Cup C Compliments, Compassion, Courage, Creativity, Criticism, Complains, Cry, and Celebration by Bhavna Khemlani

The scrumptious and relishing Cup C has specific ingredients writers would rather want to exclude. The appetite tends to vanish with an overwhelming response in the journey of writing. But the pathway to celebrating the labor of love is and will never be a piece of cake. I remember the time when I wrote my first story and was thrilled to share it. The passion behind it was rejected several times by various leading and small publishing houses. I began to Cry and continuous pondering thoughts began to dance on various beats. I had posted and emailed my story with a preview and cover letter to several publishing houses in different countries. There is a list online and you can always contact a literary agency for guidance. After several attempts I asked myself: Do I want this story to be published? Obviously, I always knew the answer: YES! With months of attempts and no looking back I finally heard it. Yes, I had completed the treasure hunt and it was good news, actually fantastic news of having it published. Today, I have published three books (The Wisher’s Well, Maples: Rejuvenating Cocktail, and The Wagging Tail of Bliss) and it has happened with positive thinking and the encouragement of people around me.

There was no point of mourning at the negative responses but to make an outline of what one needs to achieve. It is a wave where it is absolutely fine to feel disheartened, but for how long. Therefore, it is worth to chuck out that baggage of grief that was kept with unknowing pleasure. I continued with designing and outlined my website Bhavzparadise. Having spoken to by website designer the site took place and there was no looking back. The Compassion to write with zeal was never an issue. It was all about getting it done and not paying attention to what I could not do. The result was awaiting with successful goodies. All I had to do was keep on writing. Several types of writing pieces were uploaded and shared with the world. The boost and encouragement escalated with several Compliments from people in various countries and different age groups depicted the hope to publish the book whether it was by sponsoring or having it self-published.

It is a fact with the experience that the publishing world is choosy and it doesn’t matter if you are being sponsored or it is through self publishing. The publishing house will always go through a story and there is always basic guidance until the decision is being made to have it published. The publisher would genuinely speak out frankly whether the story has potential or not. If this did not take place then every single writing piece would have been published, whether it is academic, business, fiction, nonfiction, or even biographical, review by the publisher is never eliminated. Every good story has prospective and publishers have the eye for it. Nevertheless, the process can be lethargic, annoying, and sometimes one would simply give up. The question is, if we were to give up, why we started it in the first place. Publishing a story has become so efficient and effective with technology. Writers out there should see the cultivation of websites, blogs, forums, and social media sites have made it so easier to get your labor of love well crafted and a birth of a new creativity is being taken place. With this knowledge, I joined and always participate in various author websites.

One important factor that is inevitable is Criticism. It is so simple and easy to just criticize about anyone’s story or writing style. No one is perfect, there is never one best way to write a story that’s why we call it Creative and it is certainly a gift of every writer. I have received some criticism and it is no biggy. It’s not like chaos or a trauma. One cannot write like anyone else because one has his or her own style and charisma. I never stopped writing. In fact, it has gotten better; I progressed and have been told several times: Please write. On the other hand, the Editor plays an imperative role. The author would put his or her entire passion to flow and bring out the best he or she can and feels about a particular story, genre, and character. It is the job of any editor to enhance the writing, so criticism is not hard on the author in the latter stage. However, even an editor is not perfect. Not even a single person who is excellent in English would always have the same view. I felt like a sandwich at one point, where various editors had different views, but the author was being criticized. I am a Teacher and still it became quite difficult at one point. Later, I contemplated with a notion expressing that it was not worth it and what is all with the stress. Sometimes, it was better to trust the work and put a deaf ear to negativity. Criticism takes place because that person has seen potential in you and knows you are the best in what you do. It may not be easy but not impossible. Thus, there is no use of Complaining but the use of Courage will definitely garnish your pathway to success.

There are various ways to publish and many are certainly there to read your story. My story was and it has been a Celebration. Every story, poetry and article is written with compassion, enthusiasm, optimism, and faith. It is simply out there. You have it in you and it doesn’t matter what age you are. Your gift has been manifested and it is ready to be penned down. Cup C may have some ingredients you want to exclude, but it is the entire spice that gives it a perfect taste and the aroma mesmerizes you with tempting success. 

Happy writing!

By Bhavna Khemlani

Twitter: bhavzparadise,

Facebook: Stories by Bhavna Khemlani.

YouTube: Bhavzparadise

The Unofficial 'Brit Writers and Writers Everywhere' blog.

Brazilian Author introduction - Diogo de Souza

As a writer, I have always felt a passion for universal stories. Surely, there are many excellent books which deal in cultural or circumstantial themes, but I’ve always held the highest regard for those stories that deal in themes that speak of our innermost essence, those qualities that make us human and which we, unconsciously or not, held so dear.

Thus, I always make an effort to have each of my stories be as universal as possible.

That is why I was so excited when I was given the opportunity to speak a little about my work on the next installment of the British Writers Award, because I never felt that literature should be confined to the spaces of one single country or culture. Our work is human in nature, and as such, we write for the whole human genre.

It is an exciting experience to be with you.

Diogo de Souza

Trust Yourself by Danica Worthy

"Trust yourself you know more than you think you know" ~Dr. Spock

As a new writer I have learned, and am continuing to learn techniques to assist me in my endeavours. I have wrote some down that I use daily, and I hope this will be a help to you as you journey the wonderful exciting world of writing :)

Write what comes easiest.

As new writers you may not have found your niche, or genre that you want to focus on if this is the case write whatever comes easiest just sit down and let your pen, and hand flow freely. If you are a seasoned writer, and are experiencing a block this also maybe helpful to pull back and write what’s most fun and not a struggle.

Study different writing techniques.

Take creative writing courses, and attend a variety of writing workshops. Both allows you to expand your knowledge in the literary arena, and establish long lasting friendships and connections. It is also a great way to begin cataloguing your resources.

People watch

It is amazing what you can learn while out and watching a diverse group of people. This is a great way to study characteristics, and to be universally sound. I find it a great way to really see how are differences also makes us similar.

Network and establish relationships with other Writers, and Authors

Social networking and those writing workshops I spoke about allows you to connect with like-minded people, and those that can assist you in your endeavours, it also allows you to show what you have to offer them. I am grateful for the connections that I made. Some connections I initiated, and some the Author's reached out to me. It's a great way to learn, and stay informed.

Blogging

Blogging is a great way to find your voice, and what you like to write about. You become noticed in the wonderful world of cyber space, and find your place in the heart and minds of many. This is your platform own it, establish your brand, you can also have guest bloggers. Simply a great tool.

Take Breaks

Remove yourself from the work, take needed breaks so you don’t become burnt out. Relax have fun do something completely opposite from writing. A great tool to appreciate what you do when you can walk away from it.

Be creative without holding back.

Write without thinking let the words flow.  Introspectional writing means simply writing from ones heart. Your heart will always lead you in the right direction.

Read books

Reading is fundamental, it helps you to learn and grow. Reading is enjoyable, and you can also pick up some writing skills along the way.

Obtain a writing buddy

This tool is so helpful, obtain a writing buddy, someone that will challenge and support you. A give and take exchange you both benefit from each other’s ideas, and help.

Begin with an idea

Once you have an idea in your mind write it down, even if it goes untouched for a while you can always revisit and add to it. You never know it can become a world renowned best-selling piece.

Whatever you do never stop writing if it gets hard or your way gets dark.

You can always make a list of things that help you push forward. 

I believe in all of you :) Write on!!

By Danica Worthy

Brit Writers spoke with the wonderful Sheryl Browne…

Mark, a single father, is desperate for love. He doesn't hold out much hope, though, that there is a woman out there with a heart big enough to love him and his autistic son. Enter big-hearted Donna, plus three-legged dog. And now Mark has a dilemma. Pretending not to mind her house-bunny chewing his bootlaces, he’s smitten with Donna on sight. Should he tell her his situation up-front? Announcing he has a child with autism spectrum disorder on a first date tends to ensure there isn’t a second. Or should he skirt around the subject, which amounts to a lie? When one lie leads to another, can he ever win Donna’s trust back? Admit that he didn't trust Donna enough to let her into his life?

Who is Sheryl Browne?

I live in Worcestershire but grew up in Birmingham, UK, where I studied Art & Design.  I’m a partner in my own business, a mother, a foster parent to disabled dogs, I’m currently studying part-time for my MA in Writing – and I decided to become a literary superstar when…  Lol!  I am now published – thank you Safkhet Publishing – but I’m not sure many writers become literary superstars in today’s tough publishing climate.  Seriously, I’m artistic by nature therefore I’ve always had a creative imagination.  Reading, anything and everything, and making up stories in my head was a kind of escapism for me.  And, believe me, when you come from a large family, escapism is as necessary as food for survival sometimes.  I suppose then I’ve had a passion for writing since childhood, when – perhaps realising I wasn’t overconfident – my English teacher awarded me 21+/20 for one of my essays and went on to nurture what he thought was a talent.  I’m an avid reader.  I love anything that explores life and relationships and how people cope with and grow through certain life events.  Looking back, my first attempts at novel writing were possibly a catharsis to loss in my own life.  Without going into too much detail, I’d taken compassionate leave from work to nurse my mum through early onset Alzheimer’s.  Losing my mum in my twenties was devastating, of course, but I found my way of coping was to remember the hysterically funny moments we had (and we did, much to the bemusement of my father, who just didn’t get women’s quirky SOH).  Out of necessity, I’d worked since leaving school and being a young single mum when my mum got ill, giving up completely in order to write wasn’t an option.  I started jotting things down in my spare time, though, and from little acorns…

What inspired you to write Somebody to Love?

As mentioned, I like to look at life and its sometimes tumultuous events.  I think many an author will tell you even a single such life-event can often fire their imagination enough to write a whole story around it.  My story was inspired by ‘a lost little boy’, an autistic little boy, who wasn’t lost at all, it turned out, but on a mission to throw his shoes over his neighbour’s garden fence in order to facilitate a meeting with her three-legged dog.  Though I do have experience of special needs children, still I worried about that all-important detail, particularly as I was incorporating the little boy’s Autism Assistance Dog (ADD) into the story.  A tremendous amount of research was called for therefore.  I could go on, but I think a snippet from the book’s first review – from a reviewer who has a special needs child and which actually rendered me speechless, so overcome was I when I saw it – has dispelled those worries:

This fabulous book is a Rom Com with a difference. It’s funny, its heart-breaking, and it will either make you sigh with contentment or scream with frustration.  At times it made me weep. The special needs thread running through this book will tug at your heartstrings and give you a greater understanding of what it’s like trying to find love when your life is full of complications.

Through this book, Sheryl Browne has captured the essence of love, life, family and the fear of giving away your heart. She has also perfectly captured the highs and lows of parenting a special needs child.

Thank you, Jontybabe JB Johnston. You succeeded where no one ever has in rendering me silent.

Tell us more about Somebody to Love.

Simply, In Somebody to Love, my protagonist, Mark, has a special needs son, ergo a lot riding on any relationship he might enter into.

It’s never easy to talk about your own book without wanting to say, I believe that it’s good, I believe you will enjoy it (please read it!!).  You do believe it’s as good as it can be, of course.  Authors, who have often been writing and learning for many years, work hard to make sure their books are.  The ‘written in blood’ adage really does apply sometimes.  Passionate about what you do, you pour your whole heart and soul into your stories, working hard on research, determined to get the detail right and never to trivialise emotive issues that some people might live and struggle with on a daily basis.  My writing, though romantic comedy – and I am happy with that title, because romance and comedy are the key elements – has been described as funny but thoughtful.  Thoughtful because I feel drawn to look at the relationships of people whose lives may be little more complicated than most and therefore their emotions a little more tangled.

Tell us about your journey to publication.

How long have you got?  No, I won’t give you a blow-by-blow account and bore you to tears. Suffice to say, the road has been a little bit bumpy.  Long story short, my first book got picked up by a top London agent (who will remain nameless).  Sadly, it didn’t get picked up by a publisher… sniffle …but the bug had bitten.  I worked part-time thereafter, determined to keep writing.  I had one or two similar ‘close calls’, inviting interest from other agents and even two ‘big’ publishers.  My ideas were good, they said, my characterisation was good, but obviously I couldn’t quite get the detail right.  Still, being a passionate soul who would wither and die without her writing, I kept at it, enlisting editorial help, perfecting my submission letter, drafting and redrafting, taking on board feedback; using every piece of criticism constructively – as constructively as one can use criticism – and, eventually, I think I got there.

How important do you think initiatives such as Brit Writers are?

Ah, I’m glad you asked me that.  Sometimes, in amongst all that feedback, you come across a golden nugget, a little snippet of advice that’s like an illuminating light, and which just might make your book shine.  For me that came from the Brit Writers. The advice: If your first chapter isn’t your best chapter, consider moving it. ‘Pardon?’ I uttered, astonished.  ‘Um…?’

The first chapter has to provide the all-important hook, this I knew.  It also has to introduce the characters, show their inner/outer conflict, along with the ‘inciting incident’ which brings your characters together and into conflict, i.e. sets the tone for the story.  That’s an awful lot of information/background information you are going to be cramming into that first chapter. Could it be – horror of horrors – that your slaved over first chapter actually ends up muddled and boring?

The point of that piece of advice became abundantly clear to me, once I’d pondered it.  I wasn’t starting my story in the right place!  Three published books later – and another due for release, I always bear that advice in mind now.  My first chapter might be spot on, as written, but I’m quite open to changing it or moving my chapters around, if necessary.  At the end of the day, it is my book.  I’m the author.  I have the power to rewrite it!

Thank you Brit Writers for that piece of inspired advice.

I’d just like to refer back to my intro here, too.  During my school years, I was lucky enough to have a teacher who was prepared to invest in me.  Not all children are, and they flounder.   I think the Brit Writers Creative Writing Programme for Schools is fabulous: “encouraging and inspiring new writing talent, particularly among young people…”  In my mind, initiatives such as Brit Writers are vital.

What advice would you give to new and unpublished writers?

Read. Lots.  Obviously, you’re not going to plagiarize, but take a leaf out of other authors’ books and see how they've tackled the issue/genre you might be struggling with.

Read your work out loud, preferably into a tape recorder, rather than to the dog.  If you hesitate while reading, chances are your reader will, too.  It really is a great way of catching all those glitches and getting rid of superfluous narrative.

Have a one-to-one with yourself.  Be honest and ask yourself, is this a burning passion I truly can’t give up?  If the answer is an adamant yes, then don’t aspire to write, do it.  Employ and editor, if you need to.  Get feedback.  Use every bit of advice – as long as it makes sense (and you know when it does) – and stay true to your art, because that’s what it is.

What’s next for Sheryl Browne?

As mentioned I am published.  My debut novel, Recipes for Disaster - combining deliciously different and fun recipes with sexilicious romantic comedy, was one I was commissioned to write by my publisher.  They liked what they saw and promptly offered me a further three-book contract under the Safkhet Publishing Soul imprint.  The first in that imprint, Somebody to Love, featuring a single father and his autistic little boy, launched July 1.  Warrant for Love, bringing together three couples in a twisting story that resolves perfectly, released August 1 and A Little bit of Madness, featuring a cast of older people I like to call my ‘elderly independents’, comes in February 2013.

I also have two works-in-progress, both of which Safkhet are keen to contract, so I’m certainly not going to be slacking!

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Safkhet Publishing, who believed in me enough to open a whole new imprint for my books – and more books like them, something to cheer up the reader.  Also to readers and reviewers, some of whom have been kind enough to post up fabulous comments on Goodreads and Amazon.  To Brit Writers – and to the many bloggers who continue to help me share my news and make my books more visible.

I’m also a featured Author and Editor Loveahappyending.com which is an interactive author/reader group showcasing thirty authors from around the world. Their support has been unstinting and knowledge-sharing invaluable.

THANK YOU!  I couldn’t have done it without you!

Website: www.sherylbrowne.com

Twitter: @sherylbrowne

Through Different Eyes by Julie Cooper

For five years, I lived as a servant. 

There really isn’t another word for it.  I was politely called a ‘home companion’, and I never actually scrubbed floors, so maybe I’m pushing the term a little.  But I lived with lonely, elderly individuals; cooked, cleaned, ran errands, drove them around, on duty seven nights a week and six days, from seven in the morning until ten at night, with three hours off each afternoon.  These precious hours were spent writing endless letters to my friends back in New Zealand, since I knew virtually nobody in the UK, and my job frequently put me in isolated villages in the middle of nowhere.  The pay was abysmal, but when you have nothing to spend it on, it adds up quite satisfactorily after a few months, and then you can use it to travel the world.

During these years, I lived in all kinds of places with all kinds of characters.  I lived in a mansion, whose owner once bred racehorses, and who still (at 85 years old) shot her own pheasants and caught her own Scottish trout (which I had to then cook on the aga for her lunch guests, a challenge in itself, especially when felt obliged to pretend that I had cooked on one before). I was instructed to use the servants’ stairs and live in the servants’ quarters (there were only two of us in this mansion, I hasten to add), and I had spoons thrown at me with remarks like ‘you stupid girl!’ as frequent punctuation.  I was interviewed for one job at a National Trust property, driven to the residence by the chauffeur, past acres of rolling hills and woodland with roaming deer.  And I worked in London in an apartment below Kylie Minogue’s (which, being a Kiwi, really didn’t impress me as much as it might have done).  On the other hand, I also worked in cramped, damp flats with hoarders who had terminal illnesses.  On one occasion, when nearly homeless myself, I accepted the invitation of a feisty elderly woman I met on the street of London and stayed for three nights in her tiny council flat.  Believe me, I was very grateful to her for this, in spite of the fact that I had to share the space with ten cats whose excrement was covered by newspaper all over the floor, and whose neighbouring couple beat each other up after a night at the pub. 

All this is to say, it’s a wonderful way to gain perspective.  To see life through as many different pairs of eyes as possible.  To widen your own view, rid yourself of prejudices, realise that everybody pretty much does the best with what they’ve been given, and that generosity often comes from the most unlikely strangers in the most unlikely places.  And if you want to write, stepping outside of your own perspective is essential.  For how can you effectively put yourself in to the mind of your characters if you are locked in the prison of your own views and values?  So get out there and experience as much of life as you can, if you haven’t already!

Visit J D Cooper’s facebook site at: 
http://www.facebook.com/thewishingtreedreams

And read the interview at: 
http://www.britwriters.com/news/interview-with-jd-cooper.html

The electronic revolution by Peter Smith

Almost every time you open up a newspaper or magazine aimed at writers, agents or publishers, the topic which is sure to dominate is the rise of electronic publishing, normally backed up by figures which are either reassuring or alarming, depending upon exactly where you stand and which part of the market is likely to affect you.

One of the problems with reports of any kind is deciding how accurate the figures actually are, and in the case of book sales, with the huge variety of outlets and discounts and methods of purchasing, it is very difficult, perhaps impossible, to sort out exactly what is going on. Typical of this is a recent report by the Association of American Publishers and the Book Industry Study Group, which came up with the following data about publishing in the United States:

Book publishing revenue fell by 2.5% in 2011, with total sales of $27.2 billion

In contrast, the total number of books sold rose by just under 3.5%, to 2.77 billion books, the implication being that lower revenue on increased sales was caused by people buying more lower-priced ebooks

388 million ebooks were sold in 2011, an increase of 210% over 2010, and ebook revenue doubled to $2.074 billion

Most books are still sold through physical shops, but in 2011 sales declined by just over 12.5% to $8.59 billion, a loss primarily blamed on the closure of over 500 Borders’ book stores

Online retail sales grew by 35% to $5.04 billion, this figure representing approximately 18% of total book revenue

The biggest growing sector of the market was for books aimed at children and young adults, which saw a rise in revenue of 12%

  

In contrast, another recent report stated that in the last quarter of 2011, almost 30% of all book sales in the fiction category were eBooks  and 16% of all non-fiction sales as well, showing a marked increase over the same period in the previous year, when the respective percentages were 12% and 5%. These represent gains of approximately 250% and 300% respectively in these two categories, which proves – as if anybody still had any doubts about the reality of the situation – that eBooks are here to stay. Sales of juvenile eBook fiction tripled last year as well. The report concluded with a forecast that similar growth figures to these would probably be recorded over the next couple of years, after which growth in eBook sales would be likely to taper off slightly, but would still be very significant.

A corresponding report, but looking at physical book sales, and drawing its data primarily from Nielsen Bookscan, stated that print sales were down significantly, with mass-market paperbacks selling over 25% less than last year, paperbacks 12% down and with hard-cover books the least affected and showing a reduction sales of about 9%. Perhaps predictably, there was almost no reduction in sales of books intended for toddlers and very young children.

The twin leaders of the eBook revolution are of course Amazon, both the world’s biggest on-line book store and the world’s largest electronic retailer, and the hugely successful Kindle e reader  However, not everything in Amazon’s garden is rosy. The company has seen a jump in sales this year, reporting gross revenue up by 29% to $12.8 billion dollars in the second quarter, and a hike in the share price on Wall Street to $223. The other side of the coin is that profits decreased by a massive 96% in the second quarter of 2012 compared to the previous year, and the company’s profit was a mere $7 million, a remarkably small amount of money considering the gross revenue.

One reason for the greatly reduced profits is, oddly enough, the Kindle, but the Kindle Fire, which is selling in much smaller numbers than had been expected. I’ve mentioned this device before in this blog, and I’m by no means convinced that it’s a good idea, mainly because of the enormously reduced battery life it has – Amazon is only claiming about 11 hours, which probably means 8 or 9 would be more realistic – compared to the original Kindle, which you can use for weeks at a time without recharging it. The culprit, of course, is also the selling point: the colour screen which requires a constant power feed. And by launching the Kindle Fire, Amazon has to some extent stepped outside of its comfort zone and entered a world already occupied by tablet computers of one sort or another, a world dominated – for reasons I have yet to understand – by the grossly overpriced and barely adequate iPad.

It remains to be seen if Amazon can exert the same level of dominance in this market as it has achieved in the world of electronic books and on-line retailing.

www.James-Becker.com

Twitter:        @pss_author

Blogs:          The Curzon Group

Brit Writers

My Year in Self Publishing by Emma Woodcock

I first published Darklands as an eBook at the end of August 2011 (followed by a paperback in April 2012). I had always intended to do a round up of my first year in self publishing – the highs, the lows, the financial realities – but somehow, never found the time. So this is more like my first 14 months in publishing. I hope it might be useful or of interest to other writers looking at self publishing and wondering what to expect.

On the whole, I’d say I am pretty happy with how things have gone. But I would also say that I have severely readjusted my expectations from the beginning of the year. Reader feedback has been excellent, but sales have nevertheless been … s-l-o-w.

I have been extremely conservative about out laying any money for services – possibly even too conservative (you have to speculate to accumulate, right?) This is mostly due to my paranoia about being fleeced by cynical snake oil merchants looking to milk the hopeful-writer cash cow…

I had no costs associated with the actual book production. My sister proof-read; my partner did the cover design; I did all the formatting and layout. Nor were there any production costs for publishing the paperback, or for the ISBN (though there are costs now that I want to edit the paperback. More on that below).

Even so, income has not exceeded outgoings, and I find I am out of pocket at the end of this first year.

The highs

Darklands has received seven reviews on Amazon.co.uk, all five star; four ratings on Goodreads, average 4.5 stars. I have visited a secondary school to talk to the students about writing and self publishing. I have done three radio interviews on different local stations. I’ve done four interviews for book sites, and have a guest post coming up in December for the Speculative Salon. And last weekend I encountered my first fan! An unknown (and it must be admitted, rather drunk) bloke accosted me in the pub to tell me how much he had enjoyed Darklands (which he had read to his daughters). Awesome.

The lows and the reality checks

I’ve sent out review requests to over 20 book bloggers (all hand picked as likely candidates, and sent personal messages). Seven of those I contacted back in 2011 replied sounding positive, but only two actually reviewed Darklands (Thanks, Bookstack and Hey Tara!) Of the 13 I’ve contacted this year NONE have responded except by automated reply. I wonder at this difference. Are book bloggers just becoming so saturated by review requests that they don’t have the time/inclination to respond? Are my emails getting caught in spam folders (and is it possible my surname helps with that?!)?

I’ve sent out info packs to four local libraries. None have responded to me; and I can guess from checking the County library catalogue that none have ordered Darklands. I’ve written to my old school. As yet I’ve had no written response, but I did bump into the librarian a couple of weeks back, who expressed great interest, and promised to get back to me. I’ve written to my two local branchs of Waterstones, but again had no response. Maybe I’d have better luck in person – or at least, someone who’s a better salesperson than me might…

Over this first year I have sold a little over one hundred books – about two thirds eBooks to one third paperbacks (I don’t have a definite figure, because paperbacks I’ve sold through Amazon or other wholesalers don’t appear in any figures I have access to … until they do – which happens twice a year, and hasn’t yet! That said, I can hazard a guess at how many paperbacks Amazon has sold just from keeping an eye on the sales rank). My royalties vary between £1 and £3.

I’ve so far paid £470 in book related expenses. I’ve received back £270. I am currently owed £40, $17 and €4 by retailers (I’m not sure I will ever see the dollars or euros, due to the threshholds it is necessary to accrue before Amazon will make payments).

So what costs did I encounter, given that I’ve been so parsimonious?

In initial publishing excitement I spent £20 on Facebook ads the day the eBook came out (A complete waste of money. It didn’t even have any reviews yet. No one bought it except people I know). I bought 40 paperbacks, most of which I’ve sold (six still pending payment). I paid £88 to my publisher, Feedaread, for the distribution package which makes Darklands available to Amazon. I’ve also just paid them £39 for the privilege of producing a new cover (I had been intending to tweak a couple of things inside the book as well – mainly regarding the Kikimora preview at the end. But that would have set me back an additional £39!) I’ve paid £25 to book a stall at a Christmas market in Derby. I’ve had smaller incidental costs, such as display stands and stamps (I’m not even counting the petrol I use driving to radio interviews, school visits, delivering books to the bookshop, etc). It all adds up.

One hundred books in a year doesn’t sound much, does it? I had certainly expected and hoped to move more than that when I set out on this endeavour. But I underestimated many things about this process – not least how vastly over-saturated the young adult fiction market is, and therefore how competitive; how precise your marketing has to be (clue: mine hasn’t been so far).

One area I’m feeling increasingly uncertain about is whether Darklands really is young adult, or ‘middle grade’ (whatever the hell that is). I originally envisaged it as for 12-14 year olds, but several parents have told me their ten year olds read and enjoyed it. I just read this post on the difference between middle grade and young adult, but I can’t say I feel much wiser. A year ago I hadn’t the slightest notion that it would matter one way or another. I read books for any age group if they appeal to me, and always have. I’m coming to realise that it matters very much. But this subject deserves a whole blog post of its own, so I may return to it in future.

What are the lessons to be learned here?

Firstly, for all my social networking, tweeting, blogging, commenting on other people’s blogs – apparently I’m still rubbish at e-marketing. My best selling day was at Celebrating Cromford, standing at a stall – I’m hoping to replicate that success at the Derby Christmas market.

I’m still hoping to generate some word of mouth. I need to get the book out to more people. Those who read it like it, but most of the world is competely unaware of its existence. A bigger problem seems to be those who do know of its existence, but are indifferent. I think my new cover design (when it finally arrives. FeedaRead have been SO slow and awkward about the alteration) will help with this. The new cover looks slicker, more professional, and more enticing.

I really really need to get more reviews*. I’d also rather like it if they weren’t all five stars! It makes people suspicious – like my mum wrote them all (in fact I forbade my sisters from leaving reviews on Amazon, as I didn’t think it would project too professional an image to have reviews by people with the same surname as me!)

But how to get more reviews? There’s a polite suggestion at the end of the book that a review would be great. But I am not going to harass my readers to leave reviews if it’s not the kind of thing they do, or they are uncomfortable about it. As discussed above, I’m currently having no luck interesting book bloggers. Maybe I should contact them all again, just to politely enquire if they received my initial email? But if people are not interested I don’t want to nag them. Indie authors have a bad enough name already. I don’t want to be annoying.

So how will my publishing adventure develop in 2013? I think the Christmas market will be a good indicator of how well I can capture the public imagination. If you can’t sell children’s books the last weekend before Christmas there’s probably not much hope! I’m also planning to publish Kikimora at some point in the new year (no, not summer 2012, like it says at the end of Darklands :-S). 

How will having two titles affect my marketing approach? How much smoother might Kikimora’s publication go, with all the Darklands lessons already under my belt?

In many ways, self publishing Darklands was completely a test; a proof of concept. I have been writing stories my whole life, but I had no idea whether I was actually any good at it, or if it was all just a silly dream. Self publishing has shown me that people enjoy reading my book; that it stands up as a story, that I can construct a proper plot that holds attention and keeps people guessing. I wasn’t sure of any of this 15 months ago – which is one reason I was so loathe to outlay any money up front.

But I suspect I have been thinking like an amateur, acting like an amateur, and selling myself short.

If I want to actually make this writing thing work and make any kind of real impact in the wider world then I suspect money will need to be spent on some kind of marketing and promotion (no, not facebook ads!)

Another area of complete ignorance for me to investigate. Woot!!!

Stick with me, and we’ll see how this indie publishing adventure pans out. :)

* A recent post on a popular book blog said the author was happy to read self published books – so long as they had at least 50 reviews on Amazon, and 30 reviews from Goodreads friends!

by Emma Woodcock

The Unofficial 'Brit Writers and Writers Everywhere' blog.

What to do with your hands. Networking or Needleworking?? by Wendy Reakes

I'm a cross-stitcher. I've been doing it for years, I'm pretty good at it, it gives me something to do when I'm not writing and I get great results.

I’m a networker.  I’ve been doing it for years, I’m pretty good at it, it gives me something to do when I’m not writing, and I get great results. 

Whoa, back space!! 

I’ve just put my two novels up on Amazon with Kindle Direct Publishing. I e-mailed, tweeted and Face booked all my contacts. I networked the net until there were no nets unturned, and just to be sure, and unable to contain the excitement pouring out of all my pores, I netted them again.

Then I checked my stats after two days. One sale. Repeat that. One sale! Repeat it again. ONE sale!

The thing with cross-stitching, not only can I do it with a calm approach without annoying a living soul, I can also stop comfort eating because my hands have something better to do.

The thing with networking is...well let’s just say...Where are the chocolate biscuits?

So here’s the dilemma...take a seat.

I heard a rumour that a there’s a writer out there called XXXXX who wrote a book called ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’. It is (apparently) called mummy porn and it has (apparently) replaced the need to make mummies comfort eat just because they have nothing to do with their hands.

This lady, XXXXX, put her book up on Amazon, got a couple of million hits, got picked up by a publisher, sold the film rights (let’s not go there) and became an overnight success.

So, my question is, how did she do it? Did she network until her nets looked like a used pair of holey tights? Did she eat so much chocolate that her chubby little hands could no longer function, or did she have some other secret where she reached the masses with a book that began as a spin off to a certain vampire series? (apparently)

My guess is the latter, because while I’m pondering the notion of following in her footsteps, putting aside my needlework in favour of seeking a few million hits, I have to consider the possibility that she knows a lot more than the rest of us and that her little secret of success has nothing to do with knowing what to do with her hands.

What do you reckon?

Answers on a postcard.

My hitless wonder, No.1:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Song-Underground-ebook/dp/B009SS3AG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350737827&sr=8-1

My hitless wonder, No.2:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Perfects-ebook/dp/B009SK0OHW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350592989&sr=1-1

by Wendy Reakes

The Unofficial 'Brit Writers and Writers Everywhere' blog.