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This week we are talking about karma in the writing community.
Paying it forward is a big deal in the writing community. It can be one of the most beneficial styles of marketing that that a writer can take part in. The best thing an author can do is read other books and offer reviews before their own publications because, in the long run, that is how they will get their reviews and positive publicity. However, there can be a “too much” to giving back, where it takes away from one working on their own work. This is an important contradicting factor to always take into consideration. The bottom line, do everything in moderation:
Questioning Karma
This week I have been thinking about Karma. (As we sow, so shall we reap.)
Jami Gold has an excellent post which generated lots of comments on
Writer Sanity and Recognising Takers. This follows on from last weeks excellent post on what do you do for others in the writing community.
Jami always has really interesting articles about all things writing. Her name comes up a lot in my blog along with Anne R Allen, K M Weiland, Janice Hardy, Jane Friedman, E S Craig, Angela Ackerman and Kris Rusch. Along with many others they GIVE an enormous amount to the writing community. But some people don’t understand that this takes time away from their own writing. Takers expect answers to their specific questions and feel entitled to get an answer right away- They can be pushy, and demanding of your time. They usually don’t bother with thanks either. I have experienced many of the situations Jami’s commenter’s have. I shrug it off and wish Karma back on that person in such a way that they learn. My Karma is to teach and remain positive, (tho in this game it is sometimes harrrrrd- pours wine.)
All of us Paying It Forward to the writing community would just like to say… before you ask your question…
1. Can you Google your question and then read at least the top two pages of links first. (We all did- that is how we learned!)
2. Find an expert in the field and then read everything they write on the subject. (Again, it’s a learning thing.) A lot of blogs have search functions. Read the comments as well. There is usually a ton more information in the discussions
3. Check out a curated blog (like this one) for links to lots of experts. Read them for a while, chances are your question will be answered somewhere.
I always have to laugh when someone asks me a question- about 90% of the time the answer was in one of my roundups within the previous month.
David Gaughran (an all round stellar person) has had his Karma moments on Twitter.
Roz Morris has taken a good hard look at what it means for Ingram Spark to own Aer.io. And it means that
she is about to change her marketing strategy. This is Ingram expanding their book distribution service into
storefronts for authors. (In the battle for P.O.D. Ingram may have scored a coup over Createspace.)
In the Craft Section,
In the Marketing Section, (Bookmark All of Them)
Website of The Week,
Very interesting stuff and a must read.
To Finish,
Often signing up for webinars is problematic because of our Time Zone but I try to attend various ones that have content available after the event. Joel Friedman and Joanna Penn have put together a great one on
Self Publishing in 2016 this week and added some cool extras. Find a quiet space to meditate on Karma and thank these two for a great 90 min video.
Maureen
@craicer
About Maureen Crisp
Maureen Crisp has been writing her weekly publishing roundups for over seven years. She is a traditionally published children's author as well as indie-published. She lives in New Zealand and is heading the team organising the 4th National Conference of Children's Writers and Illustrators. She is currently trying her hand at writing a children’s book series if she can drag herself away from forever tweaking her Mars novel or obsessing over space.