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Learning to Reverse Engineer a Novel with Cecelia Mecca

54 min • 18 februari 2020

Historical romance author Cecelia Mecca joins Jami Albright and Sara Rosett. Cecelia shares what she learned when she changed genres and how she now reverse engineers her books before she writes them.

Jami, Sara, and Cecelia discuss:

How Cecelia transitioned from being an English teacher and a teacher of teachers to writing fiction full-time
Her mistake involving releasing her prequel novella on Super Bowl Sunday
The challenge of replicating success
Ceclia’s love of plotting books and how she wishes she’d read more craft books before writing her first novel
How important packaging is for your book (cover, title, blurb, trope) and reverse engineering your novel, including considering how to marry what her muse wants her to write with considerations about cover and marketing
Tips for using free marketing strategies including Facebook Live and Facebook groups (types and timing of posts)
How to get to know your readers
An incredibly simple, yet effective tip on how to to be successful on social media
Assumptions involving transferring from one genre to another
How Cecelia wishes she’d taken a closer look at the market for vampire books, but then discusses how much she learned from not doing that and how she now reverse engineers her books
The benefits of focusing narrowly on social media
How not using a pen name can be a mistake and lead to confused also-boughts on the ebook stores
Learning not to be so hard on yourself when things don’t as you expect
Strategies to reach new readers including being a hybrid author and using print, including hardbacks and large print
Importance of friendships in a writing career and how attending conferences can help you connect with other authors in your genre