Imran Siddiq's Blog, page 16

Music is the perfect blocker.

 

Lately my one hour sprints have produced startling results.

Tuesday = 1.6k

Wednesday = 1.4k

Thursday (only managed 42 mins) = 1.1k

A year ago and I just managed to hit 800 words.

Go back to 2011 and I was scraping in 500 words an hour.

So what’s changed?

Simple – I’ve removed distractions (not so easy for all I know) and added in another.

As soon as I get home I feed the cats, make a drink, pull on my thermal socks and boot up the computer. Whilst Word is loading up, I switch off email notifications (or just shut down completely) and ensure that Twitter/Facebook and all other forms of social media are deactivated.

I need peace.

And then – I add music.

But it has to be instrumental music that lifts and drops me into worlds and emotions that are unlike your favourite band or album. Epic music made by little know composers always works for me.

Latest one I’ve been listening to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuwnaADH-GM

The music absorbs me – and – releases me to be thrust into my novel. I am away with the words.

Long may it continue.

Words are rolling in 2014

 

Year on year since 2007 I’ve been improving my words per hour – and although Christmas Week 2013 was the most uneventful in terms of writing ever, 2014 has been a slap-bang rollercoaster.

I’m still working on Novel 8 that I started on November 18 2013. I was excruciatingly late to the NaNoWriMo party as I spent great time on polishing Tyler Nitbone [Out Now].

Anyway… As of yesterday I’m at the 89k mark and still have 25% of the novel to write. I’m guessing the first drfat will roll in at 120k… and will then have approx 40k slashed off during redrafts/edits.

I’m not phased by losing 40k because anything out that can help make it tighter is a good thing in my mind. And sure there will words added. Refrafting is the moulding of the pot after you’ve landed the clay on the table.

Let those hands work.

I’ve been setting myself challenges to write as much as possible. I only have about 2-3 hours available a day, and sometimes that shortens down to a one hour sprints.

I’ve notched up 23k in the last 14 days of 2014 – and I’m quite pleased with that. Compare that to 3k during Christmas Week and you might understand my joy. I seriously feared that I had burnt out my energy reserves with the hectic year that 2013 has been.

Hence let 2014 keep coming.

I am ready.

I am here.

My fingers are a tingling.

I Write Video

 

It’s here!

The I Write video is live.

Thanks to all those that contributed videos or allowed their images to be used to help stress the time and effort we put in as writers.

It’s not easy to sacrifice parts of our lives to create worlds and bring life to characters.

Please share and do follow the vast list of contributors: https://twitter.com/Flickimp/i-write-video/members

—————-

Video = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybvvIBC0xMA

—————-

 

Can I Use Your Image in my Writers Video?

 

This is a funny sort of request.

Very soon, I’ll be creating the ‘I Write’ Video – to be released on Youtube – to showcase the vast range of people that write.

The video will contain:

* Snippets about the time, effort, sacrifice and commitment we make and put into writing.

* Short videos from writers that inform us of them writing/other involvement.

* Will mention how important editors, critiques, writing groups are, and design when self publishing.

* Will end with a collage of writer pictures —– and this is the bit that I need permission to use.

 

If you would like to be in the collage – please email on imran@imranwrites.com with your twitter id.

Please be a part of this.

 

A previous video I created is here:



Note: Tyler Nitbone – a YA Science Fiction about parallel realities is on wide release - http://www.amazon.com/Tyler-Nitbone-Imran-Siddiq-ebook/dp/B00GV8UBGI

 

5 Novels for One Promo

 

 

Proud to announce an opportunity with the joint writing team of A and K. Makansi – authors of The Sowing – a fantastic YA Science Fiction that has helped me hone my writing. I recommend giving this post-apocalyptic novel a go.

Okay… so how does my YA Science Fiction  novel – Tyler Nitbone – fit into this?

For the whole of December 2013 – anyone who purchases a copy of The Sowing or Tyler Nitbone – and can evidence this with a digital receipt – will be sent an ebook of the other novel and the Divided Worlds Trilogy (by me).

Let’s break this down:

Purchase The Sowing – and you’ll get Tyler Nitbone and The Divided Worlds Trilogy.

Purchase Tyler Nitbone – and you’ll get The Sowing and The Divided Worlds Trilogy.

Simple.

 

Don’t miss out on this December 2013 Offer.

 

Purchase links:

The Sowing

Amazon.com     http://www.amazon.com/Sowing-K-Makansi-ebook/dp/B00DYIUX9I

Amazon.co.uk   http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sowing-K-Makansi-ebook/dp/B00DYIUX9I

 

Tyler Nitbone

Amazon.com     http://www.amazon.com/Tyler-Nitbone-Imran-Siddiq-ebook/dp/B00GV8UBGI

Amazon.co.uk   http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tyler-Nitbone-Imran-Siddiq-ebook/dp/B00GV8UBGI

Tyler Nitbone – Released

 

November 29 has arrived – and so has Tyler Nitbone.

YA Science Fiction

There are rules to being an Alternate Worlds Viewer:

DO NOT interact with the environment.

DO NOT interfere with events.

DO NOT reveal the ability to Cross.

Tyler has broken the rules. But which? All of them?

He must interfere to undo the interference or risk the lives of zillions.

 

Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com
Goodreads
And win a Paperback Copy of the novel.

 

 The Trailer



A Read of Chapter One 

The Chapter Headings

I consider titles to be important.

Be honest…  Would you be put off from clicking a link, a book off a shelf, or hearing about a book where the title is:

Unimaginative, [The Big Bang]
Cliché, [Kill Two Birds with One Stone]
Done before, [Lord of the Second Ring] or
Does not make sense? [The Diminishing Ozone Layer of the Moon]

For me – I can’t begin writing a novel without having a good idea of the title. Yes – it may change when we get to the end, but it won’t deviate much from its primary creation.

Why do I create my title before I create the novel? Because I see the ending in my head, and from that I work backwards to get understand how we reach that ending. It is at that point that the title forms. The title is the essence of the novel. The title encapsulates the ending/the message I convey.

Below is my view on how Titles can link into the essence/ending of a movie:

Star Wars I The Phantom Menace – Not until the end do Yoda and Mace Windu discuss the Sith threat.
Star Wars II Attack of the Clones – Not until the end do we see the clone army amass.
Star Wars III Revenge of the Sith -  Unlike the others – the essence runs throughout the movie.
Star Wars IV A New Hope – By the end, Luke is a medal-honoured member of the Rebel Alliance.
Star Wars V The Empire Strikes Back – By the end, Vader and Co have kicked some ass.
Star Wars VI Return of the Jedi – Anakin-Vader redeems his Jedi qualities.

Remember, this is my view, and I am nooooooooo expert.

And this brings me onto Chapter Headings. When used they have a double meaning and won’t always be what they imply.

The Chapter Headings for Tyler Nitbone – Released Friday November 29 are below:

1 – In A Hurry

2 – Lockdown

3 – Identity

4 – Ascending

5 – Buddies

6 – The Primary Crosser

7 – Peril

8 – Morality

9 – The Accusation

10 – Gathered

11 – Dodging

12 – Pursuit

13 – Games

14 – Returned

15 – History

16 – No Defence

17 – Underground

18 – Engineered

19 – Caught

20 – Hurtle

21 – Lost

22 – Showdown

23 – The Simple Life

24 – Consequences

25 – Loyalty

26 – The Creator

27 – Interfering

 

Please do -Add Tyler Nitbone to your Goodreads Reading List.

Tyler Nitbone: The Trailer

I have a differing opinion of if trailers for books work, however they do gauge interest and can influence possible interest.

So… here goes.

Tyler Nitbone – Released Friday November 29



Another blog will be up soon, explaining how the trailer was created – with total cost for resources being less than £10.

Please do -Add Tyler Nitbone to your Goodreads Reading List.

 

The Promo Blitz

 

Would you my dear universe like to obtain a Free E-book copy of:

Disconnect, Disassemble, Disrupt (Out Now) and Tyler Nitbone (Due November 29th).

Indeed, you can.

All that would be required is a post on your site helping to promote Tyler Nitbone. A book blitz for the YA Sci-Fi novel will run from November 29th to December 5th, 2013, you can post on any day during this window.

More details are here:

http://xpressobooktours.com/2013/11/04/blitz-sign-up-tyler-nitbone-by-imran-siddiq-2/

Also – add it to your Goodreads List - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18746524-tyler-nitbone

Why am I so quiet?

Sorry all – been quiet on the blogging side.

I’m busy working on Tyler Nitbone and ensuring that it’s the best it can be in time for release November 29.

Oh – and working through Novel 7 to be submitted to agents at the end of Nov.

Oh… and starting Novel 8 for NaNoWriMo (an amazing event where you try to write 50k in November – it can be done).

On that note, I’m going to reduce my novels per year from 4 to 2. A little less stress could go a long way.

Live long all.