Amanda Hocking

Amanda's Blog Post

Happy 2011!!

January 2nd, 2011 by
This post currently has 18 comments

First off, I want to thank everybody for their support and encouragement. It really, really means a lot to me. I hate commenting back to comments on blog, because it’s not like on Facebook, where I can just click and comment directly. And if there’s five people I want to say something to, it seems confusing to me, so I’m just writing a big thank you here, and promising to figure out how to respond to comments in more a timely fashion.

It’s been 2011 for a little over a day, and I’ve already made a few decisions.

But before I get to them, I just want to say: Ascend will be out before January 15th. I don’t know what date exactly, but I will be sure to let you all know the second it goes up for sale. It will be up for the Kindle and the Nook about the same time, and follow very shortly in paperback.

Throughout the next two weeks (starting on Monday), I’ll be posting teasers and fun facts and stuff like that for Ascend.

Now onto my other decisions.

First – my New Year’s resolution is to answer email in a more timely fashion. If you’ve emailed me and I haven’t replied, it’s not because I don’t care or haven’t read it. It’s because I take forever to reply to an email. I feel like that I should be eloquent and witty, and all I can usually come up with is something like, “Thank you.” And that feels too insincere.

I get really hung up on how sincere I sound apparently. I think it’s because when I’m nervous and I talk, I sound really rude. My friends make fun of me for it. And now I have complex any time I do anything when I’m nervous, and I’m afraid I sound disingenuous when I really am being genuine.

Anyway – the next decision concerns my blog. I’m still going to talk about whatever I want. (Today’s blog was almost about how Kickass reminded me a lot of Observe and Report, and then also go on a rant again about how Death to Smoochy  and Mystery Men are really underrated films).

But I did need to decide what kind of blog I wanted to have. More personal, or more business? Because on a business blog, it makes sense for me to talk about sales, the process of writing, and all sorts of writerly business. It would be meant to inform other writers and people interested in that kind of thing.

But if I’m writing a personal blog, it makes more sense for me to ramble about Michael Wincott and talk about what I’m working on and stuff to readers about my books. It would be more aimed at being mildly entertaining and informative to readers.

But I can’t have both. (This it the third paragraph in a row I’ve started with the word “but.” I’m a really good writer). People coming here to read about stats and figures will be bored when I discuss why everyone should be listening to Chris Garneau or how I’m still sore that Jo dumped Laurie in Little Women. And readers coming to find out more about stuff about the Trylle Trilogy will be irritated when they see me posting sales.

So here’s what I decided – this blog is personal. On almost any given day, I would much rather talk about pop culture or my books than about money or figures. So I’m not going to be posting that kind of stuff here anymore.

However, if you are a writer and want to ask questions, feel free. Although, I should warn you, my advice probably isn’t that great. And if you have a blog and you’d like to invite me to talk about facts and figures and things like to inform other indie writers and people in the biz, then I’d be happy to do that.

I’m not going to be secret about what’s happening in  my life. I have no reason to be. But I don’t need to talk about it all the time either. So that’s my feelings on all of that.

On a final note, Oprah now has a channel called “OWN” and I doubt that my gay roommate will ever let the channel change to anything else ever again. But Oprah just said somehing, and I’ve decided to end on that, because she makes it sound deep and meaningful.

“Welcome to 2011. Let’s make it our own.”

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  • Anonymous says:

    When is the 5th book of the series My Blood Approves coming out

  • Sharon D says:

    I am wondering if you have a name for book 5 of my blood approves? I am dying for the 5th book to come out. It is at the very top of my list for books to look for in 2011. =) Also Thank you so much for having the price of the books at a low price rather than 10.00 a book, I as well as all your fans i am sure are grateful to you for it. I think this series should be turned into a movie or TV show, it would be amazing! I hope you have a wonderful year and I hear back from you. =)

  • Bella Andre says:

    Amanda, Just wanted to drop by to say a big CONGRATS on your fantastic 2010! It’s been a pleasure to be bobbing around you on the nook bestseller lists. 🙂

    And your decision sounds great. I’ve really appreciated the numbers posts from a writer’s perspective (honestly, your success has inspired me so much that I have to say thanks – December was an amazing month for me and my books in large part because I saw how well you’re doing and it got me psyched) – but I think you need to do whatever is going to make you happy. All of us do.

    🙂 Bella
    http://www.BellaAndre.com

  • She Knows says:

    A good mix of personal and business is my vote. Personal appeals to me more.

    I just wanted to say I can’t wait until you start writing book #5> I just read all 4 books in the series. I completely abandoned my life for the past 3 days to do it, too. But it was well worth it.
    I thought you’d killed Jack, and I couldn’t believe how my heart actually heart. I could barely force myself to read the rest of it, but I am glad I did! So I guess I’m a Jack fan, then. 😉
    Off to devour Letters to Elise, and start on the rest of your books. Great reads. And thanks for doing the soundtracks, too.

  • Jamie says:

    Happy to hear about Ascend! Good to read that your are going to keep your blog personal, I think it’s more fun & informative that way. 🙂

  • gniz says:

    Okay, I’ll admit that I’m disappointed. I really like the sales and business side of your blog but then again, I’m probably not your target demo.

    However, I do think it’s possible to have a mix of business and personal on your blog…still, ultimately the choice is yours.

    I do invite you to come and talk about your sales and the biz on my blog. I think that would be great!

    An E-publisher’s Manifesto

  • Lara T. says:

    Yay for Ascend! 🙂
    Love your book montage by the way and stumbled across how to do one over on Goodreads so now I have one! Thanks!
    Lara
    http://www.lara-lalaland.blogspot.com

  • Glad to hear you got that all worked out Amanda! Nice knowiing htat your starting the new year with a plan!!1

    MY daughter is PISSED that Oprah bought Discovery Health channel. She loved watching the snows on it. NOw that it is OWN, she is anti oprah EVERYTHING!! Never can win can we?

    Take care of you and do what makes you happy!