Maegan Provan's Blog, page 13
March 17, 2015
Missed Opportunities
Originally posted on Tricia Drammeh:
Last week, I discovered a broken link on my blog. This might not sound like a big deal to you, and in reality, it probably isn���t ��� unless my broken link directed a potential reader away from my blog. A broken��link can cost��you a book sale. It can cost you the��opportunity to connect with readers and other authors.
I don���t��want my blog and website visitors to encounter broken links and pages that lead to nowhere, nor do I want to send them on a treasure hunt��to find the buying links for my books. I want to make things as easy��to navigate��as possible. I���ve blogged about creating a Reader Friendly Blog in the past, so I probably need to practice what I preach, but when you���re juggling multiple social media sites, sometimes things fall through the cracks.
On certain websites, a slight change in the page name can change the URL���
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Sunday Surprise
A late share (I just saw it) but a fantastic interview with one of my favorite authors.
Originally posted on creative barbwire (or the many lives of a creator):
And it���s a guest! And an old friend, since her first interview came out with her first book that I loved (and it came out before more famous shades of gray was published ��� and it���s a completely different genre!)! So, here we are again, almost five years later, another six books for a great series I keep recommending whenever someone asks me. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back fellow indie author and beta swapper Joleene Naylor!
Where do you live and write from?
We recently moved back to southwest Iowa, which is where I grew up at it. There are things I miss about southern Missouri, like the warmth, but there are things I���m enjoying. Like autumn was much autumn-ier here. The change of location hasn���t had any impact on my writing, except that the moving and house renovations put me behind.
Why do you write?
Hmmm. Everyone asks���
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Be different: read a book for Saint Paddy’s Day
A great idea!
Originally posted on Jane Dougherty Writes:
As most of the inhabitants of this planet know, Tuesday is Saint Patrick���s Day. There will be parades, parties, hard drinking, and riotous assemblies on a global scale.
This year, Ali Isaac and I thought we would start a new trend. We are going to encourage the drinkers and partygoers, the green-painted ones with fake shamrocks sprouting out of silly hats, the paraders with shillelaghs made in China and dogs wearing leprechaun outfits, to stay at home and READ A BOOK!
To this end, we are prepared to equip the entire planet of revellers with A BOOK to read, completely FREE OF CHARGE.
I am not kidding. For three days, March 16th 17th and 18th, Gr�� mo Chro��, our little collection of love stories drawn from Irish myth, will be available from
For absolutely nothing!
So, get your copy, stay ahead of the pack, and you���ll be able���
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March 13, 2015
Author and Bloggers Blog Tour Update!
The turn out so far for the tour has been outstanding! Thank you to all of the authors and bloggers who have volunteered their time and their books. We still have a few spots open for bloggers wanting to host spots and authors that want to participate. Please head over to the Facebook group [click here] and join the group.
*This is a free tour so please keep that in mind before you join. No authors are paying to participate and no bloggers are getting paid. Advertisements, stops, and freebie days are all on a volunteer basis.
** This is not limited to any specific genre. Come one, come all! We need bloggers and authors from every genre. This is a universal problem and we need to raise universal awareness.
March 12, 2015
“Big time authors” vs. “Indie authors”
The line between self published authors (SPA) and traditionally published authors (TPA) also called “big time authors” is as solid as ever. Bloggers have visibly taken sides and things are getting messier than we’ve ever seen before. Authors on both sides of the fence are picking up pitch forks and sock accounts, attempting to ruin any author they see fit.
I was told this morning about another situation��that involved a TPA��taking it upon herself to trash an indie erotica author’s book because she found the idea of the book offensive. If you’re familiar with the story, please keep the major details to yourself. I am trying not to draw too much attention to the specifics of the matter. Any way, the TPA��took to her blog to blast the book and its contents without even reading a single page. She decided that it was awful because the blurb sounded offensive to her. The TPA��went even further to encourage her followers to pirate the book if they “simply ha[d] to read it” but that they should not pay a single penny for it. She acted as though her “big time” status gave her the right to pass judgement on others.
Now, the SPA��did do something a bit offensive in reaction to the matter. She took to Facebook to say that her book should be in a national museum or something. I am positive that that was done in jest, but when emotions are running high, you don’t poke the bear. The TPA��went back to her blog to share the post from the SPA��and then encouraged her readers to attack the SPA��further by saying “you know what to do.”
This scenario isn’t the first, and definitely won’t be the last. And of course, there are SPAs��turning on��SPAs. We should be trying to create a unified front by encouraging people to read, regardless of how we publish. However, I think there is a obvious reason for the dividing line. By referring to TPAs��as “big time authors” is like giving them an open invitation to get a big head. And before anyone decides to go off on me, I’m not saying that this is an all encompassing sentiment, because it isn’t. My paternal grandmother was a TPA��but she was the most down to earth person when it came to that sort of thing. She encouraged my writing. She wanted me to have those same literary opportunities that she had, but you know something? She never once spat on SPAs��and I guarantee you that she would be proud that I took the initiative and got published.
The discussion of self-publishing came up between a friend and I recently and she said some pretty insightful things. [She knows who she is, but out of respect for her in this post, I won’t use her name.] She said��that you can bash SPAs, even the ones that are prone to editing issues, but at least they did it. At least they took the initiative to put themselves out there… And she’s right.
All authors put their heart and soul into their work. One should not discount the other simply because of the means in which their work is published. But by calling TPAs��“big time”,we are all further perpetuating the divide.
Anyway, sorry if this is rambly, but I wanted to say something. We are all working towards a common goal. We shouldn’t go out of our way to perpetuate this fight.
March 11, 2015
…Susan Toy outlines 10 Ways To Kill Your Writing… PART FIVE…
Part 5! I hope that you all have enjoyed these as much as I have.
Originally posted on Seumas Gallacher:
���I���m delighted to run a five-days consecutive series of posts from my terrific pal, Author, Susan Toy, for every author to enjoy and prob���ly learn lots from��� here���s PART FIVE :
10 Ways to Kill Your Writing
This 5-part article is from a talk I gave at the Calgary Public Library Writers��� Weekend Feb. 4, 2012.
Thanks to all of you for reading this series that is very kindly being hosted by the ONE, the ONLY, SEUMAS GALLACHER!
�� Part 5 ��
Stop reading
��And this is related to Way #3 ��� Copy others and don���t search for and develop your own voice.
Do not stop reading for fear you���ll copy others.
Continue reading and read widely and deeply, and well outside your genre or style, so that you may learn how to write well. Read bad writing as well as the award-winning books, so you may learn���
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March 10, 2015
…Susan Toy outlines 10 Ways To Kill Your Writing… PART FOUR…
Part four!!
Originally posted on Seumas Gallacher:
���I���m delighted to run a five-days consecutive series of posts from my terrific pal, Author, Susan Toy, for every author to enjoy and prob���ly learn lots from��� here���s PART FOUR :
10 Ways to Kill Your Writing
This 5-part article is from a talk I gave at the Calgary Public Library Writers��� Weekend Feb. 4, 2012.
Thanks to all of you for reading this series that is very kindly being hosted by the ONE, the ONLY, SEUMAS GALLACHER!
�� Part 4
Don���t / do follow the rules
Rules are made to be obeyed and rules are meant to be broken. But you can���t obey or break them unless you first read and understand them. This holds true not only for writing, but also for submitting your manuscript and for publishing it.
Once you know and understand the rules of the business, you may work with them and redefine, to���
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March 8, 2015
…Susan Toy outlines 10 Ways To Kill Your Writing… PART THREE…
Originally posted on Seumas Gallacher:
���I���m delighted to run a five-days consecutive series of posts from my terrific pal, Author, Susan Toy, for every author to enjoy and prob���ly learn lots from��� here���s PART THREE :
10 Ways to Kill Your Writing
This 5-part article is from a talk I gave at the Calgary Public Library Writers��� Weekend Feb. 4, 2012.
Thanks to all of you for reading this series that is very kindly being hosted by the ONE, the ONLY, SEUMAS GALLACHER!
Part 3
Learn nothing about the publishing business
There was a time when writers sent their work off to publishers, signed a contract, worked with an editor, then sat back and let the publisher take over. They had no clue as to what happened next in the process of printing, publishing and selling their books. And, to be fair, many publishers liked that things stayed that way.
I believe authors do���
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March 5, 2015
TNTC 2 year anniversary!
This was delayed in posting due to a poor internet connection at my house. Celine is celebrating her two year anniversary and I am inviting all of you to celebrate. For this weekend only, both Book One and Book Two (Celine and Jeremy) are free on Amazon.
…Susan Toy outlines 10 Ways to Kill Your Writing…Part Two…
Susan Toy offers more insight in Part Two!
Originally posted on Seumas Gallacher:
���I���m delighted to run a five-days consecutive series of posts from my terrific pal, Author, Susan Toy, for every author to enjoy and prob���ly learn lots from��� here���s PART TWO :
10 Ways to Kill Your Writing
This 5-part article is from a talk I gave at the Calgary Public Library Writers��� Weekend Feb. 4, 2012.
Thanks to all of you for reading this series that is very kindly being hosted by the ONE, the ONLY, SEUMAS GALLACHER!
Part 2
Copy others and don���t search for and develop your own voice
When I first began writing creatively, I had already enjoyed a long career in bookselling and as a sales rep for publishers. During that time, I got to meet everyone ��� and I mean everyone!
Gail Bowen was one author I worked with who became a friend and I wanted to be just like her ��� writing mysteries���
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