Maria Savva's Blog - Posts Tagged "website"
My kindle books are being featured on a new Kindle site!
I recently found out about a new website that recommends Kindle books. It has just been launched and the idea is that it will be a place to go to when looking for a good Kindle book to read. The site only features books that have at least 5 reviews on Amazon that are 4 or 5 stars. The good thing is that the site helps to promote books by independent authors that readers might otherwise never hear about.
I am honoured that my books have been chosen as the first to be featured on the site! Here's a link to the page: Reading Kindle - Featured Author
Authors can submit their books to be featured on the website.
If you're on facebook, please 'Like' the Reading Kindle page: facebook - Reading Kindle as this will help to increase the visibility and help to promote this great new website.
I am honoured that my books have been chosen as the first to be featured on the site! Here's a link to the page: Reading Kindle - Featured Author
Authors can submit their books to be featured on the website.
If you're on facebook, please 'Like' the Reading Kindle page: facebook - Reading Kindle as this will help to increase the visibility and help to promote this great new website.
Some recommendations...
Just a quick blog post today, to let you know I've added a 'Links' page to my website with links all my favourite blogs and websites. At the moment it's authors and books, but I may add other types of sites in the future. I will keep adding to the page when I find more favourites, so stay tuned...
Here's a link to the Links! Recommended author and book website and blogs
Happy browsing!
Here's a link to the Links! Recommended author and book website and blogs
Happy browsing!
A-Z of Self-publishing and writing tips: U-Z
In this final part of my self-publishing and writing tips, I'm covering the letters U-Z.
I hope that both writers and readers have found this series helpful. I'll put links to the older blogs in the series at the bottom of the post so that you can refer to them in case you missed any.
U
Usage
Here are a few common grammatical issues that I pick up when reading independent works.
1. Blonde/blond.
The general rule here is that blonde is used when describing a female and blond when describing a male. Too often, I see indie authors using the terms wrongly.
2. Awhile/ a while
You should NEVER use awhile after you've used the word 'for'. NEVER.
Awhile means 'for a time' (hence no need to use 'for' in front of it).
3. Using a speechmark/inverted comma instead of an apostrophe. Most commonly I've spotted it when authors write 'em (shortening for them). This requires an apostrophe before the 'e' but more often than not, I see speechmarks.
V
"Very" and similar words
There's a famous quote from Mark Twain: “Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very;' your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”
I agree that the use of words, such as 'very' are often repeated too much in manuscripts. When you are editing you should look out for as many repeated words as possible, and either cut them out or think of a different word that could be used in their place.
Voting
This is a point for readers to note. Here on Goodreads, there are various 'listopia' lists, where you can vote for your favourite books. This is a good way to help your favourite writers by recommending their books to other Goodreads users. When you finish a good book, please consider adding it to a few of the current lists.
W
Website
For writers, I think it's a good idea to have your own website. I like having a website because I can use it to keep a record of all the events in my writing life, I can link to all my books, my blog, and all my networking sites. It makes it easier for readers to find out what they want to know without having to visit a hundred different places: http://www.mariasavva.com
Writer's Block
I don't think writer's block exists. Yes, writers will find that there are times when they are unable to come up with anything new, they'll maybe panic that they will never write again, but there are simple ways to combat these feelings, and the causes are usually more to do with fear than any real issue.
The concept of writer's block probably developed because someone had a deadline to meet and couldn't meet it because they had 'run out of words'.
The great thing about being self-published is that we don't have deadlines. You can take your time to perfect your writing, and shouldn't feel rushed. Despite some advice to the contrary, I don't think it's necessary to write every day, in fact, I would say that is detrimental; unless you're working on a novel and you want to keep up the flow and get the first draft written. Take your time. Be inspired by the world around you. It sounds silly, but 'wait' for the ideas to come to you and then write them, rather than chasing ideas, in a frantic rush to get some words on paper.
If you ever find yourself unable to write and you stare at a blank page for hours, the best thing to do is stop trying. Go and do something else. Your brain is probably overworked and needs a recharge, or you have probably been sitting at a computer in a room for too long and have run out of inspiration. We need to engage in the world around us as writers in order to be inspired and find things to write about.
Alternatively, if you are working on a particular project and you can't find a way to continue that, start working on another. More often than not you will soon find that you are then able to go back to your other project and continue that. Probably your brain needed time to think about it. The creative process is linked to the subconscious mind, so when we think too much we're not doing ourselves any favours. Sometimes the mind needs to work things out on its own, without our own conscious chattering.
Another suggestion when you're running low on writing fodder is that you should go and read. Read widely, lots of different genres, and read a lot. If I ever meet writers who tell me they don't read, I am always suspicious of them and of their writing skills. A typical writer is addicted to words and language, is usually a bookworm.
X
I couldn't come up with anything beginning with X, but did find this rather funny post online about a book that was written about things found inside people in X-Rays, LOL: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11...
A cassette?
Back to slightly more serious stuff:
Y
Yahoo Groups
I don't really use these due to lack of time, but have joined a few writing/literary groups on Yahoo. They seem to work in the same way as groups you can join on LinkedIn or Goodreads, where writers can chat and promote etc.
YouTube
YouTube is fast becoming one of the most popular places for promotion. I make my own book trailers and upload them there: http://www.youtube.com/user/MariaSavv.... I am yet to discover the best way to get more views, so if anyone has any tips please leave them in the comments below.
Bestsellerbound has a YouTube channel, showcasing books by our members.
Darcia Helle produces those videos. She also recently started interviewing authors and producing audio videos. You may have seen those in some of my earlier blogs. Here's a link to the channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/QuietFury...
Z
As with 'X' I struggled to find something beginning with 'Z', so I'll end the series with a bit of fun (because remember, writing is supposed to be fun!).
Here's a picture of Zebedee from one of my favourite TV programmes as a child: The Magic Roundabout:
Zebedee is a magician, and book are magic, are they not?
If you're in doubt, here's a quote from one of the greatest writers:
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”
― Roald Dahl
That concludes the series... I hope you enjoyed it.
Links to the other blog posts in the series:
A-C: http://nutsandcrisps.wordpress.com/20...
D-F: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
G: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
H-J: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
K-M: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
N-P: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
Q-S: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
T: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
I hope that both writers and readers have found this series helpful. I'll put links to the older blogs in the series at the bottom of the post so that you can refer to them in case you missed any.
U
Usage
Here are a few common grammatical issues that I pick up when reading independent works.
1. Blonde/blond.
The general rule here is that blonde is used when describing a female and blond when describing a male. Too often, I see indie authors using the terms wrongly.
2. Awhile/ a while
You should NEVER use awhile after you've used the word 'for'. NEVER.
Awhile means 'for a time' (hence no need to use 'for' in front of it).
3. Using a speechmark/inverted comma instead of an apostrophe. Most commonly I've spotted it when authors write 'em (shortening for them). This requires an apostrophe before the 'e' but more often than not, I see speechmarks.
V
"Very" and similar words
There's a famous quote from Mark Twain: “Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very;' your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”
I agree that the use of words, such as 'very' are often repeated too much in manuscripts. When you are editing you should look out for as many repeated words as possible, and either cut them out or think of a different word that could be used in their place.
Voting
This is a point for readers to note. Here on Goodreads, there are various 'listopia' lists, where you can vote for your favourite books. This is a good way to help your favourite writers by recommending their books to other Goodreads users. When you finish a good book, please consider adding it to a few of the current lists.
W
Website
For writers, I think it's a good idea to have your own website. I like having a website because I can use it to keep a record of all the events in my writing life, I can link to all my books, my blog, and all my networking sites. It makes it easier for readers to find out what they want to know without having to visit a hundred different places: http://www.mariasavva.com
Writer's Block
I don't think writer's block exists. Yes, writers will find that there are times when they are unable to come up with anything new, they'll maybe panic that they will never write again, but there are simple ways to combat these feelings, and the causes are usually more to do with fear than any real issue.
The concept of writer's block probably developed because someone had a deadline to meet and couldn't meet it because they had 'run out of words'.
The great thing about being self-published is that we don't have deadlines. You can take your time to perfect your writing, and shouldn't feel rushed. Despite some advice to the contrary, I don't think it's necessary to write every day, in fact, I would say that is detrimental; unless you're working on a novel and you want to keep up the flow and get the first draft written. Take your time. Be inspired by the world around you. It sounds silly, but 'wait' for the ideas to come to you and then write them, rather than chasing ideas, in a frantic rush to get some words on paper.
If you ever find yourself unable to write and you stare at a blank page for hours, the best thing to do is stop trying. Go and do something else. Your brain is probably overworked and needs a recharge, or you have probably been sitting at a computer in a room for too long and have run out of inspiration. We need to engage in the world around us as writers in order to be inspired and find things to write about.
Alternatively, if you are working on a particular project and you can't find a way to continue that, start working on another. More often than not you will soon find that you are then able to go back to your other project and continue that. Probably your brain needed time to think about it. The creative process is linked to the subconscious mind, so when we think too much we're not doing ourselves any favours. Sometimes the mind needs to work things out on its own, without our own conscious chattering.
Another suggestion when you're running low on writing fodder is that you should go and read. Read widely, lots of different genres, and read a lot. If I ever meet writers who tell me they don't read, I am always suspicious of them and of their writing skills. A typical writer is addicted to words and language, is usually a bookworm.
X
I couldn't come up with anything beginning with X, but did find this rather funny post online about a book that was written about things found inside people in X-Rays, LOL: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11...
A cassette?
Back to slightly more serious stuff:
Y
Yahoo Groups
I don't really use these due to lack of time, but have joined a few writing/literary groups on Yahoo. They seem to work in the same way as groups you can join on LinkedIn or Goodreads, where writers can chat and promote etc.
YouTube
YouTube is fast becoming one of the most popular places for promotion. I make my own book trailers and upload them there: http://www.youtube.com/user/MariaSavv.... I am yet to discover the best way to get more views, so if anyone has any tips please leave them in the comments below.
Bestsellerbound has a YouTube channel, showcasing books by our members.
Darcia Helle produces those videos. She also recently started interviewing authors and producing audio videos. You may have seen those in some of my earlier blogs. Here's a link to the channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/QuietFury...
Z
As with 'X' I struggled to find something beginning with 'Z', so I'll end the series with a bit of fun (because remember, writing is supposed to be fun!).
Here's a picture of Zebedee from one of my favourite TV programmes as a child: The Magic Roundabout:
Zebedee is a magician, and book are magic, are they not?
If you're in doubt, here's a quote from one of the greatest writers:
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”
― Roald Dahl
That concludes the series... I hope you enjoyed it.
Links to the other blog posts in the series:
A-C: http://nutsandcrisps.wordpress.com/20...
D-F: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
G: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
H-J: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
K-M: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
N-P: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
Q-S: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
T: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
