The Author Mindset

Novel Publicity Guides to Writing & Marketing Fiction

by Falcon Storm, Allie Semperger (Editor), Emlyn Chand (Foreword)

Becoming an author is as simple as adjusting your mindset and modifying the skills you already have. Get the knowledge you need to achieve your dream today.

Do you feel as if your life’s purpose is to become an author and share the stories in your head with the rest of the great wide world? Do you long to write the next great American novel? You might already have a couple books under your belt, but want to take your productivity, talent, and marketing efforts to the next level. Maybe you’re just getting started as an author and feel lost in the multitude of tasks awaiting you. Or perhaps you’re stuck at square one, having no idea what to do, where to go, or even if you should be writing at all.

The Author Mindset is here to help!

In just a few short hours, you’ll learn the essentials required of the professional author. You’ll learn more than how to put words on the page; you’ll learn how to get into the mindset of an author and live there, carving out your niche in the literary world. With this guide, you will learn how to:

*Spot the difference between authors and everyone else
*Set specific and attainable goals for your career
*Work effectively with the time you have
*Improve your writing skills
*Create a professional product
*Leverage your author brand
*Build an author website
*Identify the DOs and DON’Ts of social media
*Become a part of the online author and reader community
*Get started as a professional author TODAY

We also offer 5 exclusive freebies for readers of this book!

Our Guarantee:

Tired of sifting through book marketing guides that focus more on the author’s life story than on advice you can apply to your career? Or, worse still, advice guides that are really meant for nonfiction authors and have precious little information for novelists? What about when an entire book reads as nothing more than a pitch for the author’s services or other books in his series?

We’re tired of it too. Every Novel Publicity Guide to Writing & Marketing Fiction is focused on you. Whether you’re an aspiring novelist who’s still trying to figure all this out or an established novelist doing your best to stay up-to-date with the hottest marketing tactics of the day, this book will deliver tons of action-packed advice you can put into practice today.

Genres: Writing

Kindle Edition

First published December 31, 2014

About the author

Falcon Storm was born in the frozen wastelands of Alaska. All that time spent in the dank, dark cold was quite enough, so he moved far, far away to the slightly-less-cold state of Michigan and now continues to seek out warmth by making others laugh. From role-playing games to spinning tall tales, he’s always been a storyteller. These days he writes about funny and fantastical worlds set just beneath the surface of our own and works from home writing conspiracies and raising his sassafras daughter, Phoenix.

Reviews

[Nai · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I joined a 'super-readers' group with The Storms. It seemed only natural as

a) I read a lot and

b) I have read a bunch of their earlier works, and wanted sneak peaks & freebies of more

You can sign up for their newsletters here and get to know them better. If you're super interested in becoming a super reader - check out Melissa's post here to sign up.

For the first of my reviews of The Authors Storm, I chose The Author Mindset by Falcon Storm. If you haven't read anything from the Tales Upon a Time series, you really should - they're a blast whether you're young or old, and I hope to review some of them soon.

author mindset
Click this photo to buy the book on Amazon ($2.99 at time of posting)
This is a short non-fiction guide to becoming an author, from some one who has been there, done that & tried everything at least once. Falcon's writing is personable, concise & a bit like sitting in the class of an edgy old professor who rapid fires questions at you even when you haven't had any sleep at some un-godly early morning hour.

What do you want to do?

Are you trying to write a series or a novel or a collection of short stories?

What type of author do you want to be?

Do you want to use your name or a pen name?

When do you want to finish your book?

When would you like to be published?

Which route of publishing do you want to pursue?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCK

My reaction? (Remember this is only page 1!)

Holy! I had no idea I had so much to think about - and I'm already an author!

I say that - but I have not published fiction. I have published numerous reports, academic articles, poetry & blog posts. I have an entire novel written, but it is an unwieldy beast that isn't ready for the world yet.

The guide presents bite-sized chunks of advice that - after the rapid fire succession of questions - calm you down immediately & make you realize that if you compartmentalized the process of becoming an author then a published author, it's not so overwhelming.

Mr. Storm works in some humor along the way, and while I may know him better than most from working with him at Novel Publicity, his wit appeals to the masses, and any literary bug who knows who J.D. Salinger is. It also breaks up the seriousness of trying to succeed at writing, and that my friends is welcome in any how-to guide.

This was the first piece of advice I found super helpful and let me know I was already on the right track.

If you prefer to have an office-type space, but don't have the room for your place, try converting a closet into a work-space or converting your bed into a loft and building your office underneath.
You see, this has been my issue for a while. I prefer an office-type space, we have very little extra space, but our spare bedroom (which rarely has guests besides our cat) doubles perfectly as an office. My vacation days this week were spent getting it finished - all because of this book. I even *GASP* sent someone a picture of the desk to prove it!

There are a number of great advice gems in the book, including;

Whether you're better at telling or writing, and what to do about it,
Plotting vs. Pantsing, and how you can make the best use of both
Highlighters and how to use them like any good nerd/author should
My favorite chapter by far was The Professional Author, but I'm leaving the why of that a mystery for you to find out when you read this book!

This guide also comes with some really great freebies. Links for the extras are at the end of the e-book, and they're totally WORTH downloading - and not just because they're free.

If you're serious about becoming an author - check out the freebies - which to me are more like 'work-books'. Remember the books we used to have in school to help learn math, grammar, vocabulary & spelling? I have to admit, I love workbooks, and sometimes what I need to keep on task is a series of activities that will get me to the finish line.

If you check out only one extra for this book, make it the meditation video - which is without a doubt the BEST meditation video I have ever watched. Once you watch it, you'll want to click on all the other extras - I can guarantee it.

As part of the Super-readers program, I was given a complimentary copy of this book.

[Rubina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just what I needed. I had least expected to read such a book at this point of my life. One that screamed at me and accused me of procrastinating. If you are a writer who is writing on a daily basis, there is nothing this book can offer you or enlighten you or to teach you the art of writing. It's not going to act like your guide, philosopher or mentor. It's a kick in your rear when you procrastinate.

The Only Thing You Need to Change is your Mindset:

There was one line under this heading which mocked me. Every writer becomes a writer out of choice. I have become a writer out of choice. If I was a doctor or an engineer - the whole family would have supported me but being a writer is a lonely journey. I knew it; I chose it - but am I doing justice to my choice? Am I giving it the 100% that it demands? Is anyone?

Focus
The author Falcon Storm makes it very clear that one should be goal oriented. I felt like doing a cha.ch. ch..cha...

1, 2 write,
3,4 Edit,
1,2 rewrite
3,4 wait for a publisher and then.....

the twirl - find a publisher. If you cannot, self-publish.

So simple, yet so difficult to achieve by most.

What is that small factor that holds you back?

Fear of rejection? Fear of not finishing the story or is it just the fear of facing the fact that you are a mediocre writer and once you write - the world will know just what you are. Everything is in your head. Facing the fears and overcoming each one them - is what that is trapped neatly in between the pages of this small novel.

There are few pages devoted to being a Plotter as vs being a painter. I am a Panstser. "Go with the flow" is my motto. Do yourself one favor, don't follow this path. It's full of self-doubt and going backward.

"You are about to take a road trip with these characters, and it's best to know where you are going so you don't run out of gas in the middle of the desert."
Capish ?

Is the time right?

Topics like Time of the day one should write has been beautifully explained. I understand most of us will smirk as a thought flutters through one's mind. How can a stranger tell me what is the best time to write? Is there any worse time to write by the way? I think not. But then to each his own.

Taking Breaks...
Oooh, La la .. how many of us take a break for chatting on the FB. Or catching up the notifications. After all the likes are a fuel to our mundane life. JFYI dislike button is coming up. I am sure many of us will stop peeping after that :D But what kind of break can one take while writing? Definitely not the long ones.

What I felt here was that that author is telling us to be more professional. This should not be an extra curricular activity. I plan to implement this -even for my reviews. Planning and executing that plan must be done professionally. I agree there with Storm.

Editing...?
Do I hear a groan? Are we not the best editors in the world? An emphatic no. It cannot be said enough... you cannot be your own editor. Those who think they can are fooling themselves. We can never see our own errors. You need that second set (sometimes third) eyes to tell you your fault.

Marketing...
A wealth of information about marketing. One message that stood out .."DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR WRITING TIME FOR MARKETING." *facepalm.

A Personal Note:
I have literally savored this little book.Only 75 pages yet the nudges, and the kicks were well placed. Sure to cure your writer's block.

It could have been more detailed. There were many sections that were not explored or should I say I needed more. It's more like a booklet to keep whenever you want a motivation. But one thing is for sure. It packs a punch where needed.

Would I recommend this book?
A must for every procrastinator.

A Line that Stayed with me.
This time not a line but a whole topic. Do's and Don'ts of Social Media... Every author should read it. Especially those who criticize the reviewers.

Ah well. sometimes I do like unsheathing my claws too :D

[Mishael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been asked a lot lately, "What do I need to do to write a book/get published?" And there are a lot of answers to that question. I'm going to be giving a general talk about how to write a book at an upcoming local writer's meeting, so I've been thinking about this a lot on my own recently. One thing I know that I CAN do now, however, is point others to this book.

This is a good introduction to what you need to do to take your writing from being a hobby to being a career. It's not a get-rich-quick-writing-books scam manual either. This book presents you with the facts you need to know and the reality of the author "condition." (I like to think of it as more a "condition" than a "mindset") because I think anyone who wants to try to make a living as an author has to be at least a little insane (myself, included). :-)

So, why do I give this book only four stars? Because it only seemed to skim the surface of some issues. I really felt like it could have (and needed to) go deeper, but I understand that this was just meant to be a brief introduction to the topic, so it does its job well as such.

I certainly have no qualms recommending this to beginning authors and people who are just thinking about becoming an author. For those of us who already have some experience in the field, though, it's a bit too "been there, done that." Still, it is an excellent beginner's guide. If you're a budding author, you need to read this!

***I received a free copy of this book from StoryCartel in exchange for an honest review.***

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a wonderful primer for new writers considering the author path. It is a condensed version of information that most aspiring authors have to sift through pages and pages of blogposts to find. There are chapters that break down the steps of getting into the author lifestyle and what to do along your writing journey. I would recommend this book to anyone considering becoming a professional author.

If you are well along on your author path, however, this book will provide little new information. Any of the topics covered have been delved into in more depth by other works.

Overall, a useful little text.

[Christine J Randall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the conversational style of this reference book for authors. If you are just starting out, then this will give you a good overview on what you need to know to help you stand out from the pack, with handy advice in aspects of creating and marketing a professional product. Where it is light on information, now at least you know you need to do some research. I'm sure to read this again and again as I get further into my writing journey. I have downloaded the main freebie - building an author platform - and I look forward to applying the advice to my current blog.

I received 'The Author Mindset' free from Story Cartel in return for a review.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has been writing short stories and poetry for years and would like to eventually expand to writing longer things, I found this how-to guide pretty helpful. A lot of things mentioned were things I didn't really know about, or knew very little about. There were a few sections I wish had maybe been expanded on a little more, because I feel you can never have too much information when it comes to writing and publishing. Overall, though, it's a good read for budding authors.

[Falcon Storm]

Not giving this stars, because... I WROTE IT. ;)

I'm happy about this book for two reasons. The first, is that I get to pass along a lot of the information I've learned about what an author is. The second is that I wish this book had been around when I was starting out, because it might have helped me out when I didn't know what I was doing.

[Patricia Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read that did what it promised - gave you helpful information aimed at fiction writers without a ton of sales pitch. The only problem - it didn't give enough information. I was expecting a little more detail in some of the areas.

[Sky Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very inspiring, helpful, fun and simple read. It's not one of those learning writing books where you read the history, where the inspiration came from to write this book and all the boring stuff. It's straight to the point and often funny. Not your every day writing guide.

[P.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information for anyone that wants to know what it takes to get published. FTC stuff; I received this book as a gift gift from the author.

[Danie Markgraaff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Handy Educational tool for writers

[J.W. Zulauf · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Author Mindset is a great book for any author to read. If you're a new author, there is a lot of foundation building material that is (in my opinion) essential to start your career as a professional author. If you're an established professional author, then this is more like a point and check. You may not gain ground breaking information, but it won't hurt to take a moment and double check that you're doing everything right. The world changes everyday, and Falcon Storm is one author who keeps up with the times. I honestly recommend this.

[Isaac Macfarlane · Rating 3 out of 5]

good reminders

Good basic guide. Nothing too earth shaking here but a good reminder. Probably the most useful part is on social media.