HW #2 -Rachel Greco

Yeah, I’m behind 🫠. But better late than never!

Homework For Thomas’ Talk

Step 1 - Look in the Mirror

What are your strengths?

● Encourager

● Hard-working

● Persistent

● Good at editing

● Good at creating plot twists

● Good at creating unique stories

● Semi-good at coming up with interesting one-liners/hooking reader’s attention right away

● Getting better at inserting emotion into my stories and the characters’ inner lives

● Teachable spirit (most of the time )

What are you the best in your world at?

● Crazy/wild imagination: it’s not difficult for me to dream up a world and how it works, nor does it take long

● I can come up with story ideas super quickly and easily (brainstorming)

● World building is pretty easy for me

● Good at planning

● Knowing native plants ;)

● Making tea—hot or cold

●

Why do readers pick other authors over you?

● They see those authors everywhere

● The authors make funny/interesting/deep posts/videos that they like or relate to, making them trust the author more (on social media)

● The authors do a better job of explaining how interesting or exciting their books are

● They’ve read other books by that author and like the books

Why do people read other similar stories rather than your story?

● Those have better written back-cover copy

● They are steamier

● They are more unusual/unique

● Those stories are everywhere (social, Goodreads, Amazon, etc.)

● They don’t know my story exists

What do you do that exhausts you?

● Social Media

● All kinds of book promotion ;)

● Having many things going on at once: editing this story, drafting that one, promoting my already-published stories, while marketing future ones, writing blog posts, creating social media posts, and making sure I keep up with my email subscribers. Whew!

● Editing again and again and again on the same story

What are your unfair advantages?

● The Lord is with me and for me

● I have a super supportive husband

● Have read many wonderful stories and know what a fantastic, soul-gripping story should be like

● I know what real love is and what it’s like to be broken and still considered beautiful/loved

● Have read many wonderful stories and know what a fantastic, soul-gripping story should be like (still learning how to replicate it, though!)

● I have already published two novels and know some of what not to do

What gives you the authority to write on the subject you’re writing on?

● I was once a teenager who go into trouble ;).

● I Have been reading all kinds of fantasy for twenty years. (Wow, that makes me sound old!)

What gives you the authority to explore the themes in your writing

● I know what real love is and what it’s like to be broken and still considered beautiful/loved

● I know what it’s like to crave more than a mundane life

● I know what it’s like to fit not fit in

Step 2 - Look at Your Readers

Who is your target reader?

● A teen, not necessarily a Christian or non-Christian, who lives in the U.S. and who feels like they’re never good enough. They know they are broken and imperfect and wonder if they can still be loved and beautiful with their imperfections.

What does your target reader read currently?

● Fourth Wing, Impostors by Scott Westerfeld, Songflight, anything by Brandon Sanderson, Ranger’s Apprentice, Once Upon a Dream (Twisted Tales), Enchanced, books by Nadine Brandes, books by Marissa Meyer

How is your target reader different from other readers?

● They don’t want just a good book or one with spice, they want a book where they are seen and heard.

● They want a book that engages their imagination (mind), heart, and soul so they come away feeling inspired and encouraged—have hope that they are still beautiful, even with their imperfections. They matter just as they are.

How can you thrill your target reader?

● By giving them an emotional connection to the characters and giving them a safe place where they belong—a place where they see themselves in the characters.

● By making the characters not necessarily perfect by the end of the book, but learning and knowing that they are still loved and beautiful, giving readers hope that they are too.

● Also by giving readers plenty of plot twists, beautiful, vivid descriptions, and fascinating, well-developed worlds.

Step 3 - Listen to Your Readers

What do readers like about you?

● My easy, beautiful, immersive writing style

● Attention to detail

● Cliffhanger(s)

● Plot twists

● Beautiful world building

● Clean fantasy (good for any age)

● Memorable characters/well-fleshed out/character transformation and development/characters that will steal your heart

● Friendly

● My recipes ;)

● Hearing about my trips

What are the themes and topics that come up?

● Clean

● Interesting/fun mix of fantasy and history

● Sweet Romance, story, and characters

What words do they mention in their reviews?

● Plot twists

● Character development (both good and bad)

● Crazy cliffhangers

● Vivid descriptions

● Easy read

● Profound/emotional ending

● Great world-building

● Slow pacing

● Slow beginning

● Repetitive

● Rushed ending

● Characters felt too young/childish (more like Middle Grade)

What do people say about you when they talk to each other?

● Probably that I’m a little crazy . But honestly, I’m not sure.

Step 4 - Look in Your Reader’s Mirror

What does my brand let my readers say about themselves?

● I may be broken and imperfect, but I’m still beautiful, loved, and important. My life matters, and there is a place for me.

What tribe does this brand give me access to?

● Awkward, shy or restless teens who don’t always fit in or feel like or know that they aren’t as good, smart, pretty, etc. as that person.

Who are your outsiders?

● People who don’t like fantasy/sci-fi, people who are confident in themselves or think of themselves as perfect. People who just want a book that is surface level, that doesn’t touch their souls; people who just want to be entertained (not changed).

Homework For Jim’s Talk

What is the promise you are making your readers?

● I will give you a story that engages your mind with its world building and creativity, that engages your heart with the characters who are broken and imperfect like you, and your soul with the characters’ transformation, showing that you too are beautiful and loved.

What comes to mind when people think of you?

● Somewhat silly, tea connoisseur, native plant lady, fantasy fanatic, planner, adventurer, outdoorsy (more research needed)

What is the empathy you have for your readers?

● I understand what it's like to feel like you're not good enough, to wonder if you are still loved and beautiful even with all your imperfections and brokenness.

What is the authority you have for your readers? What gives you the authority to write on the subject you’re writing on?

● Like them, I’ve always been a voracious reader, especially in the fantasy genre.

What gives you the authority to explore the themes in your writing

● I too have struggled with not thinking I’m good enough or that I’m beautiful and loved even with my perfections as long as I remember.

Find a website that makes it about them, and brainstorm how you would change that website to make it about the website visitor. What are two things you would change?

● My current author website ;)

● 1. I would remove my name from being so big and center. Instead, I’d put questions that relate to my target reader, ex. “Feel like you can never measure up?” or “Craving a book that engages your mind, heart and soul?” or “Feeling a bit broken and imperfect?” or “Not sure where you fit in?”

● 2. I’d give them a way to fix that “problem” (by reading my story or signing up for my newsletter).

Who is your target reader? Describe them in one sentence:

● An American teenager who craves to know that they are beautiful and loved even with their imperfections and brokenness.

To stand out, we must shock/surprise/delight Broca on a regular basis. How have you, or how are you going to, shock/surprise/delight Broca during the next three days?

● (It probably won’t be the next three days ).

● Start emails with an exciting, interesting story or vivid details (that’s also relevant to the topic).

● Write emails from my characters’ POVs

● Dress up as my character at author/speaking events (including a cape)

● Invite readers to have a tea party with me to talk about books (could sell tea to them) every so often—and they could dress up as their favorite character from my books.

● Have my character(s) “take over” my emails, blogs, or social media accounts every so often

You know your brand has to be organic. What is different, unique, quirky, surprising about you that can/does define you as a person? How are you organically compelling?

● My husband and I like to use metaphors or fantastical stories to describe mundane, ordinary things like our day jobs

● I like to act and have acted as my characters before

● Silly sense of humor

● Sarcastic

● Weird (not afraid to be different/stand out)

● Would rather spend a day with plants or my characters than real people 

● Love to play board games, especially fantastical ones

● Bird lover

● Love to jam out to music

● Tea enthusiast (make my own blends)

In what areas do you need to give yourself permission to be you?

● I’m not sure. I do need to stop trying to emulate other people on my website/emails and on social media. Instead, I need to realize I don’t have to be super deep/spiritual all the time or make the kinds of videos they do. I can make silly reviews where I act them out. I can make almost all my social posts be from my characters if I so choose. I need to utilize more of my strengths: vivid descriptions, plot twists, metaphors, acting, etc.

In what two areas are you going to focus on where you’ll make your content surprising/entertaining/provocative/engaging?

● Emails

● Website/blog posts