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Hayley Elliott

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04/03/25

Writers helping other writers

This is a rough concept I have in mind. I’m putting this here as a placeholder to remind myself to do it—when life is a bit less busy. I’m a firm believer in community over competition and I love helping writers. I plan to create some blog segments or reference pages for aspiring authors to help them along their journey—whether… Read More

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I never realized that becoming an author would als I never realized that becoming an author would also mean frequently asking for reviews! 🙈🫠 Let me quickly breakdown why these are so valuable to authors.

	1.	Retailers (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, booksellers) use reviews as signals to push books onto lists such as: customers also bought, bestseller lists, promotional carousels *More reviews = more algorithmic attention = more readers even seeing the book exists
	2.	Readers trust other readers more than they trust marketing copy (or the author marketing their own book)
	3.	Reviews validate that the book is worth the money/time
	4.	Reviews help readers see if the tone, tropes, pacing, and content match their preferences (this is why even negative reviews help…what one person prefers, another person might not)
	5.	Reviews help build credibility (especially for debut authors OR indie authors who don’t have a publisher backing them)
	6.	Reviews can influence whether a publisher continues a series or continues that author’s contract for future book deals
	7.	Detailed reviews can help authors understand what resonated, what was confusing or didn’t land, and what readers want more of
	8.	SIMPLY PUT: Books with reviews KEEP selling. Books without reviews DISAPPEAR.

Even one simple sentence such as: “Loved this!” Helps more than people realize. 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

Thanks for coming to my TED talk. Now go review an author’s book! 😉
#noregrets I like being able to comfortably recomm #noregrets I like being able to comfortably recommend my book to anyone without having to specify trigger warnings or graphic chapters one might need to skip. 🤷🏻‍♀️ It still won’t be everyone’s cup of tea…not enough spice, or drama, or intrigue, or whatever, BUT it’s not supposed to be. It’s the essence of a beach read—a book you can easily pick up and enjoy without feeling heavy afterward, and instead, lighter from reading it. 🥰🫶🏻

Sorry not sorry: give me all the lighthearted, feel-good romances, please! 🙌🏻
I couldn’t NOT use this audio. 🤣 Welcome to Little I couldn’t NOT use this audio. 🤣 Welcome to Little Debbie Christmas tree season, friends! 

Word to the wise: don’t get the jumbo sized cakes! They’re huge! They’re best split with friends or family. 😆
If you enjoy fun, lighthearted, closed-door romanc If you enjoy fun, lighthearted, closed-door romance, then you might just love my debut: You & Me, For Real. Check it out at Barnes and Noble, and Amazon (Kindle Unlimited). 

#bookstore #oklahomabookstore #oklahomauthor #closeddoorromance #lowspiceromance
I definitely WANT other people to love it…but when I definitely WANT other people to love it…but when I wrote it, I truly intended it to be just a fun project to get me out of my funk and find my joy in writing again. Then it became a story I just couldn’t tuck away in a drawer like I had previous stories. I wanted to share it. 🥰

You and Me, For Real is a lighthearted, feel-good romance with a celebrity trope, forced promixity, and rescue dogs. 🥰🫶🏻

#closeddoorromance #lowspiceromance #romancebookstagram
Since the release of my debut and meeting more rea Since the release of my debut and meeting more readers, I often get asked: Did you always know you wanted to be an author/write a novel? 

Short answer: no. 

Growing up, art was always my number one passion. I actually got my degree(s) in art education, graphic design, and photography. BUT I’ve always loved English class and every assignment that included writing a research paper or creative writing. For a while, I thought about becoming a newspaper reporter…then I discovered the news is depressing. 😆

I fell into more creative writing when I started a blog—mostly as my own form of therapy while we struggled with infertility. My husband suggested I try to write a book. I did—having no idea what I was doing, but having a blast! (cluelessness is bliss) Then I actually studied more about writing craft and rewrote said book—multiple times. I entered it into some contests, won some awards, and eventually pitched it to multiple agents and publishers, and got great feedback. BUT then COVID hit and I wasn’t in the mood to continue that series (I had started book two by then) which had heavier elements and a more intense plot than I felt compelled to write. I pivoted and wrote something fun and lighthearted just for me. And voila, You and Me, For Real was born. 

This image is a little throwback to a study drawing of Leonardo Da Vinci’s La Scapigliata (The Lady with Dishevelled Hair). I drew this in college yeeeears ago. Anyone else recognize a similar painting from a particular movie that happens to be one of my favorites AND is mentioned in my debut novel? 😏😍 

(Spotted this picture in the back of our storage closet yesterday when I was digging out our Christmas decorations.)
SUCH a surreal moment. Thank you, thank you to all SUCH a surreal moment. Thank you, thank you to all the OKC metro Barnes and Nobles for stocking my books, but a special thanks to the Norman location for allowing me to have a book signing day and making me feel comfortable when coming to sign copies of my book. I’ll be at the Quail location December 13! The perfect time to shop for Christmas gifts. 😉

If you love lighthearted, feel-good romance then this is just the kind of book you need! 😘

#barnesandnobles @bnnormanok #bookstore #oklahomabookstore #oklahomacity #normanok
Is this not the most perfect shirt for me?? 🤣 Got Is this not the most perfect shirt for me?? 🤣 Got it from Etsy! Let me know if you need the link. 😉

#booklover #doglover
I’m almost a month behind posting, buuuut…this was I’m almost a month behind posting, buuuut…this was SUCH a fun event hosted by Lost and Bound Bookstore in west OKC. If you haven’t stopped by this cute, pink soda bar book shop…you shoooould. 😍 You’ll also find some of the vendor items and author’s books from this event in stock at the store! 

#bookstore #oklahomabookstore #oklahomacity
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Hayley Elliott, Author

13 hours ago

Hayley Elliott, Author
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