Category: marketing

What Are the Odds?

A Writer’s Honest Take on Contests, Scams, and Chasing the Dream

What are the odds?As a writer and author, I occasionally post a story from a prompt and feed the machine $5 for a “chance” to win a contest. I also play the lottery from time to time. Not that I have an ice cube’s chance in hell of winning, but I do it when I travel. Long car trips on flat, nothing roads are a great way to ask the proverbial “what if?”

What would I do with X millions if I won? It could happen, right? Fortunately, I know what statistics are, so I don’t get too carried away with the fantasy. The same is true for casting my story onto the Reedsy website. Often, I look at the winning story and ask, how the hell did that one win?! I think I know.

The Predators in My Inbox

Putting my own vanity aside, the same skepticism applies to the predators who comment on my books through email, asking me if I would consider allowing them to be my agent. Truthfully, I could use their pitch about my book as a cover blurb. Of course, AI wrote it, and of course, it’s a scam designed to prey on my ego.

So I ask once again: what are the odds?

I have at least five people with the first name “Lauren” as new followers on my Reedsy story site.

All of the Laurens have different last names, and each of them is tempting my ego to override my God-given good sense. They want me to hand over money so they can “take my writing to the next level.”

The Engagement Game

IMHO, if I really wanted my story to win, I’d get everyone on this blog to go over there and “like” my story. That would tweak the algorithm, and maybe then a judge might actually read it and think, “Wow, that’s pretty good.”

Again IMHO, I seriously doubt someone sits down and reads 300-plus stories, each week and carefully weigh the pros and cons of each before crowning a winner. Much like monetized social media with its clicks, likes, and comments, contest platforms probably use engagement as a tool. (If I’m wrong, feel free to comment.)

So Why Do I Keep Paying the $5?

Ever since I ran across a young woman on YouTube (I think her name was Laura) who was going through school at the time parroting what she learned in vlogs, I wanted her company to succeed. They’re a bona fide business now and offer many services. I write, and I pay the money for feedback from other writers that range from “Wow, that’s a great story!” to “You need to make your character feel more like a living person instead of a zombie.”

A Modest Proposal for Reedsy

I propose the following adjustments to the current contest model:

Introduce Written Feedback for All Entries Provide each contestant, regardless of outcome, with a brief written critique from a qualified reader or editor. Even two to three sentences of constructive commentary would deliver meaningful value.
Adjust the Entry Fee to $10 Increasing the fee from $5 to $10 offsets the cost of providing individualized feedback and positions the contest as a premium, value-added service rather than a low-stakes lottery.
Expand the Prize Pool A larger prize, funded in part by the adjusted fee structure, would attract a greater number of participants and elevate the prestige of the competition.

Anticipated Benefits

Increased Participant Retention: Writers will feel they are receiving tangible value for their investment, win or lose.
Enhanced Platform Credibility: Offering expert feedback reinforces the platform’s role as a professional development resource, not merely a contest host.
Higher Entry Volume: A larger prize purse combined with guaranteed feedback is likely to draw new entrants and reengage lapsed ones.
Stronger Competitive Positioning: Few writing contests currently offer feedback as part of the standard entry package. Adopting this model would differentiate the platform in a crowded market.

Feasibility Considerations

Assuming contest judging is conducted by human evaluators rather than automated tools, the additional effort required to generate short-form feedback should be minimal relative to the review process already underway. In practical terms, if judges are already reading entries to determine winners, capturing a few lines of impressions per submission is a modest incremental task with significant participant-facing value.

The proposed changes represent a low-risk, high-reward adjustment to the existing contest structure. By transforming the entry fee into an investment in personal development rather than a speculative gamble, the platform can strengthen participant loyalty, grow contest participation, and reinforce its standing as a trusted partner to the writing community.

A Note to My Fellow Writers

To every writer out there navigating this strange landscape with me, this one’s for you.

If you’re like me, your inbox is probably overflowing with “We love your book!” messages from “xyz Publishers” @gmail.com.

Go ahead, borrow that AI-generated blurb if it flatters you, have a laugh, and move on.

We’ve all seen them. We all know the game.

And if you, like me, still enter contests with your eyes wide open, take heart. The genuine followers you gain along the way, the ones who take the time to read your story and leave a thoughtful comment, are the real prize.

They aren’t trying to scam you. They’re walking the same road you are.There are too many of us to name, but we share something powerful in common: the desire to be the best writers we can be.

We keep showing up. We keep submitting. We keep writing, even when the odds feel long and the noise feels loud.

That shared drive is what makes this community worth being part of.

I’ve shared several tips on this blog to help fellow writers sharpen their craft, and I’ll keep adding more.

If any of this resonates with you, follow along for future posts, drop a comment below and tell me about your own experiences, and let’s keep lifting each other up.We’re in this together.

Have a blessed day!

MY Current Books

Nothing But Time: A Story About What We Lose When We’re Too Busy to Notice

There’s a particular kind of silence that fills a downtown apartment at 3 PM on a Tuesday. It’s not the peaceful quiet of a weekend morning or the contemplative hush of a late evening. It’s the silence of a man who suddenly has nowhere to be, and worse, no one waiting for him to arrive.This is where we meet Jack.

The Weight of an Empty Calendar

For forty-three years, Jack’s identity was stitched into the fabric of a company logo. He knew the precise angle of morning light through his corner office window. He could recite quarterly projections in his sleep. His fingers knew the keyboard shortcuts of Excel the way a pianist knows Chopin.Then came the merger.They called it “restructuring.” They handed him a plaque, a modest severance, and a handshake from someone half his age who couldn’t quite meet his eyes. Just like that, the man who built departments, mentored executives, and sacrificed weekends for deadlines became… what, exactly?In “Nothing But Time,“ I wanted to explore what happens to a man when the thing he traded his life for suddenly decides it doesn’t need him anymore.

The Ghosts That Live in Silence

Jack sits in his sleek, expensive apartment—the one he bought because it was close to the office, not because it felt like home—and the memories arrive uninvited.His wife, Diane. The way she used to leave dinner in the oven, then eventually stopped. The way she’d ask him to come to bed, then eventually stopped asking. The night she said, “You’re already gone, Jack. I’m just making it official.”His son’s baseball games he missed for board meetings. His daughter’s wedding, where he gave a toast about “investments and returns” because he didn’t know her well enough to say anything personal. The grandchildren whose names he sometimes has to pause to remember.He built a monument to his career.He built it out of the people who loved him.

The Letter That Changes Everything

And then, one gray morning, an envelope arrives. Heavy paper. A law firm’s embossed seal. An roomate from college left him a farm, acres of rolling green somewhere far from spreadsheets and quarterly reports.What does a man who has spent his life optimizing efficiency do with soil, sky, and silence?That’s the question at the heart of “Nothing But Time.”

Why I Wrote This Book

I didn’t write this novel to entertain you, though I hope it does. I wrote it because I’ve watched too many good men and women trade the irreplaceable for the replaceable.Here’s the truth nobody puts in a corporate handbook:

The company will replace you before your desk is cold. But your daughter will remember the recital you missed for the rest of her life. Your son will remember whether you showed up. Your spouse will remember whether you were present or just physically in the room.We chase the watch. The title. The bonus. The corner office. We tell ourselves we’re doing it for the people we love, while the very act of chasing it takes us further from them.And then one day, the chase ends. The company merges. The title evaporates. The watch stops mattering.And what’s left?For Jack, what’s left is a farm and forty years of regret. What’s left is the possibility—maybe, just maybe—of learning a different way to measure a life.

From a large city to a small town Jack Harper gave everything to his career.

Now he’s retired, redundant, and utterly lost.

Then he inherits a farmhouse from the friend who tried to warn him, the friend who escaped to Vermont and died alone, the friend who left behind one final message: Tend the roses. Stop and smell them. Live.

But something strange is happening at the farmhouse. The old radio plays broadcasts from 1943. The rose garden blooms when Jack kneels in the dirt. And Ed, his dead friend, keeps appearing at the edge of the orchard, smiling, beckoning, waiting for Jack to understand what he spent a lifetime refusing to see. Some second chances come with instructions. Some come with ghosts.

An Invitation

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re building the right kind of legacy… if you’ve ever looked up from your desk and realized the seasons changed without you… if you’ve ever felt the quiet fear that the people you love are becoming strangers… then Jack’s story is your story too.“Nothing But Time” is available now. It’s a novel about loss, yes, but more importantly, it’s a novel about what we can still choose while we still have breath.Because here’s the thing about time: we all think we have more of it than we do. Until one day, we’re sitting in a quiet apartment, holding a letter, realizing that time is the only thing we ever really had.And the only question that matters is:Who did we spend it with?

Don’t chase the watch. Chase the people. They’re the only thing that ticks back.Get your copy of “Nothing But Time” today—and maybe, tonight, call the person you’ve been meaning to call.

Prime Day and the Human Face of Amazon

Jeff Bezos built an empire by understanding one fundamental truth about modern consumers: we crave instant gratification. With a click, our desires materialize on our doorsteps, sometimes within hours. It’s a remarkable feat of logistics and psychology working in tandem.

The Retail Evolution

We’ve witnessed this transformation before. Large box stores swept through America, turning thriving small-town main streets into ghost towns as mom-and-pop shops closed their doors. Now, Amazon is doing the same to shopping malls. The retail landscape continues to shift beneath our feet. But here’s the thing, Amazon’s dominance isn’t guaranteed. It could unravel quickly if the company overlooks a critical detail: delivery drivers are the human face of Amazon.

When Cameras Are Watching

Cameras are everywhere now. Ring doorbells (ironically, an Amazon-owned company) capture every interaction between drivers and our front porches. When a delivery driver stands several feet back and tosses a package onto the concrete, customers notice. That toss communicates something…whether it’s exhaustion, frustration, or contempt. The perception matters, even if the driver is simply overwhelmed.

The Prime Day Problem

During Prime Day, order volumes surge dramatically. Drivers face longer routes, heavier loads, and tighter schedules. That’s understandably stressful. However, this increased demand is precisely why they have jobs. Customers aren’t inconveniences, they’re the entire reason the position exists.Combine rough handling with Amazon’s often minimal packaging, and you have a recipe for damaged goods and frustrated customers.

A Simple Solution

Perhaps it’s time for Amazon to invest in a genuine conversation with their delivery teams. A reminder that every toss, every interaction, and every doorstep moment shapes the brand. Customers are watching—literally.Gratitude goes a long way. So does setting a package down gently.

#PrimeDay
#PrimeDay2026
#AmazonPrimeDay
#Amazon
#AmazonDelivery
#JeffBezos

About the cover: He has watched empires rise and fall. He has walked through plagues, wars, and revolutions. Yet for over five hundred years, only one thing has kept him tethered to this world—her face, frozen in oil and pigment, imprisoned behind a gilded frame.When a powerful king discovered his daughter had given her heart to a creature of the night, he turned to dark sorcery to end the affair permanently. He couldn’t kill the vampire. So instead, he trapped the princess somewhere far more cruel—inside a painting, suspended between life and death, visible but forever untouchable.The vampire has never stopped searching for a way to free her.Now, posing as a respected museum curator, he has finally uncovered an ancient ritual that might shatter the curse. But magic this old demands a price. And after centuries of patience, he must ask himself:How much is he willing to lose to bring her back?

Genre & Comparables

Magical realism with gothic romance elements—perfect for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Interview with the Vampire, and The Night Circus. The Girl in the Guilded Frame

12 Activities to Energize Your Writers’ Group and Elevate the Craft

May 28, 2026

As the director of a League of Writers, I’m constantly searching for activities that bring genuine value to our members. Over time, I’ve realized that writers’ groups exist everywhere—each one filled with passionate individuals striving to improve their craft and find community. With that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of activities that have worked well for us and might benefit your group too.Whether you’re leading a small local circle or a larger organization, these ideas can transform your meetings into dynamic spaces for creativity, learning, and mutual support.

1. Guest Speakers and Workshops

Inviting guest speakers breathes fresh energy into any group. Consider reaching out to published authors, editors, literary agents, or experts in fields relevant to your members’ interests.For example:

A sci-fi author could discuss world-building techniques
A psychologist could share insights into crafting realistic characters with complex psychological profiles
A comedian or humorist could explore how to weave humor into prose

These sessions expose members to new perspectives and provide invaluable insider knowledge.

2. Critique and Feedback Sessions

Constructive feedback is the lifeblood of improvement. Establish a structured critique process that feels safe and productive:

Writers read their work aloud or distribute it beforehand
Listeners provide constructive feedback while the author listens quietly—no defending or explaining during the critique
End with a Q&A where the author can ask clarifying questions

This approach helps writers truly absorb feedback rather than react defensively, allowing them to refine their craft with fresh eyes.

3. Creative Writing Prompts and Challenges

Prompts spark imagination and push writers outside their comfort zones. Try these approaches:

Write a short story based on a single evocative word or phrase
Use provocative music or artwork as inspiration for a scene
Challenge members to write in a genre they’ve never attempted—sci-fi, psychological thriller, romance, or horror

The element of surprise and constraint often produces surprisingly powerful work.

4. Themed Writing Exercises

Align exercises with your group’s collective interests:

Humor Writing: Craft a comedic piece inspired by a favorite comedian’s style
World-Building: Collaboratively create a fictional universe, with each member contributing a unique element—technology, culture, history, or geography
Character Deep Dives: Develop a character harboring a dark secret and brainstorm how it could drive an entire plot

Themed exercises create cohesion and allow members to learn from each other’s interpretations.

5. Book and Style Analysis

Studying the masters sharpens our own skills. Dedicate sessions to analyzing published work:

Compare the opening lines of two novels to discuss style, tone, and hooks
Have members share a favorite book and explain why the author’s voice resonates with them
Dissect humor writing techniques by examining essays or routines from beloved comedians

Understanding why something works teaches us how to replicate that magic.

6. Writing Retreats

There’s something transformative about stepping away from daily life to focus entirely on writing. Organize a retreat where members can immerse themselves in their projects:

A weekend getaway at a cabin, hotel, or retreat center
A virtual retreat with scheduled writing blocks and group check-ins

The camaraderie, shared goals, and uninterrupted focus can be profoundly motivating—and often produce breakthrough progress.

7. “Brags” and Celebrations

Writing can be isolating, and achievements often go unnoticed. Dedicate time at each meeting for members to share their wins:

Completing a chapter or draft
Submitting a manuscript to agents or publishers
Publishing a piece, receiving positive feedback, or hitting a word count goal

Celebrate these milestones with applause, small rewards, or simple acknowledgment. This fosters a sense of accomplishment and reminds everyone that progress—however small—matters.

8. Collaborative Projects

Working together builds community and teaches valuable lessons about the writing process:

Anthology: Each member contributes a short story around a shared theme
Collaborative Novel: Use the Snowflake Method or another plotting technique to outline a novel together, then divide chapters among members
Round-Robin Stories: One member writes the opening paragraph, then passes it to the next person to continue

These projects create tangible results the group can be proud of—and potentially publish.

9. Skill-Building Sessions

Target specific craft elements that challenge your members:

Writing natural, compelling dialogue
Crafting openings that hook readers immediately
Editing and revision techniques
Show versus tell
Pacing and structure

Use writing craft books, online resources, or invite a writing instructor to guide the session. Focused skill-building creates measurable improvement.

10. Fun and Interactive Activities

Not every meeting needs to be serious. Inject playfulness into your group:

Storytelling Games: Use random prompts or words to create a story collaboratively in real-time
Writing Roulette: Each member writes a paragraph, then passes their paper to the next person to continue—chaos and creativity ensue
Genre Swap: Rewrite a scene from your current project in a completely different genre (turn a thriller into a comedy, or literary fiction into sci-fi)

Laughter and play unlock creativity in unexpected ways.

11. Unconventional Inspiration Exercises

Draw writing prompts from unexpected sources:

Craft a story based on overheard conversations, mysterious radio transmissions, or strange signals
Use historical photographs or news headlines as story seeds
Write from the perspective of an inanimate object or an unusual narrator

Unusual starting points lead to original stories.

12. Psychological Exploration for Character Development

Deep, believable characters drive memorable fiction. Create exercises that explore psychology:

Write a scene from the perspective of a character with a specific psychological trait, fear, or condition
Explore how a character’s past trauma influences their present decisions and relationships
Develop detailed backstories that never appear on the page but inform every action

Understanding the human mind—its quirks, defenses, and desires—makes characters leap off the page.

Final Thoughts

A writers’ group should be more than a meeting—it should be a space where creativity flourishes, skills sharpen, and writers find the support they need to keep going. By incorporating a variety of activities, you can keep your group fresh, engaged, and continuously growing.I hope this list proves useful to writers’ groups everywhere. After all, when we lift each other up, we elevate the entire craft.What activities have worked well for your writers’ group? I’d love to hear your ideas.

Happy writing!

Here are a few of my projects…

How Authors Can Thrive in the Digital Age

A lot of you are staring at flat sales and asking me the same thing I see in my inbox every week: are people still reading?

Short answer: yes. Longer answer: hell yes, but reading has changed outfits. People still love romance, fantasy, and thrillers, yet a lot of them are grabbing audiobooks, e-books, and snackable serials on Wattpad and Substack. Attention is a fragile little beast, so readers also go for shorter, punchier stuff, or they want summaries and adaptations like podcasts and quick recaps that fit between life, work, and whatever Netflix is feeding them tonight.

Where Are People Reading?

Online platforms: Wattpad, Kindle Direct Publishing, Substack, and even Reddit are buzzing with new voices and weirdly passionate niche communities.
Social media: Instagram’s Bookstagram, TikTok’s BookTok, and Twitter’s BookTwitter can catapult a book from “who the hell is this?” to “I saw that everywhere.”
Audiobooks and podcasts: Multitaskers unite. People listen while commuting, cleaning, working out, or pretending to stretch.

Why, you might ask. Have you listened to the news? Then you know the answer.

How Can an Unknown Writer Get Known Today?

1) Social media is a tool, not a religion

Use it if it helps. It’s great for visibility, networking, and actually talking to readers, but it shouldn’t swallow your writing time.
Yes, some authors thrive with little or no social presence. They are the exception. For most of us mortals, social helps put the work in front of eyeballs.

2) Other ways to get noticed

Self-publishing: KDP and Wattpad can get your work to readers without asking anyone’s permission.
Newsletter and email list: Gold. You own that relationship, and it beats shouting into the algorithm void.
Collaborations: Guest posts, podcast interviews, swaps with other writers. Borrow audiences like a pro.
Local events: Bookstores, libraries, and fairs still move the needle. Also, free cookies sometimes.

3) If you do social, do it smart

Go where your readers hang out. TikTok is huge for YA and romance. Twitter is strong for sci-fi and literary fiction.
Post more than “buy my book.” Share behind-the-scenes bits, the messy writing process, personal stories, and jump into reader conversations. Be a human, not a billboard.

The Business of Writing: From A to Z

Writing a great story matters. Editing matters. Neither will save you if you treat your book like a message in a bottle. Authors are not just artists. You are a business. That means strategy, systems, and marketing that moves people to talk about your work and you.This is not selling out. This is how you get read.

What “Business” Means for Authors

Product: Your book, your series, your backlist, your bonus content.
Brand: The promise you make to readers and the vibe you deliver every time.
Distribution: How your work reaches people, both digital and physical.
Marketing: How you attract attention and convert it into actual readers.
Operations: Calendars, budgets, deadlines, tools, contracts, taxes. The glamorous stuff.
Analytics: Knowing what works so you can do more of it and stop guessing.

The A to Z of Author Biz

A — Audience: Define a reader persona, not a vague blob. Who are they, what do they read, where do they hang out, why do they care.
B — Brand: One line that nails your promise. Keep your covers, copy, and tone consistent.
C — Copywriting: Your blurb and ad hooks must carry their own weight. Clarity beats clever.
D — Distribution: Go wide, or go exclusive. Pick based on genre norms and your goals.
E — Email: Build a list. Own your audience. Send value, not spam.
F — Funnel: Attract, capture, nurture, convert, delight. Simple beats messy.
G — Goals: Monthly word count, quarterly launches, revenue targets. Write them down.
H — Hook: A sharp premise plus emotional stakes. Put it everywhere.
I — IP: Protect your rights. Think audio, translation, merch, adaptations.
J — Joint ventures: Cross-promos, anthology teams, podcast swaps. Borrow trust.
K — Keywords: Metadata matters. Help stores and search engines find you.
L — Launch: ARC teams, preorders, schedule, assets, reviews on day one.
M — Marketing: Sustained, not frantic. Test small, then scale.
N — Nurture: Behind-the-scenes updates, freebies, bonus chapters, Q&A.
O — Outreach: Book clubs, libraries, indie bookstores, local media.
P — Positioning and Price: Know your shelf. Price to market, then experiment.
Q — Quality control: Edit, proof, format. Readers forgive a lot, but not sloppy.
R — Reviews: Make it easy to leave them. Never argue with a reviewer.
S — Social proof: Testimonials, awards, charts, screenshots. Use them.
T — Testing: Covers, blurbs, ad images, first pages. Let data win.
U — USP: Your unique angle. Say it plainly. Repeat it often.
V — Visibility: SEO, social, ads, partnerships, events. Stack your channels.
W — Word of mouth: The engine you build on purpose, not by accident.
X — X-factor: A signature element readers remember. A tone, trope, theme, or world.
Y — You, Inc.: Protect your time and energy. Systems beat willpower.
Z — Zero regret finish: Close loops, deliver on promises, ask for the next action.

Marketing That Gets People Talking

People share what makes them feel smart, seen, or entertained. Give them something to pass along.

Talk triggers: A bold premise, an unexpected twist, a controversial question, a jaw-drop world rule. Bake one into the book and the blurb.
Shareables: Quote cards, short audio clips, 20–40 second video hooks, tidy behind-the-scenes photos. Make it easy to repost.
Reader roles: ARC team, street team, beta readers, name-a-character contests, choice-of-cover votes.
Communities: Goodreads groups, Discord servers, Reddit threads, TikTok and Instagram niches. Show up where conversations already exist.
Micro-influencers: Bookstagrammers, BookTok creators, niche podcasts, genre newsletters. Smaller audiences can convert better.
Book clubs: Offer discussion guides, Zoom drop-ins, signed bookplates, discounts for bulk.
Local buzz: Libraries, indie bookstores, college lit groups, hometown papers. Real humans, real momentum.

Your Visibility Stack

Home base: A simple website and an email list. You own both.
One primary social channel: Go where your readers actually are. Post consistently, not constantly.
Retail pages that convert: Strong cover, tight blurb, dialed metadata, compelling Look Inside.
Ads as accelerant: Start tiny on Amazon, Meta, or TikTok. Test audiences and creatives.
Search and SEO: Author name, series name, genre keywords. Make Google your friend.

A Simple Weekly System

Write: 5 sessions. Protect them like a dragon hoard.
Nurture: 1 email or community post with value or a peek behind the curtain.
Grow: 1 outreach action. Pitch a podcast, DM a creator, apply for a promo.
Promote: 2 evergreen posts or clips that spotlight your hook.
Measure: 20 minutes on metrics. Keep doing what moves the needle.

Metrics That Matter

Email list growth and open rate
Conversion on your retail pages
Cost per click and cost per new reader
Read-through across a series
Reviews per 100 sales
Time on page for your first chapter or sample

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Hiding behind the book: You are part of the product. Readers follow people.
Launching cold: Build a list and a conversation before release week.
Random acts of marketing: Pick a plan and stick to it for at least one quarter.
Chasing every trend: Choose one lane you can sustain.
Forgetting the back end: No clear next step means lost momentum.

Make Them Talk About You

Own a theme or hill to die on: A point of view readers can quote at dinner.
Name your world or promise: A catchy series name or manifesto line helps memory stick.
Deliver delight moments: Unexpected bonus scenes, secret epilogues, surprise art drops.
Invite participation: Polls, challenges, reading sprints, live Q&A.
Close with an ask: If you loved it, tell a friend, leave a review, join the list. Simple and direct.

Now, in exchange for all this free advice (which, let’s be honest, is a screaming bargain)… may I humbly point you toward my latest literary offspring: The Ocean Within.It’s a gripping, science-driven thriller about the delicate tango between humanity and Mother Nature—who, spoiler alert, is not thrilled with us right now. Think Michael Crichton’s suspense, Andy Weir’s nerdy charm, and Kim Stanley Robinson’s “wait, could this actually happen?” energy, all shaken (not stirred) into one page-turner.Fair warning: you may finish it slightly out of breath, mildly paranoid about the ground beneath your feet, and unable to look at the ocean the same way again. I’d apologize, but honestly? That’s kind of the point.Grab a copy. Your bookshelf will thank you. Your sleep schedule… less so. 🌊

Thanks and much Love…

AuthorScott