Being a Christmas Birthday Babe

I've just read a blog post about having a birthday at Christmas. I'd like to share it and add to it because it really resonates with me:

http://www.thetortoiseshellglasses.com/2015/12/christmas-birthday/

My birthday is December 29th. 

Having that one day where you're allowed to be self indulgent and have a whole day that's all about you is tough at this time of year. No one's interested in your day when there is much more to celebrate and everyone is busy thinking about everything else at Christmas that they'll probably forget anyway.

My mewsings today are for everyone out there who's birthdays are at this time of year - I feel your pain...

Kacey's comments about the effect having your birthday at Christmas has on you as a child is especially poignant.

But it's not all bad, there are pro's and con's to being a Christmas birthday babe (granted, there are more con's, but I always like to look on the bright side.)

Con's

• For kids, I reiterate Kacey's comments: not being made of fuss of at school like all of your class mates is a cruel and merciless experience.
• If you know someone who's birthday is at Christmas NEVER wrap their present in Christmas paper - this is a crime for which no punishment is suitable
•  Every year my husband complains he has to buy my birthday card in September as there are never any decent birthday cards in the shops in December, you're lucky to even find them in most places
• NEVER give a Christmas birthday babe a 'joint present' - you look like a total cheapskate and an a'hole (unless they ask for something big as a joint present, then it's OK.) 
• No one will come to your party. My birthday is 2 days before New Year's Eve so every year the excuse is that everyone is saving themselves for that. I can't even remember the last time I had a party for my birthday - really, what's the point when no one will come?
• One year I decided to have a 'half birthday' in the summer and throw a party. No one celebrated it because 'it was silly', and then when my actual birthday came round no one came because I celebrated it in the summer! Lose Lose. 
• You have to think of more present ideas and think carefully about what to put on your list as you only get one chance a year. 
• If you don't get want you wanted for Christmas, there's no second chances, you have to wait an entire year to ask again

 
Pro's

• When I was a kid, I used to get a lump sum from our grandparents at the end of the year which meant I could buy big stuff for myself without having to think about saving up. Rubbing my brother and sister's face in it when I bought something bigger and better for myself in the January sales was like no other joy
• I've never had to go to work or school on my birthday. In fact, I've never had to have any responsibilities on my birthday
• It's much easier to have a low key or intimate birthday - no one will notice anyway so there's no pressure to put on a big bash. 
• Because it's party season, even when your Christmas birthday is mid-week bars and restaurants are busy and buzzing. 
• When I was working for someone else, I never had to take cakes into work on my birthday, and honestly, my colleagues have always been grateful when the staff kitchen is full of everyone's unwanted Christmas chocolates and sweets.
• It's OK to just keep on partying. People are in a festive mood anyway so having a birthday just after Christmas means I start celebrating on Christmas Eve and just keep going until New Year's Eve. Result.

Enjoy the festive season everyone - Party on!

Book ordering and beerhouses

This week my seven actions for...

Operation Author: 365 Actions to Becoming  A Successful Author

...have been related to the final stages in the process of getting Solomon's Secrets complete and ready to publish.

My first action has been continuing to read through the final proof and I have rewritten a few scenes as a result of the editorial report. 

It's now finally finished - Hoorah!

My second action has been uploading it onto Amazon for review.

My third action was to order copies of the book - they'll be delivered mid October.

My fourth action has been to put an update on the crowdfund marking this milestone and explaining what happens next.
 

https://www.fundsurfer.com/project/independently-publishing-solomons-secrets/update/its-alive-the-creature-lives

My fifth action was going to a start up drinks networking event. I took flyers with me and talked about my writing to several people there.


I left one of my mini manuscripts at the Engine Shed, where the event was being held and have had 2 tweets from people who've found it there.

My sixth action was booking the venue for my launch party. 

The event will be on the evening of Saturday 22nd November at the Bavarian Beerhouse. 


Get in touch if you'd like to come to the...

Solomon's Secrets Launch Event Treasure Hunt.

I added an image to the Fundsurfer update about the idea behind the treasure hunt

My seventh action this week has been making contact with other writers to write a guest post for me. The fabulous Donna Marie Oldfield has come through for me an sent me a guest post on balancing the time you need to write with the time it takes to do book marketing. I'll publish the post mid-week, so look out for it.

Keys, Wine Cellars, Crowdfunding and My Number One Fan...

This week I've found any excuse to be outside in the sun and away from the computer.
My seven actions for:

 Operation Author: 365 Actions to Succeed as an Author 

have mostly involved preparing for my crowdfunding pitch to publish Solomon's Secrets and host a big event celebrating independent creative talent in Bristol .

I started completing the fields on the form for my Fundsurfer crowdfunding pitch. 

It's not yet published on line, I'll be starting the clock on 5th May which gives me a couple of weeks to get the rest of it together.

I went out into Bristol with my camera and took lots of images of locations featured in the book to use in the video. I also had a look at some venues for the launch event.

I've provisionally booked Averys wine cellars for the event and planned it for Friday 5th September at 8pm. 

Averys are a wine merchants that have been operating in Bristol since 1793. Under the shop they have this amazing 18th century brick cellar that I guess would originally have been used to store barrels of wine. It's really atmospheric and would look awesome lit up with candles.

This is a picture from their website of the space. 

My event wouldn't be a sit down affair like this, it would be more of a mingle and a few tables dotted about.

I've been doing the sums and working out what's possible so I can add it to the pitch. The event will include plenty of wine (sourced from Averys), food (provided for by local caterers), some live music (by a local band) and pop up theatre performing short scenes from Solomon's Secrets (by a local acting troop).

I've been recording audio and some short video clips to stitch together for a video pitch. I'll be including some sketches of my characters. Here's Sasha Blake:

And here's a short piece of audio about Sasha, unedited, to be stitched into my video pitch.

 https://soundcloud.com/amy-morse-2/meet-sasha-blake

I've enlisted my husband Graham to help make the video, I'll share it here too when it's done.

Other actions have been: 

I had an idea about some guerrilla marketing for Solomon's Secrets and went around some junk shops to find some old keys. I have been making tags with them. I'll be leaving them all over the place and asking people to tweet me if they find a key for a chance to win a copy of the book.

Another action:
I had previously had a Facebook page for The Bronze Box and finally got around to having a Facebook Author page. Check it out and like it for regular updates:

https://www.facebook.com/AmyCFitzjohn

Action 6: 
I read a really useful e-book  'A Weekend of Book Marketing' by Duolit and followed their tips. I've created a profile for my Number 1 Fan. By having an idea of who my ideal customer/reader is I can then be a lot more targeted in my marketing. I can select blogs to guest for and publications to write for based on the sort of things that may appeal to my target customer. Here's a profile. I've highlighted keywords:

Action 7:
I created a CV just for my writing and have registered with several freelance job boards

What marketing advice would you offer to other writers?