When I started blogging and writing, I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. Don’t ask me if I know now, because I’m still experimenting. But I learned a few things along the way.
1) Always show kindness and support to readers and fellow bloggers/authors.
2) Don’t be afraid to be blunt. You’re selling your voice, so don’t alter it because you think you’ll be more successful this way.
3) Engage in social platforms: I choose Twitter. I lost my time and energy trying to gain some following on Facebook, and it failed dramatically. I’m not a Facebook person. And you know what? That’s okay. Who cares right?
4) Tell your story, share your memories, let me in your world. And you got a new fan. You truly do!
5) Stay true to yourself. I should have followed this piece of advice myself. But I tried to follow trends and fit in. We all do. It’s only human. The real gift of having a blog where to freely express oneself helped me understand I really could care less about the latest social trends. I am not here to please anyone. I’m here to have fun and do what I love the most: writing.
6) Success is just a word. Happiness is the true purpose of this exercise.
7) Accept constructive criticism. It is the key to better writing!
8) Don’t be discouraged if no one has bought your book yet. It doesn’t mean you suck, it means you need to market yourself more.
9) Work efficiently. Dedicate time for social media, writing, networking, and don’t do it all at once because you’re gonna go crazy. Remember, easy does it.
10) If you can’t find the solution to an issue in your novel, let it sit and come back to it later. Later can be ten minutes, or ten hours, or ten days, or ten months! Time always helps with the writer’s block.
I admire many, many authors, mostly indie writers like me, who struggle, and shed blood, sweat and tears to release their latest story. These people inspire me.
Thank you for reading. 🙂
The Manicheans 
Even as a recently published author of two books, I find your post inspiring. This is a reminder for my third up-coming book. 🙂
Thanks! Shucks! That comment made my day 🙂
You’re welcome. 🙂
Oh man, 3# resonated with me. I’m not a facebook person either and here I am reading all these infographics telling me that I need to put myself absolutely everywhere to get traffic. So I made a facebook account and it’s been sitting there for like a week. Meanwhile twitter comes to me more naturally. I think you’ve encouraged me to ditch facebook and give myself one less network to worry about haha!
#2 and #5 hit me as well. I’m still trying to find my writing voice but sometimes I’ll censor something afraid that I won’t appear professional or might lose followers – but I don’t want to hold back either. Thanks for the post – great tips! 🙂
Thanks. Yes Facebook just pushed my buttons too much and I don’t really know how to use it. Too much crap on Facebook I don’t need. 🙂 Twitter is fun. And Twitter always helped me out. Thanks for reading!!