5 Aspects for Creating Strong Character Arcs -- Kayelle Allen @KayelleAllen #amwriting #MFRWauthor

I try to create complex heroes, and one thing that helps is creating strong character arcs. For deeper understanding, I recommend reading Character Arcs by KM Weiland. That book gave me great insights into my characters. This post uses he/she. Feel free to apply your preferred gender pronouns.

Creating a Strong Character Arc

The main character must face conflict, deal with emotions, and experience change. All those things arise out of the following five aspects.

What does your hero want?

If your hero lives a great life, with all he or she wants and no real needs, then there is no conflict. You must have conflict in order to move the story forward. Your hero should want something badly enough to change in order to get it. That want will be a major driver of your story.

What are your hero's personal preconceptions?

When your hero looks in the mirror, who is looking back? Chances are, he/she is already a hero to someone. But how does he feel about himself? When he looks in the mirror, does he see his failures? Or perhaps he sees himself as a hero when others see him in an entirely different light.

What does your hero do wrong?

Sure, no one's perfect, but the personal flaws facing your hero must provide a reason for your character to change and must be a lynchpin in driving that change. Example: a young woman with reasons in her past that make her distrust people in general, and men in particular meets a man who makes her long to trust. But because of her flaws, her misconceptions and inhibitions, she can't. She must overcome those flaws in order to find love -- to reach her goal.

What abilities does your hero possess?

The hero in any story will need to accomplish certain tasks. It might be anything from scaling a wall to performing before a crowd, but he needs to complete them in order to overcome the conflict and reach his goal. When the story opens, he can't do them, but by the end, he can. Not only has he changed the story, the story has changed him.

What scares your hero?

I have an immortal king in multiple stories. Pietas can come back from almost any death. He's nearly 2000 years old and is as big and brave as they come. But because he's isolated himself by virtue of his position as well as personal choice, he's never needed friends and never wanted one. The problem is, he's made one who's the target of assassins--and mortal. Now that he's had a friend, how can he face eternity alone? For the first time in his long, barren existence, Pietas fears the very isolation he has spent his life cultivating, and he will do absolutely anything to prevent it.
The point of scaring your hero is that if your hero is afraid, it means the stakes are high enough to make him change. If you create a hero who undergoes change, you create a complex character.

Ask yourself if you have developed a hero who has tangible wants and needs, preconceptions that don't necessarily match his reality, faults that make him relatable, and the ability to adapt and learn new skills. Don't forget to give him one or more fears that he must overcome or remove. A layered approach to creating your hero will hook your readers and bring them back for more.
 

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Bringer of Chaos: Origin of Pietas
An immortal king must doom his people to exile or place his faith in that which he most hates: a human.
Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire
An exiled, immortal king, a ginormous panther "kitty" and the most dysfunctional family since forever.

Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured.
https://kayelleallen.com

Share the love with MFRW Authors #MFRWauthor Retweet Party #MFRWorg @MFRW_ORG

It's Retweet Day for MFRW on Twitter. All Marketing for Romance Writers are invited to set up tweets for their books.

Go into Twitter and create a tweet. Make sure to use #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg You can share up to 280 characters per tweet.

Once the tweet has been posted, click anywhere in the white background of the tweet. This will open it and allow you to highlight and copy the URL.

Navigate back to here and paste the URL in the comment section of this post.

Each month, the RT post goes live the Monday before RT day. You can post your tweet until Wednesday of the same week.

Retweet Day is on the second Wednesday of each month. Retweet everyone on the list who uses one of the hashtags.

HINT:

To help people find your tweet, click the the white background and then the down arrow (found on the right side). Choose "Pin to Your Profile Page." This will keep the tweet at the top of your Twitter feed so more people can find it.

Retweet Day Rules

1. Must have #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg in the tweet. (This retweet day is to promote each other and our group.)

2. Do not use profanity or sexual explicit graphics. Keep it for all age groups.
3. Please do not use adult topics.
4. Limit hashtags to three (3) per post.

5. Return on Retweet Day and click each link in the comments.**

6. Click the heart on the tweet and then the retweet symbol and the Retweet button.

** To share a tweet, highlight the url, right click, and you will see an option to open the link or go to the url. Do that, and it should open in a new window and take you there.

Come back after sending the tweet and go through the entire list. 

Here's to a great day of retweets!

Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She is the author of multiple books, novellas, and short stories. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured.

https://kayelleallen.com

Have you asked your character these questions? Kayelle Allen @kayelleallen #amwriting #MFRWauthor

Marketing for Romance Writers was created for a group of romance writers, but quickly gained members in every sort of genre. As writers, one thing we all have in common is the need to create strong characters. To that end, here is a questionnaire you can use to get to know the people in your story.

Questions for the Character to Answer

How do you dress?

If we could only hear your voice (but not see you) what characteristic would identify you?

Please tell us about your education.

Are you book-smart, self-taught, widely-experienced?

Do you get by, live comfortably, live extravagantly?

What is your viewpoint on wealth?

On what special skills do you rely?

Are any of your skills a source of pride or embarrassment, and if so, which ones and why?

What kinds of things do you always carry (in pockets or purse)?

What is your family like?

Are you close to family?

Do you have children?

Are you involved in your community?

How well do you know your neighbors?

Do you see morality as black-and-white, or with shades of gray?

How do others perceive you based upon looks, and is this assumption accurate?

Do you care about what others assume about you?

If someone from your past showed up, who would you most want it to be, and why?

If someone from your past showed up, who would you most NOT want it to be, and why?

Can you keep a secret? Why or why not?

What secrets do you know about people around you that you do NOT share?

What inner doubt causes you the most difficulty?

What past event causes you the most fear?

What is your biggest need?

What are your biggest hopes and dreams?

What would help you face hardship and meet any challenge?

If you could make any one thing happen, what would it be?

What is your biggest personal flaw?

When there is a setback, what doubt or flaw surfaces?

How do you handle challenges?

What is your breaking point?

How do you express disappointment?

How emotionally expressive are you to others?

When (if) you lie or are upset, what gives you away?

Who in your life has the power to hurt you the most and why?

What would you like to tell your writer?

What would you like people who hear your story to know?

Questions for the Writer to Answer

(Change gender to fit your character)

Your character is at a party. Considering his story, describe the party.

How does the character feel about being this particular party, and what body language is he displaying that gives it away?

Is he more likely to mingle or remain aloof?

If he drinks, what is his drink of choice at this party?

How much drink is his usual?

The character figures out where the hiding places are and then goes there. Is it to hide, to avoid someone, or to go drag a friend back to the party?

Is he likely to latch onto a friend and stay with him/her and ignore others, or is he the friend that others latch onto?

If someone picked a fight at this party, how is the character going to handle it?

Is the character the one most likely to get tossed out of the party, or the one who does the tossing?

Will he know when to leave, or stay late and make a nuisance of himself?

This is not an exhaustive list of questions, but it should give you some insight into creating a unique and memorable character.

Come share your character on my book blog, Romance Lives Forever. Readers find something new every day on RLF. www.rlfblog.com Look for Signup in the menu. You can set your own date and even get automated reminders.

Kayelle Allen
author of Bro, the Antonello Brothers series prequel
https://kayelleallen.com/bro/

MFRW Members Retweet Party - Are you a member? #MFRWauthor #MFRWorg @MFRW_ORG

It's Retweet Day for MFRW on Twitter. All Marketing for Romance Writers are invited to set up tweets for their books.

Go into Twitter and create a tweet. Make sure to use #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg You can share up to 280 characters per tweet.

Once the tweet has been posted, click anywhere in the white background of the tweet. This will open it and allow you to highlight and copy the URL.

Navigate back to here and paste the URL in the comment section of this post.

Each month, the RT post goes live the Monday before RT day. You can post your tweet until Wednesday of the same week.

Retweet Day is on the second Wednesday of each month. Retweet everyone on the list who uses one of the hashtags.

HINT:

To help people find your tweet, click the the white background and then the down arrow (found on the right side). Choose "Pin to Your Profile Page." This will keep the tweet at the top of your Twitter feed so more people can find it.

Retweet Day Rules

1. Must have #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg in the tweet. (This retweet day is to promote each other and our group.)

2. Do not use profanity or sexual explicit graphics. Keep it for all age groups.
3. Please do not use adult topics.
4. Limit hashtags to three (3) per post.

5. Return on Retweet Day and click each link in the comments.**

6. Click the heart on the tweet and then the retweet symbol and the Retweet button.

** To share a tweet, highlight the url, right click, and you will see an option to open the link or go to the url. Do that, and it should open in a new window and take you there.

Come back after sending the tweet and go through the entire list. 

Here's to a great day of retweets!

Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She is the author of multiple books, novellas, and short stories. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured.

https://kayelleallen.com

6 Ways to Write More and Stress Less - Kayelle Allen @kayelleallen #MFRWauthor #Amwriting

When the world is screaming for your attention, it's hard to write more. A few years ago, I had a bout of chest pain that landed me in the hospital for a week and forced me to re-examine some priorities. It wasn't a heart attack. It was stress.

The event provided a life lesson: focusing on the important (versus the mundane). Hard to do. I struggle with it often.

Here are six things I've learned that eliminate stress and let me write more. I hope they help.

Write more by saying no to what is not important

How hard is this? Very, if you can not figure out what's important. As a writer, time to write is the top priority. Are you a writer if you don't write? I'm thinking not. Bears some thinking about, doesn't it? When you write, write. When you do other things, do them with all your strength, but don't try to do both at the same time. It will add stress and you won't do either one as well as you could if you focused.

Stress less by asking for help

You can't do everything. Your friends, coworkers, kids, and editor know this. Goodness knows your spouse knows this. Why don't you know it? Could it be a little bit of a stubborn streak? The superman/woman complex? Break down your tasks and see what parts of each you can delegate.

Write more by hiring help

Yes, you can do things for yourself and you do them. Especially if you're an indie author. But here's a thought. You can hire someone to help you with Facebook, deal with your website, set up a profile on social media, etc. But guess what? No one else can write your book. Hire help where you can so you free up time to write. Fiverr is a great place to look.

Stress less by facing the hard things

Do something difficult first thing every day. If you face a hard thing first, the rest of the day will be downhill.

Write more by going outside

Sounds counterintuitive, but it's true. Spend time outside. Sure, you need the BICHOK rule to write (butt in chair, hands on keyboard), but sunshine does wonders for your body and soul. It's a natural source of vitamin D, which is good for bones. Your body can't make it without help. And oh my... there is nothing like the feel of grass under your feet when you've been cooped up in the house. Is it snowing? Step out, breathe some icy air, and duck back inside. But change your environment and you'll stress less and write a whole lot more.

Stress less by not letting dust bother you

Do you need a house that's a hospital or a house that's hospitable? Families (and single people, and couples) need a house that's enjoyed and filled with laughter and love. So what if there's dust? Break out the dustcloth half as much, write twice as much, and see which makes you feel better. Stack the dishes neatly in the sink and let them wait. I promise they will still be there when you get back from writing for an hour. No dishes I ever owned have washed themselves. Chances are, yours won't either. Housework can be done by anyone.

Remember, only you can write your book.

Here's to a stress free life with plenty of joy and laughter. Oh... and more time writing.

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Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured.
Author of At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, a sweet and rollicking science fiction romance. 

https://kayelleallen.com 

Retweet Party for MFRW Members #MFRWauthor #MFRWorg @MFRW_ORG

It's Retweet Day for MFRW on Twitter. All Marketing for Romance Writers are invited to set up tweets for their books.

Go into Twitter and create a tweet. Make sure to use #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg You can share up to 280 characters per tweet.

Once the tweet has been posted, click anywhere in the white background of the tweet. This will open it and allow you to highlight and copy the URL.

Navigate back to here and paste the URL in the comment section of this post.

Each month, the RT post goes live the Monday before RT day. You can post your tweet until Wednesday of the same week.

Retweet Day is on the second Wednesday of each month. Retweet everyone on the list who uses one of the hashtags.

HINT:

To help people find your tweet, click the the white background and then the down arrow (found on the right side). Choose "Pin to Your Profile Page." This will keep the tweet at the top of your Twitter feed so more people can find it.

Retweet Day Rules

1. Must have #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg in the tweet. (This retweet day is to promote each other and our group.)

2. Do not use profanity or sexual explicit graphics. Keep it for all age groups.
3. Please do not use adult topics.
4. Limit hashtags to three (3) per post.

5. Return on Retweet Day and click each link in the comments.**

6. Click the heart on the tweet and then the retweet symbol and the Retweet button.

** To share a tweet, highlight the url, right click, and you will see an option to open the link or go to the url. Do that, and it should open in a new window and take you there.

Come back after sending the tweet and go through the entire list. 

Here's to a great day of retweets!

Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She is the author of multiple books, novellas, and short stories. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured.

https://kayelleallen.com

A Dozen Tips for the Art and Science of Editing, by Kayelle Allen @kayelleallen #AmEditing #MFRWauthor

Editing is an art, and some have a better knack than others. However, editing is also a science. There are rules in grammar regarding form and content. That means every author can take steps to strengthen the ability.

Here are a dozen things I keep in mind when I'm editing my final draft. After all, I'm writing for a very picky immortal king. I have to be careful. I mean, look at this guy. Would you want to make him look bad? Ok, here we go.

12 Editing Suggestions

1. Edit for passive construction. Omit words like am, was, were, be, being, been.
2. Use an active verb rather than a conditional one. Example:
   He would do anything his lord asked, without quarrel or quibbling.
   He did anything his lord asked, without quarrel or quibbling.
3. Substitute concrete terms for abstract ones. Thought vs. mused, guess vs. hypothesis.
4. Omit vague and abstract terms such as would, could, some, anything, about, only, better, less, etc.
5. Look for long phrases and shorten them.
6. Watch out for sentences that begin with conjunctions. (as, because, but, and).
7. Count the number of times you use the words has, had, and have. Change the tenses of verbs around to eliminate their need.
8. Make a list of your personal no-no words. These are words you use as crutch words to move you from one point to another as you write, but edit later. Go over your list before you submit it to your editor, critique group, or beta readers. What kinds of words? I've provided a link to a pdf I created for my critique group that contains 128. http://kayelleallen.com/media/WordstoWatchWhenEditing.pdf Feel free to pass it along to friends.
9. Ask yourself what is the worst thing that can happen to a character, and then focus on words that fit that description.
10. Grab a good tool. Try the Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide To Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. This book provides phrases, terms, and other descriptors you can use to convey character emotions. No author should be without this tool. When you grab your own copy, start making a list of phrases you use as well. Each of us has something good to offer. Make the most of your own ability and record these phrases in a workbook, notepad, or document on your computer for later reference.
11. Any rule can ignored. If you are writing a complex, well-spoken character, you may need his/her speech to contain larger words, or a timid character to use a more passive vocabulary.
12. Edit with words that fit what your readers understand. It doesn't hurt to have a character who uses words that are difficult or complex, as long as there is context so readers can figure out what's going on. It can help strengthen the complexity of the character to do so. In my Bringer of Chaos series, Pietas is immortal, far beyond "well educated" and a brilliant scientist. Six, his constant companion, is far less knowledgeable. Here's a snippet to illustrate:

"Six, look! These tracks are from ungulates." Pietas knelt and ran his fingers along the tracks. "These are popular with terraformers. They put them on every colonized world. Artiodactyla, to be precise. Bovidae. I suspect a derivative of aepyceros melampus."

"You know, Pi, when you say things like that, you think you're explaining, but you're really not."

"Animals with split hooves. Even-toed. Lightweight impalas. Antelopes."

"What, you couldn't say antelopes?"

Pietas got up, dusting off his pants. "I just did."

Edit with the end in mind

What is the mood of the story? Explore ways to make your writing match it. Use good tools, and take notes about how other authors handle scenes and situations. Find a passage of a book that you enjoy and rewrite it in your own words, trying to make it stronger. See if you can improve it. Then, take a passage of one of your previously published books, and try the same thing.

Editing is a science, but it's also an art, and art takes practice. Never stop trying.

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 Kayelle Allen is the founder of Marketing for Romance Writers. She pens Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured.

https://kayelleallen.com

Romance Books and Writers share the love #MFRWauthor #Authors @MFRW_ORG

It's Retweet Day for MFRW on Twitter. All Marketing for Romance Writers are invited to set up tweets for their books.

Go into Twitter and create a tweet. Make sure to use #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg You can share up to 280 characters per tweet.

Once the tweet has been posted, click anywhere in the white background of the tweet. This will open it and allow you to highlight and copy the URL.

Navigate back to here and paste the URL in the comment section of this post.

Each month, the RT post goes live the Monday before RT day. You can post your tweet until Wednesday of the same week.

Retweet Day is on the second Wednesday of each month. Retweet everyone on the list who uses one of the hashtags.

HINT:

To help people find your tweet, click the the white background and then the down arrow (found on the right side). Choose "Pin to Your Profile Page." This will keep the tweet at the top of your Twitter feed so more people can find it.

Retweet Day Rules

1. Must have #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg in the tweet. (This retweet day is to promote each other and our group.)

2. Do not use profanity or sexual explicit graphics. Keep it for all age groups.
3. Please do not use adult topics.
4. Limit hashtags to three (3) per post.

5. Return on Retweet Day and click each link in the comments.

6. Click the heart on the tweet and then the retweet symbol and the Retweet button.

Come back after sending the tweet and go through the entire list. 

Here's to a great day of retweets!

UPDATE: To share a tweet, highlight the url, right click, and you will see an option to open the link or go to the url. Do that, and it should open in a new window and take you there.

Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She is the author of multiple books, novellas, and short stories. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured.

https://kayelleallen.com

Rules for Humble Writers (Yeah, Right) by Kayelle Allen @kayelleallen #Humor #MFRWauthor

Christmas is finally over and we're settling in for winter. The new year is making itself at home. So I decided to share some "rules" I've learned over the years about humble writers. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, here we go...

Rules for Humble Writers

1. Being humble is rule #1. Never tell anyone you wrote a book. It's okay to write it, but keep the news to yourself. If you wrote a good book, people will find it without you saying a word.

2. Don't post any information about your book online, especially on places such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or blogs. If in doubt, see #1.

3. If someone wants to buy a copy of the book from you, sell it for no more than what it cost you to obtain. It's not humble to expect people to pay more than you did.

4. Cover art is not necessary. A book's quality should never be judged by what is outside. "Never judge a book by its cover" is an axiom.

5. Do not set goals. A true writer only writes when inspired, therefore, goals are counterproductive.

6. Wait for inspiration. Be ready to write, but don't worry about muses or looking for inspiration outside yourself. True inspiration comes from within and should not be sought. When it's real, it will come.

7. Editing is for those who don't get it right the first time. Don't write anything down until you know it's correct. This will save you time and energy, not to mention paper, ink, and erasers.

8. If your computer is on, you should be writing. Remind yourself of this. Guilt can help you stay focused.

9. Games are counterproductive to writing. There is a school of thought that they are helpful by enabling you to relax. However, this can also lead to indulgence, and should be avoided by a hard-working writer.

10. Physical exercise requires time away from your desk. Avoid it.

11. It's all right to eat all your meals at your desk. Dinner or lunch with the family is time consuming.

12. Cleaning house is maid's work. Writers write. 

13. Believe all the writing advice you get on the web.

Gotten any really bad advice lately? Other than #12, I can't agree with anything posted here.

Happy New Year everyone. =^_^= Here's to success in 2019!
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By the way, that gorgeous blond on the left is the hero of my Bringer of Chaos series. The model is Nik Nitsvetov. The books are awesome. You should buy them. I'm not humble at all. 

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Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She is the author of seven books, three novellas, and multiple short stories. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured.
https://kayelleallen.com

RT Day for #MFRWauthor and #MFRWorg posts Follow @MFRW_ORG

It's Retweet Day for MFRW on Twitter. All Marketing for Romance Writers are invited to set up tweets for their books.

Go into Twitter and create a tweet. Make sure to use #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg You can now share up to 280 characters per tweet -- twice as many as before.

Once the tweet has been posted, click anywhere in the white background of the tweet. This will open it and allow you to highlight and copy the URL.

Now, navigate back to here and paste the URL in the comment section of this post.

Remember to visit the blog on Second Monday of the month. You can post your tweet until Wednesday of the same week.

Retweet Day is on the second Wednesday of each month. Retweet everyone on the list.

To help people find your tweet, click the the white background and then the down arrow (found on the right side). Choose "Pin to Your Profile Page." This will keep it at the top of your Twitter feed so more people can find it.

Retweet Day Rules

1. Have #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg in the tweet. (This retweet day is to promote each other and our group.)

2. Do not use profanity or sexual explicit graphics. Keep it for all age groups.
3. Please do not use adult topics for your blog post. Keep it general for all ages.

4. Return on Retweet Day and click each link in the comments.

5. Click the heart on the tweet and then the retweet symbol and the Retweet button.

6. Click the G+ symbol on the comment so you can see where you left off, and to add a little more visibility to the post.

7. Limit hashtags to three (3) per post.

Here's to a great day of retweets,

Tina Gayle

Tina Gayle enjoys writing contemporary romance and stories featuring strong women, as well as tales that touch the heart. Her writing started at a young age when she created stories to put herself to sleep. Now, she spends her days living her dream.

Find her at www.tinagayle.net or pick up her free read at https://www.instafreebie.com/free/EwL6x

Authors and Social Media: It's Like Furniture @KayelleAllen #MFRWauthor #Authors

If you decided to open a store selling furniture, you would want windows on the store so people could see inside, right? You'd want a phone so they could call and ask about products, delivery, and so on. You'd want a sign posted so people would know when you have something new to sell. Having an online presence with social media is like all those things combined into one -- but for authors. Our furniture is books.

Authors need:

1. website
2. newsletter
3. social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest)

Why have a website?

Because it will be yours and no one can take it away from you. It is your home on the net. It's where anyone anytime can find out about you, your characters, and your books.

Why a newsletter?

Because again, this is yours. It's like real estate. You could send everyone to amazon to buy, and perhaps they will. But when you release the next book, wouldn't it be nice if you could just contact the buyers of book 1 and say, hey -- here's the sequel? With a newsletter, you can. It's the #1 thing you should have after a website. The purpose of your website is to get people to sign up for your newsletter, and to learn about your books.

Why social media?

Facebook is where adult women gather. They are usually our audience. But don't pass up Twitter. It's the #2 source for book sales, behind Facebook and ahead of Pinterest. It's EASY. You can only write a sentence or two at a time, so it's not time consuming. Pinterest is HUGE for sales. Make boards where you share pictures from online of things that inspire you, places you'd love characters to go in a story, material from sites where you gathered research, books you love, fancy quotes, funny animals, anything that catches your fancy.
On all these, get an account with your author name. Don't get cutesy with "mom2aboy" or "justawriter" or anything like that. Use your author name, because when someone wants to mention you, they would write your name and expect that would work. So you don't want something weird. Your author name IS your brand. It should be on everything.
Then start following other writers, and follow the people they follow. On Twitter, you'll see things set up where someone has to fill in a code to follow. Don't do that. You are a public figure as an author. You need to be found by fans. So make your account public and use an avatar for your brand or your book. Fill in the bio about yourself with something that says writer or author.
Don't follow people who offer for you to buy followers (in fact, block them). They come out of the wordwork, and blocking them alerts Twitter to remove these people. They are annoying spammers, and they are violating the TOS for Twitter, so don't go near them. But be aware, you will see them every week the rest of the time you're on the site. They try, and they get newbies who don't know any better, so if they make a sale before they're axed, they just get a new name and try again. >_< It's part of online life so just deal with them and move on. I wish it wasn't so, but I will not give up a great source for sharing my books and talking to fans because of spammers. Besides, these people are just so obvious. Look for people with a string of numbers behind their names (i.e., jason97349857). You will spot them even without trying. You'll see. They can't seem to help themselves.
But oh my goodness, yes yes yes get Twitter! It's so much fun. It's so easy. It's so great for boosting sales. When people guest on my Romance Lives Forever book blog, I put their Twitter handle in the post title. It gets shared dozens and dozens of times. That boosts sales. Those authors get followers.

What are you waiting for?

Go get Twitter and other social media and move forward. Let's do this.

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Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She is the author of seven books, three novellas, and multiple short stories. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured. She is the founder of Marketing for Romance Writers.
https://kayelleallen.com

RT Day Come Follow @MFRW_Org for #Romance from #MFRWauthor and #MFRWorg

It's Retweet Day for MFRW on Twitter. All Marketing for Romance Writers are invited to set up tweets for their books.

Go into Twitter and create a tweet. Make sure to use #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg You can now share up to 280 characters per tweet -- twice as many as before.

Once the tweet has been posted, click anywhere in the white background of the tweet. This will open it and allow you to highlight and copy the URL.

Now, navigate back to here and paste the URL in the comment section of this post.

Remember to visit the blog on Second Monday of the month. You can post your tweet until Wednesday of the same week.

Retweet Day is on the second Wednesday of each month. Retweet everyone on the list.

To help people find your tweet, click the the white background and then the down arrow (found on the right side). Choose "Pin to Your Profile Page." This will keep it at the top of your Twitter feed so more people can find it.

Retweet Day Rules

1. Have #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg in the tweet. (This retweet day is to promote each other and our group.)

2. Do not use profanity or sexual explicit graphics. Keep it for all age groups.
3. Please do not use adult topics for your blog post. Keep it general for all ages.

4. Return on Retweet Day and click each link in the comments.

5. Click the heart on the tweet and then the retweet symbol and the Retweet button.

6. Click the G+ symbol on the comment so you can see where you left off, and to add a little more visibility to the post.

7. Limit hashtags to three (3) per post.

Here's to a great day of retweets,

Tina Gayle

Tina Gayle enjoys writing contemporary romance and stories featuring strong women, as well as tales that touch the heart. Her writing started at a young age when she created stories to put herself to sleep. Now, she spends her days living her dream.

Find her at www.tinagayle.com or pick up her free read at https://www.instafreebie.com/free/EwL6x

Welcome to MFRW - a friend of writers. Follow @MFRW_ORG for updates #MFRWauthor #AmWriting

Welcome to MFRW - Marketing for Romance Writers

MFRW recently celebrated its twelth year. What is it? MFRW is Marketing for Romance Writers, a peer-oriented mentoring group open to the entire literary community. Kayelle Allen founded the group in 2006 and heads the group to this day, guiding its direction and overseeing the numerous volunteer staff members that help it run.
In this group, authors can ask marketing-related questions, request help, advice, and get opinions. Authors can ask for opportunities to join other authors in promotional efforts. They can learn the business aspects of writing.
What's it cost? Nada, zip, zilch, zero -- just join and share.
Marketing for Romance Writers promotes for its members on most social media.

• Get your book cover pinned on one of the MFRW Pinterest boards, and share your tweets on MFRW's monthly Retweet Day. The hashtags #MFRWorg #MFRWauthor and #MFRWhooks help you promote. If you have questions about marketing your books, join us.
• The MFRW motto is "seek, teach, share, learn, succeed." 
• The group began with a dozen friends, and today boasts over 2400 members, and over 7000 members make up our Facebook group. 
• MFRW has a multiple award-winning magazine (Publisher, Rochelle Weber). 
• We have over 400 followers on Goodreads and feature our members books there in the MFRW Book Place group. 
• On Pinterest, we are followed by over 1500 people, have 55 genre related boards, and almost 1000 pins. Want your book cover pinned on our site? Even if you don't have a Pinterest account, you can take advantage of our presence there. 
• Join our Yahoo group today and you'll get information. Services and membership are free.

Follow MFRW

Follow MFRW on Twitter for updates https://twitter.com/MFRW_ORG

MFRW Volunteer Staff

Alice Orr, Barbara Donlon Bradley, Carmen Stefanescu, Emerald, Jessica Cale, Kayelle Allen, Libby McKinmer, Lisa Lowe, Lyncee Shillard, Michelle Davis, Mona Karel, Nicole Morgan, Paloma Beck, Reet Singh, Rochelle Weber, Tina Gayle

MFRW Online

Yahoo group (where you can get help) https://groups.yahoo.com/group/MarketingForRomanceWriters/
Twitter https://twitter.com/MFRW_ORG
Kayelle Allen on Twitter https://twitter.com/kayelleallen
 Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/mfrwauthors/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/161092-the-mfrw-book-place
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/mfrworg/

RT Day with #MFRWauthor and #MFRWorg - Sharing #Romance Books @MFRW_Org

It's Retweet Day for MFRW on Twitter. All Marketing for Romance Writers are invited to set up tweets for their books.

Go into Twitter and create a tweet. Make sure to use #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg You can now share up to 280 characters per tweet -- twice as many as before.

Once the tweet has been posted, click anywhere in the white background of the tweet. This will open it and allow you to highlight and copy the URL.

Now, navigate back to here and paste the URL in the comment section of this post.

Remember to visit the blog on Second Monday of the month. You can post your tweet until Wednesday of the same week.

Retweet Day is on the second Wednesday of each month. Retweet everyone on the list.

To help people find your tweet, click the the white background and then the down arrow (found on the right side). Choose "Pin to Your Profile Page." This will keep it at the top of your Twitter feed so more people can find it.

Retweet Day Rules

1. Have #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg in the tweet. (This retweet day is to promote each other and our group.)

2. Do not use profanity or sexual explicit graphics. Keep it for all age groups.
3. Please do not use adult topics for your blog post. Keep it general for all ages.

4. Return on Retweet Day and click each link in the comments.

5. Click the heart on the tweet and then the retweet symbol and the Retweet button.

6. Click the G+ symbol on the comment so you can see where you left off, and to add a little more visibility to the post.

7. Limit hashtags to three (3) per post.

Here's to a great day of retweets,

Tina Gayle

Tina Gayle enjoys writing contemporary romance and stories featuring strong women, as well as tales that touch the heart. Her writing started at a young age when she created stories to put herself to sleep. Now, she spends her days living her dream.

Find her at www.tinagayle.com or pick up her free read at https://www.instafreebie.com/free/EwL6x

RT - Fall in Love with #MFRWauthor and #MFRWorg #Novels - Follow @MFRW_Org

It's Retweet Day for MFRW on Twitter. All Marketing for Romance Writers are invited to set up tweets for their books.

Go into Twitter and create a tweet. Make sure to use #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg You can now share up to 280 characters per tweet -- twice as many as before.

Once the tweet has been posted, click anywhere in the white background of the tweet. This will open it and allow you to highlight and copy the URL.

Now, navigate back to here and paste the URL in the comment section of this post.

Remember to visit the blog on Second Monday of the month. You can post your tweet until Wednesday of the same week.

Retweet Day is on the second Wednesday of each month. Retweet everyone on the list.

To help people find your tweet, click the the white background and then the down arrow (found on the right side). Choose "Pin to Your Profile Page." This will keep it at the top of your Twitter feed so more people can find it.

Retweet Day Rules

1. Have #MFRWauthor or #MFRWorg in the tweet. (This retweet day is to promote each other and our group.)

2. Do not use profanity or sexual explicit graphics. Keep it for all age groups.
3. Please do not use adult topics for your blog post. Keep it general for all ages.

4. Return on Retweet Day and click each link in the comments.

5. Click the heart on the tweet and then the retweet symbol and the Retweet button.

6. Click the G+ symbol on the comment so you can see where you left off, and to add a little more visibility to the post.

7. Limit hashtags to three (3) per post.

Here's to a great day of retweets,

Tina Gayle

Tina Gayle enjoys writing contemporary romance and stories featuring strong women, as well as tales that touch the heart. Her writing started at a young age when she created stories to put herself to sleep. Now, she spends her days living her dream.

Find her at www.tinagayle.com or pick up her free read at https://www.instafreebie.com/free/EwL6x