Aisha Urooj's Blog, page 17
April 10, 2020
Interview for Indie Spotlight
I was interviewed for Indie spotlight, please check out the following blog: https://beforewegoblog.com/indiespotl... via @bethtabler
Thank you Beth for your support of Indie authors! It really means a lot!
It is because of supportive people like Beth, the writing community is such a wonderful place to be in as a newly self-published author. It is encouraging to know that people support and are willing to give new unknown writers a chance to showcase our work and read our books. It encourages me to improve my writing, knowing that I can reach out to readers with both a big heart and inquiring mind open to new worlds and ideas.
Thank you!
Thank you Beth for your support of Indie authors! It really means a lot!
It is because of supportive people like Beth, the writing community is such a wonderful place to be in as a newly self-published author. It is encouraging to know that people support and are willing to give new unknown writers a chance to showcase our work and read our books. It encourages me to improve my writing, knowing that I can reach out to readers with both a big heart and inquiring mind open to new worlds and ideas.
Thank you!
April 6, 2020
Indie April
Do you know about Indie April? During the month of April, readers on twitter are encouraged to read and support independently published authors. Indie authors can use the hashtag #IndieApril to talk about their books, novellas, short stories etc.
As an indie author myself, the support is encouraging and uplifting. Finding the writing community on Twitter has been a pleasant discovery. Someone once tweeted a gif of bugs bunny flexing to describe the feeling of being in the writing community. The image made me laugh however I agree with the sentiment.
If you are a budding writer and want to find like-minded support, I do encourage you to find the writing community. There you will find reviewers, people who spotlight indie books and authors, writing tips and lots of other information to hone your craft.
If you are a reader supporting #indieapril, you can help me by purchasing my book 😅
My Dear Ellie by Aisha Urooj
https://buff.ly/3aOvceQ
USA: https://amazon.com/dp/B083JJK8TY
Canada:
https://amazon.ca/dp/B083JJK8TY
As an indie author myself, the support is encouraging and uplifting. Finding the writing community on Twitter has been a pleasant discovery. Someone once tweeted a gif of bugs bunny flexing to describe the feeling of being in the writing community. The image made me laugh however I agree with the sentiment.
If you are a budding writer and want to find like-minded support, I do encourage you to find the writing community. There you will find reviewers, people who spotlight indie books and authors, writing tips and lots of other information to hone your craft.
If you are a reader supporting #indieapril, you can help me by purchasing my book 😅
My Dear Ellie by Aisha Urooj
https://buff.ly/3aOvceQ
USA: https://amazon.com/dp/B083JJK8TY
Canada:
https://amazon.ca/dp/B083JJK8TY
April 3, 2020
Things I have learned while self-publishing
If you are new to my blog, Welcome! You might know that I am author of My Dear Ellie, published January 2020.
One of the challenges of being a new writer I found, besides completing the book, is when you have arrived at the point of publishing. I didn’t have the resources or time to go with traditional publishing so I went with Amazon KDP self-publishing. Full disclosure here: I would have never completed or thought about writing a book if I hadn’t come across blogs which detailed all the positives of self-publishing, so thank you to helpful bloggers! I am grateful for the knowledge you shared. I am thinking of paying it forward to anyone out there with my learning experience so far.
These are the things that I learned:
Kindle Create: Many curse it but I found it oddly calming. If you are a pro at formatting, Kindle Create might be slow or infuriating. I am not so it guided me and became my safety like a training bike to a toddler.
Creating book cover: using the KDP book template, many tears, font and picture versions later I am ok with what I have now. Actually I can’t afford to change my mind again if I want to move on and write the second novel 😅
Editing: Not there yet though it haunts me. I feel a professional edit might do My Dear Ellie some good, but in my mind there is resistance and much protest.
Creating a book trailer (sort of): The book trailer I created (see amazon author page) is my handiwork and I am proud of it. It is a masterpiece of my limited technical skills. However it is pretty 🥰
Blogging: a side effect of trying to promote my book and perhaps share my thoughts…so here we are 😬
Social media aka black hole: twitter, goodreads, Instagram. All byproducts of finding an audience and common fellow writers for my book and for book reviews (and maybe for the photos that I take, especially on Instagram). Although they take a lot of my time, like all shiny new things, my mind will move on to my next book eventually. I hope.
File conversions: png to jpeg, jpeg to pdf, resizing pdfs, mp4 to gif…will it ever end? Luckily there are many online websites and no app downloads needed.
Self-Publishing after writing is like adding another subject area to master. I take it one day at a time. Sure there has been mistakes…like inadvertently creating multiple editions while using KDP. (Note to self: Just stay away from the publish button Aisha).
Reviews: I will be honest, I am scared of reviews especially by readers with many many wonderful books in their read pile. No..scratch that…I respect such reviewers and will consider them greatly…but I am still new at this so I will look for the good and uplifting first. Then I will focus on what could be improved. It will be a battle between my heart and my practical mind and I will listen to the best of both.
Hope you found my journey so far enlightening or at least encouraging…or I will be ok with entertaining as well. It is a learning process, if you are hesitating, be kind to yourself. We would love to one day hear your voice in the writing community too 💕😊
One of the challenges of being a new writer I found, besides completing the book, is when you have arrived at the point of publishing. I didn’t have the resources or time to go with traditional publishing so I went with Amazon KDP self-publishing. Full disclosure here: I would have never completed or thought about writing a book if I hadn’t come across blogs which detailed all the positives of self-publishing, so thank you to helpful bloggers! I am grateful for the knowledge you shared. I am thinking of paying it forward to anyone out there with my learning experience so far.
These are the things that I learned:
Kindle Create: Many curse it but I found it oddly calming. If you are a pro at formatting, Kindle Create might be slow or infuriating. I am not so it guided me and became my safety like a training bike to a toddler.
Creating book cover: using the KDP book template, many tears, font and picture versions later I am ok with what I have now. Actually I can’t afford to change my mind again if I want to move on and write the second novel 😅
Editing: Not there yet though it haunts me. I feel a professional edit might do My Dear Ellie some good, but in my mind there is resistance and much protest.
Creating a book trailer (sort of): The book trailer I created (see amazon author page) is my handiwork and I am proud of it. It is a masterpiece of my limited technical skills. However it is pretty 🥰
Blogging: a side effect of trying to promote my book and perhaps share my thoughts…so here we are 😬
Social media aka black hole: twitter, goodreads, Instagram. All byproducts of finding an audience and common fellow writers for my book and for book reviews (and maybe for the photos that I take, especially on Instagram). Although they take a lot of my time, like all shiny new things, my mind will move on to my next book eventually. I hope.
File conversions: png to jpeg, jpeg to pdf, resizing pdfs, mp4 to gif…will it ever end? Luckily there are many online websites and no app downloads needed.
Self-Publishing after writing is like adding another subject area to master. I take it one day at a time. Sure there has been mistakes…like inadvertently creating multiple editions while using KDP. (Note to self: Just stay away from the publish button Aisha).
Reviews: I will be honest, I am scared of reviews especially by readers with many many wonderful books in their read pile. No..scratch that…I respect such reviewers and will consider them greatly…but I am still new at this so I will look for the good and uplifting first. Then I will focus on what could be improved. It will be a battle between my heart and my practical mind and I will listen to the best of both.
Hope you found my journey so far enlightening or at least encouraging…or I will be ok with entertaining as well. It is a learning process, if you are hesitating, be kind to yourself. We would love to one day hear your voice in the writing community too 💕😊
April 2, 2020
Zoom meetings dilemma
How do you feel about Zoom meetings?
Initially I was hesitant about the idea of showing my manager and/or my co-workers my home. Not that there is anything wrong with my place, I am just a private person. Some anxious moments were spent sitting and testing different areas of the house to see which gave the most professional image 😅 which coincidentally was the blandest as well (my living room). Now I hear about zoom backgrounds and I am intrigued! If it were up to my creative writer side, I would use a Godzilla background. Thankfully (or regretfully, depending on your point of view), my job is practical and I am a new hire as well....so I will leave all the creativity for my books 🤣
There is also the aspect of dressing up for a virtual meeting. I do pick my office clothes (though I have seen my coworkers less formally attired). Don't look at my pyjama bottoms though and I hope I never make the mistake of standing up.
How do you like your zoom meetings? What background would you choose? How do you feel about pyjama bottoms? 😅
Initially I was hesitant about the idea of showing my manager and/or my co-workers my home. Not that there is anything wrong with my place, I am just a private person. Some anxious moments were spent sitting and testing different areas of the house to see which gave the most professional image 😅 which coincidentally was the blandest as well (my living room). Now I hear about zoom backgrounds and I am intrigued! If it were up to my creative writer side, I would use a Godzilla background. Thankfully (or regretfully, depending on your point of view), my job is practical and I am a new hire as well....so I will leave all the creativity for my books 🤣
There is also the aspect of dressing up for a virtual meeting. I do pick my office clothes (though I have seen my coworkers less formally attired). Don't look at my pyjama bottoms though and I hope I never make the mistake of standing up.
How do you like your zoom meetings? What background would you choose? How do you feel about pyjama bottoms? 😅
March 30, 2020
Concentration like cotton candy
It is hard to concentrate nowadays. I am sure you might be feeling it too. My work day, night, weekends are all blurring into one. Although I don’t miss commuting, work feels like work in an office, not so much as at home…which is strange.
I am missing the colors, the vibrancy of spring and summer. This winter, although not as cold or bitter as winters of yore, seems stretched out because of the quarantine.
I also wonder how it would feel to go back to normalcy after all this? If there is such a thing. The only thing that is permanent is change, yet my introverted self would like to think otherwise 😅
I also miss cotton candy!
I am missing the colors, the vibrancy of spring and summer. This winter, although not as cold or bitter as winters of yore, seems stretched out because of the quarantine.
I also wonder how it would feel to go back to normalcy after all this? If there is such a thing. The only thing that is permanent is change, yet my introverted self would like to think otherwise 😅
I also miss cotton candy!
March 28, 2020
Ebook going global soon
My kdp contract will soon come to an end and I will be launching my book globally! I know that many don't have kindle or the app downloaded so I am excited to reach a wider readership.
I have been learning a lot during the publishing process and just like in any subject, there is a learning process and learning curve.
My goal is to get as many readers as possible and the next would be to see their reviews and see what they liked about my writing.
The goal after that would be to complete my second novel. It is going slower because it is hard to find inspiration about travelling but I think it is the perfect time to be writing about it and publishing it. People are travelling through the pages of their books and I hope to be one of the author whose book they place in their TBR and then go on a wonderful literary adventure while reading it.
I have been learning a lot during the publishing process and just like in any subject, there is a learning process and learning curve.
My goal is to get as many readers as possible and the next would be to see their reviews and see what they liked about my writing.
The goal after that would be to complete my second novel. It is going slower because it is hard to find inspiration about travelling but I think it is the perfect time to be writing about it and publishing it. People are travelling through the pages of their books and I hope to be one of the author whose book they place in their TBR and then go on a wonderful literary adventure while reading it.
March 23, 2020
Fellowship of the Quarantined
So how are you today? We are bound by a strange fellowship, just like in the Lord of the Rings where a fellowship rose to destroy the one ring...we have this invisible virus.
My Quarantined comrades, how are you passing the time? Reading, writing, picking up new hobbies, painting, drawing, watching movies, meditating, praying....there are many choices. Hope you are taking care of yourselves.
My days are a bit of a blur. Only a few weeks ago I was transitioning from one job to another. It was chaotic and I had wanted a break. Life can change pretty quickly and here we are. As you might know, my second book will be about Eleanor travelling the world. It is hard to write about travelling in this atmosphere but there are no shortage of wonderful places to explore when things are better. I am a bit under the weather right now but I am making a list of places to research for my second novel. I hope inspiration strikes as I do more research and I can show you how Ellie feels once she reaches there in the pages of my book.
My Quarantined comrades, how are you passing the time? Reading, writing, picking up new hobbies, painting, drawing, watching movies, meditating, praying....there are many choices. Hope you are taking care of yourselves.
My days are a bit of a blur. Only a few weeks ago I was transitioning from one job to another. It was chaotic and I had wanted a break. Life can change pretty quickly and here we are. As you might know, my second book will be about Eleanor travelling the world. It is hard to write about travelling in this atmosphere but there are no shortage of wonderful places to explore when things are better. I am a bit under the weather right now but I am making a list of places to research for my second novel. I hope inspiration strikes as I do more research and I can show you how Ellie feels once she reaches there in the pages of my book.
March 19, 2020
My first interview as an author!
I have my first interview as an author on a blog. I am excited and proud 😊
You can read the interview here: http://liezeneven.com/2020/03/18/inte...
Hope that you read it and let me know your thoughts. It answers some questions about my inspiration for My Dear Ellie and writing in general.
You can read the interview here: http://liezeneven.com/2020/03/18/inte...
Hope that you read it and let me know your thoughts. It answers some questions about my inspiration for My Dear Ellie and writing in general.
March 17, 2020
New world of social distancing
How are you today and how are you coping with this new reality?
Social distancing is the word of the day and the latest arsenal in trying to lessen the spread of COVID-19 virus. There are heartwarming videos of people in Italy singing together on the balconies, a reminder that we are here and all in this together.
Enforcing lockdown means altered daily structures to our routines: working remotely (if you are fortunate to have this option), fitting in outdoor activities inside (attempts at exercising), avoiding the temptations of snacking (kitchen is so much closer at home), using social media to keep in touch with everyone.
Hopefully we will be successful in keeping our loved ones safe by keeping these drastic measures. It is an unprecedented situation. Keep your hopes up. This winter will pass and Spring will arrive and soon we will be told to go soak the sunshine outside. Keep safe in the meanwhile.
Social distancing is the word of the day and the latest arsenal in trying to lessen the spread of COVID-19 virus. There are heartwarming videos of people in Italy singing together on the balconies, a reminder that we are here and all in this together.
Enforcing lockdown means altered daily structures to our routines: working remotely (if you are fortunate to have this option), fitting in outdoor activities inside (attempts at exercising), avoiding the temptations of snacking (kitchen is so much closer at home), using social media to keep in touch with everyone.
Hopefully we will be successful in keeping our loved ones safe by keeping these drastic measures. It is an unprecedented situation. Keep your hopes up. This winter will pass and Spring will arrive and soon we will be told to go soak the sunshine outside. Keep safe in the meanwhile.
March 15, 2020
COVID-19 and impact on world travel
COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by World Health Organization. As a consequence, world travel has been impacted with some countries declaring travel bans with many more contemplating to adapt the same restrictions. It is an impactful experience and I wonder how it will affect writing and writers.
Would we see more post-apocalyptic books? Would books take a more sombre turn? Would people self-isolating or in quarantine read more?
For myself, it is interesting as I am working on my second novel Eleanor's Travels, where Ellie is traveling around the world. Do I include a prepandemic world? Do I comment on current state of affairs?
I wish everyone and everyone's loved ones to be safe. We will get through this together.
Would we see more post-apocalyptic books? Would books take a more sombre turn? Would people self-isolating or in quarantine read more?
For myself, it is interesting as I am working on my second novel Eleanor's Travels, where Ellie is traveling around the world. Do I include a prepandemic world? Do I comment on current state of affairs?
I wish everyone and everyone's loved ones to be safe. We will get through this together.
