having me on. See, I have never been your little Miss Confident. I am getting much better with age but I have always been a very quiet person. I was quite shy as a child and painfully shy as a teenager. I barely spoke a word in my teens. 

Over the years I have overcome this by literally throwing myself at any challenges that come  my way. I try to embrace every ‘scary opportunity’ as an opportunity to gain a little bit more confidence.  I still get scared and hate hate hate public speaking. I don’t think I will ever overcome it fully, but I am much more comfortable in my own skin now. This blog is to reach out to all other introverts out there and say, look,  if I can do it…. anyone can!

As you can imagine being an introvert does not go hand in hand with splashing yourself all over social media and trying to market yourself. If you want to get your product in the hands of people you need to jump out of your comfort zone and get yourself out there. Easier said than done I know, but if you start taking baby steps now then you will start to see a difference and before you know it, you will be ready to embrace any challenge that comes your way, heck you might even enjoy them!

Do you know, most creatives I have spoken to over the years are actually quite shy. They would much rather sit in their studio and just paint, or stay in the comfort of their study writing, I would too! But that isn’t the way you will get your work noticed. You need to get out of your comfort zone and start connecting with other creatives and you will soon see many opportunities coming your way. I am not promising that these tips will make you the next Steven King or Andy Warhol, but what I can promise is that it will build your confidence. You will soon start meeting like minded folk who will want to include you in their brainstorming sesssions, and hopefully make some very special friendships along the way.

So how can you take control and combat those fears?

Found on engelta.hubpages.com

1. GET SOCIAL ONLINE

When I started out on my artistic rebirth journey one of the first things I did was to discover the wonderful world of social media. Now, this is a great way to connect with people in the comfort of your home and the more you do it the more comfortable you will feel with interacting with others.

The first page I set up was my facebook page and then from there I started signing up to all sorts of art sites and social media sites to get my work out there. I have found that it is best to stick with just a few rather than plastering yourself all over the internet. Try them all out to begin with, then find the ones that you connect with the most and stick to them. When I first started out my top sites were Facebook, Fanart, RedBubble and Deviantart. 

http://www.fanartreview.com/  was the site that pushed me down the illustrating path and was the most sociable and interactive site I found. You could post artwork on the site and had the option to promote this on their home page. To do this you would have to review other artists work in exchange for member dollars which you would then use to promote your own work. It was quite a time consuming site to be part of, but back then I had nothing else going on so I thoroughly enjoyed it. They even held competitions  and had chat forums, so it was a very social site.

They also had a sister site called Fan Story  where the artists had the option to share their work with the authors so that they could use them for the writing they posted. I will always be grateful for my time on this site, without it I might never have stumbled into the illustrating world.

When I first joined up I was very nervous about posting my work, I was incredibly insecure about what I produced, and I was intimidated by the other art that was clearly of a professional standard. I will never forget posting that first painting and thinking ”please be nice, please be nice”. Well long story short it was the best thing I did and I met some wonderful people through it.

These days my platforms of choice are Facebook and Twitter with Instagram and Pinterest in the background, I really must get back into them. Oh and a little nosey on Linkedin now and again.

I can’t advise which ones will suit you, all I can say is give them all a go and then stick with the ones you like the most, only you will know which feels right.

Twitter for me really opened up a  floodgate of opportunities and new connections. It’s a bit strange to begin with, but stick with it. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing on there at first and thought the whole thing was a ridiculous concept. Try it for a fortnight, follow people, retweet posts you like, look for groups to join and I can guarantee you will love it. Within a month I was meeting all sorts of people and have made some great friendships through it. As a start you can follow these groups which I highly recommend. All are a great way to meet other people with the same interests:

Twitter group for Illustrators:

@Daily__Doodle

@Clr_Collective

@Sketch_Dailies

@pinchpunchpost

Twitter group for Authors:

@KidLiterature

@inkspokes

2. DON'T BE AFRAID TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE

One of the biggest things I have learned over the years is that there are some wonderful people out there who are all willing to share their knowledge with you. I have learned the majority of what I know today through my connections with other like minded peeps. If I get stuck with any technical issues or even get stuck with a drawing or concept there has always been someone there to give me some advice.

Most people love to chat to others and offer advice so don’t feel afraid to reach out to people.  My approach is very much a bull in a china shop, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t he he. You have absolutely nothing to lose so make the first move, say hi, compliment them on their work and show an interest, before you know it friendships will be formed and great connections made. Also don’t take it personally if you don’t get a reply, these things happen and it really is no reflection on you as a person, the creative bunch are ridiculously busy! So the odd snub here and there is perfectly normal. Don’t be intimidated to reach out to the high profile creatives either, from my experience they have all been interactive and have answered any questions I have had. Don’t forget we all had to start somewhere once so don’t be intimidated with reaching out to the pros, they are more than happy to help with any questions you have.

3. GET SOCIAL OFFLINE

Another thing I did at the beginning was join my local art club. Now I was a bag of nerves as you can imagine, walking into a room full of people I didn’t know was incredibly daunting. I won’t lie, it was scary but at the same time I knew that it would really help me out. Not only to meet other people but also to improve my skills. There are usually local clubs for artists and writers, if there isn’t then why not start one?

I have been involved in all sorts of little events over the year that has lead to social occasions with other artists and meeting new people. Once you start getting yourself out there and start connecting with people who have the same interest, you will soon find a whole new world open up. I can’t comment on the author side of things as this area is very new to me, but I know for artists, there are loads of opportunities out there. Art clubs, local art oganizations, art trails and tours. Have a google and see what’s near you then sign up!

4. REPEAT AFTER ME "I CAN DO THIS"

As Richard Branson quoted “If someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you’re not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later” This is very much how I do things, what harm can it do after all.  So I have got involved in all sorts of different ventures the last few years and this year is no exception. I was asked to read to my children’s school earlier this year…. Aaaaarrrggh! Me and public speaking are not best friends! But I did it, and you know what….. I thoroughly enjoyed it and had absolutely nothing to worry about.  Ask me again when I have to do it again in October he he. 

The biggest challenge so far was an hr long live interview on The Ron Shaw Show on the 17^th of August. I really put my poor little body through the paces with that one. I was in what one can only be described as a “state” on the day itself and the butterflies started a week before. Yes I didn’t want to do it, I was petrified but I kept telling  myself “What is the worse that can happen?” Life moves on and if it really was terrible people would soon forget about it. If it was truly awful then it could probably even work in my favour as it might attract more listeners he he. Anyway I did it…. and you know what?.... I absolutely loved it! Even though everybody kept telling me I would be fine, I really didn’t feel that way on the day, but they were right.

So as the good old saying goes, “There is no such thing as can’t” Yes you will be scared and yes sometimes things don’t go as well as you would have hoped for, but at least you are trying. You can’t control what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow so try to live for the now. Keep telling yourself that you can do this!

I hope this blog inspires other introverts, it is a horrible trait to have at times but it doesn’t need to control you. Baby steps in the right direction is all it needs.

Have you had to overcome the dreaded introvert curse? What techniques did you use to overcome a fear on a particular situation? I would love to know, so please do leave a comment below.

And if you fancy a giggle here is my interview with Ron Shaw:

http://66.49.193.35/ArtistFirst_Ron_Shaw_2015-08-17.mp3

http://artistfirst.com/ronshaw.htm  Twitter: @RonGizmo

Animania goes live

Yay, it has been quite the journey but I can officially announce that my first book Animania is available in both print and as an e-book. I have inflated my arm bands, donned the flippers and ready to take that dip into the huge self publishing ocean.

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Signed Copies

GIVEAWAY TIME

To celebrate this huge milestone I am giving away the following bundle.

Comprising of:

1 signed copy of Animania, 2 crochet mice, colouring sheets, an original sketch and some handmade cards. 

The winner will be announced on Sunday the 23^rd of August. To enter either visit my Twitter or Facebook page or subscribe to my blog so that I can contact you if you have won :)

What is Animania?

For those that don’t know, Animania is an animal alphabet book with a twist... the twist being that these are not your normal animals! This book shows the true essence of what my work is about and that is to create some giggles out there. 

An utterly ridiculous rhyming picture book aimed at the 4-8 year age range. The book is made up of short catchy 4 lined verses for each letter of the alphabet, and is full of characters that will leave a lasting impression, and hopefully give you and the little ones much to talk about.

I am afraid this is going to be a bit of a self indulgent post based on Animania. I have worked my socks off the past year to get to this point. There have been highs and there have been lows. It has been a roller coaster of emotions, and there were moments of “why am I doing this”. Seeing the reactions from the children so far has been priceless and to me the book is already a success regardless of whether it sells or not. So I shall continue my self indulgent journey in this post by sharing links to some of the guest posts and interviews I have been blessed to be part of during the last couple of months to promote the book. Thank you so much to everyone for the continued support.

The Fantastic Support Behind Animania So Far:

First up an interview that bought a tear to my eye, hosted by the lovely Nelson Ward at Inkspokes. 

Inkspokes is an online literary magazine that publishes articles on indie book trends, book reviews of independently published and small press works and author interviews. They also showcase some of the incredible work being produced by book illustrators, especially those working independently, and provide resources for indie authors and publishers to assist them in their writing, book craft and the publishing of their works.

Their goal is to build an inviting, supportive community where authors, readers, illustrators and other publishing creatives can make connections.

Chick here for Interview by Inkspokes

I am also proud to say that Animania has been given the Inskspokes select book award. Chick here for Review by Inkspokes

Chick here for A J Cosmo’s guest feature post 

A. J. Cosmo's stories are crafted to help parents teach their children simple everyday lessons in an easy to understand manner. By artfully marrying beautiful illustrations and language, children are challenged to explore his magical worlds.

Chick here for Mother and Daughter review

A mother-daughter team who love to read.  They have created a space where kids under the age of 13 (sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, grandsons, granddaughters, stepkids) and their grown-ups (mom, dad, grandpa, grandma, aunt, uncle, babysitter) can share their opinions about some of the books they’ve read.

Chick here for Interview by Stoosh and Skittles from Success Skunks

Success Skunks are an organization that helps inspire children globally. They interview a variety of people from different professions to show children, how they "Wished Upon A Time " and with Passion, Compassion and hard work created a life they can't wait to wake up to.

Here are some of my favourite reviews so far on Amazon:

A colourful and fun read

We love it! We are just starting to teach my daughter her phonics, so it is perfect as it is a cheerful way to remember letters and sounds. She loved Naughty Nipper and Inky Stinky. It is very colourful and creative. We played spot the mice and we talked about what the mice were doing. She found it highly amusing that the mice were using a flower like an umbrella to protect them from Booger Bat's runny nose!

I loved that it rhymes. A rhyming book is always a favourite for me I will definitely be buying copies for my friend's children.

Lovely book

This book is an absolute joy to read. The words and colourful illustrations are extremely well executed. It contains imaginative creatures and hilarious descriptions of what each letter in the alphabet stands for, in a way that's never been thought of before. My daughter and I were thoroughly entertained from the beginning to the end. I would definitely recommend this book to put a smile on any little one's face and adults of course. Excellent value for a lot of fun and entertainment.

Have fun learning with Animania!

What a wonderful children's learning book! Filled with a group of colourful and cute characters, Animania will make reading fun for youngsters (I'm sure it will make their parents smile too!). The rhyming verse compliments the illustrations very well and will allow kids to think of their favourite creatures when learning the alphabet. I’m sure this book would do great in any young class library, so recommended for teachers also. If you have young children, work in a school, or are just a big kid at heart, certainly give Animania a read!

An incredible and marvelous book for all ages!

Whimsical does not begin to adequately describe this beautiful book. Author, artist Corrina Holyoake has created a wonderful book for boys and girls that may well be one of the best children's books of all time. I would go so far as to call this fine work unique within the genre.

The author's art is amazing. Her highly creative story and characters from A to Z are simply brilliant and dazzling.

ANIMANIA is the whole package for children, parents, and grandparents of all ages.
Looking so forward to seeing more works in print by this author.
I love this book!

What happens next?

Right now I am still at the beginning stages of marketing Animania, so that is taking up all of my free time. I have so many fun things happening in the background, here are just a few of the things I am most excited about.

17^th August         Interview on the Ron Shaw Show on the Artist Finder network

25th August       I am meeting Dale from Critterish Allsorts and his 65 critters. I can’t wait to finally meet Stoosh and Skittles. Animania is sponsoring Critterish Allsorts and I am donating a percentage of my royalties to them so I am really excited about this visit. More details about the sponsosrship can be found here:  Animania sponsors Critterish Allsorts

September          Date to be confirmed for a book signing and press release in Chichester.

October 13^th       Author school visit with Dale and a few furry friends

The next priority is to get a colouring book published, where kids have the chance to colour in their own copy of Animania. I am aiming to get that published for my school visit in October. Once Animania calms down then I will think about the next book. It will tie in with Animania, but how is something I have yet to figure out. I am hoping this is the start of many more silly books from yours truly. I have no idea where this little journey of mine is taking me, but one thing’s for sure, there is never a dull moment!

Book Lovers Day

In honor of Book Lover's Day on 9 August, my writerly pals and I are having fun by sharing all the ways we adore reading.  There is nothing better than getting lost in a good book but sadly it has been a while since I have picked one up due to this year being…. Well, ridiculous! When I heard it was book lovers day I thought now this is the perfect opportunity to put some time aside and indulge in one of my favourite past times.

How we will be celebrating book lovers day

READING TO MY CHILDREN

I always used to love reading to my children when they were little but I must admit over the years this fizzled out as these things tend to do. However as part of the national read aloud month in March I thought it would be fun to read my kids a bedtime story, even though they are now 8 and 11. Do you know what, it proved that you are never too old to be read to! We carried on with the nightly bedtime reads way beyond the month of March. The kids loved having that extra bit of mum time. We would get our jim jams on, cuddle up in bed and read a story. My daughter, Flic, would insist on taking it in turns to read, which really helped her reading skills at school. Dylan was more than happy just to lie back and wait for my terrible attempts at accents. I too enjoyed the break from the drawing board and it gave me a chance to study the art of writing more, and to see what things worked with the kids and what didn’t, so it was a good learning experience too.

PUTTING SOME TIME ASIDE TO READ SOMETHING

I am ashamed to say that the last few months we have stopped the night time reading ritual, so much has happened the last few months but that is an entire blog in itself. Its been an erm…. Interesting year! So for book lovers day I am putting some time aside and I have told the children that we will start reading again starting from Sunday. My latest book commission comes to an end this week so it’s about time that the paintbrushes are put down and the books picked up.

READ SOMETHING FROM A NEW AUTHOR IN A GENRE THAT IS DIFFERENT TO MY TYPICAL CHOICE

My usual book of choice is a good horror, something gritty with the shock factor. Favourite authors including the likes of Steven King, Clive Barker and Martina Cole. However as I have grown up a little more, I have stepped out of my comfort zone and started reading a bit of historical fiction. This was quite the eye opener as I found I thoroughly enjoyed this genre. Lesley Pearse is now another name added to the fave list; so don’t be afraid to start turning the page on a book because it isn't something you would  normally read, you might just be pleasantly surprised.

The more I am networking with authors the more my eyes are being opened to different styles of writing and genres  out there. I have read some real gems the last year, titles that I would never have read if it wasn’t for the friendships that have been formed. I have now read autobiographies, children’s fiction, teen fiction, erotica, horrors, the list is endless.

So to celebrate Book Lovers day, I have several books I have dowloaded from fellow author buds and I shall be reading the Yellow Bus Boys written  by Ron Shaw for my bedtime reading and Felicity will be reading Pretty Please by Princess Polly by AJ Cosmo. Dylan will be reading Pedro The Ugliest dog In The World by Papa G

Thanks for stopping by. For more book love, please visit these awesome bloggers next.

Cat Michaels

Cat's Corner

Cat marks Book Lovers' Day with a wink and a smile in her RAP (Really-Awful-Poem) "Ode to Books" with apologies to Gertude Stein, the Bard, Dr Seuss and true poets everywhere.

Söndra Rymer

Fairy Tales Imagery

Söndra marks Book Lover's Day by slipping into the past to pick up a beloved children's book and quietly obsess over "This is where it all BEGAN!"

Auden Johnson
Dark Treasury

Books showed me I wasn't alone

Carmela Dutra

A Blog For Your Thoughts

Did you ever read a book that just made you fall madly in love with it? 

Leigh Emery Shearin

Leigh Shearin, Writer

"How I found the secret to life on the big oak bookcase"

Karen Emma Hall

Kid Literature Today

"Enjoy Book Lovers day by making time to read"

If you have a blog about book love, post your link in the comments section, and we'll give you some blog loving!

Animania sponsors Critterish Allsorts

I have been itching to announce this and now I can, woohoo! Over the last month I have been liaising with Dale Preece Kelly, founder of Critterish Allsorts about this exciting little partnership.

I have always wanted to give a little back with my work and now that I am self publishing Animania it seemed like the ideal opportunity to do just that. 

I was introduced to Critterish Allsorts last year through Paul Cody (co Founder of Success Skunks). I was fascinated with the concept behind pet therapy , so I watched a tv documentary based on one of Dale’s visits to a nursing home to give me a better understanding of what he does. I was so touched to see the joy that his visit and the animals bought to these people, their faces literally lit up as soon as they held the animals, it was so lovely to watch. I have since been following his work and seen him go all around the country visiting the elderly and people with mental health issues not to mention the numerous school visits to educate children on the importance of animals. I think what he does and what his organizations stands for needs to be shared with as many people as possible so I wanted to help. I have decided to donate half of all e-book sales to Critterish Allsorts to help Dale continue to grow the business and reach as many people as possible.

To learn more about the organization and the powerful healing properties of pet therapy then contact via:

Website Facebook Twitter

This is a video clip of the episode I watched...

I am planning to visit Dale this August, with my son Dylan at his soon to be Critterish Cottage, I will share our experience with you all. We are both very excited to be able to meet these 65 plus critters that he lives with and I thought this would be a perfect bonding experience for me and Dyls. He is going to high school in September so my baby boy is entering that next chapter of his life and turning into a little man, bring on those mood swings!

I am so pleased to be a part of this and I hope I am able to help, as they say every penny helps, so let’s hope Animania can pull a few in for them. 

Please show some support by following Dale’s work and you can now also purchase the e-book of Animania for $2.99 or £ 1.99 at:

Buy E-Book at Amazon UK 

Buy E-book at Amazon US

Dale is also co founder along with Paul Cody of Success Skunks. Stoosh and Skittles the skunks are the mascots for this group and they interview people who Plant Passion in Kids for the Arts, Music, Writing, Science, Business, Sports & Life! I was honored to have been interviewed myself last year. You can read the interview here:

Interview with Success Skunks

Another great group who’s aim is to educate and inspire children. You can follow success skunks at: Website Facebook Twitter

The Secrets to a Successful Book Launch

I have recently made the decision to self publish my book Animania. I am in the process of uploading the book to createspace and have started to put together a marketing plan for the book launch. As if by magic I came across an advert on facebook for a webinar on how to host a successful book launch by Joel Friedlander, talk about perfect timing! I shared the post and one of my fellow author buds suggested I write up a blog on what tips I pick up as they couldn't attend the webinar. So here I am to share my findings with you. I must admit at the end of the session I was a tad overwhelmed and came to the conclusion I really need to be doing this full time. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I am actually doing what they suggested albeit in a half hearted manner but at least I'm on the right track. Anyway here is what the session covered, I hope it helps some of you too, it was certainly an eye opener...

So the first thing that was covered was the 14 reasons that most book launches fail. I have picked the points that stood out to me the most, and thrown in a few of my own comments.

Why Most Books Fail

• Refusal to Collaborate and Socialize

It is vitally important that you network your socks off way before your book is launched. You should engage with people throughout the whole development process. Their input will help you identify what matters most to them, the benefits they want your book to deliver etc. 

The more invested people are, the higher the value they will place on your work – because they helped create it. Encouraging a social, community-oriented mindset builds trust and and makes people feel that they are part of something special. 

Social media is a fantastic tool for this, so get out there and start networking, you won't look back. If you haven't signed up to twitter then you are missing out. I was dead against it to start with, but I cannot stress how valuable it is as a networking tool. The other sites facebook, pinterest, instagram etc are all great ways to connect too, but for me personally it was twitter that opened up a whole new world.

• Rushing to Get It “Out There” 

It is very tempting to rush to get your book out there, but for a successful launch you need to do your research before and come up with a marketing plan that is achievable. Once you announce your launch date stick to it and allow for a bit of extra time for breathing space. There is nothing worse than getting a stress head on because unplanned events get in the way of your very tight schedule. So avoid that and give yourself some extra time to make everything run as smoothly as possible. Start your planning process early – ideally while you’re still writing or editing. 

Have your author website or book landing page ready and functional. Make sure it’s not only easy for people to buy your book, but easy for them to share the information with their friends.

• Assuming Book Launches Are Only for Big Name Authors or People with Deep Pockets

A successful launch doesn’t require heaps of cash, a huge network or a secret handshake. If you have a well planned launch, with clear goals and objectives you expect to achieve, your launch may be dramatically more effective and fruitful than a well-financed but unfocused one.

Putting together a book is no easy task, why shouldn't you celebrate all of the hard work you have undertaken. You have every right to be proud of what you have accomplished so share this with everyone. It doesn't need to be something fancy just a gesture to give yourself a little pat on the back and a chance to celebrate with all the people that have supported you throughout the process. 

• Enveloped in an Author Identity Crisis

You need to get to know yourself, self-knowledge is a very powerful tool, and knowing who you are, what you’re about, and why you do what you do can provide a significant and compelling way to break through the noise.

Spend some time getting to know yourself and the reasons you write what you write. 

Infuse your personality and message into every piece of content you share, and your uniqueness will give you your competitive edge. When you discover and build on what makes you different, you eliminate your competition.

• Being The Lone Wolf

It takes a village. 

The most successful authors have used the power of the group to increase their sales. This all boils down to networking again. When you start networking and building friendships with people you will naturally start to collaborate with like minded individuals. This key group of supporters will be the basis of your success. 

To gain the support you must be willing to help others too, it is a two way game. If you support others and build friendships then they will want to help you in return. Reach out and start making connections early so that relationships have time to develop, and clever ideas for joint ventures during your launch can be fleshed out. There are loads of ways you can collaborate with others such as blog tours, interviews, guest blog features etc

Many people claim that they can't possibly do this as they are born introverts. Well I hold my hand up to being the dreaded i word and from what I have learn't over the years in this industry is that most creatives are. If you really want to be a success you have to try and overcome this, it is hard and it takes time, but the more you network and start meeting like minded people the more your confidence will grow. There are many things that still freak me out, but I am willing to step out of my comfort zone because I have to.... and you know what, I am actually enjoying it. Don't be afraid to reach out to people, you will find that the majority of people out there are more than happy to strike up a friendship and if not, no biggy, not everyone will get you so don't take it personally if some people have their guard up.

• Failure to Ride the Wave

It’s tempting to take a much needed break after all the excitement – and you should take time to celebrate. You’ve just launched your book to the world!

But having a plan in place to leverage your launch momentum, to follow up with new opportunities and to analyze and measure the results of your launch, is critical.

Don’t be tempted to pull back. Use the energy and buzz you’ve generated to open even more doors.

Note what worked well, what didn’t, and take the time to personally thank everyone who contributed to, or supported your launch in some way. Their help was no doubt indispensable.

To see all 14 tips you can view their blog here.... 

14 Ways To Crash Your Book Launch

The next part of the session was based on the 6 essential elements of a flawless book launch

The Six Essential Elements of a Flawless 

Book Launch

• Define Your Launch Objectives

Try to get a bird's eye view of your launch and it's relation to your overall career path. What do you want to accomplish?

• Get Clear on Your Message and Positioning

Master your message, what do you want to say, who do you want to say it to. Get to know yourself. When you connect to your purpose and can articulate clearly on what you have to offer, your ideal audience will respond. Focus on you passions, strengths and goals, discover who you are and what you are trying to do. Outline your unique values and clarify what makes you unique and different. Your story is what people will connect to on an emotional level. One of the best strategies to quickly establish credibility and to get known and differentiate yourself is to share our why. So attach your launch to a bigger story and give people a reason to care.

• Take Inventory

Use all of your assets to their full potential. Your author website/blog, social media, email lists etc. Often it is your early adopters that are the best supporters so reach out to them and get them involved in your book launch. It's not the tools but the implementation that matters, if you use these assets to their full potential you can be sure to have a successful book launch. 

• Make Them an Offer They Can't Refuse

A hard truth but people don't care about your book, they care about what your book can do for them. Focus on launch content that will add value and not that solely pushes your book.

• Gather Your "A" team

As mentioned before, you really need to network and collaborate with people throughout the entire process. Gone are the days of the introverted writer, connections are critical and incorporating networking in your launch strategy is a must. To survive you have to have a shift in mindset, you need to have the approach of what can I do for them rather than how can they help me.

Once you have a team of "super supporters" include them in your launch strategy and give them extra special attention and care. Help them tell the story, create resources, pre written blog posts, images, videos, quotes... whatever you can to get your team excited. Create an insiders list and give them advance copies of your book. Get feedback on content and encourage them to get invested in your project. 

• The Launch Plan

Your launch plan is your blue print to your entire book launch. It combines the task involved and the sequence of events for the launch. It should include the tools you use (implemented in the right way), the tasks completed, day by day plans before launch. 

Your plan needs to include what you need to do, when you need to do it and how you will get it 
done.



I have condensed all of this down for you to give you a rough idea of what was said. Their were loads of other tips but these key points stood out to me the most. 

Have you launched a book? What worked / didn't work for you? Maybe you have some tips that you could share in the comments section.