Session #11 - Claudia

Urgency: I'm not sure what options I would have as a traditionally published author. I could see myself offering short stories from my story world to the first hundred buyers.

Scarcity: Again, I'm not sure what my publisher will allow me to do. I am allowed to purchase my own books and sell them myself, so I suppose I could sign those and put a unique drawing or something.

Popularity: I have been mentioning an award I won for an early version of my novel, but I will probably drop this if something better comes along. I'm hoping to get endorsements from a couple of somewhat known authors. Of course, I'll be overjoyed to be on any kind of bestseller list, even Amazon's.

Anchoring: I'll try to write compelling copy that let's the reader know how exciting my story is, and that it would be a wonderful escape for them, better than a vacation or a movie.

Authority: I like writing science fiction, and my science background gives me some credibility in the genre. So, I will probably stick to this genre, which will lend focus. I believe I can get two endorsements that will lend authority. I am continuing to take writing craft courses and trying to improve on my writing with my sequel (consistency). I try to add value in my novels by embedding truth while not being preachy. Now that I have had a taste of success (receiving the contract from a traditional publisher), I already feel more confident when talking to others about my writing than I used to be.

Reciprocity: I need to improve my short story writing skills and use short stories as gifts to my readers. I also need to learn how to use my newsletter better and add value to my reader's lives. I need to think about how to connect my life (farm life, going against the tide) with my scifi writing.