24Q3: Hurricanes, Social Media, and the Author Community
Hey Y’all!
After living in Houston for thirty years, we thought we were pretty good at knowing when to be alarmed about an approaching hurricane and when to simply prepare for a drenching rain. Lately, however, our past experience doesn't seem to mean much. Maybe statistics would prove me wrong, but it feels like the impact of even minor storms seems to be exponentially worse than in the past. (Oh, we have our ideas about why, but that's a whole other topic.)
With Hurricane Beryl, we got a lot of rain, but the biggest impact was the loss of power throughout the city of Houston. At one point, there were 2.6 million customers without electricity. Following a similar citywide power problem from May's derecho storm—a mere seven weeks prior, this one had the positive effect of getting everybody on the same page: something's broken and we need to fix it.
Amazingly, our power was only off for twelve hours. However, the hubby's parents were displaced for two weeks. We shuffled them between hotels and finally settled them in with us. (If you have stubborn, independent parents, you'll understand why we couldn't talk them into staying with us right away. I hope I don't cause my own daughter this frustration when I get older, but knowing me, I probably will. <sigh>)
All that to say, most of my focus in July was not on my author business.
Things I’m Working On
Code Block and More Coaching
In early June, I shared my excitement about working with a book coach. I'd contracted four sessions and was rolling along nicely after my last session. And then… I stopped. Again.
No one's going to blame me for not getting much done while playing hostess for all my displaced family members. (At one point, we had two great-grandparents, two grandparents, two parents, three children, and two large dogs in residence!)
But my writing had slowed before that. My last session with my writing coach was on June 6th and my last actual writing session was June 27th. In the thirty-one days before Beryl, I'd written 7,274 words. A decent average until you realize that I didn't write anything for the last nine days. I'd once again lost momentum.
The good news is, the chaos from the storm is gone and I'm feeling back to normal again. I've engaged Anne again and am meeting with her next week to get back on track. I am determined to get this first draft finished before fall.
Social Media Strategy
One thing that's come up among my author friends is how to up our social media game. One friend just went through a book launch and has been very active on social media. Another has her manuscript with her editor and is now focused on building her audience, so she's ready when it's time to seek an agent. Another has shared his experience with how pausing his social media posts affected his book sales.
So, yeah… I need to roll up my sleeves and get social. It's difficult for someone who's so private. I'll say anything to people I know, but putting myself out there in front of millions who don't know me? That's just not my scene. But it's part of the author business, so I'm getting into it. Or at least trying to.
I've always been on X/Twitter where I enjoy being able to drop short, punchy observations and quick words of encouragement. I've been using Substack Notes for similar interactions with other writers. And now, I'm learning how to make reels for Instagram.
I'm working on a content calendar, intending to take one day to do all my planning and creative work, then schedule everything out, so I can focus on writing during the rest of the week. I'm at the beginning of this, so we'll see how it goes. Wish me luck.
Publishing News
Amazon's Algorithm Changes
Around mid-year 2023, Amazon changed up its book category structure and many authors were rushing to update their categories. My book was finally gaining traction, and I didn't want to mess anything up, so I left mine alone. And it worked for me. My monthly sales continued to grow.
Then, in 2024, it stopped working. I've found articles on the Internet about Amazon changing their algorithm, but none of them say exactly when it happened. All I know is after January, my average monthly sales dropped 60%.
I finally—seven months later in July—decided to do something about it. It was time for a refresh on Left Turn. I've always gotten compliments on the cover, so the only change needed was to add the book award symbol, but the other elements selling my book definitely needed to be updated, including the categories.
I had an updated manuscript, correcting some typos found after publication, ready to load. (Apparently, that's a common thing for authors. Nothing like going over it hundreds of times searching for typos and errors, only to find several after you've hit publish. Doh!) I figured if I was updating everything else, now was a good time to get that updated manuscript out there as well.
In a mad dash to get it done before August 1st (so I'd have a nice clean cutoff to analyze), I updated my categories, keywords, blurb, subtitle, and the updated manuscript to all the retailers where I sell my books. Spoiler alert: It takes some time for all the different retailers to actually review and upload changes. I should have started this process earlier. Lesson learned.
Now I have to wait and see if these changes get the book in front of the right people. Fingers crossed. (Details below if you’re interested.)
Latest Articles on Writing
Gosh, life has been coming at me so hard this summer that I haven't written any new blog articles for you! Ugh. Sorry about that.
But… in the last month, I've had two different writers reach out to me to discuss my articles on using Excel to analyze my work. (Yes, the nerd in me gets excited about little things like talking analytics with a fellow data enthusiast!)
In 2022, I explained how to export your metadata from Scrivener into Excel—where you could then set up fancy formulas and review your work from an analytical point of view. I recently received a comment asking about the macros and formulas I used. I was so excited to share my Excel geekiness, I immediately put together a template and shared it with the world. (You can find that article here: Analyze Your Novel's Scenes with Scrivener Metadata. Look in the comments for the VBA macro and link to the template.)
And remember June's big, scary tutorial on How to Analyze Amazon Ads Targeting in Excel? Another author from halfway around the world reached out to me to talk details about analytics. We're now meeting regularly to discuss new strategies and see how our last efforts have done. I love it when our community collaborates.
Author Community Spotlight
Speaking of community collaboration… I've added this new section to spotlight other authors' work. I'm continuously amazed at the generosity of the author community in sharing their knowledge and want to highlight their work when I can.
This quarter's shout out is to Steve Braker (my new adventures-in-advertising buddy mentioned above) who writes action adventure thrillers based in Africa. Check out his About page to see what an amazing adventure his personal life has been.
You can check out his William Brody action thriller series on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LQDZ6XU/
What’s On Your Mind?
Today's question for you is a double-header! (Apparently, I’m extra curious this month.)
Social Media
With social media on my mind lately, I'm curious about how others are managing their social media presence. (It doesn't even have to be writerly related. If you're a reader and use social media, what are you doing to connect with others?)
What's your favorite social platform and what secrets, tips, or tricks have you discovered that make managing it easier?
Author Bio Stuff
Bonus question! I'm thinking of rewriting my bio with more details of my life. It always surprises me what people find interesting from my backstory. It's never what I expect. With that in mind…
What tidbits would you find interesting about someone who grew up in West Texas on a small cattle ranch, then went on to become a female manager in a male-dominated industry (like the oilfield)?
Let me know in the comments or reply to this email.
Until next time, happy pursuits!
Lancy
Left Turn’s Makeover
Cover:
New Description:
"Lancy McCall excels in crafting relatable, multidimensional characters whose dilemmas resonate with the reader, enhancing the story's authenticity." - Literary Titan
Alex Tanner's single-minded determination has led to her rise in Houston's male-dominated oilfield industry. With her career goals driving her every move, she has no interest in romantic entanglements. But the sexy Scottish Hollywood star sitting next to her on a long-haul flight home is a tempting distraction from her five-year plan.
Finley McAlister loves acting, but hates the unwanted attention that comes with fame. Blaming the ruthless media for a devastating loss, he finds himself at a crossroads in his career. His plans to disappear take a turn when his alluring flight companion doesn't appear to recognize him, and he jumps at the chance to explore life incognito with Alex as a tour guide.
As Alex and Finley's relationship heats up, the media spotlight threatens her professional aspirations and forces Fin to decide what he wants to do with his life. Can Alex find a balance between her ambition and unexpected love? Can Fin break through the demons of his past and reach for the next phase of his life? Or will the pressure of public scrutiny pull them apart and crush everything they've worked for?
Left Turn is a Literary Titan Gold Book Award winner and the first book in Lancy McCall's Women of Caprock series of interconnected standalones that will leave you breathless and longing for more.