Beth Greenslade's Blog, page 110

Questions To Ask Your Publisher

Getting a positive response from a publisher is so exciting. However, before you sign on the dotted line, it is important to ensure that you have all the information you need.

While some authors may be happy with any deal they get, for many their book is incredibly precious and they want to work with a publisher who thinks so too.

Without asking questions and thoroughly reading your contract, it is possible to find yourself tied to an agreement that you do not want, getting paid less than you thought or having to do much of the marketing yourself.

There is no harm in asking questions and a good, reputable publisher will be happy to answer them. So before you agree to work with a publisher, ask them the following:

How do you plan to market my book?

Understanding exactly what a publisher intends to do you market your book is so important. A good publisher will be able to give you plenty of information about what they plan to do to ensure your book sells. It is important to be reassured that no matter how big or small your publisher, that they are behind your book every step of the way and will do everything they can to see as many copies sold as possible.

What rights will I retain?

You need to be completely clear about your rights as the author of the work. You should find out if your contract is exclusive, if you are tied into any deals such as publishing your next book with them, and what would happen, say if your book was turned into a film. Having a thorough understanding of your rights will mean you know exactly what you are agreeing to, and will ensure you have an open, honest and fair relationship with your publisher - if you don’t understand anything, you must ask to save upset further down the line.

How much are the royalties and how will they be paid?

Understanding not only the percentage of royalties from each sale you make but how and when they will be paid is very important. If your publisher has offered you an advance you may see no royalties until your book has sold enough copies to cover it. Finding out how often you can expect royalty payments will also be useful for budgeting!

Are there any upfront fees and costs I should be aware of?

Most reputable publishers won’t ask you for any money upfront, but if a deal sounds too good to be true just make sure you are positive you won’t suddenly be given a huge bill once you’ve handed your book over.

How do you decide how to price my book?

It’s good to know how your publisher intends to price your book. You might have an opinion on how much you think it should sell for, or be disappointed or concerned if you think they have set the price too low or too high. Remember, they are the experts and will want to sell your book to make money too, but if you are worried about how much your book is selling for, ask them to explain their decision. It is also worth finding out if they intend to do any promotions, deals or discounts too.

Can I make changes to the book? Will you make changes?

Your publisher may well ask you to make amendments to your book, or you may decide who wish to make some changes in the future too. Being clear on who has the final say over your manuscript will probably be important to you, so make sure you find out what happens there.

Will I be involved in the cover design process?

Many authors have a vision of what they expect their book to look like when it comes out in print, and if your publisher has complete control over the cover design process you may end up disappointed. Make sure you find out whether you will have any creative input and then decide how important this is to you.

How long will it take to publish my book?

The book publishing process often takes far longer than authors expect so make sure you ask your publisher to be clear when they envisage seeing your book out there on the shelves. This will help you manage your expectations, and finances too!

Remember, asking your publisher questions shouldn't be something any author is afraid to do, and a good publisher will be happy to explain things to you and put your mind at rest. You'll never regret asking, but you might regret it if you don't!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

The post Questions To Ask Your Publisher appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

What You Can Do To Make Your Book Stand Out

We all know how much competition there is out there when it comes to publishing our books. Without the backing of a big publisher behind us, whole marketing teams working to make our book becomes the next best thing, and getting our books into all the most popular stores, it can be easy for our carefully crafted novels to be lost amongst a sea of others. Even if you’ve done all the right things, had your book professionally edited, and invested in a smart and eye-catching cover design, it can be tough getting it noticed.

So what can new authors do to give their book the best chance of being seen by the right people - i.e. the people that will be interested in buying it?

Put it in the right category

When it comes to Amazon, putting your book in the right category is so important if you want people who will actually want to read your book to find it. Amazon’s category system works so you can choose some really niche places to put your book - if yours fits there it can mean you have less competition and a potential audience of fans waiting eagerly for new material in that genre to come out. Don’t however, simply put your book there just because of the lack of competition - if it doesn’t fit there then you’ll only irritate readers and find it harder to shift copies.

Have a proper book launch

A well thought out, well-timed book launch can really help give your book sales that initial boost, and can help to get people talking about it and word of mouth to spread. Give yourself time to launch your book properly. Try and get some press interest, gather some reviews from noteworthy people, organise a book tour and reach out to potential fans in every way you can think of to build as much hype as possible.

Do a promotion

People love getting something for nothing so as well as making sure that your book is priced right it’s always a good idea to consider doing a book promotion where you offer your book to readers for free. This will help create buzz and interest and when the promotion ends those who missed out just might buy your book anyway.

Treat others as you’d want to be treated

Remember, if you want people to buy your book you should be willing to buy theirs! There are so many books out there which you can get your hands on for free  or at massive discounts- but if authors don’t support each other by actually paying for a book that they know they’ll enjoy reading, the cycle will always be the same.

Use every opportunity to market your book

There are lots of things you can do to market your book. Try all of them. Some may be more successful than others but you never know what might work, what might lead to a snowball effect and what might get you noticed. Even the smallest marketing opportunities can lead to great things so just take every opportunity and give it everything you've got.

Never stop trying

The reality is that trying to make your book stand out is incredibly tough. You can do all the right things and you may still get disappointing results. However, perseverance, determination and hard work are key and will put you at a significant advantage.

So since you have invested all this time and energy into getting your book ready to publish, it is surely worth going the extra mile with your marketing too!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

 

The post What You Can Do To Make Your Book Stand Out appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

What To Look For In A Good Book Publisher

If you have decided to submit your book for publishing it is worth carefully considering what you are actually looking for.

It can be very easy to think that any book publisher who is willing to give you the go ahead and actually say they’ll publish your book is a dream come true for any writer. However, just as when it comes to any kind of business, there are good publishers and bad publishers, and if your book ends up being published by a bad one what you thought was a dream situation could quickly turn into a nightmarish one.

So what are the key things to look out for when choosing a book publisher to submit to?

They won’t ask you for any money

Steer clear of publishers who ask you to pay them in order for your book to be published. They may be making all the right noises about how great they think your book is, but if they thought it was that wonderful they’d be willing to back it themselves. Asking for money upfront should always set alarm bells ringing.

They will involve you in decisions

While the most prestigious and established publishers will have whole teams of experts to work on your book, smaller publishing companies may have only one person doing multiple tasks. Either way, while you have to leave some things to the experts, being involved in some of the decisions about your book should be expected. Always be clear about your involvement going forward before you sign on the dotted line, and make sure you are happy with whatever arrangements are in place.

They will communicate with you properly

A good publisher will respond to you promptly. You should feel cared for and well looked after and should feel as though they genuinely care about the success of your book. If you are constantly having to chase your pubisher or wait weeks for replies to even the simplest of queries this isn’t a great sign.

They will be willing to negotiate

No publishing contract is set in stone, and there should be room for manoeuvre if there is something that you don’t agree with. While you might have to accept that you can’t have everything your way, whether it’s rights or royalties or anything in between, you are allowed to ask questions and make amendments, and shouldn’t be made to feel as though you can’t.

They will do the majority of the marketing

Your publisher should be the driving force behind all of the marketing of your book. They should be pushing your book in every way possible to get it into bookshops and get it noticed. If you feel as though your publisher isn’t making any effort to help sell your book, and it’s all on you, then it might be time to look elsewhere.

They will manage your expectations

Of course, any relationship with a publisher is a two-way street. Writers must also be willing to adapt, to change parts of their work, to do everything in their power to market their book, to keep appointments and appearances and communicate well with their publishing team. Doing so will create a healthy, mutually beneficial working relationship, and even a great friendship too!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

The post What To Look For In A Good Book Publisher appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Self-Published? Put These Marketing Strategies In Place And Sell More Books!

All self-published authors know that simply putting their books on Amazon isn’t enough - not if they are hoping to sell more than a few copies of them anyway.

Marketing a self-published book takes time and dedication, and while there is lots you can do, if you aren’t willing or able to put the time and effort in, it can be very difficult to make a success of your book.

The trouble is that pretty much anyone who has written a book can self-publish, this means that there are literally millions of books out there - a wonderful thing indeed, but the result is that the reader is so overwhelmed with choice and the market so saturated, making your book stand out is a true challenge.

However, it is not impossible!

By being organised and informing yourself of the best tried and tested marketing strategies for your book, you can put yourself ahead of the curve and give your work the greatest chance of success.

Marketing your book can seem both overwhelming and intimidating. However, by following these useful tips you can make a real difference when it comes to making your book appealing and discoverable to your target audience.

Write well, and keep writing

Nothing beats a well-written book. So always wait until your book is in the best possible shape before you publish. Once you have finished one book, start on another right away, the more books you have published the more professional and trustworthy you will appear to be.

Identify your target audience and always keep them in mind

Always be specific in your marketing. if you try to appeal to a mass audience you could end up wasting your time. Think about who your book would appeal to. What interests do they have, what excites and inspires them, how old are they, where are they from, and what other books have they read? Get know them intimately and always use what you know in every aspect of your marketing. Use Amazon's tools to help categorise your work to make sure your book is where your reader will look for it too.

Be professional

Readers will spot a shoddy book a mile off. If your book isn’t professionally edited and doesn’t have a professionally designed cover, few people will buy it. It’s always worth investing time and money into these aspects of your book.

Be unique and create a brand

In order to stand out, you need to offer something different. The catchier your concept, the more intriguing your theme, the more distinguishable your work is from others in your genre - all of these aspects will help your work stand out from the crowd. The more you can set your work apart, the more people will be drawn to it. Make sure your author page is eye-catching, your synopsis is compelling and your social media accounts interesting and up to date.

Creating a brand also helps make you distinguishable from others - having good branding means that people will become familiar with you and your style, they will come to know what to expect from you and make you memorable for all the right reasons.

Build your reviews

The best advertising for your book is word of mouth. Always encourage readers to leave reviews of your book to build your reputation. If a reader contacts you, ask them to leave you a review. Remember, however, leaving fake reviews by getting all your family and friends to do it can see you penalised and devalues the rating system as a whole.

Remember, it takes time for your book to start selling well, and these strategies aren’t quick fixes. They are things you can keep working on and developing as you continue to write. If you do you should steadily see your book's popularity rise -and what could be better than that?

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

The post Self-Published? Put These Marketing Strategies In Place And Sell More Books! appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Why It Pays To Take Risks With Your Writing

When it comes to writing books, regardless of whether you choose to self-publish or try to win a traditional publishing deal, the competition has never been fiercer.

Readers are overwhelmed with choice, and writers often find trying to make their book stand out from the crowd a daunting and seemingly impossible task.

It can be easy to play it safe with your writing, to try to stick to the rules of a genre, to regurgitate a tried and tested story that seems to appeal to a mass audience. But if you do so, your book is more than likely to simply become an echo of something already out there, written by someone with more experience, whose popularity has already been established.

If you choose to take risks, however, while the stakes may be higher, it is arguable that you stand a far greater chance of making your book more discoverable, distinguishable and desirable than those that don’t.

But why is that?

Taking risks shows you are willing to put your neck on the line

A risk taker is someone who is brave, they are willing to take a chance, a leap into the unknown - someone who is willing to commit all the time and energy it takes to write a book, knowing that it does not pander to the masses. This is undeniably impressive and demonstrates a commitment to the craft that others writers who are simply copycat versions of each other do not show.

Taking risks will make your work stand out

In an overcrowded marketplace, writers need to do anything they can to make their books stand out. If you are able to write a book which appeals to a more niche audience, or one that grabs readers attention and they might be willing to take a chance on, your book is more likely to be seen, and therefore more likely to sell.

Taking risks may not always work, but when they do the payoff is greater

Of course, a risk is a risk and therefore the chance of failure is greater. If you write something too obscure, too niche, too complicated, it will be harder to find a publisher who is willing to take a chance on you or find an audience who resonates with your work. However, if you do, the rewards are huge.

Taking risks wins you respect

By taking risks in your writing you often end up exposing yourself. Being vulnerable can be frightening, but readers will appreciate the fact that you have done so. This will make them empathise with you and respect you for your bravery.

At the end of the day no one can write a book that will appeal to everyone, and trying to do so is a waste of time. Don’t let all your time and effort go to waste and consider taking more risks with your writing. Be brave, have confidence and stay true to yourself - you won’t regret it if you do.

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

The post Why It Pays To Take Risks With Your Writing appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Can Your Book Become A Bestseller?

There are lots of factors which must be in place to create a bestseller, and, we’ve got to be honest, one of them is luck!

There is nothing quite as powerful as writing the right book and showing it to the right person who just happens to be in the right frame of mind to want to give your book a chance.

While there are some factors we simply can’t control, the good news is that there are lots that you can. If you want to write a book it takes hard work and dedication, if you want to write a bestseller it’s even more difficult. But there are tried and tested methods and certain things you simply must do if yo want to write a book that goes on to become popular. You may think it's all about networking, building up a fanbase, and knowing the right people, but in fact, a lot must be done before your book is published to ensure it hits the bestsellers lists.

One thing we all know for certain is that no badly written book is going to make it as a bestseller no matter how much it is expertly marketed. Think about celebrity vanity projects which have huge budgets and all the right industry people behind them - if they aren’t good they still end up being remembered as embarrassing flops that no one is allowed to talk about!

The same goes for writing - if you want your book to be successful it has to be pretty damn good.

So what strategies should every writer employ to ensure their book is a success?

Make sure it has a clear and obvious purpose

Whether the book you are writing is fact or fiction, it must be clear to your reader what it is about, and the sooner they have clarity the better. Ideally, the title and cover will reveal a lot about your books content, the blurb on the back will do even more, and by the end of the first few pages, your reader will have a very clear sense of what to expect.

If you fail to do this you risk disappointing your reader, confusing them, letting them down, and even angering them. If a reader feels misled in any way they will turn against your book and you. They won’t buy it, they will leave a bad review, they’ll bad mouth it to friends, and if this happens frequently this spells disaster for your book.

Think of your book as a collection or essays or short stories

If you are writing a non-fiction book each chapter should teach a lesson, should contain interesting points, summaries and snappy excerpts that stick in a reader's mind and they can take away with them and apply elsewhere. If you are writing a fiction book each chapter should be as carefully crafted as your novel as a whole. Chapters should start off with impact, be packed with action and intrigue and end with a cliffhanger that gives the reader no choice but to keep on reading.

Make your book timeless

This piece of advice is particularly pertinent for writers of non- fiction books but can also be applied to fiction writers work. For writers of non-fiction giving your readers information which stands the test of time will ensure your book remains relevant and useful for years to come - so people will continue to buy it. In terms of fiction, coming up with a unique and clever concept and a plot that will appeal to many generations is a good way to ensure that it continues to be bought and enjoyed by readers of all ages, all over the world. Writing about trendy of niche topics could gain you brief popularity, but if these topics become irrelevant, so will your book.

So there you have it. Using these strategies will help you write the best book possible, and begin your journey to launching a bestseller!

Do you have any top tips for writing a bestseller? Share them with us here!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

The post Can Your Book Become A Bestseller? appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Twitter Tips For Every Writer

Some authors embrace social media, others hate it. But there is no denying that having a strong following on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter can really make a huge difference to your success as an author.

Tweeting can leave some authors flummoxed, and while they are perfectly comfortable hidden away writing their stories and developing their characters, when it comes to speaking out on social media, they haven’t a clue what to say.

With that in mind here are some useful Twitter tips to help you improve your profile and boost your following.

Have a great bio

Make your bio really stand out. Try to be unique and witty as well as informative. Try to capture what you are about and hint at what your feed might be about too. As well as this include links to your website or book and have a professional, approachable looking picture of yourself. If you can get a professional headshot - all the better. Use the cover image to your advantage and place your book cover there - this will stick in users minds.

Keep tweets short and sweet

So we know that Twitter only allows us to post messages that are 140 characters or less, and sometimes if you have got something to say, that can feel a little tricky. However, research has shown that shorter tweets get the most engagement. Try to keep yours under 100 characters and you could see a difference in how many people react and share.

Pin a great tweet to the top of your page

Twitter has a feature where you can pin a tweet to the top of your feed so this is the first thing new potential followers will see. Make it the best one you can, or the one you’ve got the most engagements from - you can change it whenever you like too.

Follow the 80/ 20 rule

The most expert Twitter users know that the best way to keep their followers interested, and gain new ones is by not making their accounts all ‘me, me, me.’ Make sure you share informative or entertaining articles, retweet other users, like and share posts, engage and comment on other users posts (preferably those with larger followings) and only occasionally promote yourself and your work.

Use relevant hashtags

Hashtags may seem confusing at first but just think of them as a way of indexing your tweets so that other users who are looking for similar content will find yours. Hashtags such as #amwriting #writingchat #writingtips #writinggoals #writerslife are all popular and will get your tweets seen by more people.

Remember that Twitter can be an excellent networking and communication tool. Use is wisely and you can gain a great following, form productive relationships, get useful contacts, learn new things, and promote your book as well!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

The post Twitter Tips For Every Writer appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Make Your First Draft Kick Ass!

We hear it time and time again. First drafts are rubbish. No matter how talented a writer you are, the first draft of your book will be full of errors, of self-indulgent nonsense, of poor character development, of inconsistencies and embarrassing cliches.

We accept this as writers, and for the most part, we’re OK with it. We know that we need to just get through our first drafts, to not be perfectionists, to simply get the story down. Then, it is through the redrafting and editing process that our stories really begin to take shape.

The problem with this idea, however, is that it can be all too easy to become lazy with our first drafts. We know that we can fix them later so why really pay attention to them initially? This idea that everything can be changed later, and that most writers practically tear up their first drafts and start all over again is a dangerous one.

While we shouldn’t get stuck in a pattern of censoring ourselves or criticising ourselves so much that we can’t get the first draft done, similarly we should try our hardest at every stage of the writing process to make our books the very best they can be.

No writer really wants to get to the end of their first draft and think ‘well that was terrible, let’s start again.’ We want to use our first drafts as a great starting point to make our stories even more awesome.

So how do you write a first draft that kicks ass? Let’s look at what you should concentrate on and try to include to make it a brilliant base when you come to the editing stage.

Conflict

Your first draft should include all major conflict, decisions, dilemmas and their consequences. Make sure you plot out where the conflicts are in your novel and really focus on making these effective and meaningful. All great stories include conflicts of some kind, struggles and sacrifices and a journey which your main protagonist must navigate in order to get (or not get) what they set out to find.

Characters

By the end of your first draft, you should really feel like you know your characters inside out, and it should be apparent to the reader who the are, how they think and how they differ from one another. Each of your characters should have a distinctive voice and you should instinctively know how they would act or react in any given situation. This will help you no end when it comes to editing your first draft - you’ll easily be able to spot where what they say or do doesn’t quite sit right.

Drama

Your first draft should have plenty of drama. Try to separate each chapter into an exciting mini story - it should open well and end on a cliffhanger so your readers are intrigued to know what happens next.

Disaster

Even the happiest of books have low points, parts where everything seems to be going wrong, and where it doesn’t look like the protagonist will achieve their goals. Make your disasters effective, make the reader care, and ensure they go on for just long enough that your reader starts to despair - then, suddenly give them a glimmer of hope once more.

Resolution

Your book can end however you want it to end. But what it can’t do is leave the readers feeling as though the have been cheated. Your ending can be happy, sad, dramatic, poignant, hilarious, terrifying or any number of things but the reader must feel as though it is fair the book has ended. If you leave them full of questions and confusion they won’t be happy. Try to get this right in your first draft and you’ll feel as though your story is truly complete.

Of course, you can always change these elements of your book when you come to the editing stage, and many authors do. However, really focusing on making these parts strong, and writing them well, will mean the basic structure of your story is there, and that it’s good, and instead of flushing your first draft down the toilet (metaphorically speaking), you’ll be proud of what you’ve achieved so far, and be excited to start the next stage.

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

The post Make Your First Draft Kick Ass! appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Writing A Memoir? Avoid These Mistakes!

Writing a memoir can be an extremely exciting project for any writer. However, it’s often a lot harder than you think!

Just because you are writing something personal, recalling things that have happened to you and telling your life story, it doesn’t mean that the writing will automatically flow, be captivating or that you’ll instinctively know what to do.

Writing a memoir requires you to be bold, truthful and compelling - you might have all the material you need but just because the story is already there doesn’t mean you’ll be able to write it in a captivating way.

If you are writing a memoir that you want to reach a wide audience you must truly understand how non-fiction storytelling works and seek that perfect balance between being truthful and entertaining, yet not offending your nearest and dearest or boring your readers with details that are of no interest to them.

So if you are thinking of writing a memoir, take a look at these common mistakes and make sure that you avoid them!

Writing too much

Your memoir shouldn’t be a daily journal of your life since you were 4 years old! You need to be able to condense, to pick those moments, those stories and experiences that changed you, that will have your readers in stitches or tears. Think carefully about what to include and what to leave out. Remember you aren’t writing an autobiography or a diary - a memoir should capture those important, life changing moments, those poignant memories, and funny stories or observations about life mixed alongside them.

Not having a theme

Your memoir should have a point, it should include lessons or universal truths that resonate with your readers, that help them, that make them think about something differently or comfort them - feeling that have found someone who understands just how they feel. Memoirs should be about accepting changes, adjusting, dealing with death or breakups or loss of some kind, showing sympathy and compassion, friendship, work, perseverance and determination, having to start over, making difficult decisions and learning from your mistakes.

Not preparing properly

Just because you are writing a book about your own life doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put in the same amount of research and preparation as you would do with a fiction book. Talk to friends or relatives, get different perspectives, read old diaries, read old newspapers, write down everything you know about a certain event, everything you felt and then revisit it to make sure that’s truly the way that you feel. Make sure you have a thorough and comprehensive outline of your memoir before you start, otherwise you could easily find yourself getting stuck or confused halfway through and not knowing how to take it forwards.

Forgetting your reader

It can be so easy to get too self-involved when you are writing a memoir. You may well be revisiting tough memories and experiences after all. But if you don’t remember that you are writing for an audience then you can’t expect your book to appeal to them. As with any piece of writing, it is important to keep your reader in mind at all times and always ask yourself - if I didn’t know this person, is this something that I would want to read?

Not consulting your friends and relatives

If you are going to write about friends and relatives, businesses, or old bosses, you might want to talk to them first. A memoir should be personal and exposing to some degree and if you involve other people you want to make sure you are prepared to have difficult discussions with them or indeed ruin those relationships, and also protect yourself against any lawsuits!

Writing a memoir can be a truly cathartic and profound experience and, done right, can be a great success too. Just make sure you avoid these common mistakes, use your common sense, and really plan what you want to say. Then just go for it!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

The post Writing A Memoir? Avoid These Mistakes! appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Write Your Book Faster

Sometimes the book writing process can feel agonisingly slow. We expect that we’ll definitely be finished our first drafts by such and such a point, and when that time rolls by we are so far away from the finish line things can start to feel very disheartening.

Let’s face it, we all wish that we could write our books faster. Being a faster, more productive writer means that we will reach our writing goals more quickly, write more books, and increase our chances of becoming a fantastic success!

So how can you try to write your book faster? Of course, every writer is different, and it is only through trial and error that you will find out what works for you. However, by experimenting with these helpful tips you can see if they can make you more productive, and feel as though you are getting ever closer to achieving your writing goals.

Have a plan

Some authors hate to make plans and prefer to just go with the flow, and if that’s you that’s great! However, making a plan helps many authors by allowing them to see their whole story, mapped out. Doing research and creating chapter outlines will help you when you are feeling stuck and will allow you to see that your story can work, however hard it seems at times.

Stick to your (small, manageable deadlines)

Set yourself goals, but make sure they are small, with short deadlines and that you have them frequently. If your first goal is simply to get your first draft finished this will feel impossibly far away. However, a goal such as ‘write the first page’ or ‘finish chapter one’ will feel much more achievable and you’ll feel a sense of pride when you get there - which will motivate you to keep writing!

Write every day

The more you write the easier it will be. Even if you only have ten minutes spare, or even five - try to do a little bit of writing every single day, it will keep you feeling great, on track and won’t let you get so rusty that you forget how to write in the first place!

Silence that critic

Your inner critic will tell you that you're not good enough, that you are a fool for trying to write - and you need to tell that inner critic to pipe down! Make sure that you don’t let negative thoughts overwhelm you. Remember, the most important thing is to get your story out. No one else has to see it before that point so just tell yourself it doesn’t matter how bad it is, keep writing and get it done.

Change the way you need to write

We all love the idea of sitting in a little wooden hut, with super cool glasses on, an amazing view of some mountains and maybe a lake in the distance, piles of coffee stained papers on our desk and us in our favourite wooly jumper, writing away while sipping on a glass of dark red wine. Of course, in reality, we try to fit our writing time in between busy jobs, first thing in the morning, in our lunch break, or late at night. We have to do it in a busy, harshly lit office with colleagues pestering us every five minutes or in our small, cramped home ‘office’ where children rudely barge in to demand our attention if them deem we have been in there too long. Sometimes writing just isn’t this romantic, beautiful thing, and we’ve just got to get on with it - so don’t wait around for the perfect moment, just snatch your writing time when you can.

Join a group

If you constantly find yourself missing deadlines, procrastinating and making excuses for your writing then perhaps you need some motivation. Joining a writing group can help keep you on track, you’ll not only have a group of like-minded people to inspire you and bounce your ideas off, but you’ll also feel bad if you let them down by not doing your work too!

Get some help

If you find yourself getting stuck don’t despair or walk away from your writing - there is no shame in asking for help. Whether that’s paying someone professionally to give you a critique of your work, or handing it over to a trusted friend to have a read through and give you some feedback - accepting help is so much better than wallowing in a pit of writer’s block!

Being a more productive writer is something that surely every author wants - have you tried these tricks? Let us know what works for you!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

The post How To Write Your Book Faster appeared first on Writer's Life.org.