A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a guest blog for Elizabeth Spann Craig whose blog I’ve been following for years. Elizabeth is a cozy mystery writer who posts regularly with writing tips and behind-the-scenes peeks at her publishing journey. She also compiles a weekly list of links, Twitterific, packed full of information of interest to writers and self-publishers. I always find something helpful or inspiring in the articles she chooses.
I decided to write my guest post about journaling, a writerly task that I have never even remotely mastered. In spite of that failing, journaling does have a helpful and inspiring place in my writing life. If your relationship with journaling is an uneasy one, please check out my guest post: Intermittent Journaling: How I Lost the Guilt and Acquired a Helpful Writing Strategy.
Here are
your June writing prompts.
Use one,
some, or all of the words in one of these groups to write a story or poem.
Statue,
water, cry, bench, sunset, life
Chair,
smartphone, empty, alert, drop, shiver
Ladder,
tree, see, above curious, time, laugh
Umbrella,
chase, tumble, door, sigh, after, drip
Ring,
stone, chose, reward, remember, gold, stare
Try one of
these sentences to start or end a story.
I’m
afraid of flying.
Ask
Helen. She remembers everything.
Henry
kept one too many secrets.
That’s
blackmail.
The
door swung open. It should have been locked.
What
do you mean there’s a Canada goose in the kitchen!
I
thought you said they’d be too scared to turn up.
I
was really looking forward to the part. Shows how wrong a person can be.
You
took the last one!
There’s
someone here to see you.
Try one of
these titles for story or poem.
When All
Else Fails, Chocolate Cake for Breakfast, Honor Among Thieves, Only One Left,
Distraction, Embers, Mars Mayhem, Lucky Pennies. Passport to
Murder/Romance/Fear, Angus Reports to Work, Dogs Are People, Too.
Here are
some dialogue excerpts to inspire a story or scene.
I’m looking
for Henry.
Well, he’s not here.
That’s not what I was told.
I think you
two will get along really well.
I’m sure we won’t.
Why not? Or don’t I want to know the reason?
You said we’d
be safe here.
We were.
Yes, but for not long enough.
Hand me
your cup.
But, I’m not finished.
I won’t ask again.
The last person
I want to see is Helen.
That’s unfortunate.
She’s on her way, isn’t she?
Yup.
Well, as usual, things don’t always work out the way you hoped–especially in the self-publishing world. What I thought would take a week, took a little longer. The journal is up and ready at Createspace and Amazon(more about that below) and the grammar book is still a work in progress. Of course. the delay was a result of my own distraction. Once I sorted out how to design a cover on Canva, I realized that I actually had two more journals just waiting to be created–so I did those, too. Now 201 Writing Prompts and Writing Prompts and More are journals, too! I’m just waiting for my next batch of ISBNs and then I can get those in print, too.
I wanted to get the Write Every Day journal out in time for writers who might like to get in training for NaNoWriMo, and I just squeaked under the wire. Goal accomplished–though the journal is really for any writer, any time.
The idea for the journal began after reading that it takes approximately 66 days to create a habit. That’s a long slog on your own, so Write Every Day: a journal for building your Daily Writing Habit(158 pages)gives you 66 writing prompts, some needed encouragement along the way, an extra 50 writing prompts in case you’re just not in the mood for the one assigned, plus a few coloring images that you can use to colour your way to creativity. I hope you check it out if you need to work on a daily writing habit or if you know a writer who needs a creative boost.
I’m planning to enjoy my last two weeks of freedom before prep for school starts again. I hope you’ve been enjoying your summer. I’ve certainly been enjoying mine, but part of me is an autumn person. I like the changes and the idea of starting something new–new students, new challenges, new colours in the leaves, new freshness in the air. Maybe it’s because I was born in October, or maybe it’s just part of my DNA, but fall is when I like to start fresh–a bit like the New Year but a few months early. What about you? Is the fall a time for new beginnings for you? Or do real changes happen after New Year’s Eve?
Whatever your timetable, I hope that writing and creating are still at the top of your to-do lists!
Oh, and here’s a sneak peek at the new journal covers.
I wrote the post below in January 2014, but lately I have seen increased interest in the subject from writers I’m meeting online. Many are new to the process, so that’s the reason for the reprint. The blog offers some resources and cautions that newcomers need to know about.
Looking back, I can see that I’m even more committed to the model than I was a year ago. Last summer I took an online course with Kristen Eckstein, a 30-day boot camp for creating a non-fiction series–the results of which I hope to see published by June. It was an inspiring experience, and provided further reasons for me to stick with the self-publishing model. And, in all honesty, I must admit that I’m having fun with it.
Marketing is the biggest challenge, but I’ve drawn up a plan that I hope will help me connect more effectively with my audience, and that, you’ll be glad to hear, doesn’t involve hourly, computer-generated, buy-my-book updates on Twitter. I’m a patient person and willing to let the process take the time it needs to show results. Wish me luck!
Here’s the repost of the 2014 blog. I hope some of the information in it is useful as you negotiate this exciting and challenging publishing option.
*************
I have fumbled my way through self-publishing over the past few years. Trying things, making mistakes, seeing how things turn out. Thought I’d share a bit of that experience.
I’ve used a couple of publishers since I started self-publishing. Right now I’m using CreateSpace https://www.createspace.com/ and Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) https://kdp.amazon.com/kdp/self-publishing/signin?language=en_US After I finish setting up my book in CreateSpace, I can choose for it to be sent to Amazon KDP (they are the same company.) CreateSpace will also send it to other epub distributors, too. Both services are free, though CreateSpace offers services like custom cover designs, copyediting, and marketing for a fee, if you want to take advantage of them.
I’m using CreateSpace for my second edition of Writing Fiction: A Hands-On Guide for Teens, and I’m fine with having them distribute it to Amazon and other sellers, such as Kobo. For my sequel to The Dragon’s Pearl, I’m going to go with CreateSpace and KDP only. There are some promotion options with KDP that are only available if it is the exclusive distributor for a set period of time. I’d like to try those promotions, so I’m going to give that option a try for my fiction. For 201 Writing Starters, I went to Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/ . They had a very easy-to-use product and also provide a free service. If I do another edition of the book, I will probably go through CreateSpace, though, because it offers free cover design options that I prefer to use rather than coming up with my own.
The first edition of Writing Fiction was published through iUniverse, a vanity press. I wouldn’t choose that route now for a couple of reasons. First, I want to earn more money per sale, and royalties are much better on my own. Second, I am more confident about being able to format a book that would look professional, and third, I know a lot more about the industry. I was lucky in that I took advantage of a sale offer at iUniverse and didn’t spend money on extras, and I can say that I have earned my money back. A few writers I know who took the vanity press route have realized they will never earn their money back.
If you’re thinking of the self-publishing route, be aware of the new trend among traditional publishers to have their own vanity press. They make it look like you’re working with Simon & Schuster for instance, but you’re really paying to have your book published with a vanity press that is part of a large company with a very poor reputation. Read this blog from Writer Beware®: The Blog to get the details: http://accrispin.blogspot.ca/2012/11/archway-publishing-simon-schuster-adds.html To make sure that you are working with a reputable company, check out this post from Reedsy: Authors Beware: Scams and Publishing Companies to Avoid
