Coming Soon - New Chat Opportunity to Learn from Your Writing Coach

 Carrot.fm, a new connection application, is going to be launching an app soon that enables clients to get advice via video chat with qualified, carefully selected Authors.  I am signing up so that you can have the opportunity to chat LIVE with me and ask me questions about writing tips or specific writing issues you may be experiencing.

Carrot's goals:

Enjoy a seamless experience

We built Carrot to get people video-chatting in 10 seconds

• Sign-up quickly and with no hassle.
• Browse experts on Carrot or invite anyone to easily join.
• Pay per minute, simply and transparently.
• Video chat anyone in your social networks.

Experts and influencers

• Set your rate easily and withdraw funds at ease.
• Direct people to video chat you on Carrot by word of mouth.
• Get targeted traffic courtesy of Carrot.

The video link gives a quick overview of the purpose of Carrot.fm and how you can join. You can also join by clicking my link "join me" below.

As soon as the application launches, we can be chatting "just like that!"


Join me at Carrot.fm

August Writing Challenges: Day 1 - Plot Twists

August. The summer is nearly over. Kids are going back to school. You now have some time on your hands.  Okay, you still have a list of chores a mile long, but let's put writing at the top of the priority list, okay?

I am going to challenge you with a writing prompt every day this month. Are you up for it? I hope so.

The writing challenges will be about a variety of topics and hopefully cause you to dig into your writing toolbox to complete with emotional skill.

Watch out, I just might throw in a fun one, well, just for fun!

For the first challenge we're really going to go deep.

Plot twists, cliffhangers, and page-turners

Writers have been using techniques to keep readers captivated. And, confess, we've all been there.

How about this? It's late, and I'm tired. After this chapter, the lights are going out and I'm going to bed.

Then there's a cliffhanger, a shocking development in the story. Forget sleep! I have to find out what happens next.

Some writers are criticized for overusing these devices or for planting twists that are contrived or forced. A good plot twist or cliffhanger is natural to the story and doesn't feel like the writer strategically worked it in.

Some stories feature major twists in the middle of chapters. It's placing such a twist at the end of a chapter that turns it into a cliffhanger. Soap operas and television dramas are known, loved, and loathed for their application of these devices. It's how they hook viewers, and it's a way you can hook readers.

Each writer has to decide whether to use these techniques in storytelling. You might think they're too strategic or rob your story of its artfulness. Or maybe you like the exciting edge that a good twist or cliffhanger brings to a story.

Here's your writing challenge for today:

Write an outline for a scene or chapter that ends on a cliffhanger. Approach the cliffhanger by building tension to the moment:

For example: The bad guys are chasing the good guys. The bad guys are gaining on them. They're getting closer! One of the bad guys draws his gun, lifts it, cocks it, and aims right at our hero. He pulls the trigger.

See you next chapter!

You can also plant a cliffhanger that comes out of nowhere. The chapter is winding down, everything is moving along as expected and suddenly a character walks into a room and tells her ex-lover that she's pregnant and he's the father. WOW!

Both types of cliffhangers work equally well.

Here are some tips to help you write your challenge. The best cliffhangers leave huge questions hanging in the air. Who did it? What just happened? Will they survive? How is that possible? What will happen next?


For EXTRA CREDIT, you can expand on this challenge by fleshing out a scene that ends on a cliffhanger (instead of outlining.) To expand further, write the follow-up scene and satisfy the reader's curiosity by answering the big questions raised by your cliffhanger.

If you want to be a commercially successful author, you will probably find that mastering the cliffhanger is a huge asset to your writing skills. The cliffhanger is almost mandatory in horror and mystery genres, so if that's what you want to write, you'll need to be able to execute a good clincher.

Tips for Breaking down Writer's Block

We've all been there at one point or another in our writing career. We stare at the blank page, we pace, we (argh!) do housework or chores!!

So, what does writer's block mean, anyway?

Well, for some authors it could mean that it's time to give the writing a rest and let the muse take a break.

For other authors, it means you're pretty darn stuck on something and you can't figure it out. Maybe the plot is going nowhere, you can't get your characters to talk to each other or to you, or maybe they've up and left the story.

Maybe you're just waiting for inspiration to strike. Well, keep waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

Writing is hard work. Really hard work, and if you think it's going to come easy to you, like a magic voice whispering the words to the next best seller in your ear, wake up. You're dreaming.  According to James V. Smith, Jr who wrote The Writer's Little Helper, "Creativity doesn't strike sparks in you like a bolt from the ionosphere. You can't expect much from wandering around idyllic settings waiting for an inspiration."

Every author is going to encounter some sort of challenge while they're writing. That's a given.

Joseph Heller said, "Every writer I know has trouble writing."

Well, Mr. Heller, you got that right. Listen to Mr. Smith who says it succinctly, "..writing does not occur by thinking about it. Writing only happens when you do it, so plant your butt in a chair and get busy."

So, how do we get past the block and get back to writing? What a great question. You, in the back, you get an extra credit for your effort.

You can go out on Amazon.com and buy all the books you can find about Writer's Block. That should take up an afternoon and use up about $100.00 on your credit card. But, it's not getting you any closer to getting over your Writer's Block.

You want answers now. Right now.  Well, here you are, tips for breaking down Writer's Block:

Copy Something. Yep, that's what I said. Find some passages that you like to read, and sit down and start typing them out on your screen or writing them on a piece of paper. Do you notice anything? Did you think the author could have structured that sentence more clearly? Could they have used another word to describe what the character was doing? Now, write it as if you were the author. Let your imagination go and change whatever you want.  Maybe you'll read along as you write and say, "Hey, the author had a great idea here, putting these thoughts into words." Maybe you'll learn something you didn't know and it'll spark something in your writing.

Write in a Journal. Put all the bits of dialogue, prose, narrative, and whatnot in your journal. Jot down conversations you overhear. Great pieces of inspiration that come to you in the middle of the night. Use your journal to take notes on a new activity or task you're learning. You never know when a character might need to know how to do something similar. Then, when you ever come to a point where you experience some kind of writer's block, you have a mine of ideas to forage through. I know, I ended that sentence with a preposition. So sue me. But, read this closely: Every idea you write down is going to spark another idea and then another. Develop that idea. Play with it. Work with it. That's how you get back to writing.

Talk About What You're Writing. Tell everyone you know you're writing a story. Tell people the subject and theme. People will want to talk to you about your story or something similar they read or heard about when they were listening to the radio or watching television. A quote or even a lead is something to go with and get back to writing.

Exercise Your Body and Your Brain. Your brain needs oxygen. Give it some. Get that body moving. If you're sitting in your desk chair, get up, do some toe touches or go for walk. Get that cardio up. Now it's time to work that brain. Do some writing exercises. Google "writing exercises" and I'm sure you'll be inundated with pages. If you're still droopy and tired, maybe you need a nap?

Organize or Re-organize Your Research Material. If you're desk looks anything like mine, you'll thank me for this tip. Some writers can be a little "too" organized, and how do you ever find anything anyway? But, that's another story. Let's do a bit or re-organization so we can actually find what we're looking for or start organizing so we can find things a little faster. Organize is whatever logical way seems right to you. Only you need to know your system, right?

Make Lists. Oh, wow. You thought you were done with lists, right? Not. Some writers are pantsers and some are outliners. (Pantsers are those writers who don't use an outline, they just start writing. The story is all in their head.) But, I digress just a bit. Think about what you want to include in your story. Use key words and write down - in list format - all the elements you want to cover in your story. Maybe you have some questions. Add them to the list.

Picture Your Reader. Do you even know who your reader is? What they like to read, and why? If you don't have a reader for your story, who is going to want to read your story? So, figure out whom you are trying to reach. Describe your reader. Imagine your reader is in your office. Ask your reader questions. What do they do for fun? for work? What would make this story important to him/her? What is your reader's education background? Are you using words too big for them to understand or too small and your reader feels as if you are talking down to him/her?

Ask Yourself One Question. Why are you writing? Do you have goals? What emotion are you trying to get out of your reader? Do you have a purpose for your story? If so, what is it?

Here it is, my last quote to inspire you:

"I know some very great writers, writers you love who write beautifully and have made a great deal of money, and not one of them sits down routinely feeling wildly enthusiastic and confident. Not one of them writes elegant first drafts. All right, one of them does, but we do not like her very much. We do not think she has a rich inner life or that God likes her or can even stand her."
 -- Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

Now, get writing. If you have other tips for breaking through writer's block, please add them to the comments below. I'd love to know what you do to get back to writing.

References:
The Writer's Block by Jason Rekulak
The Writer's Little Helper by James V. Smith, Jr.
100 Ways to Improve Your Writing by Gary Provost


Copyright: 72soul / 123RF Stock Photo

15 Proofreading Tips for Writers

Let me ask you a question: How do you feel when you find a grammar error or typo in a book you are reading? Are you sad for the author? Sad for the editor? Do you feel a bit smug that you found the error and obviously no one else did?

What if it were your own writing and someone else caught the error? How would you feel then?

I'm going to give you some proofreading tips to help reduce the amount of errors or typos found in your writing.

Just follow these tips and hopefully one of your readers won't come across an error and feel a bit superior that they found an error you didn't.

Remember this, Mark Twain said, "The difference between the almost-right word & the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning-bug & the lightning."

1. The first thing you can do is let your writing rest. For how long? For however long it takes to really get away from it and not have it in your head when you go back to re-read it. According to Hemingway, he wrote the ending to Farewell to Arms 39 times before he was satisfied.

2. Expect to do some rewriting. Leo Tolstoy wrote, "I can't understand how anyone can write without rewriting everything over and over again." Rewriting is the best way to learn to write.

3. Proofread in hard copy only. Reading on a computer is too easy to get lost in the writing and not see the errors.

4. Are you sentences properly constructed and clear?

5. Have you checked all questionable spellings?

6. Is your punctuation correct?

7. Have you used proper transitional expressions to tie your paragraphs together? Your chapters together? Does the continuity of the story flow throughout?

8. Does each scene have one clear and concise point of view?

9. Does your dialogue work with the story theme and move the story along or is it stagnant and conversational?

10. Have you read your story aloud? Have you had someone else read your story aloud to you?

11. Silently read your story backwards. This will help you catch many errors that are "hidden" in the story. You will not be caught up in the story and can focus on the words.

12. Proofread for one kind of error at a time. You will have to read your writing several times, but it's worth it if you can concentrate on only finding one kind of error at a time.

13. Always make sure you have double-checked your facts, figures, and names. There are many times I've read a book where the main character is named something like "Carl" in the first 5 chapters, and later changes to "Charles" in the remaining chapters. It can be very confusing to the reader.

14. Don't always rely on your spellchecker, but use your dictionary as well.

15. Always double check our apostrophes and contractions. Make sure they are constructed properly and fused appropriately.

I'm sure there are more tips out there for proofreading but these tips have done me well when it comes to my own writing. My publisher was always happy to receive one of my manuscripts because they knew they didn't have to put in a lot of time editing it. My manuscripts were one of the cleanest they'd ever seen.

Reference: The Least You Should Know About English by Teresa Ferster Glazier

Copyright: bradcalkins / 123RF Stock Photo

There is no Age Limit for Pursuing Your Dreams

I'm turning over my blog to a guest blogger who has caught my eye. She has a unique style that captures the reader with a friendly "hello" and "let's sit and chat" manner. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I did.

Writing is an incredibly unique profession, it is perhaps one of the few careers that really does get better with age.  In today’s extreme youth oriented society, it is shocking to suggest that there is some benefit to getting older, but in terms of being a writer, age has a great many advantages.  After years working in healthcare and education, I decided it was time to do what I had always dreamed of and become a full time writer.  This has not been without some struggles, but I believe that right now is the best time for me to jump into writing with both feet.

Best-selling writer Elizabeth Gilbert is quoted saying “Writing is not like dancing or modelling; it’s not something where if you missed it by age 19 you’re finished.  It’s never too late.  Your writing will only get better as you get older and wiser.”  Using all of your life experience in your writing gives your work a richness and depth that is earned through all of the things you have learned along the way.   I am not suggesting that there are no good young writers, but there are a great many mature writers who had added so much to the literary world. 

The average age for a first published book in this country is 42.  My first book was published when I was 38 years old, so I beat the average just slightly.  After taking a few years off I am ready to jump back into the writing world and at almost 50 years old, I am in good company.  There are quite a few literary late bloomers like me.  One of my favorite authors, Claire Cook, likes to boast that she was writing her first novel at 45 and at 50 she was walking the red carpet as her book was turned in to a highly successful Hollywood movie.  She is living the writing fairy tale that many writers aspire to.  The unifying theme of all of her books is reinvention, an idea that seems to resonate with so many of us as we get older.  At 45 Cook is in good company.  Wildly popular author Janet Evanovich did not publish her first book until age 44.  Helen Dewitt also published the highly successful The Last Samurai at age 44.  These are not even some of the older authors that I discovered.  As a child I loved reading the Little House on the Prairie books.  I would read and share these books with my friends.  I was astonished to learn that Laura Ingalls Wilder did not even begin writing her stories until the age of 44 and she was first published at the age of 64.  My childhood would not have been the same if Ms. Inglls Wilder thought she was too old to try something new.  After leaving the teaching profession, Frank McCourt first published a book in his mid-sixties 

There has never been a better time to write and publish a book.  As the popularity of ebooks continues to grow exponentially, authors have so many choices for publication.  There are unending technology tools and resources available for writers.  No longer do authors have to spend days at the local library, trying to read old microfiche films, now just a few clicks on your lap top can yield the research needed for your latest book setting.  If you don’t want to go the traditional route of an agent and a publishing house, Indie publishing firms abound.  Once a book is written, authors have a plethora of marketing tools at their disposal through a whole host of social media platforms.  The tools for writing have improved so much, anyone with a computer and enough motivation can become a writer – at any age.

BIO:

Laurie Jake is a self-described writer, dreamer and child at heart.  Her unique insights on emotions and behavior come from her many roles as a wife, mother, sister and former middle school teacher.  Laurie wrote her first book in 2001.  Laurie lives in Arizona with her incomparable fiancé and three unruly dogs. http://lookingonthesunnyside.blogspot.com/

Writing Tips - Understanding Point of View

What point of view will you use when telling your story? Do you know that there are different kinds of point of view? Do you know what they are and how to use them correctly? If not, continue reading and we'll learn more about point of view.

Determining point of view is an important decision. It will affect nearly everything in your story. It also affects how much the readers can believe in your story.

When telling your story, you have three choices to make when considering point of view.

First Person
Second Person
Third Person




Rarely, would an author use Second Person because "you" aren't a character in your story and your reader knows "you" aren't a character in your story.

From here on, we'll consider First Person and Third Person point of view.

First Person
This is a great way to write a story because your character is telling his or her own story. The biggest advantage of First Person narrative is that it can promote an almost instant identification between the reader and your protagonist.

However, not every story can use First Person point of view. It has limitations. How are you going to get the reader information that the protagonist doesn't have access to?

Describing your character seems like an easy thing to do, but when you are using First Person point of view, if you have a heroic protagonist it just sounds like bragging when he or she describes themselves as brave and courageous.

So, let's learn about Third Person point of view which is usually the better choice.

Third Person
There are at least four kinds of third-person narratives: Omniscient, camera eye, single point of view, and sigma character.

Omniscient
This is the least restrictive point of view. The author writes as "God". The author can comment on what's going on in any character's mind, can discuss action "off stage", and warn the reader of future events.

While Omniscient is tricky and attractive to the writer because it offers the most freedom, it's not as popular as it used to be.

Camera Eye
This point of view is opposite of omniscient. The story is unfolded in front of the reader as if the reader were watching a movie or television program. The reader has no insight into a character's mind.

Camera Eye is a very limiting way to tell a story. It distances the reader from the protagonist.

Single Point of View
This viewpoint is a good compromise between Camera Eye and Omniscient. You are able to convey to your reader not only your protagonist's actions but what they are thinking as well. It's important to remember that you must only write from the one character's point of view. Do not slip thoughts of other characters into your story. Your readers will notice.

Sigma Character
This unusually named point of view is simply this: use multiple view points but only one view point per scene. You can write from a different character's view point either in separate scenes or separate chapters. Your readers may enjoy this because they are not in the head of one character the entire book.

Do you understand Point of View a little better now?

Great, now go write that story!

The resource used to write this blog post was The Writer's Digest Handbook of Novel Writing.

Happy SITS Day to Your Writing Coach

Good morning and Happy Tuesday! The day has finally come…it’s my SITS Day! For those of you who aren’t familiar with SITS, SITS (Secret is the Sauce) is a networking website for women bloggers.it is a community of 40,000 women bloggers who provide support, share tips, and encourage one another through the journey of blogging. It’s a great way to meet new bloggers and get fantastic blogging tips and information. Interested in checking it out? Head on over to SITS here! 

Let me tell you about Your Writing Coach. It grew out of a love I have for helping fellow writers. I am an award winning author and was always being asked about how I did this or that, or if I would proofread something. I ran an editing group for a while, but It wasn't "global" enough. Our critique group was only successful if we kept it small. So, I decided to take my help and opinions and research to the Internet. Thus, Your Writing Coach was born.

I give writing tips, writing exercises, and do the research for you when it comes to how to use possessives or capitalization. I did a whole series on "The Least You Should Know about English" and it was a great hit.

I also share my posts with the Indie Writers Network as I'm a group moderator over there. One of the things I like to share over there are quotes from authors and good writing books. Check them out if you get the chance.

On the left side of my blog is a list of links to other blogs and Internet pages I think you'll like. If you have something for me to add, please let me know.

Some personal information about me. I'm married to a wonderful man, we have an American Eskimo dog and Sun Conure parrot at home along with a 400 gallon saltwater aquarium. My three children are grown and on their own and they've given me three wonderful grandchildren with a new one on the way due in November. I'm so excited!

I live in vacationland Florida and we enjoy the water as much as we can. My husband is an avid diver and underwater photographer. I paddle around on top as a snorkeler. 

I have this blog and another more personal blog called Vicki's Blog.

I am owner of several websites such as Vicki M. Taylor, author and My Balanced Life.

I also write articles for the International Bipolar Foundation. This article was written for May Mental Health Month, called What Mental Health Means to Me.

Thank you for visiting and I hope you stick around and check out my site and the four years of blogs I've written. Hopefully, you'll find something useful.

Have a blessed day!

Eight Question Meme

I found this meme from the Stay At Home Mom blog. I thought it was interesting and wanted to join in. It looked like fun. So, here goes, my 8 Question Meme for May 8th:

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?

I was working on my second book, NOT WITHOUT ANNA. I was finishing it up for my publisher.

Here is the book blurb for Not Without Anna: Katherine, shocked by her daughter's death, too late, realizes she had been out of touch with her daughter and didn't recognize the stranger Anna had become. Charles, helpless to reach his son, watches him slip away. He's unable to comprehend Mike's nightmares and depression as he deals with his girlfriend's death and his own guilt.

2. What 5 things are on your to-do list?

1. Relax

2. Write blogs

3. Complete vacation plans

4. Don't forget Mother's Day

5. Remember May is Mental Health Month

3. What are 5 snacks you enjoy?

1. blueberries

2. raspberries

3. chocolate

4. Sobe Lifewater

5. popcorn

4. Name some things you would do if you were a millionaire:

1. Donate money to my church

2. Travel more to see my children and grandchildren

3. Put money away for my grandchildren's college fund

4. Put money away for our retirement

5. Get my husband whatever he wanted

5. Name some places you have lived:

1. Michigan

2. California

3. Arizona

4. Idaho

5. Wyoming

6. Florida

6. Name some bad habits you have:

1. Worry too much

2. Assume the worst

3. spend too much money

4. spoil my dog and parrot

7. Name some jobs you have had:

1. Marine

2. Data Coordinator

3. Technical Writer

4. Technical Support Consultant

5. Documentation & Internal Training Manager

6. Sr. Documentation Specialist

7. Technical Publications Manager

8. President/Owner

9. Author

10. Blogger

8. Name those you are tagging for this meme:

I encourage anyone who finds this meme interesting to join in and post on their blog.

10 Things I Learned about being an Independent Author

Becoming an Independent Author was a huge learning experience for me. I've always gone the traditionally published route, having a publisher who took care of book cover images, editing, and Pre Release reviews. However, when I released GOOD INTENTIONS in e-book and print format I had a huge learning curve to maneuver. I was so far behind the eight ball it wasn't even funny. I made mistakes, asked questions, and basically floundered a bit until I got into my groove. However, by then, I'd missed my Pre Release and Release opportunities. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did. I know I won't. So, here are ten important things I learned about being an Independent Author.



1. You are it. You are author, publisher, promotion and marketing, and distribution. You do it all. Be prepared for a lot of hard work ahead of you. But, the growth and learning experiences are worth it. Many of you will go the expensive route and pay some PR company to do the work for you. All I can say is "Don't Do It!". I got some very sage advice from a NYT best-selling author. What can a PR firm do for you? Will they put you on the best seller's list? If they can't guarantee that, then they aren't worth spending all that money on something you can do for yourself. Save the money. Go to Hawaii. Then, write a book while in Hawaii.

2. Edit. Edit. Edit. I can't say that enough. Edit. If you are going to spend any money on your book, this is the place to do it. Get a professional, I can't stress that enough, PROFESSIONAL to edit your book. Don't pay just anyone. Ask for credentials. Ask for references. Ask. Join a critique group. Do what you can to make sure your book is as error-free as possible. Then check it again.


3. Build your social medial author platform. Have your website, blog, twitter account, Facebook Author Page, and whatever other social media medium you want to add to your author platform ready and working. Blog about your book during Pre Release, Release and Post Release. And remember to blog in between. Have an active blog with interesting content. Build your followers. If you don't know what or how to blog, do a Google search for "Author Blogging Tips".

4. Advanced Reading Copy (ARC). Have one. Get your ARC reviewed before Release. Get reviewers lined up during Pre Release and get the ARC to them. Be prepared to have a properly formatted PDF file for reviewers to read. If you don't know how or are unable to create a PDF file from your book document, ask someone to help you.

5. Promote. Promote. Promote. Promotion will take up the majority of your time. Break up your promotion into three parts. Pre-Release. Release. And Post Release. Let me repeat myself: Promotion will take up the majority of your time. Be prepared. Clear your schedule. Pre-Release promotion will be the most important. You must build up interest in prospective readers. Get reviews. Send out that ARC. (Advanced Reading Copy) The majority of your reviews must come out of your Pre-Release promotion schedule. Release promotion requires you to do your guest posting, Blog Hops, Blog Tours, and Interviews. Schedule these in advance so you can time with your Release. Post Release promotion can consists of more Blog Hops, Blog Tours and Interviews. However, you might not get as many reviews during this time.

6. Promotional Materials. You will need at the minimum: business cards, bookmarks, and brochures. You can either find a reputable and economical printer/designer or you can use VistaPrint or any other online printing company that you've received good feedback about. It's good to have these printed as soon as possible. Usually the printer/designer will need a cover image and headshot to create these. So, make sure your book cover is ready in plenty of time.

7. Blog Hops and Blog Tours. Organizing a Blog Hop takes a lot of your time. Think about it before committing. The best time for a Hop is during Release or Post Release. A Blog Hop is when you organize a group of authors to all post at the same time. Usually, they've all answered a pre-made list of questions. At the end of their post, they will add the URL addresses of each blogger in the Hop. You can have it run from one day to several days. Your choice, if you are organizing the Hop. I suggest you use a spreadsheet to track everyone who submits their blog for review and then have a set criteria for measuring each blog to determine if it meets your Hop's requirements. Blog Tours usually occur when you, the author, guest post on a number of blogs within a span of time. I've seen Tours run from a few days to a week to a month, depending on the number of bloggers willing to participate. Again, use a spreadsheet to track where and when you will be guest posting and the topic you will cover. Usually the blogger will give you a list of questions to answer, or ask for your book promo material, or let you write a small blog post. Mix it up so that you aren't doing the same thing for each blogger. Don't forget to Promote. Promote. Promote.

8. Radio Interviews. Do Them. Don't forget about radio. Get your interviews lined up. Internet radio shows are important too. Find ones that relate well to your book and get on during the release of your book. Google search your "book topic and radio" and follow through on submitting requests for interviews. Again, you may be given a list of questions the interviewer will ask, or it may be completely off the cuff. Be prepared to talk about your book(s), your writing life, your personal life, and anything in between.

9. Are you ready to release? Don't release your book until you are absolutely sure you have all your ducks in a row and you are ready. Your book has been edited to an inch of its life. You have all your Pre Release reviews completed. You have your Blog Hops and Tours, and Interviews scheduled for Release. You've cleared your schedule of anything that might interfere with promotion. Your book cover is completed and looks great. You've put the correct copyright date on your book. You have the correct ISBN for your book. If you are releasing an e-book and print book at the same time, make sure they have separate ISBN's. Do you have business cards, bookmarks, and brochures printed and ready to send and distribute?

10. Write your next book. Make sure you build in time in your schedule to write your next book. It's important to have more work to do. You are only as good as your last book, so keep your readers satisfied with more books for them to look forward to.

I'm sure there are more things people have come up with that are important to remember when publishing as an Independent author. For those of us who are Indie Authors, we've run into every situation possible. Take heed from our advice if you want to go the Independent route.

Be prepared.