I feel like we spend so much time trying to figure out where our readers should be that we sometimes overlook where they’re actually finding us. Maybe it was a random conversation, a recommendation from another reader, a post you almost didn’t share, a newsletter, a book club, a podcast, a local event, or something completely unexpected. Where have your readers actually been coming from lately, and what have you been doing that seems to be helping? Even if it only brought you a handful of new readers, I’d still love to hear about it. Sometimes the small discoveries are the ones that give another author their next idea.

Have you ever had so much fun with words that you've made up one or two, or more? I like to refer to banannas as banaynays. What is your favorite made up or misconzounsed word?

Y’all, this is by far my favorite story. I am writing a continuation of this story because it flowed and opened up so well. May you be Blessed as I am. After all that she had suffered or lost, her life was about to change for the better. The morning air was crisp, and as she laced up her shoes, the heavy silence that used to fill her room finally felt like peace instead of loneliness. She pushed open the front door and stepped onto the porch. The world outside hadn’t changed—the old maple tree still shed its golden leaves onto the drive, and the distant hum of early traffic remained—but she had. Reaching into her pocket, her fingers brushed against the cool, smooth brass key to the tiny studio space downtown. It was modest, rough around the edges, and entirely hers. With a deep breath that filled her lungs for what felt like the first time in months, she set off down the sidewalk, her footsteps light against the pavement. Maya couldn’t wait to get to the studio to start the painting she was planning the moment she got there. As she unlocked the heavy glass door, the familiar scent of linseed oil and fresh canvas greeted her like an old friend. Sunlight poured through the tall arched windows, illuminating the blank canvas resting on the easel in the center of the room. She set her bag down, rolled up her sleeves, and squeezed bright, vibrant ribbons of paint onto her wooden palette. As Maya started painting with purple, gold, and lavender, she noticed how the colors blended well together, making her feel calm. She could just imagine the smooth, radiant glisten of the colors becoming so much more than she ever realized. With every movement of her wrist, the heavy violet bled into soft lavender, while streaks of gold caught the morning light like sunshine breaking through clouds. The canvas was turning into a quiet sanctuary, reflecting the peace she was finally allowing herself to feel. The paint glided across the texture of the linen, creating sweeping, radiant waves that looked almost alive.

I have been thinking about how much time we can spend trying different things to get our books in front of the right readers. Sometimes something works, sometimes it doesn’t, and sometimes we discover something that makes us wonder why we didn’t try it sooner. For those of you who have been working on growing your readership, what’s one thing you started doing that actually made a difference? It could be something simple like building your email list, being more consistent on social media, connecting with other authors, getting involved in reader communities, running ads, doing promotions, or something completely different. I’d especially love to hear from authors who tried something and thought, “I really wish I had started doing this earlier.” What’s yours?