Top Five Tips for Fellow Writers

With three published novels to my credit—Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, and Tuey’s Course—and a fourth book on its way towards release, I believe that I have learned some valuable lessons about the writing and publishing process. With each book, I have built on the experiences, both good and bad, that I had with the previous novels. In addition to my own time spent in trial and error, I also have learned so much from other authors I have had the opportunity to meet during this journey.

I spent some time thinking about the advice that I can offer based on my time in the writing and publishing world, and would like to share what I believe to be the most important tips here:

1. Write about your passions – Your work will come across as the most authentic if you focus on what really grabs you. For me, it’s golf. I love the game of golf and I hope that comes across in the characters I’ve created in my books.

2. Network, network, network – You never know when you will meet someone who will want to help in the publicity of your book or who is connected to a group that would be naturally inclined to your subject matter.

3.Accept criticism – There are plenty of online writers’ forums and other venues through which you can get people to tell you that your work is wonderful. That serves no purpose other than to boost your ego. Find peers who will read your book and tear it apart until it reaches its full potential.

4.Do something every day – You need to be your best advocate when it comes to your books. There is a way that you can promote your work every day. It could be as simple as a call to the local book store. Make a list of ideas and keep crossing them off.

5.Learn social media – There are countless opportunities for authors that weren’t available just five years ago. If you don’t have accounts already, get connected with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other tools. You can use these sites to share your blog postings, book signings, new releases, and so much more.

I hope you find these tips helpful. What do you think? Are there other pieces of advice that you have learned from your own writing experience? Let us know!

One Moment Can Change Everything

You often hear the statement that one moment in time can change the course of a person’s entire life. What if that drunk driver had not drifted over the double yellow line? What if I had decided to marry my high school sweetheart instead of leaving her to pursue what I thought were more important dreams? How would my life be different if I had not decided to put one more coin into that machine and then watch as the cherries lined up to make me a millionaire? I am sure that we all can point to a few instances in which the direction of our lives took a sudden and irreversible turn. Sometimes these moments made our lives amazing, while other times we were left holding a great deal of regret.

For J.W. Schroeder (known as J Dub), the main character in my book Lifetime Loser, the pivotal moment occurred on a golf course. J Dub was attempting to earn a qualifying score to become a member of the PGA Tour and he had played the game in such a way that he was positioned to make this goal a reality. However, with one ill-fated stroke, J Dub falls just short of fulfilling his lifelong dream. He is left having to reevaluate the plans he had for his life and what must happen when a quick second in life leads you down an unexpected path.

The story of Lifetime Loser takes the readers through the ups and downs that J Dub encounters as he adjusts to life after his dream of being a golf player has been shattered. He starts a family, manages a golf course, and develops relationships both with great friends and shady characters. Through it all, J Dub reminds the readers of Lifetime Loser that we all need to make the most of those unexpected moments that life throws our way.

I hope that you will read Lifetime Loser and discover for yourself that even if life doesn’t develop the way you think it should, it still can be a great adventure!

Getting the Word Out About My Novels

This summer could not have been more pleasant. We enjoyed resort-type weather in the St. Louis area for June, July, August and September. The moderate temperatures were ideal for golf. As the warm summer weather starts to fade and the crisp autumn air takes its place, my daily priorities are starting to shift a bit. Work on the blog has increased and the marketing efforts have increased on the social networks that inundate the internet. With my three published novels now on the market for nearly a year and a fourth installment underway, the stories from Prairie Winds Golf Course keep coming. The constructive feedback, encouraging comments and positive reinforcement have energized me to continue the series.

So many of you have been kind enough to contact me and let me know how much you enjoyed my books—Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, and Tuey’s Course. Golf aficionados have contacted me to comment about the entertaining stories from a golf setting. Women that have never played golf seem to enjoy the stories as much as men. Wives of a golfing spouse have told me how they liked reading about the relationships that are detailed in my books. Even those people that have never spent time in a golf cart or on a course have indicated how much they enjoyed the eclectic cast of characters and storylines.

If you have read one or more of my books and you enjoyed my work, would you please pass your thoughts onto others? I truly would appreciate it if you would post some thoughts at the book’s page on the Amazon and/or Barnes and Noble websites. All posted reviews really do matter. Readers and word of mouth seem to attract other readers.

Feel free to contact me from my web site. It’s always fun to hear directly from readers and fans. One of the greatest joys is meeting new people and forming some relationships that will last for a long time. Your input, ideas and comments are valued. You never know when one of those suggestions might make its way into a subplot. Please email me and share your thoughts!

Check Me Out on Facebook and Twitter

With three published novels and a fourth book that I am hoping will be released in the first half of 2010, I have learned quite a bit about the worlds of writing and marketing. I’m sure many authors will agree, particularly those who have chosen the self-publishing route, the hard work really begins after the final words of a book are written.

The entire writing process is fun! Once I develop my general plotline and character sketches, the books often take on lives of their own. The characters may even develop in ways that I don’t even expect when I sit down to engage them in a new scene. It’s enjoyable to create situations to place them in and experience how they interact with one another.

But, after the book is done and bound, how do you get people to take notice and spread the word to others?

Authors have so many publicity options that were not available to writers just five or ten years ago. Currently the social networking tools of Twitter and Facebook enable me to reach the reading audience. I am active on both sites and I would love for you to join me there.
You can simply look up my name on Facebook and search for James Ross from Saint Louis. On Twitter I am known as both @golfnovels and @JamesRossBooks. Please connect with me so that you can be one of the first to be notified of any book signings, radio appearances, or other events. I update all of my online information on a regular basis.

If you haven’t checked out any of my books yet, I hope you will do so. Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, and Tuey’s Course all take place against the backdrop of the fictional Prairie Winds Golf Course. However, keep in mind that the story lines have universal appeal. They are not strictly about golf. That is merely the setting. Whether or not you are a fan of golf, I think you will enjoy the memorable characters you meet within the pages of my books!

My Love for Sports Extends Beyond Golf

While golf is certainly my passion, I am a fan of many other sports as well. While you will not see me between the hash marks at a large stadium as you will on the greenway of my favorite courses, I am still an avid follower of football. And, this year my Missouri Tigers are off to a fantastic 4-0 start! We’ve got some big games coming up over the next few weeks that truly will define the way in which our season is going to end up. I am hoping we can pull off a couple of major upsets along the way! Then, on the professional football front, I am watching the St. Louis Rams begin with another disappointing start to the season. Enough said about them.

What about you? Are you someone who dedicates his autumn weekends to football? How do you feel about your team’s chances this year? I always love to learn more about who is reading my blog and my books, so I would love to hear about your football allegiances!

No matter which team we root for every week, I am sure there are times when all of us have yelled at our television screens over a bad call made by a referee. It seems impossible sometimes that an official can miss such an obvious call. Is it possible the oversight was done on purpose? In my third novel, Tuey’s Course, I introduce my readers to a referee who fixes games in return for a share in the gambling profits. Let’s hope this kind of criminal behavior is not too common when our favorite teams are on the field.

If you haven’t read my books yet, I hope you will soon! All three of my novels—Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, and Tuey’s Course—have the fictional Prairie Winds Golf Course as the backdrop. If you like golf and all of the personalities who hang out in the clubhouse, these books are for you!

Bad Golf Course Etiquette

I hope that everyone had a wonderful summer and, like me, found plenty of opportunities to spend time on the golf course. I love using this beautiful weather to experience as many new courses as possible. And, each location brings its own set of unique characters. I encountered my share of memorable people and built some relationships that I hope will last for a long time to come.

I tried to create a sense of the interesting personalities who spend their Saturdays roaming around in a golf cart in my three published novels—Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, and Tuey’s Course. When you read my books, you will discover a womanizing alcoholic, men fighting addictions to food and cigarettes, hurricane survivors, and straightforward good guys. They all come together based on a shared love for the great sport of golf. But, they do not always approach the game or each other with the greatest sense of sportsmanship.

For those of you who are fellow golf fanatics, I am sure you have dealt with some less-than-desirable behavior on the golf course. I would like to share a few of my “don’ts” for those who perhaps still need some help with golf etiquette:

1.Don’t hold up a tee time because you “are absolutely sure” that your buddy will arrive any minute.

2.Don’t drink more than six beers before reaching the ninth hole, especially if you are the one driving the golf cart. It’s dangerous for everyone within a half-mile radius of you and your clubs.

3.Don’t assume that you look good in argyle.

What are some other recommendations, either funny or serious, that you could add to the list?

Please leave a comment and we will create a readers’ list.

I look forward to reading them!

Some Radio Spots for Author James Ross

On Oct. 5 at 7:30 a.m. central I'll be on WYRQ from Little Falls, MN

On Oct. 8 at 8:30 a.m. eastern I'll be on WCCF from Port Charlotte, FL

Tune in if you can.

Thanks,

James