Hank Quense's Blog: Hank Quense's Blog, page 9

I’ve been featured

I’ve been featured on the website for AdCritter, a large internet company.  You can read the article at https://www.adcritter.com/spotlight-on-hank-quense/

The article omitted one of my links: https://padlet.com/hanque/6ctlburb07l0m4bv

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Fiction Writing Insights

The first ebook in my new Insights series is now available.

Fiction Writing Insights discusses issues that are rarely covered in books on fiction
Such as: learn why you need to defuse tension; learn how to nest subplots; understand the biggest problem with world building. And more.

The book is available from Amazon and other book sellers

The insights Series is a unique set of books based upon the author’s extensive experience in fiction writing, self-publishing and book marketing

Each of the five books in the series contains essays that explore and describe issues that are rarely discussed in books on the subject.

The series titles are (in the order to be published)

Fiction Writing InsightsBook Marketing InsightsSelf-publishing InsightsAuthor Business InsightsSWOT Insights

 

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Announcing a package of four valuable checklists

Being an author is a tough job, especially if the author self-publishes. 

What with writing first drafts of a novel, organizing the publishing project and then marketing the book, there is no end to the tasks.

I know how hard this is because I do all of this stuff.  To simplify the work, I created a series of checklists or spreadsheets to be able to track my progress.  I have four of them that I use regularly:

Cast of characters: Use to track the main characteristics of the cast.  Especially useful when writing the first draft.Book launch checklist:  contains the tasks necessary for a self-publishing project.Book marketing plan checklist: a useful list of marketing tactics along with a status check. Strategic marketing planner: a comprehensive guide to the construction of an overall marketing plan.

You can get any one of these checklists for $1.99 or you can grab all four for only $3.99.  That’s a 50% discount versus buying them individually.

Check it out! https://www.writersarc.com/checklist-bundle

 

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Creating Stories Video Class

Introductory half-price sale! 

You have a story to tell!  Learn how to let it out

Stories come from the melding of three elements: getting ideas, story design and story-telling. Ideas have to come from the author. The Creating Stories class covers the last two.

For a limited time, this class is half-price.  Use this link to get the discounted price: https://www.udemy.com/course/creating-stories/?couponCode=CS-HALF-PRICE-SALE

Learn more by watching this video

http://hankquense.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Udemy-CS-trailer.mp4

 

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New Community Website

I’ve started a new community venture. It’s on the Writers & Authors Resource Center site.

The focus of the community is on three topics: fiction writing, self-publishing and book marketing.  There is also a general topic for the all-important whatever.

You can enroll in the community by following this link: https://www.writersarc.com/writersarc-membership

Naturally, there are conditions, but in this case the conditions are benign.

First, you have to become a WritersARC member, but the membership is free.

Second, there is no second condition. Or third or fourth or etc.

You also get two free downloads when you become a member.

Think Facebook etc without the ads

Why not join up?  Join other writers and authors to discuss issues, problems and to share successes.

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A Second Brain

Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot about a “Second Brain” as a way to organize information and work. 

I did some research and decided to try it out.  Most articles on the topic recommend using Notion to manage projects and other aspects of the “second brain” and Obsidian for note-taking.  I tried Obsidan and got thoroughly baffled by it.

To manage projects, I’m not using Notion.  I’ve used in that program in the past and found it to be too cumbersome: powerful but awkward.  Instead, I’m using The Brain.  It’s a mind-mapping program on sterioids.  https://www.thebrain.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjw-sqKBhBjEiwAVaQ9a-Whf42D21tR2pZ3dkyAY1ZCnrzS1FIxkm_GkERbeurwtJZKee7twhoCjOYQAvD_BwE

Actually, the progam has long advocated using this software to develop an external brain and has several examples of one on the website.

As for Obsidian https://obsidian.md, I found a Youtube video that does a great job of explain the app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgbLb6QCK88.  I also found a good article on Medium: https://www.marclittlemore.com/beginners-guide-note-taking-obsidian/

Armed with a bit of knowledge, I downloaded Obsidian a second time and got it working. So far I’ve added about a dozen notes on various topics.  It appears to be a bit of awesome although the real power of it won’t be apparent until the program has a lot of content.

So, for a while anyway, I’ll be fooling around developing my second brain.  I know some of you think I should spend more time working on my original brain, but that’s a topic for another day.

Further reports may follow (or maybe not)

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Book Marketing Review

 

My course, Fundamentals of Book Marketing received a rave review from a client.

Marketing Frustrations Gone! Norah CaliAlthough I have written many books, and they have all enjoyed a modicum of success, I have always been frustrated that all my efforts at marketing them have left me frustrated and with that funny feeling that I could have done more.   Enter Mr. Quense. In the course of nine short days, he answered all those nagging questions I have been asking myself for years, plus he provided an unmeasurable wealth of websites information that I wish I would have known about years ago! Thank you again! Your course should be given as a gift of untold treasures to anybody who thinks about marketing a book successfully!

The course is available on Writers & Authors Resource Center at https://www.writersarc.com/fundamentals-book-marketing.

If you wish to try out the course before buying it, there is a free sampler at https://www.writersarc.com/sampler-book-marketing-fundamentals

 

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Strange Worlds Recipe

Looking for something different to cook tonight?  Try this recipe.

Zeebie Steaks

A hearty zaftan winter meal

Cuisine: Zaftan

Course: Main

Burga Says: Zaftans love a good freshly killed zeebie steak. Zeebies are large, mindless cattle who often attack hover cars with a homicidal intensity that is disastrous for all parties involved. These attacks produce most of the supply of the zeebie steals.  If the driver of the hover car survives the crash, she has first right of refusal on the zeebie remains.  Otherwise, the carcass becomes part of the driver’s estate.

Time: Twenty minutes

Servings: Four

Ingredients:

4 large zeebie steaks

Salt and pepper to taste

2 liters gasoline

Preparation:

1. Place a non-flammable firewall between your home and your grill

2. Place steaks on grill and pour gasoline all over them

Using a remote ignitor with a fifty foot cord, set the gasoline on fire.

3. When flames die down the steaks will be charred throughout and have the consistence of zeebie leather.

Serve with side vegetables and antacid pills

This recipe came from Strange Worlds Recipes, a free download.  Grab a copy using this link: https://books2read.com/u/4XrKDg

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Fiction Writing Workshop for Kids

The kids are back in school.  Now is a good time to teach them how to write short story.

My Udemy class, FIction Writing Workshop for Kids is on sale this month.  The regular price is $19.99, but during this sale the price is $12.99.

Use this link to get the discount:https://www.udemy.com/course/fiction-writing-workshop-for-kids/?couponCode=KW-SALE

Here is more about the class:

This workshop provides grammar school and middle school students with a simple, step-by-step approach to creating and developing a short story.

Three separate story ideas are explored and in each one, the students are lead through a process to develop the characters, the plot and the story setting. Text boxes are used to record the student’s ideas and these text boxes are then used to develop and write the story on their own.

In the first story, the students will write about a pet that has superpowers. The second story involves the characters going on a quest. The third story uses superheroes as the characters.

These stories form the backbone of several lesson sessions that will reinforce and amplify the process and increase the students awareness of the story writing process.

The first lesson is called Lessons Learned and it uses the pet story to illustrate that a story can’t be developed from a singe idea: many ideas are required. Other lessons are also provided such as a story-telling guide and a tutorial on how the students can develop a writing voice that is distinct from their speaking voice.

Finally, there is a lesson on how the students can create their own stories. The students then use a set of blank text boxes to support and collect their story ideas prior to writing the story,

 

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Book Marketing Fundamentals Video Class

Are you planning to begin marketing your book?Before you start you should enroll in this class

 

Book Marketing Fundamentals contains a comprehensive inventory of essential marketing tasks and explanations on why you should use them and how to use them. The course is written specifically for first-time authors searching for a way to market their book.

In this course, you’ll learn:

How to develop your author’s platformHow to write your marketing contentHow to engage in marketing activitiesHow to get more book reviewsWhat kind of events to holdHow to get publicityHow to use (or not use) advertising.How to recognize scams

The course also includes several spreadsheets that can be downloaded to assist your marketing efforts

Use this link to enroll in the course: https://www.udemy.com/course/book-marketing-fundamentals/?referralCode=11201B8A1EC812693F39

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