tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11101070127665863482024-02-19T00:09:48.716-08:00LKWatts ConfessionsA fun and frivolous blog about life and all that's in it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-34340774912795791292015-04-25T15:16:00.000-07:002015-04-25T15:21:47.161-07:00'Without Those Songs.' How Your Words Will Live On Forever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I downloaded the album, <i>No Sound Without Silence </i>last weekend, and a certain song really got me thinking.</div>
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<i>Without Those Songs </i>is a story about famous singers who made a career out of certain life events.</div>
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This concept is also true for writers. I suppose it's true for any artist, as their work is just an extension of themselves.<br />
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The idea that there will always be a remaining part of you after death is a fascination for the majority of people. People have children for this very reason, or at least to carry on with their family name.<br />
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But what if the children die young or fail to reproduce themselves. The extension of the original person may only live for forty years. After that time has passed their DNA may be gone for ever.<br />
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But with artists, their extension really can go on forever. If what they produce doesn't live then it can never die and that's what makes art so special for me.<br />
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To celebrate this fact, I've just released my fifth book: <i>Second Time Around. </i>I hope you will download a copy. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMeU8ryvC4osvepg0Nce4dRi3yB7nS-hiP-1HtWuh0zVyM46aX0HfrviB9O4ycLO_Ff8Fzz6hxKSJXDPo46oAZkqqrj7Y8750y7ukhqNZpf_B_fn-9e3DFUgRvBnIUDzrNAkB8U9O2K-0/s1600/Second+Time+Around+-+High+Resolution+-+Version+Two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMeU8ryvC4osvepg0Nce4dRi3yB7nS-hiP-1HtWuh0zVyM46aX0HfrviB9O4ycLO_Ff8Fzz6hxKSJXDPo46oAZkqqrj7Y8750y7ukhqNZpf_B_fn-9e3DFUgRvBnIUDzrNAkB8U9O2K-0/s1600/Second+Time+Around+-+High+Resolution+-+Version+Two.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></div>
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<i>Phoebe Philips is perpetually single. At the age of
thirty-two, she’s tried all the top dating tricks without success.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>So when her best friend, Annabel, suggests she joins an
online dating agency, Phoebe feels like she has nothing to lose. Despite her
best efforts, the cyber dates don’t go to plan and things just go from bad to
worse. It seems like she won’t have her childhood dream of a fairytale wedding
with a horse-drawn carriage.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Now time is ticking and Phoebe fears singledom will always
be her way of life. She has to meet someone so she can live happily ever after.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>The question is who will that be …?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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It's available at all Amazon stores. Or go to my Amazon Author Page for the direct link.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-61757105712033968002015-03-24T06:59:00.001-07:002015-03-27T05:50:18.340-07:00Book Series or Stand Alone's: Which Have More Success? <br />
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Over the past five years as a writer, I've seen a lot of discussions on this topic and a lot of success stories from authors on both sides of the coin. It's also made me think of another question - does it depend which genre you write in?<br />
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All the really famous writers including Janet Evanovich and Lee Child have had huge success with their book series. Who hasn't heard of Stephanie Plum or Jack Reacher? But writers like Danielle Steel have had huge success with stand alone novels.<br />
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People may expect crime thrillers to be in the form of serials. Lee Child has written twenty Jack Reacher books in his series, so no wonder he's had phenomenal success and it's the same story with Janet Evanovich.<br />
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But does that mean you can only write serials in crime and stand alone's in romance?<br />
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What do you think?<br />
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<b>I've made my book: </b><i><b>Confessions of a Webcam Model </b> </i><b>FREE THIS WEEKEND! That's the 28th-30th March. Grab your copy while you can! Just follow to links on my blog to the appropriate page. Happy reading!</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-51118168883724148892015-02-26T11:00:00.002-08:002015-03-03T08:20:19.192-08:00How Can Writers Research Taboo Subjects?<br />
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Here in the 21st century life is impossible if you can't access the Internet. Everything now depends on modern technology and pretty soon you'll need the World Wide Web to make a simple cup of tea.<br />
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As so much information is now available on the Internet, libraries are becoming obsolete and other research methods are taking a back seat to the computer.<br />
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All this may sound fantastic but as writers this is a potentially terrifying concept. Imagine you're the next Stephen King and you have to research a particularly gruesome murder. How are you going to do this without putting the authorities on high alert?<br />
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Gone are the days where people could innocently make a mistake on the Web. Every phrase you type is instantly recorded on your browser history, so how is the sentence <i>how to make a bomb </i>going to look to the FBI?<br />
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Now, as I just write chick lit, I can sleep well at night. But to other writers this issue must play on their minds. So many terrorism groups exist in Cyberspace that just the mere hint of something suspicious will be enough to wave several red flags in the government's security department.<br />
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And if officials do pay you a visit, are they going to be satisfied when you tell them you're just an unknown writer and that your next book happens to be about Islamic State?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-48604853440396696322015-01-21T11:04:00.001-08:002015-01-21T11:04:20.838-08:00Do Real Life Events Affect Your Writing?<br />
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Writers are prone to living in a bubble. We work by ourselves with limited interaction from the outside world. And occasionally, it can be hard to separate dreams from reality until an event from the real world occurs.<br />
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We can be so removed from this world that such an event can feel like a meteorite has hit the Earth. The effects can last for months, even when it's clear the episode is over.<br />
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I was happily living in such a bubble until Christmas day when I decided that a lump I'd had for a while had gotten considerably bigger.<br />
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Now most people assume the worst when they discover a lump and they automatically think of cancer, but as I am only twenty-nine with no family history of such disease, I didn't jump to that conclusion. Besides, I'm a healthy weight, don't smoke and don't drink that much so I wasn't in any high risk category.<br />
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Only when the doctor said she was going to send me to see a specialist straight away under urgent care did I start to panic. She said she didn't think the lump was anything nasty but better to be safe than sorry. By this stage I thought it would be too late if it was anything nasty.<br />
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I went to the hospital, trying not to panic. The specialist sent me for a biopsy and an ultrasound after saying he was absolutely convinced it would be nothing to worry about. He said he was sure it was a fibroadenoma, a benign lump which is common in my age group. Never the less as it was so big, I'd have to have it out regardless.<br />
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Fortunately the results came back and it wasn't cancer. I had it removed, feeling extremely lucky that the lump was just benign. Even so, I'm still quite shaken by the whole thought of the results coming back as something else, especially as I met someone my age who has had aggressive cancer. Twelve months later she's had chemotherapy and seems to be all right. But even though you don't expect to have cancer in your twenties it can still happen.<br />
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So now my ordeal is over (it could have been much worse, so I'm still thankful,) I'm even more focused on my writing and living life as much as I possibly can.<br />
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Now it's over to you. Has any event occurred in your life that's made you determined to see things through?<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-24028411008834781772014-12-27T10:21:00.000-08:002014-12-27T10:21:10.579-08:002014: The Year I Finished My Fifth Book<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_swlFI0W4Szm1bYmo1j8wQ2Y3xAyErJi0dXcBRebHHIqsM-j6SRurwP3P_eo94ytmQapwzAI3tgpsfdQxdUlmEzX2gN8nq3GL9O-IwAS0nVyXeRSKLRmwf1-1ySkP6v3lStWeqS18_4o/s1600/DSCF0361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_swlFI0W4Szm1bYmo1j8wQ2Y3xAyErJi0dXcBRebHHIqsM-j6SRurwP3P_eo94ytmQapwzAI3tgpsfdQxdUlmEzX2gN8nq3GL9O-IwAS0nVyXeRSKLRmwf1-1ySkP6v3lStWeqS18_4o/s1600/DSCF0361.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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As 2014 is drawing to a close, I'm celebrating with yet another goal of finishing my second chick lit book - my fifth book overall.<br />
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This year has been productive for me. I started my fourth book in January and released that in late May. Then I started <i>Second Time Around </i>in June and this past week has seen me complete the first draft. This time the book's plot-line is focused on romance and even though chick-lit can sometimes be predictable, I always try to finish my novels with a twist.<br />
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I think I'm going to take a well earned break until the new year before I make the necessary alterations and just generally tidy things up before I send the manuscript over to my editor. Right now, my brain is kind of frazzled and I definitely feel burned out so I think a rest is my best option. After all, I have written two full length novels this year so what normal person wouldn't feel worn out?<br />
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The plan for 2015 is to outline and write my sixth book. I haven't decided on the title for that yet but I know the genre is going to be chick-lit.<br />
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So, what are your plans for the coming year and have you achieved your goals for 2014? I vaguely remember this time last year saying that I wanted to write my fourth book - <i>Confessions of a Webcam Model </i>and plan out <i>Second Time Around. </i>But<i> </i>back then I didn't know whether I'd have enough time to actually write that book as well.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-24266108332782056102014-11-22T11:07:00.000-08:002014-11-22T11:11:10.047-08:00Character v Plot Driven Novels: Which Should You Be Writing? <div>
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This is an email I sent to my editor last week:</div>
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">I see an awful lot of information about character v plot driven novels on the Internet and it got me wondering - are my books character or plot driven?</i><br />
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<i style="font-size: 15.4545450210571px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">And ...</i></div>
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<i style="font-size: 15.4545450210571px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-size: 15.4545450210571px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">Do you think certain genres demand a book to be one or the other? I'm reading a chick lit book at the moment that seems to be character driven and if I come to think about it most chick lit novels I've read seem to be this way. Although I can imagine most thrillers would be plot driven as they're usually fast paced etc.</i></div>
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<i style="font-size: 15.4545450210571px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-size: 15.4545450210571px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">Which begs a further question ... <span style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">if</span> my books are plot driven - do you think I should be writing them this way if I continue to write chick lit?</i></div>
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<i style="font-size: 15.4545450210571px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">So, one question has turned into three.</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15.4545450210571px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;"><i>Help, dear editor! :)</i></span></div>
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His response was extremely detailed. In fact, he hit the nail on the head. He states all my books are character driven and if I continue to write chick lit then this is how all of them should be.</div>
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But, what do you think about the issue I've raised? Should certain genres be written in a certain way or do you think that it would be a refreshing change to have plot driven women's fiction or character driven thrillers?</div>
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I am eager to hear your thoughts ...<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-69114529493197843152014-10-25T11:12:00.000-07:002014-10-25T11:12:34.522-07:00Celebrating My First Amazon.com Royalty Cheque<br />
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I published my first book <i>Secret Confessions of a Backpacker: My Adventure Down Under </i>on April 16th 2011. A year later on August 17th 2012, I published its sequel: <i>Secret Confessions of a Backpacker: My Maple Leaf Adventure </i>and by that time I was hell bent on having a career as a writer.<br />
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Since then a lot has happened. I've published two more books in different genres and I'm half way through writing my fifth book. In fact, I've spent so many months just solely focused on writing, I've forgotten the fact that I'm actually selling these books as well. <br />
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When I first started writing the 99 cent ebook was extremely popular. Writers like Amanda Hocking and J.A. Konrath said such pricing methods had enabled them to make a fortune.<br />
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Back then I was more like a sponge than a person. I wanted to soak up as much information as I could and that sort of price for an ebook seemed like a good idea to me.<br />
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After all, ebooks <i>should </i>be cheaper than print books. All you have to do with an electronic book is download it onto your reading device. There's no paper and ink involved, resulting in no printing costs.<br />
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As my first two books are aimed at backpackers, I've decided to keep the price low, so it's no wonder it's taken so long for my Amazon.com account to be credited with the minimum of $100.00, especially when at that price Amazon takes 70% of the cut. Don't get me wrong, I've made money from the other Amazon sites across the world, but until recently, I haven't sold that many books in the States. Plus, I get paid electronically from all the other Amazon sites and they don't have a minimum amount to reach, either.<br />
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So, to get back to my original point - the actual title of my blog post - I received my first royalty cheque from Amazon.com last week and I wasn't even here to open it!!! Instead my partner took the task upon himself and text me the good news. I was down in Cornwall at the time, picture shown above, enjoying a rare holiday with my mother.<br />
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Finally, I can say I have received my first official cheque for my writing. I am now a real author, receiving royalty cheque proceeds from my books. Books which complete strangers overseas have bought and read.<br />
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It is a fantastic feeling. Here's to the next three and a half years. I might have received another cheque by then!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-53563963934696115202014-09-20T04:42:00.000-07:002014-09-20T04:46:47.096-07:00Are Writers Prone to Telepathic Communications?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background: white; color: #37404e;">It's funny. You can grow up for years with people and with
some you're so out of synch. But sometimes you don't have to meet a person to
have a telepathic relationship. For example, I haven't met my editor: we don't
even live in the same country. But there are times when he'll just pop into my
mind and the very next minute I'll have an email from him. And vice
versa. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #37404e;"><br />
Weird ...</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #37404e;"><br />
But as a writer is this an 'normal' thing to experience? Should I list this
skill on my C.V to impress potential employers?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #37404e;"><br />
After all, I communicate with my book's characters every day. They may not
exist or be on show for anyone else, but I see them clearly in my mind. And I
believe authors have to make their characters behave in a way that their
readers would expect. If you want to be a writer who connects with people, you
have to draw characters who are capable of showing human emotion. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #37404e;"><br />
I believe you have to be in tune with people to write well. You have to be a
good judge of how people are going to react and in my experience it is these
sort of people who are more prone to this sort of phenomena.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #37404e;"><br />
So, please share your experiences. Are you prone to telepathic communication?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-45195871413893091912014-08-28T08:10:00.002-07:002014-08-31T11:00:13.650-07:00Factors Which Hold Writers Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32ywH4FzcTwKQY4gPmJa3XPMxrCtGmyXLW0dfudSf9DCl4yaSXOf1hb_dLB4Q8rbFTX8efAIKY4Qg0b0y4aKXH_FX5x1X0vLKofsfDGJOUysV2xvejV1SPdCTxchkD3C6dMU8ojZQazA/s1600/DSCF0772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32ywH4FzcTwKQY4gPmJa3XPMxrCtGmyXLW0dfudSf9DCl4yaSXOf1hb_dLB4Q8rbFTX8efAIKY4Qg0b0y4aKXH_FX5x1X0vLKofsfDGJOUysV2xvejV1SPdCTxchkD3C6dMU8ojZQazA/s1600/DSCF0772.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Most writers will know that writing books isn't usually the path to fame and fortune, but they secretly hope they will be the exception to that rule.<br />
<br />
However, once they get a few years into their career most writers will be over that particular delusion. They'll have to come to accept they won't be walking on the red carpet into a film premier of their latest book which Steven Spielberg has just launched.<br />
<br />
But while that dream may have subsided, writers still need to be careful their thoughts do not go the other way and send them spiralling into a whole other world.<br />
<br />
Some writers fear that because they've written a few books and not had any spectacular sales they should give up, or at the very least start writing something completely different. And some writers don't even send out any of their work at all. If you can identify with this then by all means try something new but never give up. Don't fall into the trap that so many of us face: setting up ridiculously high expectations and then plummeting back down from orbit with an almighty crash.<br />
<br />
This brings me to my next point of aiming too high or refusing to give your books away as part of vital promotion. I have now given away two out of four books for a limited time. Exposure was massive and I've enjoyed sales ever since. I'm sure sales come from the fact that I write what I love to read and I'm not a person who constantly chases trends. I know writers who do this and have had success, but I don't believe I could write a book without having an interest in the novel's theme.<br />
<br />
Another factor which limits success is refusing to believe publishing is a business and that's the same whether you're self-publishing or have an agent and a contract with the big six. Another failure which some writers make is spending all your time and effort on marketing 'schemes' that are more see-through than a jellyfish. Instead of giving all your money to someone who 'promises' to sell a thousand of your books a day, why not spend your time writing the next book?<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-88067695332935315442014-08-03T07:09:00.001-07:002014-08-03T07:10:36.230-07:00Are Mailing Lists Essential?These days it can be difficult to remember how to construct a sentence - never mind anything else. So how do writers expect their readers to remember them if they've got to wait the average time of a year for their next book?<br />
<br />
In this digitally instant world which we now live, it seems impossible to gain a loyal following of fans without the risk of losing them to anyone else. And with Amazon now promoting new releases and new writers more than ever, how can the average writer expect to stay sane?<br />
<br />
Some writers say that the key to more sales is establishing a mailing list. But if you only have a few new readers each month and write in several different genres, is this thinking pattern feasible?<br />
<br />
For a long time I thought that it was. And then I discovered more and more writers had thousands of sales before they even considered a mailing list. They said the most important factor which influenced sales was how many books they actually had to their name. In other words, the more books they had the more readers they would find.<br />
<br />
Amazon makes book discoverability very easy for their authors with their Amazon author pages. On this page you can upload your photo and your bio stating a little about yourself. Readers can see at a glance just how many books you have available just through this one page. Readers do not even need to go rooting through books to find mailing lists because there is ample opportunity to state it on this page.<br />
<br />
So, while mailing lists seem like a good idea, do you consider them essential?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-60404814749213874022014-06-25T04:52:00.001-07:002014-06-25T04:52:24.505-07:00Can You Write Chick Lit Without Romance?I'm writing my fifth book at the moment - my second chick lit novel - and a funny thought has struck me.<br />
<br />
<b>Can you write chick lit without romance?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
It's funny this thought should strike me now and not when I was penning <i>A Step Too Far </i>because that wasn't a love story. Yes, it had some romantic themes and even a potential love triangle but the overall story wasn't a quest to find love. It was a quest to find a fulfilling life.<br />
<br />
I guess I'm thinking about this topic now because <i>A Second Time Around </i>is more of a romantic comedy than my first chick lit book. It will still have a twist at the end like my other novel but the theme is definitely romance.<br />
<br />
The only gripe I have with chick lit is too many stories are the same. That may sound funny as it's the genre I have chosen to write, but I deliberately didn't make <i>A Step Too Far </i>overly romantic. I wanted to write a book which I believed to be chick lit because it's written in first person and in a light hearted way. But at the same time I wanted to write a story which wasn't like all the rest.<br />
<br />
So I decided to be brave (or stupid) and write about life fulfilment.<br />
<br />
But was I wrong to do this?<br />
<br />
A lot of readers expect a tale of love when they pick up women's fiction. They want their tall, dark and handsome heroes and a happy ending. They want the book to contain certain elements and they want their expectations fulfilled. But here lies the problem. The category of W<i>omen's Fiction </i>is just an umbrella term with a whole lot of other categories mixed in. There are the romance books, the erotic books and the chick lit books. Romantic comedy is very similar to chick lit but chick lit tends to talk about the protagonist's friendships, career, family life and various other things.<br />
<br />
If readers did really want a guaranteed tale of love and romance, they'd surely pick up a book with a couple in a passionate pose on the front cover. Not some girl relaxing with a coffee in her favourite armchair.<br />
<br />
So what do you think? Is it safe to write women's fiction without romance?<br />
<br />
I'm going on a Baltic cruise from now until the 11th July so I will catch up with any comments when I return.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-44300603455646796932014-06-02T06:05:00.003-07:002014-06-03T09:29:44.730-07:00The Bare Truth of What Life as a Writer is Really Like - My KDP Select Results<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNBn1aYtO3QRJbMZYGmqDpxGsdXk36qYQRQtUNIO_zduSDArDbxukBvteHu1Ai7ADJWmt73s8sSlWR_mrDXSsy-NnmuE6nhQF7FNFxxxy76xwgRhLb5fQdSXCrgQnuvfUUUQA_6LnvSI/s1600/men+arena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNBn1aYtO3QRJbMZYGmqDpxGsdXk36qYQRQtUNIO_zduSDArDbxukBvteHu1Ai7ADJWmt73s8sSlWR_mrDXSsy-NnmuE6nhQF7FNFxxxy76xwgRhLb5fQdSXCrgQnuvfUUUQA_6LnvSI/s1600/men+arena.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Life as a writer can sometimes be compared to a music artist preparing for a concert in a huge arena. The excitement and anticipation is overwhelming and you're sure you've done everything humanely possible to prepare. You've spent months if not years dreaming about this event and now you can't believe it's here.<br />
<br />
You're not sure just how many tickets have sold but you hope it's been a sell out. You have everything crossed that the audience will love your debut song because it's just the best song ever! And you're almost ready to swear on your life that this concert will launch your career into places like Hollywood with cute chicks, cool cars and fluffy dogs.<br />
<br />
This concert will be the mother of all concerts. This concert will make all your dreams come true. This concert will make you richer than Richard Branson, more famous than Angelina Jolie, and happier than a chocoholic with a lifetimes supply of chocolate.<br />
<br />
Only it doesn't ...<br />
<br />
The only thing this concert is responsible for is sending you to the edge of madness and complete insanity.<br />
<br />
Five minutes before you're due to sing you find out that only a handful of ticket have sold. That's just a handful of tickets in one of the largest indoor arenas in the European Union. And most of those have gone to your family members.<br />
<br />
SHOCK HORROR.<br />
<br />
Your world has suddenly flipped one eighty. Instead of looking forward to all these dreams and fantasies, you're suddenly trapped in some kind of nightmare.<br />
<br />
But as a true and committed artist, you go out and perform anyway. You sing your little heart out because <b><i>you</i> </b>know you have talent. You know you have what it takes to become a success someday. You're a star because you have endless amounts of perseverance, patience and a work ethic which is second to none.<br />
<br />
The only problem is the rest of the world doesn't know it yet.<br />
<br />
But that's your job, you see. Your job is to go out there one person at a time and make them see how great you actually are. And this obviously takes time. Very, very rarely do people become overnight successes and those people who do still run the risk of fading into obscurity one day. Just like the rest of us, no one is immune from that potential danger.<br />
<br />
Whether you're a writer or a pop star, you will do whatever it takes to get yourself noticed because this is <i style="font-weight: bold;">your life.</i> It's the sole purpose of why you exist in the first place. And whether you are a writer who has only managed to sell a handful of books that really doesn't matter because as time goes on you <i style="font-weight: bold;">will </i>sell more. You'll sell more because you'll write more and with every day that passes you'll find new opportunities to take advantage of.<br />
<br />
I am a writer and last week I took advantage of KDP Select. Select, as most of you know, belongs to Amazon and it seems they do great things to promote you.<br />
<br />
I enrolled my chick lit book: <i style="font-weight: bold;">A Step Too Far </i>in Select last month and promoted it as free for forty-eight hours. Within this time almost <b><i>5,000 </i></b>copies were downloaded. Most of these downloads took place in America with the U.K. coming in second. I had downloads in Europe, India and Australia. The only place where I'm still obscure is Japan, Brazil and Mexico.<br />
<br />
So I'd say my little experiment was quite successful. The only downside of being free is negative reviews so I have my fingers crossed I don't get too many of those.<br />
<br />
I'll probably run a similar experiment with <i style="font-weight: bold;">Confessions of a Webcam Model </i>once it's been out a while. So when the time comes round, I'll let you know how that book performs.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-53504460429312655012014-05-27T05:41:00.000-07:002014-06-21T10:02:06.425-07:00Book Launch - 'Confessions of a Webcam Model' is Now Available<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0rBSTmf8-2Jxer4EmAvPoXA7UXflAcj9sMwpYeqc4Y2YlPDXy9W4sKCk5Npl3_hEy0tMAkZ-Bx4HU3P8QSug3brVLYglGSqbZpgw7EMp2d14ONUK7muBidWCi5J09S3bAiWpVhqRxro/s1600/Confessions+of+a+Webcam+Model+-+High+Resolution+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0rBSTmf8-2Jxer4EmAvPoXA7UXflAcj9sMwpYeqc4Y2YlPDXy9W4sKCk5Npl3_hEy0tMAkZ-Bx4HU3P8QSug3brVLYglGSqbZpgw7EMp2d14ONUK7muBidWCi5J09S3bAiWpVhqRxro/s1600/Confessions+of+a+Webcam+Model+-+High+Resolution+(1).jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I am very proud to announce that my 4th book is now ready to download on Amazon.<br />
<br />
Amazon.com: <a href="http://amzn.to/1inN8um" target="_blank"> http://amzn.to/1inN8um</a><br />
<br />
Amazon.co.uk: <a href="http://amzn.to/1opgJLe">http://amzn.to/1opgJLe</a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>In the midst of the worst recession the world has ever seen,
Cindy Smith is strapped for cash.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>But while other people chase down menial jobs without
success, Cindy suddenly finds herself staring at a lucrative career.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Before she can say ‘webcam modelling,’ Cindy meets all sorts
of weird and wonderful people with the most bizarre fetishes she can ever
imagine.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Written in a humorous style, Cindy’s story will take you on
a most remarkable journey full of fun and frolics, shock and horror and she’ll
show you what life as a webcam model is really like.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>This book contains the candid truth of what goes on behind
closed doors and the reality of where knitting needles can be inserted.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>This book is about a fictitious character. However, all
her experiences are taken from real life webcam models that have chosen this
career as a way of life.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>All names and personal details have been changed. See for
yourself, the details are eye-watering.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve wanted to write this book for a while as I’ve missed my
confessional style of writing which is present in my first two books in the <i>Secret
Confessions of a Backpacker</i> series.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sex industry features briefly in my first book and in my
4th book I wanted to take things a step further.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As you know, the world has been gripped by a severe
recession during the past couple of years, so I wanted to write a book that
would reflect this character’s bravery and integrity facing life today in the
modern world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My research into this topic has been extensive. I’ve spent a
whole year liaising with webcam models and watching countless documentaries.
This career is certainly eye opening and it’s inspired me to think about future
books around this theme.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The book is witty and written in a way that will surprise
even the most un-shockable reader. I hope you enjoy it.<br />
<br />
To celebrate my new release you can also grab a free copy of my chick lit book <i>A Step Too Far. </i>It will be free from Amazon on Tuesday 27th May until Wednesday 28th so grab your free copy while you can!!! :)<br />
<br />
Happy reading!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
#webcammodelling</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-37453852710123116812014-05-12T06:02:00.001-07:002014-05-12T08:04:45.991-07:00My Blog Tour - Confessions of a Webcam Model<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzf6P1c4DMMUY9jKmRayJ51s_OsUJqTKA3K8po2JcMMwG1Bl3-3M7OcffSrsBt8puIBuvtBg9iIjkpc8NxIopbDIHnRmNebWJpt-y9KrOD7dmmjoGVHInAgkK9G8dNGt3AvfneAsHr2Rw/s1600/Confessions+of+a+Webcam+Model+-+High+Resolution+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzf6P1c4DMMUY9jKmRayJ51s_OsUJqTKA3K8po2JcMMwG1Bl3-3M7OcffSrsBt8puIBuvtBg9iIjkpc8NxIopbDIHnRmNebWJpt-y9KrOD7dmmjoGVHInAgkK9G8dNGt3AvfneAsHr2Rw/s1600/Confessions+of+a+Webcam+Model+-+High+Resolution+%25281%2529.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 4th Book Coming Soon!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>In
the midst of the worst recession the world has ever seen, Cindy Smith is
strapped for cash.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>But while other people chase down menial jobs without success, Cindy finds herself staring at a lucrative career. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Before she can say 'webcam modelling,' Cindy meets all sorts of people with the most bizarre fetishes she can ever imagine.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Written in a humorous style, Cindy will take you on a most remarkable journey full of fun and frolics, shock and horror and she'll show you what life as a webcam model is really like. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>This book contains the candid truth of what goes on behind closed doors and the reality of where knitting needles can be inserted.</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
For a change, I thought I'd participate in a good old blog tour this week. I haven't been involved in one of these for the past couple of years, so I should really get back into them as they can be advantageous in gaining new readers you otherwise wouldn't have had.<br />
<br />
Now I've just finished my fourth book: <i>Confessions of a Webcam Model. </i>I've been keeping this book under wraps but seeing as it will be out soon, I want to make an announcement. This book is written in the style of a memoir but its protagonist is a fictitious character.<br />
<br />
I've been wanting to write this book for a while as I've missed my confessional style of writing. The sex industry features briefly in my first book and in this book I wanted to take things a step further. As you know, the world has been gripped by its worst recession during the past couple of years, so I wanted to write a book that would reflect this character's bravery and integrity facing life today in the modern world.<br />
<br />
My research into this topic has been extensive and eye-watering. I've spent a whole year liaising with webcam models and watching documentary after documentary. This career is certainly eye opening and it's certainly inspired me to think about future books written around this theme.<br />
<br />
So without further ado, here are my answers to the four questions.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>What am I working on? </b>At the moment I'm plotting my fifth book, my second chick-lit novel:<i> Second Time Around. </i>Although it's my second chick-lit, it's my first romantic comedy set in Edinburgh, Scotland. My protagonist, Ruby Roberts or Phoebe Philips ( I haven't decided what to call her yet, what do you think? ) is a thirty-two year old librarian with no self-confidence and down on her life. I don't want to give too much of the plot away but let's just say she's dying to meet her Mr. Wonderful and is willing to look everywhere for him.</li>
<li><b>How does my work differ from others of its genre? </b>Er, because it's written in an extremely candid way and no other author dares to speak the truth like I do? Well, this may be true for books one, two and four but for <i>A Step Too Far</i>, this question is really difficult to answer. I wanted to write the book as chick-lit but I didn't want to have the usual romantic themes woven through it like most chick-lit novels these days. There, how about that? I've saved all the romantic themes for my fifth book.</li>
<li><b>Why do I write what I do? </b>Well, I think this is the easiest question to answer of all. I write what I do because I love to read these genres. I have quite an eclectic taste in books and if I enjoy reading something, I'll always want to write around these particular themes and styles. During my time in New Zealand, I read Belle de Jour's books. For those of you who don't know, Belle was a high class call girl turned research scientist. I loved her candid approach and humour and she's always been an inspiration to write these sorts of books. Her books did so well they turned them into a T.V. series starring Billie Piper.</li>
<li><b>How does my writing process work? </b>My fourth book took the shortest amount of time to write. I started in January and finished in April so that's only four months. It's 60,000 words so it's by no means my longest book but I am very proud of myself for achieving this. I hope to write my fifth book in a similar amount of time. I aim to write for several hours a day at least five days a week. Sometimes if life allows and I'm not too tired, I'll write on weekends.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div>
Thank you very much to Dr. Carol Cooper for this blog tour opportunity. Carol is another talented chick-lit author and you can view her blog here: http://pillsandpillowtalk.com/</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I wish Carol much success with her novels.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-25602159912930608032014-04-22T07:23:00.000-07:002014-04-22T07:23:03.902-07:00How to Avoid Over-use of He Said, She Said, I Said.I love to read books of various different genres and styles but one particular thing gets to me and if I'm honest it's an issue which I see over and over again.<br />
<br />
The overuse of he said, she said, I said.<br />
<br />
Memoirs and chick-lit are my favourite type of books and anything else that's written in first person. Maybe the problem is prone to first person narration but after a while the issue starts to bug me and more often than not I end up putting the book down.<br />
<br />
If you put he said, she said, I said after every line of dialogue it becomes tedious and I find it distracts the reader away from the storyline. Instead of focusing on what the book is about the reader is more involved with the actual writing itself.<br />
<br />
In most cases you don't <i>have </i>to say who is speaking as the reader should be able to work it out for themselves. But here's a clever little tip that I use and this technique will give your book an added dimension.<br />
<br />
Instead of writing he said, she said, I said all the time why not add a line of description to tell the reader what the character is doing. By doing this not only are you avoiding the repetition that these tags can bring but you're also keeping the story in the present tense.<br />
<br />
For example:<br />
<br />
<i>'But I don't want to go to the park today.' I walk over to the window and point at the rain on the glass.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
This way you're not taking the reader out of the story by telling them who is speaking but you're letting the story run its natural course. You're eliminating unnecessary words and therefore making the text a much tighter read.<br />
<br />
<i>'But I don't want to go to the park today,' I say. I walk over to the window and point at the rain on the glass.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Which one reads better? You're saying the same thing without the unnecessary words which detract from the story.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-43613238813849484702014-03-25T11:46:00.000-07:002014-03-25T11:46:39.365-07:00Is it a Good Idea to Call Yourself Indie?Something struck me last week when I was in one of my writing groups. Most writers there call themselves indie when they talk about their books. And although they all write not all of them produce professionally published work.<br />
<br />
There is still a lot of stigma attached to independent authors. Outside the writing world people think you only have the right to call yourself an author if you're backed by Penguin or Random House. People think that only those authors can produce such professional quality works.<br />
<br />
But this is not true. Indies who are serious about treating writing as a business <i>will</i> be professional. They will take the time to make sure they produce quality books and they will spend the money to ensure a polished result. Their main goal will be to get their book into the hands of a reader who'll think this book is such a high standard they'll have a difficult time in telling it apart from a traditionally published book.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately though not all self-published writers are like this. Many can't afford professional editing and cover design. Many still think they'll earn their fortune just by rushing their book and releasing what some would still consider a first draft. And unfortunately it's those kind of people who give the rest of us a bad name.<br />
<br />
Trad-pubbed authors will already have a team of people behind them to ensure their book will reach a certain high standard. They will write their book and won't have to worry about finding money to pay their copy-editor as this is already included in the package.<br />
<br />
So if you're an indie who takes writing seriously, why go to the bother of declaring yourself as self-published? If you're a writer then your goal will be the same as any other author. And that goal is to publish books.<br />
<br />
Readers will look for a book they want to read. If it catches their eye then they will buy it. Readers won't care if you're backed by Penguin or not. If they want to read your book they'll read it. Whether you're an indie or not is not the point.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-3874529552868625952014-03-05T08:19:00.000-08:002014-03-06T07:34:25.854-08:00The Success of FailureRecently I've seen a lot of blog posts about 'failing' as a writer, but to me the only way you can fail is if you give up.<br />
<br />
When they first start out failure is in the minds of most writers. They fear they will fail to finish their first book, fail to promote it and fail to sell a single copy. There is such a lot of negativity around this art.<br />
<br />
But now I'm going to put a spin of failure. I'm going to turn it round into something positive.<br />
<br />
My question is: <i><b>Have you failed enough to succeed?</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
No matter where you go or which profession you choose, you're always going to fail at something. It's what we do. After all we're only human - we're not robots.<br />
<br />
Imagine you're taking your driving test without taking the lessons first. You're sat behind the wheel of your car absolutely blind with panic. How can you possibly pass this test?<br />
<br />
The fact is no one expects you succeed if you haven't had any practise.This is why people go to university to study for their chosen career.<br />
<br />
But writing is different. You can have a degree in creative writing or a BA in English but if you want to write you're still going to have to write your first novel.<br />
<br />
And that takes practise. If something doesn't work try to reach the desired conclusion from a different angle.<br />
<br />
It's very, very rare for any writer to create their first book and have it go viral. Successful writers write books for years without much thanks and then suddenly they find people are buying them.<br />
<br />
So, how many times are you going to try? You never know next time could be the time you succeed.<br />
<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I10vxL0VJO0Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-47848771094737807452014-02-13T08:46:00.001-08:002014-02-13T08:50:17.850-08:00It's Normal Not to Sell a Lot of BooksI came across this post: <em>It's Normal not to Sell a Lot</em>: <a href="http://bit.ly/1eqnq4X">http://bit.ly/1eqnq4X</a> in the Writer's Café in Kindleboards the other week and thought how true it is.<br />
<br />
People are influenced by the tales of overnight success many writers seem to have. So when someone decides they want to write professionally they are often stung by the cruel twist of reality. This feeling is made worse when someone asks how well your first book is selling only to be told you have yet to sell even one copy.<br />
<br />
Most writers feel embarrassed or even mortified when the book they've worked so hard on doesn't sell a thousand copies overnight. And this is true whether you've just written your first or tenth novel. Sales are not guaranteed <strong>-</strong> <strong>ever</strong>. It doesn't matter if you've been writing for a month or twelve years. Sales are so random and unpredictable that if you let things get to you you'll be so miserable you'll have no energy to write the damn book in the first place.<br />
<br />
Avoid people who have no insight into the business of writing and publishing for their unrealistic expectations will do you no favours. Just because J.K. Rowling has made more money than the Queen doesn't mean you will too.<br />
<br />
So the message of this post is to be happy with what<em> <strong>you </strong></em>have achieved. Not many people have the willpower to write even one book, so if you're writing your second then you've achieved far more than the average person. <br />
<br />
If you desperately need money go out and find another form of income or hook a rich guy or gal. Don't spend hours wishing you could be Danielle Steel or Dan Brown. You are not them. You are you. Even though their money is nice there's definitely more to writing than the currency you're used to dealing with.<br />
<br />
Expectations are a funny thing. When you start writing achieving one sale per month makes you feel like you've just climbed Mount Everest. Then you're selling ten books per month and the following year that goes up to fifty. But once you start selling and you get used to a certain number anything below that just isn't enough.<br />
<br />
When I first started writing of course I had big dreams. But now I've learnt to tailor those dreams with a huge chunk of reality. Most books don't sell well and that's fine. Most books don't need to make the best seller charts. As long as writers keep writing I believe their books will one day earn enough to make a living.<br />
<br />
If you're serious about making writing your career please remember this. Write as many books as you can and then write some more. Do not get obsessed with sales figures. Keep your perspective at all times. It doesn't matter how another writer is doing. Put all of your energy into you.<br />
<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-29049813266882748652014-01-28T09:49:00.000-08:002014-01-29T03:04:37.422-08:00My Marketing Results and Why I'm Going to Spend More Time Writing.As promised here's my blog on my marketing results I said I would do last month. In order to see any significant changes, I've allowed a month to pass from when I first started to advertise.<br />
<br />
Are your hearts beating with anticipation? Do you think I'm going to reveal a site that's guaranteed to sell 100,000 copies of your book flat out in a week?<br />
<br />
If you are you're going to be bitterly disappointed because I'm now going to say that despite my best marketing efforts with these relevant sites, I have not seen any significant changes in my sales results.<br />
<br />
This does not mean I haven't had any sales at all. Far from it. It's just unfortunate that I can't see any direct correlation between sales and advertising.<br />
<br />
Advertising with these sites might have had a slight impact on sales, so I'm glad I spent time promoting my book. But the results aren't high enough for me to be certain. One factor in my poor sales results is the sites I've used aren't big or well known. Perhaps I would have had better luck if I had used sites like BookBub. Unfortunately my book hasn't generated enough reviews to submit it to them.<br />
<br />
And that's the problem. When you first release a book it can be near impossible to get reviews that are required for so many of these well known advertising sites. It's a Catch 22 situation. You want to use these sites to get the word out about your new release, but unless your book already has a certain amount of reviews you can't do this.<br />
<br />
So what's the answer? Maybe I will try to get reviews before my next book is actually published. As of yet, I haven't gone down this route but I figure it must be worth a shot so watch this space.<br />
<br />
I think until you have a few books out in the same genre it's pointless to waste your time and money concentrating on pushing just one book. Instead your time is better spent writing. After all, the majority of successful writers have quite a few books and a large proportion write in the same genre. Nothing sells books like writing more books - or so I've been told.<br />
<br />
I'm going to listen to this advice from now on because it's all come from writers who have a large number of books.<br />
<br />
I'm not knocking these advertising sites but I do believe I am not far enough along in my career to get the most out of them. To be a known writer you have to write more than one book. Then your readers will be more likely to take a chance on you because they will get to know your writing style and the book's content. Readers are more likely to take a chance on a writer who has a number of books.<br />
<br />
Of course I could be talking a load of fluff for who am I to know what<em> really </em>sells books? <br />
<br />
I'll wait another couple of months before I advertise again. Maybe my change in book cover will have some impact but who knows? Only time will tell.<br />
<br />
This is where I'd love to hear your experience. What works for you when it comes to selling books?<br />
<br />
My goal is to have readers who are loyal and committed just like my two dogs.<br />
<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-61416140569754563412014-01-15T03:51:00.001-08:002014-01-15T03:51:52.735-08:00Do you have to be Emotionally Connected to your Writing for it to be a Success?I've given this question some serious thought now while the excitement and anxiety of releasing my book has finally settled down. And I do believe this topic will generate a mixed response.<br />
<br />
Some writers write what is in their heart and therefore their main focus is to write stories that they want to write. But other writers only write what they think will sell.<br />
<br />
I am a writer who writes from my heart. That doesn't mean I don't consider my readers when I write these stories. Quite the opposite: my readers are my pivotal focus. But I think writing from the heart is far easier than writing what I think will sell.<br />
<br />
There are two main reasons for this:<br />
<ol>
<li>I don't have any experience of writing sci-fi, paranormal romance or dystopia because I don't read these sort of books.</li>
<li>I am not about to start chasing the trends on the off chance I may get rich, famous or hugely successful. Again there are two main reasons for this. Number one: I am never, ever that lucky and number two by the time I have written books in these genres another genre will be hot. I figure I may as well stick to what I know I write well.</li>
</ol>
The stories I tell always have a personal connection and I believe this passion is what carries the readers through. If I don't write with this connection, I don't honestly know if there would be a story to tell. I know a lot of writers are like me and they basically write about something in their life experience.<br />
<br />
This isn't always literal of course. Writers could just write fiction with only a vague element of truth but their stories often come through from some sort of life experience.<br />
<br />
What do you think? Are you a writer who writes from their heart?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-65667557497993797242014-01-01T05:10:00.000-08:002014-01-03T04:03:05.277-08:00A List of Book Promotion Sites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
Before I get into this post, I'd like to wish all my followers and everyone else an extremely Happy New Year. May all your wishes and dreams come true during these next twelve months.<br />
<br />
If you're a writer like me here is a list that <em>might </em>make this year your best yet. I know the number one goal for many authors is to write as many books as they possibly can and for them to sell like wildfire. <br />
<br />
Now writing books may seem hard but I can assure you that getting people to buy them is so much harder. As a writer you may feel like most of your work is over once you have a finished product to sell but in fact your work is only just beginning.<br />
<br />
I've seen established writers argue that the best promotional tool you can use is to write another book. And although I am not arguing with that advice, I think it would be a shame to ignore all the book promotion sites.<br />
<br />
When I first start to market my first book I really struggled. There's an overwhelming amount of advice out there and most of it is conflicting. This daunts a novice writer who is only just starting out on their exciting adventure, and for some they'd rather bury their head in the sand rather than face any promotion.<br />
<br />
If you're a new writer starting out now then I think your journey into publishing may be even harder. There are so many books out there now that cyber space is becoming increasingly swamped. This makes visibility so much harder, and many writers will claim that simply tweeting about your book amongst your followers who are probably trying to do the same thing is more than a little pointless.<br />
<br />
So if social media sites aren't working then what does work?<br />
<br />
The key to making sales is to get your book in front of the eyes of readers. This sounds so simple on the surface but finding these people can be tougher than you first think. There are hundreds of book clubs out there dedicated to specific genres but most of these clubs do not allow promotion of any sort. So it's a Catch 22 scenario. You want to find readers but when you do you can't mention your book to them. How do get round this obstacle?<br />
<br />
The trick is not to hound readers yourself but to find sites that have newsletters sent out to their plethora of subscribed readers. You upload your book onto their site and you have your book mentioned in the monthly/weekly/daily newsletter. Some sites are free but some are paid. I know many writers swear by BookBub - <a href="http://www.bookbub.com/partners">http://www.bookbub.com/partners</a> but this is the dearest site I've found so far.<br />
<br />
So, here is a list of sites that I've promoted my books with. In a month I will report any increase I've seen with sales - fingers crossed there will be some significant findings. As my followers know I have just released my third book so I'm trying desperately to promote that.<br />
<br />
I hope you find these sites handy.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://awesomegang.com/">http://awesomegang.com/</a> A mixture of free and paid promotion. Vinny is very helpful indeed.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bookdaily.com/authorsignup">http://www.bookdaily.com/authorsignup</a> For increased author visibility.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ebookbargainsuk.com/">http://www.ebookbargainsuk.com/</a> A U.K version if BookBub. I will be using them in the future.</li>
<li><a href="http://askdavid.com/">http://askdavid.com/</a> They are an affiliate of Amazon and are very reasonable.</li>
<li><a href="http://creativedesignerswriters.com/">http://creativedesignerswriters.com/</a> Advertise on this site for ten years for $5. Brilliant exposure.</li>
</ul>
Once again Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you find my post useful. I'm off to eat a cake like the one shown above this afternoon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-33274124290188195042013-12-18T07:51:00.001-08:002014-01-19T08:52:26.481-08:00The Components of a Bestselling BookOkay, so I have been thinking about the above question quite a bit recently. After all, in the digital age of electronic books and the explosion of self publishing, it is hard not to hope for J.K. Rowling success by some small miracle.<br />
<br />
However, dreaming about making a massive small fortune and actually doing it are two very different things. Anyone who thinks they can slap a book together and whack it on Amazon in the space of just one month is going to be very disappointed indeed if they expect it to sell well or even sell at all. There's a lot of competition out there these days and every book has to fight its way to be noticed.<br />
<br />
But success <em>is </em>possible if you're prepared to work at it.<br />
<br />
A lot of writers' success comes from their books selling modestly. They may not write a book which has three million sales in the first week but they will write enough books to make a living if they can get several of their books to sell regularly. <br />
<br />
I believe this method works or at least I hope it does because I am prepared to write for the rest of my life.<br />
<br />
So ... what makes a bestselling book?<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Well firstly the story has to be something Joe Public wants to read. If you like writing far out stuff for the world's tiniest audience then don't expect a life of endless money any time soon.</li>
<li>Secondly, I think it must have a decent plotline to keep you on the edge of your seat. If a book is boring and predictable then why the hell should anyone want to read it? I always like a book with a good twist.</li>
<li>Thirdly, I like to be impressed with the authors use of language. That's not the same as saying I like flowery prose but I like the author's style of writing to be unique to them. Writing which is distinct and compact.</li>
<li>Fourthly, I like well rounded and believable characters with clear motivations and goals.</li>
</ul>
If you're a writer who writes books with these elements I believe your books will sell. You just have to keep writing them.<br />
<br />
So, that leads me on to this ...<br />
<br />
Drumroll please ...<br />
<br />
It is with great relief, joy and a whole lot of trepidation and anxiety that I announce the arrival of my third book: <strong><em>A Step Too Far</em></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<em><strong>'</strong>Caitlin O’Connor has the perfect life. Or so she thinks. In her late twenties, she already has a fantastic career as a trauma nurse with a gorgeous, rich, successful husband to match.</em><br />
<em><br />But when tragedy strikes on an exotic holiday, all this changes. Caitlin’s near-death experience makes her realise that she has to move out of her comfort zone and make the most of life’s opportunities.<br /><br />But when she makes plans to have more of a work/life balance, she discovers far more than she bargains for. She fears her husband is about to have an affair, and this situation is made worse by her own current catastrophic failings at work.<br /><br />Now things are going from bad to worse and Caitlin’s suffering panic attacks. Will she ever be sane again and manage to get her life back on track, or has she gone a step too far</em>?' <br />
<br />
It is a funny, light hearted chick lit so I hope you'll check it out.<br />
<br />
If you'd like to make my dreams come true here are the links to follow if you wish to purchase it:<br />
<br />
Amazon.com: <a href="http://amzn.to/1khDhcS">http://amzn.to/1khDhcS</a><br />
Amazon.co.uk: <a href="http://amzn.to/1cbks9t">http://amzn.to/1cbks9t</a><br />
Smashwords: <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/388669">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/388669</a><br />
<br />
Thank you very, very much.<br />
<br />
Happy holidays!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-53102825467670923642013-11-27T05:01:00.001-08:002013-12-04T03:47:43.511-08:00What's the Difference Between Advertising and Self Promotion?A sudden thought struck me the other day as I'm getting ready to release my chick lit novel. As it's my first fiction book, I'm already planning to do more marketing than I've done with my other books. And I'm hoping my marketing efforts will be more noticeable as chick lit appeals to a broader audience. However, this does not mean I'll be going on any grand tour of blatant self promotion as I honestly don't believe this works.<br />
<br />
So then I thought about the general concept of marketing and what certain terms mean. When someone mentions marketing what they're really saying covers a whole lot of other areas. Marketing is just an umbrella term that sometimes does nothing but confuse people trying to suss it out.<br />
<br />
When I first started writing seriously, I thought marketing was just another word for blatant self promotion, or spam as some people say. And as a writer I knew this method was unlikely to work and what blatant self promotion I have done seems to have little affect on sales. So instead I concentrated on writing my next book.<br />
<br />
But then I started to think about advertising. Advertising may be more expensive and it may take longer for the results to show but I think it's more effective on long term sales than just promotion. If for example you have your book placed in many different stores it is likely to sell more copies than just having the book in one store and constantly bleating on about it.<br />
<br />
Having your book in many different places whether it's online or in real book stores will help increase sales without much blatant self promotion. Of course, you'll have to tell people where it's available but even then I think that's different to self promotion.<br />
<br />
If you're looking for a short boost of sales giving your book away for free or offering a two for one offer is a great promotion tactic. But if you're looking for a longer boost then researching advertising strategies may be a better plan.<br />
<br />
What do you think - is advertising a better strategy than promotion? What has worked for you?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-61408501413792223272013-11-20T03:52:00.002-08:002013-11-22T01:43:32.294-08:00Does Fear Hold You Back from Publishing Your Book?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiMhcZnRCfnR10dXzHKw0mg_FrsVMk5F5bFyNyP3aT8KxJo4s2jk0NIjHMUWestAuu-17Hm4hu7n1leQUXh8qrygo5Hfkz4d5gTL1_umeICwYDStrJRI-SzC6v66PIfFDQnwV494gxcc/s1600/DSCF0654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiMhcZnRCfnR10dXzHKw0mg_FrsVMk5F5bFyNyP3aT8KxJo4s2jk0NIjHMUWestAuu-17Hm4hu7n1leQUXh8qrygo5Hfkz4d5gTL1_umeICwYDStrJRI-SzC6v66PIfFDQnwV494gxcc/s320/DSCF0654.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
I'm anxiously awaiting to receive my manuscript back from its editing process and already I'm feeling slightly terrified.<br />
<br />
This is a big moment in my life because when I do get it back and make the necessary alterations and corrections, I'll have my first fiction novel ready to be published.<br />
<br />
Naturally I'm very excited about this and I've already started to plan out my fourth book in an effort to take my mind off my third book. I figure that while I'm waiting, I may as well be doing something useful. Writers never stop writing so it's onwards and upwards with book number four.<br />
<br />
But then I start to think about all the other writers I network with. Some excitedly tell me that they're working on their first novel and I presume they can't wait to get it published. And then they tell me that they've been working on it for the past sixteen years.<br />
<br />
Unless they're writing an entire library, I don't think any book should take this long and I wonder what's holding them back. Many, many writers have other commitments such as other jobs and family issues but they still manage to publish a book every year or two.<br />
<br />
Then I think to myself is it fear? Fear of the unknown and people writing reviews stating they can't write. Fear of being ridiculed for publishing a book that only sells one copy per year.<br />
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Thoughts like these go through every writers' mind, whether you're J.K. Rowling or a complete novice. But what separates these writers is that the J.K. Rowling's publish their books and try not to worry too much while they get on with writing their next novel. The other writers will dither and dither and make constant rewrites and corrections, consequently never getting their book published.<br />
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You don't want to rush your book and it's crucial to make it the best it possibly can be before you release it for the world to see. But what's important is realising when that time has arrived.<br />
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If you're a writer who find themselves worrying a lot about their book and you constantly change and rewrite it, I hope this post has helped you. I have a self help book about fear and anxiety and it's got one pivotal lesson:<br />
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<strong><em>Action brings satisfaction. No matter what the problem or fear is, doing something about it will always make you feel better.</em></strong><br />
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So take action and have the courage to publish your book before you go completely insane.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1110107012766586348.post-37080638028941220652013-11-12T04:39:00.000-08:002013-11-15T04:32:14.558-08:00Do Writers Sell More Books if they Cross Genres?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been browsing many best selling authors on Amazon this week after finally finishing my third book. I've been a little high when thinking that one day I might achieve this same status.<br />
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But despite these authors writing different categories of books, they all seem to have one thing in common: they write in different genres.<br />
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If you look for information regarding how to sell books on the internet, you're more than likely to discover discussions on author brands, and how it's crucial for writers to build their brand name on their platform to entice their readers. This advice is given so your readers will begin to trust what sort of books you produce. For example, everyone on this planet knows what books Stephen King writes and on his books you'll notice he'll have his name on the top of his book rather than the title. Not only is this more eye catching as usually it's the first thing you see, but the title on the bottom of the book will almost seem insignificant. The reader knows who the author is so therefore even without glancing at the title they'll know roughly what the book is about.<br />
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But what happens when writers do decide to <em>cross </em>genres? Will their existing brand be ruined if they decide to hop about all over the place?<br />
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I've often worried this myself because this question is going to affect me very soon. My first two books have been about travel, adventure and excitement with a little steam thrown in there too. Most people know me as a citizen of the world because I am open about the fact that I've been around it three times.<br />
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But what will happen when my third book is released and people discover it's not related to wild backpacking stories, and that it's just another chick lit book in an overcrowded market? Can I expect my current fans to have the same enthusiasm if I dare ask them to read it?<br />
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Then I stop to think a while.<br />
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Yes, I have fans for my two current books but I'm sure these people just don't like to stick to one particular genre, do they? Okay, some might but I'll probably discover readers like myself who like to read all sorts of different books. I like to read non fiction, biographies and memoirs. Books by Belle de Jour and real life stories of serial killers. That's the crime reader in me. I also like to read light hearted chick lit and comedy books by Sibel Hodge. Her Amazon author page is here: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sibel-Hodge/e/B003H0Q4EQ/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sibel-Hodge/e/B003H0Q4EQ/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0</a><br />
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So then I wonder do these writers sell more books overall because they've branched out and attempted to reach a different audience?<br />
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A lot of successful writers will tell you more books will equal more sales because every book has the potential to find more readers. I blogged about this topic last week: <a href="http://lkwattsconfessions.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/has-marketing-lost-its-effect.html">http://lkwattsconfessions.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/has-marketing-lost-its-effect.html</a><br />
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You might be wondering why a photo of Terry Fox is on my blog. I posted this picture in an effort to inspire fellow writers. Terry was an athlete of great tenacity. He had determination and great courage. Terry died in his early twenties from cancer after nearly running the entire width of Canada on a false leg. Although he was ill he was determined to achieve his goal. He had qualities shared with successful writers. He didn't give up but continued his marathon, however much of a struggle it was.<br />
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So what do you think? Do writers brave enough to venture into a different genre sell more books overall? Please share your experiences with us.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8