What’s in a Review?

One of the ways it’s said that books sell is to have reviews.  Lots and lots of reviews!  Of course, you probably want good reviews to sell your books.

But how do you get them?  You can do what I do with some authors - it’s called a review swap!  It’s where we swap books and review them for each other.  Hopefully if you try this you will have a positive experience with it.

It’s a great way to read books in genres you wouldn’t normally read.  Plus you will make some nifty author connections as well.

It’s probably no surprise that as a writer, I also like to read.  My favorite genres to read are poetry, mysteries, sci fi, adventure and non-fiction.  I find out about books I like to read from reviews usually in articles, email book clubs or updates from bookstores, or in magazines.

I started thinking, though, about all the books these places must come across or receive for review.  How can anyone review that many books?

Many times the blurbs in a magazine sound really good, but when I get the book to read I don’t like it at all.  It’s like a movie tag line or an elevator pitch - you may not like the product as a whole or in this case book as a whole, but then again you may love it.

Now, I’m sort of an unconventional writer and poet.  I work in sales and marketing in my day job and I simply do things differently.  I do the same thing with my writing as I don’t really seek to get my books reviewed, and I know I’m not selling them so much based reviews.  I don’t truly worry about it.  It’s nice if someone gives my book a 4 star or 5 star review but it’s okay if they don’t!

What’s in a review?  A review is something you have to read with an open mind (as hopefully the reviewer did as well) and realize the reviewer might love, like, or hate the book and you as a reader might not feel the same way at all.

So by all means, go after those reviews or review swaps if you want, but don’t worry if you don’t.  I have had great success with my e-book and book sales with reviews and without!

It’s the writing that is important after all, and if your piece is meant to be read, it will be!

The Comfort of Poetry

Poems, poetry, and poets tend to be on the front line when it comes to writing for change.  During this time of worldwide crisis, with the Corona virus, we now need the comfort of words more than ever.

Why?  Reading something unrelated to the crisis at hand, can give you momentary relief while reminding you of the good things in life.

Or write about what you are feeling or experiencing during this trying time, this scary time.  Never could I have imagined such a thing happening.  It’s like the movies:  for me, “Outbreak” comes to mind.

Use a journal to jot down your ideas and notes.  Carry a notepad for doodling and special words.

You can read many poems and other works online for free or via ebooks.  Of course, there are books available to you to by ordering online or checking them out from the library.  I can go online even in my small town and reserve books I want from the library, then get a text when they are ready to be picked up and go inside to the checkout desk and check them out.

Write what you feel, or read!  I wrote my first poem about this crisis today - it’s an awful place to be, but it made me feel better and made me feel like I was doing something at the same time.

You can also try visual ways to consume the written or poetical word by looking at YouTube or maybe a fun movie while you write.  Blogging, such as I’m doing here, is another outlet for your written works.

I hope the next time I post, about this or simply in general, that there will have been some improvements to this crisis!  Take care and be well and safe out there!

Does your book need a trailer?

Books get made into movies all the time.  So it stands to reason that there are now book trailers made for them.

I have seen a few here and there.  I usually find books I want to read by reading reviews or by picking them up in the library or bookstore and deciding if I want to read them or not.  I have not paid much attention to book trailers until just now.

I watched a few book trailers on YT yesterday to get some ideas to make my own.  I’ve done a lot of social media for my books, so why not a book trailer for my book that’s currently selling well and also one for which I gave a recent reading locally and sold all my copies.  The book I made the trailer for is “The Mailbox of the Kindred Spirit.”

I noticed many of the trailers I watched yesterday looked like movie trailers.  Some looked like a TV ad or commercial.

For my first one, I used a summary of the book, and pictures that I took from one of the very real locales in the book.  Add in some music and pretty fonts and colors and there you go,  I have a book trailer!

It’s only about a minute and a half.  It doesn’t have to be long.  I may try to do another trailer and/also enlist professional help when/if I do.

Once I finished it and posted it, I watched my own trailer several times and if I was a reader who enjoyed the genre my book is written in, I believe it would make me want to read the book.  It’s already inspired an idea of another place for me to sell them.

There is a place for book trailers.  So leap to the next level and get one going for your book or watch them from your favorite author or a new one and you may discover something fun to read!

Short vs Long Poems or The Long and Short of It!

Does length really matter?  Go ahead, laugh!  It’s okay.

I find at poetry readings and/or open mics, invariably someone will comment to me on the length of my poems.  Do they say anything about how long my 3 page poem is?  No!  But they do if it’s short.

Is there something wrong with short poems?  I used to almost always write very long poems.  Later on, maybe they were somewhere in-between long and short.  Recently, I started writing some shorter poems just because I wanted to see if I could.

Some of the most famous poems can be rather short in length.  I don’t think the length or lack of length of the poem is the most important part, but rather what you are saying in it and your use of spacing, line length, verses, form or not, all sort of things.

It’s what’s in the poem that counts!  Your poem will speak to you ... and then you decide while writing how the long and short of it!

What’s in a Poem of your Own?

When you write your poems, what are you thinking?  Do you consider the subject, style, form, word count, spacing, verses, line count or what?

Each poem is yours individually.  It is after all your poem.

Recently, I had someone I don’t know criticize one of my published poems suggesting I rearrange everything to their liking.  Did I do that?  No, of course not.  It is my poem, after all.  The suggestion is something I considered, but the poem was already published.  Not only does the critic, who I have no idea if they actually are a writer or what, insult the poem but also insults the publisher.  The editing is best for the pre-publishing not afterwards unless the publication simply wants it to go that way.

Would I consider a re-write of my poem?  I looked at it, but I liked it the way it was.  It was based on a personal experience and thoughts I had while composing the poem.  I think as a reader of poems you can take away what you want to from a poem realizing you aren’t necessarily going to like what you read and that if it were yours you may have written it differently.

Respect the poem!  Or at least respect someone else’s work.  If you don’t like it, you certainly can move on and not read it or read it again.

If you are the poet, remember, it is after all your poem and it’s up to you if you want to get feedback on how to do it differently if you want.  I also throw out that old adage, consider the source before changing anything!

Fresh paper and Length Doesn’t Matter

I just got started a new journal for writing new poems.  It’s like a fresh start of words.  My biggest dilemma was in choosing which journal I wanted to use next.  Of course, I have a lot of them!

What to put inside is next.  What type of poems do I want to write this time?

Sometimes people comment on the length of my poems.  I write short, long and medium poems.  I think it depends on the poem itself as to the length.

Same with the journal.  I think it depends on the journal itself how you write in it.

This particular one is being filled with more feelings and retrospective type poems.  And I’m using my favorite color ink, too!

That’s the way to do it - get your journal (or your notebook) and your favorite color and write (or type away)!

How to Sell more Poetry Books, 101

I admit I do sell an occasional poetry book to people who like to read my work.  Some I know.  Some I don’t.  I sell books and ebooks.  I sell online and in person.  I’ve sold more books in person than I have online.  Although these days it’s starting to be equal numbers when it comes to sales.

But how do you sell more poetry books?  How do you sell poetry if you don’t have your very own arts and craft or book store or booth?

I tried to think of some ways today.  I thought about peddling them from my car, always be carrying one around to sell, offer a workshop and sell them there, have a reading and sell, etc.  I’ve used online ads before offering bundles of books for a discounted price.

I suppose it helps to talk up your books everywhere and to sell them anywhere you find a reasonable place to sell them with an audience who will want to buy.  Maybe poetry events are a good place to try like a slam.

I have yet to determine the best way to sell more poetry books!  I did have an experience with a crowdfunding that raised enough money to buy several of my kid poetry books for kids.  That’s another way to go.

If you think of anything I haven’t thought of to sell your poetry books or if you have a method you use that works well, please let me know!  I think everyone should always have a poetry book in hand!  Just saying.  Poetry is life.  And books!

Poetry Readings

Poetry readings!  If you are a poet, then you probably want to attend them, participate in the open mic and maybe be a featured reader.

It’s such a rewarding experience if you are a poet.  You learn so much.  You meet so many other fellow poets.

And you feel out your poems in a different way.  Hearing them out loud so different than reading them.

The next time you have a free evening check out the local readings in town.  You’ll be glad you did.

Poetry and Addictions

Could you say I’m addicted to poetry?  Yes!  Recently, I told myself I needed to limit how many poetry books I buy or acquire because I have so many unread on my poetry bookshelf right now.  (Yes, I have a poetry bookshelf - don’t you?!?)

As I’ve taken time to begin sorting through things at home and at work, I’ve been looking at what I need to keep and what I don’t.  Same for the rest of the things in life:  such as eating and online!

I have been trying to give up certain foods for some time - you know the ones that taste good but that are so bad for you.  I have had a bit of luck with it, but it is hard.

The hardest thing for me to give up so far is not poetry, but soft drinks!  Yes, they are addictive - or really the sugar is.  I never drank the diet ones.

I have spent the last week giving up this addiction of mine.  I’ll see if it sticks!

Examine what works.  Examine what doesn’t.

Sometimes, it’s time to realize, like I did with soda, you don’t need it to live.  Poetry, however, I do need to live ....I just have to space out my purchases more so I have time to actually read the poetry I buy!

No Picnicking, Support your favorite author

I have seen those words every time I sit in a cafeteria I go to and wait.  What does that mean?

They don’t want you using their tables to have a picnic.  They want you to buy their food.

But often they don’t serve something I can eat.  I will, however, try to purchase something there.

It’s called support.  I need to support the use of their tables and chairs for the time I’m sitting there taking it away from other paying customers.

Same with books.  Do you support authors and poets or do you always want to read everything for free?

Of course, there is a slew of content for no cost online.  Still, everyone has to eat.

The next time you read a particular author’s work for free, think about supporting them by buying a book or e-book.  Support is support.

And we all thank you.

Reading to Write

If you want to write, you should read, right?  But how to read?  Electronically, magazines, online articles, books?

You should read how and what you want.  If you prefer one medium over the other, then choose that. There’s no right way to read.

I like to read e-books when I travel.  If I’m not driving, I still cannot read a regular book or magazine in the car without getting car sick.  But I can read an e-book for a little bit.

I still love physical books and even magazines.  I use 2 e-book readers on my phone to read e-books.  I usually stick to online for news articles.  But I will also read the newspaper.

We either trade in the books for credits at a used book store (and get more books) if we don’t keep them.  We recycle everything else.

Reading, I know, makes me a better writer.  I am amazed, and not in a good way, of those folks who won’t even listen to an audiobook much less read a book who then call themselves writers!  Is it impossible to write without reading?  I’m sure it isn’t.  But to write well, it’s good to open up your mind to someone else’s way of writing.

If I’m working on a particular type of book or article, I may stay away from reading that same thing while I write so it doesn’t influence my work.  Research, though, is the exception.  If you don’t read, how can you research?

Reading gives you a chance to see how other books are marketed.  It also gives you a chance, sometimes, to connect with the authors in a positive way.

If I’m not writing, I’m going to be reading.  I read poetry every day unless I just can’t access it for some reason or if I’m not feeling well.  I think reading poems, and reading in general makes me a better writer!