M A G A Z I N E THE
Secret
TO S E L F - P U B L I S H I NG
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON SELF PUBLISHING
Mistakes? WHICH SUCCESSFUL AUTHORS ARE SELF PUBLISHED?
PURE SELF PUBLISHING
Writing competition in every issue publication date
CONTENTS 6
SELF-PUBLISHING: 6 AUTHORS WHO PROVE IT CAN BE DONE
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VICKI BENNETT: GET YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING
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6 THINGS YOU NEED TO DO BEFORE YOU SELF-PUBLISH
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AARON DENVER LAMB: SELFPUBLISHING SUCCESS
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A PLAY OF WORDS
8 SELF-PUBLISHING COMPANIES 22 TOP TO HELP GET YOUR BOOK OUT THERE FRIEDMAN: 25 JANE THE BUSINESS OF BOOKS SELF-PUBLISHING MISTAKES 30 COMMON BY EDITOR IN CHIEF TANYA SELF-PUBLISH OR NOT TO SELF33 TO PUBLISH THAT IS THE QUESTION! TO THE TWILIGHT YEARS 39 ADAPTING BY ALBERT DE HAAN
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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AUTHOR RUNS INTO 42 SECOND-TIME AMAZON’S GST WALL OF RESISTANCE
46 ELEMENTS OF A GOOD SHORT STORY
CONTRIBUTORS Vicki Bennett is a bestselling author of 28 books for adults and young people. Most of her books are internationally successful and have been published in numerous languages. Her latest book, Oliver’s Frist Big Spy Adventure, is published by Boolarong Press in 2019 is a young adult fiction. Vicki Bennett
vickibennett.com
Aaron Lamb
Aaron Lamb wrote his first novel aged 11, and hasn’t stopped telling stories since. A man of many interests, he is, amongst other things, an ultra-marathon runner, a prize-winning digital fundraiser, a cabaret performer, and a best-selling sci-fi author. His independent-publishing success has seen his novels Pollen and Stem sell 50,000 copies globally, and Pollen adapted into a short film debuted at film festivals in Europe and America. Aaron has recently released his latest novel, Apparent Magnitude as a series of episodes, the complete saga is available for pre-order.
emergingwritersfestival.org.au/self-publishing-success-aaron-lamb/
Jane Friedman has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in business strategy for authors and publishers. She’s the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential industry newsletter for authors, and has previously worked for F+W Media and the Virginia Quarterly Review. In 2019, Jane was awarded Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World. Jane Friedman
JaneFriedman.com
EDITORS IN CHIEF JOS VAN DER SMAN
TANYA DE HAAN
Hope you are enjoying our theme for issue # 3 - Self-Publishing! SPOILER ALERT! In our next edition, we are turning to crime! (almost - it is actually crimefiction). We have done the hard yards (research) - that is, asked a couple of people, and found a gap in the market for crime in print, on radio, on TV, and especially on the internet - namely podcasts of true-crime. It is rampant, everywhere - so, where are we going to start? We are going to ask YOU to contribute to our special podcast, both with your ideas and suggestions as to what you would like us to address, and what would make you happy to digest by way of content. So, get your fingers ready to tap (on your computer keyboard) - for as soon as our issue # 4 comes out, it will be on for young and old! We would also like to thank the team at Read Publishing Group for all their hard work and dedication in making this edition of Get Published Magazine look amazing.
Jos & Tanya
Self Publishing 6
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Authors Who Prove It CAN Be Done
Finding a publisher is not an easy task. g Rejection has become synonymous with writin e and many become so dejected that they just giv ’t up on the idea of ever being published. But don to - self-publishing is a viable and doable option get your book on the shelves. There are many out there who snub their noses at the notion of self publishing with some even branding it ‘vanity publishing’, traditionally h thinking that it does not go hand in hand wit commercial success. This is not actually true. There are lots of examples going back to the classics of successful self-publishers, from . Beatrix Potter to Edgar Allen and Marcel Proust u The trend continues today and here, we show yo an 5 examples of top modern day authors who beg their journey through self-publishing.
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#1 J.K ROWLING Something many people don’t know about J.K. Rowling is that she owns the digital rights to the Harry Potter Books. Her original publisher –Bloomsbury in the UK – never purchased them and they were never sold to any of her subsequent international publishers. Rowling’s publishers around the world have claimed they are “publishing in partnership” with her. Scholastic said that they would be paid a percentage by Rowling in exchange for “marketing and promotion” support. Not for being her publisher, because she is publishing the e-books. She controls the rights. She is publishing. Essentially, she is selfpublishing. One could say that what she is doing is more “pure” self-publishing because she is cutting out the retailers and exclusively selling direct to the public through her own website.
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#2 AMANDA HOCKING This woman from Minnesota wrote more than seventeen novels with not one of them finding any success with the publishing houses. Refusing to give up she went on to self-publish these novels in the form of eBooks and gained huge success going on to sell millions of copies. Her big break came when St Martin’s Press then went on to buy the rights to her first three novels for 2 million dollars. Her success in the commercial book world in both the US and the UK continues.
#3 E.L JAMES Who has not heard of the controversial Fifty Shades of Grey series by possibly the most well-known modern selfpublishing success stories author, E.L. James? Back in 2011, E.L James self-published her first book to critical reviews and no notion of the phenomenal success that would come from it. Fifty Shades of Grey quickly became an international best seller with over 100 million copies sold worldwide making E.L. James a kind of poster child for self-publishing success!
#4 ROBERT KIYOSAKI
#6 LISA GENOVA
Back in 1997 Robert Kiyosaki wrote a book giving financial advice that was considered ‘radical’ at the time. Every publisher rejected the book because it challenged traditional ideas of how to save and how to acquire wealth. Not deterred Kiyosaki went on to selfpublish his book titles Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and very soon it hit the New York Times bestsellers list and caught the attention of talk show queen Oprah Winfrey. This lead to a chain of events and the birth of an empire. What began as a humble self-published book with a print run of 1000 copies grew into a global phenomenon and a series of Rich Dad, Poor Dad books with global sales of more than 35 million!
Lisa Genova was still at grad school studying neuroscience when grandmother was diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer’s. This family tragedy became the platform for her debut into the world of writing and the inspiration for the book Still Alice, which tells the story of a Harvard professor diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. After being rejected by every publishing house that she pitched her manuscript to, Genova made the decision in 2007 to self publish. After gaining readers and popularity around the world, the book was picked up by Simon & Schuster in 2009 and has even been adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Julianne Moore. This decision to self-publish in her early days has propelled this incredible writer and neuroscientist onto the New York Times best selling list and cemented her place as a critically acclaimed author.
#5 MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN If there is an example of an aspiring author that refused to give up, then this is your man. After writing for more than ten years with no success, Sullivan stopped writing for a decade before finally giving it another crack, only to face further rejection at the hands of publishing houses once again. Fed up with being told that he could not do it he decided to self-publish his book The Riyira Revelations which became a phenomenal success and has seen him become one of America’s leading writers of epic fantasy and science fiction. In 2019 io9 named him one of the “Most Successful Self-Published Sci-Fi and Fantasy Authors”. His books have now been translated into fourteen languages – not bad for a man that couldn’t cut a break!
Looking at these success stories it is easy to see that self-publishing is a viable option to success. So if you are meeting roadblocks with publishing houses perhaps it’s time to delve into the world of self-publishing.
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Vicki Bennett:
Get Your Creative Juices Flowing “People often tell me they aren’t creative. As if creativity is some lofty practice.” 10
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icki is corporate trainer, documentary maker, and the author of 30 best-selling books. However, her writing career wasn’t always a sure thing. She fell upon writing in 1982 at a conference in San Francisco and a whirlwind of professional speakers, like Zig Ziegler, Go Mandino, and Jim Rohn, where positive mental attitude was the currency of the day. “With 20 other international speakers, I was invited to a welcome talk with the keynote speakers of the conference,” she told us, “In a lift on the way to the 24th floor, I found myself alone with Og Mandigo, author of The Greatest Salesman in the World. He asked me where I was from, and once we got over the ‘Oh, you’re from Australia, not Austria’ conversation, he asked me where I was heading.” “It turned out we were going to the same meeting, and I had to pinch myself to see if it was real. After the session, Og Mandigo asked me to dinner and our amazing friendship began. His first comment to me after ordering our entrée was, ‘Do you have a book?’ ‘Oh,’ I said, ‘Was I meant to bring a book?’ ‘No, have you written a book?’ ‘No,’ I said rather weakly. ‘Well you have to write a book,’ he said, ‘As a professional speaker, you’ve got to have a product.”
and created Programme to Succeed and kicked of her writing career. From there, she found a literary agent and shaped her next three books, I’ve Found the Keys, Now Where’s the Car?, I’ve Read the Rules, Now How Do I Play the Game?, and a children’s book, Making Dreams Come True. “I worked with Philippa Sandell, a publishing editor at Hodder and Stoughton publishers,” she told us, “After a grilling and lengthy editorial process with I’ve Found the Keys, Now Where’s the Car?, I asked her, ‘How did you know I could actually write this?’ ‘I didn’t,’ was her sanguine reply, ‘we just loved the title!” With books published in several genres, Vicki says she’s still learning to write and describes it being something compulsive and compelling, in her blood, and a form of therapy. We asked Vicki to give us some of her best tips on igniting the creativity we all house inside of us.
On the creativity within us Are there some people that are creative and some that aren’t? Or is creativity within all of us? It’s a frequent question. “If you are a problem-solver, you’re already highly creative,” Vicki says, “Every time you come up with a new idea or solution to a problem, the creative process is activated.” We are all creative in some way.
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VICKI’S Best Tips for Igniting Creativity and the Creative Spirit Like many of us, Vicki always has multiple projects happening simultaneously. “Often I have a deadline for a project, and that governs my priorities for that day,” she told us, “But I also choose one that doesn’t have a deadline to play with as well.” Work in increments.Instead of trying to power through all of your work in one sitting, which can be incredibly daunting and overwhelming, Vicki suggests working in 90-minute increments. “When the time is up, I will stop,” she says, “Even if I’m not finished. I’ll quickly capture any outstanding ideas on the computer, save, and then close the file. Then I’ll come back to it in the next 90-minute segment.” After your work segment is over, do something that takes you away from work and/or your project. Vicki suggests playing with your pets, taking a walk, doing a quick stretch, or play a quick game on your phone. The break in your work will reboot your mind and relax. Consider different perspectives. Sometimes we have a one-track mind when it comes to our own work. When we have an idea, that’s the only idea and if it doesn’t work out, then we just aren’t good enough or creative enough. But that’s not necessarily true. Sometimes we just need to take a look at our project from a new perspective.
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When writing, Vicki told us she often looks to Google, books, other work when she’s stuck. Recently she turned to Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic for inspiration and came across the sentence: “The usual rules do not apply.” She created a document and made a list of ideas that fit into this concept including: ● When I think about an idea I’d like to write about, I ask myself: If the opposite were true, what would the story be? ● Children don’t have the usual rules, I ask my grandsons for ideas and they tell me about bombs and nuclear waste, and all sorts of amazing things. I jot these down too. ● I talk to a friend who doesn’t think rules apply to them, asking them what works for them and what doesn’t. ● Usual rules don’t apply when I travel; all certainties are left at home. What’s the difference? Kindness; I’m usually more open and kind when I travel. When it comes to igniting your creative spirit, you have to do it on your terms, but don’t be afraid if you are stuck. It’s part of the process.
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Things
You Need To Do Before You Self-Publish
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o, you have finished writing your manuscript and are busting to become a published author and see your story hit the bookstore shelves or dominate the digital world. After so much work and such a labour of love, it is easy to rush things but before you get ahead of yourself, it is essential to make sure you have your house in order before you hit the publish button. As a self-publisher, you are not facing the traditional industry gatekeepers, but this is no excuse to skip doing your due diligence and ensure that your foray into the self-publishing world is as successful as possible. Here is our six-point checklist to help you on your self-publishing journey.
#1 Perfect the manuscript Close enough is never good enough, so no matter how keen you are to get the ball rolling and get your book published, take your time and make sure that your manuscript is absolutely perfect before going ahead with it. If your budget allows, employ the services of a professional proofreader or book editor. If this is not a viable financial option then you have other less expensive options. There are many online tools such as Grammarly and Prowritingaid that can help you check and refine your writing. It is also a really good idea to ask some trusted and talented family or friends to read your manuscript and look
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for mistakes, corrections and feedback. It is amazing what a set of fresh eyes can find.
#2 Let the experts design your cover
No matter how creative you might think you are when it comes to designing the cover of your book, employ the services of an expert. No matter how brilliant your book is, a badly designed cover will be a massive handicap to its success. Your book cover is its first and best marketing tool, so it is worth spending time and money on getting it right.
#3 Get digital before you publish
The online world is the way of the future, so make sure that you have an online and social media presence BEFORE you publish. It is vital that your website is up to date and responsive and ready for your book launch. The same rule applies to your blog. Use your website and blog as promotional tools to create interest in your book and as a platform for pre sales. Equally important is your online presence, so make sure that your social media accounts reflect the image that you and your book want to portray. You may need to set up new accounts or update old ones – either way, social media plays a huge role in any modern day promotion, so make sure that yours is game ready.
#4 Get launch ready
#6 Become discoverable
It is all very well and good to have your manuscript ready to go, but you also need to have your action plan ready. You need to construct a detailed strategy as to how you are going to launch your book, promote it in both the short and long term and spread the word. Think of the image that you want to convey and reflect this in both the way that you launch the book as well as the way that you promote it. Reach out to family and friends and any contacts that you may have and ask them to interact with your social media and online presence. Support in this area is vital to success.
One of the least known things about publishing is that when you publish on any publishing services (eBook or print versions) you will need to select at least two categories (genres) and a minimum of seven key words. Getting your category and keyword selection right can play a massive role in making your book discoverable and hence readable. A huge majority of book sales result from book buyers searching sites such as Amazon and Apple, so make sure you increase your chances of book discovery by using wellresearched categories and keywords.
#5 Get descriptive Writing a good description for your book is no easy feat. It can be very difficult to condense into about 600 words the whole essence and meaning of your story. Your book description is second only to your book cover as far as being a tool for attracting readers, so it is really important that you get it right. Be careful not to fall into the trap of simply writing a summary of the book and take the time to ensure that your description reflects the mood, tone and essence of your book.
Many new authors get things wrong by rushing things. This is the greatest rookie error, so make sure you avoid this common mistake by slowing things down, doing your due diligence, seeking advice and ensuring that you have done all the things on this checklist to set your first self-published book up for success!
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AARON DENVER LAMB:
Selfpublishing success
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s a child, one of Aaron Denver Lamb’s favourite ways to pass the time was writing stories. He would often crawl under his grandparent’s giant rhubarb patch with his notebook and pen and write tales of elves and monsters. At age 11, he completed his first full-length novel, hand-written with care and pride. Each page was full of wild ideas, exciting imagery, his enthusiasm for storytelling there for all to see. Aaron’s journey as a writer – or storyteller as he prefers – has lead to him self-publishing six of his books. Sci-fi is where his heart lies, and it is easy to see why. “To be able to play out an idea to its fullest potential and remove all constrictions is exciting. Sci-fi lets us not only escape a difficult day, but it lets us imagine how we’d like the next one to be,” he said. 16
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“My characters often have a goal of understanding family, it’s a universal theme we can all relate to, but what happens if you take climate change to its most extreme point? What happens if you’re in space, or, in the case of my books, living in a city segregated by walls? What happens to the traditional idea of the family then?” When he began writing novels with the intention of publishing, Aaron took the traditional path and pitched his books to countless agents – only to be knocked back time and time again. It took perseverance, a great deal of patience and an eventual shift in mindset before he discovered what success meant to him. After all the pushing and rejection, the turning point came when he realised he was not in the game to make money; he was in it because he loved telling stories.
“[At first] I wanted my books to be published. I did all my research and I pitched the best possible applications to literary agents. It took months of work and within two weeks I’d be rejected by everyone. But, I was honest with myself and I knew what success was for me, and that was writing…Selling a book does not make me want to write... telling a great story makes me want to write!” he said. “Five years ago, success looked very different to me than it does today because I’m a different person now. You need to strip away your armour and be vulnerable to answer that question honestly - what does success look like?” So, Aaron looked down the path of self-publishing as a way to release his books to his audience. At the time, there was a perception in the industry that self-publishing meant failure as an author, but that could not be further from the truth. What Aaron found was that by self-publishing, he could target his audience carefully and personally, creating a genuine, dedicated following that embraced his skills and passion for his work. As time went on, he also found doors opened that he never knew possible. His novels Pollen and Stem sold 50,000 copies globally, with Pollen now adapted into a short film which debuted at film festivals across Europe and America. His latest offering, Apparent Magnitude, has been released in a series of novellas and the complete saga and final instalment can be bought as pre-order. The Apparent Magnitude series has appeared regularly in the top ten best seller list on Amazon in
Australia. Amongst this success, Aaron has spoken at the Emerging Writers Festival and on national radio stations about his publishing journey and regularly offers advice to other writers on how to get a book published. He has some helpful information on his website on self-publishing and marketing but has distilled his top tips here for Get Published readers.
Aaron’s top tips for getting published
1. Don’t be afraid to edit and cull the word count
“The delete key is the MOST important key on your keyboard. It’s magical. It can tighten your story, it can expand your story, it can bring a character suddenly to life. It can do everything!” he said. “Only leave what you WANT in your work…The space that’s left behind is where your work can come to life.”
2. Hire an editor
There are many platforms out there now that offer editors at reasonable prices, such as Fiverr, Upwork and Reedsy. Before you dive into hiring, do your research, interview them and ask for work samples. Don’t skimp on cost either; this is the best money you’ll ever spend on your work. “Once you have found the right editor, trust them and work together on the edit. What you’ll end up writing and finishing will be so much better than what you can do on your own.” Aaron said. www.getpublished.com.au
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3. Define your success
As Aaron rightly points out, we can’t all be J.K Rowling! “Write for you, not for what you think a ‘successful writer’ should do. Remember, there’s a lot of pathways to success. Personally, I want to write niche stories about things I find interesting. I’m not even sure a publishing house would want to publish my work because it might not sell enough to spin a profit when you started adding in teams of people and overheads etc. So, for me, selfpublishing and working with amazing freelance editors and designers all working towards my vision… that’s fun! And if I’m not having fun, what’s the point?”
4. Plan ahead
Publishing and marketing can become costly, so Aaron’s tip is to put a little away each week while you write and edit your work. That way, when you are ready, you will be well-placed to get your book edited, designed and promoted professionally.
5. Promote yourself the right way
Aaron isn’t a big social media player, but his marketing is strategic (his day job is as a digital marketer – so he knows what he is doing!). “I don’t have a large following on my author page because reaching people is so hard,” he said. “I run ads; useful, engaging ads that are shown to a very specific market of people that might want to buy my 18
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book. I also have a mailing list I interact with when I’m editing. I recently gave my readers the choice between two versions of the text in my editing. The winning version made it in! I’ve also run AI ads on Facebook and lead generation ads. All of these tactics can work up into sales and building your email list.”
6. Own your name on Google
This is something most of us never think about, but when you type your name into Google, what comes up? If you aren’t top of the list, you need to do something about it. “I have an ad in first place for my name. That way, when I meet people they can simply search for my name online. This can open all sorts of doors for you.”
7. Patience
Aaron’s final word of advice is to take your time, be realistic and just enjoy the ride. “Like everything, it takes time, practice and a whole lot of work. Marketing your work takes just as much time as writing it and there is absolutely no guarantee of success. But we are the dreamers.” To see how Aaron publishes a book in this YouTube clip
CLICK HERE
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Play
Words of
By Neil Follett
s writers we all get a buzz when we see our words in print in a magazine article, with our name crediting us as the author. Even a letter to the editor of a newspaper is an achievement to see your name in print.
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If you have playwright aspirations, check out some of your local theatre groups to see if they have ‘readings’ incorporated into their programmes.
A different achievement, and a different feeling, is to hear words you have written being performed by an actor on a stage.
The group was formed in 2013 to present short plays about Australian aviation legends, with all the action taking place in the Australian National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin Airport.
You may not be a David Williamson, a Neil Simon or a William Shakespeare, but you can experience the thrill of hearing a script you have written being performed. There are over 80 amateur, or nonprofessional theatre companies in Victoria. Many of these offer ‘readings’ of new writer’s plays, to give them feedback on their work; not full plays but usually just one act.
I am a member of the LOTS Theatre Inc. LOTS being Legends Of The Skies.
It was a truly unique setting with each play being performed with a different aviation backdrop as the cast and audience moved around the museum. I have written ten scripts for LOTS and all have been performed. Unfortunately, series 7 of LOTS, to be presented in October 2019, will not be presented in the museum as difficulties www.getpublished.com.au
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arose regarding space requirements. Like all good theatre, the show must go on and the October season will be in a local school hall. Common advice given to all writers is to write about what you know, and my success as a playwright (tongue firmly in the cheek) is just that. Because I have a lifelong interest in aircraft I found the plays easy to write. Two of the legends that I wrote about were aviators I had actually met and had many conversations with. One of them took me flying in her aircraft four times in 1958. I was only 14 at the time.
My observations during my script writing career is that a good actor can make an average script seem good, while a good script can be ruined by a bad actor. Fortunately at LOTS the latter has never happened. That’s why auditions are held. If you would like to try your hand at script writing the first piece of advice I would give is to visit your local theatrical society and borrow a script, which will show you how to present your script. If you have the right play, you will be a playwright.
The stories of all the others were known to me as I had written magazine articles about many of them.
This play was about Edgar Percival, the designer of the Proctor aircraft behind the actors.
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Play on the life of Nancy Bird Walton, presented as a “This is your life,” story.
Play on the life of Nancy Bird Walton, presented as a “This is your life,” story.
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Top 8 Self-Publishing Companies To Help Get Your Book Out There
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lthough it has been around since the days of Beatrix Potter, self-publishing is fast becoming a viable option for aspiring authors. Self-publishing books are making appearances on bestseller lists all over the globe, with writers no longer being held hostage to big publishing companies in order to generate commercial success. When it comes to self-publishing companies, there are a plethora of options available that all aim to help your book look better, read better and ultimately sell better. Because there are now so many self-publishing firms in the marketplace, it can be hard to decide which one is best for you. Here are the top 8 self-publishers that we 22
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recommend to help share your book with the world!
#1 INGRAMSPARK
If you are looking to print something other than a traditional basic paperback then Ingram is the way to go as it provides self-publishing authors with the ability to print on demand books in a variety of different sizes, formats and trims. Publishing through Ingram will also gain you entry into a range of selling platforms via the Ingram catalogue, which allows your book to be ordered by libraries, bookshops, gift stores and other retail outlets. They also have one of the largest eBook distribution networks in the world.
#2 KINDLE DIRECT PUBLISHING (KDP)
Owned by Amazon, KDP is pretty top notch when it comes to the world of self-publishing. As it is under the Amazon family umbrella there is very little that KDP can’t help you with. A bit of a one-stop shop. KDP allows you to publish both print and digital versions of your book and sell them on Amazon. com, which has a massive sales base making this a very attractive option. Another service is that KDP allows you to order any number of books using the wholesale pricing which means that you can get an easy supply of books for promotional events.
bit differently then Smashwords might be just the self-publishing house for you. Smashwords is not averse to taking risks and not conforming but don’t think that means that they are not serious about sales – they sure are.
#6 LULU
Publishing over 1,000 new titles every day, Lulu is a big player in the world of self-publishing. What makes Lulu so appealing is that the company pays huge attention to detail and offers a range of services including proofreading, editorial help and marketing. Lulu is renowned for the professional and appealing presentation of their books.
#3 AUTHORLAB
#7 DRAFT 2 DIGITAL
Authorlab is a great option for the author who wants to really be guided through the self-publishing process as it takes the guesswork out of writing, marketing and really reduces the amount of time and money that authors need to dedicate to issues such as print layout, eBook layout, promotional materials and social media campaigns.
Draft 2 Digital works a bit like Smashwords, allowing you to upload your eBook to one portal whilst allowing it to be distributed to a plethora of different eBook vendors. One of the most appealing things about Draft 2 Digital is that the format your eBook for you – one less job for the budding author!
#4 KOBO
#8 BLURB
With a bit of a reputation as a “nofrills’ self-publishing house, Kobo is an undisputed powerhouse in the world of e-books – especially in Canada where they are responsible for a quarter of all eBook sales.
#5 SMASHWORDS
If you fancy yourself as an ‘indie author’ and someone who likes to do things a
Blurb’s design and marketing skills are not only easy to navigate but are also top-notch. One of the things that Blurb brings to the self-publishing table, which makes it so well liked, is variety. The variety that they offer in terms of magazines, blog books, leaflets and planners in addition to eBooks and paperbacks is what makes this site so popular. www.getpublished.com.au
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“
There are a plethora of options available that all aim to help your book look better, read better and ultimately sell better.
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Jane Friedman:
The Business Of Books
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one are the days of pitching your manuscript to publishing houses so your work can see the light of day, only to receive rejection letters time and time again. The age of self-publishing has well and truly arrived. Since the 1990s advent of print-ondemand, to a now thriving e-book industry, getting your book published is an exciting reality. Low cost, low risk and no managing print runs or inventories – it seems like the perfect solution to the writer desperate to release their talent. However, as fun and fulfilling as writing your book is, just like any commercial pursuit, there is the ‘business’ to take care of.
Jane Friedman is a writer and expert in the business of publishing. She began her career as an intern with F + W Media, where she then spent the next 12 years working full time. Jane has now amassed over 20 years’ experience in the publishing industry and is the author of industry newsletter The Hot Sheet, a regular columnist with Publishers Weekly and a professor with The Great Courses. She has also presented at numerous writing events as a keynote speaker and workshop guest, specialising on the topic of digital authorship. At the core of Jane’s teaching is that education on how the industry works is vital for a successful writing career. The right knowledge and expectations can significantly reduce the anxiety, frustration and feelings of failure that many writers experience as they push to become published.
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“When writers take time to learn about the publishing industry, I believe it leads to a more positive and productive writing career,” Jane commented in her recent book, The Business of Being a Writer. “Despite ongoing transformations in the publishing industry, there are fundamental business principles that underlie writing and publishing success. Writers who learn to recognise the models behind successful authorship and publication will feel more empowered and confident to navigate a changing field, to build their plans for long-term career development.” With evolving technology comes the opportunity to get published, but with this comes many additional hurdles only effectively navigated by the business-savvy. “There are more ways to get published than ever: this is the pros and the cons. It means more confusion for the writer who’s trying to decide the next steps for their writing project or manuscript. And it also means more responsibility to understand one’s goals and the business you’re entering into,” Jane explained. Jane has written extensively on the topic of books and business, and one of the major pieces of advice (and reasons for understanding the commercial and marketing side of book sales) is that you don’t need to splash large amounts of cash to get people to buy your work. More than half of all book sales are made online – meaning that as a self-published author, you 26
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have just as much access to the crowds as those working through a publisher. This gives you tremendous scope to release your work and forge a following without those rejection letters, however, taking this route means you need to know what you are doing, and you need to put in the work. “You, the author, manage the publishing process and hire the right people or services to edit, design, publish, and distribute your book. Every step of the way, you decide which distributors or retailers you prefer to deal with. You retain complete and total control of all artistic and business decisions; you keep all profits and rights.” Jane said in her article, Start Here: How to Self-Publish Your Book. Hiring the right people to bring your vision together is key to a successful, sellable product. These people include freelance graphic designers, editors and proofreaders. Know who you are working with and ask for samples before proceeding with them for the first time. You will also need to have your book converted into the correct file type for uploading to the e-book retailer or distributor. The required format varies between companies, so check with your chosen platform before you have your book finalised. Once you have your book online, you will also need to manage the marketing. One of the easiest and often most fruitful marketing methods so often overlooked by writers is starting local. Visit groups that may be interested in your book, get friends and family talking, network amongst your tribe, and you will soon see the benefits:
“It may feel boring, or like you’re not setting your sights high enough if you start local or with the community of people who are likely to be most interested. But why not win over the “easy” people first? They can help you generate word of mouth and build up publicity that leads to greater and more national attention,” Jane said in her article Go Local: Marketing Books to Targeted Communities. In summary, getting to know the business of books as you write, edit and look to sell your work will
significantly help you in your mission – both practically and emotionally speaking. “While business savvy may not make up for mediocre writing, or allow any author to skip important stages of creative development, it can reduce anxiety and frustration. And it can help writers avoid bad career decisions— by setting appropriate expectations of the industry, and by providing tools and information on how to pursue meaningful, sustainable careers in writing and publishing on a full-time or part-time basis,” Jane said.
JaneFriedman.com
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Common
Self-publishing Mistakes by Editor In Chief Tanya DE HAAN
S
o, you want to be an author and self-publish? You have done all the hard yards in writing and perhaps even illustrating your book, but like every new venture, selfpublishing can be a minefield, so you need to know what to do and what NOT to do to get it right. Every self-publisher can benefit from knowing the most common mistakes to avoid and how to avoid them. Here are our top 10 tips for what NOT to do when self-publishing your next book!
Mistake # 1
NOT GETTING AN EXPERT TO DESIGN YOUR COVER Just because you can write does not make you are an expert in cover design so pay someone who is to do the job for you. A good cover design is one of the most important tools to selling your book and gaining exposure so this is not an area to cut corners. No matter how fabulous the content your book will not sell if it has a poorly designed cover.
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Mistake # 2
FAILURE IN NAILING YOUR TITLE CHOICE Many self-publishers focus on what title they think sounds great and not on what their audience may be searching for and this is a big rookie error. Think about your target audience and potential key search words when deciding on your title.
Mistake # 3
POOR EDITING Just because you are self-publishing does not mean that you can get away with poor editing. If you have not taken the time to first edit your book yourself and then secondly paid a professional to edit it for you then you are likely to be inundated with book returns and poor reviews. Without good professional editing your book will have very little chance of succeeding in the fiercely competitive world of self-publishing.
Mistake # 4
NOT OPTIMIZING YOUR BOOK DESCRIPTION Next to your books cover design its description is the next most important tool in selling your book. Too many people rush their book description and get it wrong. Take your time and read lots of other book descriptions in the same genre of your book to work out which descriptions have the most impact.
Mistake # 5
BAD TIMING You would be surprised at how many people make the common mistake of publishing their book at the wrong time. Books on politics after an election, books about Christmas released after Chrissy day. Look at your calendar and put some thought and planning into when is a suitable time to publish your book that will generate as much excitement and hype as possible. If it means delaying the release for a few months then so be it as timing really can mean everything!
Mistake # 6
INCORRECT PRICING Pricing your book can be tricky because pricing it too high might mean that no one buys it but pricing it too low might increase your sales but will mean that you are not selling your book for what it is actually worth hence devaluing it. Research what other books in your genre and word count are selling for and price your book in line with them. www.getpublished.com.au
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Mistake # 7
NOT MARKETING IT PROPERLY OR USING YOUR NETWORK TO FLOG IT If no one knows about your book, no one will buy it. These days, the digital world makes it easy and inexpensive to get your book out there. Come up with a marketing strategy and a plan and stick to it. Remember that nothing beats word of mouth so ask your friends and family to spread the world on their social media accounts and help get your book exposure.
Mistake # 8
WRONG FORMATTING Every bookseller has different technical requirements that need to be observed so be sure to check their guidelines before your format your book. It is important to also make sure that you have a clean and simple manuscript and have paid attention to simple things such as paragraph and section breaks and uniform line spacing. It sounds really basic but a well-crafted manuscript provides a much more seamless reading experiences and this is always appealing.
Mistake #9
INSUFFICIENT MARKET ANALYSIS Forbes estimates that between 600, 000 and 1, 000,000 books are self-published every year, which means that there is a LOT of choice out there! In order to get maximum leverage out of selling your book you need to do some research into WHAT type of books people are buying. There is no point in writing a book about something that no one wants to read about! 32
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Mistake # 10
GIVING UP IF YOU DON'T SUCCEED THE FIRST TIME The fact is, when it comes to writing and publishing, the key is persistence. Every project or book is an experience and a learning curve, so don’t be deterred if at first you don’t succeed. Pick up the pen and try again! What is most important when it comes to publishing a book is that you don’t rush the process. You have not put all this time and energy into creating and writing something to blow it in the final stages due to impatience. Take your time and go through the self-publishing process properly and avoiding these 10 traps will certainly help you get one step closer to achieving your goals as an author.
TO SELF-PUBLISH OR NOT TO SELF-PUBLISH
That Is The Question! BY TANYA DE HAAN
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he printing press was a gamechanger in Shakespeare’s time, allowing the words of the bard to reach thousands, and eventually millions, of people. Fast forward to 2019 and authors are leaving behind the traditional printed book for ebooks, and the flexibility of self-publishing. Until recently, authors had to produce a printed manuscript (although not the quill-written type of Shakespeare’s time!) and physically post it to publishers, then wait for it to be returned with a letter of rejection. Even J.K. Rowling famously received more than ten rejections before the first Harry Potter book was accepted by a publisher.
The digital age has completely changed the world for publishing, with millions of books now available on Kindle and other digital platforms that make selfpublishing a breeze. But is easy better?
Traditional publishing - pros and cons It’s hard to know whether you’ve written the next Harry Potter, but if your publisher thinks your book is a winner, they will throw a marketing budget behind you to give your book some hype. You may even get commissioned to write a sequel, with payment upfront. www.getpublished.com.au
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The key difference is that with a publishing house behind you, you get to see your book in print in every book store, which has to be exciting! Your publisher also manages the process of taking your book from manuscript to the shelf, organising editors, proofreading, cover design and print volume. Of course, all of this comes at a cost, meaning you get only a small percentage of the revenue from each book sold, therefore need the volume of a best seller to see some serious money. It also takes time to find a publisher and once you do, you’re on their timeframe. It may take months before your book hits the shops, and on the flip side, if you are commissioned to write another book, you might face some serious time pressure to produce another masterpiece!
Self-publishing - pros and cons Self-publishing is easy, cheap and fast, but the clue is in the title – you are on your own! Joining a writing group can help you to feel supported and motivated along the way, as well as getting feedback from relatively objective readers (versus your best friends and family). The early readers are crucial in getting your story right (however you end up publishing). Despite this, you might spend hundreds of hours writing your book, a few hours adding a cover design and uploading it to Kindle, only to find no one buys or reads it. So, you may need to invest some cash along the way. 34
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If your ebook success, a pu may still appr the rights to your book.
k is a big ublishing house roach you for print and sell
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The first hurdle is making sure you have a quality product, which means it’s worth investing in an editor, and a proofreader if funds allow. You may also need a designer to help format the manuscript (although most ebook platforms can accept a word file), and to create a compelling cover page. Once uploaded, you need some readers. The beauty of self-publishing and the control that offers, is that you can set the price of your book (and you also get to keep a significant chunk of the retail price). So, you can start with $0 or $0.50, and share the link with ‘friendly’ readers to get you some reviews, which helps other readers to find your book. Then, increase the price. Remember most ebooks (especially unknown authors) retail between $0.99 and $2.99, and you will likely keep around 70%, so don’t expect to become a millionaire overnight.
While you will only see your book in online stores, you can still get some copies printed, with small print runs available. You can use these to promote your book, give away as gifts, sign at events etc. The biggest advantage of selfpublishing is speed, so if your book is on a hot topic that needs to get to market fast, you can get there. You may just need a digital marketing budget (on Google, Facebook etc) to ride the trend. The beauty of self-publishing versus publishing, is that doing one doesn’t prevent you from doing the other. If your ebook is a big success, a publishing house may still approach you for the rights to print and sell your book. Equally, if you approach publishing houses and get rejected, self-publishing is an excellent back up plan. So the real question is, which one will you try first?
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here is a requirement for understanding the people who have in their senior years undergone very significant lifestyle changes. This is often equated to the “teenage” rebellion of young people as they suddenly find that they have to cope with adult values and expectations. Similarly senior people often are at a loss, as they have lost the established role they played for so long, there is a lot of adjustment to do. There is at times the most annoying and difficult attitude of the younger generation, who often indicate that older people are “past their prime”. “Things are different today, and you would not understand how it’s done now”. Common responses such as “Hey, we discovered Television, the Internet, Wi-Fi, mobile phones, laptops and tablets, so what have you introduced this century, only the adaptation and improvements of established principles”, is often the rebuke from the Senior. 40
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The loss of friends, work mates, colleagues, is significant. The loss of a partner or spouse leaves a disabling hole in your life. You think you can manage, and tell everyone that you are OK. You can now leave the toilet seat up, and have baked beans for breakfast, whilst still in your pajamas. The silence is deafening. The body and brain starts to show signs of “wear and tear”, making it difficult to continue the established life- style. The “grey cells” diminish, memory tends to become unreliable, the prostate needs attention your back aches more and more. The spectral hearing sensitivity degrades and it becomes harder to maintain understanding with clarity. Often when standing next to a noisy kettle, noisy engine, or visiting a shopping mall, there is often greater difficulty in filtering out the message. Can you turn up the TV volume please?
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SECOND-TIME AUTHOR RUNS INTO AMAZON’S GST WALL OF RESISTANCE By Graeme Johnstone
W
hen Denise Tobin Shine was making some last minute corrections to her new masterwork, Jeremiah’s Trunk, she was excited about taking her method of publishing to the next level. She had released her first book, The Undertakers’ Mother, via the traditional technique of paying a printer up front in return for a stack of copies. This time around, under the urging of others – including the writer of this column – she had stepped into the fast-growing world of Print On Demand (POD) via Amazon’s two publishing arms, CreateSpace and Kindle. ‘It is,’ she had been told, ‘the way to go.’ With this technique, it was explained to 42
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her, only books bought by customers – or ones that she ordered herself at a much-reduced author’s price – would actually come off the printing press. This time, no garage full of expensive, heavy boxes. All went well with the recommended designer – Arizona-based Goodlife Guide, headed up by the very experienced Shelley Glasow – including an eye-catching cover featuring the headshot of a suitably bearded cousin that encapsulated the contents. Jeremiah’s Trunk is a double narrative that starts in Melbourne in 2013, moves to the factories and canals of 19th century English pottery production, and ends up on the Ballarat goldfields amidst the guns and clamour of the Eureka Stockade.
As well as harbouring a shocking family secret, the ‘trunk’ is the source of documents for a modern-day character to take the reader on a colourful, evocative and meticulously researched journey.
While she knows how the system works in the US – Glasow has set up CreateSpace and Kindle accounts for hundreds of American and international authors – she is not affiliated with Amazon, and was just as puzzled.
With all the pre-publishing work done by January this year, an adrenaline pumped, Denise pressed the button to place an order of 250 books at author’s price to be despatched by Amazon to her Brighton home in time for her planned March launch.
Denise then sought the advice of experienced authors, including your humble scribe, who marched in expecting to solve the matter within minutes, only to exit downcast and beaten.
‘And then,’ she says, ‘everything fell apart.’ ‘I filled out the essential information, answering questions, ticking boxes, and got to the point where it said, “Choose where to ship each item”. ‘But I could not get any further. A message kept coming up saying, “We are currently unable to ship items sold by third parties to Australian shipping addresses.” ‘I tried the button about twenty-five times and still nothing would happen. That same message kept popping up, glaring at me.’ ‘It was so frustrating, because I had followed each step so carefully. And now I was genuinely concerned I would not have books for the launch.’ Understandably, her first thought was to contact Shelley Glasow at Goodlife Guide and see if she knew what was going on and could fix it. As it turned out, she couldn’t.
Ultimately, further research and a spot of hearsay revealed that this first-time POD user had unwittingly sailed into the perfect storm – a combination of a massive, complicated ongoing merge between Amazon’s two publishing arms, CreateSpace and Kindle, and the Australian Government’s decision to slap GST on Amazon purchases. ‘The GST decision seemed to have thrown them off balance,’ Denise says. ‘The customary deal was that once the book was published the author could buy copies at the author’s special price – far below the cover price. ‘Even when shipping was allowed for, you could land books in Australia for about a third of a, say, $35 cover price, and then use them for promotion and on-selling. ‘Suddenly this had all stopped. But the worst part was, they did not really explain what had happened – or at least if they did, they hid the message well. I could not find any reference to what they had done, why it was done, and whether it would be soon resolved, and it completely frustrated me.
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‘The galling part is that they said they would happily sell me copies of my own book – but only at the full cover price – plus postage!’ To add insult to injury, Amazon’s cryptic message concluded: “You can also visit amazon.com.au to access millions of (other) products for delivery to Australia.” Faced with a rapidly oncoming launch date – the location and guest speaker were already booked and invitations had been sent out – Denise had to find an alternative source. And fast.
‘It just didn’t seem to make sense to do a blanket ban like that,’ Denise says. ‘You would think that they would have simply added ten per cent to the cost of the author copies.’ In the months following, Amazon made some noises about fixing the problem, but nothing appeared to be happening until September when it declared: “We are excited to announce KDP authors can order proof and author copies for delivery to addresses in Australia.”
‘A few ideas were thrown around until a writer friend suggested a publisher called IngramSpark,’ Denise says.
Sounds good, but as late as midNovember an author on a user web site ruefully declared: ‘I’ve just tried to order author copies of my memoir and find there is still no opportunity for delivery to Australia.”
‘I contacted them and they were wonderful. And the fact that they have a branch in Australia helped a lot.’
When told of this, Denise said: ‘I know just how he feels! And I never want to go through all that again.
Fortunately, Denise found that changing from Amazon hard copies to IngramSpark was relatively pain-free. After completing the paperwork, a Title Transfer came through from Amazon in about 21 days and Jeremiah’s Trunk was printed and delivered within 48 hours.
‘At this point, I am not exactly sure how this new book will pan out. But I do know where I will get it published …’
‘It was a close-run thing,’ says Denise, ‘but come the day of the launch, I had three hundred copies ready to go.’ In the wash-up, Denise wrote to Amazon in January announcing that she was closing her account. Amazon wrote back saying that they were sorry she was doing that “due to the Australia Goods and Services Tax (GST) laws prohibiting delivery of proof and author copies.”
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BOOKS BY DENISE TOBIN SHINE Jeremiah’s Trunk In 2013 in Melbourne Abigail Skinner inherits an oak trunk containing documents that reveal the story of her family across two centuries, starting in the factories and on the canals of 19th century English pottery production and ending up on the Ballarat goldfields amidst the Eureka Stockade. Available at Readings; Collins stores in Ballarat, Sale, Warragul and Bairnsdale; or via Denise, mdshine@iinet.net.au.
ABOUT THE JOURNALIST Books by Graeme Johnstone, available on Amazon, Kindle and Smashwords, include: The Playmakers
The Undertakers’ Mother A historical novel based on the experiences of the grandparents of Denise Tobin Shine. They arrived in Australia from Ireland in the 1880s and their sons, including Denise’s father, Phonse, went on to establish the wellknown funeral company Tobin Brothers. Available via: theundertakersmother.com the
U n d e rta k e r s ’ Mother
Denise Tobin Shine
The first book to take the notion that Shakespeare-did-not-writeShakespeare and turn it into a novel, outlining a gripping tale with a brace of new characters that plausibly proposes that another playwright penned the great works, even though history claims that he was dead before a third of them had been written. Child of Labor The entertaining and informative memoir of Joan Child, a remarkable woman who constantly battled to break the glass ceiling, rising to become the Australian Labor Party’s first ever woman elected to the Federal House of Representatives and ultimately to go on and become the first woman to sit in the Speaker’s Chair. Lover, Husband, Father, Monster (With Elsie Johnstone) Set in Dublin, Ireland, a gripping trilogy outlining the slow descent into hell of what begins as the happy and optimistic marriage of lawyer Jennifer and businessman Stewart, but eventually becomes mired in suspicion, jealousy and violence amid the collapse of the Celtic Tiger economic miracle.
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ELEMENTS OF A GOOD
Short Story BY IAN FLYNN
Purpose
Is the story or sections of the story meant to entertain, inform or persuade readers? Does the writer remain focused (on topic)? Sometimes a purpose statement is included in a paragraph’s initial sentence. Is the purpose relating to description of someone/something, comparing two or more people/things/ places, indicating cause-effect or classifying two or more people/items/ places? Some short story writers I have read about use sticky notes or printed cards that they attach to the side of their computer - in order to keep them on track.
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Audience
Good writers keep their intended audience continually in mind. Are you writing in the first, second or third person? When writing in the first person writers use words such as me or I. In the second person they use words such as you or yours and in the third person they use words such as it, they, him, her, theirs, them and he. Is the paragraph content formal or informal? Formal could refer to describing a concept, building/room/ person/place etc whereas informal could relate to dialogue.
Clarity
How easy is it for the reader to understand the story? Does the story
have an introductory and concluding paragraph? Does each paragraph in the body of the story contribute to its conclusion? Use descriptive/precise words and clear pronoun references. Pronouns are used to avoid repeating a noun in a sentence or paragraph - for example instead of rewriting cars words such as vehicles or automobiles could be used. Avoid vague/unclear words such as great, good or nice - inserting words such as outstanding, phenomenal, premier or unique. Could good be replaced with delightful, wonderful or incredible? Could bad be replaced with horrible or awful - that is more descriptive, emotive words that create more of an image or feeling. Busy could be replaced with hectic, hurry with hustle, movement with flow, balance with juggle, or speed with pace.
Unity
Short story writers normally use five proofreading strategies One, take a break from your writing then read aloud what has been written. Two, read your work backwards - start with the last sentence then second last sentence etc. Three, cover all your writing except the sentence you are currently reading. - this ensures greater focus. Four, read your work not as a writer but as another person. Five, have your writing peer reviewed, possibly by a professional proofreader once you have written/rewritten first, second, third drafts in order to produce the best results. The Use of Grammar and Punctuation We all learnt grammar in primary and secondary school but how often do we consider its correct use?
Unity in a sentence or paragraph relates to a topic and its controlling idea. Make every sentence or paragraph count.
Grammar refers to a set of structural rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases and words. For example correct word usage - ‘effect’ vs ‘affect’, or ‘who’ vs ‘whom’.
Coherence
Do we understand when to use suffixes, colons, hyphens, semi colons, prefixes, commas, etc?
Good short story writers ensure that all ideas are organized and flow smoothly and logically. Writers may repeat key words such as fun-loving, danger or safety. They utilize transitional phrases such as by comparison or on the other hand.
Simple questions such as - do we place a full stop after a question mark, or when do we use quotation marks may cause confusion. A noun names a person, place or thing, such as ‘shirt’ or ‘girl’. A verb deals with actions such www.getpublished.com.au
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Good writers keep their intended audience continually in mind.
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as jumping, falling or climbing. An adjective further describes or modifies something such as a “green” car or a “clear” sky. An adverb modifies a verb or another adverb such as falling “quickly” or standing “still”. Modification could be quick --> quickly, When is it appropriate to use apostrophes, parenthesis, sentence end punctuation or exclamation marks? Compound sentences usually consist of two simple sentences that require a connector such as for, and, by, yet and so. Websites on grammar will educate people about comparison connectors, comparative and superlative forms, parallel paragraph structures, passive and active voices and the rules governing the capitalization of words. Websites I use include:www.grammarly.com www.dictionary.com www.betabuzz.com www.grammarbook.com www.myenglishteacher.au www.virtualwritingtutor.com www.thewritepractice.com
Vocabulary, Syntax and Assonance Good short story writers alter the thoughts that they transfer to the page in order to keep the reader interested. For example instead of writing to increase you can use the words soar like an eagle. Hidden becomes unseen and cold becomes frigid. We need to determine when it’s effective to use technical words such as confer, convene, bias, bulkhead, ratio, qualitative, predominant and automate? Syntax refers to the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences. It is further described as being a system of rules, principles and processes that govern sentence structure. A simple example is: The boy jumped. The girl sang. A more complex example is: The boy jumped even though he was distracted by the girl’s singing. Assonance refers to the resemblance of sound between syllables of nearby words, arising from the rhyming of two or more vowels but not consonants. For example: killed, cold, culled. Many short story and poetry writers use assonance, synonyms and antonyms to their advantage.
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Short Story Hook
Seven: Proofread the final draft.
What is the hook in your short story? A hook is usually a sentence that’s designed to engender interest or fascination and encourages people to read further.
Ten secrets to writing better short stories:
Hooks can be questions, quotes, descriptions or interesting pieces of information. Here are a few examples of hooks: - It was the worst day of my professional life. - It’s great to be a vegetarian. - The sun went down and I was staggered by the consequences of my actions. Eight Steps in the Writing Process One: Choose a topic. Is this short story to be included in an advertised competition? If so, be mindful of the entry criteria. Two: Brainstorming - that is jotting down ideas, organize them in chronological or order of importance, follow up research. Three: Construct a story outline: opening/concluding sentence, insert the hook, paragraph content, spatial order, double spacing, vocabulary, grammar etc. Four: First draft / revision - the story MUST have rhythm (flow). Five: Peer feed-back on your first draft. Six: Rewrite second, third, fourth drafts, including peer feed-back. 50
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One - write your first draft in one sitting. The first draft is a process of discovery. Do not be too concerned about plot or outline. Two - develop a protagonist/s and a crisis. If you don’t have a good one then the story won’t be worth reading. Three - create suspense and drama. Set up a dramatic question. Four - show but don’t tell, Show things that develop the story characters. Show the interesting portions of the story, then tell the rest, Five - write good dialogue. This stems from knowing your character well and lots of rewriting. Each character must have a unique voice. Six - often stories involve death/ people’s response to death - it’s a universal theme. Seven- edit like a pro. Most professional writers write at least three drafts. Eight - Know the rules, then break them. Don’t break them arbitrarily however. The rules serve your story. Nine - defeat writer’s block. Relax, refocus, write something else, redirect your energies. Ten - share your work. This will help you write the best story you can.
Common Mistakes In Short Story Writing It’s a short story - don’t change/develop a character too much as space is limited. Some writers don’t focus on sensory detail. Describing what the character sees but forgetting the other senses is a common mistake. Many don’t engage in research. Learn about food, clothing, history, customs of the era etc. Don’t be pretentious. No showy displays. Don’t fall into the trap of over-using words/ideas. Some writers don’t think through the implications of their story. Don’t develop tunnel vision. Does the plot have developmental issues? Is the story believable? Some writers don’t develop their protagonists in a realistic enough manner. Who in your story is forwarding the action? Making choices? Reacting to choices made? Write - then write some more - as practice is essential. Some use too many adverbs. These are often words that end in “Iy” such as wearily, briskly etc. It’s the difference between showing and telling.
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