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Quick Link: What have you got to lose? by Kari Lynn Dell

September 7, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Conflict is the pulse of the story. Without conflict, your story is really boring and short. But sometimes it is really hard to come up with enough conflict or compelling conflict. There are only so many times you can throw random accidents at a person until you become The Perils of Pauline. Thankfully author Kari Lynn Dell has some great thoughts on how to make sure your characters really suffer. Check it out at Romance University.

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What have you got to lose?

by Kari Lynn Dell

This question single-handedly turned around my writing career. It has become the first thing I ask my characters as I devise new and better ways to torture them along the road to their happily-ever-after. First, though, let me give credit where credit is due.

About four years ago I was struggling mightily with the manuscript that would eventually become Reckless in Texas. In the course of three major rewrites it was getting, if anything, worse as I twisted and stretched to come up with a compelling conflict. In the depths of my despair, I turned to the place you have also arrived–blogs on the craft of writing. Specifically, the blog belonging to the incomparable Jennifer Crusie.

In one of those moments of divine circumstance that I wouldn’t believe if I read it in a book, I stumbled across the exact advice I needed at exactly the right time.

To paraphrase, if you want to write unforgettable romance, make it so the two of them can’t win at love unless one of them loses. Big. Gives up a cherished vision of who they are, or steps off the path they have laid out for themselves, brick by careful brick. Or both.

Read the full post on Romance University.

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If you liked this article, please share. If you have suggestions for further articles, articles you would like to submit, or just general comments, please contact me at paula@publetariat.com or leave a message below.

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Quick Link: The engine in your book

September 6, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Did you ever think of “Information density” when you write? Me neither. But according to Dawn Field at Bookbaby Blog, it is what pushes your story and after reading the article, I would have to say she is right. Find out for yourself!

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The engine in your book

by Dawn Field

There’s a powerful engine in your book, it’s just a bit hard to find. It’s in every word, and it drives plot and characters and everything else.

Everybody knows the most important part of a car is the engine. You might like your top-notch speakers for the surround sound, or the air conditioning on a sweltering day, or the incredible shock absorbers, but you can’t say you’d take those over an engine.

So, what’s the engine of your book? Plot? It’s essential if you’re writing a thriller that needs page-turning action. What about characters? Many say a book is nothing without an attention-grabbing character at its center.

Turns out there’s a more powerful engine in your book, it’s just a bit hard to find. It’s in every word, that’s how powerful it is. It drives plot and characters and everything else.

What is it? We can call it “information density.” It’s knowing exactly how much gas to give, and when. It’s a Goldilocks situation: not too little, not too much, but just right. What “just right” is is up to you, your writing style, and the preferences of your readers.

Stories are about conveying information in a pleasing and gripping way. Not enough information yields a big dose of boredom. Too much information can confuse or overwhelm. As readers and writers, we have an intuitive feel for the density of good stuff in a book, but we rarely take the time to quantify it.

Read the full post on Bookbaby Blog

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Quick Link: Six Smart Ways Indie Authors Can Collaborate When Marketing

September 5, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

We are all in this together as author and writers, so this post from Angela Ackerman at Writer’s Helping Writers hits the spot with how we can help each other with the hardest task of all. Marketing.

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Six Smart Ways Indie Authors Can Collaborate When Marketing

by Angela Ackerman

The control and freedom indie authors have can be a big asset when it comes to marketing. The problem is time. Shouldering the weight of writing, editing, researching, publishing, marketing, and promoting alone can be exhausting, especially knowing our industry is growing more crowded and competitive by the day.

There’s a silver lining here, though: Indies are business people (let’s face it, you have to be to make it in our world) who know the value of collaboration. After all, working together means spreading out the marketing load, sharing audiences, and leveraging everyone’s platform and connections.

Finding other authors to collaborate with might take some time, but it’s worth it. Look for authors who 1) write books very similar to your own 2) have a good work ethic 3) believe in give and take, and 4) have a platform and the trust of their readers (influence).

Built your crew? Awesome! Here’s six ways to collaborate.

Swap Valuable Links

Read the full post on Writer’s Helping Writers

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Quick Link: 10 Tips for Self-Published Authors

September 1, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Here are some good pointers from author Duncan M. Hamilton for writers who are thinking of becoming self-published. Head on over to Fantasy Faction for the full post.

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10 Tips for Self-Published Authors

by Duncan M. Hamilton

In publishing there are outliers who release a book straight to the top of the charts, but they are few and far between. Happily, you don’t need this to happen to be able to make a full time living from writing—the slow build to a solid platform is equally viable, albeit longer in the making. With that in mind, I’ve put together ten pointers that I hope will help anyone considering going down the self-pub route avoid some of the pitfalls and hard lessons waiting along the way.

1. Writers’ Cafe on the KBoards Forum

Every day for me starts with a few minutes there. It has a vast amount of information relating to pretty much everything you could encounter as a writer. It’s up to date, with discussions on new developments in the industry usually starting up within minutes of the announcement being made. There’s also ongoing discussion on what marketing methods are working, and those that aren’t. As always, you’ll need to exercise personal judgement in separating the wheat from the chaff, but this will become easier with a little time spent reading up. There are some very experienced and successful writers hanging out there, and more often than not they are very generous with their advice and in sharing their knowledge.

Read the full post on Fantasy Faction

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Quick Link: Storyboarding with Scrivener (or, A Love Affair with Virtual Index Cards)

August 30, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Do you use Scrivener? I have it and I use it sporadically but sporadic is my middle name. It is a great tool for organizing but it can be a bit overwhelming. Gwen Hernandez from Writers UnBoxed has some great tips with lots of pictures on how to use the index card feature of Scrivener better.

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Storyboarding with Scrivener (or, A Love Affair with Virtual Index Cards)

By Gwen Hernandez

Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser—or neither—at some point in your writing process, you can probably benefit from a visual overview of your story. Scrivener’s Corkboard feature is here to help.

Pack up your paper index cards and colored sticky notes, and let’s go virtual.

Understanding Index Cards in Scrivener

Every file in Scrivener has an associated index card. That index card shows up in the Synopsis section of the Inspector (visible in all but the Snapshots and Comments panes), and on the Corkboard. You can use the index card to make note of anything you want—for example, the timeline, setting, characters—but for storyboarding purposes, it makes sense to include a brief synopsis of the scene.

Read the full post on Writers UnBoxed

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Quick Link: How To Get Book Reviews As An Unknown Author

August 29, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

The hardest thing is for a new author to get recognized. There are so many titles out there and other authors trying to get recognized as as well. With a limited number of resources, how do you get started in gathering publicity and reviews? At The Creative Penn, Joanna Penn helps you out with steps you can take.

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How To Get Book Reviews As An Unknown Author

by Joanna Penn

A few months ago, I started a new pen-name and have kept it secret in order to avoid ‘pollution’ of the also-boughts. But it has been SO hard because I have basically started from scratch – with no email list, no street team, no reviews, no platform, no social media.

The pen-name is slowly gathering steam, but it reminds me how hard it is starting out and getting those first reviews can be one of the hardest things.

In today’s article, Jason B. Ladd, author of Book Review Banzai gives some tips on getting reviews as an unknown author.

As an unknown author, getting Amazon reviews for your book is crucial to unlocking its full potential. But it’s not as easy as it sounds.

False Assumptions

You might think that downloads lead to Amazon reviews.

They don’t.

You might not know if Amazon has restrictions on reviews.

They do.

You might think reviews will eventually start rolling in with enough time and word of mouth.

They won’t.

It’s easy to get discouraged. You might think it’s impossible for an unknown author publishing their first book to get any traction with Amazon reviews.

It isn’t.

Read the full post on The Creative Penn

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Quick Link: KINDLE SCOUT –STEP INSIDE FOR A TOUR

August 28, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Have you tried using Kindle Scout for one of your titles? What did you think? I love it as a reader. (Because we all know I haven’t finished anything yet.) If you haven’t heard of Kindle Scout, or you wanted to learn more Debbie Burke from Kill Zone has an excellent article on the process. Check it out!

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KINDLE SCOUT –STEP INSIDE FOR A TOUR

By Debbie Burke

Kindle Scout is Amazon’s innovative program where readers “scout” for new books and vote for ones they believe should be published. Back in April, I covered the basics of Scout for TKZ. Since then, I submitted my thriller Instrument of the Devil and went through my own 30-day campaign. Today, let’s open the Scout door and take a tour inside.

SUBMISSION PROCESS:
To submit to Scout, Amazon requires a cover (at author’s expense), a complete, never-before-published, edited manuscript of 50+K words, a 45-character one-liner (logline), a 500-character book description, author bio, and a thank-you note to readers who nominated the book (more on this later).

After Scout accepts the submission, they select the dates for the 30-day campaign, and provide a link that shows the preview exactly as it will appear on the Scout site. The first 25 or so pages of the book are excerpted as a sample for readers to vote on.

Read the full post on Kill Zone

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Quick Link: A New You—In Name Alone? When to Adopt a Pen Name

August 25, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

I never really liked my name until I found out I was named after Paul Revere. My mother, weird but cool in her own special way. As a writer you can make your name anything you want, but does it make sense to do so? Author Sophie Littlefield, aka Sofia Grant guest posting on Pub Crawl shares her thoughts on pen names.

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A New You—In Name Alone? When to Adopt a Pen Name

by Sophie Littlefield, aka Sofia Grant

For the first ten years and twenty-plus novels of my career, I wrote exclusively under my real name. But this summer, The Dress in the Window will come out under the pseudonym Sofia Grant.

The decision to use a pen name was not undertaken lightly, but after extensive discussion with my agent and editor, who ultimately felt that my new novel might reach the greatest number of readers if it was launched as a ‘debut.’ While it is not a secret to anyone who does a simple Google search that Sophie Littlefield and Sofia Grant are one and the same (the media kit and marketing materials even make this clear), the switch is an effective signal to both booksellers and readers that this book is a departure from those that I’ve written in the past.

WHEN IS A PEN NAME A GOOD IDEA?

Read the full post on Pub Crawl

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Quick Link: Why Layering Your Novel Is the Method for Success

August 24, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

C.S. Latkin’s always provides a great post, and this one is no exception. I love her use of building a house as an analogy for writing. I actually use the same analogy for building websites, so great mind, right? But if you want to able to write with more depth, something that separates you from the newbs, check this post out.

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Why Layering Your Novel Is the Method for Success

by C.S. Latkin

Last year I spent some months talking about layering scenes. As time goes on, I see how few writers—especially aspiring novelists—have any clue how to organize their scenes. They brainstorm their scene ideas once they’ve settled on a premise of sorts, and then they just start writing from scene one.

The result is usually disastrous.

While we read books from page 1 to the end, that is not the best way to lay out a novel. In fact, it’s probably the worst way.

Novels need to be built like houses. You don’t build a house by framing up a door, sticking the door in the doorway, then entering into . . . nothing. You don’t build in a linear direction, from front to back. And even though you do build vertically, from the ground up, there’s the issue of framework.

You have to build off your concrete slab or perimeter foundation first with a framework. If you’re building a house, that framework will consist of wood studs and posts hammered together according to your blueprint. Walls are built with studs at specific spacing, and the spaces for doors and windows are framed in with headers and supporting studs on the sides and where the sills will go.

All this to say: every structure relies on key supporting elements. Some supporting elements have to hold tremendous weights. You’ve probably seen open-beam ceilings, with maybe one giant wood beam traversing a huge room, seemingly holding up the whole roof.

Read the full post on Live Write Thrive

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Quick Link: Book Marketing: How to Get Your Self-published Books into Bookstores

August 23, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Indie publishers in brick and mortar stores? Yep, the post from the Self-Publishing Advice Center is more a cautionary tale of what not to do BUT if you join the Alliance of Independent Authors you also get a free (!) download of their book on how to get your title into stores!

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Book Marketing: How to Get Your Self-published Books into Bookstores

By Debbie Young

The latest guidebook for indie authors in ALLi’s Successful Self-publishing Series has been written to answer one of the most frequent questions posed by self-published writers: “How do I get my book stocked in a bookstore?” – and the frequent supplementary query: “Is it even worth trying?”

Although most indie authors make most of their sales online, many writers would love to see their books stocked in bricks-and-mortar stores – the kind where we bought books when we were kids, before Amazon was even a glint in Jeff Bezos’s eye. But many of them fear it can’t be done.

At ALLi, we believe it is possible for indies to work effectively with bookstores, and many of our author members are doing so. We also believe it is the indie’s prerogative to choose whether or not to take that route, and no author should feel a failure if they don’t.

But to make the decision that’s right for you, you owe it to yourself to acquaint yourself with the facts, rather than be deterred by rumours or misinformation.

Read the full post on Self-Publishing Advice Center

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What have you got to lose?

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There’s a powerful engine in your book, it’s just a bit hard to find. It’s in every word, and it drives plot and characters and everything else.

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Six Smart Ways Indie Authors Can Collaborate When Marketing

Built your crew? Awesome! Here’s six ways to collaborate.

Swap Valuable Links

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10 Tips for Self-Published Authors

1. Writers’ Cafe on the KBoards Forum

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Social Media for Authors Like, Lurk, Linger

The Liker

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Storyboarding with Scrivener (or, A Love Affair with Virtual Index Cards)

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How To Get Book Reviews As An Unknown Author

False Assumptions

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KINDLE SCOUT –STEP INSIDE FOR A TOUR

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A New You—In Name Alone? When to Adopt a Pen Name

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Why Layering Your Novel Is the Method for Success

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