Publetariat

You can’t force success

August 29, 2017 by Publetariat

You may have heard about The Handbook For Mortals scandal, where they tried to scam the New York Times best-selling list. I am not sure how they thought they would get away with it and not have people figure the situation out. It was pretty blatant.

Through out my career, I have had people ask me how to trick Google so they could be on top of the search engine. First of all, thank you for thinking I am that smart. But because I am that smart, I tell the truth. It isn’t worth it and it can’t be done. Why would you want to? I can see wanting to make sure your site is optimized the best it can be and I am so glad to help you with that. But as my wise old granny used to say “If it is too good to be true, follow the money.” What you want is your right audience to be able to find you. Including your searches.

I can get wanting to make money and be a success. Seriously, how cool would it be to make any best-selling list! Except if you scam the system, it isn’t really you on the list because of the quality of your work. You might make some money but everything lives forever on the internet, just ask Martin Skarelli who will be forever remembered as the pharma bro dude who was disrespectful to the Wu Tang Clan. People who seem to have the tendency to act like this, who are looking for the quick and easy way, never seem to have enough self-control to stop when they should.

I am not so naive to think that the system isn’t gamed because I totally think it is. But there is a difference between trying to get an advantage and thinking I am smarter than the world (which includes you!). Because if I had to bet on which would win, I would take the world all the time (and you!).

Have a good day!

Paula

P.S. You never ever never want to piss off Google.

P.P.S. Yes, I have had someone tell me that they wanted their site to be the number one search result for all Google searches.

Save

Quick Link: KINDLE SCOUT –STEP INSIDE FOR A TOUR

August 28, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Have you tried using Kindle Scout for one of your titles? What did you think? I love it as a reader. (Because we all know I haven’t finished anything yet.) If you haven’t heard of Kindle Scout, or you wanted to learn more Debbie Burke from Kill Zone has an excellent article on the process. Check it out!

**~ * ~**

KINDLE SCOUT –STEP INSIDE FOR A TOUR

By Debbie Burke

Kindle Scout is Amazon’s innovative program where readers “scout” for new books and vote for ones they believe should be published. Back in April, I covered the basics of Scout for TKZ. Since then, I submitted my thriller Instrument of the Devil and went through my own 30-day campaign. Today, let’s open the Scout door and take a tour inside.

SUBMISSION PROCESS:
To submit to Scout, Amazon requires a cover (at author’s expense), a complete, never-before-published, edited manuscript of 50+K words, a 45-character one-liner (logline), a 500-character book description, author bio, and a thank-you note to readers who nominated the book (more on this later).

After Scout accepts the submission, they select the dates for the 30-day campaign, and provide a link that shows the preview exactly as it will appear on the Scout site. The first 25 or so pages of the book are excerpted as a sample for readers to vote on.

Read the full post on Kill Zone

**~ * ~**

If you liked this article, please share. If you have suggestions for further articles, articles you would like to submit, or just general comments, please contact me at paula@publetariat.com or leave a message below.

Save

Getting to know your world

August 28, 2017 by Publetariat

One of the things I love to do is go shopping at specialty markets, and Los Angeles has so many great places. The Mexican grocery store down the street carries real bologna, the kind with the red strip around it. My great aunt in Newfoundland used to fry pieces up for breakfast, so being able to do the same for my kids shares wonderful memories. They also have a fantastic deli and bakery. Today I am going to a Chinese market and can’t wait to see what I find there.

Even if you live in a place where you don’t have many multicultural opportunities I bet there are still corners of your world that you haven’t seen, or people with interesting stories. Sometimes it is all about looking at the world with fresh eyes.

I love to explore and one of my favorite ways is to drive with a friend and take a couple of quarters and flip them to decide if I should take a left, right, or continue on my path at intersections. A lot of the time you end up in circles. But the best is when you end up someplace you never knew before. Kind of an analogy for life.

And that is the point. How can you write if you don’t have any life experiences? You don’t have to be a superhero, or travel beyond your town. It is all about appreciating the wonders around you and growing as a person. So today try looking at your world with new eyes and let me know what you see!

Have a great day!

Paula

Standard eBooks Is a Gutenberg Project You’ll Actually Use

August 25, 2017 by Publetariat

Want a way to fill up your reader with quality public domain ebooks? Or even perhaps volunteer? Head to Lifehacker to learn more!

Quick Link: A New You—In Name Alone? When to Adopt a Pen Name

August 25, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

I never really liked my name until I found out I was named after Paul Revere. My mother, weird but cool in her own special way. As a writer you can make your name anything you want, but does it make sense to do so? Author Sophie Littlefield, aka Sofia Grant guest posting on Pub Crawl shares her thoughts on pen names.

**~ * ~**

A New You—In Name Alone? When to Adopt a Pen Name

by Sophie Littlefield, aka Sofia Grant

For the first ten years and twenty-plus novels of my career, I wrote exclusively under my real name. But this summer, The Dress in the Window will come out under the pseudonym Sofia Grant.

The decision to use a pen name was not undertaken lightly, but after extensive discussion with my agent and editor, who ultimately felt that my new novel might reach the greatest number of readers if it was launched as a ‘debut.’ While it is not a secret to anyone who does a simple Google search that Sophie Littlefield and Sofia Grant are one and the same (the media kit and marketing materials even make this clear), the switch is an effective signal to both booksellers and readers that this book is a departure from those that I’ve written in the past.

WHEN IS A PEN NAME A GOOD IDEA?

Read the full post on Pub Crawl

**~ * ~**

Save

Stuck in the middle with you.

August 25, 2017 by Publetariat

I am one of those sandwiched middle classians that is stuck hard between generations. We have three kids in college, with one more we are trying to get into a certificate program. We are also dealing with more and more problems with my elderly in-laws and I am about to head for a family meeting to deal with some of those issues.

No matter what your political belief, (I do try to keep that out of this site) I think a lot of us feel very squeezed. Wages have been stagnant for a long time and the cost of life has been merrily growing. I think that is part of the reason why there is so much emotion behind the issues.

Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am…

That said, I count my blessings every day because I know there are a lot of people who have it way worse than I do. I have been there. There was a time when 30 bucks was all I had after bills for gas and groceries for myself and my daughter. Even then I was blessed because at least I had a place to live and a car.

Times are tough for a lot of us.

Which means that if you are not getting paid to write, that becomes an “extra”. I am blessed again to be able to contribute to my family’s well-being by being able to work from home as a freelancer. I do alright for myself. BUT if I am not working, I am not earning.

So after working to feed us, and dealing with the different family issues, and sometimes actually trying to get some sleep, a lot of “extras” get cut out. You have to, to keep sane.

There are some days when there is more fur on the floor than I am happy with. I also have a huge collection of crafts and Lego kits that I now affectionately call my retirement plan because they got caught up in the “extras”. I used to struggle with having time to write. That so easily could be an “extra” and for a long time, it was. But then NaNoWriMo came along and I made a deal with my family. I would have November to write 50K words.

I started looking forward to every crazy November. So did my family. They would ask about what my idea for my story was and then what happened next. Eventually, I realized that they were happier when I wrote in November and so was I.

Writing is no longer an extra, it is self-care. I guess that can tell you a lot about how you feel about writing and if it is something you should invest time in. Even if it is to write a daily post.

Have a great day!

Paula

Save

Quick Link: Why Layering Your Novel Is the Method for Success

August 24, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

C.S. Latkin’s always provides a great post, and this one is no exception. I love her use of building a house as an analogy for writing. I actually use the same analogy for building websites, so great mind, right? But if you want to able to write with more depth, something that separates you from the newbs, check this post out.

**~ * ~**

Why Layering Your Novel Is the Method for Success

by C.S. Latkin

Last year I spent some months talking about layering scenes. As time goes on, I see how few writers—especially aspiring novelists—have any clue how to organize their scenes. They brainstorm their scene ideas once they’ve settled on a premise of sorts, and then they just start writing from scene one.

The result is usually disastrous.

While we read books from page 1 to the end, that is not the best way to lay out a novel. In fact, it’s probably the worst way.

Novels need to be built like houses. You don’t build a house by framing up a door, sticking the door in the doorway, then entering into . . . nothing. You don’t build in a linear direction, from front to back. And even though you do build vertically, from the ground up, there’s the issue of framework.

You have to build off your concrete slab or perimeter foundation first with a framework. If you’re building a house, that framework will consist of wood studs and posts hammered together according to your blueprint. Walls are built with studs at specific spacing, and the spaces for doors and windows are framed in with headers and supporting studs on the sides and where the sills will go.

All this to say: every structure relies on key supporting elements. Some supporting elements have to hold tremendous weights. You’ve probably seen open-beam ceilings, with maybe one giant wood beam traversing a huge room, seemingly holding up the whole roof.

Read the full post on Live Write Thrive

**~ * ~**

Save

The importance of backing up your life.

August 24, 2017 by Publetariat

I had a bit of an argument with my computer last night. It was naughty and not behaving the way it was suppose to and I was frustrated and tired. So I put it in time out for the night and rebooted it this morning. Usually works.

Being OG (Original Geek) and a software engineer, you could probably believe how many times I am called for help especially when something important is lost. A lot of the times I can recover at least some of the documents and files, even if the computer is dead. The best way though is when people are smart enough to have backups.

Everyone needs to back up their life, especially something that you pour yourself into like writing. It doesn’t matter the medium you use. Paper is just as vulnerable as software.

You may be saying to yourself right now “Ha, I am good at backing my files up.” But did you know you need to have layers of backup?

For example, say you are writing in MS Word. You kneed to set the program up to do automatic backups. If you are working in google docs, they automatically back the file up for you as does Scrivener. But then you need to back your computer up. What if your computer crashes and you don’t have my number? Or someone steals your notebook? Or the dog pees all over your papers?

There are a lot of good programs out there that you can use that will automatically back up your computers. The best ones will do one large backup and then only update the changes made. They run a little lighter on your machine so you don’t even realize they are there. I used to recommend Crashplan but they just announced that they are changing their model to more enterprise businesses so I will have to get back to you on what I will use next.

But here is the really important important bit. You need to check to make sure your backups are actually working, and that you can get to them. Before you need to.

Because it would be really horrible if your eight volume master writing that was going to make you famous completely dissipated into the either along with all your family photos.

Have a good day!

Paula

Save

Quick Link: Writer’s Block and Depression: Why Writers Need to “Fill the Well”

August 23, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

I often write about the need to take care of yourself and I am a firm believer in opening up and normalizing dealing with mental health issues so I am pleased to share this post from Anne R. Allen.

**~ * ~**

Writer’s Block and Depression: Why Writers Need to “Fill the Well”

by Anne R. Allen

Writer’s block is probably the most popular topic in the writing posts on Medium, the popular new (ish) blogging platform. Lots of Millennials use Medium, and their posts offer an insight into our culture’s future.

I’ve been amazed to see how many young writers consider themselves “blocked.”

I fear it comes from that old adage “write every day”– which is silly. Even the most successful, prolific writers I know don’t work seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year. It’s good to remember that even God rested on the seventh day.

I believe that if you have nothing to say, it’s best not to say it.

There is so much pressure right now to turn out endless verbiage that writers aren’t taking time to read, contemplate, and have real experiences to write about.

Read the full post on Anne R. Allen’s Blog

**~ * ~**

Save

Support your local library but don’t worry, they are doing OK thanks to Millennials

August 23, 2017 by Publetariat

I love librarians and each one I have met has been a fierce treasure. So even though we are now in a digital era, the smart libraries have been keeping up making changes to continue to have an important space in communities. When I am traveling and need to do some work, I will hang out in a public library. They have free wifi, lots of tables and quiet places, and available plugs to keep your tools charged! Ben Franklin would be proud!

Check out the article at The Christian Science Monitor for more info – https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2017/0814/Libraries-obsolete-No-way-say-Millennials

Quick Link: Book Marketing: How to Get Your Self-published Books into Bookstores

August 23, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Indie publishers in brick and mortar stores? Yep, the post from the Self-Publishing Advice Center is more a cautionary tale of what not to do BUT if you join the Alliance of Independent Authors you also get a free (!) download of their book on how to get your title into stores!

**~ * ~**

Book Marketing: How to Get Your Self-published Books into Bookstores

By Debbie Young

The latest guidebook for indie authors in ALLi’s Successful Self-publishing Series has been written to answer one of the most frequent questions posed by self-published writers: “How do I get my book stocked in a bookstore?” – and the frequent supplementary query: “Is it even worth trying?”

Although most indie authors make most of their sales online, many writers would love to see their books stocked in bricks-and-mortar stores – the kind where we bought books when we were kids, before Amazon was even a glint in Jeff Bezos’s eye. But many of them fear it can’t be done.

At ALLi, we believe it is possible for indies to work effectively with bookstores, and many of our author members are doing so. We also believe it is the indie’s prerogative to choose whether or not to take that route, and no author should feel a failure if they don’t.

But to make the decision that’s right for you, you owe it to yourself to acquaint yourself with the facts, rather than be deterred by rumours or misinformation.

Read the full post on Self-Publishing Advice Center

**~ * ~**

Save

Real life is stranger than fiction

August 22, 2017 by Publetariat

Martin Shkreli, you might know him as “pharma bro” or as “one the most punchable faces in America”, is famous for jacking up peoples meds because making an ass out of yourself is more important to him than people lives. Don’t believe me? Read the article from Harper’s Magazine which features a transcript of the jury selection for his securities fraud trial. You could not get away with writing this in a story, no one would claim it believable.

Public Enemy

Quick Link: Stupid Advice I Have Taken about Writing

August 22, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

That’s the danger of reading advice on the web, you have to be careful about the quality. Even really good writers can give conflicting suggestions. But there are some words of wisdom that you would have been better off never reading. At Writer UnBoxed, author Louie Cronin shares some of rules he wishes he never followed.

**~ * ~**

Stupid Advice I Have Taken about Writing

by Louie Cronin

When I was 31, I retired from a “good” job as an audio engineer at ABC in San Francisco to write a novel. (“Good” for an engineer, hell for a writer.) I was the first engineer across the US to take ABC’s seemingly generous offer: one year’s salary to get lost. How could any writer turn that down? How could it take longer than a year to write a novel?

Right after I retired, I got on a plane to Boston. (The novel could wait; first I had to visit my parents.) The shaggy-haired, famous-looking, cigarillo-smoking man seated next to me asked what I did for a living. (Funny how men were so interested in my career back then.)

“I just quit my job to write a novel,” I said, beaming.

He raised an eyebrow. “Really?” Turns out he had connections in the writing world. Lucky me! I was so excited I forgot to press him for details.

“Have you written anything before?” he asked.

“In high school,” I said. “And a little in college.”

“Ever published?”

“Uh, no.”

“Do you write every day?”

Read the full post on Writer UnBoxed

**~ * ~**

Save

If it was 1 pm yesterday I would be on time.

August 22, 2017 by Publetariat

I will let you in on a little secret that probably isn’t so secret. I actually write my posts the night before and schedule them for the next day. Editing is not my best skill and I need time between readings to let my brain reset. And then because I am a chicken, I make my wonderful husband read them. You will still probably find an error or two, alas.

It would be really nice to actually complete writing my posts a few days ahead of time, so I wouldn’t be such a hypocrite when I recommend that to my WordPress clients. I hope to get there someday and at least I am honest about it. So “best practices” would be to have all your posts done a week ahead of time but lets agree that sometimes best practices are just goals to reach for. Or laugh at.

On the other hand, that then that leaves me with where I am tonight. Its late, I want to write my post, and I want to keep my goals but my bed is calling after a long day. So I am keeping it short and sweet and celebrating a win that I actually wrote something about nothing but still something. Baby steps.

What schedule to you keep for your writing and how do you manage disruptive days? Share and help us all!

Have a great today!

Paula

Save

Quick Link: The Broken Query System

August 21, 2017 by Publetariat

Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

Wendy Lawton from Books & Such discusses the broken query system and what you can do to work with it.

**~ * ~**

The Broken Query System

by Wendy Lawton

Broken things drive me crazy. Just call me the Fix-it Fairy. If something is broken–be it an object, a person, or a system–I have trouble accepting the state of brokenness. I want it fixed.

Last week I talked about the correct way to submit queries. Today I want to vent about the query system agents currently use to screen potential clients. Here’s a news flash: the system is broken.

Let me tell you why.

Queries are not necessarily representative. Some of the finest writers are some of the worst query writers and vice versa. We’re making seat-of-the-pants decisions on a bit of promotional-type writing.

Scarcity of Slots. Truth be told, most established agents carry a very full client list. That’s not to say that we don’t take on a new client if we fall in love with the book or the writer, but I struggle to find new clients through the query system. I often wonder if it is counter-productive. So how do we find clients? Each agent is different and I know, even in our agency, some agents have found a good number of their clients through the query system. But I tend to find clients two different ways: through referrals from editors, clients or published authors; and through meeting writers in person at a conference. As I write this I’m in Minneapolis for a the Northwest Christian Writer’s Conference. I always look forward to meeting writers in the flesh. Some writers I’ll be meeting for the second or third time.

Read the full post on Books & Such

**~ * ~**

Save

Share this:

~ * ~

KINDLE SCOUT –STEP INSIDE FOR A TOUR

~ * ~

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

~ * ~

A New You—In Name Alone? When to Adopt a Pen Name

~ * ~

Share this:

Share this:

~ * ~

Why Layering Your Novel Is the Method for Success

~ * ~

Share this:

Share this:

~ * ~

Writer’s Block and Depression: Why Writers Need to “Fill the Well”

~ * ~

Share this:

Share this:

~ * ~

~ * ~

Share this:

Share this:

~ * ~

Stupid Advice I Have Taken about Writing

~ * ~

Share this:

Share this:

~ * ~

The Broken Query System

~ * ~

Share this:

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**

**~ * ~**