Jennifer Wilson's Blog, page 3

My 2014 End of the Year Book Survey

Best in Books 2014

Here's my breakdown. Please feel free to leave your answers in the comments below!

1. Best book you read in 2014?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green


2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t?

Allegiant by Veronica Roth


3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?

The Host by Stephanie Meyer (Better than I thought it would be.)


4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did) in 2014?

New World: Rising by Jennifer Wilson


5. Best series you started in 2014? Best sequel of 2014? Best series ender of 2014?

Series started: In the After by Demitria Lunetta

Sequel: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

Series ender: Champion by Marie Lu


6. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls


7. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey


8. Book you read in 2014 that you are most likely to re-read next year?

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling


9. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?

New World: Rising (Forgive me for this is a selfish choice because I never though I would see my own book finished.) :)


10. Most memorable character of 2014?

Christian Grey from Fifty Shades of Grey (I didn't like the main character or really most of the books to be honest, but his character was interesting and had a lot of development potential. He was interesting.)


11. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho


12. Book that shocked you the most?

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn


13. Book that made you squirm the most?

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn


14. Favorite book you read in 2014 from an author you’ve read previously?

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare


15. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?

Day from Legend by Marie Lu


16. Best book you read in 2014 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Beating the Odds: Marketing Your Book

I would love to tell you that once your book is written your part as an author is done, but that would be a lie—a big lie. Whether you are self-published author or got pick up by a huge publishing agency, your job has just begun. There’s a secret the world doesn’t always tell you, ALL new authors must market their books! Even if you are lucky enough to have an amazing agent, if you want to succeeded you still have to do your part.

When I first started to research “Marketing Your Book” and “How To Write A Successful Book” my head began to spin. There are tons of articles, most of them dry and wordy, and my eyes just glazed over. So, in order to save some of you from the brain drain of searching Google’s unending plethora of articles, I’m going to break it down nice and easy.


1. Write the best version of your book that you can.
       • Make sure a professional had edited your book.

       • Gather friends and family who can be honest with you as “Beta Readers” AND listen to their insight. It can be hard to hear but ultimately will make your book better. (This link is a great template example)


2. Have a professional cover.
       • Not every author is an artist. A good cover will draw people in but a poor cover will turn them away.

       • Not your cup of tea? Hire a professional.

       • There are tons of budding art students looking for work if a creative agency’s costs are not in your budget.


3. Create a Book Marketing Plan.
       • This part is tedious and boring for most creatives, but NECESSARY.

       • There are tons of free templates online, just use the Google machine.

       • Finish this plan and USE it. Most major bookstores will ask for a Marketing Plan when you apply for book sales with them.


4. Know your audience.
       • You must know exactly who you intend to read your book.

       • Where do they hang out? Do they like digital or hardcopy? What generation are they: Millennia, Gen X, Baby Boomers…?

       • You should have a primary and a secondary audience.


5. Market towards your audience.
       • Find your best source of marketing for your book. Where are your readers most likely to hang out?
              - YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, magazines, blogs, libraries, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads…


6. You have to spend money to make money.
       • Donate your book to bloggers, schools, libraries, co-workers—whoever might talk about it.

       • Host a giveaway on Goodreads. I suggest at least 3 copies.

       • Hire a multimedia blogger to help promote you.
              - Research them! Make sure they supply viewing stats on their pages, number of followers, a legit contract AND most important, that their readers are your target market.

              - Why? They already have followers and will boost your sales just by talking about you.


7. Get yourself out there!
       • Set up a Facebook page, a Goodreads page, a Twitter account, an Instagram account and a PROFESSIONAL looking website.

       • Write guest spots for other blogs.

       • Do blog interviews.

       • Start your own blog.

       • Get to know your local bookstores. Local supports local, it’s a good thing.


8. BE NICE!
       • Not everyone is going to like your book—get over it!

       • Be polite to everyone you work with from bloggers to books sales reps to readers.


9. Use your connections.
       • Lean on friends for word of mouth. They will be an amazing source.


10. Start marketing and never stop.
       • Start before your book comes out and keep going until you can’t handle it any more. Then take a break and do it again.


11. Be proud.
       • Speak up about your book! If you don’t talk about it how will anyone know? Talk to friends, family, co-workers, your barista and the lady who cuts your hair. Everyone.


12. Settle in for the long haul.
       • Your book is not going to sell a million copies over night (unless you’re J.K. Rowling, and if you were, you probably wouldn’t be reading this, so get comfy folks).

       • Most new authors can take up to five years before becoming well renowned. Remember this is a marathon, not a sprint.



REALITY BITES: Statistics show over 80% of books written fail, and that rate is higher for self-published authors.

WHAT?! That’s kind of terrifying, right? (Not going to lie, I think I peed a little the first time I read that.)

I can’t promise every book you write will be a best seller, but if keep your eye on the prize and remember the list above, maybe you can show the world your book is better than some silly statistic. I certainly intend to.

If your first book fails… write another!

And now for my shameless plug— read my book! New World: Rising

Cheers!
Jennifer

Are you a new author or blogger?
Promote yourself in the comments below. List your site/book and the genres you cover.

SNEAK PEEK: Phoenix's journal- Meet the tribes

Check out these exclusive conceptual pages from Phoenix's journal!

In New World: Rising the Tribes of Tartarus rule the city. Their power is unequivocal and they have only one rule. Join or die. Who would you choose?

Triven

Whilst perusing the web I found this photo of Alex Pettyfer. He would make a good Triven, no?

New World: Rising- Sneak Peek!

Book Excerpt:

I awoke with a start, my arms flailing outward, as the scream caught in my throat. It only took seconds to recognize my surroundings, to calm my racing heart. This was how I awoke every morning, every morning since my parents died. After years I managed to restrain the scream, awakening before it escaped my lips. Screaming in the night could get you found, screaming during the daytime would get you killed.

I checked my father’s watch in the green light. It was nearly three in the afternoon. There were still hours until dark. I knew I would have to stock up more food before I left for my next refuge, but scavenging during the daytime wasn’t an option.

Thumbing through my book collections, I felt uninspired and bored, having already read them so many times. I thought about trying to sleep longer but my mind was too awake. After eating a breakfast of dried apples, I made a plan to grow my personal library. Aside from needing something else to distract my mind, books always proved a good source of trade. Those few of us who defied the Tribes kept to ourselves and stayed quiet. We never gathered, nor really ever trusted one another. But when goods ran scarce, trades were not uncommon. It was finding the right recluses to trade with that was key. One wrong choice and you could easily find yourself with empty hands and a knife in your back. A select few of my merchants knew how to read and those that didn’t, never turned down good kindling.

Rifling through my few belongings, I decided to leave my larger backpack behind. It was too heavy and often cumbersome while crawling through the vents. I would only need a small tote big enough to carry books. My revolver lay on the mattress in its holster. I eyed it, speculating if it was needed. I always took it with me outside or to hunt for food, but no one ever came in the library anymore. I had seen a few rats and the occasional wild dogs on the floors below, but none of them ever bothered me. Instead I slid my knife into my hip sheath and climbed up the shelves to the vent.

As always, I moved with great caution, careful to never make a sound and always listening for others. But like usual, the building was empty. After nearly ten minutes of crawling, I saw light shining up through the galvanized steel. Cautiously I pressed my ear to the vent while holding my breath.

Nothing.

I smiled and pushed open the grate before sliding out onto the top of a bookshelf. Before descending I scanned the rows, my keen eyes looking for any trace of movement, foreign color or moved shelving. Nothing had changed since I was here last. Several of the books I had discarded still lay on the floor where I had dumped them, uninterested.
Relaxing a bit, I took a deep breath. The room was massive, filled with rows upon rows of abandoned books. It smelled like aged paper, and earth from the destroyed floors below. I loved that smell. Soundlessly, I climbed down the metal shelf I had perched on and headed for my favorite sections.

First I stopped by the romance section— business first, then pleasure. These were my least favorite kind of book. People fell into whirlwind romance, swept up with sex and passion. I didn’t believe in love, it was a wasted emotion that could get you killed. People did foolish things in the name of love. While I detested these books, they were generally thick and most of my allies didn’t care about the content as long as they burned.

I never made friends, not even with my allies. There were those I could barter with safely, and those I couldn't, I stole from. I never stole from the dead. Rationally it made more sense to take from the dead; after all it wasn’t like they would be using anything any more. But the thought made me nauseous, reminding me too much of watching my parents’ murders. Instead I traded with a few recluses and targeted the Tribes’ storage facilities for the rest. I never felt guilty stealing from them.

Blindly grabbing a few thick books, I tossed them into my bag and moved on to the educational section. I browsed the titles looking for books on survival and warfare. After skimming their backs I took two of the most promising titles before moving on to the fiction section. I loved this section the most. The books here provided an escape, a place to let my mind wander free and find friends. Not real friends, but friends I could care about without having to commit to. Once I had opened a book and read its pages, those characters could never be taken away from me. Even if the books were burned, they would still live on in my mind. They couldn’t die or betray you, friends on paper proved much more lucrative than real ones.

This section was also the largest, and after years of perusing its shelves I had only just scratched the surface. Leisurely, I moved through the rows looking for authors I recognized or titles that called to me. Upon finding one of interest I would pull it from the shelf and read the back cover or the first few pages. Anything of interest was added to my collection. Everything else got added to the growing pile on the floor. I was so immersed in the pages of a potential gem that I almost didn’t hear them.

Two voices were making their way toward me, speaking in hushed tones.

“Shut up. I swear I heard something up here.”

“If I scaled that damn rope for nothing, I swear I will slit your throat myself.”

Every muscle in my body tensed as the distinctly male voices drifted through the aisles. Careful not to make a sound, I slipped the book into my bag and peeked through a gap in the books. Their backs were turned to me, the black leather of their coats splattered in red. Both men were hulking in size, my head probably even with their chests. The taller one had a red mohawk with feathers dangling from it. The other was bald with deep scars that covered the entire left side of his head like angry red fissures. Both of them had an obscene amount of metal piercings protruding from their skin. My hair rose on end.

Ravagers.

What the hell were they doing here? Panic prickled in the pit of my stomach. The vent leading to safety was nearly five rows over across the aisle; there was no way to make it there without being seen. Why hadn’t I brought my gun? I cursed myself as their eyes scanned the empty rows.

“I smell fear.” One of them taunted, his gruff voice no longer whispering.

They cackled with delight.

I swallowed hard. Even if it was just a farce to scare me, it was working, my pulse accelerating. Punching the other in the shoulder, the one with the mohawk motioned for them to spilt off. My ears began to ring as they moved to either side of my row and progressed towards me. I was trapped. My eyes instantly searched for another route of escape or a place to hide. As their footsteps moved closer, I began to silently climb.

Want to know what happens?! Read more at New World: Rising

Book Soundtrack

I love listening to music when I write or when I’m brainstorming about writing. Certain songs really help get my creative juices flowing so I like to create book soundtracks. They can all be found in entirety on my website. For New World: Rising my playlist is as follows:

1. Freight Train- by Sara Jackson-Holman
2. Medicine- by Daughter
3. Gold- by Wake Owl
4. Lonely Soul- by UNKLE
5. Love of the Loveless- by Eels
6. What the Water Gave Me- Florence + The Machine
7. Say You- by Imaginary Cities
8. Hanging On- by Ellie Goulding
9. Say Something- by A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera
10. Haunt- by Bastille
11. Dark Paradise- by Lana Del Rey
12. Skin- by Zola Jesus

Author website: www.jenniferkaywilson.com

New World: Rising

Interview with the author

1. What does your writing process look like?
I am a chaotic writer. As much as I would love to plan my books out in an organized manner, my brain tends to flicker on at inconvenient moments— in the car, in the shower, at the grocery store or while lying in bed at 2am. I always have the main storyline running in the back of my mind, but I tend to let my imagination run free, taking my characters on twist and turns even I didn’t see coming.

2. Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
I write in the shower all of the time! A dear friend bought me a waterproof notepad and I use it almost every day. Mid shampoo an idea will cross my mind and I jump, “Oh! I have got to write that down!” I also have a bad habit of writing on anything when inspiration strikes— napkins, paper bags, the backs of receipts— really anything will do.

3. What book do you wish you could have written?
I am sure this is cliché, but Harry Potter. Not because of the fame or money, but this was the first series I fell in love with and because of how many lives she touched with her books. To reach that many people and inspire them to dream and read… that is a true gift.

4. Just as your books inspire authors, what authors have inspired you to write?
Obviously, J.K. Rowling is at the top of that list, but there are many other authors I look up to: J.R.R. Tolkien, Rick Yancey, Dan Brown, Suzanne Collins, Cassandra Clare and Diana Gabaldon, to name a few.

5. If you could cast your characters in the Hollywood adaptation of your book, who would play your characters?
Now that’s a tough one. Alex Pettyfer would make a great Triven, just think a little more blonde. Young Johnny Sequoyah would make an ideal Mouse, with her innocent face and deep eyes, she would fit the shoes just right. Give Henry Cavill a set of dark contacts and you have your Maddox. Arstid is a no-brainer, Cate Blanchett of course. Then there’s my wild card. While there are many talented young actresses out there, I would want to see Phoenix played by a new face, someone who could rock the screen and do a fierce girl like her justice. Suggestions anyone?

6. How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
Names are very important to me. Your readers have to read them over and over again so I want to pick ones that stick. Oddly enough, in my book, my main characters’ names aren’t revealed until after you get to know their personalities, so it was even more important that they fit. I generally spend a lot of time on meanings, but sometimes it is also just about what feels right.

7. What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?
Learning to stop saying “I can’t.”

8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Living in Colorado with my husband and writing everyday while snuggling our dog.

9. Were you already a great writer? Have you always liked to write?
Of course not! Every writer has room to grow and gets better the more they write. I always had the spark for creativity but my grammar and spelling was appalling for years. Only with practice and determination did I grow.

10. What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?
Write because you love it. Not to make money or to be famous, write because you’re passionate. Because if you’re passionate it won’t matter what anyone else says, you are doing something you love and that’s more important than a stranger’s opinion.

11. Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
Yes, but I take each one with a grain of salt. The beautiful part of being human is that we are all entitled to our own opinions. So I must respect that not everyone will like my work. If you get a bad review, see if anything can be learned from it and move on. You can’t please everyone.

12. What is your best marketing tip?
Friends and bloggers, they are your best chance at success.

13. What is your least favorite part of the publishing / writing process?
Rejection letters are never fun, but for me each one was a driving force to try harder.

14. Is this your first book? How many books have you written prior (if any?)
This is my first published book, but the second novel I have written. I have another collecting digital dust, but I will get that series out soon too. One thing at a time.

15. What are you working on now? What is your next project?
I am currently writing like mad on the next book in the NEW WORLD series, NEW WORLD: ASHES. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it.

New World: Rising

The Importance of World Building

It is not everyday that you get to create a world from nothing, that you get to let your imaginary wiles run free and the end result is a fictitious world your readers will dream of being a part of. Yet, as said so many times before, with all greatness comes great responsibility. Your characters can make readers fall in love, burn with hate and thrive with hope, but if their setting is not believable all that hard work can fall apart.

The world you create is the foundation for your story, and as when building all things, if the foundation is weak so will be everything else built upon it. Great books are not just about storyline or characters. They are a blissful combination of many things, but it is their world that becomes the glue binding it together.

Every interaction, every character choice and personality trait can be driven by the world you create. Bella and Edward’s romance wouldn’t have been so dreamy in some Midwest cornfield and Harry Potter would have been far less impressive if he never got out from the cupboard under the stairs. Think of your favorite book. When you close your eyes, you can see not only the characters’ faces, but also everything that surrounds them. You can hear what they hear, see what they see, and above all else, you can believe that world exists.

In many cases this means making rules for your world and staying true to them. Either people can fly or they can’t, the sky can be blue or red, weapons can be new age or old school. Just make sure when you create your book’s world, you stay true to your own rules. If you don’t believe certain things could happen, then neither will anyone else. Creating an in-depth world can mean the difference between merely piquing your readers’ interest and drawing them in so deeply that they are standing next to your protagonists as they fight for their lives or fall in love.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Twilight

Fending off Writer’s Doubt…

Ah the dreaded writer’s doubt. Every writer would love to say that he or she is above it, that there was never a doubt in his or her mind about their book, their writing or their characters, but that would be a lie. It seems it is in our human nature to have moments of doubt. There are always the dreaded moments when an agent whispers no in your ear or a reader blasts that he hated your book online. Those minuscule moments in time are all it takes for that tiny seed of doubt to take root. So how do we overcome those thoughts of self-doubt, those moments that make you want to give up and condemn your literary works to the digital bookshelf of shame?

While it is easy to fall into that self-pitying sea of doubt, your confidence in your own book is your best advocate. No one will ever be as loving or as passionate about your book as you are. Readers can fall in love with your characters, hate your villains and dream of being a part of your manifested worlds, but ultimately it was your passion, your need to feed your own soul that brought that literary world to life. If you don’t love your characters, why should anyone else?

Even though all writers should pour their hearts and souls into their works, it is also important to be able to detach yourself a little bit. The market can be fickle thing and not everyone is going to like your work and that’s okay. Don’t take it personally. Agents are often looking for the next trend and just because your book doesn’t fit into that category doesn’t make you a bad writer. Horror books have been around long before Edgar Allen Poe, wizards were wielding magic long before Harry Potter and forbidden romances were being read and whispered about long before Fifty Shades of Grey. In short, don’t write to emulate the newest trend, write about what makes you passionate. It doesn’t matter if it’s trendy or not. If you are ardent about what you’re writing, people will read your book. Not because someone in an office told them it was trendy but because their best friend recommended it. Your current work may not be a best seller, but that does not make it a bad book. Not everyone is going to love your book, but many others will.

When it comes to the book world, no doesn’t really mean no anymore. Thanks to the digital world, authors don’t have to give up when agents say no. If you are really passionate about your work, self-publish. Just because ten agents told you no, doesn’t mean hundreds of readers won’t say yes. But remember to listen to your fans. While sometimes brutally honest, their points are often be valid. Take that feedback and use it to grow. The day a writer stops growing is the day he or she should put down the allegorical pen. If you aren’t developing, then your characters aren’t either.

I am not saying it’s easy to have self-confidence at every turn. Like most things in life, writing is a bit of a roller coaster. There will always be highs and lows. The key is to look up in those low moments and remember it’s the only place to go from there. If that is not enough of encouragement for you, take a look at a list some of this last century’s most popular authors. J.K. Rowling, Stephanie Meyer, Dan Brown, Dr Seuss, C.S. Lewis, Margaret Mitchell, and Stephen King were all repeatedly rejected before their books exploded onto best sellers list. What if they had just given up?

Doubt is literally betting against yourself. So try and stack the odds in your favor. When in doubt, keep writing. You can only grow with experience, and while you may edit that part out later, or get another rejection letter, at least you’re still wading forward through that dreaded sea of doubt instead of drowning in it.