The Writing Desk: #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

Showing posts with label #AuthorToolboxBlogHop. Show all posts

13 July 2019

The 100 Best Websites for Writers in 2019 #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

Few of us have the time to search for the most useful websites for writers, so it's helpful that for the past six years, followers of The Write Life nominate the best 100, which are listed here:

https://thewritelife.com/100-best-websites-for-writers-2019/

The 2019 list is organised into ten categories: freelancing, inspiration, writing tools, blogging, creativity and craft, editing, podcasts, marketing and platform building, writing communities and publishing.

All sites are listed in alphabetical order within these categories, with numbers for ease of reading (not ranking). Take a look and subscribe to your favourites.

Do you have recommendations for other useful websites for writers you would like to share? Please feel free to comment below

The #AuthorToolboxBlogHop is a monthly event on the topic of resources and learning for authors. Feel free to hop around to the various blogs and see what you learn! The rules and sign-up form are below the list of hop participants. All authors at all stages of their careers are welcome to join in.

15 June 2019

Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting, by Robert McKee #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

Available on Amazon UK and Amazon US

Story is for any writer who ever wanted to understand and develop their craft. Robert McKee's book is one of those wonderful discoveries that you can open randomly at any page and learn something about writing. McKee's main point is that all notions of paradigms and 'foolproof' story models for commercial success are meaningless. Instead of looking for shortcuts we need to be faithful to our principles.

I have no aspiration to become a screenplay writer but, like many of us, I once had a go at writing a play for radio. I am glad I did, as it helped me appreciate how much easier the whole experience could have been if I'd followed the principles set out in Story.

I was particularly intrigued by the explanation of the genre and subgenre system used by commercially successful screenwriters. McKee points out that genres don't inhibit creativity – they inspire it and anyone who ever tells a story is really doing so within the principles, structure and style of a genre - even those who rebel against genres!

His chapter on characterization and character development is also very thought provoking for any story writer. Characterization is described as the sum of all the observable qualities that make the character unique – but true 'character' is what waits behind this mask to surprise us.

McKee argues that true character is revealed through the choices made under pressure – and the greater the pressure, the deeper the revelation. The memorable characters of film and literature are all of course rooted in this simple but easily overlooked principle. I like the idea that, having analysed the clear and obvious choice for a character, we then ask what would be the opposite to that and why they would act in that way?

Story has hundreds of examples from movies of every genre (the list at the back takes 33 pages). I've never really thought about it before but he points out that how odd it is to sit in a darkened room full of strangers and give our undivided attention to a story for two hours without a break. I wonder if I will ever watch any of them again without thinking about the screenwriting.

I also found myself wondering how many of these movies have influenced the way I think about story writing – and I definitely have renewed respect for screenplay writers. Next time you go to see a movie, make a point of knowing who actually wrote the story. You will find someone who was prepared to write every day, line by line, page by page –with the courage to risk rejection and failure in the quest for stories told with real meaning.

Tony Riches

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About the Author

Robert McKee developed his ideas on creative writing when he was a professor at the University of Southern California. His seminars have contributed to the work of 36 Academy Award winners, 164 Emmy Award winners, 19 Writers Guild of America Award winners and 16 Directors Guild of America Award winners. Find out more at www.storylogue.com and follow Robert on Twitter at @McKeeStory

Do you have recommendations on books for writers you would like to share? Please feel free to comment below

15 May 2019

Stephen King: On Writing – A Memoir of the Craft #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ is a useful read for anyone who writes – or would like to. I grew up on Stephen King’s thrillers without really knowing anything about the man who wrote them. I read ‘On Writing’ when it was first published but have written many books since then, so it was interesting to see if it was still as good.

It was better. The years have done nothing to diminish the power of the story telling that runs through this book. There are also some great quotes that passed me by on the original reading (or perhaps slipped into my subconscious) such as ‘the editor is always right’ and ‘2nd draft = 1st draft – 10%.’

It’s easy to see how King has drawn on his childhood experiences in character development. Growing up in poverty was an adventure - and no TV seems to have been a distinct advantage. Undaunted by his growing pile of rejection slips, Stephen King just knew he was meant to write and nothing was going to stop him.

I liked his description of the moment he had his first big advance (for Carrie). The early draft had been rescued from the waste bin by his wife. (She smoothed out all the crumpled balls of paper and said she wanted to hear the rest of the story. The film version made $33.8 million in the U.S. alone).

Although there are plenty of useful tips for writers throughout, the most thought provoking part of this book is the final section, ‘On Living: A Postscript.’ King explains, ‘Writing is not life, but I think that it can be a way back to life. That was something I found out in the summer of 1999, when a man driving a blue van almost killed me.’ You have to read it.

Tony Riches

Do you have recommendations on books for writers you would like to share?
Please feel free to comment below

16 April 2019

My Top Five Blogging Tips For Authors #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

As busy writers, it’s easy to forget the value of blog posts as a tool to raise awareness. This blog, for example, averages over 10,000 visitors a month, as well as countless shares across social media. It doesn't cost anything, except time, so here are my top tips, based on my experience of blogging over the past ten years:

Keep it simple

Develop a format and stick to it. As well as saving time, regular visitors know what to expect. For example, I like to start with a book cover with purchase links and end with a short, third-person bio with website and social media links.

Invite other authors

Be selective and invite authors who are broadly within your target readership to guest post. Remember they are busy, particularly if they have a new book to launch, so make it as easy as you can for them.

Develop good ‘interview’ questions

I’ve ‘evolved’ a set of questions that work well – and authors seem comfortable with answering. In the past I’ve been asked all sorts of odd things in blog ‘interviews’. Sometimes the quirky questions can reveal something of the writer, but it’s best to keep them relevant.

Share your posts on Goodreads via RSS

There are over eighty million readers on Goodreads – who manage and amazing four hundred and thirty million monthly pageviews, so it’s well worth taking the time to set up a feed to automatically post there.

Learn from others

Make the time to visit other blogs and leave comments. Invariably you'll learn something new - and what works well today could change next month, so it's a great way to keep up with new and emerging ideas and developments.

Happy blogging!

Tony

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Do you have some great tips on blogging you would like to share?
Please feel free to comment below

18 March 2019

Why you should create your own bookmarks #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

Bookmarks are a wonderful marketing tool as, unlike a business card, readers will use them and be (subconsciously?) reminded of your books every time. The don't cost much to produce to a high standard and are easy to carry and post.

A few years ago I ran an Amazon free promotion weekend and watched as hundreds of books were downloaded in return for two or three reviews (which I probably would have had anyway).

These giveaways can have their place in your overall 'awareness raising strategy' but after putting over a year of hard work into each of your books, it doesn't feel right to give them away for nothing.

It can prove particularly expensive with paperback or hardback giveaways, once you take into account international postage and other costs. I used to offer free Goodreads givaways, but now their 'standard' package costs $119 to give away up to 100 copies and the 'premium' package is $599.

I design my bookmarks with a template in Photoshop, upload them to an online printing company (I recommend (Solopress for UK and GotPrint for the US) and they arrive in the post a few days later, so it couldn't be easier.

Tony Riches

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Do you have more ideas and suggestions for raising awareness of your books? If so, please feel free to add a comment below

The #AuthorToolboxBlogHop is a monthly event on the topic of resources and learning for authors. Feel free to hop around to the various blogs and see what you learn! The rules and sign-up form are HERE below the list of hop participants. All authors at all stages of their careers are welcome to join in.

13 February 2019

Translate your books for free with Babelcube #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

Have you ever wondered how much it would cost to have your books translated into other languages? My books are available from Amazon in thirteen countries - but only to the English speaking readership, so I began looking into the costs of translation.

My research led me to the Babelcube website and the partnership model had an immediate appeal to me, as I've had great results with s similar approach for audiobook production with ACX.

Babelcube provides an easy way for publishers and independent book authors to partner with translators and distributes their books in up to fifteen languages globally. Translators are paid via a share of royalties, so the only cost is little time choosing and working with your preferred freelance translators.

Owen - Book One of the Tudor Trilogy has now been published in Spanish, is being translated into Italian, and the second book, Jasper, is also in hand.

The royalty share model mewans the translators have a real stake in the success of the book — a true partnership.

Tony Riches

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Do you have more ideas and suggestions on book translation? If so, please feel free to add a comment below

The #AuthorToolboxBlogHop is a monthly event on the topic of resources and learning for authors. Feel free to hop around to the various blogs and see what you learn! The rules and sign-up form are HERE below the list of hop participants. All authors at all stages of their careers are welcome to join in.

15 January 2019

How to produce an audiobook with Amazon ACX #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

I’m always interested in finding innovative ways to reach new readers, although I imagined the costs of producing an audiobook would be a stretch. I was encouraged to learn that Amazon’s ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) offers a ‘profit sharing’ deal, where authors can sign up to a 50:50 royalty split with the narrator.

I considered making a one off payment but liked the idea of entering into a partnership with the narrator, who has an equal stake in the success of the finished work. ACX is part of Audible.Com and a subsidiary of Amazon. As the author, you decide how your audiobook is produced, who narrates it, and select your distribution channels.

To enter into a royalty share deal, you need to select exclusive distribution of the audiobook through Audible, Amazon and iTunes. Royalties of 40% are paid for exclusive distribution projects, so the rights holder and producer each earn 20% from each sale.

Here are the seven steps to take you from your edited manuscript to a completed audiobook:

Step One: Preparing your ‘pitch’

Once you’ve registered with ACX at https://www.acx.com you can set up your first ‘project’. You need to confirm you have audio rights for your book, then you will be guided through preparing your ‘pitch’. You want to attract the best possible choice of professional narrators, so it’s important to spend some time on this. For example, I emphasised the international sales and reviews and included a link to the YouTube trailer. I also adapted the synopsis, highlighting the elements I thought would be important to any potential narrators. You'll also need to upload a two-page excerpt from your book as an Audition Script for potential narrators.

Step Two: Selecting your narrator

Wait to see who expresses an interest or listen to sample narrations (which you can filter by genre, gender, accent etc.,) and invite producers to audition for your book. The Secret Diary of Eleanor Cobham is written in the first person, so I had to find a female narrator with an English accent – who could pass as a medieval duchess. As well as listening to auditions, you can look at the bio of potential narrators and discuss their approach. As soon as I heard Stephanie (Stevie) Zimmerman I knew she would be perfect.

Step Three: Agreeing the deal

You can make an offer to a Producer to produce your audiobook on the special Production Offer Page – and if they accept you can create a deal on ACX. It is recommended that negotiations take place within the ACX messaging system to document what has been agreed.

Step Four: Listen to fifteen minute sample

It is important to make sure you are happy with the tone and pace of the narration, as this is where you agree what might eventually become eight or nine hours of recording. Here is the four minute sample of The Secret Diary of Eleanor Cobham:

Step Five: Listen to each chapter

I’d underestimated how much of a challenge this is, as you need to be vigilant for any pronunciation issues or changes of pace or style. You can ask the narrator to make up to two rounds of corrections to your finished audiobook and when you're content with the final version you pay your producer directly, unless you agreed a royalty share.

Step Six: Prepare audiobook artwork

I adapted the printed book cover to create the square format and added Stevie's name at the bottom, although you could opt for a complete re-design if this isn't practical. Once you are happy with the artwork you simply upload it and ACX do the rest once it has passed their quality check.

Step Seven: Promote the new audiobook

As with any book, there is a correlation between time spent raising awareness and royalties earned through sales. This is my first audiobook, but I am pleased to say the feedback from ‘listeners’ has been great, so I now have six audiobooks bringing in a useful additional income each month, and my new book BRANDON - Tudor Knight is already in production with ACX.

Tony Riches

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Do you have some great tips on producing audiobooks you would like to share?
Please feel free to comment below

12 October 2018

Five Informative and Inspiring Websites For Writers #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

There are so many websites for writers it can be bewildering for new writers to sort out those which are really worth following. Here are some I've found useful and am happy to recommend, with a sample of selected posts:

Writers Helping Writers

Authors Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi offer a wealth of free resources for writers, including guest posts and podcasts. Take a look at this post by Angela: The Novelist’s Triage Center: Get Unstuck and Finish Your Book.

Writer's Write

Based in South Africa, the writers behind this useful resource are Mia Botha, Amanda Patterson and Anthony Ehlers. Have a look at this archive post from Mia: How To Write Fabulous Dialogue In 5 Easy Steps

The Book Designer

Joel Friedlander's says, “Writers change the world one reader at a time. But you can’t change the world with a book that’s still on your hard drive or in a box under your bed.” Although his focus is more on publishing than writing, it's well worth browsing his archive - see: Creativity—You Are Absolutely Unique.

Helping Writers become Authors

I've followed author K.M. Weiland's website for years and referred to it often when writing my first novels. As well as mentoring authors through her blog, podcast and vlog, she also specialises in writing how-to books. See her post on How to Outline Your Novel.

The Creative Penn

Bestselling author Joanna Penn inspired me to become an 'indie' author and can be relied on to keep you up to date on new developments in writing and publishing. See Joanna's post How To Write More And Create A Daily Writing Habit

Do you know of some great writing websites you would like to share?

Please feel free to comment

17 September 2018

Preparing for National Novel Writing Month #NaNoWriMo #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

Stephen King once said ‘If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut.’

The first bit is easy. As a book reviewer, I have a healthy 'TBR' (to be read) list and several books 'on the go' at once. It’s the ‘write a lot’ bit that can cause the problem, particularly if it's an unusually mild autumn in the run up to Christmas.

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) might be the answer for anyone who wants to learn how to write a lot (every day) while being part of a fun community who share an interest in creative writing.

On November 1st, NaNoWriMo participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-words of a novel by 11:59 PM on November 30. The organisers say ‘valuing enthusiasm, determination and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought fleetingly about writing a novel.’ (See http://nanowrimo.org/about )

Preparation

I've made things a little harder by choosing historical fiction as my genre, so I start researching in September, sorting out timelines, making notes and gathering references. I like to visit actual locations for inspiration, and to track down original documents and sources - all of which takes time.

I also create a good outline before November. I use a simple Excel spreadsheet to track word count and notes on dates etc. for each chapter. I aim for twenty-five chapters of about four-thousand words, to arrive at a first draft for editing of around 100,000 words. 'Nano' can take me half way there in a month - but I like to know where I'm heading.

Although some writers like to 'wing it' and allow for creativity during November, I find it useful to make key writing decisions, such as choice of point of view, voice, where and when it will start - before I write a word.

Writing Time

I can imagine some of you are saying you simply don't have the time - and I do understand. My children have long since left home, and I'm able to be a full time writer now, but things were very different when I 'won' my first NaNoWriMo (in 2011).

I’m not a 'night owl' when it comes to writing. I'm what they call a ‘lark,’ which means I wake early, my head full of ideas for plot and characters, so I write as much as I can first thing, then have the rest of the day to reach my target.

I've learned NOT to try to finish my 50,000 words on the 30^th, as it's important to have space to catch up if you need it. I therefore aim to exceed my target by about a hundred words each day until I'm a full day ahead.

Now, as they say, the hard work starts.... Happy writing!

Tony Riches

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Do you have some great tips on #NaNoWriMo you would like to share? Please feel free to comment

11 August 2018

14 July 2018

Connecting with readers on Goodreads #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

Goodreads is for readers, so is not the place for authors to engage in self-promotion but there are over 75 Million registered users, looking at over two billion books, who have created 77 Million reviews. So how should you build this into your author platform? I've been on Goodreads for over seven years and offer some thoughts on some things to consider:

1. Create your Goodreads author page

Your author page is separate from your member profile page, which lists your bookshelves friends and reviews. It doesn't take long and it’s free, so search for yourself and click on your published author name, then send a request to join the Goodreads Author Program. If you haven’t set up your page, Goodreads offers readers a disappointing silhouette, so switch that for your favourite photo. You can also add a bio, links to your blog and Twitter user name. I sometimes see authors who put the wrong links, so test them to make sure they work properly. (My Goodreads author page is HERE if you’d like to see what they look like.)

2. Make sure your books are listed

Your books don’t just appear on Goodreads, someone has to list them in the first place. The best person to do that is you, as soon as your book is launched. You can make sure the details are all correct, with the best cover image. If you added the book it is easier to update it in the future. Check before adding a book by searching by author and title – and read the guidelines. If your books need to be added, you will be given access to the online form.

3. Start adding and reviewing books you read

The aim of Goodreads is for readers to share thoughts about books they read, so please join in. I sometimes forget but am trying to make time to write a short paragraph and cross post on Amazon as well as Goodreads, so you have double value from your time and your review may help other authors and readers.

4. Join and interact with Goodreads groups that match your genre(s)

There is a discussion group for everyone on Goodreads, including many led by Goodreads Authors so start exploring – just go to http://www.goodreads.com/group and type some keywords into the search box. Some groups offer book useful book promotion advice and are a great place to link up to other indie authors and find new ideas. (I recently formed a useful group of 'beta readers' for my new novel on a special interest group.)

5. Link to your writing blog with RSS

I have a lot of visitors to my writing blog via Goodreads, so it is definitely worth hooking up the RSS feed. (If you don’t know how to do it, here is step-by-step guidance)

6. Post your promotional videos

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a one and half minute video worth? I’ll be posting later in this series on my experience with YouTube, but if you have a promotional video it makes sense to add it to your Goodreads author page.

7. Make time to update your status

This is one of the under-used areas of Goodreads, which means if you have time to bother your input stands out. All you need to do is go to http://www.goodreads.com/update_status and you’ll be presented with any books you’ve marked as currently reading, but you don’t have to limit your updates to that.

8. Send friend requests to like-minded reviewers and authors

Goodreads recommends that you only add someone as a ‘friend’ after you’ve interacted with them in a group or in a book discussion thread. I rarely bother sending friend requests to readers unless I have a really good reason, but it’s a useful way to keep tabs on other authors who share your interests.

9. Accept friend requests

Unlike Twitter, where you need to be a bit careful about who you follow back, I’m happy to accept any ‘friend requests’ on Goodreads. If I have the time I usually check out their blog and add them on Twitter if they have a Twitter username - you can be fairly sure they’ll follow back.

10. Help other authors

One of the Goodreads groups I like is Authors Helping Authors described as is a place where authors and bloggers can come together and help one another out. If you have a writing blog this is a great place to find authors interested in guest posting.

Tony Riches

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Do you have more ideas and suggestions on how to get the best from Goodreads? If so, please feel free to add a comment below

14 June 2018

Raising awareness of your books with podcasts #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

If you're looking for another free (or low cost) way to reach a wider audience, it's worth considering podcasting. I'm fairly new to this, so I'd like to share my 'learning curve' with you and perhaps save you some time.

The first thing you need is somewhere to 'host' your podcasts. There are plenty to choose from but after researching several I chose Podbean. As well as being free (or low cost if you start getting ambitious) Podbean provides great support 24/7 and it's easy to link your podcasts to iTunes and similar sites, where you reach a whole new potential audience.

Next, it's worth investing in a decent microphone designed for the purpose. I bought a 'Yeti' USB microphone which is great as it can eliminate any background noise, but there are plenty to choose from.

I use a MacBook Pro, so my son recommended the free GarageBand app, which was easy to use for recording - but I've now chosen to upgrade to Final Cut Pro, which has loads more features and I can also post my podcasts to YouTube. (There are equivalents on Windows - if you can recommend any please add a comment below.)

You can add your author branding to your podcast page, and include a short bio and social media links, which I found easy to do on Podbean. It's also a good to listen to podcasts from other authors, and to connect with like-minded podcasters and share their content.

Finally, having tried 'winging it' I recommend drafting a script, even if it's just a few bullet point prompts. You don't want to be 'reading aloud' but I find it's surprising how your mind can go blank with a microphone in front of you.

I try to keep mine to between fifteen and twenty minutes, although many podcasts are much longer. As with life, what you will get back from podcasting depends on what you put in to it, but If you're worried about the time it takes, once you've set it up you only need to spare half an hour a month.

If you would like to see my podcasts on Podbean you can listen to them here: https://tonyriches.podbean.com/

Tony Riches

Do you have some great writing tips you would like to share?

Please feel free to comment

The #AuthorToolboxBlogHop is a monthly event run by @raimeygallant on the topic of resources and learning for authors. Feel free to hop around to the various blogs and see what you learn! The rules and sign-up form are below the list of hop participants. All authors at all stages of their careers are welcome to join in.

15 May 2018

How to Produce a YouTube Book Trailer #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

With over a billion users, the number of people watching on YouTube each month is increasing exponentially. The problem is that many hundreds of hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, so how can you expect your modest book trailer to ever be seen?

The answer is to use it across your author platform. My book trailers haven't been going viral on YouTube – but has been widely shared on Twitter and Facebook, as well as uploaded to my Amazon
and Goodreads author pages, and used to add interest to my website. Here then, are the (relatively) simple steps to produce your book trailer:

Invest in simple Video production software

There are plenty of low cost packages to choose from, so I opted for the reasonably priced Cyberlink’s PowerDirector, which has an intuitive ‘drag-and-drop’ visual timeline. As well as being easy to use, PowerDirector optimises your video for YouTube upload. PowerDirector also includes a wealth of free templates and effects, although I recommend keeping things simple.

If you are a Mac user, the free version of iMovie has less effects but can do the job, and one day I'll invest in Final Cut Pro, (which my son tells me is the best on the market.)

Track down suitable music

It's important to remember the average span of attention you should expect from browsing book buyers is an amazing one minute. This means your soundtrack needs to make effective use of such a short time.

You need to make sure it is copyright free or obtain consent – and it is easier to make the video fit the soundtrack than the other way around. My brother kindly composed and produced the music to accompany my previous video for The Secret Diary of Eleanor Cobham. The trailer at the end of this post has an extract from Cantiga 166 by Vox Vulgaris and the Swedish composer Rasmus Fleischer was happy to give permission for its use.

Decide on the text

I find it best to use the book description as a starting point – and this can sometimes highlight ways to improve your wording. It's a well-proved adage that people can manage seven key points or less, so short sentences or even single words can be more effective - and try it out on a slow reader before uploading the video, to make sure you’ve allowed enough time.

Select images and video clips

I like to start and end the trailer with a cover shot, although it can be tricky to find copyright free pictures and video clips. See Dana Fox’s post, 30 Free Stock Photo Resources, which also has some useful guidance on image licences.

Apply some effects

The most impressive book trailers are surprisingly sparing with special effects. I try to limit it to simple fades, with one or two effects to grab attention where appropriate.

Produce the video for upload

Most video production packages offer a bewildering range of options. I’ve been using an aspect ratio of 16:9 to encode MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) video format in high definition. (MPEG-4 AVC uses better compression than MPEG-2, using less space to produce a video of similar quality with faster uploading.) Make sure you keep all your source files in a folder and back them up, as you’ll need them if you want to update the video later.

Upload to YouTube

If you don’t already have a YouTube account they are free and easy to create and there are instructions here. You can add the full cover ‘blurb’ for your book as well as purchase links in the video description. I usually create a special ‘thumbnail’ image if I don’t like any of the choices offered by the YouTube uploader.

And finally…

Share with your social networks and upload to your website, as well as your author pages. When appropriate, you can also add the link to emails - most email systems now allow the recipient to view it within the message.

Good luck!

Tony Riches

Do you have some great writing tips you would like to share?

Please feel free to comment

14 April 2018

Three great tips for fiction writers #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

There is so much advice for new writers it must be quite bewildering for anyone starting out on the long journey to successful publication. For this month’s #AuthorToolboxBlogHop I’ve therefore had a think and here are my top tips:

Develop your own authentic voice

Finding your ‘voice’ as a writer is what can make your work stand out from the rest. Think of your favourite authors - and why you look forward to their next book. Best-selling author Jeff Goins says, ‘Once you’ve found your voice, make sure you continue to develop it. It’s a discipline, one that can’t be overlooked if you’re going to have the impact you desire and that your words deserve.’ Find out more at Jeff’s post 10 Steps to Finding Your Writing Voice.

Show don’t tell

Don’t groan – even after writing eight novels I find this advice useful when reviewing a first draft. ‘Telling’ has its place, as there are times when you need to tell the reader something and ‘showing’ is about using all the senses to make readers feel what your characters feel. Creative writing expert Emma Darwin says, ‘Understand their respective strengths, and use each to your story's best advantage. like everything in writing, it isn't even binary, but a spectrum, from the telliest tell, to the showiest show.’ Find our more at Emma’s useful post Showing And Telling: The Basics.

Never state what you can imply

I’ve put this in the header of my current work in progress as a reminder. Like showing and telling, there are times to be flexible but it’s always good to involve the reader more by making them do some of the work. Award winning author Peter Selgin says, ‘Telling readers what to think or feel is the job of a propagandist. A storyteller’s main purpose, on the other hand, is to create experiences for the reader, to involve us so deeply, so convincingly, so authentically in those experiences that we feel what characters feel..’ Find out more at his post In Storytelling: Never State What You Can Imply.

Happy writing!

Tony Riches

Do you have some great writing tips you would like to share?

Please feel free to comment

21 March 2018

My Top Tips for Completing a Novel #AuthorToolboxBlogHop

Let's start by assuming you have your great original idea, amazing locations and cast of compelling characters - how do you now turn all that into a wonderful manuscript? There answer is different for everyone, as some like to wing it, others obsessively plan every minute detail.

There is no shortage of well-intended advice, from Stephen King's 'shut yourself away from the world' to my own favourite,'write just one a page a day and that's a book in a year.'

I replaced the word 'writing' with 'completing' in the title of this post, as we all have so many distractions, it takes self-discipline to write a full length novel. I've written at least one novel each year for the past nine years, (three of which have become international best-sellers) so I'm happy to share what works for me.

1. Put together a simple outline in Excel for 25 chapters of 4000 words, with columns for progress and notes. This should enable to you arrive at a first draft of 100,000 words for editing. The actual chapter lengths can be whatever you suits your writing style (mine range up to 4500 but never less than 3000, although I read a book recently with some chapters of a single page.)

2. Set yourself an achievable word count target to reach every day. As I write historical fiction, there is a lot of fact-checking and research, so my minimum target is 500 words a day. (Sometimes I've passed 500 before breakfast and others I might do more than 3,000 - but by sticking to my minimum I know I can have my first draft in 200 days.)

3. Keep a simple tally of how many words you actually write each day. I use another page of the same Excel file, as I find it motivating to see I'm ahead of target.

3. Keep going forward and avoid doing too much revision as you write. There's plenty of time for that later. (I picked this up from doing 50,000 words in 30 days for NaNoWriMo.)

4. Make sure you have a reliable back-up system and use it. Ever since I lost a few chapters when a laptop crashed, I've been a bit 'belt and braces' with a solid state drive for my daily backup and weekly versions to the cloud. (Never overwrite old backups, as you never know when you might want to restore something.)

5. This approach suits the way I write, but its a good idea to develop your own writing routine based on what works best for you - and make sure those around you understand and respect it.

Happy writing!

Tony Riches

Do you have some great writing tips you would like to share?

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