It’s the first Wednesday of the month, which means it’s time for all the insecure writers to get together and celebrate their awesomeness, encourage each other, and get ready for another month in the life of a writer.
The fabulous co-hosts this month (besides the awesome author whose site you’re on right now):
You are never alone…
February 5 question: Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it?
I had to really think about this one… There’s this image of a cat I saw on Pinterest that made me think: “What if faery cats wore armour? Why would they?”
And I wrote the flash fiction piece “Working with Shadows” which I added to my book “The Fae Realm” after which I explain the folklore about the faery cat (Caìt Sìth). This will be very important as the Faery Tales series continues…
It’s a new decade. Which means that I reassess everything.
I’ve already cleared out the garage, outbuildings, animal enclosures, house, garden – keeping what works, adjusting as necessary, and getting rid of the clutter.
I’ve moved on to my author business.
After listening to a recent webinar by Nick Stephenson and Joanna Penn, I’ve decided to:
- finish my Faery Tales series and publish it all in 2020,
- reassess and redo my covers according to bestselling INDIE dark fantasy books,
- reassess and redo my blurbs,
- redo my blog posts about my books (check out what I’ve already done with one post),
- optimize keywords and categories on my books’ buy pages,
- get more reviews.
And after reading a couple of blog posts over on Bad Redhead Media, I decided to update my website:
- remove all messages that remotely look like “welcome to my site”,
- remove sidebars (they make your site look dated, new supersites don’t have them),
- make top menu stay in one line (too many choices confuse readers),
- remove all unnecessary stuff,
- have main brand colour palette consistent throughout.
Though I agree with Cait Reynolds about planners, I actually redid the way I usually do things and I’m more productive. (Now if only Eskom would stick to a loadshedding schedule and stop playing around with the power, I can actually accomplish all my goals!)
Part of my Project Evergreen, is my blogposts. For the April A-Z Challenge (this year, and the year after, and the year after…), I’m posting a folklore post for every letter of the alphabet.
Project Evergreen for my catalogue:
- I’m getting all of my books translated to Afrikaans and publishing them. (Most of this I do myself.)
- Each book gets a video trailer.
- Each book gets a blog post.
- Each book gets a special storyboard on Pinterest.
- And I’m already working on posts for a blogtour of my complete Faery Tales series for early 2021!
Did I mention that I’m also writing a couple of short stories for anthology competitions? It’s always good publicity to have your work in an anthology of authors in your genre.
As for taking care of my health:
I tried out Veganuary in January. Even for a vegetarian, it was a huge adjustment.
And I’m taking weekends off! Not so much as checking emails. (We’ll see how long that lasts…)
What about you: what have you done to improve your author business this decade? Has an image sparked a story idea for you? What was it? Have you tried going vegan?
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That’s a good picture inspiration to story example. That’s what I was thinking about too, but I couldn’t come up with any specific example.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Thanks, Arlee.
I’m not sure that cat looks happy in armor.
No sidebars? Crap, what would I do with all my sidebar stuff?
Thanks for co-hosting today!
Yeah, I think the person who put it on him is covered in scratches! LOL.
Some of my sidebar stuff I moved to the footer and others to pages — and some things just got deleted.
Your welcome 🙂
Cats in armor – fascinating and a bit scary 🙂
Great tips on optimizing your website! I’ll have a look at mine with those ideas in mind.
Thanks for co-hosting!
Cats are fascinating and a bit scary all the time!
You’re welcome 🙂
That’s great that you’re off to such a productive start to the year. I couldn’t do without the side bar because of my agents spotlighted on the blog.
Thanks, Natalie 🙂
I guess the side bar is all about knowing what you really need.
Ronel, wow! While I just love your cat in armour & the fact that it inspired you to write a short story, I am in total awe of the work you’ve already done & plan on doing in your personal & writerly life. I’m reminded that I have a story of yours to read & I’ll dig it out for reading while I’m in hospital. And thanks for co-hosting on top of all this 🙂
Thanks, Debs 🙂
I hope you’re not in the hospital for too long!
I believe that’s how my newest cat sees himself when it comes to feeding time. “Outta my way, ladies, or I shall smite you!” Love your take of website updates (mine is old fashion, sigh) and I’m inspired by your goals. Note to self: More fun graphics! Thanks for co-hosting this month, Ronel!
Cats are awesome 🙂
You’re welcome!
It appears as if you are accomplishing quite a bit! I’m also revamping some of my blurbs. I tried putting an itty-bitty sweater on my cat and it rolled over and wouldn’t budge. She looked terrified. We laughed, but quickly took it off. LOL.
Thank you for co-hosting this month.
Poor cat!
You’re welcome 🙂
Yikes, I have sidebars! (deep sigh)
Hi Ronel, thanks for co-hosting. I love your site and your book covers. They’re stunning.
Thanks, Joylene 🙂
That cat looks kinda chill in the pictures instead of lying on the floor in a position of utter defeat, which is what happens when my kids put apparel on our cats.
Dang, you are accomplishing a ton of stuff. I’m so jealous. My house needs some serious decluttering, but my family insists all the junk is “important” and “they need it”. Arggh.
This web page looks slick.
I think the cat had already vanquished all fear!
I just told everyone if they haven’t used something in the last five years, then they don’t need it. Done.
Thank you 🙂
Love that cat in armor! It’s interesting how stories come from a simple image, and I enjoyed reading about all that you’re working on. Thanks for co-hosting today.
It is awesome 🙂
You’re welcome!
Wow, you have a lot of things going on! Good luck with everything! 🙂
Thank you for co-hosting today.
Thanks, Madeline 🙂
You’re welcome!
I love that. Totally inspsiring.
Thanks, Jacqui 🙂
Wow! That’s a ton of specific plans to clean up and modernize your author business. You’ve clearly put lots of research into this. I’m going to borrow your idea of making this a time of clean-up and dumping what’s not working. Alas, that includes my critique group, which is taking up valuable writing time without delivering enough benefit to justify the hours spent. Saying good-bye to that weekly routine feels like killing a darling, but it’ll help in the long run. Happy writing in February, Ronel!
SMART goals have to be specific! Good luck with saying goodbye to your critique group — it will probably feel terrible for a while, but if something isn’t working, it isn’t worth it.
Happy writing month for you, too!
Wow. Way to burst into 2020 02 and kick… and, well, you know. You’ve worked so hard, I’m gonna need a nap. hehehe
Anna from elements of emaginette
I know, right? But once I’m on a roll, I feel unstoppable 😉
Fairy cats in armor. I love that!
Thank you 🙂
That cat has an expression of “you have to sleep sometime. I will kill you then.” I can see how it would inspire you!
Thanks for co-hosting today.
I saw that expression, too!
You’re welcome 🙂
Awesome plan. I have Nick Stephenson program too back from 2012 and it has lifetime access so get the updates. I need to go through it and take more of his advice. I have done bits and pieces. Thanks for the shout out for Grumpy Old Gods too. Happy IWSG!
Thanks, Juneta 🙂
Yeah, Nick always has something great to share.
Hi,
You have a lot planned for 2020, and I hope you accomplished all of it.
Thank you for co-hosting and all the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Thanks, Pat 🙂
Very cool cat armor. I can understand why it inspired you. 🙂 Also, I’m in awe at the many goals you’ve outlined. Have at it! 🙂
Thank you 🙂 I’m crushing goals left and right!
Wow, you have ambitious goals; and I believe you have the gusto to make those changes. I’ll be happy if I can eat more veggies this year 🙂 Thanks for co-hosting.
Veggies are good for you!
Thanks, Judy 🙂
Cats in battle armor sound cool. 🙂
I’ve done nothing for my author brand and promotion, and I will likely forever be dated by what my site looks like. But the end desire for what I want in a site would be much more interactive and beautiful. Too bad getting it set up takes time.
Totally!
You should check out Authorcats — they set up your website for free and it’s quite interactive and time saving. There’s a fee, of course, for the entire thing (websites aren’t cheap), but it might be worth while.
Good, solid, bullet-point plan for you year! I’ll wish you luck and productivity as you move through each one. That feeling of renewal is my favorite part about the new year. And thanks for co-hosting this month!
Thank you!
You’re welcome 🙂
Love the cats in armor – such nifty pictures. Someone had fun with their cat … not sure it was the cat though. I’m not surprised those photos inspired you. A fantasy story is almost required to explain such imagery.
Totally! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
What a precious cat and a neat idea. Thanks for co-hosting today.
You’re welcome 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
That image of the cat in armor is enough to give anyone pause. To even attempt to do something like that to our cats, I believe I’d have to cover myself with armor first. (It’s tough enough trimming their nails!)
Wow, you are some kinda productive! Good for you. It makes me tired just to think about all of the stuff you’re doing and planning to do. I wish you much success with all of it.
Wearing armour sounds like a good idea 🙂
Thank you!
I don’t know how they got that cat to wear armor. I have trouble getting mine to wear butterfly wings long enough for a picture. I’m going to assume that it’s either magic, or some kind of sentient, alien-warrior cat.
Happy IWSG Day!
Sentient, alien-warrior cat sounds about right!
Thanks for co-hosting today, Ronel! I enjoyed reading about all that you are tackling, and I wish you success in your plans. 2020 is definitely an ambitious year for you! I’m slowly downsizing everything, and I’m a cleaning fiend right now. It always feels good to accomplish things. All the best to you!
You’re welcome, Louise 🙂
I love cleaning, so the first part was easy enough. Now the rest just has to fall in line!
That picture makes me wonder why I don’t have armor for my cat. Think of all the years I’ve wasted.
Best of luck with all of your 2020 goals/plans!
LOL.
You, too!
Wow, that’s an impressive ‘to do’ list Ronel. I’m exhausted just reading it! 😉
I’ve only just started my author business journey, so it’s early days yet. Lots of trial and error, but keeping productive as well as having fun, is my focus at the moment.
Best of luck with your plans and thanks for co-hosting this month!
Thank you. I’m going with: Go big or go home 😉
As long as you’re enjoying your work, Debbie.
When I hear Cait Sith, I think Final Fantasy 7. 😀 That armored cat is too cute, and I want to know its story!
Thanks for co-hosting.
LOL.
You’re welcome 🙂
Oh boy! That image is something else. Cats in armor, not something I would have ever thought about, but totally cool.
Best of luck on your to-do list.
Thank you 🙂
Wow, Ronel, I’m impressed. Your to-do list puts mine to shame. However, I am very much on the same track of wanting to redo, minimize, reduce clutter. I have been getting rid of stuff since January!
It’s always good to take stock 🙂
So many things that are on your list should also be on mine, but I’m being realistic about how much I can manage with the 1-2 hours a day I have for my writing life, so I’m focused on writing new work and promoting my old work and will take on other projects as life allows.
I’m never realistic about my goals: my math teacher told me in high school to aim for the moon, for even if I don’t make it, I’ll land among the stars 😉
Love the cat in armor. Reminds me of Puss In Boots (Antonio Banderas) in the Shrek movies. But good for inspiration. Thanks for co-hosting this month.
Now I’ll have to watch all the Shrek movies again!
You’re welcome 🙂
My cats are loud enough lately without adding armor to the mix! At least the kittens are. They sound like a cattle stampede in the middle of the night, and there’s only two of them. Sounds like you’ve got big plans and you’re already implementing them. Good luck!
Your furbabies sound like they are a lively bunch!
Thank you 🙂
Thanks for co-hosting this month.
Sounds like you’re doing a major renovation on your work.
It’ll be interesting to see it all come together.
Best of luck.
Thank you 🙂
Great post. You gave me inspiration for my 2020 updates. That cat is hilarious. Thank you for co-hosting!
Thank you 🙂
Excellent tips on author branding and general site clean-up. Now to find the time and super-hero gumption you seem to possess 😉
Grumpy Old Gods sounds delightful!
Thanks for co-hosting 😉
You’re welcome 🙂 Super-hero, huh? I like the sound of that!
Impressive set of stuff you’ve accomplished already this year, and some good thoughts about the blog. Upgrading my blog has been on my to-do list for a couple of years 🙁
Thank you 🙂 Upgrading a blog can be loads of fun!
I’ve been thinking about this ‘modern website’ stuff, especially the lack of sidebars. Questions I ask myself include ‘how will people find interesting stuff I do, apart from the blog post itself?’
When I have time, I’ll do an assessment of styles I like and whether I think they work (realising they have to work in all reader formats).
Meanwhile, I do have one comment on the new look… reading on my iPad, the font is waaay too small!
Do I have to resize every blog I visit? Surely there should be some sort of standard?
Sigh… technology… “progress” …
I’ve read that font size, menu bars, etc. all still have to be formatted for mobile devices — it seems that, despite everyone already on the bandwagon of modernising sites, developers still lag behind. Sigh. I’ve added a couple of plugins for mobile devices… we’ll see if those actually work.
As for the sidebars, it’s also to make your site more efficient for reading on mobile devices. For the most part, your sidebars move to the bottom of everything when someone views your site on a mobile device.
Try adding menus and pages to help people find out more about the interesting stuff you do 🙂 WordPress has a few tutorials on how to easily add these.
Wow, Ronel, you have an extremely busy year ahead! Well planned, too. Not sure I understand what “Project Evergreen” actually means, but lots of great incentives for you. And, will you stick to the vegan “diet”? Thank you for co-hosting this month.
“Project Evergreen” is all about making my business stand the test of time 🙂
Veganism is hard, but I’ll try to stick to it for the most part. I am, however, going to incorporate eggs from my backyard hens into my diet (no animal cruelty there!).
You’re welcome 🙂
Thanks for co-hosting this month! Sounds like 2020 is your year of changes and updates. Hope it all works out for you.
For 2020, my goal is to submit more. Never went vegetarian or vegan. The only wellness change I’m undergoing is stopping putting harsh chemicals in my hair and going natural. Good luck finishing your story and all your reassessments!
Thank you 🙂
I’m also stopping all harsh treatment of my hair — I’m letting the curls have their way!
Thank you for co-hosting the IWSG blog hop this month, Ronel.
I love picture prompts and always work well in response to visual prompts.
A blog upgrade is something I need to work on. Thanks for the reminder.
Good luck with your schedule – it’s impressive!
You’re welcome, Michelle 🙂
Wow, you’re a busy gal. Love the graphics and I’m especially impressed that each book gets a video trailer. I’m curious how you produce the trailer?
I apologize for my late comment I was traveling from Mexico to the USA. Next, dealing with pre and post surgery on my carotid artery. It was important to me to visit everyone that posted a comment on my blog. Thanks for co-hosting IWSG this month!
Good luck with your surgery!
I use AdobeSpark — it has a free version where you can make videos, use their free music (though I also use others — check the credits on my videos) and add graphics. I’ll probably do a blog post about it 😉
Love that inspirational picture. Impressed at your aims for 2020 – best of luck.
Thanks, Roland 🙂