Icy Sedgwick's Blog, page 38
March 19, 2018
How to choose the best platform for your author website
Setting up your own author website isn’t as difficult as it used to be. Back in the day, you either hired a web designer, or you threw together something in Geocities and hoped for the best. Even a few years ago, websites were something relatively inaccessible. But not anymore. You don’t actually need a specialist […]
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March 12, 2018
4 easy ways to start your successful author brand today
You’ve dreamed of writing novels since you were a nipper. You were probably the only kid who shouted ‘Hooray!’ when your teacher announced a creative writing exercise. How can that translate into a successful author brand for you? Oh, you’d be surprised. But seriously. A lot of authors don’t want to touch branding. It’s the kind […]
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March 8, 2018
Lavender Folklore: The Tales Behind The Calming Plant
From cleaning wounds to repelling plague, lavender has a myriad of uses throughout the centuries. It’s now quite a common garden plant in the UK. While it was ancient Arabia that first farmed the plant and distilled its oils, it was the Greeks and Romans that traded it into England. The Romans even named lavender, […]
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March 5, 2018
How to edit your author photo just using a smartphone
Writers know there are plenty of things they’ll ultimately need for their marketing efforts. And the author photo often strikes fear into many hearts, despite it being one of the most important. But Icy! I hear you cry. Surely the books are far more important? Meh. Yes and no. Plenty of people will buy books […]
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February 26, 2018
Author brands and social media: How not to be a tool
In 2018, social media is no longer a new platform. It’s developed rules and etiquette that seem to change every other week. But combining author brands and social media needn’t be difficult. It can even be fun. Some authors refuse to use social media. They’re still living in the 1970s, when publishers still handled marketing and […]
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February 22, 2018
Fuchsia Folklore: The Secrets of these Common Garden Flowers
Few flowers brighten a garden quite the same way as the fuchsia. The beautiful pendants come in a range of colours, though my favourites are the deep, dark pink variety. While I’ve often focused on toxic flowers such as foxgloves or daffodils, this humble plant comes with a few of its own folktales. Some believe […]
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February 19, 2018
Do you need to buy your own author domain name?
For many writers, having an author domain name is a nice idea, but not essential. Like owning a brand new Mac so you can use Vellum. Or talking about your books on The Graham Norton Show. And in the early days of your career, you want to bootstrap things as much as possible. But. You’re in this for […]
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February 14, 2018
#FridayFlash – The Unsaid Warning
The young man shuffles into the workroom wearing the familiar despondent look. He looks at the floor and fiddles with the cuffs of his frock coat. Delta looks him up and down while his attention is fixed on the rug. His fine clothes and tidy hair give him away as a visitor to the Underground […]
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February 3, 2018
The Folklore of Flowers: Belladonna, Foxgloves & Angel’s Trumpet
The folklore of flowers proves an expansive subject, both terrifying and interesting in equal measure. Much like the world of trees and plants at the best of times. They follow their own cycles, often independent of human intervention. They’ll often grow in seemingly inhospitable environments. They’re living creatures, but they’re rooted to the spot. They […]
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February 1, 2018
February favourites: Do snowdrops appear in folklore?
Seeing snowdrops pop up is one of the first signs that spring is on the way. So named for their appearance soon after (or even during) the January snow, snowdrops are a perennial favourite among flower fans. Some fans take their love to such extremes that they’re known as galanthophiles…which is a bit weird but […]
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