P.H. Solomon's Blog, page 322

8 Ways Scrivener Aids My Writing

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When I originally gave Scrivener a whirl earlier this year I didn’t know how the software worked. But I read several articles and posts about how other writers put this writing tool to use. I took my time working through the provided tutorial after which I began using it with increasing regularity.

Over the last few months, I’ve begun using Scrivener for almost all of my writing. I’m so impressed with it’s usefulness, I’ve begun writing about this software to share my ideas. I’m getting lots of mileage out of blogging with it and I’ve begun using it for my newsletter and other email templates.

Here are 8 ways Scrivener boosts my efforts as a writer:

1. I’m better organized from the beginning of projects. Because Scrivener is an organizational tool, I’m able to develop structure from the beginning of the project.

2. I can easily make changes to structure. Even though I’m structuring my projects well at the beginning, if I find I need to make structural changes I can do so quickly and easily using the binder.

3. I can turn out short projects at a faster rate. As I’ve written, I’m using this software for blogging, newsletters and email templates.

4. I can use different media to assist my efforts. I can copy pictures, links, video and other forms of media into a project. This is very effective for visualizing aspects of a project like characters or locations. I place these in a sub-folder within the Research folder.

5. Since I’m more organized and faster with short projects I have more time for longer projects. It becomes a real time-saver so from this efficiency I can spend more time on my longer projects which have a higher importance over the long haul.

6. In relation to number 5, I don’t waste time staring at a blank screen since all the preliminaries are out of the way. As a writer, it’s not a good thing to sit staring at you screen. For me, beginning with organizing the project and working with development tasks means my ideas are so developed that I’m more than ready to write the project when the time comes.

7. In relation to number 2, I can edit more effectively which is a plus for a novel. I don’t have the whole manuscript staring at me, just a piece that is manageable. I’ve found that trying to manage a whole manuscript in a single file structure means that I bog down with the entirety of editing. With Scrivener, the book is already segmented and ready for editing.

8. It’s my multi-function tool. As I’ve written in earlier posts, the software is so flexible I can use it for any type of work that I’m doing as a writer. And because it is so powerful a tool I can plan a project like a blog series with growth potential and conversion into a different format as a book – and let’s face it, bloggers like the idea of transforming their blog posts into an e-book.

Bonus Info: Here are links to some helpful templates:

Scrivener template designed for a year of blogs from AllIndieWriters.

Another template for blogging from Thaddeus Hunt.

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Upcoming News: Next week, I’m planning a post about Scrivener for another use.

If you use Scrivener, how has it improved your writing? If you haven’t started using Scrivener, what’s stopping you? What other usages can you share? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed yesterday so take a look.

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Real Characters: She Can’t Be That!

Allison, the fell warrior-princess, drew her sword and advanced on the band of ragged louts confronting her. “You’ll soon feel the fiery claw that is ‘The Tigress’, you cowards.”

The men laughed and doubled-over. “You can’t hurt us!”

Her faced scrunched and a flush rose on her cheeks. “I can’t.”

The leader stepped forward with a grin. “You don’t know how to use that. You can’t be a warrior.”

“I can’t?”

“No you’re just here, well, for the women to identify with.”

Allison scratched the back of her head. “I am?”

“Sure, now run along and sew or something but try to be serious and well-respected.”

The other ruffians guffawed. “Yeah! And try to look beautiful while you’re at it.”

Allison walked away shaking her head. “I don’t understand, I trained an everything.”

You’ve read it. I’ve read it. It’s a common complaint on internet discussion threads; the female warrior is overdone and become farce. Such characters are written merely to gain and keep women readers but they aren’t realistic – not a reflection of reality in the real world so they can’t be in the fictional world. The complaints go on and often twirl into other complaints about overdone tropes of various sorts. Frequently, one wonders if these people are just tired of the grand trope of fantasy altogether (and my advice would be to read some other genres for a while – or better yet some non-fiction).

But I say, the woman-warrior is welcome in fantasy and should even be celebrated! Why? Well lets examine some of the reasons.

She’s been there all along

Now I’ve heard some people complain that female characters should be a warrior and domestic – it would be unique. Others retort that it’s not realistic and can’t be done. Well, it has been done and it is realistic.

The best example is from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Eowyn is a princess of Rohan who has taken care of her king in his magical dotage. We meet just after she has cared for her brother as he died. When trouble comes, Eowyn is called upon to lead her people while the men go off to war. But, being wearied of her life and finding trouble in her back yard she chooses to take up the sword. And it’s a good thing she does so, because she does what no man can do – kill the Lord of the Nazgul. Tolkien has been accused for years for his sexism in not having more women in the story as well as implying that women shouldn’t fight. But he places Eowyn right in line of danger, giving her, arguably one of the best scenes in the whole trilogy – not to mention a great line. It translated well to the big screen.

But that’s not realistic

What’s that? Still arguing about this trope? It can’t happen? Do you think women can’t and won’t take up the sword when necessary, even coming from a domestic background? Think again because history provides us with a singularly excellent example: Joan of Arc. She was a farm-girl and you can imagine what that life was like – very farm and domestic-like. But after seeing a vision she heads off to volunteer to save France from the English. It’s the stuff of a great fantasy tale.

What’s that? It’s only one example? Wrong again – what about the Amazons (check the part about Sarmatian burials). They’re just a myth? Well, think about that again. Secrets of the Dead had an episode iwhere Amazons were examined as historically real. Apparently they lived in that area of the world and later migrated across the Russian steppes.

Still not satisfied? According to a recent archaeological study, women may have make up almost half of Viking warrior burials. Yep, that’s right, almost half. All those Vikings storming the shores of Europe to raid villages and towns had plenty of women in the fray and pillaging. Surprised? I’m not. While woman often have domestic duties in most cultures throughout history, they too need to be momma-bears when necessary. Regardless, there are multiple cultures which recounted tales of the Shieldmaiden.

As for the princess idea, lets put that to rest as well. Ever heard of Boudica? She was a Celtic queen who led an uprising against the Romans. Before the “rebellion” was put down she and her people won several battles against the formidable Roman legions.

So take a deep breath and let’s not get worked up about the trope and whether aspects of how female warriors are portrayed are possible. They are indeed possible, however the character, like all, should be presented authentically as possible.

Authenticity

So there can be shown that women were part of many tales about heroic feats.While the female warrior is historically present in many accounts all the sexy depictions are not. Many of the tales recount that Amazons and Shieldmaidens were dressed as men. What does this mean? Those hot-looking breastplates are not accurate. In fact, breast bulges would not even be structurally sound defensive accoutrements.

The importance to understand is that heroic female characters do belong but should not be cast as sex symbols because those easily become unrealistic. In this case, Martin’s female knight, Brienne, is both realistic and authentic. So I say, “Long live the trope!” But only as long as it fits and is presented well which is what all readers ask of any story.

Available at Amazon, Smashwords and All Major E-Book Vendors!

What fantasy tropes bother you and why? Please share your thoughts in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added anew sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed on 11/10/14 so take a look.

Thanks for reading.

P. H. Solomon

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Filed under: Amazons, Creativity, Fantasy, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Planning, Self-publishing, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Writing Tagged: Amazons, Facebook, Fantasy Fiction, P. H. Solomon, Shieldmaiden, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, Viking, writing

Find the Mole

John Le Carre wrote the espionage classic, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy in the seventies. The book was based on a real mole in British Intelligence named Kim Philby who operated for the Russians for decades. In a forward to the book, Le Carre equated the devastating effects to the agency as being turned inside-out. The fiction brilliantly depicts how the Russians feed certain information to the British which manipulates them into a string of intelligence failures. The main character, George Smiley, comes out of the retirement to which he’s been dismissed after the last major embarrassment to find the mole. I loved the book and the movie.

Symptoms

There were signs portrayed in the book that all along something was wrong on the inside. Odd decisions were made. Personnel in the know were pushed aside. Information that was too good to be true was taken as gospel truth. Failures mounted.

Do You Have a Mole?

Do you have trouble getting any writing done? Are you sporadic in your activities? Spending too much time watching TV? Too much time on Twitter, Facebook or other social media?

If so you may have an inner mole, something that’s undermining your efforts. Your creativity is stifled at best, wearing concrete shoes at worst. You need to hunt down your inner-mole. But how?

Suggestions

1. I’ve written about Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way previously but I’ll push it again. The book teaches how to recover and cultivate creativity. Get a copy and read it.

2. Here are 4 Reasons Why I Journal. Perhaps they will help you break loose from unmotivated ways, prime your creativity and springboard into productivity.

3. Set goals and work to meet them. Here are my 8 tips for setting goals. Why not try them out?

4. Schedule your time wisely and say no to all the things that draw your attention from your creativity.

Don’t Be…

Let me put it this way:

When you have an inner-mole you do nothing creative.

When you do nothing creative you waste your life.

When you waste your life you feel depressed.

When you feel depressed you sit around doing nothing.

When you sit around doing nothing you die.

When you die they eventually find your skeleton in the chair.

Don’t be the skeleton in the chair.

Find your inner-mole.

Available at Amazon, Smashwords and All Major E-Book Vendors!

How do your avoid writing (we all do it)? What actions do you take to overcome your inner-mole? Please leave comments in the section below. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today!

Thanks for reading,

PHS

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Filed under: Creativity, Writing Tagged: creativity, espionage, Goals, Journal, mole, spy, writing

What is Needed – Part 1

Photo used in The Bow of Destiny book trailer

Author’s Note: This is Part 1 of the prequel blog serial entitled “What is Needed”. This series is a companion to The Bow of Destiny (Part 1 of The Bow of Hart Saga) as expanded writing samples for the current Indiegogo campaign for the novel. The events of the blog series pre-date those of The Bow of Destiny by several hundred years but include several long-lived characters who appear in the forthcoming novel. This material is copyrighted and not intended for reproduction except at the author’s consent.

 

What is Needed (Part 1)

by P. H. Solomon

 

Withling’s Watch squatted in shadow as the dregs of sunlight dwindled behind the Gray Spires. Hastra’s head bobbed with the motion of her mare’s hoof-dragging gait. It’s good to come home. She yawned. She longed to see Zelma. Hastra’s stomach rumbled. But first some food.

The expansive stone building loomed out of the dusk as the horse climbed the cobblestoned incline to the walled keep. Lights flickered in windows and smoke puffed from chimneys.

Cold wind gusted from the eastern flanks of the Gray Spires and flung Hastra’s fur-lined cloak in wild contortions. She tugged the garment under control, held it one-handed against another blast and gripped the reins in her other hand. She chuckled between her chattering teeth. That woke her. They were a house of mystics and miracles but even they suffered from cold and hunger. The Withling’s stomach growled again.

Horseshoes rang on the road as she approached the gates. Lamps in the gatehouse cast a pool of light in the gloom. Hastra pulled her cloak tighter and lifted her head. Snow threatened all day and night arrived fast below those peaks.

Her gaze followed stray snowflakes onto her horse’s head. She gasped at the gatehouse. The lights were out and the keep was dark. Her eyes narrowed. The wrought-iron gates stood ajar and listed like a ship in a gale. She pulled reins and the mare halted with a snort.

The wind howled and exploded past the squealing gateway. Shadow slammed into Hastra and she tumbled off the mare. Screams of terror and snarls of violence echoed from the courtyard. Fire belched from the darkness and roared past her. The mingled voices fell silent while gusts moaned like ghosts around the desolate square.

Boots clattered on the stone pavement.

Hastra recoiled as a figure distilled from the gloom. Her hand fumbled for her belt-knife. “Who’s there?” The Withling blinked and the spectral gloom faded.

“Hastra? It’s me, Kregen.” The Rokan Withling trotted to Hastra’s aide with light streaming behind him. He extended his arms. “You fell off your horse. Are you ill or just tired? Are you injured?”

Hastra stammered for words. He looked like a vulture stooping over a corpse with that bald head and hooked nose. “I’ve had a…” She stifled her tongue in sudden wariness. Best not speak of a vision too soon. “I must’ve nodded off a moment. I’ve pushed hard to return before the snow.”

“Can you stand? Here, let me help you.” Kregen clasped hands with Hastra as she climbed to her feet.

“Just bruised, I think.” She rubbed her hip.

Kregen released Hastra. “You’re young, that’ll heal soon enough unless Eloch instructs someone to heal you.”

“Yes, perhaps.” Hastra cocked her head and arched an eyebrow at her surroundings. Light glimmered from the gatehouse and the gates stood open and whole. Lanterns gleamed in the courtyard while lamps or candles glistened from the keep’s windows. She turned and found nothing behind her except the mare and the gathering night. That was a vision but of what?

Kregen gathered the mare’s reins. “Come warm up in the gatehouse. I’ll have your horse taken to the stable.”

Hastra limped beside the Rokan who held her arm and led her mare. That vision came with neither instruction nor other impressions. She grimaced at her hip and stepped into the gatehouse as snow fluttered thicker on the night wind.

“Noe, please see that mare over to the stable. It should be curried and fed.” Kregen motioned to the door and the young student scurried out the door on the assigned errand. “Is anything wrong, Hastra?”

Hastra stood at the door. The gates leaned on the hinges in that vision. She rubbed her chin.

Kregen touched her shoulder. “Hastra?”

“Hmm? Oh, I’m fine. Just a bump.” Hastra released her frown and smiled. Those gates, the dilapidated keep in darkness. It was abandoned after the screams and fire. She shivered but not from the night chill. “I’ll go up to dinner. Can the boy bring my baggage?”

“As you wish, there should be food on the table even now. I’ll send him around later with your bag.”

Hastra nodded and hobbled into the courtyard as her brows furrowed. She’s speak with Zelma, maybe pray and write it in the book for others to inspect. She winced as she climbed the steps to the door. Hastra turned at the top and found the courtyard dappled in light and dark. Kregen’s head drew back into the gatehouse. He was watching me. By those narrowed eyes he guessed more happened than she had let on. Hastra frowned again and entered the main door of the stone keep. Wind snuffed lit candles by the door.

“Who’s that?” The doorkeeper stepped out of the shadows and held a covered lamp aloft. “Hastra! Welcome back to Withling’s Watch. I’m sorry to discomfort you with candles at the door but I’m still lighting lamps.”

“No bother, I just fell outside is all, Zeld.”

The familial hooked nose of Kregen’s brother cast an odd shadow on his face as he lit a lamp by the door.

Hastra tugged her gloves off her hands and held them folded in one hand.

“Do you need help? You look pained by the fall.”

“No, I just want food.” Hastra removed her cloak and draped it over her forearm.

Zeld motioned across the cavernous entry-hall. “Well there are plenty of our fellow Withlings still sitting at the table. I should like to hear of your journey when you have the time.”

Hastra flashed a brief smile and nodded. “We can speak on the morrow. Good night.” Zeld bowed as she limped away across the marble floor. The vaulted ceiling left the place too cold. It was too proud for their humble order. She grunted at her halting stride. All safe until the end of the journey.

Candle flames fluttered as she entered the passage leading to the dining hall. Muffled murmurs transformed to tangled conversations as Hastra entered the dining hall.

She stood in the doorway as the wave of voices washed away her silent journey. The Withling shuffled among her fellow mystics. Scents of roasted meats and spiced vegetables tickled her nose and her stomach grumbled. If only she could find Zelma. She should hear of this vision. There’s frizzy, red hair down that row of tables. Hastra waved. “Zelma!”

The din of the clattering crockery and chattering mystics drowned Hastra’s call. She hobbled along the aisle and met a familiar face. “Howart, greetings!”

“Hastra? Have you returned on the wings of a night-bird?” The Grendonese switched the pitcher he carried to his left hand and offered his right in greeting. “What is needed…”

“Is given. Yes, but my owl walked the whole way.” Hastra rubbed her sore haunch as Howart laughed. This bruise was given for a reason so don’t linger. “I must speak to Zelma if you will excuse me.”

The gaunt Withling nodded as she stepped away among the trestle-tables.

Hastra picked Zelma’s voice from the mingled voices. “Zelma!” Hastra waved her gloves over her head as she approached.

The freckled face with receding chin and prominent nose turned toward Hastra. A moment of arched eyebrows and thin lips parted changed into wide eyes and grinning.

“Hastra!” The young woman scrambled over the bench and jostled her companions with apologies. “Sister, you’ve come with the night.” Zelma hugged Hastra, drew back and touched her cheeks. “You’re half-frozen. Come warm yourself and I’ll fetch you a plate of food.”

“But I need to speak with you.”

“You can tell me all about the negotiations after you’re warm and full.”

Zelma found space for the two of them on the bench and hurried a plate to Hastra piled with steaming food and warm bread. The others eating around them welcomed Hastra.

“Has the snow started?” Sila, the Shildran, handed Hastra a cup of water.

“Flakes fell as I entered the gate.” Hastra drank. She was thirstier than she knew. She smacked her lips as the dryness washed away.

“Is Last Landing at peace now?”

“Oh, you know it is. Hastra sent word with the bird weeks ago.” Zelma shouldered her way onto the bench next to Hastra with a grin and an expectant glance at her sister’s food.

“What is needed is given.” The others around them mumbled the saying with Hastra.

Her voice sounded smoother after the water. She shifted near her younger sister and lowered her voice. “I really need to speak with you, Zelma.”

“Eat first.” Zelma offered Hastra bread.

“I can take the plate with me but I must tell you fresh news.”

Zelma’s pale green eyes shifted between the food and Hastra’s furrowed brow. The young woman’s head tilted and her smile faded. “As new as when?”

Hastra leaned close again. “Now, at the gate.”

“Well, fine. We can go to our room I suppose.”

The sisters rose and excused themselves from those sitting near them. Hastra took her plate and followed Zelma among the tables with a wince. The hip’s so tight in those few moments. She needed someone’s prayers if offered. They exited into a narrow side-hall where fewer lamps shined against the darkness.

Zelma turned back and gasped. “You’re limping!”

“Now you notice.”

The younger woman’s gaze lowered to the floor. “Don’t scold me, you’ve just returned.”

“You’re right, dear, of course. I’m tired, hurting and hungry.” She patted her sister’s clasped hands.

“You could have eaten in the hall. What’s so urgent?”

They resumed walking and turned down another passage with fewer lights than the last. Zelma’s mass of wild hair flamed red even in the gloom.

“I fell off my horse when…”

The candles faded. A snake-faced hobgoblin stepped out of a darkened door by Hastra.

The troll drew a curved sword.

She uttered a wordless shout and dropped her plate. Hastra thrust her hands at the creature. She stumbled on her sore leg as shadow descended.

The hobgoblin’s dark eyes glittered malevolence. A merciless grin spread wide and revealed discolored fangs.

“No.” Hastra’s senses failed as the sword whistled at her. Darkness snuffed her awareness.

End of Part 1 (Part 2 will be re-posted next week)

Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed on 11/10/14 so take a look.

Thanks for reading.

P. H. Solomon

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Filed under: Cover Reveal, Editing, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Self-publishing, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, What is Needed, Writing, YouTube Tagged: Announcement, Coverart, Facebook, Indie Publishing, Launch, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Social Media, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, What is Needed, writing

Getting Creative: Secondary Uses for Scrivener

Scrivener is fast becoming a mainstay of my writing. I’ve written about this software several times now but for those who are not familiar with it, Scrivener is for developing writing projects. It’s a powerful tool that allows for a great deal of flexibility for any kind of writing project. I’m even using it for this post but especially a series of blogs.

A Whole New Use

I recently started a newsletter for my blog which I send out to email followers. As part of this process I use Mailchimp to send the messages. I’ll be working on the upcoming edition for next week over several days but it hit me as I started thinking about it – write the newsletter in Scrivener.

My Newsletter Plan

I’m sure other people are doing this already but I haven’t seen anyone actually write about it. Here’s how I plan to use Scrivener.

1. Create a project for the year (since I just started the newsletter the one for 2014 will be short).

2. Use the Binder to create each newsletter volume in separate sub-folders so the project will grow throughout the year.

3. Use the Research folder to create separate sub-folders for each volume where I can put ideas, links, pictures, etc. that I want to use for that volume. When I start writing the volume I’ll have all my information ready to go.

4. Transfer the text to the template in Mailchimp when ready.

Other Related Ideas

Since I plan to use Scrivener for developing my newsletter I also realized there are other similar uses too:

I can use it to write my book-related email campaigns.
Other email templates such as those used for greetings, thank-you’s and giveaways
Goodreads templates for those who friend me
It can even be used to compose social media communications that may be used repetitively. Since you can copy all kinds of files into Scrivener, I imagine I can even use it for adding pictures to post on Pinterest such as upcoming cover reveals or additional artwork to be released at a particular time.

As you can see, the uses for Scrivener are many and varied. Have you tried Scrivener yet? If you have, what are other ways you use it? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed on 11/10/14 so take a look.

Thanks for reading. I’m off to start my newsletter project in Scrivener!

P. H. Solomon

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The Bow of Destiny cover art licensed by commission from Christopher Rawlins

Filed under: Archer's Aim Digest, Blogging, Cover Reveal, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, Tech Tips, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Facebook, Indie Publishing, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Planning, Scrivener, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, writing

MUSING: LITERARY SNOBBERY IS BAD, BUT HOW ABOUT FANTASY SNOBBERY?

PHS:

Well said! My thoughts exactly! Re-blogging on Archer’s Aim!

Originally posted on :

Like most fantasy fans, I’ve watched Patrick Rothfuss’ response to academic, or literary, snobbery. It highlighted something that we readers have faced at one time or another: literary fiction snobs, who view the “fantasy” genre as “popcorn” fiction fit only for mob consumption. And I would not presume to add to what Mr. Rothfuss said, since he outlined the response to that way of thinking far more eloquently than I ever could, but I would like to touch upon something that seems to have grown up during my decade long hiatus from reading fantasy from the early 2000s to 2012. Something I like to call Fantasy Snobbery.

What do I mean by Fantasy Snobbery, you ask?

Quite simply it is a feeling by current fantasy reader that fantasy before Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, et cetera are Tolkien clones with no merit because they invariably are set in medieval-type…

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Cryptids Read Books Too – Sorta

I’m sure you’ve heard the stories about some well-meaning but unrealistic “researcher” who goes looking for a famous cryptid. What’s that? What’s a cryptid? Sorry – that’s a creature which is undiscovered but may “likely” exist. It’s your basic Lock Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Abominable Snowman (Yeti) and other such creatures reported to have been seen but always appearing in bad photography.

Well, apparently they read books so that’s where you can find them. No, not really. Actually, the rare creatures you’re seeking as an author are reviewers. The big question is where to find them, not whether they actually exist. So how do you find St. George’s Dragon or El Chupacabra? Here are 5 ways to find them.

1. Amazon – check your favorite books in the genre(s) in which you write for reviewers. This can be time-consuming, especially since many of these reviewers are back-logged or have guidelines.

2. Join a book club – I’m a VIP member of Rave Reviews Book Club by Nonnie Jules where I give and receive author support. Several members have given me helpful, honest reviews and I’ve handed out a few myself (I’m back-logged so be aware of my loooong time-table). Be aware when joining such a club that you may need to review a minimum number of books during a calendar year to remain an active member.

3. Facebook – yep, there are groups on Facebook where authors can meet reviewers. One such group is Reveiw Seekers. Take a look and be aware that there are requirements for such groups such as not plugging your book.

4. Goodreads – cryptids reviewers are lurking all over the place here. The secret is to go out and interact with other readers before asking for reviews. It’s likely that you will attract one just by being in a group and joining discussions.

5. Twitter – it’s a bit more of a tall order but try these hashtags: #reviewers & #bookreviewers. Tweet that you are looking for a reviewer for your book as well as your genre. Someone may just notice and offer to review your work.

As always, when dealing with reviewers be willing to offer a copy of your book for free. Always remain polite and thank the reviewer whether the result is good or bad – the latter being part of life so don’t lose sleep over them.

Bonus Info: Here’s a list of 10 cryptids that turned out to be real. So don’t laugh, that hairy neighbor could be Bigfoot.

Have you been cryptid reviewer hunting? Where have you gotten your books reviewed? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed on 11/10/14 so take a look.

Thanks for reading.

P. H. Solomon

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Bigfoot Crossing photo – Used by Permission of MorgueFile.com, taken by earl53

Filed under: Amazon, Blogging, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Fiction, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Rave Review Book Club, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: Amazon, blogging, Facebook, Goodreads, Indie Publishing, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Rave Reviews Book Club, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, writing

Complete DIY Self-Publishing Pt. 3: Sandpaper

This is the third part of a series about self-publishing a short e-book as a completely DIY project. Part 1 introduced why you should consider trying to self-publish on your own at least once. Part 2 dealt with some of the tools you will need to gather at some point to accomplish the project.

The Dreaded Format

It has become almost axiomatic among writers to advise other writers to hire out their formatting. I generally agree for full-length projects but I don’t think it’s worth the cost for short ones. Many authors believe that e-book formatting is just too difficult to do and would take away from their writing time and other tasks. But there are reasons to consider trying it at least once – cost and experience.

What Exactly is Formatting

Many writers don’t realize that their work is already formatted when they complete it. However, the formatting may have been set-up incorrectly. There may need to be styles applied at various points in the book. Also, there may be hidden characters that appear incorrectly in e-book format.

I’m Finished. What Next?

Let’s say that you’ve finished your e-book. Formatting is probably the next thing you need to do. The manuscript needs to be corrected for uploading to a vendor.

If the project is developed in Scrivener you can use this software to compile the manuscript into an ebook. However, it may be best to simply compile the book into a Word document for two reasons.

1. You may still need to format the e-book – more on that in a moment.

2. Uploading your book to Kindle and Smashwords requires a Word document unless you already have a clean e-book file that is appropriate to the vendor.

Grab Your Sandpaper and Start Formatting

Formatting is like sanding your manuscript’s rough edges away but it is not editing – think typesetting. You will need to consult with something like the Smashwords Style Guide by Mark Coker (as mentioned in part 2 of this series). I’ve used this guide and highly recommend it as a straightforward, simple guide – with screenshots included – to help anyone through formatting.

To hit the high notes, you need to make sure all erroneous formatting is removed from the book. It’s best when writing a book not to use manual indent but rely on the auto-indent in your word processor. The quide gets deeper by detailing such tasks as adding internal links and the use of styles. Again, follow these directions well and you can easily add the these elements as necessary.

Formatting is an important tool to completing the project. It is a powerful tool but it is not too complex to accomplish on your own, especially for a shorter project. By handling this task on your own you gain valuable insight on the process.

When addressing your longer projects you may have developed the skill and confidence to do it on your own. But even if you hire out the task of formatting you will have developed more understanding to work with your formatter as well as develop your projects more cleanly.

Bonus Tip: Once you’ve finished formatting you can view your e-book using Adobe Digital Editions to verify that it looks right. This software will allow you to make this “test-run” before you officially publish the e-book.

Available at Amazon, Smashwords and All Major E-Book Vendors!

Have you ever tried to format any or your writing in preparation for an e-book? If you’ve formatted before, what tips can you share? If you haven’t formatted previously, what keeps you from trying? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed on 11/10/14 so take a look.

Thanks for reading.

P. H. Solomon

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Filed under: Cover Reveal, Editing, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Self-publishing, Social Media, Tech Tips, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: Amazon, Editing, Facebook, Formatting, Indie Publishing, Kindle, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Smashwords, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, writing

Project Management for Writers Pt 7: My Schedule Mole

Clip Art Image Copyright by Microsoft. Clip Art Used by Permission of Microsoft

This is an ongoing series about managing writing-related projects. In this edition I want to get deeper into analyzing time. The original post is here, part 2 is here,  part 3 is here, part 4 here, part 5 here and part 6 here.

For a while I’ve been trying to work a schedule with my various projects but kept running into trouble executing the plan. I needed to blog, write short stories and complete my book revision however, my progress was minimal on the book even though I needed to emphasize it. During that time I’ve completed a short story and ramped up my blogging. But I just couldn’t gain any traction with the book revision.

The other day, the reason came to me out of the blue. I had a mole in my schedule. I wrote about finding the mole in your work several months ago so I considered my problem from that concept.

I concluded that I had been approaching my work in reverse and this had my perspective backwards. I kept putting blogging and short fiction ahead of my need to finish the revision. As a result I kept thinking these were in the way of completing the revision. This notion was completely wrong.

The book revision has been my mole all along.

It sounds strange, I know, but completion of my book has been the mole in my schedule that has kept things from moving more smoothly. How could this be? Simple, since I believed the other projects had more immediate priority they were eating up time for editing the book. Still not clear? In considering my shorter projects to be the impediment, I was doing nothing with the book. When I viewed the problem as the opposite – the book is the problem, that is, the mole undermining my schedule I understood my problem.

This doesn’t mean the that book doesn’t need to be addressed at all. It means that the book revision needed first priority. In other words, I needed to work on it before I addressed any other project during the day. It also meant that I needed to set a specific goal for how much to edit, complete that specific goal and move onto other project goals. In this way, I addressed the obstacle to progress – incorrect perspective. Of course I can always edit more than my goal after I achieve my other goals but mainly as additional work. By taking on the editing goal early with a limitation I eliminated the obstacle.

As I’ve mentioned in other parts to this series, it is important to be flexible and re-examine your schedule. I would say, “Look for the moles.” Look at the pieces differently and you may see a way to become more effective. In my case, I have been much more effective by reversing my understanding and, thus, my schedule.

Available at Amazon, Smashwords and All Major E-Book Vendors!

Have you planned your projects only to run into obstacles? Have you been able to identify your “mole”? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed yesterday so take a look.

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Filed under: Blogging, Editing, Indie Publishing, Planning, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, Twitter, Writing Tagged: blogging, Coverart, creativity, Editing, Facebook, Indie Publishing, mole, P. H. Solomon, Planning, Self-publishing, Short Stories, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Tips, writing

The Bow of Destiny: Official Cover Reveal

Photo from the book trailer for The Bow of Destiny

Today is a wonderful milestone day for The Bow of Destiny. This epic fantasy series was in my creative thoughts as long ago as my early college days in the mid-80’s. I wrote the original manuscript in the ‘90’s and was offered a contract by a small press at the time. The contract was not right for me so I passed and, since it was a time of change and grief for my wife when her mother died, I laid the manuscript aside for several years.

I kept coming back to the work intending to re-write it and get it published but the project never bore much fruit. About four years ago, I began to take writing seriously again when I found that I had a number of ideas for books and stories lurking in my mind. Since I had so much written for this manuscript I began re-writing it around a busy schedule and a death in my own family. Even though there were a number of distractions – as all of us have – I knew the time was right to publish this series with the recent explosion of self-publishing.

Earlier in the year, I came across a piece of artwork by Chris Rawlins entitled “Robin of Loxley” that caught my attention in his gallery. It fit the motif of my book so strikingly I knew I needed to work with Chris. The result is this cover. Here’s Chris’s bio:

“I have lent my brush to a huge diversity of subject matter and styles. Portrayal of humans, horses, animals, and landscapes, using contemporary and modern techniques have earned admiration, acclaim and a large following. I am passionate about strong compositions, realism, detail, accuracy, dramatic lighting and strong compositions. 

My artworks have been used for numerous book covers, albums and magazines, as well as entire books growing a wide audience of authoritative scholars who respect integrity, as well as faithful patrons and enthusiasts who love the action-packed and emotional style. 

I have a passion for history and art so to bring history to life through my artworks is a dream come true. My approach is to try and put yourself / the viewer there to bring a true-to-life realism that the books of my childhood lacked. Detail of research for any painting is key if you are attempting a realistic representation. I research many of my artworks in detail and travel abroad to battlefield locations, museums and military archives.”

Last week, I provided a sneak peek over my email list and received a very postive reaction to the cover which was more than encouraging. Currently, I am completing a revision of the book while I wait on my editor to begin looking at it first structurally and then in more detail. After these upcoming rounds of editing I anticipate the book being ready for publication at which point I should be able to set a target release date.

While the book is away with the editor I plan to finish the rough draft of the second book entitled, An Arrow Against the Wind, and develop the prequel series, “What is Needed”, into a novella to offer for free as a run-up promotion to the release of The Bow of Destiny. Since I know more about what I’m doing developing book for self-publication I hope to have An Arrow Against the Wind ready later in 2015.

Without further delay, here’s the cover for The Bow of Destiny. Look for changes to my social media accounts that incorporate this as a banner. I will also pin it on my Pinterest account so you can check it out in detail there.

Available at Amazon, Smashwords and All Major E-Book Vendors!

Thanks for stopping by to view the cover and share this milestone with me. I also appreciate Rave Reviews Book Club by Nonnie Jules for their support and recently including me as a VIP member. I look forward to working with them on a Spotlight Blog Tour for the book when the time comes and, of course, their warm, encouraging support. Please share your thoughts in the comments section. A big thanks for Dennis Cardiff for featuring my announcement on RebelMouse. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today!

Thanks for reading!

PHS

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Cover art for The Black Bag licensed from iStockPhoto.com

Archer’s Aim photo licensed via iStockphoto.com

Cover art for The Bow of Destiny licensed from Chris Rawlins on commission

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Filed under: Blog Tour, Cover Reveal, Creativity, Editing, Fiction, Indie Publishing, Marketing, Rave Review Book Club, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, What is Needed, Writing Tagged: Announcement, Coverart, Facebook, Indie Publishing, Launch, Marketing, P. H. Solomon, Pinterest, Rave Reviews Book Club, Self-publishing, Social Media, The Black Bag, The Bow of Destiny, Twitter, What is Needed, writing