Anne R. Allen's Blog... with Ruth Harris
Writing about writing. Mostly.
by Anne R. Allen We are always hearing about authors who have phenomenal success with a “first novel.” I’m sure most writers fantasize about being that author sometime in our early careers. I sure did. But here’s what I didn’t know back then: the novels that are published first are rarely the first novel […]
by Anne R. Allen Let’s Face it: Getting Reviews is Tough Whether we’re newbies or superstars, traditional or self-publishers, pretty much all authors stress about reviews: getting them…and surviving them. From the time our first book launches, we’re told our number one job is to get reviewed. We send out ARCs, desperately query book bloggers […]
by Anne R. Allen Jon Stewart said on The Daily Show on August 27, (with heavy irony, of course) “Everybody uses Social Media as a weapon; that’s what it’s for.” He was, as usual, uttering spot-on truth disguised as a joke. Lots of people DO seem to use social media as a weapon, whether it’s […]
by Anne R. Allen New writers contact us every day, asking questions about everything from how to start their first short story (answer: butt in chair; hands on keyboard) to how to deal with trolls and bullies (don’t respond; walk away; report abuse.)We answer them all—as time permits—but there’s one kind of writer we […]
by Anne R. Allen Guest blogging is a great way for writers to improve visibility. Most host bloggers will allow you to link to your website and to your book “buy” pages, so the post can both improve your name recognition and sell books. It’s free advertising and boosts your search engine rank. Some authors […]
by Anne R. Allen If you’ve ever wondered why unsolicited Internet advertising is named after a perfectly innocent meat product, blame Monty Python. In a famous 1970 sketch, the customers in a café are constantly drowned out by a chorus of Vikings singing “Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam… Lovely Spam! Wonderful Spam!” Conversation is impossible […]
by Anne R. Allen “Authors behaving badly” tends to be a hot topic on booky forums and blogs these days. A lot of people blame the indie movement, but some of the worst social media behavior I’ve seen comes from Big 5 authors who are following the dictates of their marketing departments. Unfortunately, a […]
by Anne R. Allen This week I finished the first draft of my fourth Camilla Randall mystery, NO PLACE LIKE HOME, and sent it off to my editor. What a relief! All my books are comedies, but they have a darker subtext, and this one, dealing with homelessness here in San Luis Obispo, CA— […]
Anne R Allen’s Blog With Ruth Harris