Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 106
March 26, 2016
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine
(developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
100 Common-Sense Ways to Write Better: http://ow.ly/ZqhHN @writingforward
9 Tips for Using HARO to Build Your Freelance Writing Brand: http://ow.ly/ZqiYW @MarianSchembari
Tips & Tricks for Writing Magical Realism: http://ow.ly/ZqiGD and http://ow.ly/ZqiGD and http://ow.ly/ZqiJq @carrollbooks
Turning Points: The Most Effective Way to Build a Compelling Story: http://ow.ly/ZquQl @MartinaABoone On the Merits of Disturbing Literature: http://ow.ly/ZwNvW @parisreview by Hannah Tennant-Moore
Surprise Them with a Twist: http://ow.ly/ZGygl @LisaEBetz
Canada’s Ebook-Bundling ‘Shelfie’ Adds Recommendations: http://ow.ly/ZSZQp @HudPeter @Porter_Anderson
Tips to Ease the Pain of Cutting Words: http://ow.ly/ZtnxF @constcooper
Project Manage Your Novel Revision: http://ow.ly/Ztn8z @FinishedPages
9 IngramSpark Book Discovery Options Surpass CreateSpace: http://ow.ly/ZRuJt @Wogahn
The Care and Feeding of an Author: http://ow.ly/ZtnEB @TracyShawn @Colleen_M_Story
6 Ways to Set Up Scrivener for Writing: http://ow.ly/Ztmyy @ckmacleodwriter
7 Things every post-apocalyptic YA show can learn from The 100: http://ow.ly/Ztnox @blastr @DanyOrdinary
Stillness, Solitude, and the Practice of Writing: http://ow.ly/Ztn0j @suddenlyjamie
17 characters who found a fresh start in the apocalypse: http://ow.ly/Ztngl @TheAVClub
How publishing trends grow: http://ow.ly/Ztn4h @carmitstead
Start Your Passion Project Right Now by Taking 5 Small Steps: http://ow.ly/ZtnJq @jkwak
Twitter for Nonvultures: http://ow.ly/ZtmSV @EmilyFRussell
15 Places to Find Your Next Beta Reader: http://ow.ly/ZtnC9 @KMWeiland
How To Overcome Distraction And Finish Your Book: http://ow.ly/ZtmBC @standoutbooks
Science fiction and climate change: http://ow.ly/ZtnPO @RafiLetzter
What 1 Writer Learned From Starting A Webcomic and then Stopping It: http://ow.ly/Zx1pM by John M. Haley
12 Tips for Writing Good Book Reviews : http://ow.ly/ZwZC8 @womenwriters @SAtrium
Plot Holes and How to Fix Them: http://ow.ly/Zx1dX @fantasyfaction @VickyThinks
The Diversity of Today’s Cutting Edge Sci-Fi: http://ow.ly/Zx1X5 @soniagracelm @fantasyfaction
5 More Signs Your Story Is Sexist: http://ow.ly/ZUGof by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
5 ‘Insider’ Secrets Of Top Fiction Writers: http://ow.ly/ZqhK6 @Yeomanis
Plot Elements Matter: http://ow.ly/ZqhQo @JoeMoore_writer
6 Reasons “Show Don’t Tell” Can be Terrible Advice for New Writers: http://ow.ly/ZqhNA @annerallen
Writing Picture-Book Texts: http://ow.ly/ZqiQS @SophieMasson1
Should Fiction Be Timeless? Pop Culture References in Contemporary Novels: http://ow.ly/ZqhVo @kbpickard457
A Warning About Writing Novels That Ride the News Cycle: http://ow.ly/ZqiNT @ToddJMoss
Music for Writers: Mehmet Ali Sanlikol: ‘Reconstructing My Identity’ In Music: http://ow.ly/ZSYga @AmerCompOrch @Porter_Anderson
French Publisher Short Édition Expands its Short-Story Dispensers: http://ow.ly/ZSY0g @short_edition @Porter_Anderson
Diversity in Publishing: What Happens Now? http://ow.ly/ZoHd3 @ovillalon @thelithub
How to Manage a 99designs Book Cover Contest: http://ow.ly/ZRuoD @Wogahn
Writers need perspective to move past rejections: http://ow.ly/ZoGE6 @sowulwords
5 Signs Your Story Is Sexist: http://ow.ly/ZoGJs by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Only A Novelist Will Be Able To Make Sense of This (US) Election: http://ow.ly/ZRu6p @ShawnCDrury @pshares
4 Free Tools to Help Build Book Buzz: http://ow.ly/ZoGQ9 @dianaurban
European Commission Asks for Copyright Input from Publishers: http://ow.ly/ZSZIb @Porter_Anderson
How to Sell More Books with Great Book Cover Design: http://ow.ly/Zqhpn @JDSmith_Design
How to Redesign Your Site Without Spending a Fortune: http://ow.ly/ZqhzK @gigirosenberg @JaneFriedman
Zip! Crash! Bang! Using Onomatopoeia: http://ow.ly/ZqhRY @Janice_Hardy
5 TED Talks for Writing Inspiration: http://ow.ly/ZqiWp @kirstythewriter
Using Kickstarter to Fund a Children’s Picture Book: http://ow.ly/ZoGGn @emilygrosvenor
5 Tips to Become More Authentic on Social Media: http://ow.ly/ZoGLs @BethanyButzer
5 Places to Write Yourself Out of a Funk: http://ow.ly/ZoGCP @DianeDeMasi @DIYMFA
35 Pinterest tips from basics to beyond: http://ow.ly/ZoH9Q @AmyLynnAndrews
Lessons learned for a writer who nearly gave up on his book: http://ow.ly/ZoGNk @boxofcrayons
The Ultimate Guide to Google Docs for Writers: http://ow.ly/ZRv9K @EvaDeverell
The Critical Importance of Crafting a Strong Opening: http://ow.ly/Zl44x @jodyhedlund
How to Write a Novel While Holding Down a Full-Time Job: http://ow.ly/ZoGHe @BlotsandPlots
5 Haunting Backgrounds for Deep Characters: http://ow.ly/ZoGFd by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
How to re-establish your writing habit after taking a break: http://ow.ly/ZNdux @pubcoach
6 Ways To Spring Clean Your Writing: http://ow.ly/Zl3L8 @adearinthewoods
The Hot Sheet:industry newsletter for authors (30 day free trial): by @Porter_Anderson & @JaneFriedman: http://ow.ly/ZR9pL
Quantifying the Weepy Bestseller: http://ow.ly/ZR4uw @_akpiper @richardjeanso @NewRepublic
Essential Love Story Elements: http://ow.ly/Zl4fF @AlexSokoloff
Diversity As Trend? Please. http://ow.ly/Zl3Vp @nataliewhipple
The Patronizing Questions Asked of Women Who Write: http://ow.ly/ZQcEc @meaghano
An Agent Encourages Writers to Dig Deeper for Ideas: http://ow.ly/Zl4zf @marielamba
Ways Writers Can Vanish from the Literary World: http://ow.ly/ZoGVa @poetrynews @cindyskylar
How (and why) to run a Kindle Scout campaign: http://ow.ly/ZoGTv @CindyRMarsch
A trad published author publishes a first self-pubbed book: http://ow.ly/Zl471 @jodyhedlund
Writing through PTSD: http://ow.ly/Zl4N6 @raine_winters
What Makes Victorian Houses Seem So Haunted? http://ow.ly/ZqnqX @carrollbooks
10 Tips on Finding the Critique Group of Your Dreams: http://ow.ly/Zl4HR @missriki
3 Comma Splices and How to Repair Them: http://ow.ly/Zl3Oh @writing_tips
5 Things to Do After Finishing Your First Draft: http://ow.ly/ZwUoU @CarrieLynnLewis @IndiePlotTwist
Crime Writing: Police Procedures: U.S. vs. Canada: http://ow.ly/ZOyhH @writersdetectve @SueColetta1
Pictures Books: Being a Stickler for Rhythm and Rhyme: http://ow.ly/ZkX9e @kid_lit
Added Value = Added Sales: http://ow.ly/ZOj3j @PlotGoesViral
Ebook Direct Sales–Issues We Might Encounter: http://ow.ly/ZkWSc @jimchines
Are E-Books Making Us Sloppy Readers? http://ow.ly/ZkWkX @tessgerritsen
Writers and Self-Censorship: http://ow.ly/ZkXnV @AnneLParrish @womenwriters
Will Ebooks Ever Circulate Freely in Europe? http://ow.ly/ZNdHn @futuroslibro @pubperspectives @ValeMorotti
6 Ways to Structure a Blog Post: http://ow.ly/Zl4ux @aliventures
10 Ways to Enjoy Networking With Other Writers: http://ow.ly/Zl4pY @aliventures
Writing Compelling Character Descriptions: http://ow.ly/Zl3Sx @ingridsundberg
6 Ways to Break the Habit of Insecurity: http://ow.ly/Zl4kW @LyndaRYoung
14 Truths a Writer Wishes She’d Known Sooner: http://ow.ly/ZkVkM @EdieMelson
Tips for the fronts and backs of our books: http://ow.ly/ZkWdU @DanWalshAuthor
Job Interviews in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/ZLZVy @mkinberg
Learning from the routines of other writers: http://ow.ly/ZLZjb @pubcoach
The Complete 10 Step Guide to Ghostwriting Fiction: http://ow.ly/ZKijg @JoeBunting
The Revenant: A Literary Trope: http://ow.ly/ZkXND @ingridsundberg
6 Tips for Authors Who Write in Multiple Genres: http://ow.ly/ZwUhn @CarrieLynnLewis @IndiePlotTwist
Writing and Reading on Trains: http://ow.ly/ZictG @The_Millions @nickripatrazone
Will Streaming Music Kill Songwriting? http://ow.ly/ZkWJu @jmseabrook
Writing About Sex (and the older woman): http://ow.ly/ZkXsy @womenwriters @PatsyTrench
How To Create Tension: http://ow.ly/ZkXK1 @lucyatkins @womenwriters
5 Tips For Writing A Swashbuckling Scene: http://ow.ly/ZkWwf @veschwab
Why Authors Should be Compensated for School Visits: http://ow.ly/ZkWO7 @CStarrRose
Writing With a Market In Mind: http://ow.ly/ZkXjz @kid_lit
Understanding Why Nouns Become Verbs: http://ow.ly/ZkWCU by Chi Luu @JSTOR_Daily
3 Cases of Complicated Hyphenation: http://ow.ly/ZkWGu @writing_tips
Brushing up on future tense: http://ow.ly/Zi3NS @lisajlickel
Germany’s LeYo! Relates Digital Interactivity and Analog Books: http://ow.ly/ZGuj1 @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
An app to help us write faster (but suggests we’re approaching writing all wrong): http://ow.ly/Zi4BZ @Jacob_Brogan @FutureTenseNow
10 Reasons to Consider Writing for Anthologies: http://ow.ly/Zi383 @GailZMartin
3 Common Qualities for Science Fiction Lovers: http://ow.ly/Zi3EU @PeevishPenman
An editor on queries that list no comps: http://ow.ly/Zi3kD @behlerpublish
The Long, Lonely Walk: Hallways in Horror Films: http://ow.ly/Zi5FY @nickripatrazone
Tips on Salvaging Partially Used Notebooks: http://ow.ly/Zi3Xh @paperblanks
The Benefits of an Amazon Giveaway for Kindle: http://ow.ly/Zi5KT @ChrisDMcMullen
The top writing links of last week are on Twitterific:
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March 24, 2016
An Author’s Giveaways: of Time and Books
By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I realized some time back that I get a lot of requests to do things for free. I’m frequently asked to donate books to charities and to speak at libraries, schools, and conferences for free. I’m asked to beta test software. Asked to give an opinion, help with a blurb, and have my brain picked.
A little over a year ago, I realized that some things figured into my business philosophy or manifesto. Some things didn’t.
It used to be much harder for me to turn down opportunities. Part of me thought that if I didn’t accept, opportunities might dry up. Part of me thought that any exposure for me or my books was always good, when sometimes it wasn’t worth it.
For a while, I drove hours for the opportunity to sell a couple of books (or no books at all). Maybe I was flattered by being asked, I’m not sure.
Once I drove 7 hours round-trip to speak at a library. I love libraries. But I wasn’t compensated for my mileage and my displayed books were all available for the patrons to check out (which they did). But you can’t blame the library for asking–I blame myself for losing money and having to rearrange carpools to attend a far-flung event.
Now I find it helps to have some ready responses to reject an invitation. Once I’ve considered an opportunity and decided to skip it, my go-to rejection for speaking is: I wish I could, but I’m completely booked up. Which is pretty much the truth anyway.
I’m being offered a lot more paying speaking gigs, or being offered transportation money, free meals, and hotel rooms. If an invite doesn’t address payment, it’s a bad sign. I’ll sometimes mention (this is nearly always via email, which makes it easier) : I’d love to accept, but I do have a speaking fee. Before we consider available dates, I just wanted to make sure your organization has a budget for speaking. My fees are pretty modest–mostly just to compensate for my mileage and time.
I speak to schools for free, but they need to be somewhat local to me so that I don’t lose a lot of time and money in the process.
Another way I’m asked to contribute something for free is by requests for donated books. I do get emails from a good number of service organizations to donate a book or two for a auctioned baskets. I usually participate in these things but mainly because the money goes to charity and because the women in the service organizations are frequently my target audience. But I’d caution writers to create their own policy when dealing with these types of requests. I’d consider my budget, shipping costs, number of requests, and whether the target for the auction fits my readership.
Although this post focuses on setting boundaries in giving our time and books away for free, we also need to carefully consider our paid opportunities and make sure they align with our overall business goals. If the writing course we’re asked to teach or the panel appearance in another state, or the pitch for a nonfiction project doesn’t fit in with our business goals, we should consider rejecting it.
Conversely, we also need to make sure there are some things that we can say yes to. If an invitation or opportunity is a good fit, if it has the potential to expand our audience, that’s important, too.
Have you got a method for evaluating speaking and charitable opportunities (and even paying gigs)?
Developing a plan for considering speaking opportunities and other invites:
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Image: MorgueFile: Jessica Gale
The post An Author’s Giveaways: of Time and Books appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
March 20, 2016
The Complete Ten Step Guide to Ghostwriting Fiction
by Joe Bunting, @JoeBunting
I’ve ghostwritten five books and these projects were some of the most rewarding work I’ve ever done. Before I started ghostwriting, my writing career was progressing slowly, but afterward, it took off. Since then, I’ve come to believe that ghostwriting is the best way to apprentice yourself to the craft of writing. It doesn’t hurt that you get paid for it, either.
What is Ghostwriting in Fiction?
It’s no secret that many of the non-fiction NYT Bestsellers are actually ghostwritten or co-written, but it’s not as commonly known that a lot of fiction authors use ghostwriters as well.
This is actually great news for creative writers, because it means that there really are opportunities to practice your fiction writing while getting paid for it.
How to Become a Ghostwriter
How, though, do you break into the ghostwriting world? In this ten step guide, I’m going to show you how to get paid to practice your writing.
Get a client
You can try talking to authors you would like to work with directly, or even to publishers, but the best people to talk to if you want to find a novelist to ghostwrite for are editors.
Editors are the best to talk to because they often have closer relationships with authors than publishers but they aren’t as hard to get in contact with.
How do you find editors? Look in the books that you love and check the acknowledgements. Almost always, a writer will mention their editor there and it’s a good way to find them. After that the process looks similar to how you would reach out to a blogger or podcaster. Google them. Find out where they are and how you can contact them.
When you reach out, be human. Don’t be human spam.
The best way to connect with editors is to let them know how you heard of them (which book) and then offering help. Don’t immediately ask for something from them. Create these relationships with editors and you’ll be surprised how often you might get asked to help with side projects that open doors to full book projects.
Remember, ghostwriting is about relationships.
Initial Book Brainstorm Session
When you first meet with your client you need to agree to write a treatment, not a full book.
A treatment is something generally used in film, but is extremely helpful in planning a novel as well. It’s a short, one-page, map for the book. It includes elements like: working title, genre, length, target audience, outline, and character breakdown.
The first meeting is about getting enough information from your client so you can write a treatment for your future novel. Together, you decide a beginning, middle, and end, create the characters, and all the major events.
Sometimes, a ghostwriter will present ideas or even the whole premise of a novel to an author, but often, the author will have an idea that he or she wants the ghostwriter to pursue.
It’s best to create a list of questions beforehand and send them to your client a few days in advance.
Important Note: Always record your meetings with clients so you can refer back to the information and write in their voice better. (Don’t forget to get their permission.)
Write the Treatment
After your initial interview, write a one-page treatment of your novel. A treatment allows you to get on the same page with your client about their book (literally and figuratively).
For an example of exactly what a treatment looks like, check out this.
Sometimes after developing a treatment, you might realize there isn’t enough content for a book, and you need to explore subplots, new conflicts, or even a full reconception of the plot. This is why I always recommend writing a treatment before committing to a full novel.
Commit to a Full Book
Explain why not to sign a contract yet.
If after the treatment, you both decide it’s a good partnership and you want to continue writing the book, you will need to come up with a book contract and an expected completion schedule.
To determine your rates and pricing, estimate the hours you will spend on the project (depending on the length of the book and your own writing speed, this can be anywhere between 400 and 800 hours) and multiply by your hourly rate (check out this chart for hourly rates). You can bill however you feel works best for you and your client, but I recommend billing in thirds. The first third up front, second third after the first draft, and the last third when you send the final draft.
Research
Read everything your client has written, if you haven’t already.
After the treatment is finished and you have a sense of the overall structure and content of the book, it’s time to get writing.
You may need more feedback from your client as you develop the characters and story. Above all, make sure that you get as many ideas from your client so that the book really feels like theirs.
Draft 1
It’s hard to put this as one step, because I’m basically telling you to write a book. Thankfully, all the brainstorming and planning has been done, but it’s still writing a book which is never easy. I recommend that you give yourself serious deadlines. (For the last book I worked on, I wrote two chapters a week.)
During this time, I also recommend communicating with your client frequently. Try to send them an email update weekly or biweekly so that they know what is going on and feel involved in the writing process.
When you pen the final word of the first draft, send the draft to your client (and then celebrate!). Your client will almost always ask you to rewrite large sections and whole chapters. One friend had to rewrite one chapter six times. Be ready to rewrite and receive hard feedback.
Draft 2
Take a few days off. You just wrote a book! When you’re feeling rested and ready to get writing again, begin the second draft of the book. Here are a few tips to create a solid second draft:
Read the entire book before you edit. Plot holes, repetition, confusing scenes, character flaws, unnecessary scenes/characters, overall structure
Rewrite premise, outline (because it’s almost always different from the first draft)
POV / Tense audit
Write in missing scenes, delete unnecessary scenes/characters, fix tenses and pov issues but don’t worry about grammar/typos (unless they’re annoying you)
By the end of draft two you should have read the book another 6-8 times. Send this to your client again to develop a final draft.
Feedback
A great way to collaborate is to put the draft in Google Docs and share it with your client, giving them access to comment.
Ghostwriting is a collaborative effort, especially when you are telling someone else’s story, and the feedback step is the most crucial to successful ghostwriting. Your client needs to be able to give their honest thoughts about the book.
Don’t be afraid to ask them, “What didn’t you like about the book?” or “Is there anything you want to change?” You are both working together to improve the book.
This meeting is best done in person or over the phone to discuss the potential revisions.
Also a good time to hire an editor for critiquing, send to your writer’s critique group, or if you’re working with a publisher, to get feedback from your editor.
Final Draft
After getting the feedback it’s time to edit and create the final draft. Apply all of the suggestions that you got from your client. Make sure that if you change wording or facts in one place, you change it everywhere. It’s easy to overlook or miss these changes, but they are vital to the flow and consistency of the book as a whole.
Read out loud out loud. (This is the #1 way to find awkward writing, repetitive wording, and most other mistakes you need to fix.)
Specifically read the book checking for grammar.
Skim the book to check for overall flow.
Fact check
After compiling and fixing all the changes it’s good to read through the book once or twice more. You most likely will feel like you could read the book fifty more times and still find mistakes you could fix, but you eventually need to stop editing and send the final draft to your client.
Feedback
I always offer another round of revisions after the final draft. It’s good to tie up loose ends and to make sure your client puts the finishing touches on the project. This will really help them feel like the book is theirs.
After this final revision, I will happily do further revision but charge an hourly fee. This is important to make clear up front so that you’re not stuck in an endless cycle of revisions.
Bonus Step: Cash the Check and Celebrate
I believe that ghostwriting can change your writing career and life, and now you have enough to take your first steps as a ghostwriter. So go get writing!
What is stopping you from getting paid to practice your writing today?
Joe Bunting is a ghostwriter and founder of The Write Practice, an organization that helps people get inspired to write, provides technical training, and then helps to market their books. Joe is currently offering a special course called Apprenticeship, which helps writers a get paid to practice. Learn more about Apprenticeship here.
The Complete 10-Step Guide to Ghostwriting Fiction (by @JoeBunting):
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The post The Complete Ten Step Guide to Ghostwriting Fiction appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
March 19, 2016
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
10 Irish Horror and Dark Fantasy Authors: http://ow.ly/ZBdWb @FlynnGrayWriter
Getting Your Self-Published Book into the Library: http://ow.ly/Z9T51 @readingreality
What Exactly is The Gothic Novel? http://ow.ly/Zqnmp @carrollbooks
Writing the Unreliable Narrator: http://ow.ly/Z9TYE by PJ Parrish
4 US Literary Pubs for Your Travel List: http://ow.ly/ZBe9Q byAmanda Harkness @booktrib
10 Tips for Reading Through the Eyes of a Writer: http://ow.ly/ZGwvK @tessaemilyhall
Cuba’s Book Embargo Tackled by Trade With White House Petitions: http://ow.ly/ZGu1U @markcoker @Porter_Anderson
“Bestselling” is changing: http://ow.ly/Z9Uk1 @kristinerusch
10 Hidden Gems of Irish Literature: http://ow.ly/ZBexg @danpjsheehan
Rethinking the Mentor: http://ow.ly/Z9U7m @DonMaass
Crowdfunding for Latin American Writers: http://ow.ly/ZGu9u @Porter_Anderson @EnriqueParrilla
Endings: Inevitable or Unpredictable? http://ow.ly/Z9UaS @CSLakin
10 Great Novels of the Rural: http://ow.ly/Z9TnZ @MichelleHoover_ @electriclit
St Patrick’s Day Crime Fiction: http://ow.ly/ZBeEN @JanetRudolph
How Has the MFA Changed the Contemporary Novel? http://ow.ly/Z9UDw @RichardJeanSo @theatlantic @_akpiper
How to make your writing more persuasive: http://ow.ly/Z9TA3 @pubcoach
What Willie Nelson Teaches about Storytelling: http://ow.ly/Z9Tbq @CallieFeyen @tspoetry
What You Might Not Know about Scene Middles: http://ow.ly/Z9TQ1 @CSLakin
1 Thing to Never Do in a Novel (And How To Avoid It): http://ow.ly/ZwU2P @CarrieLynnLewis @IndiePlotTwist
Improve Our Writing Through Empathetic Thought and Precision Editing: http://ow.ly/ZcxcK @dewhill
Can You Write a Novel Without Knowing the Story Question? http://ow.ly/ZwUce @CarrieLynnLewis @IndiePlotTwist
20 Writing Prompts for Science Fiction Writers: http://ow.ly/ZcwEV @RogerDColby
7 Tips for Taking Good Photos for Your Blog: http://ow.ly/ZcwIN @VoicetoStory
How To Develop The Discipline Of A Professional Writer: http://ow.ly/ZcwuL by Brian DeLeonard @mythicscribes
The power of the unit when overwhelmed by writing a book: http://ow.ly/ZcxpL @nevalalee
7 Clever Steps To Hook Your Reader Into Your Narrative: http://ow.ly/ZcwAt @bookrangerkath
Short on Writing and Revising Time? Wordcount Challenge (1000, 500, 250 wds) : http://ow.ly/Zcy8z @inkyelbows
Creating Supporting Characters that Matter: http://ow.ly/Zcxm9 @joeberhardt
Teaching Writing: Lessons from Characters Who Are Writers: http://ow.ly/ZcwTI @BethMooreSchool
Writer Fear: http://ow.ly/ZcxjY @ruthannereid
4 Tips and 4 Tools for Tightening Your Prose: http://ow.ly/ZcwLf @ckmacleodwriter
How To Quickly Write A Successful New Novel In A Month: http://ow.ly/ZcwNB @ThePaigeDuke @standoutbooks
Game writing: horror, madness, and control: http://ow.ly/ZfrGI @keefstuart
10 Reasons To Use Infographics On Your Blog: http://ow.ly/Zfq2i @MiaJouBotha
64 Online Writing Tools For Writers, Bloggers & Authors: http://ow.ly/Zfq4E @joshspilker
6 Ways to Write Sticky Stories: http://ow.ly/Zfqro @Chris_Kokoski
The Best Literary Writing About Sex: http://ow.ly/ZfrkR by Hannah Tennant-Moore @thelithub
We Are At Risk of Losing Serious Readers: http://ow.ly/ZfrnS @RealDavidDenby
What Reader’s’ Guides do for your reader . . . and you: http://ow.ly/Zfqnb by Claudia Cangilla McAdam
10 Great Vanishings in Literature: A Reading List: http://ow.ly/ZfrTE @IdraNovey
How to Appear in Popular Books’ Also-Bought Sections on Amazon: http://ow.ly/ZfrOp @goblinwriter
12 Tips to avoid Overwriting: http://ow.ly/ZfqdN @robinrwrites
The ominous ordinary: horror writers finding scares in the everyday: http://ow.ly/ZfrBb @damiengwalter
The Art of Conflict in Romance: http://ow.ly/ZfqfP @rachaeldthomas
5 Tips to Successful Self-Publishing: http://ow.ly/Zfrx9 @RoseannaMWhite
How To Build An Instagram Following From Scratch: http://ow.ly/Zi3hJ @jeffbullas
3 Common Qualities for Science Fiction Lovers: http://ow.ly/Zi3EU @PeevishPenman
On the Deep Disquiet of Finishing Your Book: http://ow.ly/Zi4ts @thelithub @JonLeeWriter
A Teacher with 55 Thoughts for English Teachers: http://ow.ly/Zi4go @nickripatrazone
The Things We Do to Promote the Books We Write: http://ow.ly/Zi4Ys @summerbrennan
Writers: Make it Cinematic: http://ow.ly/Z9U3m @PaigeOrwin
‘Poetry Makes Nothing Happen’: On Poetry and Politics: http://ow.ly/ZwNIm @BostonReview @rshuddles
The Beautiful, Proto-Feminist Snark of Jane Austen€™s Juvenilia: http://ow.ly/Z84cA @thelithub @devoneylooser
New Author’s Survival Guide : http://ow.ly/Z9SOd @cathokin @womenwriters
Malicious characters in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/Zztug @mkinberg
10 Books About Loneliness: http://ow.ly/Z84fC @olivialanguage @PublishersWkly
Moneyball for Book Publishers: A Detailed Look at How We Read: http://ow.ly/ZwZc9 @xanalter @arhomberg
What To Do When Your Manuscript Hits a Road Block: http://ow.ly/ZwTRt @IndiePlotTwist @CarrieLynnLewis
Author Fear (video): http://ow.ly/ZwHPj @MichaelLaRonn via @LorraineBartlet
4 Lessons for Writing Fiction: http://ow.ly/Z7NuF @EricWeigner
Social Media Platform Cheat Sheets: http://ow.ly/Z7NwU and http://ow.ly/Z7NwY @jim_devitt
4 Things to Hang Over Your Writing-Space: http://ow.ly/Z9SGS @veronicasicoe
7 Fight Styles Authors Should Know: http://ow.ly/Z9SwL @NakedEditor
Class, Imperialism, and The Man in the Yellow Hat: http://ow.ly/Z84rz @SheenaKFallon @electriclit
Are You Sabotaging Your Blog’s Success? http://ow.ly/ZeaWC @Jenpens2
How PoV Can Heighten Drama in Fiction and Film: http://ow.ly/Z84lf @MattWeinkam @electriclit
Making the Tarot Literary Again: http://ow.ly/Z848P @peterbebergal @NewYorker
50 Things Under 50 Bucks To Promote Your Book: http://ow.ly/Z7NEK and http://ow.ly/Z7NEN @bookgal
10 Tips on Landing an Agent at a Conference: http://ow.ly/Z7N8n @jeffgarvinbooks
How to Conduct a Successful Book Crowdfunding Campaign: http://ow.ly/Z7Ntm @wherewriterswin
Why Do Kids Prefer To Read Print And Not Ebooks? http://ow.ly/Zuk6k @Goodereader
How to Write a Fantastic Author Newsletter: http://ow.ly/Z7NaK by Jordan Smith
4 Lessons for Authors on the Current State of Publishing: http://ow.ly/ZtolL @JaneFriedman
5-Minute Book Marketing: http://ow.ly/Z7NnY @bookgal
The Pomodoro Technique: Write More Efficiently: http://ow.ly/Z7N7n @gointothestory
How non-English speakers can write better: http://ow.ly/ZujxV @pubcoach
10 Energy-Boosting Snacks to Fuel Your First Draft: http://ow.ly/Zto6n by Si Quan @Colleen_M_Story
How to Print Advance Reader Copy (ARC) Books Using CreateSpace: http://ow.ly/Z7Nrx @Wogahn
How much should you budget for editing your book? How should you choose an editor? http://ow.ly/Zto2N @Roz_Morris
How A Book Foreword Can Help An Author’s Career: http://ow.ly/Z7NgQ @jckunzjr
Writers on Their Most Formative Rejections: http://ow.ly/ZiceJ @nickripatrazone @The_Millions
A Few Words With Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s @JohnJosephAdams: http://ow.ly/Zquwn @Porter_Anderson
How to Set Your Book Free on Amazon: http://ow.ly/Z7Npe @LynneCantwell
Twitter Tips for Success: http://ow.ly/Z7Nis @bookgal
What writers can learn from modelling other writers: http://ow.ly/Z7NAI @DeborahJay2
8 Ways To Start Research For Your Historical Novel: http://ow.ly/Z7NjM @selfpubreview
How to Deepen Your Worldbuilding: http://ow.ly/Z7N4Q @ceciliaedits
Music for Writers: ‘The Emotional Map’ Of A Composer’s Voice: http://ow.ly/ZqulO @Porter_Anderson @GityRazaz
3 Ways to Invest in Your Dream: http://ow.ly/Z7e6S @tmtysinger
Jungles and forests in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/Zqoxr @mkinberg
What Nobody Tells You About Being a Best-selling Author: http://ow.ly/Z7dTn @jeffgoins
15 things you need to do after you publish a post: http://ow.ly/Zs5wr @standoutbooks
Why You Should Join All Social Media Networks: http://ow.ly/Z44kM @JaneFriedman
The Mass-Market Edition of €œTo Kill a Mockingbird€ is Dead, Courtesy of Lee’s Estate: http://ow.ly/ZraYw @alex_shephard
4 Writing Styles To Know: http://ow.ly/Z444D @writers_write
SEO isn’t rocket science: http://ow.ly/Z43gi by Vaishnavi Agrawal
Why SEO & CDO are Important to a Writer: http://ow.ly/Zqo2n @SpunkOnAStick
When a Self-Declared Genius Asks You to Read His Masterpiece: http://ow.ly/Z7e2p @JeffSharlet
Getting rid of the writing blahs: http://ow.ly/Z7e7L from Fix Your Writing Habits
How 3 writers started podcasting: http://ow.ly/Z7e0p @MerylWilliams
Improve Our Writing Through Empathetic Thought and Precision Editing: http://ow.ly/Z7dSf @dewhill
Assumptions & Directions in Our Writing: http://ow.ly/Z7dLu @dewhill
Writing A Book Is Like Making Bread: http://ow.ly/Z44i3 by Fae Rowen
How to Switch Between 1st Person Voices: http://ow.ly/ZqnHC @ejwenstrom
Poetry: immortalizing a beloved: http://ow.ly/Z43pU by Austin Allen @PoetryFound
Using Track Changes: http://ow.ly/Z447p by Melissa Gilbert
8 Reasons People Buy Books: http://ow.ly/Z43FL @Jellybooks
Why novelists should “think big”: http://ow.ly/Z44sw @DavidMizner
Amazon Takes Aim At Scammers But Hits Authors: http://ow.ly/ZoGlE @PassiveVoiceBlg @DavidGaughran
The links I shared last week: http://ow.ly/ZoG3D . All the links I’ve ever shared (30K+, free and searchable): writerskb.com
How to Find (or Re-find) Your Passion: http://ow.ly/Z43lS @AmyLynnAndrews
Storygridding 101: http://ow.ly/Z44ma by Shawn Coyne
A Closer Look at Graphic Novels: http://ow.ly/Z44Ap @AmyBearce @diymfa
Where Do You Draw the Line Between Commercial and Literary Fiction? http://ow.ly/Z43YW by James Parker and Rivka Galchen
Top writing links of the week on Twitterific:
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March 17, 2016
Reaching Readers in Future Generations
By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about classic television and my kids. I’ve been amazed that they know (and can cite) particular gags or episodes from the 1950s comedy, I Love Lucy. It’s humor that still manages to resonate with kids born in 1997 and 2001.
This is a show that’s always been ahead of its time in many ways. The primary actors on the show, Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, formed their own production company, Desilu. They insisted on filming on quality film and allowed the show to be syndicated (which is how I watched it as a kid…as reruns). The company was later sold to Paramount. But the show is still made available to modern viewers as the rights holders put the entire series on Hulu to stream (which is how my kids watch it).
Another famous redheaded comedienne, Carol Burnett, isn’t known at all to my children. That’s because whoever is in charge of the rights for that show (from the 1970s…twenty years after Lucy), decided to go in the direction of DVD sales instead of streaming. That decision appears to have prevented a new generation from becoming acquainted with the series.
Some classic television shows haven’t moved in this direction. Many of the shows that I watched in reruns as a kid, like Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, My Three Sons, or Petticoat Junction, aren’t available to stream on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon. Consequently, my kids have never heard of these shows.
What does this have to do with our books? I think it’s the fact that we need to remain open. We need to continue thinking of new ways to reach out to the next generation and meet them where they are. Whatever direction books go in, we need to be prepared to move in that direction ourselves. That may mean experimenting with different opportunities like Wattpad.
It may mean just a concerted effort not to have our books available to only one channel, like KDP Select. Most likely, though, I think it means that we simply need to keep evaluating our options as time goes on…to analyze new opportunities as they open up. To remember that our books aren’t just meant for one point in time.
It’s also worthwhile, if our goal is to retain an element of timeless appeal, to write our books with that in mind. I make a concerted effort not to date mine with too much technology (we can now, however, always make updates to our text). And there are elements that seem to work better than others in terms of timelessness. I do think that humor especially translates between generations well.
Are you thinking of ways to connect your books with future generations? Have you noticed any classic television or movies that are reaching new audiences by adapting to new technologies/viewing methods?
The post Reaching Readers in Future Generations appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
March 13, 2016
How to Switch Between First Person Voices
By E. J. Wenstrom, @ejwenstrom
176657621I love to write in first person. It’s the closest I can get to my characters. You don’t just follow the character’s actions in first person—you’re right there in their head, living the story along with them. You get every flicker of thought and twist of emotion. It’s deep and consuming.
But when you get that deep into a character’s perspective, how do you shake yourself free and make the switch to a new character? As I finished my first novel and tried to start a new one, I’ve found this is easier said than done.
I spent five years with the narrator of my first novel. Every morning I got up, turned on the coffee and spent 45-60 minutes writing in his voice. This protagonist’s voice was burdened, vulnerable and highly emotive. I came to love this character and, quite frankly, got pretty deeply attached to him.
Then, finally, that book was done. It was in my editor’s hands, and I needed to start something new.
My new story’s protagonist is totally different—she’s a sheltered teenage girl with a big attitude and a lot of reasons to be angry. I’ve also shifted genres, from dystopian fantasy to YA sci-fi. For all these reasons, the voice of my new narrator needs to be strikingly different from my last one.
I struggled a lot to get into my groove with this new protagonist after spending so long writing in a totally different voice. But I did finally find my stride. Here are some of the ways I broke free of the old and tapped into my new hero’s voice.
Set the tone with music
I generally like to work in true quiet, but when I’m stuck, the right music can get me back on track. One way to create distinct voices for different characters is to set the scene by creating distinct soundtracks for each that capture the story’s tone. Movie soundtracks are especially on point—capturing a mood is exactly what they’re for.
Keep a voice swatch
Some days you’re just on, laying down word after word of perfection. When you get a section like this, copy and paste it into a new document to refer back to when you’re stuck.
Reviewing your previous work can help realign your thinking and get you back to the mental state you were in when you wrote them. Consider it the writing style equivalent of grabbing a paint color swatch from Home Depot.
Create a character board
For this, grab that stack of magazines that’s been slowly eating your coffee table (or maybe that’s just me) and crack them open. Look for key words and images that speak to your character and cut them out. Then, create a collage of all the images on a poster or cardboard and use it as inspiration when you’re stuck.
Go overboard
This is great for when you know what you’re going for, but can’t get the tone to quite stick. For example, maybe you know your character is snarky and swears a lot. Go ahead and hit those point with all you’ve got—exaggerate the style until you find your groove.
Don’t worry about overdoing it—it’s a lot easier to dial it back in editing than to punch it up.
First person narration can be a great tool in the writer’s arsenal. I especially love its immediacy and closeness to the characters. But those same qualities can make it especially difficult to transition between characters and projects.
Don’t let this hold back your writing—try out these tricks the next time you find yourself struggling to tap into a character’s voice.
How to switch between first person voices (by @ejwenstrom):
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E. J. Wenstrom is a fantasy and science fiction author living in Cape Canaveral, FL. Her first 
novel, a dystopian fantasy titled Mud, is releasing this month.
When she’s not writing fiction, E. J. drinks coffee, runs, and has long conversations with her dog. Ray Bradbury is her hero.
You can find Mud at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Goodreads.
The post How to Switch Between First Person Voices appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
March 12, 2016
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
***Eldon Sarte, who helped me set up this website, is offering a special deal for writers. A spring tuneup for a WordPress site for $100, including a contact form, work on redirect links and tracking, an FAQ section, and a subscription form. Click here to order–and put 100 in the ‘other amount’ field. For more information, contact Eldon here.
5 Things to Avoid When Blogging a Book: http://ow.ly/YVryT @VoicetoStory
Going Analog to Beat Writer’s Block: http://ow.ly/Z07Ip @tobywneal
Writing a Novel Synopsis: http://ow.ly/Z07xU @JaneFriedman
What Kind of Literature Lives on the Dark Web? http://ow.ly/Z082a @thelithub @ingredient_x
Why Writers Need 5 Fat Files: http://ow.ly/Z07vf @annkroeker
Teaching Writing: Notebooks on Poetry Field Trips: http://ow.ly/Z07Qk @sshubitz
How to Pitch Your Book to Review Bloggers and Not Get Ignored: http://ow.ly/Zl4Qw @missriki
3 Ways to Enhance Your Blog: http://ow.ly/Z079E @benzbox
Ebooks are doing well in France: http://ow.ly/Z09pi @oliviasnaije @pubperspectives
How to Have a Career: Advice to Young Writers: http://ow.ly/Z08YE by Sarah Manguso @fsgbooks
Writing Funny Characters: http://ow.ly/Z072Y @standoutbooks
Writer’s envy: http://ow.ly/Z08f0 by Sarah Manguso @NYTimes
Writer Worksheet: Get Unstuck: http://ow.ly/Z07EM @EvaDeverell
A Successful Writer’s Many Roles: http://ow.ly/Z1rNI @KerryGans
How to Optimize Your Amazon Author Central Page: http://ow.ly/Z1rXM @carlaking
Traditional Time Management for Writers: Why It Doesn’t Work: http://ow.ly/Z1sSZ @aliventures @writetodone
Create. Every. Day. http://ow.ly/Z1rS5 @DanBlank
How to Use Pinterest as an Indie Author: http://ow.ly/Z1u3I @CaballoFrances
Treat eBooks like Websites and Update them Regularly: http://ow.ly/Z1tec @dianetibert
Inside the Unpublished World of Allen Ginsberg: http://ow.ly/Z1tF5 @thelithub by Bill Morgan
How 1 writer wrote and rewrote cover copy: http://ow.ly/Z1rGG @JMNeyGrimm
Indian Writers under Siege: http://ow.ly/Z1svi @publicbooks by Saikat Majumdar
Kindle Spell Check and Preview Your Book While in the Publishing Stage: http://ow.ly/Z1ttz @dianetibert
12 Things Never To Say To A Writer: http://ow.ly/Z1tXj @RobinStorey1
The Diminishing Returns of Freelance Magazine Writing: http://ow.ly/Z1s4R @thelithub by Kent Russell
Instagram for Authors: 1 Writer’s First 6 Months: http://ow.ly/Z1rUi @Belinda_Pollard
The Rise of the Cuban Literati: http://ow.ly/Z2iyw @TillmanMiller @thelithub
Giving Characters Their Distinct Voice: http://ow.ly/Z2iKx @dianetilbert
Lessons Learned at a Writing Workshop: http://ow.ly/Z44fv @AuthorRsBelcher
6 Unrealistic Worlds From Popular Stories: http://ow.ly/Z44bh by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
The Art of the Strange Writing Exercise: http://ow.ly/Zibys @nickripatrazone
Publishing learns how to ‘inter(act) with a digital world’: http://ow.ly/Zk9hS @Porter_Anderson @MikeShatzkin
Tips for passive connection with readers: http://ow.ly/Zl5uJ
Author Earnings: ‘Trying to solve the (same) problem the Big 5 is’: http://ow.ly/Zk8Lz @Porter_Anderson @AuthorEarnings
The Ultimate Story Checklist: 33 Questions: http://ow.ly/YVrLj @kylieday0
You Don’t Have to Be a Veteran to Write About War: http://ow.ly/YVrGb @MattGallagher0
6 Tips for Evaluating a Small Publisher: http://ow.ly/YVrlK @ceciliaedits
Storygridding Nonfiction: http://ow.ly/YQsx6 by Shawn Coyne
20 Writing and Editing Tools: http://ow.ly/YQsvq @leona_hinton
Why 3 favorite picture books work: http://ow.ly/YVr3g @lynnegarner
Writing exercises: http://ow.ly/YVrph @suddenlyjamie
Is It Difficult For You To Get Quiet to Write? http://ow.ly/YVrtT @patverducci
7 Choices That Affect A Writer’s Style: http://ow.ly/YVrCY @writers_write
The Rise of the Literary Binge-Read: http://ow.ly/YVrdr by Michael Bourne @thelithub
The Life and Death and Life of Magazines: http://ow.ly/YVrQM @ev_rat
How to Fight Creative Doubt: http://ow.ly/YVs19 @hodgeswriter
The High School English Teacher Who Changed My Life: 12 Writers Reflect: http://ow.ly/ZibhA @nickripatrazone
‘The Persistence of Print’: http://ow.ly/ZfzBd @Porter_Anderson @petermccarthy
Publishing may be ‘sleeping through a revolution.’ http://ow.ly/ZfyTS @Porter_Anderson @JonathanTaplin
Latest issue of @HotSheetPub includes SEO for writers, Data Guy, and more. 30 day free trial http://ow.ly/ZgLmB @Porter_Anderson
PoV in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/ZfyO4 @mkinberg
Why 1 Writer Left Smashwords: http://ow.ly/ZcCDS @RuthanneReid
A Former Book Publicist’s Advice to Traditionally Published Authors: http://ow.ly/YMtxr @andrea_dunlop
How Authors Sell Publishing Rights at Book Fairs: http://ow.ly/YQsj5 @HelenSedwick @OrnaRoss
Fun Ways to Sell Books: http://ow.ly/YQsyj @DebbieYoungBN
Practicing Revision with Telescopic Text: http://ow.ly/YQslu @KnowlesMarianne
5 Common Problems With Endings: http://ow.ly/YQsdt @janice_hardy
10 Ways to Grow Your Email List: http://ow.ly/YQsbw @KimberleyGrabas
5 Surprising Ways Negative Thinking Can Make You a More Productive Writer: http://ow.ly/YQsui @thehumanitease
How to number a self-published series: http://ow.ly/YQska @keithyd6
Validating the Reader’s Concerns: http://ow.ly/YQsh5 @SeptCFawkes
9 young poets making poetry cool again: http://ow.ly/YQsr1 @TheKateDwyer @teenvogue
Diversifying our Reading: 25 New Books by African Writers: http://ow.ly/YQsnj @zunguzungu
Tips for easy design with Canva: http://ow.ly/YQseL @PBRWriter
What a publisher pays for: http://ow.ly/YMtsO @Janet_Reid
13 free writing meters, progress trackers, and word counters: http://ow.ly/Zcyja @TracyLucas
Supreme Court Denies Apple’s Appeal On E-Books: http://ow.ly/ @publicbill
The Graphic Novel’s Staying Power: http://ow.ly/YMsUk @SevenImp
Advice For Young Writers from Picture Book Writer @TrishaSShaskan: http://ow.ly/ZcxPS via @inkyelbows
Villain self justification: http://ow.ly/Zct1h @RuthanneReid
3 Key Tips for Real and Relatable Characters: http://ow.ly/YMsEZ @MartinaABoone
15 Questions Authors Should Ask Characters: http://ow.ly/YMsBf @writers_write
“Books do not take time; they give time”: http://ow.ly/YMtbb by Arnold Weinstein @NYTimes
Give Your Protagonist An Anomaly: http://ow.ly/YMsxK @bob_mayer
4 Keys To Writing A Publishable Novel: http://ow.ly/YMsMb @AlpertMark
Pinterest for Authors: A Beginner’s Guide: http://ow.ly/YMslc @kikimojo
Mistakes that Stop 1 Reader in Her Tracks: http://ow.ly/YMsny @Jen_328
Romance Outside the Genre: http://ow.ly/YMt1t @agreer
Favorite Picture Book Revision Tips: http://ow.ly/YMt7H @ehbluemle
6 Ways Guns Change a Fantasy Setting: http://ow.ly/YJYhx by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Tips for Talking with Publishers and Agents: http://ow.ly/YJYCO @rachellegardner
Twitter for Writers: —8 Ways to Nuke Your Brand: http://ow.ly/YJY8J @FlynnGrayWriter
A Plagiarism Scandal Is Unfolding In The Crossword World: http://ow.ly/Zb7HT @ollie
10 Places to Find Free Stock Photos for Your Blog: http://ow.ly/YJYAv ri | @MarianSchembari
10 Things About Rough Drafts: http://ow.ly/YJY1a @EmilyWenstrom
How to run a Kindle Scout campaign: http://ow.ly/Z7dvk @CindyRMarsch
How to save time with Draft2Digital: http://ow.ly/Z9tKJ @BlotsandPlots
10 Solutions for Writers Who Worry Too Much: http://ow.ly/YJY5T @Colleen_M_Story
Writing that Sounds like Writing: http://ow.ly/YJYuv @thesmartset @egabbert
How to Stop Writer’s Fatigue: http://ow.ly/YJYnu by E.L. Skip Knox
Writer Super Power: Hearing http://ow.ly/YJYrq @ShanDitty
Balancing Writing and the Day Job: 7 Tips: http://ow.ly/YJYl7 @jenniferlellis
Grow Reader Empathy By Showing Your Protagonist’s Vulnerable Side: http://ow.ly/YJYFk @angelaackerman
5 Tips for Getting Accepted by Bookbub: http://ow.ly/YJYHP @goblinwriter
10 Tips For Writing a Captivating Short Story: http://ow.ly/YJYcL @MindyHalleck
Foggy days in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/Z7QEN @mkinberg
Top writing links of the week on Twitterific:
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March 10, 2016
Connecting With Readers
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
For years I’ve had the attitude that I was best connecting with readers through my stories. I still feel like that’s true. They’re getting a glimpse inside my head, inside my sense of humor, inside the way I see the world and other people through the books that I write.
For years, also, I’ve struggled with other methods of connecting with my readers in a natural way. Facebook didn’t (still doesn’t) feel natural to me. On other social media, I set up shop to connect with other writers. (If you ever want to find other writers to connect with on social media, just follow my Twitter followers).
Over a year ago, I decided to make more of an effort to connect with my readers. I had a few ideas for doing this, having been listening to writer podcasts and reading a good number of blog posts on the subject.
One thing that I did was to get on Wattpad. Wattpad is an international community of readers. Writers (as a best practice) upload chapters serially, once a week. Readers, primarily on mobile devices, comment inline on stories, remarking on what interests them, amuses them, scares them, etc. It creates a very natural setting for conversation between author and reader. At first, it was a little new and uncomfortable for me, but I gradually came to enjoy the interaction there.
I also tried to be more approachable on Goodreads by signing up for their author Q&A function and updating my profile on the site. Like doing yard work, updating our presence on these sites signals that we care.
Another idea I got from viewing successful authors’ websites. Many of them had an official bio on their ‘about’ page (as did I…a clipped and professional paragraph about me), but then they also had an unofficial bio that was warmer and more personal. I tried it and got an email from a North Carolina book club a few days later–talking about how much they also loved Nancy Drew as kids and asking me to come speak to them. So, maybe these types of bios can make writers seem more approachable and less distant?
Possibly the biggest thing I did was to add author notes to the backs of my books. This was also, perhaps, the easiest and most natural effort on my part. After all, I was used to connecting with readers in my books. It was simple to add a note at the end of the books to say a few words about some of my inspiration for the story. I even added those notes to my Amazon product page for one of the books (in my editorial reviews section, under the reviews. I added “From the Author”) . When I went back into my published files to update my list of published books, I added author notes at the same time.
These techniques were easy ways for me to feel more connected and more approachable to my readers.
How do you connect with your readers? Do you connect through social media or use other methods?
Tips for easy connection with our readers:
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March 7, 2016
Save Time with Draft2Digital
by Jenny Bravo, @BlotsandPlots
Are you looking for a simple way to publish your e-book? Are you frustrated with formatting and want a better way? Draft2Digital is changing the game for self-published writers.
As a self-published writer myself, I struggled to navigate the technical side of publishing. I chose to format my book myself, and I grew very familiar with the regular sight of “upload error” when I attempted to publish my e-book.
Aside from Amazon, I eventually decided to give up trying in the other, more complicated uploading systems. Then, I discovered Draft2Digital.
Draft2Digital is a simple-to-use system that allows writers to upload their e-books for publication. Draft2Digital will then distribute your novel to the digital stores of your choice.
When I first discovered this system, it took me a total of ten minutes to finish submitting my book. After the hours I spent tweaking and formatting my book, I couldn’t believe how simple this process was.
Want to know how to save your time by using Draft2Digital? Here’s a step-by-step process for you.
Setting Up Your Account
Signing up for an account is a simple, straightforward process. It doesn’t require any money upfront on your part and allows you to explore the dashboard before you begin the publishing process.
Uploading Your Book
Draft2Digital is so user-friendly due to the fact that it doesn’t have a style guide or any special formatting requirements. They’ll even make the title page and copyright page for you.
The whole process is designed specifically for making a clean, approved epub file that will help you to reach your readers. All you need is your book content and your cover art. They’ll help you with the rest.
Additionally, if you have any questions, their customer support is there to answer them.
Choosing Where To Sell
With Draft2Digital, you have eight options for where to publish, including CreateSpace. This gives you one central hub to manage your sales, rather than several different dashboards to monitor.
You can assign your own ISBN to your e-book or Draft2Digital will assign one for you. There’s also the option to put your book available for preorder as a way to boost your sales.
Apart from CreateSpace, you can publish your book to popular channels like Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks and Scribd.
Selling Your Book
Personally, I used Draft2Digital as a way to distribute my permafree book. This way, I could reach an audience in every capacity possible.
When you choose your list price, keep in mind that Draft2Digital will keep about 10% of the retail price. They will pay you based on your payment method of choice: check, Paypal or direct deposit. Once your sales reach a certain threshold, you’ll receive your payout.
Once You’re Published
Congratulations! Once you submit your book, Draft2Digital will notify you when it’s published on each channel. From there, you can check into your dashboard at any time to see an up-to-date report of your sales.
If you have any changes to make, you can easily make them straight from your dashboard.
If you’re overwhelmed with your publishing options, take a second look at the Draft2Digital system. You’ll be amazed how simple it truly is.
How to save time with Draft2Digital (via @BlotsandPlots):
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Jenny Bravo is the author of three contemporary romance novels. Her award-winning website Blots & Plots encourages future writers and provides actionable tips to living a more creative life. To download your free starter kit for busy writers, visit today.
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March 5, 2016
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
Making a Timeline with Timetoast: http://ow.ly/YF3pM @writeforapples
7 Things 1 Writer Has Learned So Far: http://ow.ly/YF0Ud @kaliphyte
Writing Worksheet: Curriculum Vitae: http://ow.ly/YF309 @EvaDeverell
Music for Writers: Randy Gibson: ‘This Feeling Of Eternity’: http://ow.ly/Z53jA @Porter_Anderson
600,000 words in the English language. Only a fraction are ever used: http://ow.ly/YIxPn @_simonchandler_
4 Tips for Using Test Reader Feedback: http://ow.ly/YIwDY @artofstoriesAB
Surviving Writer Envy: http://ow.ly/YIyHq @msheatherwebb
Punctuation in famous novels: http://ow.ly/YIzfY @neuroecology
Should Dictionaries Do More to Confront Sexism? http://ow.ly/YIyol @NCaplanBricker @NewYorker
3D Dialogue with Action Tags and Beats: http://ow.ly/YIwGR @artofstoriesAB
Jules Verne as a ‘late bloomer’: http://ow.ly/Z6LUl @DebraEve
Creating Your Main Character: http://ow.ly/YF20g from The Writing Hole
What To Know About Punctuating And Formatting Dialogue: http://ow.ly/YF0KC @MiaJouBotha
Afraid you aren’t a writer because you haven’t written in a while? http://ow.ly/YF2y3 @ava_jae
1st Pages of Best-Selling Novels: Cinder: http://ow.ly/YF2P7 @CSLakin
Beginning Marketing Strategies for Authors: http://ow.ly/YF1lJ @cksyme
Managing the Passage of Time in Fiction: http://ow.ly/YF4iE @MarcyKennedy
When Writing is Not a Career: http://ow.ly/YF4zT by Linda Wilson
The 10 Themes of Legacy Writing: http://ow.ly/YF2eG by Richard Campbell @writersdigest
To Hire Help Or Do It Yourself? http://ow.ly/YF4pC @MarcyKennedy
A Busy Year for Polish Publishing: http://ow.ly/Z458b @Porter_Anderson
Why you should spend your first 30 minutes each day writing: http://ow.ly/Z4OAk @pubcoach
How to Jumpstart a Stuck Project: http://ow.ly/YBkoe @michaelhyatt
Arson Investigation for crime writers: http://ow.ly/Z44O6 @authorterryo
Nook stops selling digital content in the UK on 3-15: http://ow.ly/Z44Ud @PassiveVoiceBlg
What to Know About The Latest Twitter Features: http://ow.ly/YBkIE @Ashread_
29 Author Websites with Stellar Designs: http://ow.ly/YBkU2 @dianaurban
7 Clever Steps To Hook Your Reader Into Your Narrative: http://ow.ly/YBgyA @bookrangerkath
Do I Really Have to Include a Mailing Address in My Newsletter? http://ow.ly/YBgIB @AmyLynnAndrews
5 Reasons to Take a Nap Every Day: http://ow.ly/YBjVj @michaelhyatt
How to Fall in Love with Writing Again: http://ow.ly/YBkE2 @aliventures
Determined to Meet Your Writing Goals? Set Up a Production Schedule: http://ow.ly/YBjRK @mridukhullar
Emotional Wound Thesaurus: Growing Up In The Public Eye: http://ow.ly/YBkvQ @angelaackerman
Day-Job Thinking vs Long-Term Thinking: http://ow.ly/YBl2l @deanwesleysmith
Sharing our writing on our websites: http://ow.ly/YBjJv @JaneFriedman @writerunboxed
9 Simple Ways To Sharpen Your Manuscript: http://ow.ly/YBgBX @ClaireABradshaw
Watchdog Report On Motivational Press: http://ow.ly/Z2r1y @JohnDoppler
Balancing Writing and the Day Job: 7 Tips: http://ow.ly/YyoIw @jenniferlellis
What Harrison Ford and Stand Up Comedians Teach Us About Flashbacks: http://ow.ly/YyoMU @jennienash
Why Most Authors Fail at Book Marketing: http://ow.ly/YyoxP @BadRedheadMedia
A Game-Changing Revision Tactic : The Golden Thread: http://ow.ly/YyoKW @jennienash
How to Create an Author Facebook Event: http://ow.ly/YyoHB @MelissaFlicks
Should We Work for Free? http://ow.ly/YA04J @jamigold
How to Find and Work With a Book Publicist: http://ow.ly/YA0ji @JaneFriedman
How to Create Titles to Hook Your Readers: http://ow.ly/YA0bQ @JudithBriles
Are You Engaging with Your Readers? http://ow.ly/YzZRB @CaballoFrances
The Importance of Writing Clips: http://ow.ly/YA0lN @kid_lit
A Guide for Co-Writing a Novel: http://ow.ly/YA0s4 @MelodieCampbell @annerallen
Is the Indie Gold Rush Over? Does it Matter? http://ow.ly/YzZZm @juliemusil
POV choices in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/YYFaz @mkinberg
A Trick to Tame Your Crazy Writing Stress: http://ow.ly/YynHN @jamesscottbell
Chasing trends and other things to avoid: http://ow.ly/Yynn9 by PJ Parrish
Shifting Thoughts on Amazon and Agency Pricing: http://ow.ly/Z0gJt @Porter_Anderson @MikeShatzkin @PassiveVoiceBlg
The Self-Loathing Lit-Fic Book Trailer: http://ow.ly/Z08Fj @xwaldie @slate
Dealing with dreams in our manuscript: http://ow.ly/YynXI @MegGardiner1
3 Common Mistakes When Writing a First Book: http://ow.ly/YynfK @jennienash
How to Fix Your Disorganized Writing Life: http://ow.ly/Yynzf @KW_Writes
High Stakes Are Tricky: http://ow.ly/Yyo16 @Kid_Lit
How a writer and businesswoman ended up owning a small publisher (which is taking submissions): http://ow.ly/YYDFg @SpunkOnAStick
Reading to Improve Your Writing: http://ow.ly/Yynw3 @KAMcCleary
Getting Out of the Dreaded Slump: http://ow.ly/YynLg @katemoretti1
70 Seconds to a Sale: Convincing Your Reader to Buy Your Book: http://ow.ly/Yyooq @jennienash
Maintaining Motivation through the 2nd Draft: 11 Tips: http://ow.ly/YynS5 @jenniferlellis
4 Essential Writing Tips: http://ow.ly/Yynu7 @MaryKubica
The purpose of POV: http://ow.ly/YVlw1 @p2p_editor
7 Playful Techniques to Shatter Your Writer’s Block: http://ow.ly/YvNsk @CherrylChow
4 Tips for Using Test Reader Feedback: http://ow.ly/YvNoY @artofstoriesAB
How to Mix Humor Into Your Writing: http://ow.ly/YvNxJ @lajfun
How to Write Battle Scenes: http://ow.ly/YvNAI @VictorASalinas
Adventures in Platform Building: http://ow.ly/YvNaC @cathyyardley
Historical Fiction: How Pacing Makes History into Story: http://ow.ly/YvMFq @tordotcom @Ada_Palmer
Remember to Refill/Restore/Replenish Yourselves, Writers: http://ow.ly/YvNf5 @tamsinsilver
To Newsletter Or Not To Newsletter: http://ow.ly/YvN3c @MirandaBW
Story Generators: From Traits to Action: http://ow.ly/YvNlS @artofstoriesAB
How to write an ensemble novel: http://ow.ly/YvMNX @rxena77
Scene Structure: Scene Beginnings and Magic Ingredients: http://ow.ly/YvN7I @CSLakin
Revision vs. editing: http://ow.ly/Yt0Lr @sacha_black
How to market YA fiction (and get more book reviews): http://ow.ly/YrebN @Creativindie
Cut the words and write snappier dialogue: http://ow.ly/Yt0IR @raynehall
“The Definitive List of Cliché Dialogue” : http://ow.ly/YrfdX @gointothestory
How Writers Can Use Amazon’s ‘Look Inside’ Feature to Get More Sales: http://ow.ly/YRYV0 @CSLakin
5 Disappointing Villains: http://ow.ly/YreHE by David Mesick @mythcreants
Bad Day for Words? Easing the Struggle to Write: http://ow.ly/Yrexl @isekhmet
How to Respond to Critiques: http://ow.ly/Yt0Gh @bookishchick
Where Real Drama Comes From: http://ow.ly/Yt13e @LisaCron
8 of the best writing advice tips: http://ow.ly/Yt0BK @wendypmiller
How to Write a Comedy Script: http://ow.ly/Yt0YN @jebylander
6 Best Ways to Relax and De-Stress When You Get Overwhelmed: http://ow.ly/Yt0sD @dianaurban
How to Write a Fight Scene in 11 Steps: http://ow.ly/Yt0Of @betternovelproj
Using a Montage to Handle Time in Fiction: http://ow.ly/Yt0A1 @MarcyKennedy
2 Top Tips for Writing Flash Fiction: http://ow.ly/YreCC @AnneGreenawalt
The self-pub process: http://ow.ly/Yt0vr @dianapfrancis
Trailer parks in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/YQrxg @mkinberg
If you couldn’t fail: http://ow.ly/YrfhK @DanBlank
“A rejection is often not a commentary on your writing talent.” http://ow.ly/YN9es @AgentKristinNLA
The links I shared last week: http://ow.ly/YQrpI .All the links I’ve ever shared (30K+, free and searchable): writerskb.com
Script Reading & Analysis: Trainwreck: http://ow.ly/Yrfb7 @gointothestory
5 Crucial Lessons Learned about Having an Exit Strategy: http://ow.ly/Yrf7p @VoicetoStory
3 Reasons Authors Need Style Sheets: http://ow.ly/Yre7C @robinrwrites
10 Misconceptions a College Education Can Teach about Writing: http://ow.ly/Yrf0l @annerallen
Should Educators Be Writers? http://ow.ly/YreWX @MrsSokolowski
The top writing links from last week on Twitterific:
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