Wednesday, December 23, 2015

A writer’s Christmas wish list

Dear Santa,

I’m sorry I trashed a planet and killed all those people. I know it wasn’t very good of me and I’m probably on your naughty list, but I’d like to make a special wish list for writers everywhere.

I know you and the elves do a lot of reading up at the North Pole, in between toymaking and annual deliveries. So, if you enjoyed a good book, the best gift you can give any writer is to lead others to discover them.

Here’s a few gift ideas...


Reviews: Reviews on well-traveled sites like Amazon or Goodreads are vital for getting work noticed by a wider audience.

Social media: For example:
Right now I’m reading Revenant by Kat Richardson and really enjoying it. I’ll have to look out for more of the Greywalker novels.
There, that was easy, wasn’t it?

Word of mouth: Do you know a friend, relative, or work colleague who you honestly think would enjoy that book you just finished? Don’t keep it to yourself, mention it!

Posters: Do you have somewhere at work, at your local supermarket or bookstore or gas station where advertising is OK? Try contacting the writer and see if she has a promotional poster she can email you.

Libraries: Ask your local library to stock that book you enjoyed. All libraries I know of welcome suggestions from their community to add to their shelves.

I don’t do resolutions, but my promise for 2016 is to do more to help other writers along. I hope that makes up for at least some of the grisly deaths I’ve caused.

Happy Christmas!

11 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Ian - happy Christmas with the family .. and what great ideas - yes I shall definitely be doing more of that next year ..

Here's to a successful and interesting 2016 - cheers Hilary

Jean Davis said...

Merry Christmas to you! That's a great list. :)

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas Ian.....may your stocking be full of good reviews and mind full of great ideas for your next book.

stephen Hayes said...

I'm sure you'll be forgiven for killing all those people, so I wouldn't expect to find coal in your Christmas stocking. Take care and Merry Christmas.

Botanist said...

Hilary, happy Christmas to you, too. Just realized it's already Christmas morning in your part of the world :)

Jean, Thanks and all the best to you and your family.

Delores, I'm trying to get into the habit of more regularly reviewing books on Goodreads, and I must make some suggestions to the library too.

Stephen, I think I'll be lucky to get coal :) Merry Christmas!

Danette said...

HI Ian! Looks like you're already off to a great start. Santa probably was probably very good to you. Hope you have a great New Year!

Botanist said...

Danette, hope you had a great Christmas, and all the best for the New Year!

Denise Covey said...

Hello Ian! Now that we've stopped eating Toblerone Cheesecake we can get down to those resolutions. I don't make them either. I like your suggestions. Such relatively easy ways to help writers. :-)

Shell Flower said...

Those are great goals. Even "liking" reviews is helpful, too, and not that hard. So, did you feel the earthquake last night? We did. It was centered way closer to y'all, though.

Botanist said...

Denise, we have friends around New Year and I'll be making the famous cheesecake then :) Happy New Year!

Shell, yes, we did feel it. Didn't realize at first what it was, just thought the dog had knocked over something heavy upstairs. That's all it was, one loud thump that shook the ceiling.

klahanie said...

Hi Ian,

Yes, I finally got here, here as in two in the morning on a rainy English Tuesday, January 5th.

So, backtracking, I hope you and your loved ones had a most enjoyable Christmas.

And 2016 seems you have a noble gesture to help out fellow writers. Nice one and here's to your legendary cheesecake, eh!

Gary

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