ReBlog – Buster Keaton and The Art of Showing (Not Telling)

I think I’m learning ways for me to accomplish this. I hope.

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Every aspiring creative writer hears it at some point:. It’s one of those great phrases that sound cryptic and meaningful and take a while to puzzle out.

Yes, yes, young grasshopper, I see you’ve written some words on the page here, and I see you’re trying to do something like write fiction, a craft I myself have mastered over many difficult years. Ah, well, you are cute, young grasshopper, I admire your young and precious energy, but you have so much to learn. So let me speak in my greatest guru voice and give you a secret that may take you years to unpack, you who thought you knew so much just from reading fiction. And here’s the advice, young grasshopper. “Show, don’t tell.”

Or as it’s usually phrased, in creative writing guidebooks:

SHOW DON’T TELL

Source: Buster Keaton and The Art of Showing (Not Telling) | The Jackie Wilson Blog

ReBlog – How important is social media if you’re a writer? A published author weighs in.

Facebook is about the only social media I use but I have accounts on other sites for fun.

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vaniamargene.com

I have a friend who constantly struggles with social media. She hates it, but not for the idea it’s a time-suck. For now we can all agree that with the JK Rowling stuff, the #publishingpaidme hashtag that’s gone crazy on Twitter, police brutality, COVID-19, and our president, things on social media are more than just a dumpster fire. It’s a raging, out-of-control forest fire. Think Australia. Really, let’s think about Australia since we haven’t heard anything about their fires in quite some time, but they’ll be dealing with damage control for years.

As a writer and author, we can agree that social media is a necessity. BUT as a writer and author, social media isn’t necessary in the way we’re told it is at the beginning of our careers. Namely, we need to be on social media to sell books. This is only partly true, and in the part of it that is true, it takes a lot of scrambling on our end to make it happen. In my 2020 predictions blog post from a few months back, I quoted Mark Coker (the founder of Smashwords) as saying that Amazon ads have stolen the writers’ platform. Why work for reach when you can buy it? Why work for reach when it’s EASIER to buy it? I know for the books I’ve sold in the past year, it’s due to buying ads on Amazon.

And yet. Is social media worthless?…

Go to the source to find out. – How important is social media if you’re a writer? A published author weighs in. – Vania Margene Rheault

ReBlog – Dear Indie ♥ A Journey in Self-Publishing

I’m excited to reblog this series of posts by A.C. Melody.

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image source: pinterest.com

Do you believe in paying it forward?  When you find something that knocks down hurdles for you, do you automatically share it with others who are struggling with the same obstacles in their life?  Good, me too!

That’s why I’ve decided that at least once a week, I’m going to try to post something helpful that I’ve discovered in my journey of becoming a self-published author for the first time.  You don’t have to use it, of course, but the resource is here if you need it.  This week, I’d like to talk about the 3 most important Indie’s you’ll ever want to know (aka The Indie Trinity: Editing, Cover Art, Marketing)…

Find the rest of her post here: Dear Indie ♥ A Journey in Self-Publishing – a.c.melodyblog.com

ReBlog – Headspace Writing Tips

I need background noise and no one talking to me.

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Whenever a writer sits down to write, it is crucial to be in the right headspace. Here is a list of things that you can do to get into the right HEADSPACE WRITING TIPS.

Here is a list of a few things that I do.

Clear My Head | Clear My Plate | Focus | Block out Writing Time (Respect Writing Time) | Remove Distractions | Music/Quiet | Daily Goal (Plan of attack)

Clear Head:

Before a writer can sit down to write, they have to have a clear head. They have to handle any daily business or anything on their mind. I know that if I have something on my mind, I need to address it. So if something is going to distract me from writing, I take care of it or schedule a time in my day to take care of it. I also give myself permission to work it out through my writing. Or I don’t allow something that is bothering me into my writer space. Until I have completed my writing session for the day, I shelf it. At that point, my head is clear, and I can then give writing my full attention…

Read the rest from the source: Headspace Writing Tips – Lexi Miles Author

ReBlog – 4 Invaluable Tips for Indie Authors

These are good tips.

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I began my indie author career as a creative outlet after I quit my job to raise my family.  In 2005 the only legitimate option an author had to get their book in a reader’s hands was to spend two years chasing a publisher and hoping against hope that someone would pick up your book. Rather daunting prospect after writing the book, right? I ignored that fact and kept plugging away at my novel, Stealing Time, until 2012 when I discovered the wonderful world of self-publishing as an indie (independent) author. Thank goodness times have changed.

Source: 4 Invaluable Tips for Indie Authors – JeriWB Word Bank

Reblog – WHY AUTHORS SHOULD CARE ABOUT COPYRIGHT

Good to know.

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Authors’ works are habitually plagiarized, infringed upon and otherwise exploited without their permission and without fair compensation. Just as frequently, authors who are ignorant of their rights are taken advantage of by unscrupulous publishers. Consider these real examples…

Source: WHY AUTHORS SHOULD CARE ABOUT COPYRIGHT by Stephen Fishman – Freelance Writing

ReBlog – What’s in a Name? 5 Authors and Their Pseudonyms

I’ve thought about splitting my genres up under different names.

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There are many advantages to choosing a pseudonym. Sometimes, what you write might not get published because of the author’s reputation. Other times, the author just wants their privacy. But it can also be a way for famous authors to test whether or not they are still writing as well as they used to, or if they are past their prime. Whatever the reason, the amount of authors who have used pen names may surprise you.Here are just five famous authors and the fascinating stories behind their pseudonyms!

Source: What’s in a Name? 5 Authors and Their Pseudonyms – The Writer’s Circle

ReBlog – Three Ways to Make Your Story Pull Readers In from the First Page

As a reader I want to be grabbed from the beginning and kept interested until the end.

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Readers often tell me that my books draw them in from the first few sentences.  This is of course a very pleasant thing to hear, but it’s also no accident—I’ve spent many years refining my technique and learning various ways to quickly engage the reader.  For the benefit of other authors who are learning the basics, I thought I would write a blog post and discuss a few of these techniques in detail.  While I admit it takes practice and finesse to execute them well, the methods are simple enough and can be learned by anyone who aspires to write more engaging fiction.

Source: Mike Wells Official Website: Three Ways to Make Your Story Pull Readers In from the First Page

ReBlog – How to Get Amazon Reviews Before your Kindle Book is Published

 

Hmmm…

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I screwed up. I admit it. But sometimes screwing up turns out to be a great thing. Like when Alexander Fleming screwed up and accidentally invented penicillin. My screw-up wasn’t that important to humanity, but I bet a lot of authors and small publishers will be really excited to find out what I did, and how they can screw up exactly the way I did…

Source: How to Get Amazon Reviews Before your Kindle Book is Published – alfageeek

ReBlog – Author Interview: Women’s Fiction author Brickley Jules

I’m excited to share this with you.

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I’d like to welcome Brickley Jules to the blog today. I’ve known Brickley for years, and it’s one of those friendships where I can’t remember where we met (probably Twitter) because she’s been a friend since I started writing. She has a new release coming out that I was happy to edit for her last year. With so little time, every launch is a victory, and I’m happy to be a part of her launch and the rebranding of her series. I asked Brickley a few questions about writing and publishing around such a busy schedule. Thanks for tuning in!

You published Her Unexpected Life in 2016. How has indie publishing changed since then? Anything stand out to you as better?  Worse?

The two publishing entities [CreateSpace and KDP] I used in the past have combined meaning I only have one place to go to get my work out to the public which is easier. But I’m a creature of habit so I’m not as fond of the changes as others might be.

Finish reading on Vania Margene Rheault.

ReBlog – How do I revise thee? Let me count the ways….

Jenna Penrose shares her process of Revision. What’s yours?

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How do I make the steaming pile of first draft I created during NaNoWriMo into something people will love as much as I loved the initial idea? Revise,
revise, revise.  Everyone has their method. He…

Source: How do I revise thee? Let me count the ways…. Romance on the Rocks

ReBlog – Do You Know The Important Difference Between An Em Dash And An En Dash? – The Writer’s Circle

My nemesis.

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Don’t get me started on the hyphen!

Source: Do You Know The Important Difference Between An Em Dash And An En Dash? – The Writer’s Circle

ReBlog – BLANK PAGE TO FINAL DRAFT

I’m reading along but I’m already off schedule.

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In this post, I’m going to give you an overview of the whole year, and then tell you how to get ready before your first assignment. Every week’s assignment is on a Monday, so your first one will be Jan. 4.

Source: BLANK PAGE TO FINAL DRAFT: Overview and Getting Ready! | Bryn Donovan

ReBlog – Mike Wells Official Website: 6 Tips to Help You Get That Novel Written

Sound advice.

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Many people have a deep desire to write a novel but just can’t seem to get it done.  Here are six tips that should help.

Source: Mike Wells Official Website: 6 Tips to Help You Get That Novel Written

ReBlog – Mike Wells: A “Secret” Formula for Creating a Short Synopsis for Your Book

…If you’re like most authors, summarizing your book in a couple of sentences is a daunting task … To help you do this, I want to share a formula I learned a long time ago, one that was created in Hollywood…

Source: Mike Wells Official Website: A “Secret” Formula for Creating a Short Synopsis for Your Book