Samantha’s Comments (group member since Mar 31, 2017)

Samantha’s comments from the The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club group.

I could very seldom work out reading the book on the right timing. But I always enjoyed reading the thoughts of my colleagues.

1. What sort of word-of-mouth do you employ for your books? I take every opportunity I get for in-person work: readings, panels, talks, etc. I hand out bookmarks for make it easy to remember my name and the name of my book.

2. Have you written a series? Give us a short pitch of what your series is about (titles, genre) and how you feel your series is doing in regards to selling other books (backlist titles or titles in the same series).

I do have a series: The Menopausal Superheroes series. What if mothers and grandmothers were the ones to get superpowers? I can't really tell how this affects other sales yet since I don't have other novels published yet! But people who enjoy one book usually buy all three and the short stories.

3. As a reader, does a bad cover stop you from reading the book’s description? Unless I have some other reason to consider it (like a personal recommendation from a trusted source) a poor quality cover will make me scroll on past or walk on by. It lowers my expectations for the contents.

4. Using this equation, what is your writing quota for a six-day week? 5, 280 words. I usually make that.

5. Do you have a website? Why or why not? Yes-ish. I have a blog to which I've added pages so it serves as a website, too. It's important to have a web presence. A lot of events won't even consider a writer who doesn't. And if someone hears about me or my work, I want to be search-able so they can find me!

6.
A) Can you write short fiction/non-fiction? Yes

B) Would you consider self-publishing short fiction to get newsletter subscribers or new readers? (Or have you? If so, did it work?) I have. I think the people who received it enjoyed it, but it hasn't really enticed a bunch of new subscribers.

7. Have you ever been to a conference? What was your experience like? Yes. I enjoyed it immensely. I always learn by listening to other writers talk about their experiences. I've also found that writers at these kinds of events are very kind and generous with their time.

8. Are you a part of a critique group? How does it help you?

I am. When I was newer at this, it helped me put words on paper. If I had deadlines and people waiting to read, I *had* to produce something. Now, they help me figure out what is and isn't working as I move between drafts and are great brainstorming partners when I get stuck.

9. If you blog, do you wish you hadn’t started or do you think it’s still worth the effort? Why? I do blog. I enjoy it. I used it at first to build a daily writing habit. Then to connect with other bloggers. Now, just because it gets my name out there weekly attached to something that might call attention to me and my work. I don't let it suck too much time. I publish once a week, and have often written ahead during slow times on other projects. Maybe 1-2 hours a week.

10.
A) Do you do interviews to get sales or exposure (or both)? Both.

B) Have you ever done an interview for a podcast? Would you do it again? Yes. Definitely! I enjoy it. And even if I do only find one person, you never know what the ripples might be and where that one connection might lead you. I'd say that it's well worth it IF you enjoy it. If it's torture for you, then do something else.

11. Have you tried either of these paid advertising spots? What were your results? My publisher got me a BookBub once and that was amazing! 30,000 + downloads when I was a one-book author with no reputation at all. I'd love to get another. I buy Facebook ads occasionally, but have not yet bought an Amazon ad. It's on my list.

12. Which social media platform would you pick to focus on? (Remember, only one.) I like Google Plus, which I know many people don't "get." But the conversations are deeper there, especially in communities, and the trolls are dealt with quickly and harshly. I funnel most of my stuff through there and there let it post to my Twitter and Facebook from there.

Loving this discussion. Will be back to contribute more when I don't have to do it from my phone.

How best to manage your time when running promotions. In other words, how can you ensure that you're not spending more time on promotional activities than is actually helping your career?

Hi! I'm Samantha Bryant. I write the Menopausal Superhero series (3 books so far, the third releases in July 2017), and am dabbling in several other ideas (young adult, women's historical fiction, women's issues fiction, etc.). My day job is teaching middle school Spanish, and, besides writing, I love theater, movies, and baking. I recently took up running with my rescue dog and may eventually come to love that, too.

It's been two years since my first book came out, so my big insecurities right now are about building a lasting career, and eventually making the leap to writing as a full time endeavor. I struggle with balancing time and energy and writing fast enough given the constraints on my time.

I joined this book club because I love book clubs :-) And I've had nothing but positive interactions within this group, so I want to be a part of anything the IWSG is doing, if I can. I hope to enjoy great conversations about thought provoking books and become a better writer as a result.