A blog for authors, about authors, written by an author
Erica Verrillo provides us once again with writing contests for the current month. Thank you so much, Erica!
This November there are nearly three dozen writing contests calling for every genre and form, from poetry, to creative nonfiction, to completed novels.Some of these contests have age and geographical restrictions, so read the instructions carefully.
On the ‘Writer’s Beware’ blog I found the article below, written by Victoria Strauss. I think, it really is important we all are aware of the scams and we share the information to help many others keeping their eyes open. Thank you, Victoria.
Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware®
Don Massenzio has released his new audio book kongo.com. Congratulations, Don! This is amazing!
I’m happy to announce that my book, kongo.com, is available in audiobook format. The book is a collection of four related long-format short stories/novellas. The Audio Book is available HERE.
In my book, kongo.com, I have pulled together four separate related stories. Three of them were published as serials on my blog over the past year. The fourth is a brand new story that weaves together the other three. This was an enjoyable exercise and I hope that those that choose to read it will enjoy it as well.
Here is a bit about each of the stories in kongo.com
Author Kawanee Hamilton reports that her writing is progressing. I cannot wait to start reading her work. She’s a wonderful writer and just recently picked up her work again. Way to go, lady!
It’s been a long time coming, but I FINALLY finished editing my Paranormal Romance called Nwa Pante Rising… (I’m not married to this title, so if anyone has suggestions, I am open to them.)
Nwa Pante is Mayan for Black Panther, the book is sprinkled with phrases from the Mayan and Lakota languages. It has a little bit of everything; magic, science, romance, sex (I mean when a were-panther goes into heat, it’s gonna happen. If this offends you… please don’t bother reading it.) there’s kidnapping, torture, murder, mystery and yeah, scifi as well. 🙂 As usual, the book is written with my weird sense of humor, and our heroine has a bit of it.
Dear Friends and Fellow Authors
I read this blog post by Jamie Fessenden today. To the ones who don’t know him: Jamie Fessenden is a very talented LGBTQ author whose books I love! I’m sure we all can support him when he re-starts as an Indie author. Please, hop over to his blog and let him know when you’re prepared to help.
Thank you!
I’m sad to report I’ve had to break away from Dreamspinner Press. The publisher has been having financial difficulties for a while, and over the past year, authors haven’t been receiving their royalties—at least, not consistently. I still hold out hope that they’ll get things in order and return to being the reliable press they’ve been for most of the decade I’ve worked with them, but the hit they’ve taken to their reputation means it’s in my best interest to step away. The last book I had released through them (Small Town Sonata) sold very badly. It could be the book, of course, but there are a lot of factors to consider. Many readers are boycotting DSP books and a lot of review sites won’t review them.
Lee Foster on ‘The Book Designer’ provides us with information about publishing our ebooks on Smashwords and how it’s changing. Thank you very much Lee!
This is a third and final perspective in my publishing strategy trilogy, a drama festival with three events, Amazon and Ingram being the earlier performances. There have been five-week breaks between these theatrics as I proceed in the Joel Friedlander modern publishing ecosystem.
If you want to distribute your ebook through Amazon directly and then also to “every ebook vendor beyond Amazon,” how should you do it? Smashwords is my recommended choice.
This November there are 16 conferences, intensive workshops, retreats and book fairs from coast to coast. You will also have a chance to pitch your work to agents, meet editors, and get to know your fellow writers. Conferences provide great opportunities to network, so make the most of your experience.
I strongly recommend that you plan ahead for next year if you miss your perfect conference or workshop. Many of these conferences offer scholarships, but you have to apply early.
It seems there is the one or other author around who either don’t know what the job of a beta reader is. Also, some authors don’t want to pay for an editor and therefore try to ‘use’ the beta reader to get the editor’s job done.
From what I learned in my ‘long’ career of two published books (and a few lined up)… my order of ‘writing and publishing’ is the following:
At times the corrections, added paragraphs or even pages, demand a second round of proofreading or editing.
Now, what does the beta reader do?
Beta readers are helpful people around you – can be friends, co-workers, family members. They are asked to read the book pre-release. Often they are asked to review the book online, just after release. Most beta readers are very happy to do so in exchange for the book.
Every beta reader works differently. Some return a paper manuscript with scribbles all over the place…, some send an email with a few ideas, suggestions or remarks, some send texts whenever they discover something. When I beta read, I write a list and later send that list by email. So far, I never discovered a huge plot hole, but I found the one or other ‘thing’ that bugged me and that I had to let the author know about. Many other beta readers do the same thing.
There is one thing beta readers don’t do: they don’t correct typos and grammar. That’s what’s the editor is for. I’m not saying they always are perfect, and should I catch a forgotten typo, of course, I will tell the author about it. But I’m not actively looking for them.
I am lucky enough to have a beta reader who is sweet enough to actively look for typos and grammar problems that escaped my editor’s attention. The one or other author might be just as lucky. But generally, beta readers are not here for editing!
They should return your manuscript with a bit more than ‘I liked it.’ You want to get their notes. You want to hear about their feelings… when did they laugh? When did they cry? What scared them or amused them? Did they enjoy the read, and would they recommend the book? According to them, what age range is the book for (if you’re writing Young Adult), and what did they not like so much?
Did they discover something about the plot they didn’t like? Do they have questions about the story, the plot, or the characters? Is there anything they discovered that isn’t right?
Let me give you a couple examples. One of my last beta readers told me that she loves my book, and she finds ‘Sundance’ as a character very interesting. However, she misses Katie, the ‘Soul Taker’ and wishes her back. She is an exceptional beta reader and informed me about several other things that I later corrected. (I did not write more ‘Katie’ into the second book since that is ‘Sundance’s’ story).
When I was beta reading for a male author, I discovered a wardrobe flaw with one of the female character’s ‘undergarments.’ I told my fellow author about it, and he corrected that.
We all were grateful to have our beta readers. It is important to us having people with open minds paying attention to our stories. And we always hope we don’t ask too much.
Thank you, beta readers, for helping us with your time, your efforts, and your honesty. We need you!
Bio:
Renee Scattergood lives in Australia with her husband, Nathan, and daughter, Taiya. She has always been a fan of fantasy and was inspired to become a storyteller by George Lucas but didn’t consider writing down her stories until she reached her late twenties. Now she enjoys writing dark speculative fiction.
She is currently publishing her Shadow Stalker serial, and she has published a prequel novella to the series called, Demon Hunt. She is also working on a new series of novels, A God’s Deception.
Aside from writing, she loves reading (fantasy, of course), watching movies with her family, and watching YouTube Videos with her daughter. Visit her site for more information and a free copy of Shadow Stalker Part 1 (Episodes 1 – 6): http://reneescattergood.com
Contact Info
Website/Blog: http://reneescattergood.com/
Speculative Fiction Spot: https://specfictionspot.blogspot.com.au/
My Promotional Team Sign Up – Renee’s Shadow Stalkers: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16rTPYCAwDq5cpyxHfphx0-x6ka9C7DWoJsdgYa2CyAw/viewform
My Mailing Lists – Get a free book with each!
Monthly Newsletter: http://www.subscribepage.com/ReneeWrites
Giveaways & Goodies: https://www.subscribepage.com/reneewritesgiveaways
New Release Announcements: https://www.subscribepage.com/reneewritesnewrelease
Author Pages
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00NTJY1W2
Smashwords Author Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/rscatts
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/renee-scattergood
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8507658.Renee_Scattergood
Social Media Profiles
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/reneescatts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReneeScatts
About the Book
Description:
It’s the calm before the storm, and the storm is closer than Auren thinks.
Auren is successfully using her ability to control people’s minds and actions to take over Nadiria and finally bring an end to the Galvadi Empire, but there is a catch. The more she uses that power, the more she loses herself to it.
If she can accomplish her mission quickly, it will reduce the chance of that happening. The allies she has found are helping her move things along, but there’s a lot of work to do and horrors that Auren has not yet discovered that will make controlling herself nearly impossible.
Her friends and allies are growing concerned over her unpredictable violent actions, and Auren knows her time is running out.
Logine:
Auren is finally bringing an end to the Galvadi Empire, but she is succumbing to her power in the process.
Ebook $0.99
Available on Amazon or Read Free on KU from 6 September 2019
Available in Other Bookstores on 6 December 2019
Universal Link: https://reneescattergood.com/books/shadow-stalker-revolution-part-1-episode-23/
New readers to the serial can download Episodes 1 – 6 free here: https://reneescattergood.com/get-my-free-books/
Kristen informs us with her new post about how great storytellers put the ‘meth’ into ‘method’. Thank you, once again, for your educational blog post, Kristen.
Fiction, when crafted to hit that psychic sweet spot, is highly addictive. Which is why soap operas, daytime shows (e.g. Judge Judy & Dr. Phil), and ‘reality’ programs are all going strong with no sign of slowing down.
‘Days of our Lives’ is more like ‘Decades of Our Lives.’
Drama is always in demand. In fact, we’ve even added a brand new term to our cultural lexicon to reflect this modern reality—‘binge-watching.’
Between Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Google Play, and the bazillion specialty channels delivered via Roku? Then add in all the devices where audiences regularly inhale ebooks, podcasts, audiobooks, blogs, videos, etc.
Let’s just say cultural appetites for stories in all their forms—from hard-boiled documentaries (Making a Murderer) all across the spectrum to the epic high fantasy fiction (Game of Thrones)—has never been so insatiable.
***I know we’ve spent the past couple posts deep-diving the publishing industry, and I PROMISE to blog about other changes ahead. Alas, I figured it was time for something a bit lighter, and yet still salient to being successful in this industry.
Good news is that audiences crave stories, and they are always hunting for their next fiction addiction no matter WHAT is going on in the publishing world.
