7 Lies Writers Believe (and the Truths You Need to Know Instead)

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Another great article at The Write Practice
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The writing world is filled with land mines—lies that, when you step on them, blow you right off your creative feet.

I’ve stepped on all of these in my writing career, and every author-friend I know has set them off, too. That tells me they’re pretty common.

Lies Writers Struggle With

I want to help arm you against these painful, dangerous explosions, so I present to you seven lies that writers believe—and the truths that can help you get back on your feet.

Fair warning: this will be a very quote-heavy article. Why? Because I don’t want you to just take my word for it. I want you to see that all creative minds have to navigate these mines—including the best authors in the world.

Lie #1: If you haven’t made it/gotten an agent/become famous by now, you never will.

This is a rough one. When we finally get the courage to start writing (and *gasp* tell people that we are), a funny thing happens: for some reason, others forget everything they know about how skill training works, and they insist we should have “arrived” already.

Baloney. Does anything work that way? Even people with genius taste buds need to learn how to cook. Being “discovered overnight” is an enchanting fantasy, but it’s a dangerous myth.

Here’s the truth: just like getting in shape, climbing a mountain, or memorizing a symphony, writing takes time to master. 

Sam Sykes said once that no matter who you are as an author, you pay your dues at one end or another. To put it another way: it takes many years to be an overnight success. Maybe you haven’t “made it” yet. That doesn’t mean you never will.

“An overnight success is ten years in the making.”
― Tom Clancy, Dead or Alive

“Timing, perseverance, and ten years of trying will eventually make you look like an overnight success.”
― Biz Stone

“It takes 20 years to make an overnight success.”
—Eddie Cantor

“Actually, I’m an overnight success, but it took twenty years.”
—Monty Hall

If you haven’t made it/gotten an agent/become famous by now, you aren’t out of time yet. Keep writing. Keep reading. Don’t quit.

Read the rest of the truth at The Write Practice

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3 Most Important Elements of Chapter One

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The first chapter of a novel is arguably the most important—if a reader isn’t hooked, she won’t keep reading. And if that happens, nothing else you write matters.

 

Think of your first chapter as the tip of the iceberg—sure, there’s a ton more to your story that readers may not be seeing yet…but that’s what the rest of the manuscript is for. In the first chapter, you just need enough to hook the reader and get them curious about what’s going on under the water.

How to Write Your First Chapter

But what does it take to create that hook? I thought a lot about this as I wrote and edited my first novel. And my conclusion is that, while there are many different ways to creatively introduce a story in the first chapter, there are three key things a first chapter must do to pull a reader in.

Read the rest of Emily’s article at The Write Practice

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Why (and How) to Launch Your Author Blog Before Your Book

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Some excellent advice and howtoitness over at All Indie Writer by Jennifer Mattern.

Maybe you’re writing your first book. Perhaps it’s off with your editor. In either case, you still have a ways to go before your book is in the hands of readers. That means it’s much too early to worry about setting up an author blog, right?

Wrong.

You don’t need to wait until your book launch to set up an author blog. In fact, you shouldn’t wait this long if you want your blog to help you boost book sales at launch time.

Author Blog vs Author Website

Worried about launching a blog because you aren’t ready to launch your ideal author website?

Don’t be.

Sure. Your author website will have more than a blog. You’ll want everything from your author bio to book sales pages. But there’s no reason you can’t give that website a jump start by focusing on your author blog.

Read the rest at All Indie Writer

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Not A Bestselling Author, But A Selling Author, Yes

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This from over at  The Vandal

The blogging alter ego of author, Derek Haines

 

While there are many chasing the bestselling dream, I’m happy with reality.

I probably see the profiles of hundreds if not thousands of authors, who crown themselves as ‘bestselling author’ along with other superlative adjectives on social media each month. However, we all know that there are very few bestselling authors.

The truth of the matter is that there are only a handful of bestselling self published authors, who make a half decent income, as this article, Only 40 Self-Published Authors are a Success, says Amazon, points out.

Therefore, one must conclude that there are a hell of a lot of self published authors out there who embellish the truth, a little bit, or a lot.

Read the rest at The Vandal

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What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Blog About

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Self-publishing experts agree blogging is a great way to connect with your readers as well as keeping the writing gears well oiled. Here are some great ideas for blogging and writing from a terrific blogging website:

 

by 27 Comments

If you’re reading this, it means you blog.

5 proven strategies for defeating writer's block for bloggers

Obviously.

You’re a blogger. You’re a content marketer considering blogging as part of your marketing strategy. You’re a fiction writer considering blogging as a good way to communicate with readers or promote your book.

Whoever you are, if you create online content you constantly need ideas and plans to answer these eternal questions:

What to blog?

What content to share with readers?

What to write?

It’s a big problem for many bloggers, especially those believing the more often they write and publish, the better. As a result, they experience writer’s block, they procrastinate or sacrifice quality for quantity, and they eventually become sick and tired of blogging.

Sounds familiar?

If so, don’t panic!

This article will reveal all secrets of coming out with great ideas for your blog, and it will tell you what to do when you are stuck and don’t know what to write.

Let’s get started…

 

 

Get started blogging about your book(s) and read the rest at Be a Better Blogger

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Write a killer memoir: My 9 top tips

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Another great article from a writing and editing master. Check out Alan Rinzler’s ‘The Book Deal‘

Want to write a memoir that’s powerful and inspiring? One that has impact, and appeals to a broad popular market?Here’s how. These 9 tips come directly from my 50+ years of working with authors as a developmental editor in major publishing houses and with private clients.

1. Create a transformative journey

Every successful memoir needs a strong thematic focus on a transformative journey. Some examples: an immigration story, coming of age, overcoming illness, escaping an oppressive family, finding love, struggling for professional success.

Not every reader will have had the same experience you write about, but most will still be able to identify with a struggle against adversity in any passionate endeavor, whether it’s forging a long-desired meaningful relationship, starting a small business, becoming a devoted teacher, realizing that a path you’ve taken is a dead end and finding a new one that’s ultimately fulfilling.

 

Find the rest at Alan Rinzler’s ‘The Book Deal‘

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20 Fantasy Story Ideas

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Another great article by the folks over at TheWritePractice

 

story ideas

2016 is a whole new year, and our goal is to create and maintain writing momentum—but you may need a tiny push to get moving.

Consider this your push. For the next few weeks, I’ll be delighted to share short story ideas with you, and you have my full permission (and encouragement) to use them as you will.

I’m going to share these by genre, so expect a few weeks of prompts from me. I can’t wait to see how you use them.

 

Check out Ruthanne Reid’s wonderful and whimsical story starters at at TheWritePractice

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Goodread’s “The Bowie Effect”

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This article was posted on GoodReads by Hayley Igarashi on January 21, 2016. The link to her wonderful piece follows, but first I wish to pay small tribute. The passing of Bowie had such monumental effect on the world. So many people felt a connection to this person we had never met. Perhaps we saw him at a concert, but most just listened to his music or watched him on TV. Bowie embodied so many intangibles and was constantly searching for more. He shared this with us. He reached out to us, and like a good writer he connected with us. I will miss Bowie.

“Don’t you love the Oxford Dictionary?” David Bowie once mused. “When I first read it, I thought it was a really, really long poem about everything.”

Bowie, who passed away last week at the age of 69, was always hungry—for art, for knowledge, for music, for being “something more than human.” He achieved near-mythical status over the course of his career as a musician, actor, and cultural icon. He was also a bookworm. In 2013, he shared his 100 must-read books with his fans, showcasing his unsurprisingly eclectic reading taste. Modern classics like A Clockwork Orange and The Great Gatsby made the cut, but so did more obscure tales like Infants of the Spring and A Grave for a Dolphin.

In the wake of Bowie’s death, the list has gained new life, with fellow book lovers embracing it as a way to connect and to pay tribute. In fact, you can see the effect right here on GoodReads.

 

 

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Writing with Presence, Part I

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An interesting observation on both leadership and writing.

Posted at Editors Only on Wednesday, December 30, 2015 at 4:19 PM

Aiming for presence in your confidence, communication, and subject matter.

By Peter P. Jacobi

The dictionary says “presence” has two meanings: “fact or condition of being present” and “appearance or bearing.” Both can fit into a discussion about writing, the power and significance thereof.

But consider also social psychologist Amy Cuddy, who works at Harvard and has written and recently published an already much-discussed book titled Presence, a state she says we can achieve by accessing our personal power, by applying the right body language, a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident. Such a level of control has an impact on testosterone and cortisol levels that, she argues, directly impact our chances for success.

“When we judge others, especially our leaders,” Cuddy explains, “we look first at two characteristics: how lovable they are (their warmth, communion, or trustworthiness) and how fearsome they are (their strength, agency, or competence)…. Researchers agree that they [lovability and fearsomeness] are the two primary dimensions of social judgment.” And why are these traits so important? “Because they answer two critical questions: ‘What are this person’s intentions toward me?’ and ‘Is he or she capable of acting on those intentions?'”

 

Read the rest at Editors Only

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First Edition Design Publishing Holiday Schedule 2016 

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We’d like to thank you for your continued business with us this year and share with you our First Edition Design Publishing 2015 Holiday Processing and Shipping Schedule. This should help you in your holiday planning.

 

Don’t have your holiday cheer dampened by having to rush; get your short-run orders in early!  To ensure timely delivery of your books, please place orders no later than:

 

Paperback Books (Color only), for all facilities*;
Wednesday, December 2nd

 

Case Laminate, Cloth and Jacketed Books (Color only), for all facilities*;
Wednesday, December 2nd

 

Case Laminate, Cloth and Jacketed Books (B&W only), for all facilities*;
Monday, December 7th

 

Paperback Books (B&W only), for all facilities*;
Tuesday, December 8th

 

*Facilities located in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.

Please note that any orders placed after the noted cut-off dates cannot be guaranteed for Christmas delivery.

 

  • US dates assume a five-day domestic delivery from First Edition Design Publishing  using ground service, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
  • UK dates assume a non-guaranteed Royal Mail three-day domestic shipment delivery from First Edition Design Publishing UK using ground service.
  • Please order early! If you have an unexpected, urgent need, please contact your Client Services Representative for potential turnaround time and delivery options.

 

Other important dates to keep in mind when planning your orders with us:

 

First Edition Design Publishing offices and manufacturing operations are closed:

–        November 26 – 29, 2015 – Thanksgiving Holiday

–        December 18 – 31, 2015 – Christmas Holiday

 

We will be back in full swing, with a full staff on January 4th, 2016

 

In the US – UPS holiday schedule:

–        November 26, 2015 – UPS is closed. No deliveries or pickups.

–        November 27, 2015 – Normal delivery service.

–        December 24, 2015 – Normal delivery service.

–        December 25, 2015 – UPS is closed. No deliveries or pickups.

–        December 31, 2015 – UPS delivery of air and international packages only.

–        January 1, 2016 – UPS is closed. No deliveries or pickups.

 

In the UK – UPS and DHL/Securicor holiday schedule:

–        December 24, 2015 – Normal delivery schedule.

–        December 25 2015 – Closed.

–        December 28, 2015 – Closed.

–        December 31, 2015 – Normal delivery schedule.

–        January 1, 2016 – Closed.

 

 

In Canada – Canada Purolator holiday schedule:

–        November 26, 2015 – Closed.

–        December 25, 2015 – Closed.

–        January 1, 2016 – Closed.

 

At First Edition Design Publishing, we want to be sure that all orders are delivered in a timely, cost-effective manner. It is important to note that we experience higher volumes during the holiday season.

 

Shipping carriers also experience an increase in the number of shipments handled during the holiday season. We suggest you order early to avoid possible delays with your shipments.

 

Our Sales and Client Services associates are available to help with any questions you may have about shipping, turnaround time and orders for the fourth quarter. Please email support@firsteditiondesign.com with questions or concerns.

 

Thank you for your continued business and best wishes for a delightful holiday season!