Jessica Ferguson

Author, Writing Coach, Speaker

MEET ALEX J. CAVANAUGH

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Alex Cavanaugh is one of my writing heroes. He is founder of the Insecure Writers Support Group, and almost every blog I visit, I see an encouraging comment from him. He does a great job of promoting others too. During the month of September, Alex starts a challenging blog tour promoting his new book, and he’ll participate in his first twitter party. Get dates and details HERE. Alex knows his blog subject well; he maintains momentum!


Maintaining Author Momentum
by Alex J. Cavanaugh
 
Building an author platform takes time. Looking back, I now understand why my publisher wanted me online a year before the release of my first book. It took me a while to network, make friends, and build momentum.
 
Most authors grasp the efforts required before and during a book release. They do blog tours, appearances, interviews, giveaways, and start planning the next book. When the dust settles, they retreat back into the writing cave and out of the spotlight.
 
Call me clueless, but I missed that last part!
 
I slowed down while writing and ventured online just a little bit less, but I never ground to a halt. Hey, it took me a year to build that momentum! If I lost it, I’d have to do it all over again. I was determined that wouldn’t happen. (I’m ambitiously lazy.)
 
Now some writers maintain momentum by producing a lot of books in a short amount of time. I’m a slow writer though, so I knew that plan wouldn’t work for me. I had to keep promoting, which meant maintaining my online presence.
 
Of course, I don’t like promoting my own books, so did other things instead. I just kept building my blog and Twitter following, co-hosted the A to Z Challenge, participated in blogfests, and started the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. After all, I wasn’t online just to promote my book – I was there to support and encourage others.
 
Did it work? Well, eleven months after its release, my first book hit the Amazon Best Seller chart.
 
I also wrote my next book during that time, and when it was released, it also hit the Best Seller charts. Both books eventually soared to the top of the Amazon UK charts as well. And while I’m blessed with a publisher who promotes my work, even they said my online activity had a huge impact on sales.
 
Maintaining momentum is important. So is consistency. Together it’s like a heartbeat, one that keeps your platform alive.
 
I know every author is different, but if I’d pulled back and vanished, my chances of success would’ve also vanished. No Amazon Best Sellers. No Insecure Writer’s Support Group. No blog growth or opportunity to really make a difference in this community. And it would’ve been a great loss.
 
Guess there’s something to be said about being clueless!
 
Alex J. Cavanaugh
 
Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He is experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. The author of the Amazon bestsellers, CassaStar and CassaFire, his third book, CassaStorm, will be released September 17, 2013.

 

Observations, Praise and Prayer

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It’s frightening to learn how much I don’t know about writing–correct punctuation, powerful sentence structure, the show vs. tell, and correct POV.  

Ab. So. Lute. Ly.  Frightening.
Where have I been all my writing life? Why haven’t I learned these things? I guess I’ve been marching to my own beat. Maybe I’m too hard-headed or just down-right unteachable.

Identifying reoccurringwriting problems in my manuscripts puts fear in my heart–and my head. Certainly it makes me more aware, but talk about slowing the writing/editing process! Unless we do it correctly the first time. (And again, I have to wonder how published authors can whip out books so fast! Some of them make the same mistakes I make.)

And I have to admit, there’s the rub. And, truth be known, THAT’S where I’ve been all my writing life! We’re all told to read the popular writers, those who are churning out the books. They’re certainly doing something right. They have the know-how. Okay, I read those authors I want to emulate. Really, tell me what I’m supposed to learn from them because I’m confused. They head-hop. I can’t. They use adverbs. I can’t. Don’t tell me I have to know the rules before I can break them. Jeeze loueeze, that’s not fair. The only reason breaking the rules works for them is because they’re making money.

Now, Just point out to me what I’m supposed to learn by reading those wonderful bestselling authors like Nora, Stephen, Patterson, Child and others. Maybe … storytelling skills?

I guess what I need to do is have the rules so ingrained in my mind that I don’t use words like, felt, feeling, as, see, saw, look, that, was, were, is, be, to name a few. I don’t say Rosie blushed when I’m in Rosie’s POV, because how could she possibly know? She can’t feel it because she can’t feel. Yes, I know heat can ravage her face like an Oklahoma drought ravages a field of corn. (ha, now that was fun.)

This is not a rant. Believe me, this is exactly what my blog title calls it: Praise, Prayers and Observations. Observations came first. Now here’s the praise:

I got the edits back on my short story. There wasn’t a thing I didn’t agree with so I made all the changes suggested by the editor. What a learning experience! It makes me realize my constant handwringing is for nothing. I need to pay closer attention to choosing the right words, staying in POV and not over-writing.

Here’s a great new resource for anyone who is concerned about grammar and mechanics, technique and style, and plotting and characterization. Check out one of the best articles I’ve read on point of view, called Why POV Matters by author/editor Alicia Dean. 

I make the same mistakes over and over again. Time to take my writing to the next level. The very thought brings on the handwringing!


Now here’s the prayer: Lord, let me be teachable!

Have you identified any weaknesses in your writing? What do you think we’re supposed to learn from best selling authors?