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Some Ways to Waste Money
Just recently I have started getting e-mails from people offering to review my book(s). Of course, they want to be paid and I would never pay for a review – even from a prestigious organisation like Kirkus. For one thing, Amazon will punish you if they find out. Nor would I ask for payment in return for a review.
But paying for reviews is only one way self-publishers and independently published authors can waste loads-a-money. Here, courtesy of Anne R Allen and Nate Hoffelder are some more:
How to Waste Money When Self-Publishing a Book
Getting Rid of Filter Words
I am currently revising “Called to Account“, my novel based on real events in County Clare during the Great Famine. The story is narrated by the main character. He is very much the Victorian gentleman, in his background and his behaviour. I’ve tried to give him an appropriate voice. But I worry that he appears too detached from the horrific conditions he is witness to.
So I am grateful to Chris Graham for sharing this timely article about filter words, how to avoid them and when to use them to advantage. Here’s a passage from quite early in my book as it is at present:
As we departed the building the noise from the crowd seemed louder. It appeared that some manner of dispute had erupted near the entrance to the lane. A number of individuals were engaged in fisticuffs. It was clear to me that, were the situation not dealt with, the contagion could spread.
And here it is without the words rendered in bold:
As we departed the building the noise from the crowd grew louder. Some manner of dispute had erupted near the entrance to the lane. A number of individuals were engaged in fisticuffs. If the situation were not swiftly dealt with the contagion could spread.
Do you agree that increases the feeling of urgency in the situation, without losing the natural restraint of a gentleman with a typical English stiff upper lip?
And, whilst you are pondering that, take a look at the cover I designed in Canva and tell me what you think of it.
Your Editor is Your Friend
Is your book ready for editing? Are you sure? Read these tips from Melissa Bowerstock before you send it off, then do everything she suggests. You and your editor will become friends for life and you will have the best possible book to launch on the reading public.
Working with Editors
Make Them Happy, Make Them Sad, Make Them Stay.
Here is some great advice from Florida based author Dan Allatorre. The thing about Dan is that he is a writer who puts a lot of effort into helping other writers with his contests, his critiques and his anthologies. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been a runner up in one of his contests and to have had stories accepted for two anthologies. And then he posts blogs, like this one, that explain the “nuts and bolts” of our craft.
A Date With . . . Melanie P. Smith
Today I’m going to introduce you to Melanie P Smith. Melanie was born and raised in Utah and she loves it there. Why?
“That’s easy. It’s the scenery. We have five National Parks here in Utah; Zions, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, and Capitol Reef. If you love the outdoors — which I do —it would be hard to find an area that has more beauty than the state I call home. We have mountainous hiking trails, desert backroads great for exploring, as well as lakes and reservoirs that are perfect for swimming and fishing. And, to top it all off, I’m extremely lucky to have an amazing view of the Wasatch Mountains (which are part of the Rockies) from my front yard.”
Melanie is a prolific writer who works in several genres. Her background is in law enforcement. How far does that experience feed into her stories?
“My knowledge and experience definitely play a large part in my writing. They say write what you know. Two of the genres I write in are Criminal Suspense and Police Procedurals. I believe my background helps to make my stories accurate, realistic and exciting. I have to admit, on occasion, a savvy cop or a background investigation also finds its way into my paranormal work as well.”
Of all the genres she has written in, which does she most enjoy writing and reading?
“I love to read, but I can’t say I have a favourite genre. Give me a good story and I’m lost for hours.
As far as writing goes, I could never pick just one genre. I guess that’s why I’m a multi-genre author. Criminal Suspense and Police Procedurals come natural for me. I like knowing I can use my knowledge and years of experience to entertain my readers. My paranormal and fantasy work provides an outlet for my more creative and imaginative side. I enjoy writing both, in different ways.”
She also works very hard on behalf of other independently published authors,producing promotional materials and videos. This requires skills not usually associated with her professional background but it transpires that she did acquire them in her job:
“I guess you never know how your education and experience will help you later in life. I have an associate degree in marketing which gives me a solid foundation to start with when it comes to layout, design, and promotional techniques. I also created a lot of promotional material for the Sheriff’s Office. When you think of law enforcement, you don’t typically think of marketing. However, during my time with the office I was tasked with developing programs and brochures for various events, as well as web design and maintenance, and public safety and education videos — especially for our volunteer Search & Rescue team. All of this combined has given me experience using various computer programs and marketing concepts that I now use to promote myself and others.”
Her book covers, the e-magazine and the promotional videos Melanie produces all look very slick. I think any traditional publisher would be proud of them. I asked if she thinks it is important for independent authors to present an image that matches that of ‘household name’ authors?
“Professionalism is important in any industry and publishing is no exception. Traditionally published authors have the backing of specialists to handle much of the work for them. But I strongly believe, if we want to get noticed, independent authors must find a way to compete in the same market. Eye-catching covers, attention grabbing videos, and interesting promos can help us get noticed. Unfortunately, that’s only the first step. In addition to having an interesting story, we also need to keep that professionalism going with top-notch editing, formatting and content.”
With so many books published, including several series, and all the other work we’ve just discussed, I wondered how she finds the time. How does a typical day in the Smith household look? When and how does she relax?
“When I started writing for fun again, I was juggling a full-time job and trying to write in my spare time. In 2016, I retired from law enforcement and I’m now blessed to do what makes me happy — write. I rarely go a day without writing and if I do, I miss it. Writing as an independent author can be a full-time job, but for me it’s a job that I love. I also enjoy relaxing and I’ve always been adventurous. My husband and I both ride Harley’s and living in Utah gives us a ton of options. There’s nothing like a relaxing ride on a rural back road or taking in all the sights and smells of a scenic forest as you cut through the air on top of a motorcycle. We also love to camp, and Utah offers a ton of places to get out in the wilderness to ride our ATV’s or relax in front of an open camp fire. My motto has always been work hard, then play hard.”
Which aspect of the publishing business does she most enjoy? Which does she wish she didn’t have to do?
“I enjoy writing and I enjoy the comradery I have found with fellow authors around the world. That is the one thing I missed when I retired from law enforcement. I also enjoy helping other authors. I truly believe it takes a village and the more we help those around us, the more satisfaction we get, and the more success we will enjoy.
I am terrible at selling myself and my work. I can do the writing and even create the promo stuff, but when it comes to creating that perfect tagline or selling my work as the next best thing that you just can’t live without… I’m terrible at that.”
I have already pointed out that Melanie is a prolific writer. Proof of this is in the fact that she has just published the third book in one of her series’ and plans to have one from another available by the end of January:
“I just published the third book in my Thin Blue Line Series – Subterfuge. Where it fits; well, that is a little tricky. Technically, it is the third book in the series,but chronologically it is actually the first. If you haven’t ready any of my work, there is no problem picking this one up and giving it a try.
Young girls are disappearing in groups of three, their bodies callously discarded by a killer whose methods stun even the most seasoned detectives. Agent Skeeter Perkins is a world-renowned profiler. He’s been with the FBI for over a decade and has made a name for himself catching the worst serial killers known to man. His current case, a man the media has dubbed the “Scientist” is no different. But,when Perkins and his team start to close in, the stakes become personal. Skeet must put everything on the line as he plunges headlong into the most desperate hunt of his life.
https://www.books2read.com/Subterfuge
The third season of Paige Carter will be completed at the end of this month (December). I hope to have it available for purchase by the end of January. In the meantime, you can read the entire third season (9 episodes) on my website. If you’re new to Paige Carter, just subscribe to my blog and get the entire first season as my gift just for signing up. http://geni.us/Blogsignup
Paige Carter is a police procedural series. Each season contains 9 Episodes (or short stories) where Paige and her colleagues solve a local crime. It has been compared to Blue Bloods or Longmire.”
https://melaniepsmith.com/crime-blog/
Is there an aspect of the publishing business that she wishes someone had warned her about before she started?
“I wish I had known just how much work it would entail. One of the benefits of self-publishing is that you control everything. One of the challenges… you control everything. The big publishing houses have a small army to assist with every aspect of publishing. As Indie-Authors we must manage it all ourselves. We do our own accounting, IT management, marketing, production, formatting, editing, and sales… or we find professionals to do it for us. It’s a lot to jump into without a little help along the way. Instead of wearing one hat in the process, we have to wear them all. This requires patience and an ability to know our strengths and weaknesses. No matter how amazing your first book, there is very little chance you will hit that publish button and become rich overnight. Our work must be professional and high-quality. Readers want to focus on content and the story, not get distracted by poor layout, sloppy grammar, and punctuation or spelling errors. Our work defines who we are as authors and generates our business reputation. Because of this, our novels must be as close to perfect as possible before we hit that publish button. Nobody can do this alone – we all need professionals to assist us.”
Talking of surprises, I wondered if she was prepared to reveal something about herself that might surprise her readers?
“I’ve always been adventurous but if my readers have visited my website, they already know this from my about page. They might be surprised to know I can operate a backhoe and I know how to drive an M113 tank.”
https://melaniepsmith.com/about-the-author/
I certainly enjoyed my conversation with Melanie P. Smith. I hope you did too. You might care to follow her on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter and Amazon.
Getting Noticed
Here‘s a brilliant idea for anyone who wants to get more eyes on their blog. Comes with a health warning, though, only works if your blog is interesting.
A Date With . . . Chris-Jean Clarke
My latest ‘date’ is with Chris-Jean Clarke. Chris lives in South Staffordshire with her husband, Geoff, two teenagers and their adorable Papillion, Romey, who enjoys spending a few hours a week putting a smile on the faces of the patients at their local mental health hospital – Romey is a Pets as Therapy dog.
I asked first about her book Honesty in World War 2, originally published in 2016 and recently re-released.
“Honesty in World War 2 was inspired by an event that happened to my father following his National Service.
Prior to putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard), I spent numerous hours researching and double-checking facts and stories told to me and my siblings by my mum about her experience of the war years. – She was only seven years old, when the war ended. – My mum inspired a number of events in my story. For example, my mum used to be a Tomboy and loved climbing trees. She bet the local boys that she could climb higher than them. On the positive side, she succeeded in her quest as she fell, bringing the branch down with her. However, on the negative side, she gashed her leg on a barbed wire fence. She often showed us her scar and was proud that she didn’t have any stitch marks, which she attributed to my granddad (her father) using a cobweb on the wound. In my story, twins Simon & Samuel (two of the evacuees) are playing by the brook when one of them has an accident. – Having been brought up in the city they not only struggle with living in the countryside, but would rather create mayhem than attempt to fit in. – Imagine their horror when Cyril’s mum starts to bandage a cobweb to the wound on Simon’s leg, especially as the villagers had already tied a pig’s lung to their younger sister’s feet to cure her of Pneumonia! 
Although, Honesty in World War 2 was taken down from publication for a short while & has since been re-released, this was due to personal reasons. I promise the story has not been amended since 2016.”
Next I asked her about To Dye For and the Books4Kids programme for which it was written.
“PS Publishing and the Books 4 Kids program is a 501c3 non-profit corporation with a mission to “build children’s character through books.” The B4K brings authors to the classroom – in person or through electronic conferencing. The author reads from his or her book, answers student questions and then leads a discussion re. the moral of the book. – The moral behind To Dye For is self-esteem. – At the end of the discussion each child receives a free copy of the book.
To Dye For opens with Beth, a year-ten student daydreaming about fellow student, Mikolos (“Mike”) Samaras. However, thanks to the antics of Jenny Parker and Shelly Barnes, Beth truly believes that she doesn’t stand a chance with a guy like Mike – because she has red hair. Unwittingly, Mike also reinforces this notion by frequently teasing Beth about her hair. Beth becomes so despondent about her appearance that she decides the only way to solve her problems, is to emulate her younger sister’s beautiful locks and dye her hair the same shade as Grace’s. – After all, Grace is adored by everyone and has stunning strawberry blonde hair.”
Chris is a member of the Peacock Writers, a group of eighteen independent writers from around the world.
“Each of our anthologies are written around a given theme. 100% of the profits from the sale of these books are donated to aid various charities.
I have contributed to nine books, so far, but the book I would strongly recommend is: Springtime Bullies: Special Illustrated Edition (The Peacock Writers Present) (Volume 6)”
Before becoming a writer Chris had a long career working with people with disabilities. I asked her how that experience influenced her writing projects.
“Many of my stories have at least one secondary character who has a disability or special need.
For example, Beth’s sister, Grace in To Dye For has Down’s syndrome. Whilst, in Honesty in World War 2, Malcolm a veteran of the first world war, is slightly senile, and in a way childlike. Whereas, Graham is severely scarred and has walking difficulties – these injuries were incurred when his family home in London was bombed during the war.”
Chris doesn’t have “the luxury of having a quiet space to write, but that’s okay because I know deep down that if my family were to fly the nest, I would just waste the hours stressing about them, instead of writing.”
When it comes to editing, illustration and cover design, Chris uses a range of specialist services.
“To Dye For was edited by my publishing company, PS publishing and the Books 4 Kids program. They also commissioned an illustrator for my cover design.
Honesty in World War 2 was edited by Valerie Byron, author of No Ordinary Woman and other works. Trish Reeb, author of Death by Default and other works, proofread my manuscript. The online community at BookRix & LinkedIn encouraged me to work and rework my opening chapter to create the atmosphere and mood of the train station. (Initially, I had only intended the first chapter to be written in a couple of lines, as I wanted to swiftly move into Cyril’s story. Instead, Cyril’s story starts in chapter two.) Another member at BookRix created my cover for me, by manipulating Emily Roesly’s images. (NB Approval was sought from and granted by Ms. Roesly, author of Whispering Water and other works.) Sharon Brownlie, author of Betrayal and other works reformatted my cover, so that I have the option to have it published as a paperback or hardback copy, later this year.
My books for the Peacock Writers anthologies are edited as a group effort. – We read each other’s stories and offer each other tips. One of our members, Laszlo Kugler, author of Whisper and other works, creates most of our cover art.”
Chris promotes her books at BookRix, LinkedIn, FaceBook & Twitter.
“More of my books have sold since I have been active in FaceBook’s promotional groups, geared to drawing writers and authors together.
However, the other platforms have also been beneficial to me in their own right. In addition, to the support at BookRix community, their system converts our files so that our eBooks can be purchased from all of the major online stores. Trish Reeb, reached out to me via Twitter & offered her free time to proofread Honesty in World War 2. This story has also attracted interest at LinkedIn from a publishing company seeking autobiographies, and an indie film script writer.”
When I asked about writers whose work she admires, she nominated Doug Simpson, author of Soul Awakening.
“[He] is my inspiration. Although Simpson’s story is fictionalised, it is based on his belief that it is plausible for a person to have lived previous lives, whilst still holding fast to, and respecting, the religious belief that there is a heaven (or hell). It gave me great peace of mind to think that I may become acquainted again with family members who have passed on before me, and I don’t need to wait until I die before I will be able to chat to them again.”
As usual I wound up our discussion by asking Chris to reveal something about herself that might surprise her readers.
“Approximately 65% of my employment, took me from mundane to far flung places. One day, I could be cleaning/tidying bedrooms & bathrooms, wiping bums or cleaning up vomit, and the next I could be shopping for clothes or Christmas/birthday presents, eating out/going to the pictures or going on day trips/holidays in England and overseas.”
I enjoyed my date with Chris Jean Clarke and, now that I have shared it with you, I hope you did to.
You can connect with Chris on her Amazon Author Page, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and at BookRix.
