23/10/2021 0 Comments Blogging moreI'm thinking of blogging on blogger instead of on my website to blogger. I've used it in the past and I think that I will blog more if I am using it. Here is the link to it if you want to check it out.
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12/10/2021 0 Comments The Indy Writer's dilemmaJuggling writing, marketing and life is a challenge. Some days I feel like I am failing because I haven't found the right balance. If I work on one area, I feel like I am neglecting another.
You can outsource some jobs, but that means spending money and unless you have a whole lot hidden under your bed, a trust fund or your book/s have hit the jackpot, you are doing everything. You have many different hats. The sales side of books is not my favourite though I do enjoy connecting with new people and it's wonderful to receive feedback from readers. To push myself to focus on sales and marketing, I'm running a book promotion through Amazon. It allows me to giveaway my ebook for free. The first time that I ran the free book promotion in May was hard work. I met some wonderful people too. It was more successful than I expected and helped build my confidence. On signing up for this October promotion which has gone live and runs until this Saturday, I am on a clock to let people know about the book. I find it easier to tell people I have something for free rather than ask them to buy something. I am going to have to overcome this one day! Fortunately, Amazon restricts how many days and how often you can offer your book for free. I am very proud of my book and the sales that come through when it is not free are thrilling. It is wonderful that it is finding an audience and that it appeals to some readers. There is a part of me that wonders if I am procrastinating from writing by running a promotion. I was beginning to gain momentum on a new book which is quite different to Dilly Dally Sally in genre and style. If you're interested in downloading a free copy of Dilly Dally Sally, go to your local Amazon. I've also included below some links which will take you directly to the book. Amazon.com Amazon UK Amazon Germany Amazon Canada Amazon Japan Amazon Australia 2/8/2021 0 Comments LostBuilding the Foundations
I used to read a lot of books about writing and do writing classes. These help build a foundation. When you start a new job, you learn the ropes, attend training sessions, build your network and become competent. A writer's life is like a job that you can never quit. It may pay the bills or like a struggling actor, you have to do other jobs to help finance your passion. There are days where you feel more confident and productive. You have a plan and you follow it. Other days you wonder what you are doing and where you are going. Ultimately you have to figure things out or muddle your way through it. I came to writing by muddling through my confusion. One day I was having a deep and meaningful conversation with a friend. Do you remember the days when we used to have real connections and just talk with someone? I was feeling lost and I didn't know what I was going to do with my life. My friend suggested I try writing and I ended up taking a beginner's writing class. It reawakened my love of writing and books. Over the years, my focus has been writing adult fiction. I've dabbled with poetry and script writing too, but my heart has and always does belong to writing adult fiction. Writing a novel is a long and challenging process. I have started and returned to many novels over the years. Some days I beat myself up for not finishing these novels. I wonder if it is like when I am reading a book that I love, that I do not want it to end and for those characters to disappear. I struggle with losing people in the real world. Perhaps I don't want to lose these characters and stories that I have created? When I wrote Dilly Dally Sally, it took a long time for me to share it with others. There's something about letting the story and characters go out into the world that is hard for me, especially when I love them so much. Is it my worry that the world and people can be harsh, a desire for an unattainable perfectionism or fear of failure? I always knew there would be more Sally stories. That was how I was able to send it out into the world. There were people that I saw who were unable to move forward in life and I decided I didn't want to be like that. So I made up my mind that I would tell people about Dilly Dally Sally. In many ways it wasn't as scary as if I was to share one of my novels. I'd rewritten Dilly Dally Sally so many times and I knew it was finally ready to face the world. I'm glad I did take that step, and boy was that a hard step to take. It was a leap of faith. like closing my eyes and bungee jumping off a mountain, not that I've ever done anything like that. After sharing my book, I realised that actually, this wasn't the end, it was simply a new beginning. The struggle has been with what's next. I have stories that I don't feel are ready yet. There's something not quite right, like a missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle. I still attend writing classes and I look at many of the new ones that are popping up. It is useful to look at the course contents and I have been tempted to try them. I used to spend a small fortune on writing courses. These days, I don't have that luxury. Shonda Rhimes has a Masterclass and Variety provided some insight into what was included. Julia Donaldson's Writing Children's Books is on BBC Maestro. However, after many years of studying writing, I have to accept that the benefits of a class are now no longer as great as they used to be. A class can help me to focus and provides me with a network of writers, which ultimately as a writer, it is a lonely road and we want to find others to join us on our journey. I think that social media has been fantastic for finding a community of creative people. I've discovered new ways of staying motivated and focused. The journey remains very much about putting words onto a page. Often there are too many things to write about or on occasion the dreaded writer's block will mean that I don't know what to write. I find going back to basics and simply reading great authors is helpful. Recently I reread The Ugly Duckling. I've been thinking about fairytales and the British Library's website has provided some great insight. Exhibitions, ideas and thoughts take me to Google. A few years ago I attended an exhibition at the Wellcome Collection which explored the idea of play. I discovered Freud said some interesting things about writing, like the 'creative writer does the same as the child at play.' Since then, I try to play more and have fun as this encourages my creativity and writing. After reading about Freud, I found that F Scott Fitzgerald said many things about writing. This article in The Atlantic has a few nuggets. My favourite is 'Nothing any good isn't hard.' Writing is hard. Publishing is hard. Life is hard. I'll keep muddling through it and may be one day I won't feel lost any more or may be feeling a bit lost is always going to be one of those things that I learn to accept and embrace. Writing is fun, but it is even more enjoyable when you include humour. An author who is becoming synonymous with humour is David Walliams. Recently I spent a weekend reading some of his books. He's the biggest selling children's author to have started writing in the last twenty years. His books are in over fifty-five languages and worldwide sales total over forty million. It's believed that he made £17 million in 2020 from his 13 children's story books, four collections of short stories and seven picture books. He must be doing something right, so I decided to take a look at what the hype was about. I read his first six books:
The books were wildly entertaining. Exaggeration and lists were used to great effect. I had many laugh out loud moments. The stories are also grim and include darkness alongside burps and underpants. Walliams explores serious subjects like gender, homelessness and death. Comparisons between Walliams and Dahl have fueled his popularity. Walliams notes that “the tension between the darkness and the humour” in Dahl’s books, as well as the “incredible messages” they contain, is what makes them so extraordinary. Children are curious about the world and books provide the opportunity to have difficult conversations between kids and adults. They also allow them to explore emotions in a safe way. Walliams says “the best children’s books are the ones that you might read under the covers with a torch. They’re the most exciting children’s books.” Some of his books, such as Ratburger and Demon Dentist, draw on elements of horror. It is the variety in his story-telling which make him readable and much loved by children. There are critics of Walliams' work who are concerned with his books normalising misogynistic attitudes, bullying and body shaming, particularly after he was caught up in the Presidents Club dinner scandal and some independent bookshops stopped stocking his books. For more on this, read Zoe Williams' article, 'Feminism, fattism and fart jokes: do David Walliams's books pass the smell test?' I must confess, even without knowing about the Presidents Club dinner scandal, I was a tad concerned after reading several of the books. I wondered how many adults are aware of what might be influencing their children's behaviour and views. Whilst Walliam's first book, The Boy in the Dress shows tremendous tolerance and non-conformist attitudes, the themes and messages across several books is a little troubling. The challenge with humour is that there is often an element of meanness. A writer also has subconscious beliefs and experiences which translate into their fiction. This is why it is important that both children and adults read widely. The benefits of exploring genres, authors and cultures is about diversity, which is not just important in our societies and workplaces, but in our minds too. So what can we learn from all of this? 1. Understand what readers like and don't like. 2. Humour is a great tool but should be used wisely. 3. Consider themes and messages across the different books you are writing. For more on David Walliams, his official website is here. Would I recommend you read David Walliams? Most definitely. They are quick and easy to read. Despite some of the attitudes and themes, you'll laugh and perhaps even become a little teary. As a writer, you will learn about style, story and of course be thrown into the world of comedy. It's a wonderful place to explore. Happy reading and writing! Imagine you are reclining on a comfortable lounge chair on a stunning beach with the sound of shimmering waters and gentle waves. You have built a sandcastle with the soft powdery sand. You sip an icy cocktail made from fresh fruit and the evening sunset dazzles with tangerine and lavender hues.
Now imagine you are by a waterfall. Birds and butterflies flutter by the misty sprays. The wind whispers around the tall trees of the adjacent forest. You have found a perfectly shaped rock to sit upon and admire the view. The surface is shiny and warm. Nature provides us with peace, clarity and beauty. Studies have found that we are more creative when we are relaxed. Have you ever had great ideas in the shower or after one? Or drink a big glass of chilled water or savour a hot mug of tea. It's the water and ions - that little bit of nature that is nourishing us. The human body is made up of up to 60% water. Why do we escape to these oasis, away from the daily grind and unplug? It brings us joy and pleasure. We don't need expensive holidays or weeks off work to recharge in this way. There is nature on our doorstep - a river, park or garden that we can draw upon. Take some time to enjoy nature to be a happier and more creative writer. 22/6/2021 0 Comments Social Media for WritersIt can be overwhelming trying to navigate the wonderful world of social media. A few years ago I had no idea about tweets, retweets, followers, comments, likes or shares. I still struggle with it. There are days that I have no idea what I am doing and then others when I have the 'ah' moment.
A few years ago I decided that I would no longer be afraid of the unknown. I could learn how to use it. At some point, I found that I enjoy posting ideas, connecting with people and reading or seeing images of what my social media friends are doing. It takes time and patience to work out what material is liked, shared, re-tweeted and commented on. In some cases, you post something because you want to, not because it will be well received. Other times, you want to test something out, get some feedback or thoughts, ask for help or simply gain followers, likes, comments, retweets and more recently for me, raise awareness about Dilly Dally Sally, the book that I've published. Every platform and its users are a bit different. It's a bit like travelling. If you are in a strange city, you need to figure out where to go and the communities that are a good fit for you. The takeaways generally seem to be that you should engage, reciprocate and be generous with likes, shares, retweets and comments. Find accounts you like and who are interested in similar things to you. Study accounts which you consider to be successful. Also make it easy for anyone who is looking at what you post - there should be enough in your post to make them want to click a link, but also accept that many people aren't interested or don't have the time to click links. People are on social media for different reasons, eg some people will follow and unfollow you to create an impression of a huge fan base. Some accounts are private or focused on sales. Diversity in your posts can be a good thing. Remember, it's not just about collecting likes or retweets. Your profile is like a mini-website that reflects your personality and profile. Some authors only do writer's lifts. While I support their efforts and will sometimes participate. it may be perceived in a certain way. It should not be a tickbox exercise that you are on social media and have followers and likes. Make it meaningful and useful to have genuine relationships rather than treating it as a faceless bit of technology. There are real people out there. I am interested in creativity, stories, writing, art, poetry, nature, photography and children's stories. I love finding material that I can share as well people who will share or appreciate what I am doing. The idea is also to find people who will engage with and support me in my goals. I can grow and develop with these new friends. Finally, try to have fun. Share what makes you smile, laugh and be happy, or what makes you sad or angry, whatever floats your boat . Just be real and realise that if you were talking to friends and family - what are you like, what do you talk about or send them, how do you reciprocate and how do you behave? That's my bit on how I try to be creative everyday through social media. Writing prompts are a great way to write more and sharing your writing helps build confidence. I've dabbled with blogs, Instagram, Twitter and apps. I found a great community of writers in the Writing Prompts App which is now also available through your desktop. It allows me to experiment with different genres and produce silly or serious short stories.
Self-doubt is challenging and it's been a big step for me to publish a book. The funny thing is that there are many more steps to take and the journey doesn't end there. It's been a wild ride full of learning and stumbling, but I'm glad I've turned this new corner. My confidence still wobbles and I need help to write more. I'm taking it one step at a time. What would have happened if they had remained in someone's drawer or they had given up after the first rejection letter?
The characters we have loved and the stories that have inspired us make up our beautiful world. Life is full of beginnings. We take our first breath when we are born. We begin to see, move, become aware of our surroundings and people, learn to crawl, smile, speak, walk, read, ride a bicycle, make friends, attend school, date, work and the list goes on. When you learnt to walk, if you fell over, you picked yourself up or there was someone to help you. You weren’t always steady on your feet. It took practise but you learnt to walk. You progressed to dancing and running. Now you don’t think about it, you just walk, dance and run. The skills you learn in life increase. You improve on each skill with time and experience. Creative writing is another skill. As children we are filled with curiosity, imagination and wonder. In many ways, creative writing is about going back to the child within. It is about flexing your imagination, drawing upon your vocabulary and expressing your ideas. If you want to write, then just do it. Who knows if it might become someone's favourite one day or help someone in a way that you never imagined. |
Writing
We are surrounded by stories. When we communicate, these are snippets which make up a story about people, places and things. In your head, there are ideas, experiences and stories. Writing provides the opportunity to share them. Everyone can write by putting words on a page. The challenge is to write well. Archives
October 2021
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