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Join me on this journey, it’s going to be a long one, but it’ll be worth it down the road.
There are many things the school system should have taught us regarding books and how they get out of people’s heads and onto the shelves in the library. This is another of the American School System’s shortcomings. And so, today we’re going to focus on merely a couple of things I discovered recently regarding getting the word out about books.
Hand Selling, Is That A Thing?
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThis article was both fun and informative. Love the writing and tone. #WritingCommunity #writerscommunity https://t.co/4HiV22PWHJ
— C.W. Spalding (@spalding_w) June 15, 2020
I guess it makes sense that this is a thing. In fact, I could see how it was a thing and I kind of wish it still was a thing. But why not let it be a thing still? The logistics of that are complicated but I do think there’s still a place for this in modern times. Perhaps (once covid is over) it’ll be alright to participate in your local farmer’s market doing exactly this for yourself and other local artists. What do you think?
Prepare For Poverty, I Guess…
There are so many other things we should have been told about books, but for now, let’s talk about making money.
As with many creative jobs, authors get paid under the poverty line and their work merely isn’t appreciated. Their stuff seems so consumable, especially now with eBooks. There’s just not enough understanding that it can take years for the author to work their labor of love. It’s a job you do because you love it, not because you hope to get rich.
Also, you’ll likely be working one or two other jobs to keep up with rent.
So, those are just two things that I’ve been coming to terms with lately. How about yourself? What did you find out about the book industry that surprised you?
Things really started to pick up for me as I discovered the power of popular hashtags. Goodbye frumpy tags that no one knows. I saw immediate results. And so, this article is going to go over 3 writing hashtags which I see time and time again.
They’re ones you should know.
#WritingCommunity
Writerscommunity, WritingCommunity, and other similar tags all take you into the world of agents and fellow writers in an instant. Also, these tags are specific enough that you’re sure to be found if someone searches for writing. Not only that, but the people that follow/post to this hashtag are overwhelmingly positive as they discuss the struggles they’ve faced while writing.
#Amwriting
Amwriting, Amwritingromance, Amwritingfantasy, and there are a whole lot more where that came from. These are great for writers to find people writing in your genre and discuss problems, tropes, and successes. Find your kin! This hashtag also extends to amreading or amagenting. Basically, keep this one handy because you’ll need it later. It applies everywhere that I’ve looked so far.
What are you writing? Not sure if there’s a hashtag for that? Helpful tip: use Twitter’s search like a google engine and type in your question.
#Writerslift
This one is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a lift. Either a lift in awareness, a lift in mood, or anything else to help your fellows. Let this one bring light to your day and use it to share the nice things that are happening in life. The writers and agents that use these tags are trying to share the happy.
Where To Look
The way I discovered hashtags was, surprisingly, as easy as a google search and one simple click. I found http://best-hashtags.com/. It had a list of hashtags, right at my fingertips. As well as:
A chart?
They have a chart. Fantastic. I’m sure this plays into SEO and I really miss Yoast (which is something I used while I interned for a blog agency). There are other websites out there for you to explore, if you have the time and the brainpower, but if not… here are the one’s I’ve found and used.
Thanks for sticking around until the end. In the comments below let us know what hashtags do you use to share your writing?
Des and I take another turn at reviews with our latest video. Watch it here or check it out on YouTube on our channel.
After playing the delightful and picturesque game, Gris, by Nomada studios, I was delighted. It was the best combination of movies meets video game media I’ve encountered so far. I would recommend it both to children as well as adults for its excellent handling of complicated emotions.
One of my favorite things about the game is the fact that it really allows you to work “with” the enemies you face to overcome challenges. Even those things that try to bring you down are actually the things that, at the end of the day, bring you up. The emotionscape presented in Gris is something to strive for in writing as well.
Mechanically speaking, the controls are easy to handle. The keystrokes are simple and it doesn’t take a high level of skill to navigate the world. The game implements puzzles but nothing too complicated or stressful. Overall, Gris tries to tone back the complexity to more fully immerse you in the landscape and the emotion.
So, don’t miss out. Purchase your copy of the game as Gris for Switch console or get the Gris art book. Have you already played? Well then, go ahead and share your insights below. What fell short for you? Or, what did you love?
In case you haven’t noticed, we’ve added a new page on the website.
First of all, we’ve updated our landing page so that when people arrive they can choose where they go instead of being thrown straight into things. Also, the new landing page has easy-to-find external links.
In a similar vein, we have a tee-shirts page. Expect that the inventory will increase with time but for now we have a few fabulous tee-shirt designs that writers will love. They make the perfect gift for your writing friends. Go ahead and check out our affordable prices as well as our cute designs on Let’s Rigmarole! our TeeSpring store.
Keep a look out for new designs as time goes on and thanks for your continuing support.
C.W. Spalding 
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