WRITER HELPS

When we begin to write, we always have questions. I know I did when I started my writing journey. One of my biggest questions was how I could write and make money without busting the bank. I broke a lot of banks before I realized what I was doing.

Self-publishing writers don\’t have a lot of money to throw around. I know I still don\’t have a lot of money to throw around with my writing. I\’m always looking for ways to get things done, and I guess I  could use the word \”cheap.\” It\’s smart to use your brain to not shell out a lot of money. Here are some of the ways I\’ve found.

It seems everything I like costs a lot of money. I have found a way to be smart with my time and my money. When you see something you want to sign up for, go for the free program first. This gives me a chance to decide if it is wise to invest money in that particular program. I tried the free Grammarly.com, and I liked what I was getting. When we decided to sell most of our company, I decided to invest in the paid program. I have found it worth every penny I\’ve spent. It corrects my spelling, tells me if I\’ve overused words, and advises me if I need to change sentence structure. I can\’t entirely agree with all of the suggestions, mainly because I know how I want to say something. It is a significant  improvement with my writing.

Another help for me is to shorten my links. I use bitly.com. It is free, and it tells me how many clicks I get on the shortened links. It is especially helpful when you are linking a long Amazon book link. Sometimes they are very long and bitly puts it in a very concise link. At this time, I doubt if I will pay the price to go up a notch. I have all I need right now.

Use Pinterest.com. Make a page for yourself with your books or your resources. I love this idea, and I\’m making a list of resources I use in my books. I write about gluten-free diets, meatless dishes, and Instant Pot meals. This resource has been a lifesaver. It is easy to come up with, and when my resource page is up, it can help you. And,it\’s free!

I do know Goodreads is a useful resource for writers. I have not taken advantage of it as much as I should, but I will in the future. I know it is a big help for authors.

One of the most important things I have paid for is \”Serious Writer Club.\” I hesitated to get into this, but now that I have, it\’s is the most significant help I have. As a club member, you will be able to participate in the classes each Monday night. These are only for club members, and they are wonderful. Every teacher brings something new to the table. Each teacher cares about you. I have been amazed by what I have learned. My husband and I walk in the evenings, and we don\’t get back in time for the class sometimes. Each class is recorded so you, the member, can check them out on your own time. I\’ll be honest, I didn\’t pay the full price, but bought it when it was on sale. As I said, I\’m cheap.

I spend less than $50 a month on the different programs I use. To be truthful, I spend around $35 a month on these programs. I feel it is worth it for me if I want to make my writing career better.