How to Help Authors

Tags

author, Book Review, reading, sharing, social media

This is a topic that gets covered extensively among the writing community, and there is a lot of great wisdom to be passed along from writers to newer writers. If you love an author or their book there are a lot of ways that you, as a reader, can help make an impact to drive up the sales and popularity of either that author or their book. Today I will be covering five ways that you can start to help your favorite budding authors gain the exposure they need to help solidify their writing careers.

1. Buy their book! – Okay, so we’ll start out with the no-brainer to begin. If you like the author or love a particular book, the best thing you can do to support it is to buy a copy to own. The format doesn’t matter, so whether you love hardcovers, paperbacks, or eBooks you can take your pick and support the author that way. If they don’t have a book of their own yet, buy the book anthologies and magazine copies that have their stories featured, as these help to show the publisher that there was an interest in those stories which will make it more likely that they will consider a second story from the same author in the future. Also, don’t forget that books make excellent gifts! If you don’t have the funds to buy the books, see #3 for another way you can help.
2. Read their book in public places – This will let other people seeing you read the awesome book, and the curious ones might even ask what you are reading. Don’t hold back when they ask, but rather see this as an opportunity to convert them to the fandom of your new favorite book or author. If you can get them excited, perhaps they will become curious enough to do step#1, which helps to show the interest in that author or book.
3. Request it at your local library/bookstore – If you can’t afford to buy a copy for yourself, or if you already have a copy, ask about that book at your local library or bookstore. This shows the librarians and bookstore employees that there is some interest in the book, and every library or bookstore should take note and jot down when someone asks about a book they don’t already have. If enough requests are made, you may find that someday soon that book is there for sale or checkout.
4. Review the book! – Apart from sales, reviews might be the second most important factor to influence the success of a book. When you read a book you love, or even one you just enjoy, take the time to write a review. It doesn’t have to be long, but it should be honest and as spoiler-free as possible. And then post it in multiple locations, especially on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. The more reviews a book has, the more likely a reader will be to investigate into the book and, perhaps, buy it. If the story is only on a website, be sure to like it and leave a comment so that it shows some reader activity and involvement.
5. Spread the word – Social media is the ideal method for sharing information about your favorite author or book. If it is a book, share the cover of the book or your review (or another review that pops across your feed that you agree with) for your friends or followers to see. If it is an author, share links to their blog, their books, or their short stories. Become the street team to spread the word about that author to those who are yet to discover them. Word of mouth is a powerful tool so read and share about everything they write that you can get your hands on and generate some buzz about that author and their writing.

 

So there you go, five ways you can help your new favorite author or book gain some exposure or popularity. A few dedicated fans doing these things on the behalf of a book or author can help drive interest that otherwise might never surface. What are some authors or books you are currently excited about and might be able to help promote?

Advertisement

The Next Big Thing?

Tags

author, curse of fierabras, Fantasy, genre, meme, Next Big Thing, novel, questions, synopsis, title, Writing

There is a meme going around the blogging world with the goal of finding out who is writing the next great novel or poem. Yesterday Eric from Sinistral Scribblings answered the questions about his own work-in-progress and was kind enough to tag me afterwards. Like he mentioned, a lot of these memes are really just ways for bloggers to pat themselves on the back, but in this case since it involves talking about a novel-in-progress it seems like something fun to post about.

After all, I have already written over 13,000 words of the first draft over the course of my 14-part series. Perhaps talking about the novel some more will push me back toward writing it again.

1) What is the working title of your book? The working title is The Curse of Fierabras. It came about because I am modeling some ideas on my character, Dante, and his abilities from the concept of a paladin, both from literature and video games. The name Fierabras came from the Song of Roland, which covers the exploits of Roland and the twelve paladins, so I thought it fitting to use that name as the first paladin in this novel. The reason it is a curse is because everyone in the past who was born with this power died a tragic death at a young age.

2) Where did the idea for your book come from? Honestly, it has come from a mixture of ideas I have had over the years. I have so many fragmented scenes and plots that have been stirring in my mind for so long, and this is a way to try and get a main storyline that is able to encompass at least some of them along the way. The ideas have to be pretty good if they have stuck in memory over a long span of time. A lot of my influences have come from other fantasy novels and Role-Playing video games.

3) What genre does your book fall under? Definitely falls into the fantasy genre. Within that I would like to think it could become High Fantasy, although it might be classified more under Heroic Fantasy or possibly even Sword & Sorcery Fantasy.

4) What actors would you choose to play a movie rendition of your book? This is a tough one since I haven’t really considered the possibility at all. Hugh Jackman or Robert Downey Jr. would probably make a good Jerek, and I think a solid action actress like Scarlett Johansson would be a good fit for a leading female role.

5) What is a one-sentence synopsis of your book? Dante Silverstar travels across the seven kingdoms to unlock the secret to his own magic – a powerful magic that could overthrow the Emperor’s tyrannical reign and restore peace to the land – before its curse kills him and his allies.

Full synopsis can be found here.

6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Like Eric, I would love to have it get represented by an agency. Partly because I wouldn’t be good at self-promotion and partly because it would be nice to get signed by a company like TOR. But I won’t completely rule out the self-publishing route.

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of your novel? Considering it is still a work-in-progress, I cannot answer this question. I was once on a 1,000 word per week pace with this, which is something I think I could realistically resume or exceed in the near future. I’d like to see a first draft done within the next year.

8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? It is hard to be so bold as to compare my story to other great books in the genre, so instead I’ll share a few authors that help me to draw some inspiration. The three authors that have probably influenced me the most have been J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Goodkind, and David Eddings. If my book ever gets compared to any other their novels I would consider myself proud.

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book? My love for reading and writing has inspired me to write the book. Also the support of some key family members and friends who have encouraged me to continue writing. I’ve always known I had stories to tell but have never seen a major project, like a novel, through to completion. I believe my record, prior to this one, was making it to about chapter seven before losing motivation. It is time to prove to myself that I can finish a full novel and fulfill one of my dreams.

10) What else about your book might pique the readers interest? The first part of the book has Dante fighting for his life in an arena, which is where the first hints of his power manifest. Fans of Ava from the Monster Hunter series will be excited to know that she will be entering into this book at some point and will still be a badass chick when she makes her appearance. There will be a few exciting plot twists along the way, one of them involving an unexpected romance. Plus an elaborate fantasy world, inhabited by a variety of races (like elves and dwarves) and hordes of monsters, will come alive in this novel.

So now we come to the part where I get to tag someone and they take their turn talking about their novel. A few weeks ago I found a blog through the Scriptic prompt exchange and her writing style hooked me immediately. Because I have enjoyed what I have read so far of the Jade Dragon series, I want to know more from Christine at Trudging Through Fog. Tag, you’re it!

Werewolf Uprising

Tags

author, Fantasy, fiction, first sentence, Master Class, supernatural, Tom Robbin, uprising, werewolf, wolfmother, Writing, writing prompt

“This is the room of the Wolfmother wallpaper,” Lycos said as they moved into a hidden chamber in the basement. Torches burned all around, casting light onto wallpaper that showed scenes of a massive auburn werewolf decapitating  and devouring humans. In the center of the room was a bronze statue of the werewolf towering above dozens of humans who were cowering in obeisance.

“Eight hundred years ago she had a vision,” Lycos continued as he moved toward the center of the room. “She fought for a world where werewolves were not the outcasts in society. Nor were they to be equals. She believed the werewolves were meant to be the dominant species on earth.”

The younger members of the pack howled with enthusiasm, and a few of the middle-ages ones joined in. Others were still hesitant to show support. Lycos could understand their reluctance; the pack leaders all expressed the need to live in harmony with humans. But even after decades of struggles and suppression they had hardly gained ground in the quest for equality. That is why there were many, like Lycos, who were tired of living as inferiors in society. They believed it was time to rise up and take their rightful place as the dominant species.

Making a mental note of those who hesitated, Lycos continued his speech. “Brethren, in a few days the moon will be full. A human leader will be holding a celebration here in the city. That will be the perfect time to send a message to the humans. We will crash their party and destroy them all!”

The younger pack members showed their excitement, baring their teeth as they vocalized their approval. Lycos noted that three of those who were hesitant earlier were still holding back. That made them liabilities that needed to be dealt with. Tonight.

Two members of his pack, Anton and Salvador, must have been thinking the same thing. They moved toward the doorway, blocking off the only escape route. Between their sheer size and the lethal weapons they carried in their hands, no one would dare try to force their way past those two. It was time to eliminate the threats and test the willingness of the new recruits. He needed to know that they would obey orders without questioning them. Lycos jumped onto the base of the statue and turned toward the crowd, spreading his hands wide.

“Step forward Jenson, Malakai, and Christiana,” Lycos called out, trying to disarm their unease with a reassuring smile. They stepped in front of the rest of the pack, glancing at each other. Whatever they might have expected, Lycos doubted it would be this. Werewolves disappeared all the time. No one would stop to question their absence. “Those who are not fully committed to our cause are against us, and should be treated as a threat. These three are not fully committed to the uprising.” The pack edged forward, closing in around the three werewolves. “Prove yourselves committed. Kill them.”

The shrill cries of pain rang through the air as the pack descended upon Jenson, Malakai, and Christiana. Lycos watched the carnage unfold before him, pleased at his new batch of recruits. He had finally completed his army of faithful werewolves and the pack leaders didn’t suspect a thing. Soon that would change. They would be eliminated, too.

—————————-

This post is an entry into the second Master Class prompt. You can check out last week’s entry, Infinite Loop, by following the link. This week we were challenged to use the line “This is the room of the wolfmother wallpaper” from Tom Robbin’s Skinny Legs and All as the beginning of our post. I have a feeling that I’ll be continuing this story in some future posts. It was a lot of fun to write, and it has the potential to develop into something epic. Come check the Master Class and join in on the fun this week.

I Write Like…

Tags

1984, Animal Farm, author, Fantasy, finalist, George Orwell, Hannah Anne, I Write Like, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, ogre, princess, short story, The Hobbit, Writing, writing contest

This morning begins with an announcement: I have made the final ten on the Writer’s Week contest at Seuss’s Pieces. Between now and October 24th you can go read the ten entries and vote for your favorite. Be sure to check out my story, The Unobliging Princess, and cast your vote for the story you think should win. And then share the contest with others so they can enjoy reading the ten blog posts as well.

————————

Yesterday a fellow blogger, Eric from Sinistral Scribblings, posted something on his Facebook. He had discovered the website known as I Write Like, which analyzes your word choice and writing style and compares them with famous authors. He used the tool with his Hannah Anne series, which he plans on novelizing for NaNoWriMo, and was given the result that he writes like Neil Gaiman. He expressed excitement about those results, claiming it reassured him that he was on the right track with that story.

So, of course, I was now interested to find out what famous author I write like. I took my two biggest stories from the blog and inserted them into the website’s analyzer. I was shocked by the results, to say the least.

My serial novel, The Curse of Fierabras, was the first thing I tested. I copied my entire first draft in there in order to get the most accurate results, and I discovered that I write like George Orwell. How cool is that? I write like the author of great novels like 1984 and Animal Farm!

I write like
George Orwell

I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!

And then I took my other multi-part story, Ogre Hunt, and put it in the website’s analyzer. I thought Orwell was good, but the results from this one turned out to be even better. It told me that I write like J.R.R. Tolkien. Yes, the author of the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. My jaw hit the floor from those results. Tolkien is the master of the fantasy novel. To be compared in any way to his writing is a humbling honor.
Are you interested to find out who you write like? Go check out their website and share your results. They might just surprise you!

I write like
J. R. R. Tolkien

I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!