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hollyxbear's review
3.0
I really enjoyed reading this book for the first few chapters and then it just felt as though it was in a repetition rut. I think it did help me overall to understand how to market my books once I get around to actually writing them... I need to sit down and focus on it. But even with the repetition rut this book was really good. I am so lucky to have won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.
jessdone's review
5.0
Loved this book so much and found it so helpful, I bought it after reading through Kindle Unlimited (no longer available in unlimited). This is a great book for an emotional, creative mind looking to share whatever they are expressing.
Personally, I read a little at a time highlighting and responding to the questions or thoughts. I recommend anyone use this book to help motivate them in their journey and Spurr themselves forward in their endeavor. I don't know if this book will help me sell my book. I don't know if all the work I've done will show up in more readers or in dollars. But I don't think I'd be here on the precipice of self publishing a book with a professional copy editor and a professional cover artist working with me to deliver the best package I can for readers. Just having the thing and knowing I did it all and could do it all again adds value to my life. If the book's suggestions help me reach an audience, that's a bonus at this point.
Personally, I read a little at a time highlighting and responding to the questions or thoughts. I recommend anyone use this book to help motivate them in their journey and Spurr themselves forward in their endeavor. I don't know if this book will help me sell my book. I don't know if all the work I've done will show up in more readers or in dollars. But I don't think I'd be here on the precipice of self publishing a book with a professional copy editor and a professional cover artist working with me to deliver the best package I can for readers. Just having the thing and knowing I did it all and could do it all again adds value to my life. If the book's suggestions help me reach an audience, that's a bonus at this point.
lelia_t's review
4.0
This book has great ideas for writers or non-writers who, like me, are trying to market a heart-centered business. Keeping the focus on relationships with clients rather than business achievements really takes the pressure off and helps me see how I could even enjoy marketing.
blogger6fowl's review
5.0
This book is amazing. So useful. I can relate to the author’s experiences. As an HSP writer who is also an INFP, this book has spoken to my soul and inspired me to write the last poem of my manuscript, Sensibilidad (Sensibility in Spanish). Being true to oneself and to one’s sensitive nature is at the core of this masterpiece. I love it! I’m going to recommend it to every writer I know. Every chapter has made my heart warm. Now, I feel confident about my book. Thank you so much for writing, publishing and marketing this, Lauren. It is changing my life for the better.
t_rav_is's review
5.0
As soon as I saw that Lauren wrote this book I ordered off Amazon pronto. I have Lauren's other two books, Between the Shadow and Lo, and The INFJ Writer, both of which I highly recommend. The INFJ Writer and Firefly Magic are written in a similar style where there are exercises at the end of each chapter for the reader to reflect upon. In The INFJ Writer Lauren states that you have to actually do the exercises in the book for it to do you and good,. Being a self-help book junkie I am totally guilty of reading self-help books and not doing the exercises, and now thinking about that, I might go back and re read some books on my book shelf.. That all changed a few years ago when I read the INFJ Writer. I would read a few chapters, and then go back over the questions posed at the end each section. Some of the questions take a bit of pondering, it may take a day or two for my brain to come up with something. I will open up a blank word document, write down the question and write out what comes to mind, at then when I finish the book I will have quite a bit of information out there where I can review it.
Firefly Magic is no different, if you are an intuitive HSS/HSP writer like myself, Lauren knows how your brain works. Its like she opens up your head, looks at all the programming , neurons and connections in there, takes pictures of it and then puts in all into words that we can actually understand. I have taken a marketing class, and read several other books about it, but none of them really worked for me. They all seemed a bit scammy or like they were aimed at the used car salesman type. A lot of those other books have a few things in common, they say you need to change your personality and become more extroverted, and while that is partially true, an introvert cannot become an extrovert. Now I am not saying these other books and blogs do not have good information, because they do, but their targeted audience is not the Intuitive HSP type of person that many writers are.
Lauren knows that you have a book that you are working on that is partially finished or on its 3rd re-write that you have been working on for a while. I am totally guilty of this, I have been working on my novel for about 4 years and its still in rough shape. Firefly Magic comes for Lauren's experience as a writing coach, she helped me out with my novel a few years ago, her book is the combination of hundreds (maybe thousands ?) of coaching sessions put into actionable bits for the reader. If you are an Intuitive writer you cannot skip this book.
Firefly Magic is no different, if you are an intuitive HSS/HSP writer like myself, Lauren knows how your brain works. Its like she opens up your head, looks at all the programming , neurons and connections in there, takes pictures of it and then puts in all into words that we can actually understand. I have taken a marketing class, and read several other books about it, but none of them really worked for me. They all seemed a bit scammy or like they were aimed at the used car salesman type. A lot of those other books have a few things in common, they say you need to change your personality and become more extroverted, and while that is partially true, an introvert cannot become an extrovert. Now I am not saying these other books and blogs do not have good information, because they do, but their targeted audience is not the Intuitive HSP type of person that many writers are.
Lauren knows that you have a book that you are working on that is partially finished or on its 3rd re-write that you have been working on for a while. I am totally guilty of this, I have been working on my novel for about 4 years and its still in rough shape. Firefly Magic comes for Lauren's experience as a writing coach, she helped me out with my novel a few years ago, her book is the combination of hundreds (maybe thousands ?) of coaching sessions put into actionable bits for the reader. If you are an Intuitive writer you cannot skip this book.
rasmenia's review
4.0
There's a lot to like about this book. Like most self-help books, it's up to the reader to sort out what is useful and what to leave behind. There are sections I'll leave behind only because it's not my first rodeo. I've had a website and social media for several years, etc. But there's still some great tips and advice here. The parts that are useful are valuable indeed. Several parts of this book felt like the author opened up compartment inside my head and showed me what was in there and asked me to take a good look at the contents. Where she shares personal anecdotes about how she herself made mistakes, I often found that I related. Oh, man... I related. I'm glad I came across this book. I really didn't know how much I needed it.
jenniferworrell's review
5.0
As someone who hates the idea of shoving my work down readers' throats, who thinks more than three FB posts a week is pushy, and worries about bombarding people and losing their interest before they even get to know me, this book spoke to me. I was perceiving 'marketing' all wrong, thinking inside the box. There's other ways to market without being an irrit.
At the end of each chapter, there are questions and exercises to get you thinking about these different techniques and how they work for your art. And after reading Firefly Magic, I want to tell everyone I know and get my hands on Sapala's novel.
Very sneaky, Lauren ;)
At the end of each chapter, there are questions and exercises to get you thinking about these different techniques and how they work for your art. And after reading Firefly Magic, I want to tell everyone I know and get my hands on Sapala's novel.
Very sneaky, Lauren ;)
abetterjulie's review
4.0
I was pretty leery about reading any book on marketing. My eyes tend to glaze over, and I get squirmy and cynical. This book cured that. I read one chapter at a time, and then worked on the journal questions at the end of each one as I felt comfortable. It took me a while at this pace because each chapter had heavy things to consider and absorb. I did skip a few journal questions that were too triggering and would have been counter-productive for me at this time (maybe I'll go back someday).
Since reading this book, my opinions on self-promotion and marketing for my work has shifted to a healthier place. I appreciated the mindfulness at the center of this book's message.
Highly recommend for anyone who hates the very idea of (but needs to) market their work.
Since reading this book, my opinions on self-promotion and marketing for my work has shifted to a healthier place. I appreciated the mindfulness at the center of this book's message.
Highly recommend for anyone who hates the very idea of (but needs to) market their work.
rjsreadingnook's review
5.0
One of the best books on marketing I could hope for. I feel like Sapala understands me, and I appreciated her genuine advice and ideas perfect for INFJ and other sensitive writers.
countdeworde's review
5.0
This is the law of the universe. The more you do anything, the more you will get all the results, desired or undesired.
The feeling when the book has been written just for you. :)
No kidding, even if the line above looks cheeky, this book has been literally written to help people like me. I'm not quite as distrustful of marketing as the author used to be but nevertheless I'm a klutz when it comes to the marketing side of writing industry so I needed someone who had to solve similar psychological blocks and conquered them. See, me and the author are both HSP, INFJs, both are curious to a fault and love writing.
It's not the very basic stuff so this book is better handled as an add-on. When you already acquired some basic knowledge but you have to change your personal attitute towards the business side of creative writing next.
There are mentions of a loveably bizarre bookstore. Geez, I'd like to visit that place myself. (Just this thought itself cements the fact that me and Mrs. Sapala share personality type.)
The feeling when the book has been written just for you. :)
No kidding, even if the line above looks cheeky, this book has been literally written to help people like me. I'm not quite as distrustful of marketing as the author used to be but nevertheless I'm a klutz when it comes to the marketing side of writing industry so I needed someone who had to solve similar psychological blocks and conquered them. See, me and the author are both HSP, INFJs, both are curious to a fault and love writing.
It's not the very basic stuff so this book is better handled as an add-on. When you already acquired some basic knowledge but you have to change your personal attitute towards the business side of creative writing next.
There are mentions of a loveably bizarre bookstore. Geez, I'd like to visit that place myself. (Just this thought itself cements the fact that me and Mrs. Sapala share personality type.)