Writing can be one of the loneliest professions. Even if we’re not stuck away in the proverbial attic our quill pens or laptops are not the friendliest of company.
Luckily the ‘family’ of authors are one of the most supportive groups I’ve ever come across. Having been there, done that and bought the printing paper I’ve learnt that experienced, best selling, traditionally published scribblers are as likely to offer their advice and support as others still struggling to understand the vagaries of the Indie route.
Here’s a quick guide to writing a book and becoming an overnight success:
- Have an idea.
- Start typing (or writing) feeling inspired.
- Get stuck half way through.
- Finally type ‘The End.’
- Sit back and wait to become famous.
- Realise that’s not going to work.
- Re-read your masterpiece and discover all the errors.
- Friends and family re-assure you it’s wonderful.
- Re-write your blockbuster.
- Proof read.
- Get other authors to beta read.
- Cry when you realise how much work it still needs.
- Revise and proof read again.
- Send off to publishers. Bite nails while you wait for a response.
- (If you’re lucky) get a rejection letter. Cry again.
- Repeat ad infinitum with proof reading, rejection letters and sobbing.
- Start learning about self-publishing.
- Despair (and cry).
- Discover the joys of metatags, formatting, page layout, editing, synopsis, blurb, printing, cover design and don’t even begin to think about marketing as you realise how little you actually know.
(I’ve left out quite a few stages as my laptop is now sodden with all the tears.) - Take out a second mortgage to buy more print cartridges and paper as you are now firmly hooked into the crazy idea of actually getting your book into print.
- Daily check your number of sales- Despair.
- Make a sale. Celebrate. That ten pence/cents royalty will make you rich- er, maybe not quite yet time to give up the day job.
- Try to persuade everyone who has read your book to write a review.
Realise how important reviews are to an author.
It doesn’t matter what you say, or even if you have never written one before, I can’t stress enough how important they are to spread the word and support the ‘newbie’ authors. Thank you.
Here are some suggestions for books you might like to read and the writers who will totally understand the problems. 😀
Voinks
Changes www.amazon.co.uk/Changes-Voinks/dp/1848972997
Romance
ABC Destiny http://www.amazon.co.uk/ABC-Destiny-Voinks/dp/1784556963
Mystery
(Watch this space for the next release, hopefully this year.)
Drama/Thriller
Paula Harmon
Kindling http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kindling-Paula-Harmon-ebook/dp/B01LYMHUMB
The Advent Calendar www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N8R4XR3/
Short stories
Glen R Stansfield
Harry http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harry-Glen-R-Stansfield-ebook/dp/B01JLO67CA/
Crime/Thriller
Julie Eger
Eeny Meeny Criminy Crow http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eeny-Meeny-Criminy-Crow-residents-ebook
Fantasy/Mystery
Rick Haynes
Evil never dies http://www.amazon.co.uk/EVIL-NEVER-DIES-MAXILLA-TALES-ebook/dp/B011GP1LQO
Medieval fantasy
Chocolate chunks from Crazy Crete http://www.amazon.co.uk/CHOCOLATE-CHUNKS-CRAZY-CRETE-Haynes-ebook/dp/B01M7WRPSF
Short stories
Mike Williams
Lavender and Haddock www.amazon.co.uk/LAVENDER-HADDOCK-Trouble-Wyrms-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00JX8UQEU
The allure of the Red Wyrm http://www.amazon.co.uk/ALLURE-RED-WYRM-Trouble-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00K7DMWX8
Educating creatures http://www.amazon.co.uk/EDUCATING-CREATURES-Trouble-Wyrms-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00K0TPBNC
Comedy trilogy
Jo Roderick
Format it yourself http://www.amazon.co.uk/Format-Yourself-P-I-Y-Step-step-ebook/dp/B01GARM58G
Non Fiction. Part of a series giving guidance on formatting for self-publishing
Bermuda Phoenix http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bermuda-Phoenix-Beach-Read-RomCom-ebook/dp/B01N7U89WQ
Romantic comedy
Yasmin Selina Butt
Gunshot Glitter http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gunshot-Glitter-Yasmin-Selena-Butt-ebook/dp/B00916B4OU
Thriller/Mystery
Seumas Gallacher
Killer City http://www.amazon.co.uk/KILLER-CITY-Jack-Calder-Crime-ebook/dp/B01B7IMYES
Part of the Jack Calder Crime Fiction series
To our readers: Hopefully there’s something for everyone in these suggestions. Please check them out, tell your friends and help to spread the word.
Even better, buy our books and leave a review.
On behalf of authors everywhere, thank you for your support.
© Voinks January 2017
Reblogged this on Seumas Gallacher and commented:
…my great pal, Val Portelli, she of ‘Voinks’ blog fame, pens this terrific piece which makes for almost mandatory reading for every author on the planet, in my not-so-‘humble view!
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Thanks Seumas. To prove the importance of proof-reading I’ve just amended two- yes two! errors. Obviously this was deliberate to see how many people would pick them up. 😀
Either that or your friend ‘Mabel’ was attempting sabotage. Mwaah. x
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🙂
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Thanks, Val, for all this helpful advice. Thanks, Seumas, for sharing Vals post. 🙂 — Suzanne
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If all else fails Suzanne, I intend to get a job supplying tissues to authors. 😀
Thanks for your comment.
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Reblogged Val & Thanks for the boost!
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Nicely put Val. It’s difficult but sooner or later something will happen cos I do believe in fairies – err I mean fate. Thank you for the promotion. Let me know if I can reciprocate. Cheers. Rick
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Reblogged this on Writer's Treasure Chest and commented:
Author Voinks provides us with excellent writer’s support. Thank you for this post!
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Thank you for sharing Aurora.Perhaps all authors should have shares in companies supplying tissues. 😀
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Thank you for the blog. I can empathize with everything you say. And, yes, authors are a terrific bunch who seem to want to help their fellows.
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