Category: Writing Tips

How to write and publish a book often seems like an overwhelming task, particularly if you’ve never written a book before. Or maybe you’re just finishing your first novel and have no idea how to publish the book on Amazon or what options to take.  

This feeling is similar to walking down a railroad track. You can see a little ways ahead, but you don’t necessarily know what’s around the next corner. 

Some writers plot more than I do, but whether you make charts ahead of time and organize your book, or simply start writing and clean it up later, there are the main essentials every writer needs to know in order for readers to connect with a book. 

Click here to get the 3 things you need to know before starting Page 1. 

One of my friends had a great way of viewing the gigantic, ever-scary task of sitting down to write 300+ pages.

Draft #1: It’s like walking through a tall corn maze. The large, leafy plants are several feet higher than your head. You don’t know where to turn or how to even get to the end of the maze.

Draft #2: It’s like sitting on a big rock. You can see some things with much more clarity, but you still can’t see everything yet.

Draft #3: It’s like being in a tall tree, getting a bird’s eye view. This is where you can gain the most perspective, but you have to push through the procrastination and difficulty to get to that final point.

More info on time management, productivity apps, and more coming soon! 

Meanwhile, send me the 3 things every writer needs to know.

If anyone gets the chance, tune to this link tonight at 6 pm EST. I’ll be chatting books with Evan Townsend on his podcast, The Speculative Fiction Cantina. There will be a replay link I will post if folks can’t make it.

Happy Friday! 

A book’s setting is key. You wouldn’t want to read GONE WITH THE WIND set in Detroit or Sweden, would you? It would be a totally different story.

For paranormal and ghost tales, one great setting is Savannah, Georgia. The lush green squares, port city history, tales of shanghaiing all create myth and legend while draped under a canopy of Spanish moss :)

I did a post for Shelf Pleasure on this very topic. Read it now. 

Morning & happy weekend, all!

Later today, I’ll be signing books at a local library Indie Book Signing event. And that brings us to the topic of book signings. Fortunately, I’ve done a few of these in the past, at both small and large conferences, so it helps to know what to expect.

Elaine’s takeaway tips for book signings:

1. Always have plenty of swag. What is swag? Anything from buttons to postcards to business cards to *anything* cool about your books. Readers can buy your book but give them tidbits of the next books you have coming out, too. I like postcards. I use GotPrint.com to order them. Many people like VistaPrint and other services too. The cover and my name on one side, the blurb & my website on the other side. I don’t mail them, but they are great promos and are also good to “sign” when you’re at an e-book event.
2. Bring chocolate. Writers love chocolate as a general rule, and so do readers! It’s a conversation breaker, it helps people approach you as a writer and start up a conversation.
3. Dress professionally. This kind of goes without saying. It doesn’t mean you need to wear a ball gown, but don’t show up in sweats & torn t-shirts.
4. Bring a gift raffle. I learned this valuable tip from fellow author Amylynn Bright, who sat next to me at an Indie book signing once. Aside from being a really fun person in general, she kept getting all these people at her table! Everyone wanted to sign up for her newsletter and enter her raffle for a prize. She writes historical romance and had a lovely piece of jewelry for a prize. Try to find something that relates to your book to offer as a giveaway.
5. Bring a sign up sheet for names/emails. This is an ideal time to get readers to connect with you. Have them sign up for your newsletter in order to enter your raffle. Voila! Instant newsletter subscriptions.
6. Be relaxed, be approachable. Authors are introverts by nature and it can be difficult to be “out” in public doing the meet and greet. Relax, be generous with your time and information. Readers will appreciate it.
7. Schedule something fun and relaxing afterwards. You may be tired after the signing is over, allow yourself to rest and not immediately go to the next big event of the day.

Any other tips fellow authors want to share?

Hi there,

I will be busy the next week or so, and may not blog much. I’m prepping for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) which takes place in November. It’s a challenge for people to write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days. Not an easy task, but it is doable with one bite at a time.

Find out more about this challenge here. I typically do my own version of the task, and it’s inspiring to know that there are thousands of other writers are out there trying to accomplish a writing task too.

I’m busy writing the 2nd book of the Southern Ghosts Series, and I hope to release it early 2015.