Beth Greenslade's Blog, page 70

Foolproof Writing Methods That Help You Sell Books

Writing a book is challenging enough, however, no matter how much blood, sweat, and tears it has taken to finish your novel, selling it is another enormous challenge altogether.

There are, of course, numerous ways you can market your book to help it sell. But the one thing that makes more difference than anything else is writing it well.

Having a mega marketing budget can only get you so far. If your book isn’t structured correctly, you can’t expect people to buy it.

Successful novels, whether they are revered literary fiction or cheesy but fun romance novels all have similar elements in the way their stories unfold. In fact, when you read widely enough, you start to see patterns emerge and no matter the genre there are similarities that popular books all share.

So what are these methods that must be included if you want your book to sell?

The setup

The setup is the first part of your story. This is where you entice readers in and make promises to them of what to expect if they continue to read your novel. A setup should give readers clues as to what kind of story it is, and what might happen. You can’t start your story, for example as a comedy and then decide to turn it into a serious drama at the end. You should invite readers into the world you have created, introduce them to your main characters and give them insight into their challenges, passions, desires and so on.

Without correctly setting up the story readers can end up feeling let down and might give up on your book or, worse still, leave a less than glowing review!

A dramatic occurrence

Early on in any good story, something needs to happen. Something big. Wait too long to include this or let it unravel too gently and your readers may feel as though your story isn’t going anywhere. An incident needs to happen, one that somehow changes the course of the protagonist's life and starts them on a new journey, one that your readers will follow with intrigue. The incident needs to be big enough that the hero is forever changed, and makes it impossible for them to return to the life they once knew.

The obstacles

Every good writer knows that a protagonist must set out to do something. Whatever that may be it must be obvious what they want and what they need to do to get it. However, this journey must not be easy, and the main character or characters in your story must overcome several challenges and make sacrifices to achieve their goal. In a good story it is important to note that there is not just one challenge or one obstacle, but many. A protagonist must fall and get up several times before the story is over - the harder they fall, the more your reader will be urging them to get up and willing them to reach their goals. This is how a reader is kept on the edge of their seat and turning those pages.

The climax

A book that sells should take the reader on an exhilarating ride. There should be ups and downs, moments of tension and action and drama and resolution. As you near the end of the novel these all need to come together in one great big finale. The climax. A climax needs to be the most significant and most dramatic moment in your novel where everything your hero has been fighting for is at stake. A good climax will have your reader desperate to see your hero succeed, and then in the final pages of your book you can bring it back down, tie up loose ends and end your story in a truly satisfying way.

Nothing is more critical when it comes to selling books than good writing. Use these foolproof methods to help you write a story that is sure to leave readers leaving you rave reviews and clamoring for more!

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

The post Foolproof Writing Methods That Help You Sell Books appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Can You Crowdfund Your Writing?

Without a budget for your book, it can be challenging to find the time to keep going. If you are fitting in writing while trying to hold down a full-time job, it can be a massive challenge trying to get to the end. Even if you do, then having the capacity and budget to market your novel can also become problematic.

But what if you could get other people to fund your work? So you could actually pay yourself to do the research, writing, and promotion of your book to give it the best chance of success?

Many people think this is only possible if you find a publisher willing to give you an advance and take on the role of marketer themselves. However, there are alternatives, and many authors are looking to crowd fund their writing to make it possible for them to complete their work.

How does crowdfunding work?

Crowdfunding allows a person who wants to create something to pre-sell their product to raise the necessary funds to do so.

You as the author need to explain why it is essential for your book to come into existence. How will it benefit people? What’s it’s USP? Being able to explain this succinctly and make your project sound worthwhile is what will draw investors in.

When it comes to crowdfunding a book, authors tend to steer clear of offering equity in the project as this can get complicated. However, offering investors some incentive or reward is important. A mention in the foreword or a copy of the finished book works well.

Some authors have had fantastic success using crowdfunding platforms to help raise a budget to write their book. Some have made hundreds of thousands of dollars before they’ve had to print a single book - that sure beats waiting for sales to trickle in to try and make your money back, and is better than lots of publishers would offer too.

Crowdfunding your book also helps you to build buzz and excitement around it and creates a potential fanbase before your book hits the shelves. It also gives your book validation before you write it - if people are willing to part with their hard earned cash because they believe in your project, and you manage to hit your crowdfunding goals, then you know your book is worth writing - and having that kind of confidence is pretty awesome.

A successfully crowdfunded, self-published book is also going to be considered more credible than one that isn’t. Anyone can press publish and get their book out on Amazon these days. However, a book that has persuaded enough people to pre-buy it is social proof that can make all the difference when you come to launch day.

So if you are looking for a way to raise money and awareness for your next project, perhaps crowdfunding is the way to go? Have you considered crowdfunding your novel? Let us know!

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

The post Can You Crowdfund Your Writing? appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Struggling To Finish Your Novel? Try These Strategies

Finishing a novel is no mean feat, and in fact, most people that attempt to write one never get to the end.

If you are struggling to finish your novel don’t let it defeat you - for there is nothing quite as satisfying as getting it done. Try these practical strategies to help you.

Silence your inner critic

The most common reason writers don’t finish is because they end up self-sabotaging their own work. They start off feeling as though they aren’t good enough, and no matter how much they edit their story or try to change parts of it, they just seem to be making it worse. Eventually, giving up on it altogether, feeling defeated, and beating themselves up because they don’t feel they’ve got what it takes.

Silencing the voice that tells you you're not good enough is paramount to your success. How to do this? Find encouragement from outside sources, have a positive mantra that you repeat to yourself every day, take a break from your manuscript and come back to it with a fresh mindset, find solace in the knowledge that pretty much every writer, at some point, feels the same about their work. Become logical and reasonable and don’t expect perfection of yourself. There are many different ways to silence your inner critic, but paying attention and making sure you do, will help give you the momentum you need to get to the end.

Stop procrastinating

Another hugely common reason for a person not to finish their book is because of distraction. People get caught up in all the other things they have to do with their lives. Taking care of their families, their day job, checking social media to see if that picture they posted of their dog in a jumper got lots of likes….whatever it is that keeps you from writing you need to find ways to stop letting it take over. Have dedicated writing time where your family aren’t allowed to disturb you, get into a writing routine where you get up an hour earlier so you can write before you go to work, turn off all your devices before you sit down to write - whatever it takes to eliminate procrastination, do it. Otherwise you’ll never finish your book.

Get clarity

Even if you manage to silence your inner critic and stop procrastinating you still might face another big problem that can kill your story before you get to the end, and that’s simply becoming confused. If you start to get muddled, and write but don’t really know where your story is going, it is easy to run out of ideas and out of steam. Properly prepare for writing a novel before you start. Have your entire story mapped out, do your research, sketch out chapter outlines, get to know your characters. The more planning you do, the less likely that confusion will be a problem and the more determination you’ll have to finish your book.

Be brave

The final reason that a writer might stop writing is fear. This is different to the inner critic because it is not necessarily about thinking your work isn’t good enough, it’s just fear of the unknown, of making yourself appear vulnerable, of sharing your thoughts and feelings with the world. Writing isn’t for cowards but remembering what motivates you to write and that having the courage of your convictions will pay off in the end.

Finishing your book is a considerable challenge, but the reward for doing so is immense. So if you are struggling to end your novel use the strategies above to help push you over the finish line.

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

The post Struggling To Finish Your Novel? Try These Strategies appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

What To Be Thankful For At The End Of The Year

Now the end of the year is upon us it’s time to look back, reflect and think about everything that we have to be thankful for.

Writing a list of all the things you are grateful for can be a wonderful way to end the year. Being a writer comes with so many great benefits and whether you do it as a hobby or professionally, taking the time to step back and realise what they are can mean you fall in love with writing just a little bit more.

Here are some of the top reasons why we should be grateful to be writers

Support from family and friends

Writing is not without its challenges and having a good support system in place is essential. Long hours, re drafts, self-doubt, rejections and bad reviews are all made more bearable by having people we love cheering us on. This however, is never more true when it comes to celebrating our successes too. Getting something published, finishing a piece of work, getting a great review - being able to have loved ones who are so proud of us makes it all so much more worthwhile.

Having the time to write

No matter how you manage to fit writing into you day, you do manage to fit it in. If you have the freedom and capacity to write at your leisure that is something to be grateful for. If you’ve had to make sacrifices to do so you should be so proud of yourself and appreciate that you are the kind go person who has guts and determination which is something to be thankful for too.

The satisfaction of doing something well

There is nothing better than looking back over a piece of writing and thinking ‘ you know what, that aint half bad.’ Writers can spend a lot of time being their own worst enemies and overly critical, so clutch onto and recognise rarer moment when we actually feel quite happy with what we’ve written!

The freedom that writing brings

Writing is incredibly cathartic and we can do it anywhere in the world. Because of that it can bring great freedom both physically and emotionally, and there is nothing more wonderful than feeling free.

Observing the little things

Being a writer means that you have to keep your eyes and ears open, and when you observe and recognise the little things in life and learn to appreciate them this can give you a sense of wonder and satisfaction and interest in the world that makes you feel super connected and fascinated and alive.

The exciting things you learn and experiences you get from being a writer

Being a writer takes you to all sorts of places and has you learning about all sorts of things. Whether its through research, talking to people or just wandering the earth and taking in everything as you go, as a writer you are always on the lookout for your next inspiration and that means you can end up having a very exciting life indeed.

Following ones dreams

Most writers write because it’s their passion, and they do it because they love it - it’s as simple as that. Staying true to yourself, doing what makes you happy and following your dreams is something every writer should be very grateful for indeed.

What does being a writer make you grateful for? Share it with us here!

 

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

The post What To Be Thankful For At The End Of The Year appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Be A More Productive Writer in 2019

At the start of the new year, it is time to put strategies in place to improve our writing and make it even better in the year ahead.

One common problem that so many writers struggle with is just not getting enough done. Procrastination, distractions and not having enough time are all obstacles to face when trying to be a more productive writer. However, feeling as though you are doing as much writing as you can is not only satisfying but will also help you improve your craft as well.

Writing productively, however, isn’t just about writing lots, it’s about writing well - and trying to get into a habit of doing so is even trickier.

Here are some practical strategies to help you be a more productive writer in 2019.

Get into a rhythm

All writers are different and only you know when you are at your writing best. Don’t just guess it. Experiment with writing at different times, in different spaces, when you are in different moods. It might be that you find you do your best work after a run first thing in the morning, or you might find getting into comfy clothes with a big mug of coffee and a plate of biscuits in the afternoon is when you feel most creative. Whatever works for you is what works best, and once you are in that rhythm that’s when you are at your most productive.

It’s all about habits

Getting into a writing routine is essential when it comes to productivity. Without doing so, it is extremely difficult to write well consistently. Once you have figured out your peak writing times, you need to build a realistic but demanding writing schedule around them and then make sure you stick to it. Once you have gotten into your writing routine, it will become second nature - make sure you continue to prioritize it though as if you let it slip you have to work hard to get back into it again.

Get some headspace

Some writers love to write in amongst the chaos or find they can only write when out somewhere in the hustle and bustle of life, and that’s great. Other writers, however, need to have things calm and ordered to write and any sign of clutter gets them totally distracted. There is no right answer, but understanding what kind of setting makes your brain feel most in tune with your creative self, that’s the place you should write.

Practice before you start

Do a writing warm up before you start every session by getting into the practice of free writing. This is where you write about anything that comes into your head, no restrictions, no judgment. Doing this for just a few minutes at a time can help get rid of the muddle of the day and get you ready and focused to write at your best.

Keep it short

Don’t make your writing sessions painfully long otherwise you’ll end up just writing nonsense to fill up the pages. If you want to write at your most productively keep sessions short, and always end when you feel as though you have more to say.

Don’t critic your own work (at the start)

Make a rule that you are not allowed to go back and read over what you have written until a week later. Instead, focus on getting that story down. It’s so easy to get caught up in editing in the early stages that we can ruin our own stories or run out of steam too early. You are likely to be your own worst critic so just let your writing rest for a while before you go back and chop it to pieces!

Congratulate yourself

Remember to give yourself praise. Keeping your momentum going is all about having a positive mindset and making sure you are in good spirits. So take the time to congratulate and reward yourself every time you get one step closer to achieving your writing goals.

What do you do to stay productive? Share with us here.

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

The post How To Be A More Productive Writer in 2019 appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Always Write Your Best Work

Sometimes writers can get so caught up with the idea of being perfect that they sabotage their chances of success.

The problem with putting that much pressure on ourselves is that we are never going to live up to our expectations. Our writing can’t be flawless, it can’t be perfect, and as soon as we can get rid of that idea, then we can always write our very best work.

Remember, there is no such thing as a bad idea.

When you have an idea for your story, it can be so easy to get excited, to rush home to start writing, only to realize as you begin to unpick it that it’s a terrible idea that will never ever work! Well, perhaps you are wrong. At least sort of wrong. There is no such thing as a bad idea. Ideas are like rivers, they are fluid, the change and flow and can turn into something completely different. Your idea may not work as it is, but hold it up to the light, turn it around in your mind, add something, take something away, inspect it from every angle. Chances are if it got your heart racing initially, there is something there that is worth hanging onto.

Bad writing is just a work in progress.

You are always writing your best because that’s the best you can do at the time. If you look back at it and roll your eyes and groan, then take a moment and step back and stop being so harsh on yourself. There might be room for improvement sure, but writers can always learn and grow, and it’s important to respect the fact that when we write, we are doing our best, and therefore it is our best at that point. It doesn’t need to be scorned or mocked afterwards, instead to be nurtured and molded and gently pushed to become something better.

It’s all about having the right mindset.

You can’t write your best if you are going to continue to be cynical about your writing, especially if you are always in a negative mindset before you begin. Treat yourself like you would do a child. You would be encouraging, supportive, and sympathetic - and if you could tell they were trying their best you would be proud of them. If you could only treat your writing self that way, and get into a positive and productive mindset before you start and allow yourself to be genuinely, creatively free. If you could achieve this, you will always write your best, and you should be proud of the results - whatever they are, as well.

Writing your best isn’t about writing correctly, it isn't about creating pristine, error-free stories that are already amazing. Writing your best is about trying your best, putting your heart and soul and passion into your work every time you sit down to write. So stop focusing on trying to make it flawless - and just do your best - that’s what really matters after all.

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

The post How To Always Write Your Best Work appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

What Makes Writers Happy?

At the end of the year, it is always a good time to try and sit back and reflect on the good and the bad and any lessons learned over the past 12 months. One thing that perhaps writers don’t think about enough is what makes them happy - and keeping this in mind is key to being a productive and motivated writer.

So what do writer’s say makes them happiest? Here are some of the most common responses.

Writing!

For many of us, the pure pleasure we get from writing alone can be enough to make every day a great one. Writing can be so cathartic and when we take our ideas and turn them into stories, when we see our characters coming to life and the plots unraveling before our eyes, it makes us realize just how rewarding a job it can be.

Finishing

There is nothing quite as enjoyable as writing that final sentence and realizing you made it; you got to the end. The sense of pride and satisfaction that comes from completing a piece of writing really is hard to beat.

Feedback

Getting positive feedback from your readers is another element to any writers role that can really make their day. Getting a great review or a reader reaching out to tell you how much they enjoy your work makes all the hard grit, the determination, the time and effort so worthwhile.

Improving

One of the beautiful things about writing is that there is always more to learn, and when writers look back to where they started, or perhaps just to the first draft of their story, and see how far they’ve come and how much they’ve improved it really can make all the difference.

Getting published

Ah to be published! For many writers being published is the ultimate goal, and whether they do it via the traditional or self-publishing route, seeing their work in print is the most glorious feeling of all.

Following their dreams

One thing that universally makes all writer's happy is the knowledge that they are following their dreams. The fact that they have bothered, sometimes against what feels like pretty enormous obstacles, to persevere, to stick it out and to keep writing because writing is what they love to do means that deep down they know that they believe in themselves and that is something to celebrate and to be so proud of too!

What makes you happy as a writer? Let us know in the comments below!

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

The post What Makes Writers Happy? appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

10 Effective Tips To Improve Your Articles

Freelance writers are always looking for ways to make their articles sound smarter, gain more engagement and become more effective overall.

Here are ten tips to help improve your articles:

1. Make sure you are saying something

There is nothing worse than a promising headline that under delivers in the content. Make sure, before you start a new piece, that you have a point (or several), and that you can explain that point clearly. Keep your target audience in mind and always consider what they would find useful, what they would want to know.

2. Stay specific

When it comes to writing useful articles you should keep them short and sweet. That’s not to say going in-depth isn’t a good thing but instead you should always be looking for ways to trim the fat and eliminate fluff. Stay specific and on topic and get rid of anything unnecessary from your text.

3. Use simple language

Unless you are writing specifically for an academic audience, don’t over complicate your content with excessively long or hard to understand words. Simple, clear, and precise wins every time.

4. Use short sentences

Simplicity also extends to how you construct your piece. Using short sentences, where possible, will hold your reader's attention and make it easier to read your text.

5. Write in the active voice

To write in the active voice, you should use the SVO sequence: Subject, Verb, Object. While this isn’t always possible, the active voice does bring immediacy to the writing and helps create better clarity over who is doing what.

6. Create white space

Keep paragraphs short, use bullets, insert images and leave white space between and around your words. This helps people skim read and makes your writing look less dense and thus becomes easier to read.

7. Create a call to action

Every piece of writing has a purpose. What’s yours? Make sure your article includes a clear call to action; otherwise you could be missing a trick.

8. Try not to ramble

If you are trying to hit a particular word count, but you are struggling, avoid the temptation of rambling to try and get there. You readers will lose interest, and your point won’t come across. Just say what you’ve got to say in the most direct possible way and try not to worry if your article isn’t as long as you hoped.

9. Don’t be repetitive

The same goes for repeating yourself. If you say it well, you’ll only need to say it once!

10. Become a pro editor

The more eagle-eyed you are, the more likely it is that you’ll send off or publish your piece error-free. If you can avoid mistakes and spelling or grammatical errors, your piece will be polished and professional, and your readers will thank you for that!

Use the above tips to help produce more effective, engaging articles that you can be proud of.

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

The post 10 Effective Tips To Improve Your Articles appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Create Viral Posts

Whether you are looking to increase your Facebook page followers, get more people reading your blog or boost your Twitter following, writing a viral post can get you noticed as not only will that particular piece of content be shared over and over but people will search out more of the same from you.

While many authors roll their eyes at the thought of dedicating time and energy to social media, doing so can not only widen your readership but can also make you more appealing to agents and publishers as well.

It’s no mean feat to get your content seen by the right people, and sometimes it can feel that no matter how hard you try it is challenging to get people to engage.

So if you want to gain some serious attention and increase your chances of creating a post that goes viral, what can you do?

Here are some helpful tips

Pay attention to your lists

You shouldn’t just be posting content that doesn’t say anything. You need your content to matter. Start by creating informative lists that offer exciting and smart insights that teach people how to do something quickly and effectively.

Stay up to date

If you want to increase your chances of going viral, you need to make sure you are reporting on the most recent trends, products, lessons, talks, insights and so on in your particular niche. Stay up to date and completely in the know around your topic and then think of exciting angles and creative ways to comment on them.

Become an authority

If you want people to pay attention to what you have to say you need to position yourself as an authority in that subject. Learn everything that you can about your niche and then learn some more. Be completely confident in what you are saying, gain the trust of your audience by gathering reviews and testimonials from others who are willing to shout about the fact that you are a bit of an expert in your field.

Be unique (and yourself)

The most important thing, however, is to stand out from the crowd. You can do all of the above and still not get anywhere because everyone else is doing the exact same thing. However if you are saying something nobody else is saying, if you are using your unique voice and take on the world to cause a bit of an uproar or open people’s eyes or make them think in a different way, that’s what going to make people want to share and engage with your content.

So every single time you write a post you need to think about what it is you are saying, about who you are saying it to, and about how you are saying it.

Be bold, be creative, be humorous if you can. If you take a proper stand, then that’s what will make the difference, don’t be middle of the road, trust your instincts, go with your gut and say what you want to say!

Viral posts become so because they are saying something that matters, something that resonates with people or tickles them or gives them food for thought or challenges them to see things differently. So that is what you should strive for above anything else. Doing so will also mean you are staying true to yourself and what you believe in - and no amount of viral posts, Facebook shares or Twitter followers is more important than that.

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

The post How To Create Viral Posts appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Find Your Audience

 

As writers we hear a lot about finding your audience, but what does that really mean? If you want your writing to get more attention, then you need to think about who your potential readers are and write and market your work so that it not only finds its way to them but also catches and holds their interest.

So what are the steps writers can take to try and identify their audience?

Be proactive

Don’t just expect your readers to discover you. No matter how good a writer you are, you need to get out there and find people to read your work. Get involved with writing communities, become active on social media, write guest posts for popular blogs and publications. The more you can network, the more friends in the industry you can make, and the more your name is out there, the better your chances of readers finding their way to you.

Be patient

Finding a readership takes time, and you can’t expect this to happen overnight. Identifying and building an audience for your writing can feel like an uphill struggle at times and that you take two steps forward and one step back. It’s all about perseverance and consistent effort - if you are willing to do this then gradually, over time, you should see your audience increase.

Be open to learning

There are always new methods to learn and techniques to try when it comes to extending your reach. If you are open to trying new things and staying up to date with developments regarding communication and outreach tools, you are more likely to continue to reach new audiences and grow in popularity.

Put the work in

Finding your readers is all about doing your research and thinking creatively. There are so many different ways to try and gain a readership. Start a blog, join discussion groups, use social media to engage with people, give a talk, go on a book tour, get on the radio, send out an email newsletter and so on. Make sure you explore all your options and try a variety of methods to see which works for you.

Be accepting

Remember that, as with everything in the writing game, there are no guarantees. You have to be patient and accepting - knowing you have done everything you can and feeling confident that you have something to offer your readers should bring you the satisfaction and feeling of success you deserve.

Finding your audience can help you build up a fan base and get more attention for your latest work. What do you do to find readers? What obstacles have you had to overcome? Share your thoughts with us here!

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

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