take one/leave one
make someone's day
Instead of writing an essay this week, I’m offering up my comments section as a bulletin board for Attention Economy subscribers. I invite you to take what you need and give what you can.
Leave a comment asking for something that would be helpful at this moment in your writing or publishing process. You can ask for:
Advice
Ideas
Recommendations
Encouragement
A beta reader
A critique partner
An accountability partner
A new subscriber to your Substack
A restack of a Substack post
A follower on Instagram
Someone to look at your query or opening pages or residency application, etc.
Guests for your podcast or interview series or side project
Help with an upcoming cover reveal
In your own comment, or in a reply to someone else’s comment, you can give away something, like:
Advice
Ideas
Recommendations
A follow or subscribe
An offer to blurb
An offer to share someone’s content
An offer to interview someone on your Substack or podcast
An invitation to query
An invitation to participate in your side project
An offer to review someone’s book on Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, or TikTok
This is your opportunity to make someone’s day. ☀️
Let’s all do our best to keep the comments section warm, friendly, gracious, and on topic (related to writing, publishing, networking, and platform-building)! I’m taking a risk by opening the comments section to everyone, but I have faith that Attention Economy subscribers are kind, encouraging, open-minded, and generous.
Last chance
This is your last chance to register for Your Skills Are Valuable, a class for writers who want to earn more income by teaching classes, selling services, or taking their Substack “paid.” Register here to attend live or receive the video recording.
This week I’m also teaching my popular How to Get a Book Deal the Easy Way class. Register here
Next Sunday, I’m moderating a panel on Promoting Jewish Books in the Attention Economy at the Jewish Writers’ Conference
Coming soon
I’ll be teaching a winter session of my plot structure class, Plot Curious, in February, with a very special author guest whose novel is being adapted for TV. Stay tuned for details. 📺
What a great idea! I’ve spent many years in the trenches of community building small downtowns. So my ask naturally follows what I write about the most, go out and find a locally owned and operated shop in the place where you live, and instead of shopping at a chain store, buy from that shop. Keep your local economy going!
My give is directed to all writers out there who are looking to find new readers. Make a flyer that offers a free chapter of one of your books, and post it on the local place where people post things. My favorite guerrilla marketing like this is to make it a lost and found style flyer. LOST? Looking for a good read about [fill in your log line] then FIND a free sample at [your social or web URL] [Name of Book].
As with all things you do, Leigh, I love this. Prior to this week, I was already working on expanding my podcast (My Simplified Life) and doing more author interviews. Now, I ask that more people subscribe to it, share it, rate it. My goal has always been to share the stories of the authors behind the books we fall in love with while also building empathy in hearing about the journeys of others.
My offer is if anyone is wanting to pitch themselves to be a podcast guest but isn’t sure where to start, to please reach out with questions. Yesterday I presented to a room filled with writers and 90% had never considered podcast interviews as a way to expand their author brand or promote their book.