Beth Greenslade's Blog, page 75

How To Find The Perfect Person To Critique Your Book

One of the most important things any writer can do for themselves is get some feedback on their work. It might be scary, and hugely daunting to let someone else read what you've written. However, the sooner you get initial feedback, the better.

Writers who choose not to share their work with anyone run the risk of writing an entire novel only for someone to point out a fundamental mistake. We are often so immersed in our stories that we can’t see flaws that may be apparent to other people.

Getting feedback also helps the writer understand what they need to work on, where they might need to rethink plot points, whether their characters are working and what the good and not so good bits are.

Of course, you don’t have to take every point on board, but without getting someone to critique your work, you can’t be sure you are heading in the right direction.

But who should you choose? It’s effortless, not to mention convenient, to pick a person who you know will give you a glowing report. Your best friend, your mum, that person that you know has a massive crush on you, someone who owes you a favour…! However, getting feedback about your writing is pointless unless you know it’s a genuine and honest review of your work.

So here is how to find the perfect person to critique your work.

Someone who knows you

There is nothing wrong with asking someone who knows you to critique your work; but if you do you need to make sure that your relationship with that person doesn't get in the way of how they honestly feel about your work. If you know that they are the kind of person that couldn’t bear to hurt your feelings, then there isn’t any point. Someone who knows you will want to like your book, and will look for positives and words of encouragement, and there is nothing wrong with that, as long as they can constructively point out where you need to change things too.

A stranger

Finding someone who doesn’t know you to critique your work can be a way of knowing for sure you are getting an honest opinion. A person who doesn’t know you has nothing to lose by telling you the brutal truth about your book. There are many writing forums out there where writers can exchange their work and give one another feedback. Of course, most have rules about giving criticism only if it is constructive, so you don’t have to worry about someone being too cruel, but simultaneously be prepared to hear perhaps things you don’t want to.

A professional

Getting a professional editor to critique your work is ideal. They have the experience, knowledge and skill to give you a thorough and in-depth review of what needs to change, what works and what doesn’t. However, unless you happen to be connected with someone in the industry you are likely to have to pay for this service.

A group

Joining a writing group can be hugely beneficial for so many reasons. One of them is that you get to share your work with a group of fellow writers who know exactly how to give useful feedback that you can choose to take on board or not. Joining a writing group also means you get several different opinions which is always helpful too.

Your readers

If you already have an established readership, an email list or fanbase why not test out your new work on them? They’ll be more than happy to give you their opinion and are worth listening to as they are the ones most likely to buy your book after all!

Whoever you choose to critique your book, make sure that you do it early on, and don’t just do it once either. The more feedback you get, the more you can rest assured that you are on the right track, that there is a readership out there, and ultimately that you are giving your book the very best chance of success.

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

The post How To Find The Perfect Person To Critique Your Book appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Are You A Jealous Writer?

A common problem that many writers have to deal with is jealousy. When we hear of another writer’s success, of how their self-punished book just snowballed in terms of sales and they are now one of the top sellers on Amazon, or how they only sent their manuscript off to one publisher who picked it up immediately, or how their blog got scouted by someone who now wants to turn it into a novel.

For most writers writing is a bit of a slog. We put hours and hours of time in - not to mention the blood, sweat and tears it takes to finish and book, and, for the most part, get very little in return.

However, letting jealousy get the better of you can impair your writing and block your own path to success, so making sure you recognize when jealousy is getting in the way is very important.

So what are the telltale signs that the green-eyed monster is rearing its ugly head? Let's take a look.

You can’t stop comparing yourself to others.

When it comes to most things in life, comparing yourself to others will get you nowhere. You have your own life to lead, your own challenges to face. All writers are different, all have something to offer, and all have unique and exciting stories to tell. Focus on yourself and what you want to achieve and don’t let the success of others become a barrier to getting there.

You disengage on social media.

If you can’t bear to look at other writers social media accounts or refuse to like or share success stories because you feel too jealous, you know you are letting it get the better of you. Writer’s need to celebrate one another - if you hit the big time you’d want that too. So remember to be gracious and positive and try to see that if another writer has made it, it only shows you that it’s possible for you too.

You feel like giving up.

When you hear of other writer’s success, does it make you want to pack writing in altogether? If so you are on a path of self-sabotage, and you need to get off it pronto! Everyone needs to go at their own pace, and if writing is what you love, then you should stick to it no matter what.

You start bad mouthing other writers.

If you find yourself so full of jealousy that you start bringing other writers down or bad mouthing them you need to take a good long look at your motivations for doing so. You might not care for their style of writing or enjoy their story, but apparently enough people did to make them successful, and it’s important to accept that.

You blame it all on being unlucky.

Sure it feels like some people put entirely no effort in and suddenly they are a famous, world- celebrated author. But that’s incredibly rare. For the most part, luck plays a very minimal role in the success of authors, and it’s hard work, strategic thinking and passion that really gets you places.

Jealousy us a hugely unpleasant emotion, and while it can be a struggle for writes not to feel jealous of their fellow compadres, it is far better to accept their success with grace, (even if you do feel like it was all a fluke). Doing so means you can waste no time on this pointless emotion and then get your nose back to the grindstone, focus on your own goals and celebrate your own success instead.

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

The post Are You A Jealous Writer? appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Be A 21st Century Writer

Writing in the modern age is indeed different than it used to be. Gone are the times where all a writer had to do was write. Now the role requires a different, far more diverse skillset.

So do you have what it takes to be a 21st-century writer? Just what are the qualities necessary to succeed? To know you need to ask yourself the following:

Are you a researcher? With the invention and development of the internet, researching our novels has never been easier. But the wealth of information takes some sifting through. There are no excuses for a poorly researched book, and eagle-eyed readers will now be able to call you out if they don’t think what you’ve written is right.

Are you a tech buff? Nowadays writers are expected to be social media savvy, to be able to use apps and programmes to help them with their work and even to build and maintain their own websites. You can’t get away with falling behind the times when it comes to technological developments and social media trends. In fact, the more you understand how to use these to your advantage, the better.

Are you a marketer and promoter? Even authors who are published by traditional publishing houses are still responsible in some part for promoting themselves. Self-published authors have to take on the entire role. It’s no longer just about getting a single agent or editor to believe in your book; you have to build your fan base and increase your following by understanding how to market your work, how to find new readers and ultimately what makes a book sell.

Are you an inventor? With the rise in self-publishing meaning anyone and everyone can write and publish a novel, the book market is full to the brim. Writers have to make themselves stand out from the crowd. They have to take risks, to be unique, to tell a story no one else has told. Writers are now inventors, and they have to use all their creative skill to make their inventions count.

Are you a fighter? 21st-century writers have a battle on their hands as no writers did before them. The competition seems only to be getting fiercer, and the number of books by new authors that are taken on by publishing houses is getting smaller and smaller. The odds are stacked against us, but the rewards are great, and we must fight harder and longer than ever before.

These days being a writer means you must be prepared to learn new skills, to dedicate more of your time to your writing and to believe in yourself even when it feels like no one else does. 21st-century writers are ferocious, courageous beasts, and if you are one then you should be proud!

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

The post How To Be A 21st Century Writer appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

What Makes Someone Creative?

To be successful as a writer we must be creative.

Creativity is at the core of what makes writers able to conjure up worlds, to bring chracters to life and to feed their reader's imaginations so that they immerse themselves in the story that the writer is telling them.

But what exactly is creativity? Is it something that people are born with? Do we all have it but some find it easier to tap into their creativity than others? Or can we learn how to be creative even if we are resolutely not?

Just what is it that makes a person creative? Here are some ideas:

Being able to use ones imagination

When it comes to writing there is a particular type of creativity that helps. What it really boils down to is imagination. If a writer is able to vividly imagine their characters and their worlds, as if they were real, it makes it so much easier for them to describe them to their readers.

Having the ability to think freely

Being able to let ones thoughts flow without restriction is incredibly helpful when it comes to creative thinking. Writers need to be able to think creatively, without interrupting themselves. They need to be allowed to come up with ideas without self-sabotaging or being overly critical of them. They need time to let these ideas develop, to grow, to build upon them and explore freely in their minds where their stories decide to take them.

Having the ability to observe details

It is the smallest details that make things come to life. The way a person arches their eyebrows, or moves awkwardly across a room, the way a plastic bag dances when it gets caught in the wind, or that exact shade of light at a certain time of day. A creative person notices these details, drinks them all in and uses them to build their characters and their worlds and make them vividly and wonderfully come to alive.

Finding beauty in every day things

Good writing doesn't always need to be dramatic or unusual. Sometimes simplicity is best. A creative person can observe an everyday situation and find something beautiful in it. They will pick that moment, that detail out and make their readers pay attention to it, so they see the beauty too.

Finding the words

A creative writer not only does all of the above, but also has the ability to find the exact words, the phrases, and the sentences to capture it all, to translate it for their readers so that their readers see, hear, feel and sense the very thing they want them to. That is a skill that takes a long time to master!

They aren't afraid to try something new

Every writer needs to take risks from time to time and being brave and allowing oneself to do so without criticism is a creative skill. Without experimenting or pushing the boundaries wrtiers can't expect their writing to develop or to learn new skills - so having the courage to do so is very important.

Creative people are expressive, eagle-eyed, experimental and courageous and being creative is essential if you want to write! Do you feel as though you could do more to nurture your creative self? Try to do more of the above and you'll see your creativity soar!

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

 

The post What Makes Someone Creative? appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Signs You Are Ready To Make Money From Your Writing

Many of us dream of the day we can quit our jobs and start to make money from our writing. But taking that plunge can feel incredibly daunting. For many writers, the risk can be too high, and so they never manage to invest the time they'd like into their writing, instead always trying to fit it around their 'real' work.

Understanding when you are ready to start seriously thinking about how to make money from your writing is so important. Doing so can help you better know when it is the right time to go for it while feeling more assured that you are doing the right thing and confident you can succeed.

So what are the signs that you are ready to make money writing? Here's what to look out for:

You believe in yourself

Deciding to start making money from your writing without feeling confident you can do it is setting yourself up to fail. You have to be your own biggest fan, supporter and promoter, and having the self-belief and confidence to put yourself out there, demand attention and come to the realization that you should be getting paid for your work can make all the difference.

You can make the time

If you want to make money from your writing, you have to be able to put the time and effort into doing it properly. If you can't or aren't willing to, you are not ready.

You understand the process

To make money from your writing, be that by becoming a freelance writer, starting up a blog or trying to get your book published, having a thorough knowledge of the ins and outs of the business will prove to be invaluable. Make sure you do your research so you can manage your own expectations, and do everything right to give yourself the best chance of success.

You can keep to deadlines

One of the most important things for any writer trying to earn a living is to make sure they can hit deadlines and reach goals whether set by the people they are working for or personally. Doing so will keep you motivated, continually improving and productive, and will keep editors, agents and clients happy too!

You know your audience

Whenever you write to make money, you are writing for a specific audience. Whether trying to get a novel published or writing an article, you need to make sure you know who you are writing for and cater to their needs and desires.

You are ready for battle

Writing for a living isn't easy. Make sure you are ready to fight! Be determined, keep persevering and prepared to keep battling on, no matter how tough it gets.

If you can say 'yes' to all the above then what are you waiting for? It's time to put the effort in, get organized and take that leap to start taking your writing seriously and making some money from it too!

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

 

 

The post Signs You Are Ready To Make Money From Your Writing appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Overcome These Barriers To Write More Effectively

All writers have days where they feel as though they are totally up against it, that no matter what they do they continuously have to push their way past barriers that make the whole process difficult, infuriating and frustrating.

There are many common obstacles that writers face, and knowing how to overcome them quickly will help you become a more proficient and productive writer and find the whole process more enjoyable too.

So what are the best ways to tackle common writing barriers?

Pay attention to the details.

There are some jobs where the phrase ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ is particularly apt.

Writing is not one of them.

To be a good writer you need to be eagle-eyed and pay attention from the outset. By being detail orientated and precise from the moment you start, you’ll avoid wasting your own time - misspellings, inconsistencies and parts of the plot that don’t work can all be avoided if you write as skilfully as possible first time around.

Take time to get to know your characters.

Don’t introduce a character into your story until you feel you truly know them. Write things down about them, ask them questions, have conversations with them. A well-rounded, well-written character is a character that has been fully realised in the authors head, so make sure you are willing to get to know your character properly otherwise you could find that you get halfway through your story and they’ve made no impact at all.

Learn how to deal with writing fatigue.

All writers will suffer from some form of writer’s block or writer’s fatigue where they ‘go off’ their writing and feel disheartened and demotivated. It’s important to learn to recognise when this is happening to you and how you best respond to tactics to get over writing fatigue as soon as possible. Different people find different methods useful, discover yours, put it into practice and then carry on.

Write your story, no one else’s

Don’t panic if your story isn’t unique. Your perspective will be. As long as you stay true to yourself and tell your story the way only you can, you will come up with something creative and original. If you stress too much trying to make every detail entirely new, you’ll never get your book finished!

Be clear and eliminate fluff.

When telling your story, don’t beat around the bush. Be clear and precise through using smart, succinct, arresting descriptions and intelligent details to bring it to life. Remove anything that doesn’t advance your story, trim the fat, keep it neat, direct and to the point and you’ll realise you’ve written a real page turner - just like that!

Make writing a priority.

One of the most common obstacles any writer faces is finding the time or headspace to write. The sooner you make writing a natural part of your routine the sooner this obstacle will be eliminated from your life and the more productive and proficient a writer you’ll be.

By tackling these common writing problems head-on and learning how to deal with them effectively, you can ensure you are your most productive writing self and that you don’t let anything get in your way!

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

The post Overcome These Barriers To Write More Effectively appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Enjoy Your Writing Time More

When it comes to writing advice, much of our time is spent learning how to get better, accepting how to take criticism, and hearing about what a struggle being in the writing game is. We read countless articles about how difficult it is to write, and how impossible it is to get published, it’s no wonder this can have an impact on how much we enjoy writing.

But if we aren’t enjoying it, what’s the point in doing it? So here are some useful tips on how to better appreciate the process of writing itself.

Forget about the end goal

When it comes to writing it’s important to enjoy the process. If you keep focusing on the end goal of getting your book published, you could end up putting yourself under too much pressure or feeling like you are setting yourself an impossible task before you even begin. So focus on the process of writing, of the pleasure of crafting your story, and you’ll enjoy it so much more.

Get lost in your world

Writing is a beautiful way to express your creativity and create worlds and characters that are imaginative and powerful, that we can use as vehicles to express ourselves. Try to get lost in your world, to tap into your most creative and imaginative self and recognize how genuinely cathartic that can be.

Start small

Remember writing is a process and if you try to do too much too soon, you’ll only end up feeling like a failure. You can teach yourself how to get better at writing, take pleasure in the practice, give yourself small goals and congratulate yourself as you improve and hit new milestones along the way.

Create a writing routine

Writing will always be a struggle if you don’t make it part of your routine. While it may be tough at first, it is so worth trying to write every day or following a weekly writing schedule to ensure you keep up with doing it regularly. Once writing becomes part of your life, it will feel natural and relaxed and become so much more enjoyable as a result. Remember, the more you do something, the easier it gets.

Have a different perspective

Instead of focusing on yourself and how much you are enjoying your writing instead why not try to focus on what you can do to make the reading experience the best it can be for your readers? This switch in perspective can make you feel as though you are doing something selfless, and in doing so you are bound to feel good about yourself and how your writing improves too.

By following the above tips you can turn writing from a stressful and pressured experience into one that you enjoy, and since writing takes time and effort to do correctly, it’s essential that you do feel positive about it in the long run, and the more you enjoy your writing, the better and more natural it will become!

What do you do to make the process of writing more enjoyable? Share your comments here!

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

The post How To Enjoy Your Writing Time More appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Become A Professional Writer

Every professional writer has a turning point, a moment where they decide they don’t want this just to be a hobby anymore.

It could be that you’ve been trying to fit your writing around your day job for years and become increasingly frustrated with your lack of progress. It could be that you’ve been steadily building up your freelance copywriting business and now feel in a position to go full-time. Or perhaps you’ve just had one of those ‘Eureka!’ moments, where you realise writing, is all you’ve ever wanted and ever will want to do and therefore feel brave enough to pack everything else in and concentrate on only that.

Of course, many people who write as a hobby would love to become a professional writer, but the reality is most don’t take that leap because the idea of doing so is frightening, and the consequences (such as you no longer have enough money to pay your bills) are all too severe.

Of course, everyone has to make their own decisions in life, but if you know deep down that being a professional writer is what you want to be, you owe it to yourself to at least try to make that dream a reality.

But how?

Making the shift isn’t easy, and whether you are trying to become a professional novel writer or content writer, you’ll have to take risks and put in some serious work to give yourself the best chance of success.

Treat it like a job

If you want to succeed as a professional writer, you have to be just that - professional. Make sure you get up every day ready to work a full working day. Be focused, be productive, be ambitious. Just because you are your boss now doesn’t give you the excuse to slack off.

Treat it like a business

You are not only a professional writer you are a businessperson too. This means you have to do several roles (unless you can hire people to do them for you). Make sure you focus on getting your writing done, but also making contacts, learning how to market, researching where you can get your work published, editing, managing your finances and so on. Treating it like a business means being able to set goals, to schedule working time and to make plans. The more businesslike you are, the more likely you’ll be able to juggle all the tasks you need to to make it work.

Get feedback

Being a professional writer means putting your writing out there, so make sure you get feedback (early on). Feedback can be so helpful if it’s given by someone who knows what they are talking about and wants to help you but isn’t afraid to give their honest opinion.

Train yourself up

In any other good role, you’d always be learning and evolving so make sure you invest time and money (if you can) into training yourself so that you continue to improve. Read books, take classes, attend workshops and find information online to help you to get better and better and always stay on top of your game.

Start small (but think big)

If the idea of packing in your day job cold turkey is too daunting, then you can make the shift to becoming a professional writer by taking small but purposeful steps to get there. Find ways to fit in your writing outside of your work hours or see if you can reduce your working hours or go part-time to make the transition more manageable.

Becoming a professional writer can become a reality if you are willing to be brave and put in the time and effort required to do so. So don’t delay, start following your dreams today!

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

The post How To Become A Professional Writer appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How To Keep Your Writing Simple

It’s so easy to make writing overly complicated, and one of the great dangers writers can come up against is trying to make their work expressive and creative without being overwritten.

While one might think it is harder to make writing complicated than it is to keep things simple, because writers want their readers to see, to believe and to feel everything about their world and the characters within it, it is, in fact, all too easy to create overly complicated and even confusing prose.

So how can you avoid this?

Don’t use five words when you can use one

It’s easy to use too many words when trying to describe our characters and the worlds that they inhabit. We so desperately want the reader to imagine it the way we do that sometimes we ruin it by describing things too much, not allowing them to use their imaginations, telling instead of showing and giving huge descriptions instead of choosing the best words to explain succinctly and accurately what we need the reader to know.

Don’t keep switching points of view

Change points of view over and over is only going to confuse your reader and possibly even yourself as the author! Stick to one point of view or switch character points of view when you being a new chapter.

Use time carefully

Going back and forth in time can add layers and depth to your story, however, if you choose not to keep time linear make sure you are smart and clear about it. If you keep jumping forwards and backwards in time, your reader will soon get confused and quickly lose interest.

What does the reader need to know?

When you are writing, you should always have the reader in mind. Look at what you have written and be honest with yourself about what the reader needs to know. Kill your darlings, cut unnecessary words, paragraphs, scenes, chapters and even characters if they aren’t important to your story.

Make every word count

Your book can’t go on forever; even the longest books have a finite amount of words, so it's imperative to make each one of them count. If you find yourself writing for the sake of it, or to draw out a scene to boost your word count you are almost certainly making your writing too complicated.

Use ‘he said’ ‘she said’

Many writers fall into the trap of adding unnecessary adverbs after a character has spoken. Done too many times and this distracts the reader from the story. In most cases a simple ‘he said’ or ‘she said’ will do.

These tips are ideal for writers looking to simplify and neaten up their writing. Writing that is direct, smart and interesting is so much more likely to capture readers attention than writing that is convoluted, complicated and overly descriptive. So next time you sit down to write, keep in mind these tips to keep your writing simple, straightforward and ultimately far more effective.

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

The post How To Keep Your Writing Simple appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Writers! How To Be Business Minded

Many writers don’t see themselves as business people, but that’s a mistake. Whether you are a freelance writer or a fiction writer, your work is your business and being business savvy and professional in your approach to it can help you become more motivated, organized and ultimately more successful.

So what are some great tips to help writers get focused and be more business-minded when it comes to their writing?

Here are some things to remember:

Think about the consumer

For writers, your consumer is not only the reader but also potential agents and publishers out there too. Do your research, learn what they want, plan how you’ll communicate with them, think about what you can offer them that no one else can and then show them that.

Make professional contacts

In the business world who we know can be incredibly valuable. Build your business contacts however you can. Join writing groups, interact with bloggers, follow other authors - you never know when a business contact might come in handy.

Enlist services

Any good business person knows their strengths and weaknesses. You might be a great writer, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you are also a great editor, cover designer and so on. Build your business and improve your product by enlisting help from other professionals.

Create deadlines and timelines

If you are business minded, you need a business plan. Creating timelines, goals, deadlines and being confident of where you are now and where you hope to be in X amount of time will give you a focus and help you stay on track and ultimately reach and exceed your targets.

Manage a budget

When it comes to professional writing, it’s essential to have a good grasp on your finances and also manage your writing budget. If you can, setting aside money to pay for services will help you to promote your work, and don’t forget that your time is worth money too and remember to factor that in.

Treat writing like the job that it is

Remember, if you want to get serious about your writing you need to treat it as a job. Get into a writing routine, don’t show up late and bring your A game every time.

Take control and create a brand

The beautiful thing about writing is that you are your own boss. In being so however, you need to take control. Make decisions about your book, make it your mission to succeed. If things don’t work out, assess the reasons why, adjust and try again.

Also, think of your writing as a brand, you - the author and your work are one package, and you need to think about how you can sell your writing brand or at the very least get it noticed. Ultimately you are the only person who can make this business succeed or fail.

Seeing your writing as a business helps writers to take themselves more seriously. Writing has the potential to bring you money, publicity, and success. If you want to make your writing something you can be proud of, perhaps it is time to start being more business-minded in your approach. Use these tips to help you and see how being business savvy about your writing can lead to great things.

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

The post Writers! How To Be Business Minded appeared first on Writer's Life.org.