Email Newsletter Automations

I'm just now learning about automations for newsletters. It's hard to do when most e-news programs charge for using them, but here's the general idea...

• Send an automatic "Thank you for joining the newsletter!" Because, well, it's nice to be noticed for signing up.
• Send a link to free gifts after readers perform certain tasks--like subscribe, reply, or whatever you want to ask.
• You can create a welcome series that will automatically be sent to new subscribers over whatever period of time and schedule you wish. The idea behind this is so you can provide all the same information without much effort on your part. It also makes it easy to not double up on emails to your subscribers. Who wants to get the same newsletter more than once?
• You can create a separate newsletter series for people who decide to sign up for your street team. This would come after several of the welcome series newsletters. If a reader has stuck with you through 10 welcome newsletters and still opens them, they must be a true fan. They are the ones you'd like to offer specials to and ask them to join your street team.
• If you have a store attached to your mail account, you can send automated thank you's for purchases. 
• You can even send an automated note when someone unsubscribes from your list. What would you say in one of those? "Thanks for hanging out with me, have a great life!"?

All of this could be a moot point though if you don't have newsletter readers. So, how do you get readers?

Let me ask you, when, where, and why have you signed up for newsletters in the past?

Author Newsletters--Yes or No?

Today's topic requires lots of participation. From you!

That's right, whether you're an author trying to figure out how newsletters work or a reader who signs up for newsletters. Especially if you are the latter. I know I have lots of questions, and I'm sure others do as well.

Newsletters have been on my mind for the last month. I started one two years ago when I ran a kickstarter to fund the cost of publishing FADE INTO ME. I think I've sent 5 whole emails since then. I just didn't know what to put in those newsletters. They are supposed to be a good way to communicate with your readers, your fans, but what the heck do you write about?

Recently, another author (Tamara Hart Heiner) opened my eyes to a new world of possibilities. Before I tell you what I learned from her, let me ask you a questions.

Do you have an author newsletter? What do you put in it?

Or

Do you sign up for author's newsletters? Why and what do you hope to see in your inbox?

My approach has always been not to send too many letters. I know I get so many emails that it's hard to keep up. When I do send email letters it's like tossing a paper airplane out the window. There is no response. I'd love to enter into conversations with my readers, find out what they want from me so I can try and accommodate them if possible.

However, here's what I learned from Tamara:

• Send a newsletter every week because you want to weed out the people who aren't really your fans.
• Talk about all kinds of things and only mention your books when something is going on.
• Use it as a way to share YOU with your readers
• Use automations (more on this later)
• Have a book that you can give away to people when they sign up for your newsletter
• Make sure you are sharing exclusives with your newsletter subscribers--make it worth their while

The more she talked about what she was doing, the more excited I got. I sat down and came up with weekly topics that I find fascinating--scientific advances, astronomy lessons, history of space flight, etc. Things that I love to research while writing. Things that others might find just as interesting, and maybe want to talk about. I came up with some personal topics as well--recipe shares and my 50 by 50 goal reports. 

It will require a lot more work and focus on my part, but if it's entertaining for my readers it will be worth it!

So, my next question for you...

Do you really want to get to know your authors this well or not?

Or

What individual topics could you add to your newsletter that reflects you and/or your genre?

We will cover newsletter automation--what it is and why it's cool--Wednesday.

Want to sign up for my newsletter? Click HERE.

NOTE: If you start looking at newsletter apps, look for one that offers free automation or at least really cheap. I signed up for mailchimp before I knew about automation and it's an extra cost with them. 

Thinking about starting a newsletter, but not sure where to start?

Top 10 Email Marketing Services
Top 25 Best Email/newsletter apps

How to create an email newsletter people actually read

Stuck: Writing It Out

If you've talked about writing on your blogs in the last couple months, you may have gotten a whiny comment from me about how my writing is not going. I may have mentioned chapter 20. Or I may have said something about "if I ever finish..."

I've been stuck. Since around the beginning of April. And now it's time to get unstuck.

As I was sort of sketching out this week of blog posts, I had it in my head that by Friday I'd be able to say that I was once again writing. But, things didn't quite work out that way.

via GIPHY

But such is life, right?

So, maybe this weekend I'll pull out my WBW file and just see what I can do...

What? You don't know what a WBW file is?

WBW stands for Writer's Block Workshop. It's a thing I started years ago for days when I wanted to write, but for one reason or another, I didn't have anything to write. It's where I whine about how I don't know what to do.

I moan about characters. Plot. Things that are not working. Or things I want to be writing. I just write out what I'm thinking and what I'm feeling.

The funny thing is, once I give myself permission to just write about the things that aren't working, they suddenly do.

via GIPHY

It's just a matter of sitting down and starting. Again.

Have you got any good tricks to get you started?

Stuck: Writing from a New POV

If you've talked about writing on your blogs in the last couple months, you may have gotten a whiny comment from me about how my writing is not going. I may have mentioned chapter 20. Or I may have said something about "if I ever finish..."

I've been stuck. Since around the beginning of April. And now it's time to get unstuck.

I think my biggest problem is that I know exactly what needs to happen in chapter 20. You read that right. I do know what I need to do. For some reason, that's more freezing than not knowing what's going to happen next.

I took chapters 18 and 19 to my writing group. They had a few suggestions...

via GIPHY
(This is why I have a writing group. They pointed out things that really didn't make sense. Things that had been in the story since the first draft but that no longer belonged in the story that it had become.)

I rewrote chapters 18 and 19. I completely gutted chapter 19 and started over. Those chapters are now stronger. But that means that chapter 20 has to change. In a good way, but still.

So, I cut chapter 20 and went to restart it completely. And couldn't figure out quite how to write it.

via GIPHY

I knew that my main character had to go and explain to the king that she did something that went against his wishes. Then I get to introduce the MC's cousin, who is going to play a significant role in the rest of the story. And to lead into the chapter 21 I already have, the cousin upsets the MC so much that she gets rotten, stinking drunk.

via GIPHY

But it wasn't happening. The cousin wasn't mean enough.

I finally got around to sketching out a chapter. I rearranged scenes. Realized that one chapter is too short to get the MC that drunk, so I'm going to have to insert a new chapter between the dreaded chapter 20 and the already written chapter 21. Doable.

But the cousin... So, it was time to sit down and write out what's going on from her perspective. Why does she hate the MC so much? What's her damage?

Then I had it! I had her voice. I knew what to do...

(And then I caught a cold and needed a few days of downtime...)

Well, it's progress. Of a sort.

How about you? Making any writing progress? (Or are you with me? Stuck, too?)

Stuck: A Cold

If you've talked about writing on your blogs in the last couple months, you may have gotten a whiny comment from me about how my writing is not going. I may have mentioned chapter 20. Or I may have said something about "if I ever finish..."

I've been stuck. Since around the beginning of April. And now it's time to get unstuck.

And that's what I was going to do on Monday. I was going to sit down and work. It was going to be the perfect day for it. I had installers coming... (Satellite TV. Long story.) ...and since I had no TV and nothing but time...

Then I woke up Monday. With a head cold.

via GIPHY

(Also the reason there was no post on Tuesday.)

Sometimes it feels like the universe is out to get me.

But it isn't. Not really. It may feel like that, and that's perhaps why it happened. Other things have been going on, so the minute I had some down time, my body decided it was going to get its rest first.

And that's okay. Because if I feel like I'm never going to write again, I'm never going to write again. But I know my time is coming. I got back here to write a blog post, didn't I? So, success!

via GIPHY

When it's been a while, and when I feel the world is pushing my away from writing, any little progress is good. An avalanche only needs a little bit to get it going. Just a little start can get me moving again. I know it can.

So, start small. A blog post. A page of some random thoughts. That's all. Just a bit today. A bit more tomorrow. Soon, it'll be flowing again.

Stuck

If you've talked about writing on your blogs in the last couple months, you may have gotten a whiny comment from me about how my writing is not going. I may have mentioned chapter 20. Or I may have said something about "if I ever finish..."

via GIPHY

I've been stuck. Since around the beginning of April. And now it's time to get unstuck.

One of my big problems has been time, or rather, lack of it. I get home from work, and the time I could be writing vanishes before I even realize it, rather like the cookies I'm munching on as I write this. Blogs. Technical issues (I will not bore you with my internet woes). Family favors (my niece needed a bit of help with her algebra--usually at the worst time). I'm sure you're familiar with the story.

via GIPHY

So, what to do? When can I squeeze in time to write?

I could schedule a time to write. A time that is my writing time, kind of like an appointment I make with myself. Block out the world.

I used to be able to do this pretty well. But lately... Life happens. I can learn to be flexible. And forgive myself for not being able to keep these appointments with myself. For now. Things will change again, and my writing appointment time will become easier and easier to do.

I could carve out some extra time, by waking up an hour early or going to bed an hour later. Make that my writing time.

For me, the waking up early never worked out. I'll go so far as to set the alarm, but when it goes off, I convince myself that I don't want to write that badly. I'm more of a stay-up-an-hour-later gal. Which wasn't working out when I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open. Those pages end up getting tossed later due to incoherence.

I could try to find little bits of time to write during the day.

I used to do this all the time. I could find odd down times at work where I could jot a few ideas down. But lately... It just wasn't working out for me.

So, I whine. I know perfectly well that if I really wanted to, I should be able to find a way. But perhaps now isn't the time. And it's time to stop shoulding all over myself. Because the time is coming when I will get back to writing, and this time stuck will be a terrible memory.

via GIPHY

Finding Your Funny Bone and Other Mahem

“I could not tread these perilous paths in safety, if I did not keep a saving sense of humor.” -Horatio Nelson

“I think the scariest person in the world is the person with no sense of humor.” - Michael J. Fox

Writing humor isn’t easy. In my opinion, it is one of the most difficult genres there is. I don’t think you can learn it via a self-help book. I think it’s there nestled inside you at birth. It isn’t like buying a car. “I’ll take the Dodge with an upgrade of giggles.”

Books about writing funny (ha ha, not strange) range from known authors to psychiatrists. None of them ever tripped my trigger, but I’d like to know if any of our followers have tried to educate themselves via lessons. To me it seems they try too hard. And that kills the ride.

If I want to learn the funny side of writing, I have my Go To books, the examples that made me LOL. 

Dave Barry. Pick a topic. Any subject and the man will make it a hilarious tale. He has a way of putting the reader on a well-traveled road then jerking you off to roller coast that you never saw coming. 

Erma Bombeck. She’s been gone for a twenty years but boy howdy, she could write. 

Quotes: “If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead.” 

“Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.” 

For a bit of specialness, Google When God Created Mothers. *sigh*

James Herriot. His books about the veterinarian practice in England are wonderful. But one of his books, All Things Bright and Beautiful contains his first glimpse of his newborn son. Seriously, thought I’d blow a mental fuse laughing so hard.

Justin Halpern. This author is a bit timelier than the ancients above are. Sh*t My Dad Says makes me laugh just thinking about it. Heavens, the mental images he creates. Read the first chapter and you’ll see.

As with most my writing skills, I depend on the examples of authors who know the ropes and run the trails. They are my inspiration whether writing Fantasy or Humor. Or a mixture of both.

"If you could choose one characteristic that would get you through life, choose a sense of humor." - Jennifer Jones

Ho Boy, do I ever agree with Ms. Jones.

Do you try to slip in a little hilarity in your books? Is there a self-help book that you can recommend?

Note to Bloggers: Go to http://www.freeimages.com/ for some mighty fine photos for your blog.

The Evolution of the Elusive, Reclusive Writer

Will they like me? Am I good enough?

Actually, it doesn’t start out that way. It begins with a Thor/Odin god-complex. Making the New York Times Bestseller list. Building a mansion with the proceeds. Flashing lightbulbs and paparazzi.

The success of the previously unknowns sticks in your head. J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, E.L. James.

The ease of achieving fame. Take a movie character, add their manuscript newly printed on a shelf of paper, talk to a publisher, and instantly you are a Published Author making untold riches. Cheaper By the Dozen, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (excellent oldie, btw).

But wait. What about:

• Storyline 
• Grammar
• Research—as in placing Stonehenge to the south and west of London and not east in the English Channel
• Continuity or Flow
• Avoiding Tropes and Clichés
• Formatting
• Critiques, Betas, Editors
• Editing
• And Editing
• And Editing

Also:

• The Query
• The Synopsis
• Agents
• Publishers
• Blogging
• Websites
• Marketing (cursing softly)

But forget all that. Let’s talk about the important stuff a

writer has in their deranged toolbox. Such as:

Writing Material. Post Its, stacks of notebooks—all sizes from dividers to 5 x 7 memo pads—scribbling on a tissue box, and yes, napkins. (thank you Janie Junebug). 

My house has paper sources (or tissue boxes) strewn every five feet in case inspiration strikes.

The Voices. Don’t you hate it when you’re arguing with a character and a family member interrupts? Or a total stranger in the mall? Never mind the wide-eyes and halting questions. I wish they'd stop with the 911 calls.

Alien abduction. A scene or conversation (see above) clarifies in your mind and you want to type it out before forgetting it. The sun is a bare sliver above the horizon when you begin. Then it’s time for lunch and people are whining. You swear it was only seconds ago.

Okay, come clean. If you’re a writer, you’ve dealt with Time Lapse. It happens. Admit it. 

Alien abduction is the only answer.

Exercise. How in the Holy Hades is a person supposed to keep active when the MC is in trouble and my hunky hunk is following the trope trail in need of a re-write? 

Although I swear by my few Fitbit, I could do without the snippy 'tude it assumes.

Just so yanno, writing the next Great American Novel is not on the road map necessarily. Writing, composing, sorting through scenes, beating your head against the wall...it is a dirty, frustrating, embarrassing, gut-wrenching business. 

And a marvelous, creative, exciting adventure that gives me

goosebumps thinking about it.

But just as important, every writer—from Newbie to NYT bestseller—knows this thought will keep them company at every stage:

Will they like me? Am I good enough? 

How To Spot a Writer

In a world of negative, I bring you a week of nonsense humor.

Stalking the Wild Writer in their natural habitat.

The signs are many and the trail is easy to spot once you see one. Amid coffee cups and Post Its, they are Writers and be careful how you approach one.

The vacant look is the first give away. They focus on something so far away that an eagle would have trouble seeing it. Could be they see what is hidden from mortals. Their gaze follows as if something is walking by. You look but already it is gone.

The reclusive Writer wakes at odd hours and scribbles furiously on bits of paper. They mumble. Questions go unanswered. The squinty-eyed look tells you everything you need to know. Back away slowly lest you incur their wrath.

And speaking of fury. Have you heard a Writer scream at a telemarketer who just interrupted a vital scene with a phone call? Such words. It’s enough to make a trucker blush.

Patience is in short supply with the confirmed Writer. Limit

your conversation when their bodies are corporal but their minds are not. Their good will depends on attention span and need for humanity. What they really want is for you to finish your story about how traffic was so bad going to work. Quit talking because for a Writer, listening to inane conversation is like opening a bottle of aspirin and wading through the childproof seal and cotton ball. They just want to get the painkiller and they can get back to writing the battle scene you interrupted.

Use care when you do get their attention. Hollering, “Hey, honey, come see this on TV” might result in bodily harm. Disrupting their thought processes can lead to an early death.

Food seems to work both ways with a writer. Either they eat

too much while writing to stave off the stress of rejection letters from agents. Or, food becomes a forgotten thing, a pleasant memory.

Leave food out in bowls as you would for a wild animal. Eventually they will come eat. Use discretion and attempt to discover the Writer’s mood. If the scene the Writer is composing is a fight scene, buttery crackers are perfect. Popcorn works for introducing new characters, and chocolate is the go-to for almost anything else. Except death scenes, especially for a beloved character. Careful how you approach the hunched over figure then. Could be a quiet retreat, tippy-toe fashion, is your best bet. Ensure they are still breathing of course. But never ever interrupt their process when a character dies.

Normal. Do Not Be Alarmed

Don’t be surprised if a Writer is drinking several different beverages at one time. This has less to do with their tastes as it has with the writing process. Forgetfulness is the key here.

When sighting of a Writer is confirmed and they are flushed out of hiding, for a few minutes, the Writer morphs into actual people. But don’t be fooled. When the furrowed brow appears, the pursed lips, we know the time is nearly over and the Writer is again lost to our plane of existence.

Do you know a Writer by the signs? Ask your family. I bet they can point to one.

Dear Unfocused Writer

The lovely Diedre mentioned in my Dear Lazy Writer post that her problem is maintaining focus. She requested that I write a post about that. Well, Diedre, ask and you shall receive!

Dear Unfocused Writer,

Keeping focus can be difficult with all of our distractions, daily life, and procrastination. I’ve done a couple of posts about these like: Dear Distracted Writer and Dear Writer Not Writing. Not being able to stay focused can be due in part to not being organized or just not buckling down.

Here are my tips to maintain focus:

1. Create a To-Do List.

Not just a list of big goals or jobs but small, attainable tasks and list them in order of priority, so the most important task is at the top. Keep this list at your desk and look at it every morning. After you complete one task, cross it off and move to the next. But give yourself short breaks every now and then to give yourself a boost.

2. Stay Organized

Keep your desk clean, your papers filed in their proper place where you can easily find them, and your email orderly. I have folders in my email for different correspondences I need to keep. Such as: Editing Clients, Beta Readers, Blog Tour, etc.

3. Use a Calendar

I have a calendar on my desk that I use to keep track of blog posts, guests, and other daily tasks I need to remember. This helps me to focus on what is important for that day. Then I move on to my to-do list.

4. Don’t Procrastinate!

If you don’t do it now, you won’t do it later because you’ll get too comfortable with putting it off. Tell yourself to do it NOW, so you don’t have to do it later.

5. Don’t Multi-Task

Do one job at a time. This allows your brain to engage fully on the task at hand.

6. Give Yourself Goals and a Reward.

Goals like “Finish Chapter One Today” is a motivator. It’s not so big that it’ll drag you down into procrastinating. You’ll want to sit down and get to work. Then when you add a reward like an hour of reading time, a piece of chocolate, or movie night, you’ll really want to complete the task to get your reward.

7. Avoid Distractions

Stay away from the Internet and mute your phone. These things hog your time and attention. SEE: Dear Distracted Writer

8. Try Meditating

Meditating for at least 30 minutes a day can help you shut everything off so you can focus easily on what you need to do.

9. Light Incense or Burn Oil

The scent of cinnamon is brain-boosting and helps the brain focus. I always burn cinnamon oil when I write. Peppermint is also good. Drink peppermint tea to boost brain function, too.

10. Listen to Music or Use Sound-Canceling Headphones

Music like Beethoven and Mozart has been proven to help people focus and to even improve mental performance. If noise disrupts you, invest in sound-canceling headphones to mute whatever is going on around you.

With these tips, I hope you are a more focused writer.

Author of Hurricane Crimes, Seismic Crimes, 30 Seconds, Ghost of Death, and Witch of Death. Blogger. Reader. Auntie. Vegetarian. Cat Lover.

Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Website / Amazon / Goodreads

QUESTION: Which of this do you do? Which will you try?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dear Writer with an Editor

Dear Writer with an Editor,

Working with an editor can be nerve-wracking. You don’t know what they’ll say about your story or ask you to change. It can be especially worrisome if you’re a new writer, inexperienced, or never worked with an editor before.

For any writer planning to work with an editor (or currently working with one), here are some basic do’s and dont’s:

     -       Don’t say you’re broke

If you have no money to pay for an editor, you should wait to talk to one until you do. If you end up broke after paying for your editor, never tell the editor this. For one, there’s nothing they can do about it. Two, it’s not professional. You should only talk about money when you’re discussing prices or a payment plan.

      -       Don’t say you’re not going to publish the project your editor is currently working on.

What you do after your editor is finished with your book is up to you. The editor has no control over it. They could edit your piece and it could take you years to publish it, which is totally fine. Or you may decide not to publish it, which is also okay. But telling your editor that you’ve decided not to publish it at all, while they are working on it, can be a downer.

     -       Don’t bug your editor with publishing questions.

Editors edit. That is their function. Even if they’re published, they may not know about every avenue of publishing. And trying to answer your questions about publishing while they edit your work is tough. It’s your job to write the book, fix it through editing, learn about your publishing options, and do what you have to do to get it published.

     -       Do let your editor know of any concerns you might have.

Editors don’t just cut out cluttering words or fix commas, but point out plot and character issues. When you let them know of something specific you’re concerned about (a character, scene, or certain detail), they can keep an eye out for it.

      -       Do ask questions based on your editor’s edits and suggestions.

If an editor comes across an issue, they usually offer a suggestion to fix it that the writer can take or use as a spin-off to do their own thing. If a writer has a question about a suggestion or the editing process, editors are more than happy to answer.

     -       Do be patient.

Editors have lives. Most editors write their own books, sometimes have their own editors to answer to, and have more clients they are working with. When an editor first accepts your project, they’ll give you a time frame for when you can expect to get your work back. Don’t ask them where they are, if they’re done, or start discussing the next project. Just wait. (Of course, if you don't hear from them at all and the deadline has passed, please email them.)

Bottom Line: Don’t pester your editor. (Unless it’s about editing your book.)

Author of Hurricane Crimes, Seismic Crimes, 30 Seconds, Ghost of Death, and Witch of Death. Blogger. Reader. Auntie. Vegetarian. Cat Lover.

Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Website / Amazon / Goodreads

QUESTIONS: Have you ever worked with an editor? What was your experience? Are you an editor? What do's and dont's can you come up with?

Dear Beta Readers and Critique Partners

Dear Beta Readers and Critique Partners,

Writers need constructive criticism to perfect their manuscripts, but just because “criticism” is in that phrase doesn’t mean you have the right to be nasty. “Constructive” is the keyword there. To be constructive is to be helpful and being rude is never helpful.

Etiquette for Beta Reading and Critiquing:

      -       Before you begin reading someone else’s work, keep an open mind from beginning to end. The story may start off boring but could become amazing.

      -       As you beta read or critique, it is perfectly fine to fix any errors you see with grammar or punctuation (with Track Changes). This is extremely helpful to the writer. Even switching some words around in sentences to help the flow is fine. Just restrain yourself from doing so much that you’re editing their work.

      -       If you find repetitiveness (repeated phrases or ideas) or redundancies (sentences that don’t need to be said), point them out to the writer and suggest cutting them.

     -       Don’t just shine a light on the bad, though. If you read a metaphor that tickles your fancy or a sentence that strikes you with awe, let them know. Did a part make you laugh-out-loud? Highlighting it and leaving a simple comment like “Hilarious!” can really lift a writer’s spirits.

What if you find big problems?

      -       Don’t leave a scathing remark about how awful a scene is or how dumb the characters are. Instead, say you didn’t really care for the highlighted scene then explain why. Perhaps the characters’ actions weren’t believable, the scene wasn’t realistic, or something confused you. Then offer a suggestion or two for how the scene could be fixed if the writer chooses to do so.

Many people create a separate document of notes about the story or paste their notes into an email when they return the manuscript. There is also a way to go about doing this.

      -       Highlight the things you loved about the story, even if there wasn’t much. Tell the writer which characters you loved and scenes you enjoyed. Is the writing vivid? Does the writer have a knack for action scenes? Let the writer know all of this to boost their confidence.

      -       After you talk about the good, mention the not-so-good…the things you feel could be worked on. Tell them which scenes or characters could use some help, and include a sentence or two for why you feel this way. If there are plot holes, point them out and offer a suggestion for how the writer could possibly fix it. Try to be helpful no matter what; that is your job.

      -       Whatever you do, DO NOT write huge paragraphs bashing their writing, characters, or scenes. This is bad taste. And it doesn’t help the writer at all.

Below are real beta reader comments and what should’ve been said instead.

Beta Reader Comment #1: Oh, there are one or two one-liners in her first person POV, but not even those mentally spoken words show any real emotion. So it all just comes across as an author trying so hard to make the heroine the star that she's willing to make the men look weak and incompetent.

What Should’ve Been Said: Work on adding more deep POV and emotion into your main character here. And try to divide some of the heroism among the other characters in this scene.

Beta Reader Comment #2: You also put a couple of scenes in this book that were either unbelievable or ***** acted so contrary to anything a normal person would do that I just couldn't buy into the fantasy. 

What Should’ve Been Said: I pointed out a few scenes that need some work. I think your character’s actions need to be more believable. What would you do if you were in his/her shoes?

Beta Reader Comment #3: Single lines of deep, 1st person POV monologues work very well when used sparingly, but in my opinion, you've over used them in this manuscript and at times, it comes across as a short cut so you can avoid writing something more personal and descriptive.

What Should’ve Been Said: I found spots that could use more emotion and physical

responses so readers can connect personally with your characters.

There comes a point when “constructive” criticism becomes bullying. So remember, it’s important to be considerate during every phase of critiquing. From the first correspondence to the last.

Author of Hurricane Crimes, Seismic Crimes, 30 Seconds, Ghost of Death, and Witch of Death. Blogger. Reader. Auntie. Vegetarian. Cat Lover.

Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Website / Amazon / Goodreads

QUESTION: Have you had a beta reader/critique partner say something harsh about one of your books? All of those comments above are from one of mine...who also said she wouldn't care if my heroine died.