iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 2h

Early voting is later this month. I plan to walk my ballot in to the central voting office and watch it be opened and counted. What's your plan? #voting #early

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Editors of short fiction, within your genre, socialize with editors of long fiction, within your genre. They gossip and notice rising names. You want yourself and your work to mention in positive tones when your name comes up. Editors can make or break you. #writingcommunity #booksky #editors

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

You are trying to present yourself as pro or semi-pro in social encounters. Be friendly but don't gush. Try not to make demands on folks. Sit and listen until you get the scope on topics, likely friendships, what people are talking about. Be friendly. #writingcommunity #booksky #conversations

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

When you meet other within-genre authors it helps if you have read their novels. Knowledge of publishing is a positive in social interactions. At some point you will be socializing with professional authors whose names you discovered on the cover of a novel. #writingcommunity #booksky #authors #pro

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

You are expected to be well read in your exact genre. You should recognize top author names, characters, settings and maybe some info on how a book sold and if it was nominated or won awards. It's conversation and personal knowledge. #writingcommunity #booksky #competency #withingenre

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

You should be reading your 10th top recent genre novel of the year this month. You should have a file on your computer with book reports and captured book data on each book. These help you sell your novel in several ways making things easier later. #writingcommunity #booksky #comparables #bookdata

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Most recent top novels have the name of the agent and editor in the acknowledgments of the book. Capture that information. When you are querying an agent you should know what they have represented recently, what they like, who they are connected to. #writingcommunity #booksky #agents #queries

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Book data is all about the physical metrics of a book. This includes cover art (sampled), fonts, margins, placement of page numbers, leading, font sizes, inclusion of art and all the other book details. Word count. You are wanting to emulate top books with your novel. #writingcommunity #booksky

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Don't criticize top books. It reflects poorly on you. You can't afford it. Keep your reading up to date. This means a new comp book every month. Take notes for your Books Read file. Take book data notes too and put an image of the cover in the file. #writingcommunity #booksky #booknotes #files

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

You should be able to talk competently about the big novels in your genre. You are a FAN, not a CRITIC. In publishing you will speak to fans, agents, editors and publishers. They will all expect you to know the top books ongoing. To achieve this you read them. #writingcommunity #booksky #competent

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

You should be able to select a comp book every Thursday to read. Be prepared. You can read one on Libby but be sure to order the hardcover for your data specs too. You need both. Take brief notes to help you remember the novel later. You need competency. #writingcommunity #booksky #comparables

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Good Morning Thursday Writers!!! Today we read! You should have a queue of the top recent novels in your exact genre. Top means published within 3 years. It may be an awards list. Some or all should be from your Library with more on order. #writingcommunity #booksky #library #comparables

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Tonight is a fish night with rice. Should be tasty. I have raw veg available too so maybe those on the side. What are you fixing for dinner?

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I plan to create a goodwill pile in my garage to load after I swim tomorrow. If I do a pile a day it will magically disappear very fast. #hoards

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I did make a small haul into my larger shed, I had cleaned that out a good bit earlier this summer. I put my coolers in there and my kittie kennels prepped for go. I included my little litter box and scoop in prep. My small cooler is also a prep item. #emergencyprep

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

This is a slim business card case that will protect your cards so that when you hand one out it is pristine. It fits in wallets and purses as well as your pocket. This cost under $10 #businesscardcase #writingcommunity #booksky

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

You can also carry a small pouch with decorative bookmarks, postcards or similar featuring your latest novel and a url or qr code to a sales site. Give these to anyone who asks you what your current or latest novel was about. You have these to pass around. #writingcommunity #booksky #bookmarks

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Your business card should include some means of contact. Don't frill it up with too much fluffy art or images. Show that you are serious about your writing career. No perfume. #writingcommunity #booksky #businesscards

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A professional business person has professional business cards. Order yours from a good company rather than printing on your printer. Get a case to carry in your purse or wallet to protect your cards. Give them out to readers and professionals. #writingcommunity #booksky #businesscards #pro

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

If you have an attitude - park it. Cultivate professional business behavior within the publishing world. Leave your gripes and issues outside and focus on selling your work be it shorts, poetry or full on novels. Be professional in appearance, attitude and behavior. #writingcommunity #booksky

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

As you sell more shorts other editors will notice and be more likely to buy from you. Building your reputation and connections takes time and effort. Keep on. Everything you write will find a home somewhere. Keep sending the rejects out! #writingcommunity #booksky #shortstories #rejections

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

An editor that buys from you once, is likely to buy from you in the future. When you make sales, move prior purchase venues up to the top of your market list and put a star next to names. Remember, editors gossip with editors. Don't be an ass to ANY editor. #writingcommunity #booksky #editors

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

If you don't have favored market lists yet, open a spread sheet and visit possible markets to see if you think they are a good match for your style. It helps to read markets in their current month to see what the editor likes. Tracking good editors is a thing. #writingcommunity #booksky #editors

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Review your current market lists for those accepting short shorts. Visit each site to see if they have prompts up. A prompt is a suggested story they might like hearing about. These prompts can help you write something. If they have free reads, read what they like. #writingcommunity #booksky

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

What post have you written and posted today? Try for at least 10 today. No copy posts. Originate and become a personality to those reading you. Show yourself. Visibility is not magical, it's effort. Write posts today and talk about whatever. #writingcommunity #booksky #posting

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

If you love poetry, write poetry. Same rules apply. Submit on Fridays. Track your sales and post links to where your poetry is available to read. Grow your brand. Branding is an active marketing activity. We do it every week rain or shine. Wave your name. #writingcommunity #booksky #branding

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

You may write essays and nonfiction. These count too. What you are doing is growing your online presence in an active way. Always post links to your available works online so fans can search them out and read them. Grow your base. Keep up with your links. #writingcommunity #booksky #shortfiction

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Remember, some short stories are optioned with potential gains in the millions. When you make a sale ask for a blurb with your website link or fan funnel link to be posted with the story. Be ready for sales. Ask your fan base to submit your works for awards. #writingcommunity #booksky #shorts

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A finished short story becomes a life-long asset you can sell over and over into new markets. Never sell your rights. Always limit length of use particularly on websites. Keep good records and read all contracts carefully to protect your interests. #writingcommunity #booksky #shortfiction #sales

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Short fiction can range from micro and flash fiction of a few hundred words, all the way to novella length fiction of up to 45,000 words. What you write is up to you. Try all genre, all subjects, all orientations and have fun with it. Who says you can't write a western? #writingcommunity #booksky

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Try to write a new short fiction every two weeks. This is a numbers game. Short fiction sells. I mean every piece will eventually sell somewhere. There is no better marketing than work where readers can find and read it. Today, focus on a short story. #writingcommunity #booksky #shortfiction

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Good Morning Writers!!! It's Wednesday and that means you are writing a short story today. You need to provide writing for readers to read in between your novels. Your best option is short stories, poetry and nonfiction pieces showing up everywhere. #writingcommunity #booksky #shortfiction

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I inherited my mother's hoard. Over the years I have taken endless piles of crap out of here. I am near the end of it. Please don't hoard and leave your mess to your children. Anything you don't use in a year should exit your property. Stop buying crap. #hoarding #inheritance

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A very productive day. My son was here and did two really big truck loads, one to goodwill and one to the dump. My garage is much improved. He is likely to return next weekend to do more. I was able to sit and direct action, a good role for me. #organizing

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Remember, a reader new to you as an author will see your backlist of novels as all NEW to that reader. When you promote aging titles you operate from the position that they are fresh titles. Keep your reels and shorts going and excite new readers. #writingcommunity #booksky #reels #shorts

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

It can be a good idea to beta test your cover art before publication. This is more for self publishers. You should not trust your own opinion on what attracts readers. Generate 3 covers and let your fans and betas vote on what they like best. #writingcommunity #booksky #covers #testingcovers

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

When books are printed in bulk, changing a cover is expensive. Usually this will happen at the end of a print run when a book is selling out its first printing. If you are unhappy with your novels cover today, make your decisions around pertinent metrics. #writingcommunity #booksky #bookcovers

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

You do not need to change your ISBN number when you change the cover on your novel. The number only changes with new editions (there is a percentage of content change that applies). If you book is not self published and POD then you discuss cover changes with your publisher. #writingcommunity

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Slowing sales can indicate a declining cover or set of covers. In a series, readers want to show off their books. The reader should be able to tell where a book is within a series from the spine. The covers should look similar and like a series. #writingcommunity #booksky #covers

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

If you have a backlist and if you have one or more series in your backlist then you should review the sales of the series titles. Often it becomes necessary to change book covers to make a series more cohesive. The covers should look good on a readers shelf. #writingcommunity #booksky #covers

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

At some point you should have enough book sales income coming in to cover the expenses of marketing. That is your target - for your marketing to pay for itself. It is like a circulating system. Note that you may have several publishers. #writingcommunity #booksky #publishers #marketing

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Once you have a backlist of titles you have published, you continue to promote them year-round. This can take the shape of creating 3 new reels each week for one or more titles. These ramp up when you are moving toward your next novel launch. #writingcommunity #booksky #reels #shorts #social

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

When I say you should always be marketing I mean that if you are not actively promoting your current novel, then you are building brand (your title list) and reaching out toward readers. You won't spend the same year-round but the work of marketing continues. #writingcommunity #booksky #writinglife

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Also to be checked at the beginning of each week is your marketing calendar. This is a paper calendar hanging next to your desk easy to see. On this calendar you list all upcoming writing events, groups, things you need to handle. You should always be marketing. #writingcommunity #booksky

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

If you were a slacker yesterday, take a few minutes today to check in on if you sent $100+ into your writing saving account yesterday. Also, notice if you added 1-2 new names/email addresses to your fan base for last week. These are weekly goals to check. #writingcommunity #booksky #goals #weekly

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Good Morning Beautiful Writers!!! We survived till Tuesday. Yay! This is a writing day where you should take your 2 discretionary hours and work on your novel. Build good writing habits to help you make regular progress and to train your brain to writing. #writingcommunity #booksky #writinglife

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

As a writer, you do not want your book squeezed down into the cheapest possible production costs as a publisher tries to maintain a higher profit margin. The squeeze can push readers away. Smaller type is harder to read and most readers are older readers. #writingcommunity #booksky #sweetspots

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

When you are publishing a book, there exists a sweet spot in the size, font size, leading depth, margins that the reader prefers. During economic hard times you will see smaller margins, fonts, leading as the publisher tries to reduce page count for cost savings. #writingcommunity #booksky

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Understand that a lot of book publishing paper comes from China and Canada. Now look at just the current tariff situation and how those prices for paper are in fluctuation and rapid increase. Pressure is put on the profit margins and marketing is squeezed. #writingcommunity #booksky #profits

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Fay Thompson, Author/Artist @faythompsonauthor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

When the publisher calculates their profits it is the area after production/shipping or hard costs. In that profit area the figures for marketing float a bit. In the currently volatile market where shipping, tariffs, paper costs are changing a lot, marketing money can be eaten. #writingcommunity

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