Some ideas about writing from Joe Bunting and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
I don’t think you have to be a journalist to write well, but I do agree with the idea of keeping it “real.” Fiction mixed with real life is always more believable. I have not read Marquez myself but I put him on my to read list. I like magic. I’ll blog a review when I get around to reading his book(s).
Some sites for authors related to their websites from Chris Robley on the Bookbaby blog.
Author Website Tips from HostBaby You Won’t Want to Miss – BookBaby Blog.
A bit of punctuation trivia for you writers out there.
Also – the Oxford (or serial) comma is taken from The Chicago Manual of Style, a style guide that fiction writers generally use for their writing vs the AP Style Guide, which is used for newspapers and web content.
My novelette, The Red Velvet Box, will be featured in chapters on theholidaycafe.com.
Christmas Story
Come by and read the first chapter of this heartwarming story: s t o r y | Red Velvet Box.
I would add http://www.shewrites.com to this list, though shewrites is more for the writer than the reader, but a good place to connect with other writers.
Other sites I like: If you’re looking help publishing – editing, beta reader, cover design… go to writer.ly or biblocrunch.com.
Last night I was reading a report by Digital Book World called What Authors Want: A Survey of Authors to Understand Their Priorities in the Self-Publishing Era – in which they surveyed nearly 5,000 authors-aspiring, self-published, traditionally published and those who have done both or “hybrids”. One of the facts that jumped out at me was only 57% of the authors surveyed had profiles on Goodreads. I couldn’t believe it. Of all the places not to be engaging readers, Goodreads is a huge miss in the discoverability web. I know there are authors who don’t know how to make goodreads work for them, but not having a profile is inexcusable – it takes minutes to create (and is FREE) and has a long lasting impact on author discovery.
Creating author profiles across the web on the RIGHT websites does 3 important things:
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This is a little (and I mean little) post on beta readers. If you don’t know what a beta reader is, don’t worry. I have used them but didn’t know the chic, book-world term I was supposed to call them. If you click on the Bibliocrunch link below, you’ll learn all about them. What you will also see is a bit better link to a blog by Belinda Pollard. His post will discuss what makes a good beta reader. I particularly like her comment of finding someone who knows the difference in “proper” English and the writers voice. They are not always the same thing. When you do find a good beta reader, be nice to them, very nice to them! They are wonderful people and a must have for any writer whether if you are going to self-publish or go the traditional route.
Here are some very good tips even if you’re not trying to catch the attention of a traditional publisher. (from PBS Media Shift)
In honor of the book release this Friday, June 14th at Frugal Muse West (by Target/Menards) in Madison, 7 p.m., of Living in the House of Drugs I will be giving away 4 free copies of the book on Goodreads. You’re also welcome to come to the release event and meet Willie!
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As a child in 1980s, Chicago Willie stole to help feed his brothers, sister, and himself. In grade school his teacher told him to have his parents help him with his homework, but his mother, the only parent around, didn’t know how. As a young man Willie started smoking pot, which easily turned into harder drugs. This eventually led Willie to a life under someone’s front porch, two prison sentences, numerous trips to jail, and various recovery programs.
Living in the House of Drugs is the story of Willie Lee Triplett, a recovering addict and alcoholic. It tells of Willie’s life in the suburbs of one of Chicago’s poorer neighborhoods, his chance trip to Wisconsin, and his struggle for sobriety. It’s a no-holds-barred account of Willie’s life on the street, in prison, and the roller coaster ride of recovery that many addicts know well. The story is unique in its telling, following not only Willie’s interesting life story but also the author’s interactions with Willie as she learns of his sometimes sordid past, seeing beyond the story and into the man.
Giveaway ends June 30, 2013.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
When you decide to buy a book what all do you look at? You would think you would be interested in the information on the back first and foremost, but you don’t go picking up every book on the shelve do you? No you judge it by it’s cover first to see if it would be the kind of thing you’d be interested in. In paperback books you usually pay attention to the feel of the cover, if your looking for romance, you would probably grab one with a steamy good looking person on it, and if you want non-fiction, it’s usually a plain cover with the only decorations different color boxes for the title and maybe a professional picture on it. With an e-book, the rules all change. What looks compelling and beautiful in person might not translate as such in a thumbnail hardly larger than an inch big. You loose…
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I’ve never seen information presented in a slide show. It was kind of nice to view it that way, interesting, different.
CKBooks Publishing 