One of the first things I read from my list of incoming emails each morning is my Google Alerts. Are you using Google Alerts to:<\/p>\n
\u2022\tCheck on your competition?
\n\u2022\tLocate promotional opportunities (blogsites related to your book topic where you can leave comments)?
\n\u2022\tFind out who\u2019s writing about you?
\n\u2022\tKeep up on what\u2019s happening in your genre\/industry?
\n\u2022\tDiscover how your blogsite rates within your industry?<\/p>\n
This morning, I found myself listed in Google Alerts related to \u201cwriting, publishing, books\u201d TWICE. I saw an excerpt from what sounded like a mighty interesting article at Mike Geffner\u2019s blogsite. When I went there to take a look, I discovered that I was the author. The article is \u201cGuarantee Your Publishing Success\u201d and it\u2019s posted on July 11, 2009 at http:\/\/mikeswritingworkshop.blogspot.com<\/a> <\/p>\n Then I noticed that my own blog post from yesterday is listed in the headlines at Google Alerts this morning.<\/p>\n If you have a book to promote; you\u2019re trying to establish a writing career; or you want to know more about publishing, the genre you\u2019re working in or how you fit into your field, sign up for Google Alerts: http:\/\/www.google.com\/alerts<\/a>. Speaking of Google<\/strong> Your Projects<\/strong> I\u2019m involved with the SPAWN transition. SPAWN is Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) http:\/\/www.spawn.org<\/a> and we\u2019re assembling a new leadership team as we speak. Watch for the BIG announcement in the August 1 issue of the SPAWN newsletter\u2014SPAWNews. (Subscribe for FREE at the SPAWN website.) This means that I\u2019ve been interviewing candidates for the board, working with them, revamping the bylaws (they\u2019re 13 years old), writing press releases and responding to numerous questions. <\/p>\n I\u2019m also working with a few clients on some interesting projects and I\u2019m doing some promotion mostly through published articles. I have an idea for getting some exposure and maybe a new editorial client or two by sending announcements to key publications offering something for free. When I do a free evaluation for an author, for example, they are generally blown away by my observations and suggestions. Those who can afford it (and no one should be producing a book if they can\u2019t afford a good editor) and those who want to produce the best book possible will return to me for a complete edit once they\u2019ve finished their work on their projects.<\/p>\n But I\u2019m not all work and no play. I play with Lily (our new kitten) often throughout the day. I\u2019m planning to spend a week at a beach house to celebrate one of my daughter\u2019s large number birthdays and, once summer is over, I\u2019m flying east with a girlfriend to see the fall colors. After all, it\u2019s those experiences outside of our work-a-day lives that provide us with the material and the perspective to write the next bestseller, right?<\/p>\n If you are planning to write a book, you’re struggling through the process, you’re searching for a publisher or you are trying to market your book in this competitive climate, it’s the right time for you to read my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book<\/em><\/strong>. I wrote it expressly for you, you see. Pick up a copy and you’ll see what I mean. http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/rightway.html<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One of the first things I read from my list of incoming emails each morning is my Google Alerts. Are you using Google Alerts to: \u2022 Check on your competition? \u2022 Locate promotional opportunities (blogsites related to your book topic where you can leave comments)? \u2022 Find out who\u2019s writing about you? \u2022 Keep up […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,3],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
\nIt\u2019s free and it\u2019s kinda fun!<\/p>\n
\nI heard an interesting comment on a talk radio show yesterday. The caller asked the computer\/internet expert what other search engines he should use besides Google. The commentator said, \u201cGoogle is really the only search engine.\u201d Is this true? Do you ever use Yahoo, AltaVista or any of the other search engines anymore? Or is Google the only search engine for you?<\/p>\n
\nSo what are you working on this summer? A tan? A better relationship with your family members? Or are you hard at work on a novel, developing a freelance writing career or outlining a nonfiction book? <\/p>\n