https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-hw5zi-b2fc65
Don’t even dream of selling to people…
Category: musings
The Importance of Research
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-cd8mc-b1e8b1
Research gives you credibility as a writer.
Who Aren’t You?
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-pbckv-b1d2d3
Who you aren’t and why it matters!
Publisher’s Corner…
May 17, 2019– Today on Publisher’s Corner, I’ll answer a question that everyone wants to know!
Q: “Lacey, is it hard being an author?”
A: Yes. Done. Thanks and see you next week. Ok, but seriously, yes-it’s extremely difficult to not only become an author but to stay an author. Let me explain the rollercoaster:
- Beginning: You’ll be rejected more times that you can count. You will think you’re a no-talent hack and that’s on the good days. You’ll cry yourself to sleep and then wake up the next morning and do it all over again. You’ll suffer from insomnia and find yourself asking, WHAT THE F*CK at least once a day when your characters refuse to speak to you.
- Middle: You’ll finally get a book deal and be on top of the world! You’ll feel like you’ve made it, but now the work truly begins. You worry about the next book and what if the publisher hates it, what if you’re a one-hit wonder, what if people hate your book? You’ll feel totally vulnerable and second guess every single word you write. The waiting is the worst part as it usually takes 2-5 years for a book to be released to the public. You’ll want to throw in the towel but don’t! You still have to fight with your editor and publisher when they recommend taking out the best part of your story.
- End: Your book comes out and now your work has increased four hundredfold. You have to market the book, (yes, even if you’re traditionally published), sell the book, talk to people about the book, set up your displays, network, make contacts, do book signings, lug your crap from place to place and sweat your ass off while doing it in 5 inch stilettos. You’ll have people tell you to your face that they don’t like your work or even better, that they don’t like you. Some days you’ll go home with your tail between your legs because you didn’t sell a single copy of your book even though you tried with all of your might.
But listen, it’s not all bad. Being an author has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. And the icing on the cake? Reading my nephews and niece the books that I WROTE and dedicated to them. You’ll make friends with amazing people and those friendships last for life. You’ll have fabulous opportunities around the world to talk about your books and visit international book fairs in various countries. You’ll be asked to be a guest speaker at major events and you’ll get to read your book to kids in schools all over the city and the country. People will find your books on the shelf at major stores and around the world. Your books make a difference and one day, someone will tell you that YOU are their favourite author. The GOOD outweighs whatever bad there is. The world needs your art so go out there and create something that outlives you. X LLB
Three Things
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-qytxh-b0c4ac
Check out my latest podcast! Short, sweet, and to the point.
Quit Settling For SH*T You Don’t Want…
May 8, 2019-We often put up with things in our lives because our standards aren’t high enough, or we don’t have any standards in place, to begin with. You may be settling in your life and your writing career because the expectations you have for yourself and your work are too low. What you can do right now, is decide that you aren’t going to settle for anything less than what you’re willing to work for. You’re going to raise your standards and know better, do better, and be better.
Grab a pen and paper to get really clear on what your standards are for:
- Your business-How do you want your business to be run? How much money do you want to make? How will you know if you’re successful? What are your goals? What are you not willing to compromise? etc.
- The clients you take on– Here’s your chance to make a list on what your ideal client looks like!
- Your relationships (work relationships too)- Who do you want to work with? What kind of relationship do you want to have with your workmates, buyers, readers, etc.?
- Your travel/lifestyle– Where do you want your work to take you? Where do you want to work from? Do you want a mobile office? Certain work hours? etc. Do you want to less time working?
- Your work– What is your legacy that you will leave behind? What is the point and purpose of your work?
- Your team– What do you want from your teammates? What kind of things will you expect? What will happen when expectations aren’t met? What kind of team do you want to play for?
If you don’t have standards, or again, those standards are too low, you’re selling yourself short. Make a promise to your self that you will do better! Time to raise the bar and in six months from now you’ll be happy you did. Your life is about to change. Now get to work. X LLB
You have 5 seconds…
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-ue3ru-b01f48
Your brain can talk you out of opportunity
I Don’t Know…
April 29, 2019– Many years ago there was an ad in a very famous newspaper of a stern-looking executive in a suit with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. The copy read:
I don’t know who you are, I don’t know your company, I don’t know your company’s product, I don’t know what your company stands for, I don’t know your company’s customers, and I don’t know your company’s reputation…now what is it you wanted to sell me?
Whoa, talk about powerful and true. We’ve all been in situations where we are approached by someone trying to sell us something and sometimes it feels icky. It feels that way because we don’t know the person, the company, or the product. This happens to me on Instagram, constantly; someone will either slide into my DM’s or they will comment on my post about how I should buy their product, or sell their product or follow them or their friends. It’s obnoxious and leads me to more often than not blocking them and the person they’ve recommended. Harsh? Maybe, but I don’t have time for BS. The bottom line? People ONLY buy things from people they feel comfortable with, from people they trust, and from people that their friends recommend.
If you’re an indie author who is trying to sell your book please keep in mind that it’s a long road and you’ve got lots of work and years ahead of you. This isn’t to discourage you, but to remind you that you’ve got to spend time building relationships before anyone will be interested in buying your work. Relationships are the key to everything and they must be authentic.
And if you own a business, you need to make sure that people know who you are, that they know about your company, your products, what your company stands for, who your customers are and what your reputation is! Only then, can you begin to even THINK about selling.
X LLB
You Need These People
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-qvh4c-af6cf7
There are groups of people you need in your life-let’s talk about who they are
People Hate Change…So Who Gives AF?
April 22, 2019– Happy Easter, everyone. I trust that you enjoyed the time spent with your family over the long weekend and around here, our weekend was also about enjoying playoff hockey! Whatever you ended up doing, I hope that you had a nice time. Today’s blog post is about change and why humans hate it. It’s a bit of a rant on my part, so buckle up.
Recently I started going to a personal trainer because I want to get my endurance back and some strength back that I had lost over the past year. Someone who will remain unnamed, said the following right to my face, “Oh dear, I hope that you don’t get too bulky and start to look masculine.” WOW! Can you believe it? It took everything in me not to throw this person a beating. But, I digress. People don’t know how to keep their mouths shut and they seem to think that everyone is entitled to their opinions whether asked for or not.
So what if I get super ripped? So what if I start to look better and feel better about my strength and endurance levels? Does this person know that about a year ago after my concussion that I could barely stand? Do they know that I could not lift my left arm higher than my waist because the pain was excruciating? Do they know that I wasn’t able to exercise for a year without having massive anxiety attacks? Of course not. People only see what they want to see and they don’t ever have all of the facts.
The point is, people are judgemental idiots no matter what, but ESPECIALLY when the people around them start to change. People fear change. They fear it because they are uncomfortable with it and if you change too much, they may have to change too; they’re quite content doing what they’re doing and being who they are. They don’t want to have to step up their game or put in the work, or deal with change because that would require being uncomfortable on their part. They like things just the way they are.
That’s why people are going to say, “Oh, you’re writing a book? Isn’t that hard?” Or “I’ve heard it’s super hard being an indie author and most of them don’t make more than a few hundred dollars a year.” Or “How are you going to write a book, take care of your kids, and go to your job, isn’t that a bit selfish of you?”
The bottom line? Who Gives AF? Do what you want to do because life is too short. There will always be people who say you can’t do something or that you shouldn’t do something or that it will be too risky or too hard. Those people are showing you THEIR limitations, NOT yours.
So as they say in hockey, “Keep your chin up, kid,” and do whatever you want to do anyway. Never apologize for trying to be the best version of yourself no matter WHO you make uncomfortable.
Go Bruins, X LLB