Thursday, September 22, 2016

Successful Writing


As I write this I am watching through my mobile office window someone assembling conference bags. It brings back memories of doing the same thing (several times) and hope that the people attending your conference will be supercharged with excitement and learning.

Attending a writing conference is one of those great things you can do to give yourself a boost. To get the most out of it you do need to choose your conference carefully. I always look at conference blogs to get ideas and latest information.
Sara Letourneau has a great run down on the latest Writers Digest conference- all the best bits and learning.

Angela Ackerman writes about what it is like on the presenting side and what she learned as best practice in a recent conference.(100% agree with her from my experience of programming 2 national conferences.)

Roz Morris has a great article on how you should approach your writing – Is it a hobby... a vocation... a job...

Once you have decided what your writing means to you figure out what you need to focus on and then look for a conference to suit. Research the speakers.
Sue Coletta was interviewed by Larry Brooks  about her writing success story and how she did it.


Publishers Weekly looks at Indie authors and why they have to spend money to make money.

David Gaughran has found another Bait and Switch vanity publisher that appears at all the big conferences and is predatory. (Forewarned people!)

Conferences can get really expensive so I always look for best bang for my buck or what is available online. An excellent conference is coming up from the Alli folks. And it’s free. The speakers are amazing. 
It’s worth hiring a hotel room and treating yourself.

In The Craft Section,


Two great posts from Now Novel -How to create a fantasy world and Don’t lose the plot

Layering your way through the book – Martina Boone- Bookmark



Outlining scenes – Blood Red pencil- Bookmark

Extra

Tom Bonnick from Nosy Crow is having an auction for a MS critique – all proceeds going to feed hungry refugee kids in Calais (It is part of the authors for refugees action group.)

In The Marketing Section,

Joanna Penn has an interview with PR expert Janet Murray on Book Marketing- Bookmark

Rachel Straub writes about how to tackle Amazon’s top reviewers.- Bookmark

Anne R Allen has the 5 things you shouldn’t do in email marketing- Bookmark





To Finish

John Green has been struggling with the problem of Writer Success. He talks about the emotional toll of this as well as the toll on his writing. A must watch video.


Merritt Tierce has written an article about the Dark Side Of Literary Fame. It is a sobering read. 

Know what you are getting into... and cultivate your writing friends. They know the journey and will celebrate with you and commiserate with you. If it’s throw the manuscript against the wall time... then read some advice from Chuck.

Maureen
@craicer

mobile office = car

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Thursday, September 15, 2016

On The Journey


It must be the season for figuring out how to get people reading again. Here in NZ our Book Council published a report that said Kiwi’s weren’t reading their own fiction. Why aren’t they? Everybody has opinions. Maybe it’s because they can’t find the books in bookstores.

Hugh Howey talks about the dismal earning reports of B&N and then goes into detail about how Indie bookstores are changing the face of bookselling. This is a fantastic read and for extra reading credit check out what Hugh would do if he owned a bookstore... highly likely in the future.

So what are Bookstores selling? The Guardian wrote about The Secret DNA behind Bestsellers and talked with the writers of an algorithm that attempted to find out. They have published their findings in a ... Book.

To make the bestseller... you need word of mouth... marketing... advertising budget.. etcetc or you can just get some pods. Jane Friedman has a fascinating guest post about street teams/ mini marketing brigades of fans

What about the contracts of all those people helping you to get published. Kris Rusch winds up her deal breakers series with a comprehensive list of who and how to deal with foreign rights requests.

And that brings us right to the beginning.... The writing.
Rebecca Solnit has Ten Tips On How To Be  A Writer. They are all good.

In The Craft Section,


Giving your characters backstory- K M Weiland Bookmark

Inciting incidents – Stephen Pressfield- Bookmark

How to self edit- Now Novel-Bookmark

The pantzer outlining method – Molly Greene- Bookmark




In the Marketing Section,

Self publishing vs Traditional- Joanna Penn- Bookmark



Do writers need a FB page- Kirsten Lamb- Bookmark

How much does a book cost – Digital Book World

Social Media Care- Frances Caballo- Bookmark

To Finish,
While we are figuring out how to get our book out there... it’s a fact of a writers life that they will be spending time alone trying to figure stuff out. Daphne Grey Grant has a great post on how to work alone. Self care tips for the stressed writer. I’m off to find a warm drink... chocolate...

Maureen
@craicer


Pic : Flickr/Creative Commons /Jogendra Joshi

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