We’ve Always Done It This Way…or Not

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Hi, all – Ava Pennington here, with a note about shaking things up. The publishing industry is moving faster than Doc Brown’s DeLorean, but not always in a good way. Stagnant sales, corporate restructurings, e-publishing, people reading less…the news can be discouraging. So what’s an author to do? One thing we should not do is approach our writing careers with an “I’ve always done it this way” attitude.

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SEVEN QUESTIONS TO ASK A PROSPECTIVE AGENT

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  Hi from novelist Gail Gaymer Martin at www.gailmartin.com When I have a friend who writes a good article, I ask permission to share it on my Writing Fiction Right blog at www.writingright-martin.blogspot.com. But I don't like to keep great advice away from those who do not subscribe to my blog so this article is meant for all of you.  Many of you are considering or seeking agents, and Jim Watson's article is excellent to help you make wise decisions. Jim comes from Christian publishing experience, but these tips are good for secular work as well. Each of the questions…

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Speaking of Writing…

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Hi, all – Ava Pennington here, with the monthly installment on what I’ve been doing to market my first release, One Year Alone with God: 366 Devotions on the Names of God. I’ve already described a variety of activities, but one thing we haven’t touched on is speaking…

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Handling Rejection

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Welcome to the third Thursday in May from Ava Pennington! Have you ever seen an unattractive baby? Even if you think the baby is ugly, his parents would never agree. That baby is part of them. He carries their DNA. More than that, he carries their hopes and dreams for the future.

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Grateful Marketing

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Hi, Ava Pennington here, with another installment in my marketing journey. It’s been seven months since One Year Alone with God: 366 Devotions on the Names of God was released by Revell, and each month I’ve described the activities I’ve engaged in to help market this book. Today, I’d like to speak about something we can all do to market our books…something we learned in kindergarten.

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Organizing Your Facebook Contacts

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Hi all! I’m Cat Hoort. I hope you are all enjoying a sunny spring! Recently, I wrote a post about the difference between a Facebook page and a Facebook profile. The key difference between the two is purpose: the purpose of a profile is to communicate with friends/family whereas the purpose of a page is to promote your product to fans. If you’re like me, you probably started with a profile and (over time) have realized that the profile has been used for both business and personal endeavors. As a result, your personal contacts and your business contacts are all…

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Different Routes – Same Destination

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Hi, Ava Pennington here, with an observation about the routes we take in our writing. One of the most helpful gifts I’ve received is a GPS for my car. Helpful, because if there’s a way to get lost, I’ll find it. So I’m dependent on that little voice that says, “In fifty yards, turn right.” When I program my GPS for a long trip, I’ve noticed that it often gives me options. I can avoid toll roads, but the trip may take longer. I can choose the shortest route, but it may cost more. I can travel by freeway or…

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Don’t Just Read a Blog – Comment!

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Hi, all! Ava Pennington here, to talk once again about additional ways we can market our books. Marketing isn’t restricted to convincing people to make a purchase. Good marketers will tell you that successful marketing is dependent upon relationships – building them and keeping them. One way to build relationships is to participate in the blogging community.

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Ready for Whatever

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Hello from Jeanette. This time next week I’m be on my way to the Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference. I am taking a big step this year. For the first time ever, I am not pre-submitting any manuscripts or packing proposals to pitch. I am literally just going to learn and seek God’s direction. The other night, the idea of doing this felt scary. It seemed irresponsible in a way. Now, however, I see my choice as very responsible, because I am doing what God has been nudging me to do.

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