A WRITER'S SUITCASE

Yesterday I wrote a post from this bench on the side of the hill with that kangaroo looking at me and the only sound that of the birds, and the breeze blowing through the trees.  Today, I’m 35,000 feet in the air travelling south.  Squashed into my seat like a sardine with engine noise, crying babies and chatter from my fellow passengers. 

How things can change in a space of 24 hours.  The scenery outside in the cloudless sky is quite spectacular from my vantage point, but as I prefer to keep my feet on the ground, I choose not to look. 

                                                                                    

Nevertheless, in this age of technology, when one has to leave the comfort and convenience of one’s study, or one's bench on the side of a hill, one can virtually take one’s study with one!  Laptop computer, external hard drive, pocket wifi device, iPad, iPhone, and for entertainment when one takes a break from writing, an iPod for music, and a Kindle for reading!

Voila!  Home away from home.  What could be better?

But there is a problem here.  All this technology takes up space.  And it’s heavy to carry around.  Not to mention the fact that it ALL needs to be recharged.  This last point means that one has to fill one’s suitcase with an array of wires, plugs and earphones.  Have you ever got to your destination and found that these wires have entertained themselves during the flight by entwining?  Great for them, but it means that I have to spend hours unraveling them.  Have you ever tried to extract just ONE wire from the rest?  Forget it.

But there’s more!  When I take a look in my suitcase, where are my shoes and that extra sweater and pair of jeans?  Oh, that’s right, I couldn’t fit them in.  So here I am with all my bells and whistles but not enough clothes and shoes to wear,  Never mind.  I have my laptop, my external hard drive, my iPad, my iPhone, my iPod, my Kindle, so all’s well with the world!!!

I can’t help thinking something’s wrong here.

WRITING AND MARKETING

Many authors see marketing as a bind.

I can see how many authors could see marketing as a bind because it does take time away from one’s writing.  In the past, of course, it was much more likely that, other than a few appearances and book signings, the author would be left, undisturbed, to write his or her book(s) while the publisher did the marketing.  Today, however, unless you’re someone like James Patterson, publishers aren’t willing to spend time and money marketing your book(s).  So, whether you’re traditionally published or self published you need to develop an author platform and participate.

Of course, some authors enjoy marketing and the interaction that comes with it while others shrink at the prospect.  Even so, it’s a time consuming activity whether we’re talking social media, book signings or talks to organizations.  Social media particularly can be a trap unless you set yourself limits on time spent there.

But let’s look at the positives.  When has an author ever had the opportunity to advertise his or her book(s) as we are able to do today on all these wonderful web sites, and at no cost?  Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook to name just a few.  And then there is blogging.  Not only is a blog free to set up, but even the most computer illiterate of us can manage to create something unique.  There again, it’s not for everyone but if you do enjoy blogging it enables you to interact with your readers as well as other writers.  And while I don’t think a blog necessarily sells book(s) it will enhance your image as a writer, and be a place you can show your book(s).  And let’s not forget that you also have an opportunity to write articles you may otherwise never have written.

So, my thoughts are that I’m more than happy to do marketing because, though time consuming, there are many positives.  One of these is the people you meet on the way.  And I wouldn’t miss that for the world.

What are your thoughts?

YOU ARE A WRITER, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER PARTS OF YOUR LIFE?

 

Writing is an all consuming activity, your thoughts constantly with your characters, the settings they inhabit, the plot and sub-plots.  You're virtually in another world most of the time.  One that you have created.  And what happens in that world is entirely up to you.  Such power!  It's rather addictive.  So much so that you can fall into the trap of letting the other parts of your life slip by without your notice. That's a shame because you will miss so much.  And it's why, if the opportunity arises to get away for a few days, you should do so.


It doesn't matter where you go as long as you leave behind your computer, your manuscript and the cell phone.  Just take a good book.  You might find yourself in the South Pacific in cyclone season as I did last week.  Or in the northern hemisphere winter surrounded by snow and ice.  In which case you will need that good book, plus a roaring fire.  Of course, there is the possibility that you're unable to get away.  If this is the case. there's no reason you can't do the same thing.  Close down your computer for a couple of days over the weekend.  Put your manuscript in a drawer where you won't be tempted to look at it, and concentrate, just for the time being, on the other parts of your life.

I guarantee that when you return, you will be refreshed from your sojourn, however short, and your characters, settings, plot, and sub-plots will all be there waiting for you.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GET A BAD BOOK REVIEW?

It’s wonderful when you get a good book review.  All that hard work has suddenly been worthwhile.  And it’s rewarding to think that you have brought pleasure to your reader.

But what if you have received a bad book review?  It’s happened to me as I imagine it’s happened to most writers at some time or another, and it’s a devastating experience.  I’d call it ‘the pits’.  No two ways about it.  Nobody likes criticism.  We’d much sooner be praised.  That’s natural.

So, what do you do?

Well - and this is purely from my own experience - you will feel appalling for the next day or so until the shock wears off.

After that, I suggest you go back and read the review again.  If it is constructive criticism you might glean something from it that will help you to better your writing.  Readers quite often see things that the author doesn’t because we are too close to the work.

Of course, there is another way of looking at this whole experience.  Whether it is a good book review or a bad book review, the reviewer has been moved enough to write something about your work.  He or she has put a lot of thought into what they want to say.  Far better, I think, than there being no one with an opinion, be it good or bad.

So in that respect wouldn’t you agree that there is no such thing as a bad review?

ARE YOU OBSESSED WITH YOUR BOOK SALES?

Once your book is published there is the tendency to become obsessed with its sale.  Particularly if you have self published your book and you are able to check and recheck its progress on a daily basis.  While the traditionally published author might think this is great, it can actually drive you to distraction.  It can also take your attention off your main task which is to write another book.  Not only that.  If your sales are not doing as well as you expect, it can cause you a lot of angst.

If this is happening to you, don’t despair.  Being an author is a long term commitment because books take a great deal of time and effort to write before they are the best they can be, and publishable.  In the same way, the sale of those books does not happen overnight.  Just think, your book(s) will be one of thousands on offer whether it is on Amazon, Smashwords etc., or in a traditional bookshop.

You don’t want to ignore your sales altogether, but you don’t want to slip into this sales obsession either.  So what can you do about it?  I can see a number of things.

·        If you were anything like me, you were obsessed with writing your now published book.  So my advice is to get interested in your new project.  After all, your readers are waiting for your next book!

·        Now that you are published, you will need to build up your reputation as an author.  There are a lots of ways you can do this, and I’m sure you will find the one(s) that you are most comfortable with.  Some suggestions are creating a Facebook Fan Page, joining the Goodreads Author Program, joining Twitter, creating a blog.  You might also consider participating in forums, book signings, talking to groups, conducting Giveaways.  The possibilities are many and varied.

·        Communication is the operative word and with social networking particularly, you have the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people.  So enjoy yourself.  Write another book, publish it and watch your readership grow.  But remember, it will not happen overnight.

Most importantly, don’t lose sight of the one thing you love to do, and that is to create wonderful stories for people to read.

Do you agree with this philosophy?

BALANCING YOUR WRITING AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is a wonderful thing.  It enables us to interact with our readers, advertise our work, as well as keep in touch with family and friends.  But have you ever felt that it is taking over?

The merry-go-round

You jump on and don’t get off.  It can change all the plans you had for your day.  That book you are writing isn’t getting written.  At least that has been my experience, so I decided to do something about it.

Setting limits to get the balance right

For me there were two options.  To spend my mornings writing or my afternoons writing.  This wasn’t a difficult choice because I knew that if I turned the internet on first thing in the morning, I would invariably get caught up, and never get around to my afternoon’s writing.

This is what I came up with.

Resist the urge to connect to the internet and spend the morning writing.

Depending on other commitments, blog writing, postings and maintenance of the site, in the early afternoon.

Emails, Twitter and other social media between 3-4pm.

Have you  found that your writing time has shrunk? 

A SPECIAL PLACE TO WRITE - YOU DON'T NEED ONE

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 I’m lucky I guess.  I do have my own study, albeit very small.  It houses three bookcases, a filing cabinet, a large desk, two printers, my chair, my cat Fergus, and me.  It’s saving grace is a floor to ceiling window enabling a good deal of natural light and, for me, alleviating possible claustrophobia.  For Fergus, it means many happy hours of feline growling at the birds in the bird bath outside.

Of course, you don’t need a study because you can write anywhere.  I guess that’s the beauty of it.  All you need is a pen, some paper and somewhere to sit.  I’ve written on trains, planes, airport gate lounges, the park, the hairdressers, the dentist’s waiting room (ugh), my back patio, the dining room table, the couch in the living room.  One of my favourite places is the coffee shop at my local aquatic centre.  With two 50 metre swimming pools, it tends to be a noisy place, but I can’t say that I notice once I start writing.  I wrote much of ‘The Celtic Dagger’ and ‘Murder At The Rocks’, at this coffee shop.

So why am I telling you all this?  Because, as I said before, you don’t need a special place to write.  You can write anywhere.