Solving the problem of glitches
With so many authors taking the self-publishing route, Amazon.com have uploads of several million books including several thousand self-help manuals.
As a result of all this writing, whether we are talking blogs from experts or 'things that worked for me' from amateurs, there is a wealth of expertise out there on how to write a best seller.
Naturally, I have my own ideas but I can promise you, it's not as easy as it sounds. Once your book is published, you then have to consider the marketing because no way will it sell itself ... unless your name is J K Rowling or Roald Dahl. For mere mortals, it takes time and daily application. Even then it may not work. So much depends on title, cover image and story line. Of those three, the story line is the most important. Get that right and your audience will forgive both typos and a less than grammatically perfect text.
As they say when you're looking for a new house: location, location, location. It's all about the story.
One thing I have learned. No matter how carefully you prepare your manuscript, it can always be improved. This week saw the first of my books, Kidnap, on audio. Having completed the narration, the audio has come back to me to correct any errors. With ten hours of recording, it will take me the greater part of a week. With a paperback copy of the book in front of me, I read it word for word, chapter by chapter, as it is narrated. At the same time I keep a note of all the places where the narration flags. I admit, there's not many, I was surprised how well it reads. But there is the mandatory misplaced comma, word omitted, perhaps the overuse of a word or the inclusion of one that is unnecessary. Still it's there ... and despite reading the text fifty or so times, once the audio is tidied away, I will be back to making changes to the text.
So here's my number one tip: Ask a friend to read your book out loud while you listen and make notes.
And be prepared to be surprised! Very surprised!
https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraSpencerAuthor
As a result of all this writing, whether we are talking blogs from experts or 'things that worked for me' from amateurs, there is a wealth of expertise out there on how to write a best seller.
Naturally, I have my own ideas but I can promise you, it's not as easy as it sounds. Once your book is published, you then have to consider the marketing because no way will it sell itself ... unless your name is J K Rowling or Roald Dahl. For mere mortals, it takes time and daily application. Even then it may not work. So much depends on title, cover image and story line. Of those three, the story line is the most important. Get that right and your audience will forgive both typos and a less than grammatically perfect text.
As they say when you're looking for a new house: location, location, location. It's all about the story.
One thing I have learned. No matter how carefully you prepare your manuscript, it can always be improved. This week saw the first of my books, Kidnap, on audio. Having completed the narration, the audio has come back to me to correct any errors. With ten hours of recording, it will take me the greater part of a week. With a paperback copy of the book in front of me, I read it word for word, chapter by chapter, as it is narrated. At the same time I keep a note of all the places where the narration flags. I admit, there's not many, I was surprised how well it reads. But there is the mandatory misplaced comma, word omitted, perhaps the overuse of a word or the inclusion of one that is unnecessary. Still it's there ... and despite reading the text fifty or so times, once the audio is tidied away, I will be back to making changes to the text.
So here's my number one tip: Ask a friend to read your book out loud while you listen and make notes.
And be prepared to be surprised! Very surprised!
https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraSpencerAuthor
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