Peter Lopez Jr.'s Blog: Xulon Press Blog , page 20

Questions To Ask When Writing a Book

Publishing and writing a book is one of the best experiences you can add to your resume. It transcends all industries and career paths because putting a book out into the world is an arduous task. But adding “author” to your resume can’t be the only reason you publish a book—fiction or nonfiction.

We have three soul-searching questions every writer should ask before beginning a book project:
1. Why am I writing a book?

This is an important question to ask because we can ultimately write a book for the wrong reason. Some of those bad reasons to write a book include: to gain fame, fortune, and other people’s approval. Simply said, you can’t want anything out of writing a book. On a bad writing day, the potential glow of your name in lights isn’t going to make the writing any easier. To gain people’s approval or love isn’t going to make getting up at 5 in the morning to write any easier. So, ask yourself the real reason you want to write a book. If your answer is anything other than “because I want to share this with even just one person,” you might not be ready to write a book yet.

2. What can I write that I haven’t seen before?

It’s fair to say that everything that can be written already has been written by someone else, but I don’t personally believe that to be true. As individuals, we all have life experiences that shaped us a little differently than everyone else. That individuality is what allows us to tell new stories. While there are tried and true formulas for writing books—all the most successful writers use them—you can introduce new places, people, and situations within those formulas. So, think about some of your personal life experiences and brainstorm how you can use them as inspiration for both fiction and nonfiction writing.

3. How much am I able to invest in this process?

Whether you end up publishing your book on your own or through a traditional publisher, there is a lot of heavy-lifting on the author’s part. In both publishing models, the author is not only responsible for writing and revising the book, but also must be involved in the editing and proofreading stages, sign off on the cover design, and be heavily involved in the book’s marketing. That’s not all, there is also the business side of publishing a book, such as filing taxes on royalties, keeping track of expenses for tax write-off purposes, networking with potential book buyers, readers, and other writers, and more. Take the time to ask yourself how much you can comfortably invest from an emotional, mental, physical, and financial standpoint. Once you feel good about the commitment you’re going to make, you’ll be in a much better place to publish your book.

Do you feel ready to write and publish your book? We’d love to publish you! Give us a call at 1-866-381-2665 or check us out at XulonPress.com

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10 Grammar Rules for Every Writer

Seasoned writers will tell you it’s okay to break grammar rules as long as you know the right way to break them. Lazy writers often quote that same phrase to avoid learning correct grammar in the first place. I’m a firm believer that you must know the rules before you bend them. So, here’s a trusty list of my favorite grammar rules. Keep them at your writing workspace, so you can easily refer back to the list any time you get stuck:

1. Use “All right” not “Alright.”

Alright isn’t actually a word even though it turns up in a Google spelling result.

2. Are contractions okay?

If you’re writing an academic paper, avoid contractions. If you’re writing fiction (especially dialogue), then it’s okay to use contractions. If you’re questioning the formality of your piece of writing, always lean more formal and avoid apostrophes.

3. Excessive formatting is bad.

Don’t include a bunch of bold, italic, underlined (or all of the above) when trying to show emphasis.

4. Don’t get spacey.

You only need one space between sentences. Typesetters (interior book designers) will remove any extraneous spacing.

5. The use of “into” and “in to” depends on how the word is used.

“Into” means something or someone is entering another space: “He walked into the cave.” The phrase “in to” should be used when the word “in” happens to appear before “to” in a sentence: “Go in, to your right.”

6. The debate between “more than” and “over” is still strong.

Both phrases are now interchangeable. You can say “He’s over a week late on rent” or “He’s more than a week late on rent.” Don’t be surprised, however, if you notice your editor still prefers “more than.”

7. Do you use “a” or “an” with that word?

The correct usage is to place an “a” before consonant-sounding words: “A baseball flew over my head.” The correct usage of “an” is to place it before a word that starts with a vowel sound: “It was an honor to speak with you today.”

8. Is it a “compliment” or “complement”?

A “compliment” is when someone says something nice about you. A “complement” is when a person or object completes or makes something better. “She is the perfect complement to me” is an example.

9. Watch your capitalization.

Only proper nouns should be capitalized.

10. Don’t rely on adverbs.

If you see a bunch of words that end in -ly in your writing, it means you like adverbs. To break this habit, rephrase these sentences with strong verbs that carry the action. An adverb example: “She unapprovingly looked at John.” A strong verb example: “She stared without flinching.

What are some tried and true grammar rules you use when writing? For more writing and editing advice, visit our “Ask the Editor” posts.

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Resources For Self-Taught Writers

Starting to write without any previous writing courses or education under your belt doesn’t have to be a setback. In fact, you’d be surprised to learn just how many successful writers were self-taught. Both Jane Austen and Mark Twain, among many others, largely taught themselves the craft of writing.

The difference now is, self-education is much easier to attain than it was for Austen or Twain. This is thanks to the internet and the hundreds of writing books at our fingertips.

Here are 5 tried and true resources to use:
1. Bookmark Merriam-Webster Dictionary on your computer

By having quick and easy access to the dictionary and thesaurus tools on your computer, you’re more inclined to use it while typing. Plus, this alleviates the distraction of having to get up and find a print copy of a dictionary around the house.

2. Read The Elements of Style and DIY MFA.

Both of these books are great resources because they break down and provide education on different parts of the writing process. For the nitty-gritty on spelling, punctuation, and more granular parts of writing, turn to The Elements of Style. For a more focused approach to book writing as a whole, turn to DIY MFA.

3. Practice storytelling by writing short stories.

This process will help you become comfortable developing plots and building characters and learn to trim out unnecessary information in a way that feels less daunting than jumping straight into writing an entire book.

4. Take adult practice tests.

If you’re biggest personal struggle is the mechanics of writing—spelling, grammar, punctuation—try the adult practice tests at Spell Quiz for free.

5. Take online classes to build skills.

If you’re more worried about creating narratives, building plot points, developing characters, or telling your nonfiction story well, turn to Skillshare. This website offers loads of classes for writing, editing, publishing, and more.

The more practice you can complete, the more confident you’ll feel with your writing skills. So, set aside some dedicated self-education a few hours a week that is separate from your scheduled writing time and begin to incorporate what you learn into your writing process.

For more writing education, read more of our Ask the Editor posts.

 

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Writing A Book That Sells

A trope is any word used in a figurative sense or a reoccurring theme or device in a work of literature. There’s a book writing strategy that involves picking a trending book genre, studying the tropes of the books currently selling, and then writing a book that fits the tropes discovered.

While many writers might be reluctant to embrace this concept, you’ll find when you change your perspective on it, it will be empowering rather than limiting.

The Market

As an artist, some writers might read “write to market” and feel as though they’re being told to copy instead of create. This might come from a misconception about the nature of the “market.” 

In reality, the market is your readers. It’s just the word we use for people that buy books. So asking the question, “What does the market want?” is simply asking, “What do people enjoy reading?” Understanding what people enjoy should result in writing a book they will like.

You don’t want to ignore readers, but you also don’t want to make writing not fun anymore. The goal is to make books you and others will enjoy reading. What would produce the most favorable outcome is figuring out what they like, investing time in understanding what you like, and then writing something that meets all of the expectations. If you can find passion in writing things your readers will enjoy, you’ll find success. 

Innovators

Another common misconception involves innovation. Innovators need to speak the same language as the people they are innovating for. If they don’t, their innovation won’t matter because no one will understand it.

Understanding genre and tropes are like learning the language of your readers. It is important to innovate within their language.

So you see, when you shift your perspective about writing to market, you can change your approach so that you are writing for your readers in a language they will understand and enjoy, while also not losing your unique voice.

Writing Practice 

Think of someone you know personally and think about what that person would enjoy reading. Time yourself for 30 minutes and write a story in a format and style the person you chose will relate to. Feel free to share it in the comments below!

The post Writing A Book That Sells appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.

Choosing Stories for Your Memoir: 8 Questions to Ask Yourself

Memoirs are the easiest to write because you have already lived the material, but they are also the most challenging to write because you have to find the balance between what stories you share and what information needs to be left out.

Writing a memoir doesn’t mean you have to include every aspect of your life from birth to your current status in life. Instead, great memoir writers know to pick and choose the best, most important stories to include. Oftentimes, memoir writers focus too much on their personal catharsis and less on the end-user: the reader. In order for a story to stay in your memoir it needs to do one of two things:

Provide a deeper understanding of your book for the reader
Advance the story forward

To build on that, readers don’t need to know every aspect of your life or every detail of specific situations; they only want to know what they need to know to make sense of the theme or themes in your book. In the thick of writing, it can be hard to step back and make good judgment calls on which stories to share and which ones to leave out of your book.

Here are 8 questions to ask yourself before you include it in your memoir:
1. Does the information support the overall theme of your book?

First, you must identify the theme of your book. Then, you must provide stories that support that theme. If the information doesn’t directly support the overall message of your book, you would only be taking your readers down a rabbit hole that leads nowhere. So, don’t include it.

2. What is driving you to share this information?

If anger, revenge, spitefulness, or any other negative emotion is the main driving force behind your desire to share a specific story, that’s exactly when you need to do some soul searching and ask yourself if your readers benefit from your anger or spitefulness.

3. Are you able to avoid clichés?

When writing a memoir, it’s hard to avoid clichés, but as the author of your story, you have to focus on finding different ways to present your personal story. For example, thousands of people directly experienced the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, but each of them experienced something completely different.

4. Do you have other people’s permission to share situations that directly involved them?

Before you get too far down the writing path, it is best to seek permission for specific stories that involve other people. If they don’t want to be part of your

memoir, you have to respect that. It’s not enough to change people’s names if you don’t ask their permission. However, if you do get permission to include other people in your memoir, you should change their names out of respect for them.

5. Does sharing this information benefit you or your readers?

There is a huge difference between working things out on paper that personally benefit you and including information in your book that benefits your reader. When writing a memoir, the material is no longer meant to serve you—it’s meant to be of service to your readers. If you’re still searching for closure about a specific situation, it’s best to do that personal growth work in a journal and not in your manuscript.

6. Can you share the information without a bias?

A writer who has done the personal work to heal his or her past traumas is most capable of presenting information without bias. It’s no longer about pointing fingers or throwing others under the proverbial bus. Instead, a healed writer can stay focused on helping readers release their individual traumas.

7. Do you feel comfortable using your real name on the cover of your book?

If you don’t feel comfortable adding your real name to your book cover, you may not be as comfortable as you thought you were with sharing certain stories in your manuscript. Take a timeout and ask yourself why you want to use a pen name instead of your real name. If you personally can’t stand behind your book, readers may perceive the material to be disingenuous.

8. Are there any repercussions to sharing information that you haven’t thought of yet?

Think through all the potential repercussions that can come out of sharing certain stories within your book. For example, if your child found your book and read it, would you be comfortable answering their questions? Could you experience any type of physical or psychological attack from others? Are you in the middle of a legal battle that directly pertains to any stories in your manuscript? These are only a few examples to think through, but you should do a thorough review of any negative situations you could put yourself in due to the information you present in your book.

The most important task you have as a memoir writer is ruthless when it comes to deleting stories that don’t directly support your theme and don’t serve a benefit for readers.

Looking to publish your memoir? Check out our book publishing services.

The post Choosing Stories for Your Memoir: 8 Questions to Ask Yourself appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.

10 Easy Book Marketing Tips

Marketing your book doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Chances are, you already have everything you need to share your book is for purchase. Whether you’re a novice book marketer or are looking for a few quick wins to bring new life to your book marketing plan, here are 10 ways you can easily market your book for little to no money:

1. Fill out your Amazon author page.

This helps potential readers learn a bit more about you and makes the Amazon shopping experience more personal. There is no cost to this type of promotion.

2. Ask friends to leave a review on Amazon for your book.

Friends are a great way to share your book in general, but having them leave glowing reviews for your book on Amazon helps boost your chances of more sales in the future. Online buyers rely heavily on reviews for everything from appliances to books, so get some reviews rolling in. All you have to do is call or text your friends asking them to leave a review!

3. Share a post about your book on social media.

While you don’t want to inundate your social media following with your book in every post you make, adding a cute photo of your book every now and then helps remind people of your book. Take some time out of your day and take a few different photos of your book with various props. This way so you’ll have a backlog of photos you can post every few weeks or so. If you aren’t feeling creative when it comes to styling your book photos, hop over to Pinterest for some inspiration. There is no cost to this promotion.

4. Send a copy of your book and sell sheet to bookstores in your area.

Most areas still have at least one locally owned bookstore. So, take some time to send (or hand-deliver) your book and a sell sheet to local bookstores. All this will cost you is a copy of your book and postage (or some gas if you hand-deliver).

5. Identify 2 to 5 authors in your genre and ask them to run a combined book giveaway.

If you’ve been on Instagram lately, you’ve most likely seen some type of loop giveaway where you have to follow all the accounts shown to be entered into the giveaway. You can do the same thing by joining forces with a few other published authors and then the winner gets a copy of a book from each author! This is great for social media exposure and all it costs is a copy of your book and shipping.

6. Write a post for your blog.

If you have an author website, regularly posting articles to your blog helps increase traffic which can lead to more book sales. This marketing tip will only cost you time.

7. Attend a virtual event in your local writing community.

Networking is a great way to gain exposure for yourself as an author, as well as your book. Take time to invest in your local writing community to help spread the word about your book.

8. Mention your book to the next three people you meet.

The more you practice finding a genuine way to introduce your book into a conversation, the more comfortable you’ll become with talking about your book. Make an effort to authentically mention your book to the next three people you meet. You’ll find people are naturally curious about authors and their books, which can lead to a book sale. This type of promotion is free.

9. Research popular and relevant hashtags and use them in your social media posts.

If you add a post to Twitter or Instagram without hashtags, chances are not many people will see it. Take time to research popular hashtags that relate to your book, reading, and some of your hobbies. Then, attach the appropriate hashtags to increase post impressions–it’s free and easy.

10. Set up a mailing list on your website.

Don’t underestimate the power of having an email sign-up for your website. Having an email mailing list these days is priceless because those who sign up to receive emails will be genuinely interested in what you have to offer. If you can teach yourself how to set up an email campaign, this will be a free or very low-cost form of promotion.

 

Need help marketing your book? Call one of our marketing consultants at 1-866-381-2665 to learn more about the book marketing services we offer!

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5 Things To Know Before Writing A Novel

Writing a novel? Here is a list of 5 things you should know that will help you stay focused, motivated, and organized throughout your writing journey.

1. Deadlines Are Very Important.

A deadline will push you to your limits and keep you writing even when you’re not motivated to write. Establish an estimated total word count (most novels are between 50,000 to 100,000). Create monthly, weekly, and daily goals that will help you stay accountable and meet your deadline. Remember to set attainable goals; if you can only write 500 words per hour, don’t make a 2,000-word count goal for your 2-hour writing sessions.

2. Preparation Is Everything.

If you start writing with no plan it’s going to get difficult and you could come across a little thing we like to call writer’s block. Prepare a basic synopsis (about 2-3 pages long) that hit the main points of your story. Then, create an outline with more details about your structure, plot, scenes, chapters, etc. Having all your research and ideas in one place will help keep your ideas and writing cohesive and organized. Plus if a roadblock arises in your writing you’ll have something you can reference.

3. Your Characters Are Your Friends.

The better you know your characters, the smoother your writing will flow. Give them backstories, hobbies, interests; Get to know your characters as well as you would a friend.

Of course, you don’t have to write every little detail about your character in the actual novel–Just think of this additional writing as vital research for your novel. The more you know about your character outside of the main storyline, the better you’ll know how they’d react in certain scenes and give depth to your story.

4. Make A Schedule.

Schedule your writing sessions during times of the day you know you can write with minimal distraction. Disconnect from the internet (if you can) and the world around you and just focus on your writing.

5. No Editing.

One of the biggest mistakes new writers make is to edit while writing. Make sure the time you are setting aside to write is fully dedicated to just that, not editing. Avoid reading what you just wrote and just keep moving forward. You can make your edits and revisions after your writing session is over.

If you’re ready to set a publishing timeline for your upcoming novel give us a call at 1-866-381-2665 or check us out at XulonPress.com, we’d love to publish you!

The post 5 Things To Know Before Writing A Novel appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.

5 Things To Do Before Writing A Novel

Writing a novel? Here is a list of 5 things you should know that will help you stay focused, motivated, and organized throughout your writing journey.

1. Deadlines Are Very Important.

A deadline will push you to your limits and keep you writing even when you’re not motivated to write. Establish an estimated total word count (most novels are between 50,000 to 100,000). Create monthly, weekly, and daily goals that will help you stay accountable and meet your deadline. Remember to set attainable goals; if you can only write 500 words per hour, don’t make a 2,000-word count goal for your 2-hour writing sessions.

2. Preparation Is Everything.

If you start writing with no plan it’s going to get difficult and you could come across a little thing we like to call writer’s block. Prepare a basic synopsis (about 2-3 pages long) that hit the main points of your story. Then, create an outline with more details about your structure, plot, scenes, chapters, etc. Having all your research and ideas in one place will help keep your ideas and writing cohesive and organized. Plus if a roadblock arises in your writing you’ll have something you can reference.

4. Your Characters Are Your Friends.

The better you know your characters, the smoother your writing will flow. Give them backstories, hobbies, interests; Get to know your characters as well as you would a friend.

Of course, you don’t have to write every little detail about your character in the actual novel–Just think of this additional writing as vital research for your novel. The more you know about your character outside of the main storyline, the better you’ll know how they’d react in certain scenes and give depth to your story.

3. Make A Schedule.

Schedule your writing sessions during times of the day you know you can write with minimal distraction. Disconnect from the internet (if you can) and the world around you and just focus on your writing.

5. No Editing.

One of the biggest mistakes new writers make is to edit while writing. Make sure the time you are setting aside to write is fully dedicated to just that, not editing. Avoid reading what you just wrote and just keep moving forward. You can make your edits and revisions after your writing session is over.

If you’re ready to set a publishing timeline for your upcoming novel give us a call at 1-866-381-2665 or check us out at XulonPress.com, we’d love to publish you!

The post 5 Things To Do Before Writing A Novel appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.

18 Inspiring Quotes For Writers

When you’re experiencing frustration with your writing, it’s important to remind yourself that we’ve all been there before; and I mean everyone. That’s right—even the Stephen King’s and Ernest Hemingway’s of the world. Which is why it’s always a good idea to turn to those famous writers (and their quotes) for inspiration.

Here are 18 inspirational writing quotes:

 

Reading Motivation

“Read everything  —  trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write.”

—William Faulkner

 

“Always [keep] two books in [your] pocket: one to read, one to write in.”

— Robert Louis Stevenson

 

“A man will turn over half a library to make one book.”

— Samuel Johnson

 

“Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.”

― Lisa See

 

Writer’s Block Motivation

“Everybody walks past 1,000 story ideas every day. Writers are the ones who see 5 or 6 of them. Most people don’t see any.”

— Orson Scott

 

“If you wait for inspiration to write you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.”

— Dan Poynter

 

“I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work.”

— Pearl S. Buck

 

Writing Inspo

“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.”

— Robin Williams

 

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

― Maya Angelou

 

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

— Benjamin Franklin

 

“If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.”

— Martin Luther

 

Self-Doubt Inspo:

A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”

— Richard Bach

 

“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.”

― Terry Pratchett

 

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”

― Sylvia Plath

 

“You fail only if you stop writing.”

— Ray Bradbury

 

“My breakthrough with the first book came through persistence because a lot [of people] turned it down.”

— J.K. Rowling

 

“I love my rejection slips. They show me I try.”

— Sylvia Plath

 

“I think that you have to believe in your destiny; that you will succeed, you will meet a lot of rejection and it is not always a straight path, there will be detours — so enjoy the view.”

— Michael York

Have any inspirational quotes of your own? Comment them below!

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7 Tips For Overcoming Writer’s Block

If you’ve ever experienced any sort of writer’s block I’m sure you can agree it is a painful state of mind that’s often difficult to overcome.

Where does writer’s block stem from anyway? Yale University psychologists Jerome Singer and Michael Barrios followed a group of diverse, “blocked” writers and concluded that there are four main causes of writer’s block:

Excessive self-criticism
Fear or comparison to other writers
Lack of external motivation (e.g. praise and recognition)
Lack of internal motivation

You probably began your writing journey with feelings of determination and eagerness; getting past writer’s block is about digging deep and bringing that back. Let’s jump into the tips:

1. Develop A Writing Routine

Some of you might be thinking that this would be counterintuitive. After all, creativity is not something you can schedule, right? Well, the truth is if you only write when “inspiration hits” you’re bound to get stuck eventually. The only way to push through is by disciplining yourself to write on a regular schedule. 

2. Freewrite

Freewriting involves writing for a set amount of time without pause or regard for grammar, spelling, topic, etc. That means no editing or reading back, just writing.

The goal of freewriting is to write without second-guessing yourself. Find the right location (somewhere you won’t be disturbed) and choose your preferred writing tool. Set your timer for just 10 minutes at first–you can gradually increase the time as you get more comfortable with the exercise.

3. Take A Shower

Research shows that when you’re doing something monotonous (such as showering), your brain goes on autopilot and leaves your unconscious free to wander. Embrace your wandering mind, this could lead to that creative spark.

4. Balance Your Inner Critic

The inner critic could easily bring your writing to a halt and give you a big dose of self-doubt. You don’t need to completely ignore that critical voice but you must establish a balance. This way you can address what’s actually necessary and skip over the insecurity and irrelevant parts. Read this blog for tips on overcoming self-doubt.

5. Switch Up Your Point Of View

Pick a different character or inanimate object from the story you’re writing and write from that point of view. New eyes could help you see the areas you could improve and how to go from there.

6. Develop Your Characters

Take a break from your story and start writing about your characters! Give them strengths, weaknesses, ambitions, fears, motivation, etc. Creating depth in your characters can help you get back into the flow of your story.

7. Find The Root Of It

As we discovered earlier, writer’s block often stems from a problem deeper than a simple lack of inspiration. If you feel pressure to succeed, remind yourself that writing is an accomplishment. If you’re drained, take a few days off from writing. Once you get to the root of the block it’ll be much easier to fix.

Of course, there’s no magic formula when it comes to overcoming writer’s block. But these tips and finding the root of the block are sure to be a great start.

Have any tips of your own? Comment them below!

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