S.G. Norris's Blog, page 3
January 13, 2012
Kindle Book Promotion - Authors involved
The following great authors are all working with me on promoting their e-books
Sarah Luddington and her book Lancelot and the Wolfhttp://www.amazon.com/Lancelot-Wolf-Knights-Camelot-ebook/dp/B0058W...Jeannie Faulkner Barber - Scent of Double Deceptionhttp://www.amazon.com/Scent-of-Double-Deception-ebook/dp/B0066EHB60...Steve Norris A Very English Revolution $2.40http://www.amazon.com/A-Very-English-Revolution-ebook/dp/B004NIFT88...Stacy Eaton My Blood Runs Blue $3.08http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Runs-Blue-Stacy-Eaton/dp/1432769286/ref...C.A. Lofton African-American Guide to Prosperityhttp://www.amazon.com/African-American-Guide-to-Prosperity-ebook/dp...George Stringfellow Renegades $3.33http://www.amazon.com/Renegades-ebook/dp/B004ZLE8QC/ref=sr_1_1?s=bo...Catherine Green Love Hurts $2.40http://www.amazon.com/Love-Hurts-Catherine-Green/dp/1908200243/ref=...Matt.T.Schott $1.48http://www.amazon.com/Skyler-Earth-Defense-Force-ebook/dp/B004SI4AR...New Schedule is as follows. I have pushed out the days to give more prep time for someMatt & Catherine 7th JanuaryGeorge & Steve 13th JanuaryJeannie & Sarah 17th January.Stacy - 22nd JanuaryC.A. Lofton 1 February to combine with Black History Month.
Sarah Luddington and her book Lancelot and the Wolfhttp://www.amazon.com/Lancelot-Wolf-Knights-Camelot-ebook/dp/B0058W...Jeannie Faulkner Barber - Scent of Double Deceptionhttp://www.amazon.com/Scent-of-Double-Deception-ebook/dp/B0066EHB60...Steve Norris A Very English Revolution $2.40http://www.amazon.com/A-Very-English-Revolution-ebook/dp/B004NIFT88...Stacy Eaton My Blood Runs Blue $3.08http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Runs-Blue-Stacy-Eaton/dp/1432769286/ref...C.A. Lofton African-American Guide to Prosperityhttp://www.amazon.com/African-American-Guide-to-Prosperity-ebook/dp...George Stringfellow Renegades $3.33http://www.amazon.com/Renegades-ebook/dp/B004ZLE8QC/ref=sr_1_1?s=bo...Catherine Green Love Hurts $2.40http://www.amazon.com/Love-Hurts-Catherine-Green/dp/1908200243/ref=...Matt.T.Schott $1.48http://www.amazon.com/Skyler-Earth-Defense-Force-ebook/dp/B004SI4AR...New Schedule is as follows. I have pushed out the days to give more prep time for someMatt & Catherine 7th JanuaryGeorge & Steve 13th JanuaryJeannie & Sarah 17th January.Stacy - 22nd JanuaryC.A. Lofton 1 February to combine with Black History Month.
January 12, 2012
A Very English Revolution - Kindle Promotion
I wrote some time ago of the plan for marketing kindle books and how it's possible by concentrating sales on a specific day you can rapidly push your work up the Amazon charts making it more visible to the general book buying public.
Via Authors.com I have conspired together with some fellow authors to run this promotion. On a fixed day each of us will buy a selected book and see the effect that has for the writer. This can be done for kindle books because they can be sold at a very cheap price. Even at low prices, increased sales can affect the market.
TODAY 13th January is my turn and I will be marketing A Very English Revolution at £1.50 or $2.40 on the enclosed link. If by any chance you haven't got a kindle copy so far and would find this book interesting I would be grateful if you could offer some support for one day only and buy the book.
A magnificent Crime Thriller…A tale of Modern Britain…a thriller like no other
Why not take a chance on something new and different.Amazon.co.ukhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Very-English-Revolution-ebook/dp/B004NIFT88/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1Amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.com/A-Very-English-Revolution-ebook/dp/B004NIFT88/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_2Independent Authors with good books to sell struggle to get their quality work to the market. Taking risks on e-books which are often priced well below their value is a brilliant way to help new work and you never know. You might find your new favourite author.
This is a great tool for Independent Authors, why not set up your group to do the same thing.
Via Authors.com I have conspired together with some fellow authors to run this promotion. On a fixed day each of us will buy a selected book and see the effect that has for the writer. This can be done for kindle books because they can be sold at a very cheap price. Even at low prices, increased sales can affect the market.
TODAY 13th January is my turn and I will be marketing A Very English Revolution at £1.50 or $2.40 on the enclosed link. If by any chance you haven't got a kindle copy so far and would find this book interesting I would be grateful if you could offer some support for one day only and buy the book.
A magnificent Crime Thriller…A tale of Modern Britain…a thriller like no other
Why not take a chance on something new and different.Amazon.co.ukhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Very-English-Revolution-ebook/dp/B004NIFT88/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1Amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.com/A-Very-English-Revolution-ebook/dp/B004NIFT88/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_2Independent Authors with good books to sell struggle to get their quality work to the market. Taking risks on e-books which are often priced well below their value is a brilliant way to help new work and you never know. You might find your new favourite author.
This is a great tool for Independent Authors, why not set up your group to do the same thing.
January 1, 2012
Five Days and More
New year, new beginnings, that's what we all will be probably pondering over today.
I am looking back over a the first year as a published writer and working my way up an enormous learning curve about this publishing business and how to get the best from your own writing.
Firstly I thank all those who stuck with me through the year. Mirador for putting my book on the shelves, my first buyers who took a chance on A Very English Revolution, my very great friends who helped me sort out the problems in the first edition and got the second edition feeling great, and my great friends at Writers Cave ( http://www.writerscave.co.uk/ ) who taught me so much, I couldn't possibly convey it here. Also the other writing sites that helped me on my way Write and Share ( http://www.writeandshare.co.uk) Authors.com (http://www.authors.com/) with great people to learn from. Writing is a challenging business, writing well even more but the hardest part is having the confidence to get other people to take on your work. For that you need great friends working with and supporting you. I also am very grateful for my family and particularly my wife who put's up with me tapping away on the keyboard so much, or spending another Saturday afternoon walking round shopping centres whilst I sign books at the local bookstore.
So for 2012, what can you look forward to.
Firstly the sequel to A Very English Revolution should be out. Almost finished the first write and ready to begin the painstaking editing process, which I now know from painful experience how to go about. Five Days will be a sequel in respect of the story but the pace and style will be a two or three gears up on AVER. This is how the story needs to work. Hopefully when I first test it out on readers they will grasp the pace and not put it down. But we'll see.
Short story competitions abound and I have a competitive bone in me that keep's saying I have to write something of absolute quality and win one of these things. Perhaps I need some formal recognition that gives me the writer's rubber stamp. I'm beginning to understand the formula for great writing, not that it guarantees a win but I want to bring that formula together with a story that fits me.
I will also have the day-to-day challenge of Writers Cave which gives me an everyday reminder to write something and keep the quality bar hanging high, and just when you've think you've reached it, the bar will move slightly higher.
So all the best for 2012 and look forward to many more readers of my work.
I am looking back over a the first year as a published writer and working my way up an enormous learning curve about this publishing business and how to get the best from your own writing.
Firstly I thank all those who stuck with me through the year. Mirador for putting my book on the shelves, my first buyers who took a chance on A Very English Revolution, my very great friends who helped me sort out the problems in the first edition and got the second edition feeling great, and my great friends at Writers Cave ( http://www.writerscave.co.uk/ ) who taught me so much, I couldn't possibly convey it here. Also the other writing sites that helped me on my way Write and Share ( http://www.writeandshare.co.uk) Authors.com (http://www.authors.com/) with great people to learn from. Writing is a challenging business, writing well even more but the hardest part is having the confidence to get other people to take on your work. For that you need great friends working with and supporting you. I also am very grateful for my family and particularly my wife who put's up with me tapping away on the keyboard so much, or spending another Saturday afternoon walking round shopping centres whilst I sign books at the local bookstore.
So for 2012, what can you look forward to.
Firstly the sequel to A Very English Revolution should be out. Almost finished the first write and ready to begin the painstaking editing process, which I now know from painful experience how to go about. Five Days will be a sequel in respect of the story but the pace and style will be a two or three gears up on AVER. This is how the story needs to work. Hopefully when I first test it out on readers they will grasp the pace and not put it down. But we'll see.
Short story competitions abound and I have a competitive bone in me that keep's saying I have to write something of absolute quality and win one of these things. Perhaps I need some formal recognition that gives me the writer's rubber stamp. I'm beginning to understand the formula for great writing, not that it guarantees a win but I want to bring that formula together with a story that fits me.
I will also have the day-to-day challenge of Writers Cave which gives me an everyday reminder to write something and keep the quality bar hanging high, and just when you've think you've reached it, the bar will move slightly higher.
So all the best for 2012 and look forward to many more readers of my work.
December 19, 2011
The End – You Wish
People say writing a book is a massive and impressive challenge. It is…all of us undertaking the adventure are more than aware of the size of the challenge and a bit like the rumoured pain of delivering babies (after all how would I know) we seem to forget all too quickly and find ourselves thinking it will be easier next time.Worst of all headaches though, even greater than the headache that gets you into writing the book is the challenge of ending it.
Books start off as great ideas; a wild expansion of imagined stories, glittering characters and unstoppable drama. How do you manage to weave such complex webs and keep the story moving I hear asked many times? That bit's the easy bit, I say, the hard part is managing those threads and wild imaginings to a close. You may have gone into the enterprise knowing the ending already, others may see how it goes, hoping the end comes to them mid-flow. Either way you still have to tie up those loose ends, curb the instinct to blow everything up and fire the reader up enough that they will come back for the sequel once you've recovered from your mental exhaustion.
So as I'm undertaking the task of writing the end of my current project (Five Days is the working title…bet you can't guess what that's about) I thought I would define some suggestions that I'm running through on how to close the story down and perhaps some things to avoid.
1) You know the end already – clever you. It's good to know the end you are aiming for, it shows extraordinary discipline and planning that you can plan a book until the last line. Writing it must be so easy, a bit like joining the dots. Seriously, it is good to do that, but don't be a slave to the version in your notepad. Writing is a creative business so maybe as you are writing other ideas will come to you. Your characters may suggest a better idea than yours. Don't be scared of listening to them, even if it requires a re-write of the odd section to fit the new end. After all the book is about them, the least you could do is consult them to see how they would see their demise or glory.2) Stick to your character traits – so in the first 200 pages your character has been meek and mild, the world has trampled all over him and now he is stuck in a big hole waiting for the cliff hanger disaster to occur. Then turn the page and he grows ultrasonic biceps, climbs out of the hole then discovers a love for guns and goes shooting all the bad guys. Character development is good and we want our characters to grow with the story and some to decline with the story but don't make a weak and feeble nobody into a superhero. The audience will be looking to how the meek and mild idiot will escape their dilemma. Turning him into the incredible hulk will not impress. This is a major challenge for me in my latest book as having made my main character an intelligent and thoughtful person placed in a situation where his life and few others are at risk, he will have to think his way out of the situation rather than bash everyone on the head and run for it. That means as the director of his life, I will need to think as he would, being innovative, original and believable, still retaining excitement and entertainment and get him of out of his debacle. A moment when I ask myself why I didn't write children's fairy tales instead.3) Loose Ends – I've talked before about loose ends and the most important thing in an ending is that there are no loose ends. That doesn't mean that all stories have their moment of closure, it's perfectly fine that some storylines continue passed the timeline of the story. The trick of the writer is to close all the different storylines without troubling the reader with a list of outcomes. This is one of those areas where it is good to ask for comment from other readers. Unless you are tediously organised and have a checklist for every characters outstanding issues then you will likely miss some. Other readers might say to you that they loved the end but wondered what happened to X or really didn't understand the motive behind Y.4) Quality - A brilliant story needs a brilliant end. I refer to the previous flippant comment about blowing everyone up. Readers of A Very English Revolution might smile at that comment but this is a big problem. I write thrillers or crime and readers expect somewhat of a climatic ending. They want attention to be held until the last page and then blown away by a final revelation. We might love the characters we read immensely and we should care about what happens to them. We live on our nerves for most of the story on their behalf so giving them a happy and peaceful ending might seem a welcome relief to the trauma of the story, but would be rubbish. At the same time killing off all and sundry with a last minute literary bombshell might also seem too easy. I would suggest retaining those aspects of the previous chapters that got you this far. Challenge your characters with every last word of the story. Make sure the reader doesn't think it was too easy for them. Think as a reader, think what the last thing they will be expecting to happen, then you'll get the idea. Don't be scared to do what has not been done before as long as it feels right for the story. Drama/ thriller stories have their rules of genre, but don't be scared to break them for the sake of making a good end. You readers will reward your bravery if you get it right.5) Most of all with the end – think about the next book you write…think about what the lasting impression you want the reader to have of your writing and your characters. You want them to come back so make sure your ending has all the elements that would ensure they have no reason not to. If they have stuck with you this far, they already like things about you. At the end readers are pouting with big red lips waiting for you stick yours on theirs and make everlasting love. It's your window of opportunity to make that kiss one that delivers the message, not one that sends them home unsatisfied, cursing your impotency
Good luck with it
©S.G.Norris
Books start off as great ideas; a wild expansion of imagined stories, glittering characters and unstoppable drama. How do you manage to weave such complex webs and keep the story moving I hear asked many times? That bit's the easy bit, I say, the hard part is managing those threads and wild imaginings to a close. You may have gone into the enterprise knowing the ending already, others may see how it goes, hoping the end comes to them mid-flow. Either way you still have to tie up those loose ends, curb the instinct to blow everything up and fire the reader up enough that they will come back for the sequel once you've recovered from your mental exhaustion.
So as I'm undertaking the task of writing the end of my current project (Five Days is the working title…bet you can't guess what that's about) I thought I would define some suggestions that I'm running through on how to close the story down and perhaps some things to avoid.
1) You know the end already – clever you. It's good to know the end you are aiming for, it shows extraordinary discipline and planning that you can plan a book until the last line. Writing it must be so easy, a bit like joining the dots. Seriously, it is good to do that, but don't be a slave to the version in your notepad. Writing is a creative business so maybe as you are writing other ideas will come to you. Your characters may suggest a better idea than yours. Don't be scared of listening to them, even if it requires a re-write of the odd section to fit the new end. After all the book is about them, the least you could do is consult them to see how they would see their demise or glory.2) Stick to your character traits – so in the first 200 pages your character has been meek and mild, the world has trampled all over him and now he is stuck in a big hole waiting for the cliff hanger disaster to occur. Then turn the page and he grows ultrasonic biceps, climbs out of the hole then discovers a love for guns and goes shooting all the bad guys. Character development is good and we want our characters to grow with the story and some to decline with the story but don't make a weak and feeble nobody into a superhero. The audience will be looking to how the meek and mild idiot will escape their dilemma. Turning him into the incredible hulk will not impress. This is a major challenge for me in my latest book as having made my main character an intelligent and thoughtful person placed in a situation where his life and few others are at risk, he will have to think his way out of the situation rather than bash everyone on the head and run for it. That means as the director of his life, I will need to think as he would, being innovative, original and believable, still retaining excitement and entertainment and get him of out of his debacle. A moment when I ask myself why I didn't write children's fairy tales instead.3) Loose Ends – I've talked before about loose ends and the most important thing in an ending is that there are no loose ends. That doesn't mean that all stories have their moment of closure, it's perfectly fine that some storylines continue passed the timeline of the story. The trick of the writer is to close all the different storylines without troubling the reader with a list of outcomes. This is one of those areas where it is good to ask for comment from other readers. Unless you are tediously organised and have a checklist for every characters outstanding issues then you will likely miss some. Other readers might say to you that they loved the end but wondered what happened to X or really didn't understand the motive behind Y.4) Quality - A brilliant story needs a brilliant end. I refer to the previous flippant comment about blowing everyone up. Readers of A Very English Revolution might smile at that comment but this is a big problem. I write thrillers or crime and readers expect somewhat of a climatic ending. They want attention to be held until the last page and then blown away by a final revelation. We might love the characters we read immensely and we should care about what happens to them. We live on our nerves for most of the story on their behalf so giving them a happy and peaceful ending might seem a welcome relief to the trauma of the story, but would be rubbish. At the same time killing off all and sundry with a last minute literary bombshell might also seem too easy. I would suggest retaining those aspects of the previous chapters that got you this far. Challenge your characters with every last word of the story. Make sure the reader doesn't think it was too easy for them. Think as a reader, think what the last thing they will be expecting to happen, then you'll get the idea. Don't be scared to do what has not been done before as long as it feels right for the story. Drama/ thriller stories have their rules of genre, but don't be scared to break them for the sake of making a good end. You readers will reward your bravery if you get it right.5) Most of all with the end – think about the next book you write…think about what the lasting impression you want the reader to have of your writing and your characters. You want them to come back so make sure your ending has all the elements that would ensure they have no reason not to. If they have stuck with you this far, they already like things about you. At the end readers are pouting with big red lips waiting for you stick yours on theirs and make everlasting love. It's your window of opportunity to make that kiss one that delivers the message, not one that sends them home unsatisfied, cursing your impotency
Good luck with it
©S.G.Norris
November 21, 2011
A genre obsessed with dead things?
I'm trying to understand the nature of Crime/Thriller Writing and understand our obsession with dead things and dreaming more inventive ways to kill.This literary dilemma comes as I struggle to consider how many people I choose to kill off as my second book comes to a climax.My issue is that I'm a bit bored of killing folk or blowing them up. Whilst the drastic outcome kind of goes with the territory of the genre and that people expect a degree of it doesn't help in trying to be original or inspired in writing. How many books do we pick of our shelves with the basic premise of someone dies, slightly weird but dedicated person suspects the whole story is not right, then pursues story often at personal challenge to own life, gets rescued by some obscure means before the killer confesses all. We could argue the same goes for romance novels where someone fails to fall in love, falls for someone else, gets pissed off and ends up back where they started. Yes there are always variations on a theme but the principles are the same, doesn't matter how much you story you slot in the middle.I can't complain at other writers for following this model, just like me we know what sells, as this is what we read, and the market keeps coming back for more.So why am I worried? I suppose I don't want to write a story which follows a formula set by someone else, but I also don't want it to disappoint a reader's expectations of a genre. So my challenge is to challenge the genre perhaps. Yes people might suffer at the hand of my enthusiastic typing but can I at least make it mean something in the context of a good story. My first instinct to create excitement shouldn't be to wave a sword over their head or point a gun at them (although both of those things do happen in this current book) but I should look to produce characters who create interest in their own right.I can do all that, I can write the best story ever, but just like the thrillers I enjoy reading people will still end up dead and the dilemma will come back round again the next time I write a book. The only hope is that in my attempts to find a story to connect my dead events I haven't the lost the whole point for which Thriller readers read thrillers and that is to be thrilled.
© S.G.Norris
© S.G.Norris
November 20, 2011
Happy Godless Day: The Sun Still Rises
I suppose I should get out more…and many will agree, but just a bit fed up of God Bothering today. Not sure whether it's unique to today or everyday but seems to be coming out of the woodwork everywhere.
So I am pleading for a day without anyone feeling the need on Twitter or any other media to mention or praise or worship any Lord, God, spirit, deity of any flavour, type, colour or sex. Don't care whether he/she is all seeing, got a beard or a problem with his girlfriend; I don't need to know about it.
I will call it Godless Day.
I don't particularly want to have a go at people's faith. It does tend to be a bit mean and selfish. Believe in what you want to, if it makes you happy. But try doing it without bothering me with it. Try having a day without publishing it to the world what a good religious type you are. Trust me, the sun will still rise in the morning whether you've banged the gong, bent on your knees and put your life savings in the preacher's pocket. Why not have a day where you say, 'today I will motivate myself. I can be a decent human being,' not to get a stamp in the behaviour book for the next life, but just to be nice to the guy next door or the woman on the bus.
If we all did that for a day, maybe we will realise that we're not that different after all. None of us are going to burn up in flames and we might be a bit happier.
I'm not under any illusions that people will take any notice, I am just ranting to myself. If anyone does happen to read this, I suppose you would suggest I got out of the wrong side of bed and should just get over it.
People have all sorts of reactions to dismissing any kind of superstition. Some folk will politely disagree; some will suggest I'm doomed to an eternal hell. Maybe they are all right and I'm stupidly wrong. But I'm willing to put a lot of money on the table that says, just because we forget about praising manufactured spirits for a day, the sun will most definitely appear on the horizon tomorrow morning. How do I know this? Because it did today and the day before, and I'm confident that I'm not the only one who thought that superstitious worship was surplus to requirements.
So I plead for you to try it out. You can still be the same person; as happy and as miserable as you were before. It won't change. Then perhaps you'll no longer feel the need to clutter the world up with inane rubbish.
Mind you, if everyone did that, I would have nothing left to fill my books up with.
Have a wonderful Godless Day.
So I am pleading for a day without anyone feeling the need on Twitter or any other media to mention or praise or worship any Lord, God, spirit, deity of any flavour, type, colour or sex. Don't care whether he/she is all seeing, got a beard or a problem with his girlfriend; I don't need to know about it.
I will call it Godless Day.
I don't particularly want to have a go at people's faith. It does tend to be a bit mean and selfish. Believe in what you want to, if it makes you happy. But try doing it without bothering me with it. Try having a day without publishing it to the world what a good religious type you are. Trust me, the sun will still rise in the morning whether you've banged the gong, bent on your knees and put your life savings in the preacher's pocket. Why not have a day where you say, 'today I will motivate myself. I can be a decent human being,' not to get a stamp in the behaviour book for the next life, but just to be nice to the guy next door or the woman on the bus.
If we all did that for a day, maybe we will realise that we're not that different after all. None of us are going to burn up in flames and we might be a bit happier.
I'm not under any illusions that people will take any notice, I am just ranting to myself. If anyone does happen to read this, I suppose you would suggest I got out of the wrong side of bed and should just get over it.
People have all sorts of reactions to dismissing any kind of superstition. Some folk will politely disagree; some will suggest I'm doomed to an eternal hell. Maybe they are all right and I'm stupidly wrong. But I'm willing to put a lot of money on the table that says, just because we forget about praising manufactured spirits for a day, the sun will most definitely appear on the horizon tomorrow morning. How do I know this? Because it did today and the day before, and I'm confident that I'm not the only one who thought that superstitious worship was surplus to requirements.
So I plead for you to try it out. You can still be the same person; as happy and as miserable as you were before. It won't change. Then perhaps you'll no longer feel the need to clutter the world up with inane rubbish.
Mind you, if everyone did that, I would have nothing left to fill my books up with.
Have a wonderful Godless Day.
November 17, 2011
The Events depicted in this blog are…
One of the challenges of writing political fiction in the modern world is that there are several incumbents alive and kicking, and whilst they may have the skin of a dozen rhinos they also might not be averse to seeking a bonus to their pension from you via the courts. Hard to write them out of history when indeed they may be contributory to it. Current social and political history may in fact be the driver for your story. There are reams of books that are going to be regurgitating the hacking scandal, the banking collapse, Euro fall-out, Arab Spring. In fact I feel like I have given away my thoughts for about ten new books. Perhaps its far more fun in 2011 to write non-fiction because some of the shit going on at the moment couldn't be made up.Actually I can't be arsed with non-fiction, not that I want to belittle the hundreds of journalists writing their memoirs right now, but I'm not going to do the homework. The problem with non-fiction is that it requires you to be informed and tell the truth. At least it's one person version of the truth but I suppose it does require some basis in fact that's beyond what's on the news otherwise we could all write the book.I'm much happier making stuff up, that only requires you to sound like you're informed, which is a bit like being at work. Everyday I stand in front of customers presenting information which they could find themselves if they bothered to look. Just in case any of my customers are reading this…unlikely I know…but I am absolutely well informed and consequently you're getting excellent value for money. That last comment was a joke designed to demonstrate my critical incite and wit.Getting to the point, my question was about whether to reference some of our recent government members in recent years because largely they have contributed to events or perhaps better said, they have completely fucked up events and therefore created the mess that now clutters our lives. My character is defined by some of those occurrences so naturally I want to refer to the events that shaped him. In my latest masterpiece of modern literature, I have decide to concede and reference these people, not because I want to use the book to ridicule their legacy but more because it would sound daft to say that we are living in the post-Joe-Bloggs era. Everyone knows that Joe Bloggs is a figment of the writer's imagination. Using another name would either be farcical or you have to create a back story for your historic character so the reader understands the link. 20,000 words later you are back to the main point in the tale and nothing has happened.It still made me feel bad, feeling like I was crossing the boundaries of fiction into the real world. My characters are always completely made up in order that they remain unique to my stories. By referencing a real person I believe I am artificially defining their personality. The references main generic rather than specific and perhaps it is useful to play with the readers own prejudice about the real people and consequently lead them up the garden path with it. For example, saying that a character was inspired by Thatcher leads the reader to assume they are a tough cookie who knows when their how to get things done. As the writer you have the power to undermine your character's personality by suggesting that they aspire to be Thatcher but are really just a spineless wimp.So the events depicted in this blog are complete fiction and any reference to characters alive or dead is purely coincidental. Make of it what you will.
© S.G.Norris
© S.G.Norris
November 7, 2011
Ignorance comes in many forms
I really don't get it sometimes.
I love the author community. There are so many great people writing and inspiring us with their fabulous stories. Generally it's a sophisticated world, even if people have a different opinion, we can often respect their expression of it through writing. Mutual respect and a degree of self-respect is a common feature, which probably means that we are not the best sales people. We don't like to impose ourself in others peoples space. We like customers to come to us and like us for what we are. Of course we have to learnt to do more than that and get over our natural hesitancy and push the message out there. That way we sell more books.
But...it can go to far.
Someone just took the liberty of posting on my wall on one of the various author sites I use, insisting that I read their story. It wasn't a name I recognised so I checked it out. This might sound petty and probably is, but it really annoyed me. Firstly this person chose to contact and ask me to read something without any attempt at social niceties. She assumed, as she probably did with all the other people she pestered, that they we would want to read it. The second more petty point was that it was some Christian morality love-in for which I'm afraid I wouldn't use in the bathroom. I'm all for people writing and believing what they like but just as I wouldn't post my stuff on others wall without knowing their likes and dislikes I would prefer others didn't do it to me. Sorry I don't mean to dismiss religious writers but I think this person wasn't quite living up to the standards she wrote about.
So please writers, I know we are all putting out our message and trying to create an audience, but this kind of thing just pisses people off.
Perhaps I'm naive and she was just a good saleswoman. Maybe it's just me and now I've probably pissed a number of others off just the same.
Got that off my chest now - feel better for it.
I love the author community. There are so many great people writing and inspiring us with their fabulous stories. Generally it's a sophisticated world, even if people have a different opinion, we can often respect their expression of it through writing. Mutual respect and a degree of self-respect is a common feature, which probably means that we are not the best sales people. We don't like to impose ourself in others peoples space. We like customers to come to us and like us for what we are. Of course we have to learnt to do more than that and get over our natural hesitancy and push the message out there. That way we sell more books.
But...it can go to far.
Someone just took the liberty of posting on my wall on one of the various author sites I use, insisting that I read their story. It wasn't a name I recognised so I checked it out. This might sound petty and probably is, but it really annoyed me. Firstly this person chose to contact and ask me to read something without any attempt at social niceties. She assumed, as she probably did with all the other people she pestered, that they we would want to read it. The second more petty point was that it was some Christian morality love-in for which I'm afraid I wouldn't use in the bathroom. I'm all for people writing and believing what they like but just as I wouldn't post my stuff on others wall without knowing their likes and dislikes I would prefer others didn't do it to me. Sorry I don't mean to dismiss religious writers but I think this person wasn't quite living up to the standards she wrote about.
So please writers, I know we are all putting out our message and trying to create an audience, but this kind of thing just pisses people off.
Perhaps I'm naive and she was just a good saleswoman. Maybe it's just me and now I've probably pissed a number of others off just the same.
Got that off my chest now - feel better for it.
November 5, 2011
iWrite: WIN THIS BOOK!
iWrite: WIN THIS BOOK!: A Very English Revolution by: S. G. Norris 2.99 on Kindle Product Description
I write are offering a free copy of A Very English Revolution if you leave a comment
I write are offering a free copy of A Very English Revolution if you leave a comment
November 4, 2011
Indie Writers – Deluded or Undiscovered
I often ask this question, not because I'm trying to be clever or cruel but because I'm to trying to understand what drives us to keep writing, when critical acclaim is all but impossible.Thousands of us will be typing away on our keyboards directing our ideas and ranting at the world in our own special way, many of us numerous books down the line.Maybe when we write we consider what people think of us. Perhaps we simply try to challenge ourselves but mostly when we're done, we really hope someone will read it and like it. I've talked before understanding criticism so no point going over that but perhaps in this case we need to understand praise.People are polite and most (unless they are acutely rude) will tell you they enjoyed your book whether they read it all or not. People don't want to be harsh as a rule and many will try to be tactful in pointing out the odd flaw in order to validate their praise and still come out the nice guy. I know because I often do this when reading the work of someone I like but don't wish to offend. Maybe it would do us good to hear what people really think with all the niceties of friendships removed. I recall one of my colleagues when drunk telling me my book was a load of old tosh at the same time as wishing me well with it. I did refrain from emptying the contents of my drink over his head but it did make the point to me that whilst I know some people genuinely did enjoy my work, not everyone will.The point of all this is to say that most of us as Indie Authors don't have access to real critics. Our only major critic is usually the formal publishing industry which has given us a wide berth which may be for many reasons and not all to do with quality. So we are left with our friends and contacts and perhaps the odd stranger who has found our work and chooses to review it on Amazon.Where does this leave us? Are we obliged to help our Indie Author friends and tell them when things are so bad that maybe they should go back to writing school and not throw any more cash down the self-publishing toilet? Or do we just say to all Indie Authors, write what you will; the market will find its own level.I guess it's the old 'does my bum look big in this?' discussion and only you as the friend of an Indie Author will chose to answer yes or no. It may indeed come down to what you expect in return for your lack of sincerity.Are we deluded? No I don't think so, but if you really want to know whether your writing is any good, and you genuinely want to learn, then join a writing group where people will give genuine and constructive comments. You will never regret it. There are many of them, some free, some funded. It just so happens I can recommend a free one Writers Cave as I run it. www.writerscave.co.uk It's a small internet group with members from all over the world who taught me that sometimes I write good things, sometimes not so good, but nowadays I write less of the latter. That makes so much difference to confidence when someone asks you whether you are a writer and you can answer, yes, and quite a good one actually.
© S.G.Norris
