To ensure you always have a topic to write about, create an editorial calendar for your blog. Find out how and download a blank editorial calendar to create your own.

Do you have a dream? Hope for the future. Read and heed these books and your life will soar. Read at least one per month…and keep your hope refueled and fill your heart with inspiration. Motivation starts in the mind. Take time to feed your soul and nurture your spirit. All things are possible if you believe. 2012 is the year to EXCEL!

You’re putting your best foot forward. You’re creating your own community and at this point, people are simply watching you to decide if they will conduct business with you or not. The benefits in the long run will far outweigh the cost to send out complimentary information. Get engaged!

I have friends since grade school, media friends, sister-friends, partner friends, running-buddy friends, entrepreneurial friends, movie friends, career mentors, “big sis” friends, counseling friends, writing friends, silly friends, mommy friends, cheerleader friends, book friends and really cool facebook friends – but we all have one thing in common: We all value God, Family and our Work.

TRADE EXCERPTS WITH OTHER AUTHORS.

Offer to include another author’s content in your e-zine or newsletter and ask if they would be willing to do the same for you. The more useful content you give your market the more they will love and support you. Also offer to sell another author’s book at your events and ask them to do the same. Offer commission or an incentive to make it financially worthwhile for others to promote your book. You can’t physically go to every seminar or conference, but you can ship books to another author to sell your books at a conference you are unable to attend.

Here’s how to network in social media:
1. Tell me who you are. OK, I don’t know this young lady from a hill of beans. Just a postage stamp photo on Facebook. I don’t know type of degree she has or from what school. I guess she thought I would flip over to her profile and check her out. NOT. Busy, don’t have time. Hey, she’s looking for help – why should I do the work. Help me, help you. Make it easy though.

Social Networking – this is key. A social media plan without a mindset to “network” with others is a waste. Here’s a good rule to follow: 30,60,30. This means spend thirty minutes a day researching a topic to blog/write about. Spend 60 minutes actively networking (connecting, listening, responding, engaging). And spend 30 minutes writing, producing and distributing your content via your blog and social media channels. Note you can set up your blog to automatically feed into your Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter accounts.

So what should a new author do?

BLOG. You create your voice. Quit writing in a cave. Get real live feedback. Communicate with ideas with people Think of this as your focus group or market research. See who connects with you – and if your stuff resonates with a particular group.
Get a mentor, a PR coach and go to conferences (like Blogalicious Weekend) to help you with your blog, define your target audience, grasp the big picture and avoid costly mistakes. Way before the book come out!!! At least 3 to 6 months before.
Have a marketing plan and get contacts and instructions from your PR coach to execute the plan. A written plan is your road map to success.
Have a budget or learn how to create partnerships or joint ventures to leverage your lack of funds. Bartering is good if you have no money.
Build a brand – online and offline. Be consistent in all your marketing materials including blog, presskit, postcards, biz cards, etc.
Have an email list of folks interested in your subject and understand your brand and you feed them with valuable information BEFORE your book is out. (Your blog will do this for you)

You don’t have to great to get started but you have to start to be great. Eat. Love. Pray. Dorothy Redmond, you go glamgirl!

It’s funny, I have almost 5,000 “friends” on Facebook and I can say that I probably interact with less than five percent of them. I had to start a new page just so I could add “Fan” pages to my personal profile – because Facebook said I was at my limit. I had to either REMOVE some folks or pages in order to add new pages. (I love “liking” pages – and I didn’t have the heart to remove anyone – so I started a ‘page 2′).

Now here’s the deal. I still get tons of requests daily. I am just about “full” on the page – but the only one that really seems to engage is Michele (outside of my BFFs and clients). So why does anyone really want to be my Facebook friend?

Oh, so I can “like” and comment on how witty and wonderful they are. OK, I get it. It’s not about ME at all – it’s about the other person. I see. Hmmm…