Everly Anders's Blog, page 4

Get Inspiration With Flash Fiction

One thing that has always inspired me is going to bookstores and reading the back descriptions of all of the books. There is something truly inspirational about being in a room with all those unique voices. Unfortunately, I can't get down to the bookstore as much as I would like. Thankfully, I found a wonderful little website which has helped me find a solution to this problem. It's called Everyday Fiction. They send a flash fiction story to your email every morning. It takes less than a minute to sign up and they send you great little stories from a wide variety of genres. I try to read them first thing in the morning before I work on my own writing for the day. Even on my days off I find that I read them while I am waiting for my coffee at the coffee shop or when I take my dog to the dog park. They are a good reminder that a story can be great at any length.

If you are someone who enjoys writing flash fiction, then you might be interested in the submission section. They take submissions up to 1,000 words on any and all subjects. I did see that they only pay three dollars for each story, but they will include a link to your blog or book at the bottom of your piece. That is worth its weight in gold. Just think how many more people would buy your novel if they had a chance to see what you're writing was all about.

I think you will enjoy these little gems as much as I do, and I hope to see your flash fiction cross my email soon.

Replay By Ken Grimwood

[image error]When I am done reading a book I usually trade it in for something new, but not this book. This book is like a cactus. You never have to give it any attention and the essence of the story follows you everywhere you go. It makes me so happy just to see it sitting there on my shelf. Don't let the weird 80's sci-fi looking cover fool you. This book is amazing, even if you're not really a sci-fi person. I think I read this book in two days. I just couldn't put it down. I ate spaghetti while reading it, and that's hard to do!

This book is about a man who gets the chance to live his life over again (it is not as cliché as it sounds, I promise). He does all of the things that we wish we could go back and do. Then, all of a sudden, a movie comes out that changes the world. Everyone goes to see it and lines of people are formed around the block. But, there is one problem. That particular movie never came out during his original life, so how could this be possible? I clearly can't tell you the rest or I would be Cliff Notes. Besides, it's such a great ride that you need to take it yourself. | Buy Book on Kindle

Other Books by Ken Grimwood

Top 10 Video Book Trailers

Since I started writing because of the film industry, I have always seen my books play out in my head like a movie. I have also been the kind of person who gets to a movie theater twenty minutes early so that I don't miss the previews. When I became a writer and heard about book trailers, I thought that they were a perfect match for me. Then I saw several book trailers and realized how bad most of them are. Instead of making me want to go out and buy a book to find out what happens, the trailers either tell the whole story or are so awful that they make me want to run for the hills.

The other problem with book trailers is that no one seems to know if they work or not. I went to a writing convention in Portland this year and sat in on a panel discussion about whether book trailers work or not. There were three authors there with their book trailers, and one woman who produces' book trailers for people. None of them actually knew if book trailers worked or not. They argued and argued, but no one had any data to back up their claims. Like most publicity, it's hard to tell which tactics are working and which are just costing money.

I think I will probably end up doing a book trailer at some point. Why? Because, I think that it would be fun to do and I have a lot of friends in the film community, so I think that I could do it for a fairly cheap cost. These are the reasons why you should make book trailers at this point. If you want to make one, do it because you think it would be fun and because you can afford it, not because you think you have to or because someone else tells you that it will help sell your book. It might help you or it might be a total flop, so remember this before you get too far invested in one. I knew a woman who made one in one weekend, on a shoestring budget of a thousand dollars. On the other hand, some of the big publishing houses can afford to spend fifty thousand dollars on one trailer and work on it for a month. So, do what makes sense for you.

The other thing to keep in mind is who your audience is. If you write YA paranormal romance, you have a better chance of reaching that age market with a video on the Internet, than you do for a historical non-fiction about the American revolution. Older people don't use the Internet as much, and if they do they are not usually scouring Youtube for great book trailers.

Since most trailers are pretty bad, I wanted to make a list of the top ten that I like. I am sure there are other great trailers out there, but these are the ones that I found and enjoyed. My disclaimer is that a lot of these were made my big publishing houses and were really expensive to create. If you're going to make one yourself, please don't try to compare it to these.

Elle's Top 10 Video Book Trailers

What I love about this video is that it doesn't give too much away. It sets up the story and lets us know what is going on, with ought giving us the ending. Buy Book On Kindle

 

 

What this trailer does so well, is let us know what type of girl will like this book. We may not know what the book is about per say, but by watching this trailer, we do know if it will appeal to us or not. Buy Book On Kindle

 

Since this is a trailer for a children's book, it's ok if they give away most of the book, or even all of it. Since the book is meant to be read to children, The goal is just to make you want to share it with you kids. Buy Book On Kindle

 

This is just a gorgeous trailer all around. Scott Westerfeld is such a well-known author that they put a lot of money into this trailer. What really works about this video is that it explains the somewhat intricate storyline and gives you an overall feel for the tone of the story. Since his books have pictures in them, we get the added benefit of seeing some of them here. Buy Book On KIndle

 

Not only does this work because it is hilariously funny, it also works because it lets you know that the book is going to be "campy". The book is not meant to be scary, and I think that comes across in this trailer. If you don't find the trailer funny, then you probably will not enjoy the book. Buy Book On Kindle

 

Sit up and take note, what works about this video is what they don't show you. This can work for your trailer as well. There are a lot of shadows and a people just standing in the dark. It adds to the mood of the story but also eliminates a lot of cost. Buy Book On Kindle

 

From the very beginning, we know who it is being marketed to. The other thing I like is its use of text in the trailer. Text is something most trailers use but unfortunately not very well. In this trailer, it is used flawlessly and helps to move the trailer along. Buy Book On Kindle

 

I like this video because it is short and to the point. It lets us know a little bit about the world she lives in and what her problem is, but does not give anything away. This one would be something to think about if you are hoping to make your own. Your trailer does not need to be long, to motivate people to buy the book. Buy Book On Kindle

 

)This one had me smiling the whole time. You would never think to do a trailer for a cookbook, but it works perfectly. What it does is introduce us to the chef herself, we fall in love with her and therefore, want to cook like her. The natural lighting is great, and it gives the overall feeling of fun. Buy Book On Kindle

 

As you can tell, there is not a lot ofaction here or a lot of footage that needed to be shot. A convincing narrator and a song you can bob your head to, can make all the difference. Buy Book On Kindle

 

Is Self-Publishing On The Decline?

[image error]As a self-published author myself, I keep an eye on what is going on in the self-pub community. A lot of people are talking about the fact that sales for self-published authors, was down in 2011. The Naysayers keep speculating that e-book self-publishing is just a fad. They think it's something that came on quick and will leave just as fast. They cite the down turn in e-book sales as the start of it. To some extent, they are right.

However, it's not what they think. There is an aspect to self-publishing that has made people feel like it is a "get rich quick" scheme. People started to get the idea that if they just wrote a book about vampire love triangles, and pumped it out in a weekend, they would be rich. Everyone thinks they are an author these days and with the invention of self-publishing on an e-reader, they can be. Whenever something new comes out, there are always the people who jump on board at the beginning and ruin it for everyone else. I know that sounds very depressing for those of us who write because we have a passion for it and make it our career.

Here is the good news; those people are going by the wayside. That's why sales are down, the "get rich quick" people are learning that it is more like "spend a year pouring your heart out into a novel, then promote the heck out of it while you're writing the next book and then hurry up and wait". We don't mind jumping through all those hoops. Those of us, who have made it our career, know it goes with the territory.

That's the key, if writing is your life, then just work at your craft and wait for all the "get rich quick" people to sink to the bottom so the cream can rise to the top, and it will, I promise. If you have a passion for writing, and you have the patients to wait, and the work ethic to keep going, you will succeed. Don't let the Naysayers get you down.

Full Circle of The Hunger Games

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"The exit is usually where the entrance was."
-Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

 

If you know me from my Facebook page, then you know I collect a lot of quotes about writing. This was one that really spoke to me when I saw it. The idea of coming full circle in your story was something I had not thought of before. It makes sense, though. Sometimes you need to follow a character through their entire journey and end up where you started, just so you can see how far they have come.

***The Hunger Games Spoiler Alert*** A great example of this is The Hunger Games trilogy by Susanne Collins. When the trilogy opens, we first meet Buttercup, who is the cat belonging to the main character's sister. The whole beginning is about how much, the mains character and the cat don't like each other. It seems simple enough and something I am sure most of us didn't think twice about. What we didn't realize was that the author was actually setting us up for the ending. We follow our main Character, Katniss, to hell and back on several occasions, and over almost a thousand pages.

We are with her every step of the way and then at the very end it all comes back to her in her house with the same cat. After everything that has happened, they both realize that all they have left is each other. They finally bond, signaling to the reader, that you grow closer through the experiences you share, no matter how traumatic. It's a very intimate moment because no one else is in the room except for us, the reader, who went through the whole journey with them.

So how can this help you? I know a lot of writer's have a hard time coming up with an ending for their work. So, next time you're stuck, think about how it all started and see if you can get your character back there, and if you do, how will they be different because what they have been through?

Abigail Larson Steps Into The Light

[image error]As many of you may know, I am currently putting four short stories together in a book, so that I can release them in paperback. The book will contain three of my previously released short stories and one new one. My latest short story does not have a title yet, but below is the cover and the description for it. I can't wait for you all to get a chance to read it!

[image error]The Latest short story by Elle LaPraim is about Abigail Larson and what she  saw in the forrest when she was twelve-years-old. Abigail has spent the last fifty years trying to forget the incident that changed not only her life and everyone around her, but also the world as a whole. Then one-day Mr. Brown, a fellow American refugee, shows up on her doorstep, asking her to relive the past, in hopes to save humanity as a whole.

 

Stephenie Meyer Lives Every Authors Dream

[image error]I had tears in my eyes when I went to see the latest Twilight movie. Wait a second. Let me explain. I am not nearly as pathetic as I sound. It was not the completely ridiculously delicious and terrible 4th movie as a whole that moved me, just one part. What I noticed was that in the wedding scene, Stephanie Myers, the author, makes a cameo. You can see here in the picture below, but they also do a close-up on her face as she stands in the audience and watched Bella walk down the aisle. I kept thinking what a surreal experience that would be. I feel like it would be something akin to watching your daughter walk down the aisle, and judging from the smile on her face,she thought so too.

If you think about it, she has spent years with these characters, loving them, nurturing them, listening to them, and helping them grow through their journey. The books have been out for only a few years, but she started writing them back in 2003. That's a long time to spend with your characters. I can't imagine what a wonderful feeling it would be to create something out of nothing and then get to watch those characters, get married right in front of you. That must have been one of the most amazing experiences of her life. I hope we all get to experience something like that one day.

If you think about your own stories, what would you like to be there to witness in their lives?

Writing Conditions That Help You Stay Focused

[image error] Writing conditions can be the single most important factor in determining the longevity of your writing career. Here are a few tips I have learned over the years.

-Don't write at home if you can possibly help it. Writing takes a lot of brainpower and concentration so your brain will try to do something else if it possibly can, like laundry, watering the plants or " oh what's that in the frig?" If you do have to write at home, pick one place that is your "writing place". Just use it for writing, even if you have to take a dining room chair and put it by the window. This way every time you sit there to write, your brain will automatically associate it with writing.

-Set a timer. Your brain is a muscle and needs to be worked out, so try to do it everyday even if all you write is " I don't know what to write" fifty times, at least your writing. You can start your timer for 15 minutes the first few times and then try to work up from there.

-Pandora Radio. This my secret weapons. This is a free on line radio station, (if you don't like commercials you can pay fifteen dollars a year to get it commercial free). What I love about it is that I always listen to the same station (Indian Kirtan) when I write and I never listen to it any other time, that way when I hear it, my brain already knows it is time to write. This is also great if you write at the Library or a coffee shop because important to not have any distractions.

-If you write in a journal, then keep a pad of paper with you when you write so that you can write down other things that come into your mind that don't have anything to do with writing. That way when the thought about picking up some chicken for dinner tonight comes into your brain, you can write the thought down and don't need to dwell on it.

-If you use a computer, turn off your internet. I know that is hard to do but you also know you will get twice as much done that way.

Finding vs. Making Time To Write

[image error]Ever since I made writing my career, people have asked me where I find the time to write. I'm never really sure what to say to them. Its not a missing sock found under the couch. You make time. If you can't make time, you can't be a writer; it's as simple as that. You can still write, if your doing a bit of spring cleaning and you find a bit of time that has fallen behind the book case, then by all means write. But to be a writer you must make time.

People always say, "but I'm to busy" Then I ask how Glee was last night, or the tonight show, or those 9 hours of sleep you got. They look away sheepishly. Doing those things is not bad, but they are a choice and you chose to those instead of write. It really comes down to how bad you want it. There are always lunch breaks, one hour less sleep, weekends, showers (my husband hates when I give up this last one to write). I'm not trying to make you feel bad but if writing is your passion then you can find a way to make time. I bring it up like this because finding is passive and making is active. You have spent enough time sitting around and being passive. Make time.

For example, when I finally decided that I was going to make writing my career, I was a newlywed, moving to a new city and my husband had just signed the lease on a building he was going to be starting a retail business in. Not an ideal time to tell him I wanted to run away for 8 hours a day, with a fairy covered notebook and write short stories. So we made a deal, I would give him two years to help him get his business off the ground, then he would give me two years to be a writer and see if I could make that work. I took a difficult job teaching Autistic preschoolers and then second year I worked for my husband in his retail business. The third year, I dove into writing full time? I don't consider those two years a loss, I look at it as, I was living life, and there is no way to write about life with ought living it. What you may consider a waste of time is actually fuel for your amazing stories.

I saw a great ad today that said something to the effect that, the hardest part of running a marathon is the first step out your front door. It's the same with writing. So just remember, Hemingway wrote a sentence a day, and I know you can do that!

Writing Conditions

Writing Conditions


I think your writing conditions can be the single most important factor in determining the longevity of your writing career. Here are a few tips I have learned over the years.

- Don’t write at home if you can possibly help it. Writing takes a lot of brainpower and concentration so your brain will try to do something else if it possibly can, like laundry, watering the plants or “ oh what’s that in the frig?” If you do have to write at home, pick one place that is your “writing place”. Just use it for writing, even if you have to take a dining room chair and put it by the window. This way every time you sit there to write, your brain will automatically associate it with writing.

- Set a timer. Your brain is a muscle and needs to be worked out, so try to do it everyday even if all you write is “ I don’t know what to write” fifty times, at least your writing. You can start your timer for 15 minutes the first few times and then try to work up from there.


- Pandora Radio. This my secret weapons. This is a free on line radio station, (if you don’t like commercials you can pay fifteen dollars a year to get it commercial free). What I love about it is that I always listen to the same station (Indian Kirtan) when I write and I never listen to it any other time, that way when I hear it, my brain already knows it is time to write. This is also great if you write at the Library or a coffee shop because important to not have any distractions.

- If you write in a journal, then keep a pad of paper with you when you write so that you can write down other things that come into your mind that don’t have anything to do with writing. That way when the thought about picking up some chicken for dinner tonight comes into your brain, you can write the thought down and don’t need to dwell on it.

- If you use a computer, turn off your internet. I know that is hard to do but you also know you will get twice as much done that way.