Beth Greenslade's Blog, page 59

Convincing Reasons Why You Need To Start A Journal Today

There are many ways we can improve our writing and search for inspiration for new stories. Some techniques involve specific exercises or study of the craft, others might be about getting organized or eliminating distractions, but one that comes up time and time again and is pretty much proven to work for any writer is to write as frequently and prolifically as you can.

Of course, without any direction, it can be challenging to find the time to write regularly. Keeping a writing journal could be your answer to this problem, and has many benefits for the writer - no matter what kind you do. Here are some of the most convincing reasons why you should start a writer's journal today.

You'll write every day

As mentioned above, practice makes perfect, and journaling helps give you a structure and a format and a place to write every day, without making it seem too arduous or overwhelming.

You'll capture your thoughts and emotions

Because your journal is personal to you, you can use it as a place to express your feelings as genuinely and uninhibitedly as you wish. This can help you discover the essence of raw emotions and what catalyzes them, which will be very valuable for your stories.

You'll improve your writing style

Your journal can be a place to experiment with different styles. You can write from different perspectives, imagine a unique reader each time, and change your tone to evoke a range of feelings, all of which will help to improve your writing style.

You'll learn what's essential and what isn't

If you commit (or limit) yourself to writing around a page per day in your journal, you can quickly learn the art of trimming down your language and writing more concisely. You can cut out what's irrelevant or uninteresting and learn to make every word count. 

You are free to write without criticism or judgment

No one has to read your journal - it's just for you. Because of this, you can express your thoughts and opinions freely. This can lead to some very revealing, cathartic, and exciting pieces of writing which you can use creatively. When you are writing in your journal, you can be bold and daring and honest, which will help you create powerful pieces of writing that can be used to inspire your fictional work.

You can practice your editing

By using a journal to write in daily, you have lots of ready-made material to practice your editing skills. Go back through what you have written and see how you could make it more engaging, gripping, and powerful - as well as keep eagle-eyed for spelling and grammatical errors too.

These reasons have hopefully made it clear why journaling can be so beneficial for every writer. So what are you waiting for? Start your journal today!

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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What Does Writing Teach You About Yourself?

There are many benefits to writing. It can be a fantastic way to earn a living. It can give you the freedom and flexibility to pursue things in life you enjoy. It is a chance to tap into your imagination and be creative, and it can give you a purpose and be incredibly cathartic too.

One of the main benefits, however, is that it can teach you a great deal about yourself, and learning about who you are, through the words that you write, can be extremely valuable indeed. 

So what are the sorts of things that writing teaches you about yourself? Let’s take a look:

Writing can teach you about how you genuinely feel

Whenever you write, you naturally explore different emotions, all of which are very human and very real. Through your characters and the significant life events that you put them through, the way they react and interact forces the author to scrutinize specific emotions. Doing so can give us better insight into ourselves and how we truly feel.

Writing can teach you how to be self-disciplined.

Writing requires so much self-discipline. It is through the practice of writing we learn how to become patient, goal-orientated, driven individuals who understand the need to be organized, and to have self-imposed restrictions in order to achieve something important.

Writing can teach you about perseverance

Success in writing has as much to do with perseverance as it does anything else. The more you write, and the longer you continue to be a writer, the better you can mine your well of perseverance and understand what it means to carry on against all the odds. 

Writing can teach you how you work your best

Writing enables individuals to learn how to become their most productive, how to be the very best versions of themselves. It is through trial and error that we understand what needs to be in place to be a productive and prolific writer, but having this self-knowledge can be incredibly helpful when trying to master other life skills too.

Writing can tach you what you are passionate about

Whether focusing on fact or fiction, writing allows us to explore avenues we’ve never been down before, to do research about subjects that excite us, and find out where are true passions lie.

Writing can teach you about what’s most important

Writing helps us to deal with some of the tougher times in our lives too. Through the art of writing, we can gain a clearer picture of those things that are dear to us, the things that matter, and all the rest of it, we can then more easily let go of.

These lessons that we learn through the practice of our craft can be vital and helpful to our overall sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, and wellbeing. So keep writing, keep discovering more amazing things about yourself, and learning who you really are - that’s what writing can do for you!

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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Confidence-Boosting Facts About Writing

When it comes to having confidence in your writing, there are lots of exercises you can try. Learning about writing, doing it more, having a mantra, and gathering all your positive feedback can all help you to remember what you love about the craft, and why you should keep doing it.

However, sometimes that isn’t enough, and you need some cold hard facts to help you get through. So here are some fascinating truths about writing that might help you when your confidence is low.

Many writers don’t achieve success until much later in life. Some of the most famous include:

Raymond Chandler, who didn’t publish his first novel until he was 44 years old. He was never satisfied with the publishing world or writing success either, once writing to a friend saying, “there is something about the literary life that repels me, all this desperate building of castles on cobwebs, the long-drawn acrimonious struggle to make something important which we all know will be gone forever in a few years, the miasma of failure which is to me almost as offensive as the cheap gaudiness of popular success.”

Anna Sewell only wrote one book, Black beauty, which didn’t get published until she was 57 (six years after she began writing it).

Harriet Doerr didn’t commit to writing until she was in her sixties. Her award-winning novel, Stones of Ibarra, was published when she was 74.

Also, many writers have been rejected over and over again, only to go on to receive huge success. 

Louisa May Alcott was told by one publisher: ’Stick to your teaching, Miss Alcott. You can’t write.’ (At least nowadays rejections are impersonal and often encouraging, right?). She ignored him and went on to have Little Women published - and it’s still widely read today.

Stephen King’s Carrie was rejected 30 times before being picked up by Doubleday. It went on to sell over a million copies. 

Of course, let’s not forget J.K. Rowling, who was repeatedly rejected, and finally, Bloomsbury agreed to take on the manuscript for the measly advance of £1,500. Her editor suggested she become a teacher, as earning a living from her work would be unlikely!

If you think you are taking too long and will never finish your novel, just remember that some now very famous books took ages to write. Some of these include:

Gone with the Wind (Margaret Mitchell), who took over a decade to write her novel - one that went on to win the Pulitzer Prize.

Another award winner, Junot Diaz, again took ten years to complete her novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. She got stuck halfway through, despite trying to write every day, and abandoned the story before returning to it, completing it, and achieving great success.

The Lord of The Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien is pretty epic but still took around 15 years to complete! 

So there you have it, even when you are feeling low, and like there is no hope, and that you should give up, try to remember that there are so many now successful authors that felt the same as you did, that failed as much as you did, and that kept on going regardless. So bear in mind that writing is subjective and that you have as good a chance as anyone to achieve your dreams - as long as you don’t give up, that is!

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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How To Capture Your Readers Attention

When you are crafting an engaging piece of content, you need to consider the reader at all times. Without thinking about ways in which you can capture and hold your reader’s attention, you might write a great article or landing page, but it won’t do what you want it to do because you haven’t considered the reader.

So what can you do to ensure that your intended audience discovers, readers, and acts upon the content you put out there? Follow these useful tips:

Spark their curiosity

Ask an intriguing question, research the problems they have, and let them know you are here to provide solutions, start with a proposition or offer, or piece of information that you know will appeal to them and make them want to know more. 

Keep it personal

If you make your writing personal to the reader, it becomes of importance to them. If you write something personal to that individual, they become much more aware of it, it appears clearer to them and you don’t have to waste words explaining things to them because you’ll already be on the same level.

Make it valuable

Naturally, content that is of value is going to be of interest. To write something of value; however, you need to understand what’s of importance to the reader, not yourself. Just because you think something is fascinating and super exciting, doesn’t mean your audience will so spend some time getting into their psyche and finding out what they think is exciting and read-worthy.

Remember the titles and images are vital

A compelling title is everything. Your title needs to be creative and revealing, while also interesting enough to be noticeable amongst the sea of other content. You also need to avoid using click-bait if you want to build your reputation as a trustworthy source. Carefully selected images can also be vital and will add visual interest and break up text too.

Use emotion

Engaging your reader on an emotional level works. Think about how you can add emotion to your content. Using emotive language has been proven to trigger certain parts of the brain, ones that activate behavior and encourage decision making too. 

Follow up

Remember, you don’t have to rely on just one piece of content to attract your reader’s attention. Instead, create a strong second, even a third, to remind your audience that you are there, and keep your business and brand in the forefront of their minds. 

Readers can’t pay attention to everything, and there is lots of competition out there. By using the above attention-grabbing strategies, you can ensure that you give your content the best chance of finding a way to readers who’ll appreciate its value. Good luck!!

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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How To Write About Boring Subjects

If you are a freelance writer, especially if you are starting out, you might find that you have to write about subjects that are, ahem, less than interesting from time to time. Unfortunately, this is often part and parcel of a freelance writer's career journey. When you begin, you can't be too picky, and you haven't found your niche or discovered what you are passionate about writing about. However, when you get more experience and build up a portfolio, things can start to change.

So when you are landed with these jobs that aren't around subjects that aren't of interest to you, how do you make sure you deliver something that's exciting, engaging and of interest to the target audience? Here are some helpful tips.

Research the reader

The best way to start is to find out who the intended audience is, what questions they are asking around the topic, what information they need to know, and the kind of language that they use. By doing this, you'll know how to craft content that they are interested in reading in a way that appeals to them.

Research the topic

By discovering what's already out there on that subject, you can learn which pieces of content have the most engagement, as well as those that don't. You can also see what's been done to death and see how you could improve upon it, or do something differently.

Take a unique approach

Try to consider how you could take a slightly different approach or write in a way that's unique - while also making sure that you think about the audience and what will be of most value to them at every stage.

Tell a story

Telling a story is a great way to exercise your creativity and use your imagination as well as write in an empathetic way, which will pique your reader's interest and draw them in.

Break down your information

If the subject you are tackling is particularly information-heavy, try breaking the more boring facts and figures into helpful snippets, and don't forget to use short paragraphs, headings, and bullet points to help your audience digest information too.

Think about your tone

Remember, even the dullest of topics can be written about in a tone that is lively and exciting, so try to inject some personality into your piece too.

So by following the above, you can make sure you create pieces that are well written and will be of interest to the reader, even if they aren't to you. This will leave you with engaged readers, and satisfied clients, boosting your reputation and meaning you'll soon be able to write about the subjects you love!

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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How To Get Press Coverage For Your Book

Getting great book publicity can be tricky. Particularly when it comes to obtaining media coverage; however, if you can have positive things said about your book in the press, it can work wonders to help boost sales and increase your fanbase.

Unfortunately, there is no secret formula to ensure you can secure book coverage for your novel. However, through the process of trial and error and committing to crafting and executing a detailed and exhaustive marketing plan, you give yourself a good chance of success.

Here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Sell yourself as well as your work

When it comes to good book promotion, it's essential to be aware that you, the author, needs to be personable, engaging, and entertaining. While your book is, of course, important, if you don't come across as someone who can have an animated discussion or has lots to say or is passionate about their work, it will be hard for the media i.e., TV, radio interviewers, etc. to have much interest.

Work out your media pitch

Lots of authors blindly pitch to the media in the hope that they'll bite without really understanding what they need to do. You need to be able to explain both why your book is of interest to their readers/listeners/viewers, but also why you are. Essentially, it's all about being persuasive. Do your research and pitch so that you seem irresistible to the editor or producer, and they can't say no to your idea.

Know Your Audience

There is nothing more crucial than understanding the publication, show, or program you are trying to connect with and the audiences of each. It is impossible to expect an editor or producer to take you seriously if you don't demonstrate an understanding of their target readership and the ability to persuasively explain why your book is something pertinent to them. Take the time to research your audience and to understand what would engage them, then use this information to show why your book would be of interest.

Have a hook

A book giveaway is another fantastic way of getting the media's attention. If you are able to offer free books to some listeners as part of a competition, this will spark interest and prompt call-ins - all of which is beneficial to the publication or show in question.

Understand how to write a press release

Take your time when writing press releases and make sure you understand how to put together a quality press release with all the relevant information. Doing so will ensure that editors take you seriously. They love it when you have done most of the hard work for them. So brush up on your press release writing skills, and you will be in with a much better chance of having some success. 

Make it personal and creative

Remember to personalize each query you send out. It will be obvious if you've just done a mass mailing and will be less likely to impress the recipient. Compliment the publication, and don't be afraid to be a little creative and inject some personality in there too, at least it will mean you are more likely to be noticed!

Piggyback trends

If you can, stay abreast of current affairs and trends that might be related to your work. If anything comes up that's relevant; you need to be ready to spring into action and jump on that trend. If you can argue why your story is related - that sense of urgency and how timely it is could do you great favors.

Of course, it is vital to stay realistic. While you can do all the above and more, there are no guarantees when it comes to promoting your novel in the media. However the more you can dedicate your time and resources to doing so, and the more willing you are to learn how to craft your pitches well, the better chance you have of getting the responses you desire. 

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

The post How To Get Press Coverage For Your Book appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Invest In Yourself As A Writer

If you are genuinely committed to being a writer, it is a considerable investment. It’s an investment of your time, your creativity, your emotions, and often your finances too. 

However, it’s fair to say that there are many writers’s out there that give more than they get when it comes to writing, and if you feel a little bit like you are investing your all and getting very little back, it might be time to take a break, reassess and figure out how you can invest in yourself as a writer too. 

If you aren’t sure what we mean by investing in yourself as a writer, take a look at the list below. Here are many ways that you can give something back to yourself, take care of yourself, and ensure that you are doing everything in your power to give yourself the very best chance of success.

So how do you invest in yourself as a writer? 

Take time to learn

If you want to get better at writing, you need to set aside time to educate yourself. When it comes to writing, be that fact or fiction, there are endless ways we can dedicate ourselves to the craft, sharpen our writing skills, and learn more. 

Have a budget

If you want your writing to do well, having a budget that allows you to spend on writing-related things is imperative. Whether that’s investing in a new laptop so you can write on the go, or having a marketing budget for your latest novel, start saving money now so that you can spend later.

Give yourself time

One of the most impactful, and yet easiest ways a writer can invest in themselves is by giving themselves time to write. It may sound simple, obvious even, but without carving time out to be able to give writing your full attention, it is going to be extremely challenging to improve or make any real progress. 

Set goals

Without setting goals, you have no way of measuring how successful you could be. By setting goals, you are not only giving yourself structure and ambition, but you are also taking yourself seriously, which is a massive part of self-investment. 

Show commitment

If writing is your passion, then you shouldn’t let anything stand in your way. An essential part of investing in yourself is proving to yourself that you can do it. By being committed to your goals and moving forward towards them, you demonstrate that you believe in yourself, that you have self-worth and self-respect and this will only go on to catalyze more good things. 

Don’t be so hard on yourself

Think about any good boss, leader or mentor you’ve ever had, when you made a mistake or didn’t quite reach your target, did they come down on you like a tonne of bricks, or were they supportive, encouraging and understanding? Do yourself a favor and stop being so self-critical. It will make you a happier and better writer in the long run!

By following the above, you are taking pride in what you do and becoming more committed to your writing craft, so start investing in yourself today, and you’ll be so glad you did!

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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How To Make A Book Trailer

When it comes to marketing our books, there is lots we can do to try to capture the attention of a readership and get our book seen by the right people. Making a book trailer is one of them. Of course, as with every type of marketing, there are good ways to do this and bad ways. If you don't know how to make a book trailer and you aren't willing to learn or invest some time into getting your book trailer looking slick and professional, then it's best not to bother. A poorly made, low-quality book trailer will only suggest that your book is the same.

So what are the steps you should take to ensure your book trailer turns out well? Here are some useful tips:

Begin with a script

It's important to understand that people digest text very differently than they do to visuals, so when they are watching your video, they need to feel just as engrossed and excited by the story as they would do when reading the blurb on the back. However, using the same wording may not be the best idea. With your video, write a script of how you want the story to play out. You'll need to be concise while simultaneously making sure that every word counts. When it comes to adding text, it's essential to ensure that it perfectly aligns with the imagery to keep your video looking professional.

Be bold

Your book trailer will be short, so you need to make sure that it creates the most significant impact. Research other people's book trailers, as well as movie trailers to help you ascertain how to grab the viewers attention from the very beginning. Asking a question, or taking a powerful line from your book as a quote can work well. 

Invest in quality

If you are going to make your book trailer yourself, you need to ensure that the quality is top-notch. You might consider asking a professional to help you. At the very least, make sure that you use a tripod and try to hire professional lights to make your trailer look like it is high-quality. 

Don't overthink it

While it's great to be creative, you don't want to present a trailer that's too complex, OTT or downright bizarre. Nor do you just want to recount the plot as is. Try to find the right balance between creativity and imagination while also letting the viewer know what the book is about, so they can decide whether it might be of interest to them. 

Select background music with care

It's important to be aware that you could be infringing copyright law if you use background music that someone else made without the appropriate permissions. Take care to ensure that you won't get in trouble by using a reputable source and paying the fee (iStock is an excellent place to purchase music clips if you're stuck).

By following the above tips, you can ensure that your book trailer is well-made, gives just the right amount of the story away to grip readers, and will make an impressive impact on your viewers. So get out there, and start creating your book trailer today!

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

The post How To Make A Book Trailer appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Places To Submit Your Short Stories

Writing short stories can be a great way to continue to flex those writing muscles, try out new ideas, test out characters for a longer piece, and to help keep your creativity and imagination working hard.

Short story writing can also be a great way to get published, start building a fan base, and even earn some money while you are at it too. So if you’ve written some short stories, or are thinking of doing so, we’ve compiled a helpful list of places below where you can submit them for publication.

Let’s take a look:

Story Magazine

Story magazine pays writer’s $20 per published page and is looking for exciting, unique short stories across a range of genres. Their publication is both in print and online.

Flash Fiction Online

If you are time-poor then perhaps trying your hand at flash fiction is the way forward. Flash Fiction Online pay a whopping $60 for publishing a story which is not a bad rate per word! They won’t take anything over 1,000 words though, so you need to be able to write a story that really packs a punch in very few words!

Word Riot

The catchily named Word Riot is also a fantastic place for writers to submit their short stories to. This well-known literary journal is always on the hunt for hot new talent, and if you can impress them with your stuff, it will look great on your writer’s ‘cv.’ It doesn’t look like they pay though, so you’ve got to be in it for the love of it with this one.

Shimmer

If you are a speculative or fantasy genre writer, this one is for you. They don’t like anything much over 4000 words (though say 7500 is the max) but will pay 5 cents per word up to $50 if they choose to use your story. 

Ideomancer 

If you like to experiment with your work, this could be the publication for you. Ideomancer is on the hunt for short stories that are utterly unique, and aren’t afraid to bend the rules. They’ll pay you 3 cents per word (up to a maximum of $40) if they like your stuff enough to print it. 

One Story

One Story is a publication that does what it says on the tin and will publish one lucky writer’s work each month. The competition for this one is high though, and with a prize of $500 going to the writer they pick, you can see why. 

Crazy Horse

Crazy by name, crazy by nature. Again this is one for those writers who aren’t afraid to push boundaries and play with narratives. If you can write something slightly odd, but also brilliant, this is going to be right up their editors street, so don’t hold back and let your imagination run wild! They pay pretty well too - $20 per page up to a max of $200.

So there you have it. While this list isn’t exhaustive, it is a great start if you aren’t sure where to. So what are you waiting for, put those short stories to good use, and good luck with your submissions!

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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How To Optimize Your Author Website

Having a slick, smart author website can help boost your author profile, attract a following of fans, and will give a more professional impression to potential publishers too. However, creating a beautiful and informative site is all well and good, but if no one can find it, what’s the point?

By optimizing your author website, you are making sure that it will be visible to those people that matter most. While many authors roll their eyes at the thought of learning about digital marketing, in this day and age, anything that can give you an edge of the competition, make you stand out from the crowd and attract more readers, is certainly worth investing some time into.

So ho can you improve the SEO of your author website? Here are some useful tips:

Do keyword research

By doing keyword research, you should come up with a list of useful keywords to target around your intended readership, what your writing is about, your genre, and so on. By taking the time to research your keywords effectively and then strategically place these in your content, when people look for related search terms, your website is more likely to come up.

Provide valuable content

One of the easiest ways to improve SEO is to continue to provide fresh, useful content that your target audience finds valuable. By doing so, not only can you improve your keyword density, but also ensure that Google takes notice of your site as one of authority that people can find lots of great information on. They are therefore more likely to put your site above others in search results. 

Understand the importance of meta-data

Meta-data is basically the underlying descriptions for different aspects of your site. By using metadata effectively, for example, by putting your keywords into meta descriptions and tags, you can help to boost your SEO significantly.

Keep your website efficient

The better organized and clear your website is, and the faster it runs, the better. Also, make sure that there are no broken links as Google prefers sites that are speedy and work properly over those that are full of errors and links that go nowhere.

Make use of links

Speaking of links, try to connect different parts of your site by adding links internally and then set your sights on getting other, reputable websites to link back to yours. This will increase the trustworthiness of your website in the eyes of Google, and they will boost your rankings as a result.

By following the above you should find that your author website not only looks great and has all the useful information that it should, but it will also be easier to find and more visible in search engine results. This means more traffic for you, and more potential readers to impress with your work. 

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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