Showing posts with label Groupon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Groupon. Show all posts
Find Your Writing Passion
Have you discovered your passion yet? Check out my new Groupon post and use summer inspiration to plant the seeds for a future novel.
Word Nerd Knight is Amazon Bestseller!!!
Back in 2009, Dan told me that we need a literary sensation. Well, we have one, and the personification of it is right there on Amazon. This moment, in case you hadn't realised, is historic. We are living through quotable times. People who realise there was more to William Morris than chintzy wallpaper are looking on with interest. There's a movement. Those people involved are not all alike in style, but they are alike in purpose. This is a revolution. No doubt about it. You're living through it. Cool, huh? I wrote more about it on Groupon's blog.
Buy Dan's book. It's not going to be cosy reading - that's not Dan's style - so if you scare easily, buy it for a friend, but buy it. You're part of history. Remember when we did this? Remember when we did this? We can do this. We can get Dan to number one. I'm probably going to see Dan next week. Give me something great to tell him. Share this post. Tell people on Twitter and Facebook. Tell people on Goodreads. If you want to say you were part of this - when it's all over the news and the telly - then you have to get off your arse, cough up 70p, send out some tweets and BE part of it. Are you with me, Word Nerds?
5 Steps to Becoming a Novelist
So, you want to be an author? I gave you five steps to writing a novel a couple of weeks back. Now, here are five steps to getting it published.
Find agents and publishers
The standard approach is to submit your manuscript to an agent you find in the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook, but agents and publishers are people too. These days, you can ‘meet’ them first, online, if you know where they hang out. Find the names of the people you’d like to meet, in the book mentioned above, and look up their blogs. Do not ask questions. Watch for a while. You need to understand what they are looking for and how they think.
Meet agents and publishers
After you have a clear idea of the people you would like to work with, as the relationship you have with your agent and publisher will be a professional one, begin to talk to them. DO NOT PITCH THEM. Comment on their blog posts. Follow them on Twitter, and add to the discussion when it is appropriate and helpful to do so.
Follow influential lists on Twitter, to get a feel for the kinds of conversations that are happening between writers and the publishing industry. One of the most influential writing lists happens to be one of mine – read the rest of the article here (Groupon's blog) but don't forget to come back and comment!
WOW! 200 Downloads in 2 Hours!!!
TIME'S UP! Putting the book to bed after its exciting day. It needs its strength for its big début on Wednesday. Well done if you grabbed the first three chapters for free.
UPDATE: Rather than write another blog post, I'm hijacking this one. I'll leave the chapters up until 11pm, since I'm an hour late. Sorry chaps. Had to sort out international copyright stuff so that I could do this. Took a bit longer than I thought, so ... as a reward for your patience ... you get THREE WHOLE CHAPTERS! I've bundled chapters 1-3 together,
Yesterday evening, I put up the first chapter of my book for two hours. More than 200 people downloaded it! You can see some of their comments if you look at the last post. Here are some from Twitter:
I need more...1 chapter isn't enough!!! - play4smee
Just read the chapter, so capturing! I need to know more :) can't wait to get the book now to read the rest. - RhiRhiB
I'm hooked after reading Chapter 1 and I'm looking forward to reading the whole book. - BookishMagpie
I love it !!! cant wait for it to become available to buy... - Susielwcp
I loved it! ... I'm definitely interested in reading on to see what happens next! - reader1107
It's wonderful -- can't wait to read the rest! - melissamaday
Many more missed the opportunity to grab it, and they've begged me to put it up again, so I am.
Today, my latest Word Nerd Monday post comes out on Groupon, and my Writing Magazine column goes out to subscribers. To celebrate, I'm giving away two things.
The first chapter will be up for the rest of today. It's just before 1pm GMT now. I'll leave it up until tonight. At around 8pm GMT I will put up Chapter 2. At 10pm, they're both coming down. Ready?
Chapter 1: The password is ... wordnerdarmy
Look forward to reading your comments.
Oodles of love,
5 Steps to Writing a Novel
Some time ago, I made this little video. It has been shared by many people, on Twitter and elsewhere, and caused much hilarity. It is not, however, the most optimistic perspective if you are just starting out on your journey as a writer.
To balance it up a little, I've written '5 Steps to Writing a Novel' for Groupon's blog. Have a look at both (don't forget to 'like' it on Groupon's blog. Love to see those numbers go up), then come back here, and post your thoughts below.
Once you have your book, of course, you need to market it. For that, you must put together a book marketing funnel. Pick up this month's Writing Magazine (April Issue) while it's still available. The new one comes in on 6th April, so scurry out and grab this one as soon as you can. I've written a step-by-step guide to marketing your book for you. Laminate it.
Don't forget ... my Book Launch Week is 31st March until 6th April! UPDATE: IT'S OUT! CLICK HERE.
Best wishes,
Facebook: Friend Or Foe?
Hi Chaps!
I'm putting the finishing touches to my column for Writing Magazine for next month. I thought I'd make this one more about 'how to' rather than case studies, but it looks a bit forlorn without quotes, so - if you're very quick - here's your chance to get into print. THIS GOES IN TODAY - MONDAY. If you find this post later, you're too late. I'm particularly interested to find out:
- How do you use Facebook, in an author capacity?
- Do you split your friends and family Facebook from your writerly experience, or mush the lot together?
- What does Facebook do brilliantly, that you can't find on another network?
- Have you noticed an increase in sales since using Facebook?
- What strategies work best for you?
- Which author makes the best use of Facebook? (Give their Facebook URL)
- What annoys the heck out of you about Facebook?
Spread the word, and get this post buzzing. I'm linking back here from the article anyhow, so you'll be seen whether you make it into print this time or not.
Don't forget (part 1), it's Word Nerd Monday. My post goes up on Groupon this afternoon (so some of those who responded to my last post will be published on Grouopon today!)
Dont forget (part 2), I just put up a follow gadget at the bottom of the page on the right. Click the button and feel virtuous.
Don't forget (part 3), I made a little ebook for you. If you subscribe in the sign-up box in the sidebar - or the bar across the top - you'll get it. Free.
Oodles of hugs,
Are you Mental for Moleskines?
For the uninitiated, a Moleskine is not made from the skin of a mole. It is, simply, a delicious notebook with a splendid history.
Of course, there are many other beautiful notebooks. I'm curious to know which one you use, or lust after.
- Have you ever had a really special notebook, or known someone who did? What was it like, and why did you love it?
- Is there a notebook after which you yearn? Describe it.
- Are you quite happy with a scrap of old paper, or do you think that a special notebook helps you to write?
Your comment may even end up published on Groupon's blog!
Furnish my blog with your wisdom,
Best wishes,
Do You Have "Pens Envy"?
Tee hee. Sorry, couldn't resist that title.
This week, I'm writing about fountain pens. Writers get very excited about fountain pens. Once, a discussion we were having about them on Twitter became so animated that one of my tweets ended up in a national newspaper!
*Whispered aside*: A few canny writers have cottoned onto the fact that furnishing me with info when I ask questions quite often leads to free publicity. If you are one of them, I advise you to comment here. If you're lucky, you could end up featured on Groupon (the fastest growing web company in history) next Monday. I feature best selling authors, aspiring novelists, students, etc. If you write, and you say something quotable, you're in with a chance.
So, where do you stand on the fountain pen issue? Do you bubble over at the idea of a Mont Blanc, or are you quite happy with a Bic? Are you so far past pens that you can't read handwriting any more? Tell me all. If you love pens, I'm particularly curious to learn:
- What's your earliest memory of fountain pens? Did you use them at school, or did you ever make a quill? Was there a particular brand you used?
- Is there a fountain pen you've owned that is/was particularly special to you?
- What kind of pen brings on 'pens envy' for you? If you could have any pen/collection of pens, what would you choose?
Very best wishes,
Word Nerd Mondays - Inspiration for Writers
Groupon asked me to write a Word Nerd Monday series for writers. What fun!
The first one went out last week. It was about Writing Retreats for Word Nerds. Today, the next in the series went up: Watering Holes for Word Nerds.
Where do you write? If your passion is reading, rather than writing, is there a special place that you read? Would you consider taking a reading holiday? The more I think about it, the more I think it might be quite delicious to disappear from the world with nothing but a suitcase full of books. What do you think? Let me know in the comments section. Please share my new blog with your friends too.
Very best wishes,
