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Archive for the ‘For Writers’ Category

Interesting Author Interview Questions

Monday, June 6th, 2011

When you’re the little fish in a big pond, every little bit helps. To support all the talented writers out there, I will be hosting author interviews. Authors promoting authors is not a new concept but it’s a powerful one.

As authors and readers, what do you want to know? Learning about the author, strengthens the connection between author and reader.

 

Post your questions below and have fun with this! (Questions can be inspirational, thought provoking, funny and crazy.)

I’ve included some questions to get this started . . .

1. Tell me a bit about yourself.

2. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

3. What inspired you to write your first book?

4. What books have influenced your life most?

5. If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

6. What book are you reading now?

7. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

8. Where do you get your ideas for your books?

9. What new author has grasped your interest?

10. If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?

11. What was your favourite chapter to write and why?

12. Why do you feel you had to tell this story?

13. Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

14. How do you market your book(s)?

15. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

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Posted in For Writers, June 2011 | 3 Comments »

Promote Your Book During My Book Launch!

Friday, May 27th, 2011

The end of June marks the release of Bloodletter and War of the Witch! As part of my launch I will be giving away free copies of the books. As an added bonus, I want to include other authors in the giveaway, creating promotion not just for my books but theirs as well.

This post goes out to all the authors out there!

Do you have a mystery, thriller, horror or fantasy book you want to promote? (I’m open to other genres as well but those are my favourites.) I’m particularly looking for those who have their books in print as well as ebooks. (Or will have by the end of the giveaway.)

Authors helping authors is a win-win situation and it gives readers a) more prizes and more chances to win, and b) more exposure to all the talented authors out there. (Risk-free!)

It’s going to be a lot of fun!

Reply to this post or email me at angel@angelhaze.com if you’re interested.

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Posted in For Writers, May 2011 | No Comments »

Editing

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Editing . . . you either love it or hate it. If only our first draft was as good as the thoughts in our heads. What seemed like a brilliant idea is always different than what comes out on the page.

Your manuscript is complete, you’ve gone over it a bajillion times, set it aside and gone over it a few more times after that. Do you really need to hire an editor?

Yes!

Whether you are publishing traditionally or as ebooks, you need an editor. When editing your own work, your mind will automatically fill in the gaps and overlook spelling and grammar errors, timeline errors, etc.

Traditional Publishing . . .

Saying that you’re work is professionally edited may entice an agent to follow up on a query letter. Hiring an editor makes a statement about your commitment to your writing. Yes, once your novel is accepted by a publisher, they will have their own editors. However, you need to get your foot in the door first. Don’t assume an agent will overlook the errors and read on. They won’t. Agents received too many manuscripts to bother with those that still require a lot of work. This is your first impression. Don’t give them a chance to reject you right off the bat.

Ebooks . . .

When publishing ebooks, you are uploading the manuscript yourself. This is your first impression to your readers. If your book is riddled with errors because you didn’t bother to hire an editor, what message does that say about you? About your writing? Readers will forgive the odd error. A book with too many grammatical errors or major issues in plot or character development might make the reader close the book and deter them (and others) from reading your other novels.

If you want to be successful as an author, you’ll need an editor. Friends and family can pick out minor spelling and grammar errors. When it comes to such issues as plot, dialogue and character development, someone who’s close to you is not the best choice. Suggestions can be taken as personal attacks which may deter the friend from opening up to you. Some people are vague. Telling you your book was “good” is nice to hear but often less than helpful when it comes to editing. You need someone with an editorial background who will dissect your manuscript and address the minor errors as well as the major ones.

How do you find the right editor?

  • Ask an author who’s had a good experience with their editor.
  • Look inside some of your favourite books to see if an editor is mentioned there.
  • Check out Predators & Editors. This site is a must see! Anyone can call themselves an editor, put a few red marks on the page and charge you. This site helps protect you from the scammers.

How do you choose the right one?

  • Ask for rates and whether they charge per hour or per word.
  • Ask about turnaround times.
  • Ask for testimonials.
  • Ask about how and when do they expect payment.

Unfortunately, there is some trial and error involved. (I’ve had three editors so far and I’ve only liked one of them.) Keep searching until you find the best one for your work. Remember, professional editors are human. Not every mistake will be caught. If you find one you love, hold onto them and treat them like gold!

Bloodletter Update: I am happy to announce Bloodletter is being sent for editorial review with a release date of mid to late June.

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Posted in For Writers, May 2011 | No Comments »

Myths about Ebook Marketing

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

1. Giving away free ebooks will take away from sales.

On the contrary! Now, don’t get me wrong. Posting your books for free on certain sites can leave you open to fraud. There’s always someone out there who may try to claim your book as their own. Sometimes, they change the name on the book and publish it verbatim. Those people aside, posting your ebooks for free (if only for a limited time) will offer exposure and may entice readers to buy your other books.

The thing about ebooks is that anyone can publish one. Inevitably, this means between the gold there’s a lot of slush. Readers can be wary about paying for a book from an unknown author. Posting your book on a site for free or giving away free copies is a great way for them to experience your writing and will hopefully leave them coming back for more. It can be a promotional giveway or contest or a limited time offer to read the book for free (or several chapters of the book). Or, if you’re wary about posting the book for free, you can even write a short story and post that for free and provide links to your other full length books. Think about it: everybody wants something for free and everybody is more willing to try something when there’s no risk to them. Don’t let the thought of losing a few sales discourage you from giving away something for free. Those few sales you sacrifice could result in 10s to 100s to 1000s more book sales. You never know.

2. Being the author means you don’t have market.

If you think you’re marketing is beyond your expertise or even personality, you better start learning how to market. As with any product, if you want your book to sell, you have to get it out there. Brand yourself as an author. Publish your books on as many sites as possible (Amazon, B & N, Smashwords, Kobo, etc). You may opt to pay someone to market for you, but no one sells the author better than you.  Many ebook authors have found that the money they spent on advertising agencies has had no visible spike in sales. Do your research. Find the best bang for your buck and track your sales following the advertisements. Just realize, the best advertisements will come from you. Use social media to your advantage (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Goodreads, etc) Participate in forums and guest blogs, research other ebook authors and see what they did. . . . The opportunities are limitless!

3. Once the book is released, the book will sell itself.

Many authors don’t sell 100 books. Some may not even sell one. Books don’t sell themselves whether they are traditionally published, self-published or published as an ebook. If you want to sell yourself and your book, you have to do the work. It’s as simple as that. No one said it was going to be easy but no one said it wasn’t going to be a lot of fun either. When you publish your ebook, you are behind the wheel. You can choose what you want to do and what you don’t want to do. There are so many ways to market your book. Play with a bunch of different ideas and find out what what works for you.

4. Buying an ad will translate into thousands of copies sold.

The sad truth, whether or not you choose to believe it is, many people don’t make back the money they spend on an ad. Even if its a high-traffic website that attracts millions upon millions, hits on a website does not translate into sales. How many times do you see an ads on these sites? Do you click on them? Does the ad entice you to buy the product? The answer is, probably not. It may sell a few copies but rarely enough to pay for the ad, let alone make a profit. There are so many places to effectively advertise for free, you just have to do the research. Work? Yes, but definitely worth the effort.

5. Once my book is released, I’ll be able to write fulltime.

Every writer dreams of the day their book is released and when they can hand in their resignation. The truth is, many authors hold fulltime jobs and write on the side. Let’s look at the royalties. Since Amazon is the most popular, I use them as an example.

If you choose the 35% royalty option, your ebook must be priced at $0.99 or higher. With the 70% royalty option, your book must be priced at $2.99 or higher. This means the profit from your ebook will be $0.35 (if priced at $0.99 under the 35% royalty option) and $2.09 (if priced at $2.99 under the 70% royalty option). Do the math. How many books per month do you have to sell for you to make a comfortable living at writing?

It’s not going to happen overnight (as much as we want it too!) If you’re serious about writing, you should start saving for the glorious day when you become a fulltime writer. Writing has its ups and downs, books with a great track record and those that don’t so it’s good to have two years worth of salary saved up before you even think about quitting your job. In addition, you should be consistently making enough money from your books per month to support you and have been doing so for the past year.

 

If you want to be a successful author, writing and marketing must go hand in hand. I said it before but it’s worth repeating. No one sells your book better than you. Not a celebrity, agency or ad can make bigger impact than you. You can’t buy your way through your marketing campaign. The best marketing is free and, in the end, your hard work will pay off.

Here, I’ve covered only five myths. That doesn’t even begin to touch the surface. Feel free to express your thoughts and experiences on ebook marketing in the comment section.

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Posted in For Writers, May 2011 | 1 Comment »

How to Comment on Blogs (and get traffic to your author website)

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Commenting on blogs is as easy as filling out your comment, leaving your name and pressing submit. Or is it? Commenting on blogs can be a smart trafficking strategy . . .  if it’s done right.

Nowadays, bloggers hold a tremendous power and influence. Authors line up to take advantage of this trend in attempt to reach more readers. Guest blogging is not the only way to entice readers. The comments you leave on blog posts can also make an impact, not only attracting the blogger but their readers as well.

Bloggers read every comment. Repeatedly showing your support and offering insightful advice may mean the blogger will turn to you for a guest post or interview. On popular blogs, your comment may entice readers to seek you out if they view you as a resource. Other media professionals follow their blogs as well. Who knows? If they like your comment, they might ask you for interviews and guest articles.

Does position mean anything?

No.

Some race to be the first ones to comment on a blog, figuring their post will get the most reads. In doing so, many of these commenters leave incoherent remarks or it’s clear they either didn’t read the post or missed the point. If you haven’t anything valuable to say, it doesn’t matter whether you posted first or second. The reader will pass over your post to another more intriguing.

Okay, what if  you’re  not one of those guys? You do have something valuable to add to the post. Does position matter then?

Yes and no.

Don’t rush to be first just for the sake of being in the top five. Of course, it will help if you’re post provides value and it’s one of the first comments but it doesn’t always work that way. Focus on your response and what you add to the conversation versus the position of your response. You want your words to stand out. That is what you will be remembered by, not your position.

 

The secret to blog commenting that leads to traffic is . . .

1) Relationships:

Many people who comment on blogs are, not surprisingly, bloggers. Creating meaningful comments can lead to meaningful relationships with people who could send traffic to your website. Links, bookmarks and retweets are ways content spreads, creating the traffic you’re really after. Start your comment with praise, possibly pointing out a specific line or idea that you liked. Then, add an insightful response.

2) Value:

Suggest additional resources or other valuable insight to the conversation created by the post.

3) Leave out the Self-Promo:

Insert a hyperlink in your name, not in the body of your post. Putting your website in the post makes your comment appear self-serving. If a viewer likes your response, they will clink on your link to learn more about you.

4) Comment on Various Blogs:

Choosing a few blogs to follow and comment on creates a rapport with the blogger and his or her followers.  A blogger notices those who consistently contribute and support their success and will, in turn, find ways to return the favor.

 

The flip side of the coin:

Recently, I stumbled across an interesting article on 10 Techniques to Get More Comments on Your Blog. It’s definitely worth reading!

 

What I’ve posted is just a few secrets to blog commenting. What secrets have worked for you?

 

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Posted in For Writers, May 2011 | 1 Comment »

From Idea to Manuscript

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

About 1 in 2 people have ever thought of writing a novel.

That’s not to say 50% of those will complete the first draft. Many will think of an idea and there are many false starts. Every writer has been there. As much as I’d like to say every story I abandoned will eventually be revisited and turned into a novel worthy of publication, it won’t. Writers have been told time and again, even manuscripts that make it to the final stages don’t always make the cut. Many authors have manuscripts that sit in drawers collecting dust. Sometimes, it isn’t the author’s first or second book, maybe not even the fifth or sixth, that catches an agents eye and opens the doors to publication. (I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it’s the truth.)

The first hurtle is the first draft. You have an idea, what next?

Define Your Characters

The book that turned my many false starts to a complete manuscript was The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall. I took his ideas and tweaked it. He was also the one to introduce the all important Character Fact Lists. Who are your main characters–the lead, the opposition, the confident and the romantic involvement? These lists have played a crucial role in my books. It’s a quick reference to your character’s role, story goal, appearance, age, mannerisms, background, interests, etc. Not only does it help with your current book, but sequels as well.

Outline!

Writing without an outline is like driving to an unfamiliar destination without a map. It’s not to say, you won’t get there without direction but it’ll take that much longer with a few scenic routes that lead to nowhere.

The method that works for me? First, I make a list of every scene (both action and reaction scenes), writing each on Q-cards, then I put them in order, noting any apparent holes. Then I draft the first outline. (And yes there will be others as the story progresses.)

Jots

Not everyone does jots but I find it almost necessary. I use a 300 page notebook, dedicating a page–front and back–or two to each scene which is written on the top of the page and numbered. Setting, dialogue, descriptions . . . anything I can think of is written. New ideas surface in the middle so there’s a few arrows pointing to where the description or dialogue should fall within the scene. Without jots, you’re looking at a blank screen with only a basic idea of what happens. It just makes the writing process that much smoother.

The First Draft

How do you measure your progress? A daily word count? If so, what’s the magic number?

There isn’t one. Writing needs to be a habit. Even if you don’t write a single word, work at the writing (making sure to shut off Facebook and Twitter).  Stephen King writes about 4100 words a day. Be realistic about your writing goals. As in anything else, creating a goal you can’t commit to leads to failure and disappointment. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Start small. 250 words, 500 words. Just write. You’ll soon find you’re surpassing those goals. Find your comfort zone and aim higher.

I used to write a list inside the front cover of my notebook with the date and word count. It was a quick reference to see how far I was progressing and how often I was writing. Now, I focus more on scenes and aim to reach scene # __. Of course, it also depends on the scene. (Length, research needed, etc.) With the use of jots, the scenes give a good start so you always know where you’re headed and the blank computer screen is less intimidating.

With this kind of road map, I’ve never had a false start. Its efficiency has led to many completed manuscripts. Check out Evan Marshall’s book, follow this method or tweak it and you’ll be whipping out a first draft in no time.

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Posted in For Writers, May 2011 | No Comments »

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