We had a great time at the 20th Anniversary Banquet at the Javi’s restaurant in Tyler. A crowd of about 30 people were there to celebrate it. April Coker, our president, gave a brief history of the club. Then we ate as we listened to John Moore speak about writing in general and his own experiences. Finally, we gave out some door prizes, socialized, and mingled amongst ourselves. Here are the notes on John’s speech and some pictures too of the event.
How he began on his writing journey:
- Started writing a blog.
- Then, articles for the Tyler newspaper, and
- Authored three books.
Why do you write?
- Always write what you know.
- Write for your audience who will buy what they are interested in, so you need to know what that is.
- Write every single day, if possible.
- Look for side hustles to support yourself and your writing habit.
His themes are always “nostalgia”. He starts with a bang, sprinkles humor, and ends with a “wrap”.
People like trivia, especially about where they grew up. Be consistent, write for your market, and then market the product which is your book.
Social Media is an important aspect of marketing.
Introduce yourself to all in the room when you get together with others.
Make a lot of friends.
Offer to speak to other groups and share with them what you know.
You could tag-team a writing project. He suggested using free thinking when writing. Barter with an editor. Do for them and they will do for you. Don’t write too long an introduction in your first book. Go to Farmer’s Markets to sell your book and other venues. Enjoy your writing and marketing.
