Putting One Finger in Front of the Other

Writing a Book is that Easy? Or is it?

In most jobs an employee has to show up and carry out their allotted task whether they feel like it or not. The job doesn't go away just because someone isn't in the mood or isn't feeling it. Yet, often as writers, we convince ourselves that we can only write when the perfect mood strikes. I know I have the potential to give in to these feelings.  This blog is an example. I knew I needed to write a blog post and yet I put it off thinking, I haven't got an idea in my head. Time goes by and no blog post is written.

However, I think I am lying to myself. We often do as writers. Once I opened up my laptop and put one finger in front of the other, the thoughts started flowing and ideas came thick and fast. My brain, and/or my muse, just needed dragging out of bed and told that it was time get to work.

The same can be true for my novels. I can procrastinate, telling myself that my muse has up and left. That's not true. My muse just needs me to show up and join him or her. Once we're snuggled up together in front of the keyboard ideas come thick and fast. Showing up is the first part of the process.

The second part of the process is typing actual words. This may seem elementary but again the muse may need a bit of cajoling to get going. There is a lot of expert advice out in the stratosphere about writing when the mood doesn't strike. I have found one to be particularly helpful. Write anything. Write rubbish, you can do something with it later. The very process of writing will help the mind to start thinking creatively. It will then take over and the rubbish becomes something more coherent. Who knows, it might become something truly brilliant?

This advice is the same whether you, the writer, are penning a short story, an article, a blog or a book. You will not get anything done if you are not moving your fingers on the keyboard, or using a pen to script words. So going back to my caption, writing a book is that easy. Well not quite. As most writers know, there are many steps to the process of writing a book. However, none of them will ever get done if the writer and the muse are not sitting down to write the first draft.

So why are you still reading this blog? It's time to grab a pen or sit down in front of that keyboard. Your muse is waiting for you to show up so it can get cracking. More power to your pen or keyboard and I look forward to reading that completed book. If you have any more writing tips feel free to share in the comments. See you back here soon.

Reading More Widely

Day five of the blogging challenge and I'm still going strong. As I said in yesterday's blog, I haven't been feeling too well.  However, one thing which any writer can still do whilst ill is read. In order to be a writer you also need to be a reader. Now I read voraciously but mainly in the crime genre. It is often good for a writer, and in fact an individual, to expand their horizons in regards to reading choice. This allows the writer to view things from a different perspective and avoid becoming too narrow in their viewpoint. Their writing can be strengthened as they absorb the variety of ways in which writers express themselves.

Last week I was away from home and staying with friends. I was entertaining a two year old and he wanted me to read to him. He had a wide variety of books, but one which stuck with me was Ted's Birthday Bus. This was simply written but demonstrated beautifully how to build suspense and provide a surprise. My young friend loved this facet of it as well, resulting in my having to read it about fifteen times.

I appreciate that this may not be the best book to help me develop my writing skills. So I have bought the first book in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, and Archbishop by Michelle Guinness. Completely different from each other and also different from my usual choice of book. I am looking forward to reading them and will report back when I have done so.

There ends day five of the challenge. I will see you Bck here tomorrow for the next instalment in the series. Until then keep reading and writing.

The Shape of Books to Come

After all the high of publishing book two I am in the process of finishing off the first draft of my next book. Funnily enough it is number three in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries. This has got me thinking of how we, as authors, shape our books. How do they come about. Well I can only speak for myself but this is how it goes for me.

To start with it is a bit like God in Genesis. Nothing exists. Not even a thought of what this could be about. Panic may set in. Then a few gentle tendrils of thoughts start to wind around the authors brain. These seem almost formless, like spectres, but slowly start to take shape and become more solid. After days, weeks or months there are enough of these to form a solid lump, like the clay in the image  above.

In writing the first draft the author makes this shapeless lump grow larger every day. It also starts to take on a loose shape. Something which is roughly recognisable and yet isn't.

Then comes the hard work. The part which makes the finished manuscript the beautiful finally displayed product at the end. This is the editing. The writer goes over and over the manuscript and the book becomes more recognisable each time. Finally the finished product will emerge and is ready to be baked (printed)  and put on display.

Whilst I am writing one book I often find myself thinking about ideas for the next book. I jot these down and by the time I come to write the book I have enough there to build on. I also have ideas for another series and am jotting things down about the next protagonist. My mind never seems to stop. 

This may seem simplistic but it is true. The feeling of forming, shaping and moulding a manuscript into a fully formed book is like no other. It is exciting at the start, it is hard work in the middle, and a mixture of relief and pure joy at the end. Being a writer is a heady experience. It is not all highs, but the moments of excitement and joy far outstrip the ones where you don't think you can write another word. I, and I am sure most other writers, think it is the best job in the world. 

Another writing blog my Bookaholic friends. However, I am reading an excellent book by Lin Anderson at the moment. I will be back soon with a review. Until then keep reading and writing. 

Review: How to Make a Living with Your Writing by Joanna Penn

Not a blog for ages, then a veritable host of them come along at once. If you are a writer then you will understand why I couldn't wait to share this review.

I read a lot of books about business and marketing, with a particular emphasis on writing. This is one of the best, and most clearly written, I have come across. Joanna Penn is a professional and experienced writer, and this comes across in every word. She starts the book by explaining how to get into the entrepreneur mindset. This is important as many writer think of themselves just as writers. They forget they are also running a business. Whilst writers are providing pleasure, they also need to make money in the process if they want to make a living as a writer. She also links this to having a can do attitude.

One of the things I like about the book is that she talks about multiple income streams. This means not just having ebooks, but also paperbacks and audio books. She believes that with mobile use expanding internationally audio books will become increasingly more important. However, Penn also talks about other ways in which you can make money as a writer.

One of the ways in which she suggests that income can increase is in becoming more organised.  Prioritise writing, which will lead to becoming more prolific. The more books a writer has written, the more they will sell. This is wise advice, and yet many writers seem to forget this.

This is just a flavour of what this book contains. It is so much more than what is contained in my review.. It is a book you will want to read through quickly first, and then refer to regularly. It provides inspiration and motivation in equal measure. This is the first of Penn's books I have read but I will be reading more in the near future.

I will be back soon my bookaholics friends. If you are writer then grab this book now and read it. You will not regret it. 

10 Essential Steps in the Lead up to a Physical Book Launch

Excitement levels are high in the Bookaholic Camp this week. It is just 3 days until the launch of Killer's Craft, the second book in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries. This means I have been busy getting ready for the event. This got me thinking about everything an author to do on the lead up to the launch of a book. 

1. My first point, and probably the most crucial is to start planning your launch early. If you plan on holding your launch in a bookshop approach them as soon as you have a date for publication. Bookshops hold a lot of events and you may find that the day or week you want is not available for your date. If you are not going to be using a bookshop then decide which venue you would like to use and book it. 

2. Create a buzz about the event a few weeks in advance. This can be done in many ways:

• Tell your friends and family
• Use social media wisely. It is important not to spam the heck out of every group on Facebook or any other social media site. This is not a formal invite but teasers about the event

3. Use teasers to let the excitement build. These can include cover reveal, blurb reveal, photos of the books arriving, letting people know that your event calendar is filling up. I am sure there are many more. If you have any innovative ideas then please let me knowing the comments. 

4. Create flyers for the event, and leave them in the bookshop, libraries, or anywhere else you think may be appropriate. For example, a local Cafe which I use asked me when the book launch was and asked me if I had any flyers they could display.

5. This one may be out of your control as it is up to the bookstore. Waterstones added to the general buzz by creating an event on Facebook. 

6. Invite people and create a list of names. This is so you can get an idea of numbers. Your venue will need to know so they have enough chairs etc. Remember if you re inviting people through social media not everyone on your friends list lives close enough to come to a launch. Invite only the relevant people before you start to annoy everyone in far flung lands. 

7. If you are published through your own imprint then make sure that the books are uploaded to the relevant sites, such as Amazon and SmashWords, in time for the publication date. This may take a few days after upload so do not leave it until the last minute.

8. This is also crucial. Make sure you order books to a arrive in plenty of time. This needs to include time for the bookstore to get them into their system ready for the day. 

9. This one is down to personal preference. I have food and drink at my launch. I provide the food and Waterstones provides wine and soft drinks. It gives a real party atmosphere and also means that guests have something to do if there is a large queue for book signing. It also allows for people to chat in general, and your books specifically.

10. The most important one of all. Have fun. Book launches are a blast and it is your chance to show yourself off as an author and a person. Enjoy every minute of your hour in the spotlight.

So there we have it my Bookaholic friends. If you think of anything else that should be done on the lead up to a launch then please let me know in the comments. I am always open to new ideas and suggestions.

An Author's Thoughts Revealed

It has been a bit of a busy time for me recently. Book two in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries is finished and I am waiting for the proof copy to turn up. I am reliably informed it will be here today. This means I can't settle and my thoughts are all over the place. There is still much to do before the launch which still seems so far away. Yet it is less than five weeks. The launch will be held in Waterstones, Dundee on 20th July at 6.30 pm. I'm excited beyond belief, and very much looking forward to the event. So I am sure you can understand why my thoughts are erratic. 

Whilst I am writing this blog, and doing anything else in fact, all I can think about is the postman arriving. Only a writer will understand what it means to hold the first copy of a new book in my hands. This is a time of magic. It belongs to me, and all those months and years of hard work have come to fruition. For five weeks I can hold it in my hand. There is still time to nurture it and make changes. However, in five weeks it will be set free and into the hands of the reading public. All authors know that this is an anxious time. Will readers enjoy the book is what fills my thoughts on launch day. 

So, today, I am finding it difficult to settle. I am finding it difficult to concentrate. What does an author do in such circumstances? Why read a book of course. In order to be an author, you first need to be a reader. My love of reading is up there with that of my writing. I have bookcases full of books which I have not yet read. I can savour the glorious feeling of anticipation as I choose the perfect book. I will then grab a cup of tea, a chocolate biscuit and sit down with the book. It will occupy my mind and hold me in its grip. It will stop me thinking about the postman's arrival.

What's that you say? What have I chosen? That my friends will remain a mystery until next time. See you all back here soon with a review of my chosen book. 

In the meantime I will leave you with a picture of the cover of book two in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries. If you haven't yet read book one you can get it from the links on the right hand side of the blog. By for now, and keep reading. 

4 Top Notch Books on Editing for Writers

I have been editing book two in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries for the past few days. Writing the book is the easy part. Editing, as all writers know, or will find out, is the hard part. In preparation for editing I have been reading some excellent books on the subject. So today I bring you four, which I think every writer should have in their arsenal.

The Little Book of Self Editing for Writers by Bridget McKenna

This is a cracking little book. It is only 96 pages long, but every page packs a punch. It is in three parts.

1. Search and Destroy
2. The self editor's toolkit
3. Self editing resources

I read it through quickly and then used it to transform my manuscript. McKenna uses Zombies to illustrate some of her points. No, I am not joking. Yes, it does work. It is the most brilliant tip I have come across. You will, of course, have to read the book to find out more.

Part three has a self editing checklist. I used it to go through my manuscript and again transform it into something readers will love. Using this checklist will help any author eliminate areas which will slow the manuscript down and take the reader out of the story.  I loved this book and is one I would highly recommend.

Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

This is one I have reviewed before, but I make no apologies for including it in this list. This book is an excellent addition to the library of any writer. It covers every aspect of editing and takes the author through them in simple steps. It is clearly written  and uses examples to support  explanation. This method works and it is easy to see at a glance how your writing can be improved. This book also contains checklists to use when editing. It also has a number of writing exercises to help the author develop their craft. This is one I cannot recommend highly enough.





APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur by Kawasaki and Welsh

This book isn't specifically about editing, but about the process of writing, self publishing and marketing your book. However, it does contain an excellent chapter on editing. This is chock full of links to resources which will help you to edit your book. Overall, the book is excellent, but for the purposes of this blog, the section on editing is outstanding.







Polish Your Fiction by Jessica Bell

This is not a large book but every piece of advice within it is solid and helpful. As Bell says in her introduction it is not about writing a book, but about polishing it with a good edit. It covers all the key areas such as:

1. First Line Hook
2. Character consistency and point of view
3. Dialogue tags
4. Tightening Descriptions
5. Removing superfluous words
6. Identifying and replacing overused words
7. First person and Third person pronouns.



There are more chapters but this gives you a general feel for the way in which this book helps you to do an in depth edit. It is one which all writers should read and have by their side during the editing process, and one which I highly recommend.

Now for a bonus book.

Self Publish Your Book by Jessica Bell

This is not specifically about editing but does contain some excellent advice on how to format your book if you are self publishing. It takes you through all the steps you need to get your book finished and ready to publish. The steps are easy to follow and will save you a lot of time









So there we have it my Bookaholic friends. Another one for writers. However, I am reading a cracking crime book at the moment so will be back with another review soon. Until then, keep reading and writing.

A Happy Crime Writer's New Year

Good afternoon Bookaholics and welcome to the first blog of 2015. I trust you all had a great Christmas and New Year and that you got lots of lovely books for Christmas. I was fortunate to get a few so watch this space.

So what has this Crime Writer and reader been up to over Christmas and new year? Firstly I am sporting one of my Christmas presents. I love this T-Shirt and the perfect present for me. In case you can't read it from the picture it says "You are Dangerously Close to Becoming a Body in my Next Novel." You do not know how true this is. As a crime writer I am always one step away from planning the next murder. Seriously, never upset a crime writer. They can bump you off in ways that are too horrible for the human mind to imagine. Unless it's a crime writer's mind that is.

So what of 2014. The most exciting part of this had to be the launch of the first book in the DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries. Shona is keen, eager and ready to prove to the world what she can do. So far she hasn't disappointed with the book being warmly received. The book launch at Waterstones Bookstore was so much fun and very well attended. Definitely a great way to launch my career as a published author.

Unfortunately I haven't had huge amounts of time to read recently as I have been knee deep in all things Christmas and New Year related. Much like the rest of the world. I am waiting for my family to arrive so we can have our New Years Day Dinner together. That brings me neatly to the end of my post as I have a steak pie to carve up, er. sorry cut up and serve. See you all back here very soon my bookaholic friends. My wish for you over the coming year is that you will have everything you need. See you all soon. 

There's Been a Murder

We're taking a departure from the norm today on Bookaholics. I am very excited as I have been featured as the up and coming crime author of the month on the fabulous There's Been a Murder Blog. This is a blog well worth following if you like crime books and I am honoured to be featured. I would love you to drop by and read my interview. You'll find out more about me and the journey to publishing my first book.

There's Been a Murder

The excitement continues as I won second place with a humorous article in the Angus Writers Circle yesterday. My article called 'The St Swithuns on the Undertow Church Newlsetter' was warmly received. I may feature it on a future issue of the blog.

So with all these announcements over, I will leave you to read the blog, and to get back to reading a good book. See you all very soon back here on Bookaholics. Keep reading.

6 More Fabulous Apps for Writers

Some time ago I wrote an article outlining four top apps for writers. If you missed it then you can find it here. Since then I've discovered some more great apps. Now I will admit, I am a bit of a technophile, and love all things electronic but these apps are truly special and worth downloading.

Index Card

Cost: £1.99

Available for: iPhone, iPad

The icon of the app portrays it extremely well. This is a virtual Pin Board on which you can pin index cards. Although simple, this app is extremely useful. I have a card for every character in my books from Major to Minor. These contain a detailed character analysis with everything I need to know about the character.

Other ways I have used the app:
1. Plot ideas
2. Jotting down random things which I feel could be used in a book
3. Things a character might say

I am sure there are several other ways in which these could be used and if anyone has any ideas then please outline them in the comments and help other writers.


A Novel Idea

Cost: Free

Available for: iPhone, iPad, Android Phone, Android Tablet

This app is deceptively simple and extremely useful. To all my writer friends I make no apologies for the adjectives. They are needed to describe how good this app is. It is basically a detailed notebook for writers.

On opening the app there is a menu bar along the bottom. The options available are Novels, Scenes, Characters, Locations and Ideas. Click on one of these and it contains a detailed template.




As an example the Novel one has the following:

• Title
• Setting
• Theme 
• Tone
• POV
• Premise
• Plot
• Group

Below these you can also add ideas and add scenes. 

The character one is brilliant. This is detailed and includes a number of physical characteristics as well as things like external and internal motivation, external and internal conflict, fears and phobias. and so on. You can also attach novels, scenes and ideas to this character.

I love this app and I am sure all my writer friends will too. Worth downloading immediately.

Moleskine

Cost: Free

Available for: iPhone, iPad, Android Phone, Android Tablet, Windows Phones, Windows Tablet

This app is what it says on the tin. It is a notebook for your phone or tablet which is exactly the same as the Moleskine notebook you pay a fortune for in stores. The beauty of this app is that you can carry it with you anywhere you go, in your pocket, on your phone. No more need to carry around that writers notebook that we all, as writers, have. Simple but effective and well worth it because it is free. Being a Scot I love a bargain.


Day One

Cost: £2.99

Available for: iPhone, iPad, iMac

This is a daily journal and is not just for writers. However, many writers also keep a journal. It is a bit more complex than the moleskin diary and has various options to choose from. These include Photo's Tags, Calendar, and starred entries.

What I like about this app is the speed with which you can quickly snap a photo on your phone, add it to your journal, and add notes to this. Perfect for quickly jotting down moments and places which could be used in your book whether it be fact or fiction. A very useful little app.


Type: Rider

Cost: Apple £1.99 Android £2.51

Available for: iPhone, iPad, Android Phone, Android Tablet

Ok, this isn't going to help you be a better writer as it is a game. You have to navigate two balls over a short bit of terrain. When you complete it a book opens and you unlock a chapter about the history of writing and print. There are all sorts of facts in here and it is fascinating. This is a great little app which is addictive and fun. Worth downloading as it is great for passing the time if you have a few minutes to spare.

This app would also be enjoyed by avid readers.




10,500 Cool Facts

Cost: Free

Available for: iPhone, iPad, Android Hone, Android Tablet

Again, this isn't specifically for writers but it does contain a heck of a lot of facts. Many of these you will be able to use in your writing and I have already used some of them in mine. One thing to take account of though. These facts are random and there is no search feature. There is, however, a favourite button  where you can add facts you want to keep. You will need to remember this as the fact may not reappear again for a long time.

For us crime writers here is one I like:

The bloodhound is the only animal whose evidence is admissible in an American court.

Now how cool is that. I love this app and as it is free it is well wroth downloading.

So my fellow writers, plenty to choose from here and all great prices as well. At these prices all worth looking into.

Bookaholics, I will see you all again soon with another review. Keep writing, and keep reading.