Tag: community

Always There Are the Children

Something devastating is happening, a bone-chilling, frightening thing.

The children are dying.

In this year alone, I have learned of the deaths of four young people, three of them children under 25 years old. All of them were from people I know; they were firstborns, the first fruits of their mother’s wombs.

It has made me reflect deeply on how we foster future generations while remembering old ones. As a history buff, I understand how easy it is to dwell on the past. However, I’ve realized that the past, present, and future are inextricably linked; if we ignore one, we disregard the others.

I had the fortunate opportunity to speak with my husband’s great-aunts this past weekend as we mourned the death of their sister, our grandmother. They are all in their 70s and 80s, so I asked them what advice they have for the next generation. Almost everyone said to listen to the elderly. Essentially, you should obey your mother and father. Today, many may refer to this as honoring the ancestors. Whatever phrase you use, the broad consensus is to listen to those who came before you.

Growing up on a farm, where they grew and raised everything they ate, I got the impression they weren’t just saying this because they were elders but that it was a genuine conviction in which they truly believed.

Growing up, many of us heard the warning: “Honor your mother and father so your days are prolonged on the earth.”

I think about the depth of this as I watch the children perish.

One of my favorite poems from Nikki Giovanni is “Always There Are the Children.”

For me, it is a reminder that we do not live forever in these bodies. We will pass on one day, but there will always be children. What we pour into them while we live determines whether there will be more Nikki Giovannis and Maya Angelous.

Unfortunately, we live in a world obsessed with two things: appreciating people only once they’ve passed and only once they have become great. Rarely do we recognize the process and honor the in-between spaces. Seldom do we honor the becoming.

This robs the children.

And the children are not just minors in small bodies; we are the children, too. We are also daughters and sons, and I hope that we learn to nourish ourselves in the same way that those who came before us were nursed, and that we do so early on, rather than waiting until we are thought to have made it, because we are born worthy.

“We prepare the way with the solid
nourishment of self-actualization
we implore all the young to prepare for the young
because always there will be children.”

-Nikki Giovanni

Ways to Connect with Readers Outside of Social Media

Social media is a necessary tool for connecting in today’s world and it is a must for all businesses to have a social media presence in some capacity.

There are people whose entire livelihoods are built into their social media accounts. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and now Threads have become creator economies where high performing content gets you paid.

But what happens if you are hacked, the app malfunctions, or in the case of TikTok, the app is banned? Now all that work you’ve done and all those people you connected with are gone in an instant.

That’s why I believe authors should focus as much energy into building their own communities.

Community Membership Website

Outside of meeting up with people in person, community membership platforms are the next best thing. I am a member of a few, and I love that the person has their own social app, which they control. There are paid membership sites like Mighty Networks and Skool, and free ones like Discord. The only reason I don’t have one of my own is because I am already managing so many websites, including this blog. Otherwise, I would definitely consider it.

Blogging

This blog has helped me tremendously in my work, and Imma stick beside her.

Email List

By email list, I do not necessarily mean an author newsletter that reads like an ad. These newsletters usually have updates on the author’s latest books and events and usually go out once a month or so. (Pretty much whenever the author has a new book out.)

However, most author newsletters are boring, long, and cluttered with too many images.

The emails I am talking about are where the author speaks to their readers like friends. They might share thoughts on what’s happening in the world lately, how they feel, or offer an inspiring story. They might also throw in an update, but not so many that it becomes a billboard for their books. These emails might come out several times a month, and readers are okay with them because they are fun and inviting.

These emails are usually simple and sent using third-party providers like Mailerlite or Mailchimp. They give people the option to unsubscribe if they want, which is kinda legal. If you are sending out mass spammy marketing emails with no way for people to unsubscribe, you are breaking privacy laws.

Text List

By text list, I mean a professional text line for your business, not your personal number. This can be used to offer short, quick updates, alerts for sales, or an inspiring quote. Personally, I don’t have a text line, nor do I want one, but it is an option. Many businesses use them and do well.

In-Person Meet-Ups

This one is pretty self-explanatory. In person meetings, workshops, and events will always provide a special kind of value you won’t find online and I don’t think we should neglect them. Zoom meetings can also be a great way for meeting up to see people face to face.

As for socials, remember to back up your content, download your data, and save viral moments like videos you might want to repurpose later!

Click here for more Indie Author Basics to encourage you through the Self-Publishing / Indie Author Process!

The Fragility of Human Connections

I have witnessed friendships and relationships that bloomed beautifully only to die a harsh and painful death. I saw roses grow from cracks in concretes and then plucked prematurely by those who were supposed to water them. I have watched flowers starve and wings clipped. I have seen Kings slandered and soldiers slain symbolically, their characters lynched. I have observed how secrets spill into the streets when people no longer want to keep them. I have watched Queens shatter other Queens’ crowns instead of fixing them. I have seen people with tribes of men suddenly walking alone. I have witnessed safe spaces become hazard zones. Is it better to have connected and lost or not connected at all?

What would happen if this blog faded away into oblivion? Would it even make a sound?

The Spanish Siesta

It’s been a minute!

I’ve been on vacation, touring four different cities in Spain. (Almoradi, Alicante, Madrid, and Guardamar.)

One interesting thing we noticed is how the stores close in the middle of the day.

In some parts of Spain, businesses take a few hours of break in the afternoon. They actually close their stores, and you won’t be able to go in until after the break.

They call this a Siesta, which means “a midday or afternoon rest or nap.” It comes from the Latin sexta, the 6th hour after dawn. The Siesta was a traditional break for agricultural workers in Spain and Italy, usually taken at noon to avoid the intense heat of the midday sun.

Imagine going to work and then taking a nap after lunch to be refreshed and ready for the evening hours.

This made me think about how other countries prioritize rest compared to America’s “no sleep” philosophy. Spaniards are so rejuvenated after the Siesta that many stay up all night, and some restaurants do not close until midnight.

And I mean they have a time! Card tables are out, children are running around, and the city is buzzing with life. The people seem content and joyful.

Meanwhile, we are over here exhausted, overworked, and stressed out.

We can use this as a lesson and appreciate breaks more whenever we need them, not just when society says it’s okay.

Let us refill our cups as needed to ensure we have everything we need to continue.

I wish you peace, and I wish you rest!

What Value Does Your Book Offer Readers?

When promoting your book online, you must do more than post pictures of your cover if you want people to buy it. To be more precise, I want you to focus more on the message and why it matters to you than on trying to sell the book.

What are some of the topics your book covers? Use those topics as stepping stones to reach your target audience. If your book is about how you survived an abusive relationship, you should be finding communities dedicated to eradicating domestic violence and creating content around how you survived it based on what you’ve written in your book. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so you will want to work hard to share your expertise with the people who need it.

If you wrote a fiction book, what kind of escape does it provide readers? Is it entertaining? Romantic? Educational? Does it make us stop to think? Is it thought-provoking? Does it make us laugh until our stomach hurts? The world is hurting now, so people are looking for that getaway.

If you wrote a poetry book, consider participating in open mic nights or reciting poems live on Instagram or TikTok. Join poetry contests, and of course, you cannot miss National Poetry Month in April!

The idea is to focus less on selling the book and more on building community around its content. Think about how your book can add value to readers in your community rather than how you can make a sale.

Click here for more Indie Author Basics to encourage you through the Self-Publishing / Indie Author Process!

The Best Advice is Lived Experience

Photo by Ivan Samkov

I saw an Ad on Facebook where the person was telling authors that selling their books on Amazon is a waste of time and that they should sell directly from their website.

And, if you buy the course for $89.95, he’ll teach you exactly how to do it.

Be careful with this kind of advice.

It’s not even that it’s bad, but it is unbalanced.

Questions.

How many people visit your author’s website monthly? Not your blog, your static author website?

How many author websites do YOU visit regularly?

When you think about a book you want to buy, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

For me, the answer is not from the author’s website but from Amazon, and if I am going offline, I am hitting up Barnes and Noble or my local Independent bookstore.

Photo by Ivan Samkov

I have always advocated for author websites because they allow authors to track leads.

You can collect data to keep in touch with readers, like email addresses and phone numbers—something you can’t do through Amazon, which doesn’t show who bought the book. You only know if that person leaves a review.

But I wouldn’t consider Amazon a waste of time when they are the number one go-to for people looking to buy books.

This person’s perspective lacks balance. Authors can have books available through their websites and on Amazon. Also, consider everyone’s journey is different:

  • Some authors need help to afford or do not want to pay for a website, which requires buying a domain name, paying for e-commerce, and the percentage your cart of choice (say Stripe) takes out of every transaction. Meanwhile (at the time of this writing), setting up an Amazon Author Central page is free.
  • And some authors prefer to add a website outside of Amazon to track leads because they understand that a book is a product. And individuals don’t have products; businesses do. These authors see the value in their books not as the end but as the beginning of a thriving and profitable business, and businesses have websites. 

What I Recommend:

The best advice is lived experiences, and I recommend that everyone do what feels right with their souls. Otherwise, we risk stifling an author’s creativity and rob them of the opportunity to learn.

  • To increase traffic to your static website or landing page, promote it. Let people know the option to buy directly from you is available. Offer your books as signed copies and throw in some book swag. People do buy from author websites if you let them know.
  • Use your blog as your website. Because they are updated often with posts, they get much better SEO and traffic than static sites. You can set it up for free right here on WordPress. You don’t have to buy a domain unless you want to. (I did because I’m extra, lol.) It is also a great way to build community.
  • If you opt out of a website, set up your Amazon Author Central so you can send people there to buy your books and follow you. People who follow you on Amazon will get an email the next time you publish a new book!
  • Experiment! Test things out. Take risks. Sometimes we don’t know what we like because we’ve never stepped outside the box. Let experience be your teacher.

The Power and Necessity of Community

Photo by Lina Kivaka

I enjoy the changing seasons the most. Summer is alright, but my favorite part of the year is when summer gives way to autumn. Georgia’s temperature is 80 degrees, yet the sun is not intense, and the way this wind blows feels like my skin is drinking a cold glass of water. It is refreshing.

That’s why I’m typing this at the kitchen table with the door open to the back porch.

As I sit here, I cannot help but think about how much of a blessing this blog (which is to say, the people who follow this blog) has been to me.

Despite the fact that I had been writing and publishing books since 2010, it was when I started this blog in 2014 (after my first two attempts had failed) that it became a platform where I could share my work and receive helpful feedback in return. As a result of this feedback, three published books were born, all inspired by blog posts.

This blog put me on by introducing me to a larger audience, and together, we blossomed into a community.

We had so much fun in the early years. I miss it.

With Elon Musk now contemplating charging X (Twitter) users to use its platform, assuming other social media platforms will eventually follow is not too far-fetched.

They do seem to copy each other. Reels were created to compete with TikTok, and Threads is just Instagram’s version of Twitter.

After thinking of this, I began to consider the significance and necessity of creating our own communities, both online and offline. If we take the time to create them, we may soon be forced to seek solace in our own isolated areas of the globe.

Just as this wind is blowing the trees, which will soon let us know how beautiful it is to let go when its leaves fall, I sense a change is coming.

Just my Thursday thoughts.

Thoughtful Thursdays. Hmm. Got a nice ring to it.