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Tom Leveen: Rewind Reads's avatar

Do reckon on using this in some way for fiction?

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Russell Nohelty's avatar

I don’t understand what you mean…you think you can’t set up calls with other writers, publishers, or readers? How is this not applicable to fiction? Or are you talking about Contented?

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Tom Leveen: Rewind Reads's avatar

I do think setting up calls with readers could absolutely be done, my question is, is that a route you plan on taking? Or, rather, who would you choose to set up calls/coffees with? What questions would you ask? The questions in her post didn't feel germane to novelists, though they were great questions.

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Russell Nohelty's avatar

So, my work is mostly non-fiction these days, but especially when things have been hard in my career, I’ve often sat down with both authors and readers to just get a pulse of what’s going on, and what I’m missing.

There’s almost ALWAYS something I’m missing when something fails for me, but I don’t know what it is.

So, like…”what’s your favorite book right now?” or “what’s a cool thing you’re trying?”

This one thats ”Do you have a “burning the house down” problem?” I think is a good one.

I also think you can focus it on editors, or publishers you know. I think I sent a couple hundred emails last month to people who had been to our conference or sponsored it and just wanted to check in and see how they were doing.

I’m not sure where you are right now, but if you’re looking for a new contract for a book, then it would be nice to talk to lots of agents, editors, and publisher to see what’s up with them.

If you are wondering why your books aren’t selling, getting in front of readers and other writers can’t not be helpful.

What are you trying to unlock? We talk in Hapitalist about locks and keys, and we only focus on the locks WE have, not the KEYS we have to unlock somebody else’s problems. If you focus on the keys, the locks tend to take care of themselves.

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Tom Leveen: Rewind Reads's avatar

Thank you, Russell!

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