M.C. Frank's Blog, page 423
October 9, 2017
When the editor is like
“This word here doesn’t sound right, you could use instead this, this or this, and if you really want to use it, then we have to change the verb, or maybe the…”
and I’m like
“Oh, no biggie, let’s rewrite the whole paragraph!”
hi! i have been thinking of starting my own bookstagram, any tips? i have no idea how to start or if i should even do it!
Start out with low expectations. I can’t even begin to tell you how stressed I became when I first started and my photos weren’t turning out like the ones I’d seen all over Tumblr and Pinterest. I still sometimes get stressed when it comes to posting daily, simply because I feel pressured to post wonderful pictures because I know I have that capability. So, the first and most important tip of bookstagram is to not panic or worry about the quality of your photos if you’re just starting out. No one became “insta-famous” over a single post!
1. Know your audience.
Odds are pretty high that most of the people following your are going to be looking for book recommendations and reviews. It’s perfectly fine to post photos of random books (ie. not showing the cover) and occasionally the non-biblio centric pic, but remember who you’re dealing with. Your followers want information just as much as they want the pretty photographs! Let those two things balance one another (maybe even add a link to your bio that allows them to see your blog or Goodreads?)!
2. Try to make a name.
Okay, okay. This seems silly. But I swear it worked for me! I used to be an account dedicated to Cassandra Clare books only. My usernames varied, but I was known for a humorous one which, until recently when my friend brought it up, I’d forgotten all about! It was “shippingincest.” Ha ha. But then some of my followers called me out on being vulgar, saying that it wasn’t moral to have a username that promotes incestuous behavior. At the time I was really annoyed because the name came from a bad joke more than 99% of the book fans already knew, but I saw where the comments was angling. So, I tried out a new name…and I kept it to this day! Seelie Knight is in reference to Meliorn from the Mortal Instruments series, however I also adore faeries and folklore so I kept the name when I swapped over to posting a variety of books. I also kept that username because it was what I was known as and people could find me easily! So my advice to you will be to come up with a unique and memorable name, something that people can recall when they think of your account :)
3. Quality and quantity.
“Quality is more important than quantity” yes, we’ve all heard that one before. And it applies to bookstagram as well! If you’re not feeling motivated or lack the mental strength to write about books to a large number of viewers, then don’t attempt it! I’ve taken my fair share of “hiatus” from bookstagram, and I don’t regret a single one. They’ve all made me feel replenished and more aware of the type of reader I am.
4. Become familiar with others.
MAKE OTHER BLOGGER FRIENDS. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY AROUND THAT. BELIEVE ME ON THIS ONE, IT WILL ALWAYS WORK IN YOUR BENEFIT. TALK. TO. PEOPLE. ABOUT. BOOKS. You can thank me in a year when you’re planning to visit your soul mate who lived across the world. Also, your friends can help spread publicity about your new account and thus get more people to follow you/ befriend you! It’s a really happy and helpful cycle.
5. Abide by the policies.
This last one is more for awareness than a tip. Simple things like being polite to authors and not bashing other readers seems self-explanatory but I sometimes wonder if it’s not (due to some of the arguments I’ve witnessed…yikes). The author cannot control most of what goes on in the publishing realm, so you should NEVER affront them for something out of their reach. Publishing houses and those who work for them are very busy people. They all have jobs, and sometimes these jobs get in the way of responding to an email on time. You have to be courteous and patient. One last thing, remember that not everyone will share the same options as you do (on any site…bookstagram, booktube, bookblr etc) but you must remain professional about that because 1) publishers can see your petty arguments 2) it’s rude to the author and 3) everyone is entitled to their own opinions!!
6. Have fun!!!
Hope this could help you! I lost myself at the end a bit *nervous laugh*
A Somewhat Useful Masterpost for Writers
Websites for Critique:
Authonomy
It’s been a while since I used this website in particular, but it’s useful for helpful critique and to get your original works out there. If your book get on the top five list at the end of the month Harper Collins will read it for possible publication.
Teen Ink
Figment
Fiction Press
ReviewFuse
and of course… TumblrOther Websites:
Write or Die is great if you want to give yourself a certain amount of time to write a set amount of words.
Tip of my Tongue for when you can’t remember the exact word
Character Traits Form
Online Thesaurus where you just type in a word and you get a cluster of different wordsCharacters
Top 10 Questions for Creating Believable Characters
How to Create a Fictional Character
Describing Clothing and Appearance
The Difference between Ethnicity and Nationality
Describing a VoiceCharacters (part 2)
How to write Funeral Directors
I’ve read quite a few fanfics where they just have funeral directors slapping clothes on a body and calling it a day. As a former funeral services major I can tell you that’s not the only thing they do.
How to write Drug Dealers
How to write Gamblers
Interview with a Hitman
Terms for royaltyNaming Characters
Medical/Crime/Legal
Coma: Types, Causes, etc
Tips for writing blood loss
Gunshot Wound Care
Examples of Hospital Forms
Common Legal Questions
The Writer’s Forensics Blog
Brain Injury Legal Guide
Types of Surgical Operations
Types of Mental Health Problems
A Day in the Life of a Mental Hospital Patient
Global Black Market Information Because where else would you find out how much money it takes to get a 16 year old girl to kill someone in Mexico?
Crime Scene Science
Examining Mob Mentality
How Street Gangs WorkOther Helpful Stuff
Poisonous Herbs and Plants
The Psychology of Color
The Meaning behind Rose color
Compare Character Heights - I personally love this site so much.
Types of Swords
Color Symbolism
How a handgun works
Blueprints for Houses
The Six Types of Haunting Activities
The Difference Between lay and lie
10 Words You Need to Stop Misspelling
5 Easy Tips to Improve Your Writing
How to Write a Eulogy
Types of Crying
Career Masterpost
Avoiding LGBTQ Stereotypes
Tips for Writing Ghost Stories
A Spell to See Spirits
Make Graphics out of Quotes
Superstitions and More
The 12 Common Archetypes
Language of Flowers
Military Sign Language
A Visual Dictionary of Tops
Describing Tiaras
What author do you most write like? (I’ve gotten Stephenie Meyer)
12 Realistic Woman Body Shapes
Japanese honorificsDress Up Games
I personally like to find games that I can make my OCs with.
Azalea’s Dolls
Doll Divine x
Dress Up Games
Shidabeeda GamesFree Writing Software
Google Docs (automatically saves as you write. 100% recommend)
EverNote
OpenOffice (a free version of Microsoft Office)
25 Steps To Edit the Unmerciful Suck out of Your Story
10 Rules for Writing First Drafts
10 Things Teenage Writers Should Know About Writing
Create a Plot Outline in 8 Easy Steps
Publishing Agencies to Stay Away From
5 Ways to Make Your Novel Helplessly AddictiveBooks:
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing
Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul
Writing Great Books for Young AdultsAnd I couldn’t find the original post for these so (pictures under the cut)
grasshaus:
don’t confuse accents and language barriers with lack of intelligence
don’t confuse accents and language barriers with lack of intelligence
