Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 47

September 19, 2020

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 57,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

Have you visited the WKB lately? Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox! Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

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Published on September 19, 2020 21:01

September 13, 2020

The Art of the Constructive Critique

by Lucia Tang @Reedsy

Nothing thickens your skin like a writing career. When it comes to fielding acid-tongue critiques, most of us have strategies for calming down and keeping it all in perspective. But what happens when you’re the person having to give the harsh critique?

Offering feedback on a fellow writer’s work-in-progress is a delicate, often emotionally draining task, as challenging in its own way as architecting a plot twist or capturing an elusive character’s voice. Like plotting, critiquing a manuscript requires big-picture thinking and a bird’s-eye view of the story’s overall goals. And like character development, it’s an exercise in empathy — for the writer, and for the readers who will encounter their work in the future.

Penning a thoughtful critique uses some of the same mental muscles as writing a book review or polishing your own draft. But you have to keep in mind that the work is A) not your own and B) still unfinished.

At the end of the day, the constructive critique is a genre all its own, with conventions to follow and an audience to keep in mind. To learn how to master this subtle, challenging form, I spoke to my colleague Jenn Gott, a six-time indie author whose superhero novel snagged a starred review on Publishers Weekly.

Jenn participates in a regular writing group, as well as a critique partnership with a fellow indie author, so offering — and receiving — constructive criticism is a major part of her writing practice. Here are her tips for offering feedback as clearly, graciously, and helpfully as possible.

1. Read the text on two levels — as a professional, and as a fan

Needless to say, examining the draft of a novel with an eye to improving it feels nothing like indulging in a published beach read. It’s like the difference between a chef tasting a soup mid-simmer to check the salt levels, and a diner luxuriating in that same soup after it’s served up with a spring of garnish. Instead of sinking into the story, you have to study it with some distance — taking note of what works and prodding at what doesn’t.

That said, Gott cautions against taking yourself completely out of the readerly point of view. Part of your function as a critique-giver, after all, is to anticipate what later, less-critical consumers of the story will think. “The more polished the draft is”, Gott notes, “the more easily I get swept up in it and forget to be critical. So that’s part of how I tell how much more work it needs.”

To offer a nuanced, well-balanced critique, try reading the text twice. On the first run-through, allow yourself to respond to it as a reader, paying attention to what piques your interest and what ignites your fannish need to know more. Your second pass is when the proverbial red pen can come out. Reading this way will yield you both positive and critical points to incorporate into your feedback. You can then layer these in a criticism “sandwich”, interpersing your “cons” between “pros” to craft a critique that goes down easy.

2. Focus on the writer’s aims

In addition to getting into future readers’ heads, critiquing a manuscript demands empathy for the writer’s point of view as well.

Offering feedback on a colleague’s work is different from revising your own in one key respect: their voice, sensibilities, and overall goals might not align with your own. And while critiquing gives you an opportunity to help fashion their work into its ultimate shape, you have to be careful not to force it into a copy of your style.

For Gott, the key to offering helpful, empathic feedback is working from a solid understanding of the writer’s aims. “Any time I critique,” she says, “it’s really important for me that I’m not turning their work into my work. You want to make sure that your suggestions are bringing the story closer to the author's vision for it.” Of course, you can’t just assume you get the author’s vision based on what you see on the page — you should ask them directly, giving them an opportunity to articulate what they’re trying to achieve.

But what if they’re trying to achieve something you just can’t wrap your head around — whether they’re promoting a political agenda you don’t agree with, or working with tropes you just can’t see the appeal in? In cases like that, Gott suggests, it might be best to recognize you’ve hit an impasse and pass the work on to someone who’s better positioned to critique it. (It’s good practice, of course, to let the author know why you feel uncomfortable reviewing their work — they may not have a good sense of just whom they’re alienating!)

3. Offer solutions

If you do feel capable of offering a thoughtful, constructive critique, be sure to follow through on it. One thing Gott tends to find frustrating as a recipient of feedback is “drive-by criticism” — cursory notes that aren’t elaborated upon, from a critic who shuts down if you try to ask them questions.

If you don’t want your critique partner to feel like they’ve been left hanging, it’s helpful to make yourself available for a round or two of clarifying Q&A’s. That way, if any part of your feedback is unclear, they don’t have to puzzle it out on their own.

To avoid being bombarded with questions, though, try to offer solutions alongside your criticisms in the first place. If you point out a bit of inconsistent characterization, for instance, work in a comment about how you might expect that character to behave instead. And if you flag a weak verb, list a few more vivid alternatives they might try on for size.

Offering solutions to the problems you pinpoint will make your critiques feel like entry points in a genuinely collaborative relationship — not mean-spirited nitpicking. Even if you never work that manuscript again, you’ll still have helped that writer produce the best work they can. And that’s something both of you can celebrate.

Lucia Tang is a writer with Reedsy , a marketplace that connects self-publishing authors with the world’s best editors, designers, and marketers. Reedsy also provides tools to help authors write and format their books, as well as free courses and webinars on publishing. In Lucia’s spare time, she enjoys drinking cold brew and planning her historical fantasy novel.

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Published on September 13, 2020 21:01

September 12, 2020

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Business / Miscellaneous

Avoid these Common Article-Writing Mistakes: @LoriHatcher2 @A3writers
Interview Transcription: Is Software the Answer? @AnneJanzer
How to Sell Ebooks on Amazon: 7 Tips For Making Money as An Author: @ReedsyHQ
What's the Primary Environment of Your Book–Physically, Emotionally, Intellectually, Spiritually? And Why Does It Matter? @writeabook
How to use simple psychology and basic common sense to sell more books: @sugarbeatbc @annerallen
Is Copyright Broken? Artificial Intelligence and Author Copyright: @OrnaRoss @thecreativepenn @IndieAuthorALLI

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

Frankfurt Book Fair Pivots to a Digital Show in 2020: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectives
The British Academy's Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize Announces 2020 Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @BritishAcademy_ @TanyaTalaga @charleskingdc @HazelCarby @PriyamvadaGopal
Juergen Boos: Frankfurt Book Fair Cancellation of 2020 Physical Exhibition: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_Fair
International Publishers Association Announces Jakarta Its 33rd Congress City: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @IntPublishers
2020 Literarian Award Given Posthumously to Carolyn Reidy: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Maggie O'Farrell Wins the UK's 2020 Women's Prize for Fiction: @Porter_Anderson @WomensPrize @pubperspectives

Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting

12 Reminders for Writers Who Aren’t Even Close to Halfway Through Their 2020 Goals: @MegDowell

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

10 of the best novels set in Germany – that will take you there: by Paul Sullivan @GuardianBooks
Still stuck at home? Read these 7 books in which . . . very little happens. @augiewatts @lithub
8 Books About Cross-Generational Friendships: @DianeZinna @ElectricLit
Poets of Color: A Required Reading List: @LittleInfinite

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

Tips for Better Essays: by Charity Singleton Craig @tspoetry
Stop Zooming, Start Writing: by A.J. Ogilvie @ProWritingAid
The Happiness of Writing Stories: @Peter_Rey_
Knowing what to say as a writer: @pubcoach
“Why I’m writing this on a treadmill”: @pubcoach
Airplane mode to stay grounded: @austinkleon
Back to Basics: 6 Methods to Right-Size Your Next Writing Project: @annkroeker
Channel Your Inner Creative Badass: @JennyHansenCA
How to Stay Productive Working From Home: @dkparsonswriter
When to end a series? Thoughts from various mystery writers: @MargotKinberg
Should You Keep Working on a Writing Project If You Think It’s Terrible? @MegDowell
How to Fight Burnout, With Writer Anne Helen Petersen: @lifehacker
Pens, Ranked: @BillFerris @WriterUnboxed

Genres / Fantasy

Magic, Politics, and Relationships: Using Fantasy to “Literalize the Metaphor”: @DjangoWexler @DIYMFA

Genres / Historical

6 Principles for Writing Historical Fiction: @andrew_noakes @JaneFriedman

Genres / Horror

“5 Horror Movies I Wish Were Books First”: @JoshMalerman @tordotcom

Genres / Miscellaneous

Tips on Making Your Adventure Story Convincing: @FeltonJessah @LiveWriteThrive

Genres / Mystery

Book Length for Mysteries: @MargotKinberg
Rethinking the Meaning of “Border Noir”: @getalex @CrimeReads
Crime Writing: Who’s In Charge Here? The Who, What, Where, Of Police Jurisdiction: @MickiBrowning @WomenWriters
Ambition as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinberg
Cultural Differences in City vs Rural Living as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinberg
Sibling Relationships as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinberg
Mystery Series that Ended After Just a Few Books: @MargotKinberg
Crime Writing: The Survivors: After The Death Notice: @LeeLofland

Genres / Non-Fiction

How to Write a Biography: 7 Life-writing Ideas: @nownovel

Genres / Picture Books

Writing in Rhyme: @KarenCV

Genres / Poetry

How to Write Good Poetry: 7 Tips for Aspiring Poets: @LittleInfinite @IngramSpark

Genres / Screenwriting

Screenwriting: Believe, Care, Invest: Lady Bird: @CockeyedCaravan
5 Screenwriting Secrets in Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest: @scriptsleuth

Promo / Ads

Behind the Scenes of a Bookbub Featured Deal – Are They Worth It? @kikimojo

Promo / Blogging

Yoast SEO Secrets from the WP Elves Can Boost Blog Traffic: @annerallen

Promo / Connecting with Readers

How Knowing Your Reader Can Sell More Books: @Bookgal @BwkrSelfPublish

Promo / Miscellaneous

Marketing tips for reaching your first readers: @DavidGaughran @NathanBransford
4 Book Marketing Mistakes to Avoid in 2020: @ReedsyHQ @TheIWSG
How 1 Writer Made More Money with a Free First-in-Series Book: @LEWilsonAuthor @BookBub
How to Develop an E-Book Marketing Plan: @mike54martin

Promo / Newsletters

Getting E-mail List Sign-ups: @DavidGaughran @IndieAuthorALLI

Promo / Video

5 Ways to Use Videos to Promote Authors and Books: by Cristian Stanciu @JFbookman

Publishing / Miscellaneous

PEN America Names Ayad Akhtar Its Next President: @Porter_Anderson @ayadakhtar @PENamerica @pubperspectives
AAP's StatShot: US Trade Books Up 17.9 Percent in July, Year Over Year: @Porter_Anderson @AmericanPublish @pubperspectives

Publishing / News / Amazon

Self-publishing News: Brushing and Fake Reviews: Amazon's Trust Issue: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLI

Publishing / News / International Publishing

International Insights: Amazon: @thenewpubstd @IndieAuthorALLI
Italian Publishers: Small-Press Aid From Rome, Solidarity With Frankfurt: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Rights Roundup: The Frankfurt-Bound Rights World Revs Up: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives

Publishing / Process / Book Design

Combining serif and sans serif fonts to improve your book design: @BookDesignBook
“Cover Design Mistakes I Made and How You Can Avoid Them”: @NehaYazmin

Publishing / Process / Legalities

How Do I Put A Copyright Into My Trust? by Kelley Way @BethBarany

Publishing / Process / Services to Avoid

Writer Beware®: The Blog: The Impersonation Game: @victoriastrauss

Writing Craft / Beginnings

First Page Critique: Making UsCare About A Guy Going Bad: by PJ Parrish @killzoneauthors
Help the reader get their bearings: @NathanBransford
10 Ways NOT to Start Your Novel: @MegLaTorre @iWriterly

Writing Craft / Characters / Development

How Do Authors Create Characters? @Julie_Klassen
Tips for Creating Believable Characters: by Yen Cabag @TCKPublishing
Using Personality Types to Create Characters: @Weifarer

Writing Craft / Common Mistakes

Deadly Writing Sins: @davidfarland
Writing that Shows and Tells: @Lindasclare

Writing Craft / Diversity

Screenwriting: 10 Quick Tips To Write Better Disabled Characters: by Elena Paolini @Bang2write

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

A Good Plot Is Made Out of Two Things: @charliejane @tordotcom
10 Tips for Irresistible Writing: @KatyKauffman28 @EdieMelson
Story Surprises and Revelations: @davidfarland
Why Storytellers Fail at Grimdark and How to Fix It: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
Writing About Characters with Disabilities: @rj_anderson @GoTeenWriters
Character vs Plot-Driven Stories: @shaelinbishop @ReedsyHQ

Writing Craft / Pacing

5 Ways to Power Up Your Story’s Momentum: @jessicastrawser @CareerAuthors

Writing Craft / POV

How to show the emotions of non-viewpoint characters: @LouiseHarnby

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting

How to Plan a Novel: From Idea to First Draft in 7 Tips: @ReedsyHQ

Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar

Why Write Wrong? Incorrect Usage: @MarciaMeara @StoryEmpire

Writing Craft / Revision

3 Ways You Can Edit Your Manuscript With an Editing Tool: @HayleyMilliman @thewritelife
On Applying Edits: @richardgthomas3 @LitReactor
Before and After: Authors' Manuscripts: @thenovelry
Catching Echoes in Your Writing: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthors

Writing Craft / Scenes

The Dinkus: 6 Uses for Scene Breaks: @nownovel

Writing Craft / Series

Writing A Series. Satisfy Readers And Make More Money: @GoblinWriter @thecreativepenn

Writing Craft / Settings and Description

The Power of the Writer's Descriptive Eye: @CindyDevoted @EdieMelson
Setting a Story in an Actual Place: @diannmills @SouthrnWritrMag

Writing Tools / Apps

Scrivener vs. Final Draft: Choosing the One that’s Right For You: @JCBakerAuthor @FloridaWriters1

Writing Tools / Resources

10 Best Podcasts for Self-Publishers and New Writers: by Jeanna Bray @shaylaleeraquel

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Published on September 12, 2020 21:01

September 6, 2020

Creating Believable Characters

by Yen Cabag

When we read a novel, we want a story that grips us, and characters that feel so real they’re almost our friends—or enemies, as the case may be. And when we turn the last page, we feel an almost bittersweet parting because we had been so involved in their lives for the last three hundred pages.

But believable characters don’t just walk onto a page all by themselves, even if that’s what it feels like sometimes. As a writer, you have the power of creating three-dimensional characters that your readers can relate to from the very first time they meet, and follow their journey all the way to the last page.

How to Create Believable Characters

So when you start to write a book, here are some tips to help you create characters that are so real, they become a part of your readers’ lives:

1. Be meticulous about their backstory.

Some writers shy away from creating backstory because they think it’s unnecessary or bogs down the narrative. But knowing what makes your characters tick is crucial for making them come to life both for you and for your readers.

Explore your character’s past experiences, especially things that make a deep impression on him. From there, you will find logical responses that you won’t have to invent but just automatically springs up as you write that character out.

One of the most important things you need to decide from the get-go is what drives your character. What are his fears, dreams, ambitions? What’s hindering him from achieving those goals? What is a lie that he believes about himself or about the world that’s keeping him from all he wants in life? And how does he need to change in the process?

2. Give them strengths and weaknesses.

There’s nothing more boring than a character who’s always predictably good or always predictably evil. After all, in real life, people always have different facets to their personality, and no one is strictly black or white.

One way of doing this is to create a character profile for each of your main characters. Think especially of strengths and weaknesses that will affect how they react to the events in your plot.

3. Explore colloquialism and other nuances in your characters’ language.

One way of creating characters that live on in your readers’ minds is by giving them a distinct voice. Is one of your characters from the South? Then give him a Southern twang. Do you have a well-educated man conversing with a man whose family had always been farmers? They will obviously use different words.

Colloquialism, when done well, is a great way to bring characters off of the page and have their voice ringing in your readers’ ears. For example, L.M. Montgomery’s Pat of Silver Bush effectively uses the Irish twang for one of the main characters, making her identifiable even without dialogue tags.

4. Show your reader how your character responds.

A piece of common advice for writers is, “Show, don’t tell.” This is an even more crucial tip when it comes to character development. Don’t just tell your readers that Miss Prissy is meticulous about her clothes; show how she smooths it down every five minutes, and yells at the maid for a missed spot, or immediately goes back in to change when she gets a tiny drop of tea on it.

Creating Compelling Characters

In the end, look at creating memorable characters is like making new friends: when you get to know your friends, you see aspects of them that you don’t always observe from your first acquaintance. Add layers to your characters’ lives, and they will become clearly more interesting people to know and remember way after the story ends.

And who knows, if you succeed in endearing your readers to them, maybe that will inspire you to write a second book!

Author Bio:

Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.

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Published on September 06, 2020 21:01

September 5, 2020

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 56,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Published on September 05, 2020 21:01

August 30, 2020

Flawed Protagonists: Resources

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I've worked on two of my series for so long that I can't really even remember the genesis of the protagonists' personalities. But I do remember creating their flaws. Both protagonists of the series have flaws that are closely modeled on my own as well as flaws of people I know well. I knew how those flaws trip me up and family up and it was easy to work those into the characters. The funny thing is that the protagonists are nothing like each other except when it comes to their flaws.

Developing a third series this year, I had to really sit down and think about flaws and which might be useful for the new sleuth. The last thing I wanted to create was a Mary Sue/perfect protagonist. I used a couple of tools to help me create Ann, including Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi's book The Negative Trait Thesaurus to help me really consider the direction I wanted to go in.

If you have a character that's too perfect, readers aren't going to relate. We all have our flaws. Even Superman had kryptonite. It just gets boring reading about someone who never screws up. And I think it would probably make for a very short book, too.

Writing about my own flaws and the flaws of people I knew was the easiest way to tackle it. I was intimately familiar with them and their outcomes and it was cathartic writing about them. I was under a deadline or two with my publishers and it was really a no-brainer. But you can't just pick on the same flaws for every new series.

Besides the book, I used a few favorite articles to help me hammer out my new sleuth's issues:

September C. Fawkes' post, “Fixing the Mary Sue Character in Your Story”

Janice Hardy's “5 Traits to Help You Create Your Character's Personality”

E.V. Scarlet's “62 Character Flaws for Creating a Well-Balanced Character”

Amanda Patterson's “123 Ideas for Character Flaws”

K.M. Weiland's “5 Ways to Use the Enneagram to Write Better Characters”

What kinds of flaws have you saddled your characters with? How did you find inspiration for those flaws?

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Published on August 30, 2020 21:02

August 29, 2020

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

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Published on August 29, 2020 21:01

August 23, 2020

How to Choose What’s Next

by Kai Strand, @KaiStrand

I’ve been writing with the intent to publish for more than a minute now. More than a decade. I’m not even going to do the math to see if I’ve hit the double decade mark. Who wants that reminder?

I mostly write for kids and teens. I love crafting stories that involve discovery and problem solving and friendship. Oh, wait, books for the grown-ups among us contain those themes as well. Huh. When an idea I’d had bumping around inside my head wouldn’t convert well into a story for young adults, I realized I should just write a book for adults and a new pen name was born.

As I mentioned, I write mostly for kids and teens. Most of my published work is targeted for the middle grade or young adult reader, but I do have a few books published specifically for adults. I purposefully chose to publish those under a different pen name – not because I think I can hide my identity from my teen readers and keep them from discovering books where adults might do more than kiss, but because I wanted to make sure there is a clear line in the sand.

As an author, I write stories that contain adventure, sometimes fantasy, love, heartache, characters acting heroically or making bad decisions. When the name Kai Strand is on the book cover, you are less likely to find the main characters falling into bed together (though the teenagers often want to!) When the name LA Dragoni is on the cover, they still might not be falling into bed together, but they also might. Does it bother me that my teen reader might migrate to my adult reads? I don’t think it’s my place to worry. I’m not marketing the books directly to underage readers, and hopefully their parents are involved in their reading choices.

How do I decide who to write for next? It depends. When readers are clamoring for a specific book, that definitely inspires my choice. If I have a series going, I generally try to keep it moving forward at a reasonable pace. For example, I’ve recently sent the prequel to Day of Reckoning to my critique partners and hope to publish it soon. Otherwise, I write what I’m inspired by. I often have several manuscripts going at a time, because I’m not adverse to hopping from middle grade to adult to young adult from one day to the next. However, once I get into a story line, I’m usually too invested in the characters to leave them until their story is told. And I hope you feel the same way when you read their story.

Award winning Kai Strand, author of The Super Villain Academy series, is often found exploring hiking trails and snapping pictures of waterfalls in her Oregon hometown. Mother of four, Kai uses her life experiences to connect with young readers. With middle grade works such as Save the Lemmings, and The Weaver Tale series, and emotional YA adventures like Finding Thor, and Worth the Effort, Kai has written compelling stories that tweens, teens, and their parents love.

Kai has given numerous presentations throughout Oregon about her work and the writing process. She loves interacting with teens and gaining their insight on their latest reads as well as what they would like to see in future stories.

To find out more about Kai, please visit www.kaistrand.com.

About the book:

Not only does twelve-year-old, Terra, learn she’s a Nature’s Spirit destined to serve the peaceful underground city of Concord, but she also finds she is named in a prophecy as the only one who can thwart the leader of the death tribe.

The Trepidus are the death janitors of the Underworld. They’re responsible for the termination and cleanup of Concord’s beings. When their leader, Blanco, learns Terra is the one who can derail his day of reckoning, he does everything he can to get rid of her. Including, dispatch a “Bringer” to complete the ultimate of death janitor duties.

Not only does Terra want to stay alive, but she hopes to complete her training and discover her Spirit talents too. So, Frank, a Spirit of Security, is assigned to protect her. Together, they undertake a secret investigation of how to defeat Blanco. But with the future of Concord and Terra’s very own life at stake, will they find the answer in time?

You can find Day of Reckoning at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

How Author @KaiStrand Chooses What to Write Next:
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Published on August 23, 2020 21:01

August 22, 2020

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Business / Miscellaneous

How to Set up an Online Bookstore: @FictionNotes
Building A Creative Business For The Long Term: @nataliesisson @thecreativepenn

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

UK Comedy Women in Print Announces Digital Ceremony: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
German Book Prize Jury Names 20 Novels to Its 2020 Longlist: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Digital Programming: The Women's Prize Would Like To Sell You a Ticket: @Porter_Anderson @WomensPrize @pubperspectives

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

Five Great Thrillers Set in Isolated Places: @NinaLaurinBooks @CrimeReads
How to deal with reader's block: @pubcoach
Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day 2020 Virtually: Four Meaningful Things You Can Do From Home: @smegallywrites @BookRiot

Creativity and Inspiration / Miscellaneous

Tips for Writing Cliffhangers: @evmysterywriter @killzoneauthors

Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation

Five Characters With Weak Motivations and How to Fix Them: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
What is Your Why? Finding Your Character's Motivation: @HankPRyan @CareerAuthors

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing

Build Your Perfect Writing Schedule: @ProWritingAid

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

Keeping in Shape for Better Productivity: @Peter_Rey_
The Emotional Roller Coaster all Writers Experience: @plotwhisperer
Books versus TV, Narrative Voice versus Scripted Scenes Longmire, Outlander: @MaraPurl @annerallen
Procrastination Expert Says There's No Time to Lose: @EricMTwiggs @IndieAuthorALLI
Stop Letting These Excuses Get in the Way of Your Writing: @NathanielTower
Digital Self Care for Writers: @EdieMelson
Writing Outside of Your Comfort Zone: @jcwalton24 @DIYMFA
Writing Superstars: @davidfarland
Journaling Tips for Writers: @SarahSallyHamer @EdieMelson
Seven Tips For Writing Success And Sanity: @SherriLeimkuhl1 @WomenWriters
The 10 Habits You Must Develop Before You Can Finish Writing a Book: @MegDowell
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: by Elizabeth @AngelaAckerman

Genres / Fantasy

The Importance of Good Fantasy Art: by Robert Zoltan
The Shadow Archetype and Powerful Villains: @mythicscribes

Genres / Middle-Grade

World-Building in Middle Grade Fantasy: @HenryCClark @DIYMFA

Genres / Miscellaneous

5 Tips to Write a Marketable Genre Fiction Series that Readers Love: @createastorylov

Genres / Romance

How to Plot a Romance Novel Step-by-Step: @lisadaily
Six Character Archetypes for Love Interests: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants

Genres / Screenwriting

Screenwriting: Believe, Care, Invest: The Bourne Identity: @CockeyedCaravan
Screenwriting: Believe, Care, Invest: Casablanca:
5 Character Revealing Scenes To Enhance Your Screenplay: @CreativeScreen

Promo / Ads

Tips for generating keywords for Amazon Sponsored Ads: @BirdsOAFpress

Promo / Metadata

How to Change Your Kindle Keywords and Why You Should: @DaveChesson

Promo / Miscellaneous

Timing Your Book Launch: @Bookgal
Audiobook Promotion Tip:

Promo / Newsletters

Email Marketing Tips for Writers: @mindofkyleam @ProWritingAid

Promo / Platforms

Author Branding Tips: @WriterRSJ @wvancamp

Promo / Websites

SEO Tips for Writers: @brotzel_fiction @hopeclark

Publishing / Miscellaneous

The Great Gatsby prequel set for release days after copyright expires: @alisonflood @GuardianBooks
A Beginner's Guide to Literary Magazine Submissions: @anitatrimbur @kristen_kieffer
Ecco and Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney Create a Publishing Diversity Fellowship: @Porter_Anderson @CynthiaDSweeney @eccobooks @pubperspectives
Understanding Author, Agent, and Publisher Responsibilities: @mike54martin
Trade-Published Romance Sees a Coronavirus Boost in the States: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Dr. Seuss Powers Ahead, With Newly Expanded Licensing in Europe: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives

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US Publishers, Authors, Booksellers Call Out Amazon's ‘Concentrated Power': @Porter_Anderson @AmericanPublish @AuthorsGuild @ABAbook @pubperspectives
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US Summer Book Sales Reports from NPD and AAP StatShot: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives

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Canada's Giller Foundation Donates $50,000 to Indigenous Literature: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Ukraine Book Business After Lockdowns: An ‘Almost Complete Collapse': by Eugene Gerden @pubperspectives
International Insights: Europe: @thenewpubstd @IndieAuthorALLI
Lebanon's Publishing and Bookselling Community: Assessing the Damage: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Belarus Crisis Prompt Alarm from European Writers' Council, PEN International: @Porter_Anderson @anneapplebaum @CouncilWriters @pen_int @pubperspectives
Words Without Borders: Paraguay's Indigenous Guaraní-Language Poetry: @Porter_Anderson @wwborders @pubperspectives

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Your Query Letter Hook and Revealing the Ending: @Kid_Lit
A Literary Agent Reviews Query Letters Submitted by Viewers: @jmdargz @ReedsyHQ

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Storyville: Surviving Rejection: @richardgthomas3 @LitReactor

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Pen Names: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: by Mae Clair @StoryEmpire

Writing Craft / Beginnings

WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at a Screenplay: by Maria D'Marco
Screenwriting: Character Introductions: @GoIntoTheStory
Six More Requirements for the First Pages Of Your Bestseller: @10minnovelist

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Creating Unforgettable Characters: @TheKerryEvelyn @FloridaWriters1

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Breaking Writing Rules Right: “Don't Write Direct Dialogue!” @SeptCFawkes

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5 Ways Harlan Ellison Can Help You Improve Your Writing: by Robert Wood @standoutbooks
21 Writers on Their Favorite Children's Books: @knownemily @lithub
On the Endless Symbolism of the Best Summer Movie Ever Made: Jaws: @oldrutigliano @lithub

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

Crafting Exposition in Storytelling: by Temidayo Azeez @shaylaleeraquel
Writing Action Adventure Fiction And Systems Thinking: @NickThacker @thecreativepenn
Stuck In The Middle: What's Your Story Trying to Tell You? @PatHatt24 @TheIWSG
How to Send a Message With Your Story: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
Do Your Characters Worry About Money? @AndreaWriterlea @TheRyanLanz
Narrative Device: On the Origin of Story: @brannansirratt @StoryGrid
Writing Tips from an Editor (Who Also Writes): @tarysande
The Importance of Turmoil in a Story: by C.S. Boyack @StoryEmpire
How Can We Learn and Improve Our Writing Skills? @JamiGold

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Touching Your Audience Deeply through Viewpoint: @davidfarland

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Naming Your Characters: @annehawkinson @FloridaWriters1

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How to Create a Blockbuster Book Series: Creating Your Story Grid: by Michael Finberg @WriteToSell

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Fiction copy editing for indie authors: Are you fit for purpose? @LouiseHarnby

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Working with Critique Partners: @shaelinbishop @ReedsyHQ

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The Antithesis Method: A Simple Solution to Getting Unstuck in a Scene: by Bonnie Randall

Writing Craft / Scenes / Conflict

Conflict Thesaurus Entry: Being Mistaken for Someone Else: @AngelaAckerman

Writing Craft / Transitions

How are your transitions? @pubcoach
How to Move From One Scene to the Next: @jamesscottbell

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Published on August 22, 2020 21:01

August 16, 2020

Audiobook Promotion Tip

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I've always struggled a little with audiobook promotion, never really sure what I was supposed to be doing with the free codes I was getting from ACX, the platform and distributor I use. The fact that I had so many free codes always made me feel a bit guilty that I wasn't using them to find new audiobook readers. I did use them for newsletter giveaways and felt good about that since it was a special perk for my subscribers.

One of my narrators contacted me in June and said she'd heard from another author about her success with the site Free Audiobook Codes. Free, that is, for the readers who get them. For authors, known as “advertisers” on the site, it's not free, but it's reasonable. $12 a title or, for folks with a large catalog, $55 for 5 titles. You can upload multiple sets of codes per title. There are more price tiers on their FAQ.

I've used other audiobook giveaway sites before, including Audiobook Boom. I also had success with that site and the price was comparable. The difference is that, with Audiobook Boom, you have more to keep up with. You must send the codes to each person individually. With Free Audiobook Codes, they handle the entire process for you. You can list it and forget about it.

I'll give my usual caution here that your mileage may vary. This worked out well for me and my genre and might be worth a go for you. But to make sure you don't waste money, I'd try it out with one book first. In fact, that's exactly what I did.

The listing process is easy….your name, book title, audiobook cover, narrator, description, genre, and the link on Amazon.

Here's an important ACX policy to know that may affect what you choose to list:

Fortunately, I do have a good number of audiobooks published before that date so I was eligible to earn royalties on promo codes. If you don't, just weigh whether you want to participate as a way of gaining possible reviews or visibility for your book or series in the long-term.

If your codes are gone in an hour…don't be surprised. That's about as long as it took for mine to be taken.

Once a certain number of your codes are redeemed on ACX, you can request more. Click the button to request them, even though it always looks as if the button is grayed out and can't be clicked. It can be, if you have enough redemptions:

After doing this, I promptly proceeded to forget about the listing after updating the codes with new codes several times.

I forgot, that is, until I received my June statement and found myself pleasantly surprised. You can see below the royalties I gained in the US for my Southern Quilting Mystery, Patch of Trouble. I didn't keep up with my UK codes quite as well in June and that's reflected here: