#AtoZchallenge New Tools Every Author Should Be Using

The #AtoZChallenge 2017 Theme at Operation Awesome is the Publishing Journey.

Today's guest post is by Leslie Hauser.
New Tools Every Author Should Be Using

Welcome to another day of the 2017 April A to Z Blogging Challenge. I'm super excited for this opportunity to write a guest post for Operation Awesome and talk about something that I've had a lot of experience with lately: Being an author.

Being an author can sometimes feel like this:

But I've discovered through my journey that a few tools can make life as an author a lot easier and open up a lot of doors:


1. QueryTracker

As an author, you have several paths to publication: 1) secure an agent as a means to be published by one of the major publishing houses, 2) submit on your own to smaller publishing houses, and 3) self-publishing. No matter which you choose, you need to keep track of the process.

If you are querying agents, then QueryTracker is for you. QueryTracker allows you to find agents listed in its database. This will help you narrow your search to include only agents who accept your genre. It also has a feature that allows you to track and organize your queries, and you can review agent data such as response time and preferences. This is all free! ItÕs such a great resource. If you want to track more than one novel or are into data reports, you might want to upgrade to the Premium membership. If not, then the free version has all you need.






2. Hootsuite

Social media is so important for an author. You have to get your name out there, and some publishers won't feel comfortable taking a chance on you if you don't have a social media presence. There are many choices: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Goodreads, Snapchat, Litsy, Bloglovin', LinkedIn, Google+, and your own blog. It's a ton!

My advice is to pick 2 or 3 that you really feel comfortable with and focus on those. But even with this, keeping up with your social media channels could be a full-time job! This is where a social media manager can help you. I like Hootsuite the best. You can schedule posts, track certain hashtags, track your mentions, and be alerted to all of this. It's very easy to use. I'm still getting used to it because scheduled tweets sometimes sound forced to me. And sometimes I like to tweet in response to things I read on Twitter. But when I have blog posts or weekly Instagram quotes I want to post and promote, the scheduler is helpful in getting multiple tweets out throughout the day. It's also helpful to track hashtags I might want to participate in.


3. PicMonkey

As an author, you want to make as many contacts in the writing and blogging worlds as possible. This will mean participating in blog hops, weekly memes, and posting some attention-getting posts on social media. When I started doing this, all these people had such fun graphics to go along with their posts. If you're not much of a graphic artist like me, you might also be wondering, How do they do this? Then I stumbled upon PicMonkey. I looked into it, and it's been one of the greatest tools I have now. I create graphics and announcements for blog posts; I add text to pictures for weekly quote posts on Instagram; and I'm able to create Facebook banners and other site-specific graphics that don't look all wonky when I try to upload them.

This is a cover image I made in PicMonkey for my weekly Photo Stories post on Niume (another tool explained below!).

4. Pixabay

If you want to have great blog posts and use PicMonkey for personalized graphics, you need pictures. But with all the copyright laws, it becomes a little scary and confusing. What can you use? What kind of attribution is correct? This problem was solved for me when I discovered Pixabay. All images and videos on Pixabay are released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. This means you are free to use them! I always try to link back to the profile of the person who posted the photo as a courtesy. By far, this is the best free-use photo site I've found. It has the most choices, and I canÕt think of a time I've been looking for a photo and haven't found it there.

I make my weekly literary quotes with pictures from Pixabay.

5. Niume

Do you want to make money for all this blogging that you're doing? Do you want to get a blog post and social media outreach done at the same time? Then let me introduce you to my new friend, Niume. It's fairly new and rising in popularity. It uses a concept called "collaborative blogging". Bloggers are separated into themed segments known as Spheres. Here people can share interests and find information on shared interests. The best part is that you get paid! I'm still relatively new to this, and by no means am I quitting my day job. But, the more "shares" and "hype" your posts get, the more money you make. With enough hype, your post can become a Staff Pick and be featured. What does all this mean for you? More exposure and a little help by giving you a built-in audience, especially if you're new to blogging or promoting yourself. Plus if you get really good at it, you can make some nice side money!


Overall, I'd say being an author is exciting, but it can also be extremely overwhelming. Hopefully some of these tools will help make your journey a little more manageable, too. Good luck!

Author bio:
Leslie Hauser teaches middle school English and history. Though originally from Ohio, she currently resides in Los Angeles, California, with her dog Mr. Darcy. Her debut novel CHASING EVELINE releases 2017 from Pen Name Publishing. Visit Leslie at www.lesliehauser.com.

Motivate yourself to do anything with Habitica

A few weeks ago, I found myself less than enthused about once again washing dishes. Or replying to emails. Or doing just about anything except lying on the couch watching Downton Abbey on Netflix. But, alas, I had fired my housemaid (she was stealing pearls), and my executive assistant was on vacation (the ingrate--can you believe she wants a week off every year?), so I had to get off my rear and get some things done.

Whilst my elbows were dripping with suds, I concocted an app I'd love to have: a "game" that awards you xp and levels you up based on marking things off your to-do list. Confession: I'm a gamer girl at heart, even if I haven't had time to game since before the toddler was born.

An inquiry (also know as a tweet) gave me a few likely candidates, and after test running them for you (yes, I do this all for you, our loyal readers), I decided that MY LIFE IS NOW COMPLETE. The app we all need to start using is...

Habitica

Look at me, in all my mage glory:

That's right, I'm wearing my badass mage suit, riding a Shade Flying Pig, and standing behind my Skeleton Bear pet. (The ZZZ over my head is because I camped in the Tavern overnight, which I'll get to in a minute.)

There are a ton of features that I haven't even dipped into yet, like guilds, parties, quests, boss fights. But even without those things, this app gave me exactly what I needed. It works like this:

You assign yourself tasks based on one of three categories: Habits, Dailies, and To-Dos.

• Habits are things you want to do over and over throughout the day/week (i.e. drink a glass of water, write X words). The more you do it, the less xp you get but the more gold you get. They turn from yellow to green to greener to blue the more often you do them. You can also schedule stuff you don't want to do and give yourself a "-" every time you do it, which knocks off health.
• Dailies are things you want to do on a regularly scheduled basis (i.e. floss your teeth every day, review/update your short story submission spreadsheet once a week). If you don't check it off, you'll take a hit of damage overnight. If you want to preserve your dailies, you can camp in the Tavern. I usually don't, but right now I'm having some health issues & can't get to all my chores.
• To-Dos are one-time things that you need to get done. You can assign a due date or leave it blank. The longer something sits on the To-Do list, the more xp you get for getting it done, but it also turns an angry shade of red. And then an angrier one. *guilty look*

How you use this is completely up to you. Maybe you want to write 1,000 words every day, so you could make that a Daily. For me, I made it a Habit since I go in spurts where I write/revise intensely over a few weeks and then take a break.

For each task, you add how difficult the task is, which governs how much xp you get: Trivial, Easy, Medium, Hard. I try to stay with Easy and Medium. (And why do they even have Trivial? "Ate 1 grape." "Washed one dish." But I suppose it has its use--I won't discourage you from using it!)

Another great feature is that you can add categories. So I have a bunch of Writing tasks, Chore tasks, Morrigan (the toddler) tasks, Adulting tasks, etc. Then if I want to check off getting 1,000 words written, I open my Writing Habits and come up with three tasks instead of a long list:

For me, motivation comes by having a list I can use to ensure I'm am not forgetting important stuff and by getting to click that big old "+" sign when I'm done. However, as I mentioned earlier, there are options for socializing for those who benefit from a boost from their friends. I'd love to figure out parties someday and maybe go on some of the quests I've accumulated, but I've kept myself too busy to get to that yet!

I know for sure that Habitica is available on their website and as an Android app. I don't have an iPhone, so I don't know if it's available there, but I would be quite surprised if it wasn't. Go check it out. I'll wait.

*waits patiently*

There are things I'd like to see added to the app, primarily the ability to see what I've already checked off in my Habits and what I haven't. (I suspect I've double-credited myself for doing things more than once.) The website also has more features than the app, but I carry my phone everywhere, so I'm rarely on the website. I'd like to see some of the website features added to the app, but still, it's great how it is now and serves my purposes.

We all struggle with motivation sometimes, and this just gives me a boost to get things done. When I get off track (like this week, with my back problems), it helps me focus myself to get things under control. You can use it for writing or chores or whatever it is you need motivation for.

Tell me in the comments -- Have you ever used an app like this before?

Three tools you NEED for your art

You need three things to keep going in any of the arts:

• Motivation

It's what makes the world go 'round. If you don't feel like your writing is going to do anything for you personally or for someone else (like a prospective reader), why write? For many of us, the motivation to write is as simple as this: we love doing it. But what motivates you on those days when the love is lackluster? The answer is totally personal, so if you don't have an answer to this question, get one. If all else fails, promise yourself chocolate. 

:)   <-- me after eating chocolate

• Ambition

I'm not particularly talking about the high-flying ambition that drives people to become valedictorian or MVP. I'm talking about the very basic ambition that drives you to set a goal - any goal - and actually work to reach it. It doesn't have to be glitzy, although allowing yourself a few glamorous dreams can be fun. Ambitious artists are artists who produce because stopping would mean putting a halt on their dreams. So if you don't have a goal, set one. Then tie it to your motivation above. For example, I want to get my middle grade superhero book in shape to publish (ambition) because I wrote it for my sons and can't wait to share it with them (motivation).

• Enthusiasm

You've probably noticed the link between these three words by now: it's ENERGY. Art requires energy. You need a muse (motivation), a goal (ambition), and a whole lotta love (enthusiasm) to get your project from an idea to a complete work of art. Without enthusiasm, the other two won't quite be able to get you up out of bed to write. Enthusiasm is an intangible, like love. You know it when you feel it. But where do you get it if you've run out? 

Well, that's what Operation Awesome was created for! The writerly blogosphere is a great place to find the enthusiasm you're missing. Another great resource for enthusiasm is writing conferences. There just so happens to be a free, online writing conference next week! 

(If you're interested in the history of WriteOnCon and how it came to be, check out our interviews with its founding members.)

If you're missing one of these elements in your art, I hope you'll take advantage of WriteOnCon, and writing blogs like this one, to help you find your passion and drive again. 

So your homework this coming week is:

• Set a writing goal (big or small, your choice)
• Tie it to a motivation (people you love, an audience you want to reach, recognition in publishing)
• Get excited about it!!!

Happy Friday, Everyone!

You Tell Me....

What are some of your favorite organizational tools for writing? 

I always get a little giddy when I get new office supplies. Notebooks, gel pens, push pins, file boxes, paper clips *happy sigh* And they've got the CUTEST stuff nowadays! I'm also a fan of spread sheets, lists, and outlines and am hoping the Easter Bunny brings me Scrivener this year :D

What sorts of things do you have in your arsenal?

Happy Writer Toolkit

Writer's Toolkit (not really b/c these are screw drivers, but you get the idea)

Tools for Happy Writing:

• Silence. Turn off the phone. Get a sitter, or leave kids with a spouse and go to the library. Send your friends home. Do whatever you have to for the right decibel level in your writing space.
• Music. Now that it's quiet, you might find music inspirational. Crank it up! Or, if you're like me, listen to lyric-free music so you don't lose your words in someone else's.
• Snacks. You know how Brad Pitt's always eating in his movies?  Eating on the job is pretty much proven to increase job satisfaction. So snack while you write. Celery or double-chocolate chip. It's up to you. Ahem, but one of these is guaranteed to cause Writer's Butt,and the other isn't. Just saying.

• Clutter-free zone. I can write when my house/desk is cluttered. But I find my brain is just less cluttered when I tidy up first. Plus, I'm old fashioned so I like to have a sheet of paper in front of me to jot revision notes on as I write (whenever I find an inconsistency, so I can go back and fix the beginning to match my new development). So clear a space. Your brain will realize writing should be its focus. And a focused brain is a happy brain.
• Notes and Resources. If you have notes on paper, or on your hard drive somewhere, pull them up and put them someplace where you can peruse back and forth between your WIP and the outline/character bible. I also have a bookshelf right next to my writing space, so I've taken advantage of the shelf within arm's reach and stacked it with my writing books and a couple general resource books about herbs, rocks, insects, stars and planets, plus pocket-size Encyclopedia of World History. They're for times when I'm not in a Google mood. Details and world-building matter, so I love being able to whip out a book and find a picture/description of a common flower. *flips open the herb book right now* Did you know, in the Middle Ages, the marigold was used to treat a range of ailments, like intestinal problems, smallpox, and measles. They even used it topically for burns and eczema. The flowers were also used to dye cheese yellow. I know. I never would have known.
• Water. Or something to drink. Writing kissing scenes makes me SO thirsty. 
• Stretching breaks. When I'm on a roll, I don't ever want to stop, but I also don't want my Writer's Butt to linger. Plus, I find stretching breaks are close enough to actual exercise (hee hee) they trigger those endorphins and make me feel good. Which makes me think, Hey, I'm an awesome writer. I can do this!
• Bling. My mouse pad is a mini photo album of my family. Glancing at it while I write reminds me to write for them as well as myself. What motivates/inspires you? Is it your purple-haired troll doll?  Or maybe your picture of Jensen Ackles... 

• Chat box. For days when you don't actually feel like writing, but must, pull your writing friends into a group chat and have a mini write-a-thon. Write for a set period of time (20 minutes, an hour) and check in with word count. Repeat as needed. Sure, at times the chat box can be distracting, but if you make it a tool in your Writer Toolkit, it will motivate you to get those words out.
• Clothes. Okay, I added this in just to make an even ten, but hey, you need clothes to write. They protect you from mosquitoes and make your butt look good. (Was that my third mention of butts in this post? *face palm* Well, you know where my brain is today.) 

What's in your Writer Toolkit for happy writing? Gel pens? Stickers? Glitter? Or are you strictly a laptop sort of writer?

p.s. Our awesome follower love contest with agent query critiques will run a whole week, so Amparo will have your winners Monday. Keep spreading the fabulous word (you guys rock at that) and be sure to stop by Monday to see if you won the drawings.