Stacey D. Atkinson's Blog, page 6

How Netflix can inspire your writing

This week I received an email from Netflix saying they'd added new seasons to some of my favorite shows. Finally! If you live in Canada, as I do, you know that we have to wait forever for new content to appear on Netflix, and when it does happen, it's like Christmas all over again. For any writer who loves storytelling, what better way to get inspired than to watch feature films, documentaries, TV shows, and Netflix series--a playground of wacky and original characters and plots.

Here is a list of some of the new content that was added this week, plus a few extras with killer characters and dialogue. 

Mad Men, Season 6: Immerse yourself in the wonderfully tortured world of Don Draper and his ad agency.

Downton Abbey, Season 3: What will become of the Downton family and servants now that the war is over? 

Derek, Season 2: A bittersweet comedy drama about a group of outsiders living on society's margins.

Copyright http://www.rickygervais.com/derek.php

The Bletchley Circle: Four women code breakers in the 1940s use their skills to catch killers. 

Mr Selfridge: A short drama series that gives us an interesting look at how the modern-day department store came to be, all because of an American tycoon in London. 

Finally, for some fun and a master's class in ridiculously witty dialogue, make some time for these two films:

The Heat: A harsh yet endearing comedy about a partnership between a cop (Emmy winner Melissa McCarthy) and an FBI agent (Oscar winner Sandra Bullock).

Girl Most Likely: A dramatic comedy about a girl (SNL's Kristen Wiig) with no job and no boyfriend, only a room at her mother's house, featuring Annette Bening and Matt Dillon.

Have a great Netflix weekend, everyone!

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of Stuck, a novel she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing.  

6 ways to improve your eye health (writers, I'm talking to you)

It's common for writers to work at their computers all day (and night), forgoing eye breaks due to bursts of inspiration, only to end the day with dry, tired eyes. I am entirely guilty of this and I figured it was time to stop complaining and do something about it. So after neglecting my eyes for over three years, I finally visited my eye doctor this week and here's what I learned.

Eye health is really important, especially for anyone wanting a career in writing and editing. I recently noticed that I was never giving my eyes a true break at any time during the day. Firstly, I would work for several hours at a time without looking away from the screen. Then in the evenings I might watch an episode of Dragon's Den or The Voice. And finally, before bed I would devour a few chapters of a book. In all that activity, there was never a time to rest my retinas.

 

Here are five ways you can improve your eye health starting today. 

1. Get a regular eye exam. I waited too long in between exams and my eyes actually changed quite a bit during that time, which meant I'd been wearing the wrong prescription glasses for a long time. When you notice that you can't work a full day without tiring your eyes, it's time for a check-up.

2. Look away from your computer every 20 minutes. It's easy to tire the muscles in your eyes so make sure to look out a nearby window to expand your vision and move your eyeballs around to give them a stretch break. (For those keeners out there, this is a great time for a body stretch break too, to avoid stiff shoulders leading to headaches.)

3. Consider using a lubricating eye drop, preferably preservative-free. The average person blinks four times less when working on a computer, so it's easy to get dry eyes. Using eye drops will give you that extra bit of juice to power through your work without ending the day with red, itchy eyes.  

4. Improve your diet by eating more leafy greens. According to this article in Health magazine, there are all kinds of eye-friendly, antioxidant-rich foods, including eggs, fish, almonds, and berries.

5. Get enough sleep each night. Obviously, closing your eyes is the best way to actually rest your eyes. But sleep is the body's natural way of healing and regenerating, so it can repair the day's damage on your eyes. Also, make sure to sleep in total darkness to benefit from a deep sleep. 

6. Wear sunglasses in all seasons, in all weather, whenever you're outside. The sun's rays can damage and strain the eyes, so the best prevention is polarized sunglasses that cover as much of the eye (and sides) as possible. 

Bonus tip:

7. Consider changing the color of your font to grey. Sometimes the mere contrast between black and white can tire the eyes. I experimented one day with changing my document font to medium-dark grey and I immediately noticed less stress on my eyes, and I've kept the grey font ever since. 

Happy writing, editing, and coding everyone!

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of Stuck, a novel she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing.  

Divergent and other movies made from books

Last weekend the movie Divergent opened in theatres across North America, earning an impressive box office debut of $56 million. Since all authors dream of seeing their books turned into screenplays, we can give a collective "yay" for Veronica Roth, the 25-year-old Divergent author who incredibly wrote the book while she was still a student in university (when you got it, you got it)! Those involved in making the movie are now moving ahead with filming the second installment, Insurgent, since it's clear they have a franchise to rival that of The Hunger Games. In celebration of authors and their brilliant imaginations, here are a few more success stories about books (self-published!) turned into film.

 

Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James, an author who started writing fanfiction on the internet. James self-published the wildly popular, erotica book which was later published by Random House. A movie based on the book is now filming with a release date of February 2015.

Wool by Hugh Howey, the golden child of the self-publishing movement. Howey's success and sincerity led him into talks with movie executives to bring his Wool characters to film--fingers crossed! He's also struck a unique hybrid publishing deal with Simon & Schuster (print rights).   

Still Alice by Lisa Genova, a doctor of neuroscience turned storyteller. Based on her research and experience working on matters of the brain, Genova wrote and self-published a beautiful story about a successful, independent woman succumbing to Alzheimer's disease. Simon & Schuster later published the book which is now being filmed with stars Kristen Stewart and Julianne Moore, set for release in 2015.   

Here are some more articles about other self-published authors who achieved great success with their books.

Bestseller Success Stories that Started Out as Self-Published Books, Huffington Post

5 Famous Books That Were Originally Self-Published, Mental Floss

How My Self-Published Book 'Wool' Became a Hot Movie Property, Huffington Post

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of the newly released novel Stuck, which she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing.  

Do you know what type of editing to ask for?

Picture this...you finish your beloved manuscript, all 500 pages of it, and you are over the moon with excitement and pride. But your retinas feel as if they will burn out of your eyeballs if you review the text one more time. You worry that your manuscript contains errors that you just can't see anymore because you are tired of reading the same lines over and over again. What do you do? You hire an editor.

You are the creative mind, so your job is to let your ideas spill onto the page to tell a story. The editor is the technical mind whose role is to review your work and make little changes here and there to improve your story telling (readability, flow, facts, etc.). The editor will comb through your work, line by line, to iron out the little wrinkles that ultimately distract the reader. 

While there are many roles for editors, here are the four main types of editing that authors should know about. 

1. Proofreading

Proofreading is a light touch edit on a ready-to-publish, typeset document. It involves an editor reviewing your document for sneaky little errors that remain hidden in the text, even after all previous reviews and copy edits. Proofreading consists of reading each line in the document for minor errors in the text, typesetting, formatting and layout. It also includes checking pages breaks, location of photos and art, headings and page numbers. You should not be making any more revisions or tinkering with the text after the proofreading stage.  

2. Copy editing

Copy editing involves a complete read-through of a double-spaced manuscript in search of errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and the mechanics of style. It involves reviewing and noting missing information from the front and back matter (e.g. copyright page, author page), marking inconsistencies in style and facts, and offering suggestions to the author about any areas of concern.  

3. Stylistic editing (or line editing)

Stylistic editing is required once you've laid out your ideas but you know that your sentences need work to improve clarity. The editor will review your manuscript line by line to look for ways to rearrange or reword your sentences to clarify meaning, eliminate jargon, and smooth out the language, all while maintaining your original tone. If you know that your story is great but your delivery is weak, hire a stylistic editor to work with you and be open to all suggestions. Give your editor feedback early on in the project so she can fully understand your expectations and be able to rework the text in a way that will make you happy. 

4. Structural editing (or substantive, content editing)

Structural editing is a big job, but if you're honest with yourself and you know you need help with your manuscript, then a structural editor might be your ticket to actually finishing your book. The editor's role is to read your manuscript and look for ways to improve the order of your paragraphs and chapters and identify any gaps or weak areas. The work could include reorganizing a manuscript for content and structure in close negotiations with the author. Again, make sure you clearly say to the editor exactly what you are expecting her to do and what you need help with. You don't want the editor to do a copy edit on a weak manuscript when what you really wanted (and needed!) was a structural edit.

For more information about editing, check out the excellent online resources found at the Editors' Association of Canada. Also, no matter where you are in the world, you can contact your local editing association and find out more about the workshops and presentation they offer so you can learn valuable information to improve your own editing skills!

 

Image from the Basic Proofreading course at Simon Fraser University 2013. 

 

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of the newly released novel Stuck, which she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing.  

How my smart phone brought art back into my life

I'll admit it, I was late to the game to get a smart phone. I liked living in quiet obscurity with no one calling or messaging me. But once I published my first book under my own indie publishing company, I kinda had no choice but to connect with the world. So all this is fine and good and to be expected, but what I didn't anticipate was just how much my little Samsung would bring art back into my life.

Each morning I wake up and go downstairs to make breakfast and check my phone. Sure, I'm checking my emails, Twitter, Facebook messages, etc., but I'm also enjoying the amazing photography and design of people I've never met who live all around the world. I don't use social media to gossip or snoop, I use it to be inspired by really amazing people and their art. Here are some people that I follow who have really interesting things to share. 

TUMBLR

bookriot: a bookish site that offers inspired quotes, artistic book covers, and drawings and designs of literary characters.
mad-as-a-marine-biologist: incredible underwater images of plankton, jellyfish, whales, turtles, and scientific things. 
warnerarchive: beautiful black-and-white posters and still shots from Old Hollywood movie sets--think James Dean, Jean Kelly and Joan Crawford. 
earthcat: vivid photography of big cats in the wild, featuring lions, leopards, cheetahs, panthers, and cubs. 

PINTEREST

A few pinners with boards that feature beautiful design and graphic design work including fabrics, typography, packaging, and architecture.
ampersanddesign
wildchildw
michaeljsalter 

INSTAGRAM

nomadisbeautiful: inspiring travel photography from a digital nomad couple working while travelling the world
jasonmpeterson: absolutely captivating black-and-white city photography
jmsuarez_: artistic photos of NYC, where buildings become the subject
chrisozer: lifestyle photography capturing the essence of the human spirit

So the next time someone says to you that you're spending too much time on your phone, tell them to poo poo because you're busy being inspired by art. 

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of the newly released novel Stuck, which she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing.  

 

Upcoming publisher and author events to consider

As we leave the polar vortex behind us and dream of spring-like temperatures and blooming daffodils, it's time to get our calendars in order. If you are an author/publisher, then you should really consider attending at least one industry event this year as a way to stay current with the lightening-speed change in the publishing world, as well as to invigorate and fill you with all kinds of new marketing ideas for your book. 

Here are a few upcoming events that you should consider attending, which also happen to be taking place in some great American cities. Try to add a day or two to your trip and benefit from a much deserved mini-vacation too! 

1. IBPA Publishing University conference, March 21-22, 2014, San Francisco, Sheraton Fishermen's Wharf Hotel

As a member of the Independent Book Publishers Assoc., I can't say enough about how important of a resource they are for authors and publishers. This year's gathering promises to include new information about how to get your content published, distributed, and read; experiential workshops that bring your cover, description, and pitch into the picture; and crucial peer-to-peer networking to strengthen your connections, influence, and resolve.

2. BookExpo America, May 29-31, 2014, Jarvis Center, New York City

BEA is the #1 book and author event in the USA, offering access to new titles, authors, and education about the publishing industry. It runs over 4 days with 500+ authors, hundreds of new titles, and 1,000+ exhibitors. Also, new this year is the Publisher Discovery Zone and uPubU Author Hub created exclusively for entrepreneurial self-published authors to have a presence on the BEA trade show floor to network and benefit from special programming.

3. American Library Association Annual Conference, Las Vegas, June 26-July 1, 2014

This is your chance to learn about one of the most important books buyers out there: libraries! The conference will talk about the transformation of libraries and books, and provide lots of networking opportunities.

San Francisco, New York, and Las Vegas...sounds like fun! 

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of the newly released novel Stuck, which she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing. 

Bookish apps you should know about

What's the use of a smartphone if we can't transform it into a reading device, right! There are so many ways to surround ourselves with great books, and thanks to book apps, this now includes times when we're on the go. Check out this list of bookish apps which are some of my personal favorites, each listed with their unique selling points from their websites.

Kindle Reading App

Buy Once, Read Everywhere. You don't need to own a Kindle device to enjoy Kindle books. Download one of our free Kindle apps to start reading Kindle books on all your devices. The Kindle app is available for every major smartphone, tablet, and computer. That means with our free Kindle reading apps, you can buy a Kindle book once, and read it on any device with the Kindle app installed. And of course, you can also read that same Kindle book on a Kindle device if you own one.

Chapters Indigo App

Shop faster and easier. Shop on the go with secure checkout. Scan product barcodes for reviews or to buy & ship. Easily create a wish list or gift lists. Rewards in your pocket: Your digital rewards card is always with you. Instant access to your rewards and
personalized recommendations. Set your favourite store: Locate your closest store and check in to see what's in stock. Connect on Facebook: Share your location, the products you like and find friends.

Goodreads App

Tap into the world's largest social network for readers with the Goodreads app! Read thousands of book reviews by your friends and other Goodreads members, keep a virtual bookshelf of what you've read, and build your to-read list as you discover great books on the app. Goodreads is a free service for everyone who reads. We have more than 8,500,000 members who have added more than 300,000,000 books.

Kobo App

Read Anytime, Anywhere with Free Kobo eReading Apps. Browse and shop over 4 million eBooks including new releases, and bestsellers. Automatically syncs your library across all your devices including iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac, PC, and all Kobo eReaders. Choose from multiple font sizes and styles, plus read in day or night mode.

iBooks App

iBooks is an amazing way to download and read books. iBooks includes the iBooks Store, where you can download the latest bestselling books or your favorite classics – day or night. Browse your library on a beautiful bookshelf, tap a book to open it, flip through pages with a swipe or a tap, and bookmark or add notes to your favorite passages.

Google Play Books App

Choose from millions of books on Google Play including new releases, New York Times® bestsellers, textbooks and free classics. Easily adjust font size and customize even more of your reading experience. Read online or offline and pick up where you left off on your phone, tablet, or computer. Get started reading today!

Wattpad App (free stories & books!)

The fun and fast way to take your stories where you want to go. Anytime. Anywhere. Wattpad is the world's largest community for discovering and sharing stories. It's a new form of entertainment connecting readers and writers through storytelling, and best of all, it's entirely free. With thousands of new stories added every day, an incredibly active community of readers, and the ability to read on your computer, phone, or tablet, Wattpad is the only place that offers a truly social, and entirely mobile reading experience.

Audible App (for audio books, yay!)

Enjoy books in a whole new way: Great narrators make a story come alive. Be more productive: Transform your commute, workout, or chores into listening time. Listen anytime, anyplace: Listens with the free Audible app on your smartphone or tablet. 

Overdrive Book App (for library books, double yay!!)

Read, Listen, Enjoy. Read and listen to eBooks & audiobooks from your library on the go or at home with OverDrive Media Console. The app is available for every major desktop and mobile platform, including Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android phones and tablets, Kindle, NOOK, Windows 8 PC and tablet, Blackberry and Windows Phone.

Happy reading everyone!

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of the newly released novel Stuck, which she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing.    

How not to get sued when writing a book

Over the past few weeks I've been enjoying my new editing course Ethics and Legal Issues in Writing and Publishing at Simon Fraser University (Vancouver). Learning how to be a professional editor is making me a better writer and is giving me invaluable insight into the bigger picture of writing a book. Let's just say it's important to know how not to be sued by someone saying you based a character on him or borrowed from his work without giving due credit. If you've ever wondered about this, here are a few bits of information to help inform your writing.

Some broad stroke terms you should be familiar with:

Copyright: In Canada, copyright is life of the author plus 50 years after the author's death (70 years in the US). Copyright protects the expression of the idea or intellectual creation; it does not protect the idea itself. 

Rights: Economic rights derive financial reward. Moral rights protect the integrity of work. (So no decorating that statue with Christmas lights outside the mall, lest the artist sues you for violation of her moral rights!)

Copyright infringement: Substantive taking of someone's work without getting permission or giving due credit. Allowable exceptions include using the work for the purpose of review, comment, criticism, education, or parody.

Plagiarism: Using another person's work as your own.

Appropriation of personality: The right to control the use of your own name, image, etc.   

Defamation: This relates to slander, libel, fair comment and responsible communication. A person who thinks he's been defamed must prove it false in court. Interesting to note, truth is a defense. 

Slander: Verbal defamation with no permanent record.

Libel: Written defamation with a permanent record including newspapers, letters, websites, email, pictures, etc. 

It's also common for lawsuits involving any of the issues listed above to be decided case-by-case, fact-by-fact, and always depending on intent. So while there is no cut-and-dry legal advice out there, you can always do your own research on the following websites to get a sense of which way the rulings tend to lean.

Canadian Legal Information Institute

IP Osgoode Law and Ethics Site

Note that I've written the above terms in non-legal, plain language; however, I must give credit to SFU and my wonderful instructor, Renée Sarojini Saklikar, author and lawyer, who so patiently guides us students through the complexity of terms and case studies.

Safe and happy writing, everybody!

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of the newly released novel Stuck, which she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing.   

 

 

 

Get ready for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2014

If you haven't already heard, this Sunday, Feb. 16th, is the opening day of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2014! So get your entries ready because this is a really big deal.

Here's why you should be excited about this award:

1. The Grand Prize Winner receives a $50,000 advance.

2. Four First Prize winners will each receive a publishing contract with an advance of $15,000.

3. The contest is open to five popular genres: general fiction, romance mystery/thriller, science fiction/fantasy/horror, and young adult.

All you have to do is make a really strong pitch of up to 300 words. If your pitch sounds interesting enough, you'll make it to the next round and be asked to submit an excerpt of your work (3,000 - 5,000 words). Then if you make it to the next stage, you will submit the entire manuscript for review. 

For more details on how to enter, visit the contest web page here.

Good luck everyone!!

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of the newly released novel Stuck, which she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing.  

 

 

Writing with cats

This week I adopted a 5-month-old kitten from the humane society through my local Petsmart store. His name is River and admittedly, he has brought much joy into my life, but he is also a bona fide destructo cat. In order to help me come to terms with how my life has turned upside down since he came into my home, here is an open letter to my cat.

Dear River,

Oh, little kitten, why must you act so possessed

Running to and fro like a child in a party dress

Chasing phantom shadows and making a mess

When you crash into my stack of books.

 

Oh, little kitten, why must you torment so

Your Persian brother who only knows

How to be kind and be your friend

Even when you jump on him time and time again.

Oh, little kitten, why must you daily insist

On chasing the mouse across my desk

Then pawing at the cursor on my screen

Just before laying down on my laptop to preen

Your beautiful grey fur. And then nap.

 

Celebrate National Adoption Weekend on Feb. 14-16 by opening your heart and home to a cat!

Stacey D. Atkinson is the author of the newly released novel Stuck, which she published via her independent company Mirror Image Publishing.