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How to Plan a Fiction Novel

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How to Market Your Book Online

How to Use Social Networking to Jumpstart a Self-Publishing Career

How to Copyedit Your Own Novel

The Craft of Writing

Reading Fiction to Improve Writing Skills

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Reading Fiction to Improve Writing Skills

Writers are often encouraged by their teachers, professors, and other authors to read voraciously in order to improve upon their personal writing capabilities. However, a planned approach to your reading regimen is essential to maximizing the benefits of your work and research. Because we tend to put into our own writing what we have derived from the works of others, what we read is as significant as how much we read. As you make your selections, consider the following guidelines on properly reading fiction to improve writing skills.

• Start with the classics. Much of modern literature is influenced by pieces that have stood the test of time. In fact, reviewers often compare best-selling books to classic novels in order to illustrate their weight and quality. Begin building your foundation with works from authors who have touched not only their own generations, but many more throughout history.
  
• Begin perusing the New York Times Best Sellers List, along with other weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly best selling novels lists. This step is meant to guide you toward understanding what pieces resonate with today’s discerning readers.
  
• Differentiate between quality and popularity. This step is perhaps one of the most important learning experiences for new writers searching for literature that will enhance their own. Literature that sells well is a result of not only what is printed on its pages, but also of cover design, marketing, the author’s own promotional efforts, and the proper connections. As such, many excellent pieces go unnoticed by the mainstream but are esteemed by scholars and contest judges. Be sure to do a bit of research on a book’s history of awards and professional recognition, rather than relying on sales records alone.
  
• Set a reading schedule. When reading to improve writing skills, it may be a good idea to set weekly goals. Otherwise, your work may turn into leisure reading, which tends to take a back seat to other priorities.
  
• Analyze each piece. Compare the works of the authors you read to your own. Take note of how they develop characters and plots, what makes them different, and what techniques they use to cause an emotional reaction within their readers. While note-taking during reading sessions is not always necessary, you might wish to write down your overall analysis at the completion of each novel.
  
• Look for areas of improvement in everything you read. Keep in mind that novelists are human, and as such they can (and do) have errors and shortcomings in their works. This is true regardless of the prestige associated with an author, although you may have to look a bit harder for failures in more established authors’ works than in others. As you read, take a mental note of how you might have improved the novel and why. This step is essential to learning how to read critically, a skill that serious novelists must accomplish.
  

Keep in mind that the more you read, the more examples you’ll have to fall back on and compare/contrast your own methods with. You’ll learn what has failed in the past, and what has been received well. As your list of completed novels grows, so will your understanding of what truly represents excellent, thorough, and thought-provoking literature.

Checking Your Story for Cohesion

When creating fiction, developing a story that seems natural and believable, regardless of the topic or genre, is key to keeping the audience intrigued. A lack of continuity causes distraction for the reader, minimizing the chances that he/she will continue reading (or purchase new releases in the future). Beginning with the preliminary outline, authors must continuously revise their stories in order to strengthen them and interconnect all subplots with the mail goal. The following is a list of questions you may wish to ask yourself when checking your story for cohesion to ensure that each piece of the puzzle coincides with the next for the unbiased reader.

• Have you created a beginning, a middle, and an ending? While many writers feel that creating an ending before writing the bulk of the book limits the creative process, not having a goal in mind can greatly interfere with your attempts at developing reasonable cohesion. You may find greater success channeling your creativity into your outline first, and writing the story second.
  
• How do your main characters tie into the resolution throughout the story? All main characters must be slowly tying themselves into the resolution of your story throughout the beginning and middle chapters, as opposed to suddenly making convenient appearances in the end to finalize the book. Again, knowing your ending ahead of time will make it far easier to develop a plot that involves all characters from start to finish.
  
• How closely tied to the conflict are your characters? In other words, what makes your characters so important to your chosen outcome and plot? What makes them vital and inextricably attached?
  
• Are any character actions/reactions out of place? Checking scene by scene, ensure that all characters remain solid in their actions, according to the personalities you assign them at the beginning of the story. This does not mean, of course, that characters cannot change, grow, or exhibit another side of themselves. However, the reader must be made aware of why sudden and otherwise uncharacteristic behaviors make sense.
  
• Were any scenes forced into the story? In other words, did any scenes come unnaturally, forced into the story out of mere necessity? Readers can often spot a scene that was editing into a story only after the fact, and such editing rarely creates continuity. Instead, these scenes tend to serve as red flags that indicate an author’s less than thorough planning.
  

Of course, there are many more steps that can and should be taken to ensure strong cohesion within a fictional story. These questions do serve as an excellent place to start, however, and ideally will prod you on to further analysis and polishing.

Marketing and Promotion

• Using Social Networking to Begin Your Self-Publishing Career

• The Basics of a Viral Book Marketing Campaign

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Story Building Basics

• Creating Contrasts and Enhancements for Fiction Characters

• Connecting the Middle of Your Novel With the Ending

• Checking Your Story for Cohesion

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Self-Publishing Basics

• What Is Indie Lit?

• Why Self-Publish Your Novel?

• Should I Self-Publish or Pursue a Traditional Publisher?

• Understanding Your Responsibilities as an Independent, Self-Published Author

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Understanding the Basics of a Viral Email Book Marketing Campaign

For the self-published author, understanding the basics of a viral email book marketing campaign can lead to mass name recognition and greater sales. Unfortunately, most amateur email marketers are unfamiliar with what makes a viral email stand apart from a typical flat email. The following is a quick overview of what constitutes a viral email, and how it will work to help you reach your book sales goals:

• A viral email makes its way to new readers on its own. In other words, the readers who first receive your email will feel urged to forward it on to others who are not on your contact list.
  
• A viral email marketing campaign actually leads to sales. This is your opportunity to take advantage of the proven success rate of direct marketing. Emails advertising your book should contain links directly back to a sales page where purchases can be made quickly.
  
• Viral emailing requires follow-ups. The average consumer must view an advertisement several times before making a positive purchase decision. Brand recognition, therefore, must be achieved in some form through regular exposure. Keep in mind, of course, that repeated, unwanted exposure will have an adverse affect on your potential customer’s decision making process. Time email send-outs accordingly (bi-weekly at first is usually sufficient, followed by monthly reminders).
  
• Most viral email marketing campaigns are handled professionally. As a self-published author, creating credibility for yourself is absolutely essential. Consider investing in a professional email marking company that offers design templates, list management, and html codes for sign-up pages. Many services are available for less than $10 per month for small lists (under 500 subscribers).
  
• Overly promotional emails are never viral. Emails littered with sales pleas, demands, and extreme claims are often either intercepted by spam filters, reported as spam by the reader, or deleted upon receipt. The marketing emails of a professional self-published author should be tasteful and brief, mentioning the release of the novel, where it can be purchased, and perhaps a positive review or two. Avoid garish color schemes, over-sized fonts, and jarring designs.
  
• Viral marketing usually leads to increased subscriptions. In other words, readers who enjoy your type of work may wish to be updated when you are able to offer a new release. All readers should be able to easily find a sign-up link for your newsletters and announcements with each email.
  

Keep in mind that in order to make an email viral, it must appeal to a tightly targeted audience. What would make a reader wish to forward your announcement to a friend or family member? How can you be sure to reach your most promising audience? Create each campaign with these questions in mind, and you may substantially increase the success rate of your efforts.

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Using Social Networking to Begin Your Self-Publishing Career

As a self-published independent author, one of your sole priorities is making valuable business connections that will ensure a long and successful career. A great way to get started is to take advantage of online networks that connect professionals and enthusiasts within the same industry. Take a glance at the following tips and guidelines on using social networking to begin your self-publishing career.

• Know your goal. Above all, presenting yourself as a reliable and professional presence to fellow authors, editors, publishing professionals, retailers, and readers is your priority. Relationships made solely for financial gain on behalf of the self-publisher can rapidly backfire. Instead, use social networking to make yourself known and valuable to others.
  
• Make connections that matter. Rather than merely requesting the friendship of every literature enthusiast on the Web, consider choosing your acquaintances more carefully and giving each one a fair amount of your time and attention. Nurture the friendships you acquire.
  
• Make book promotion a secondary goal. Again, your first goal is becoming a recognized and reputable name, not selling. Overly promotional social networking pages are offensive, seem selfish to other users, are synonymous with spam, and in some cases are prohibited entirely due to site use regulations.
  
• Be willing to follow up. Your social networking connections do not have to remain solely online. Phone calls, letters, and personal interviews, if requested/permitted, are an excellent way to cement your new business relationships.
  
• Spread the word about your page with care. Again, making numerous “friend” requests for the sake of faster promotion may lead to more denials and spam accusations. Research and study other users for a moment before making their acquaintances formally. Be sure to include a note about why you feel the connection would be beneficial to you both, being careful not to seem pretentious.

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Understanding Your Responsibilities as a Self-Published, Independent Author

Creating a novel without the intention of pursuing traditional publishers places a unique burden upon the author. As a representative of a growing community of independent novelists, your actions reflect upon those also vying for respect and fair recognition in a new field. Below is a list of guidelines that may offer insight into better understanding your responsibilities as a self-published, independent author.

• First and foremost, dedicate yourself to the creation of excellent literature. Only when self-published literature meets the exacting standards of traditionally published literature regularly may independent novelists begin to reap equal benefits.
  
• Editing and critiquing. Most successful independent authors pay for editing services out of pocket, even if they have previous experience in the editing field. A second set of eyes is always worth the investment. Critiquing groups can be less formal as well as less costly, and are also highly recommended. Ideally, both a professional editor and a critique group would be utilized before publication.
  
• Cover art. Book covers sell novels, making excellent design absolutely essential. For many authors, this may mean investing in professional services, as well.
  
• Copyrighting. Registering your own work is highly recommended, and seeking written permission for references used (as well as giving credit to those references in print) is mandated by law.
  
• Establishing relationships with other professionals. Successful novelists tend to surround themselves with fellow writers, editors, publishing professionals, photographers, design professionals, educational resources, book retailers, and enthusiasts. Creating and maintaining these relationships not only improves a writer’s quality of work, but also opens the door for sales and promotion.
  
• Creating familiarity for readers. Self-published authors are charged with the responsibility of giving themselves credibility. This may mean creating an informational web page, offering a small personal bio on the back of each novel, and/or being open to interviews from the media.
  
• Providing regular work. One of the most common misconceptions about self-publication is that the lack of a traditional publisher equates to a lack of writing pressure. While a contract may not be in place, professional novelists understand that in order to maintain sales and a relationship with readers, new work must be produced in a timely fashion.
  
• Increasing the acceptance of self-published work. Again, being an independent author means representing other self-published writers. Because self-published novelists are still working toward gaining the respect and prestige of traditionally published authors, it is essential that a discerning readership is provided with excellent literary examples often from this sphere.
  
• Becoming competitive with traditionally published novels. The ultimate goal of self-publishing, as a movement, is to ensure that excellent literature is noticed. This means that self-published authors must hold themselves to the same standards as, or even higher standards than, their traditional counterparts in terms of talent, improvement, innovation, and sales.

Keeping in mind that self-publishing remains somewhat unchartered territory gives the independent author a better grasp of the importance of the aforementioned guidelines. Establishing a firm presence amongst traditionally published pieces requires a sense of pride, personal dedication to the craft, and a thorough understanding of the responsibilities involved.

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Should I Self-Publish or Pursue a Traditional Publisher?

Although self-publication does offer more control to the author, it also demands that the writer acquire a knack for design, marketing, sales, and editing. Difficulties gaining immediate recognition and respect also present themselves to independent authors.

That being said, thousands of talented writers choose to self-publish their books today without ever approaching traditional publishing houses. Many already have backgrounds in publishing and/or editing, or are willing to devote themselves to learning more about self-promotion. Authors undecided about whether to approach traditional book publishers or to manage their own publications may benefit from asking themselves the following:

• How soon must sales be made? If your writing career is to fund your livelihood, waiting for traditional publishing may be difficult. Self-publishing provides the author with the opportunity to promote and make sales immediately upon completion of the novel (ideally, that is).
  
• How much control do you wish to retain? Authors who feel that being able to design their own book covers, being able to represent themselves to the media and book stores, and being in complete control over sales and marketing would benefit their particular situation may be desirable candidates for self-publishing. Of course, authors without experience in these areas would benefit more from traditional publishing undertaken by seasoned professionals in the industry.
  
• How important is immediate recognition to you? For many novelists, simply being able to claim the title of “published author”is very important. Being self-published means giving up the traditional meaning of that title as it applies to your own work.
  
• Have you been published by a traditional house before? Writers with connections in the publishing industry already may benefit more from utilizing those connections with each publication. However, authors may still be able to use former connections when self-publishing, depending upon the unique circumstances involved.
  
• Do you have experience in literary critiquing, editing, and/or design on a professional level? If not, are you willing and able to learn? Self-publishing requires more than writing expertise. The willingness to devote oneself to promotion and design is key. Investing in at least one professional’s services, such as an editor or photographer, is usually necessary as well.
  
• Do you have the financial resources available to promote your own work? Fortunately, POD publishing (or publishing-on-demand) provides writers with the opportunity to only order their books when purchases are made. No out-of-pocket investment is necessary. However, services for professional editors, marketing expenses, shipping costs, etc, do need to be addressed. A plan for excellent editing and design as well as distribution must be in place for self-published authors.

Self-publication is a serious commitment on behalf of the author. Questions of one’s personal abilities to fund and carry out such a project efficiently should be given attention before a time and/or monetary investment is made.

Creating Contrasts and Enhancements for Fiction Characters

The depth of a fiction character lies not in a description laid out for him/her in the story by the author, but in the scenes and decisions that define his/her role. What the character approves of, rejects, bristles to, warms to….this is how we learn who he/she truly is. Creating contrasts and enhancements in the story is an essential part of character building that shows the reader more about a specific figure. To do that, authors must fully grasp the nuances and technicalities involved. The following is a brief listing of tips on how to create contrasts and enhancements for fiction characters effectively.

· Use Other Characters. The traits of other strong characters in your work should be developed in such a way that they contrast with or enhance that of your antagonist and protagonist. Each character can provide a trait that defines him/her, separates him/her from the group, and helps to define the others characters in the story.

· Tie Repressed Feelings Into Current Reactions. What readers know about a character’s history can help them develop a better understanding of what they are capable of. Using a character’s past to justify current actions and choices, without directly referencing it, gives the character the ability to “feel” more deeply in the reader’s eyes (making him/her more realistic). Introduce the reader to a character’s past briefly if doing so will lay the groundwork for later plot developments.

· Utilize Situations That Can Create Growth. In other words, allow your characters to grow emotionally, mentally, and spiritually throughout the book when possible. The groundwork is laid for a contrast here not by contradicting the character’s original depiction, but merely adding to it.

· Display Character Enhancements With Ordinary Actions. A fiction character prone to anxiety might sip his coffee too quickly, or a character who tends to be argumentative may gain attention merely through his/her demeanor and gait. Each movement can display a personality trait even more powerfully than a character’s words.

· Intrigue the Reader With Hints (in limited scenes). A character who is severely shy except when singing into a microphone, for example, gives the reader a hint of bolder actions that may be on the horizon. If your character is to grow and evolve for the reader, give him/her a chance to foreshadow the coming events.

Scenes, actions, and characters that enhance or contrast with one another offer vibrancy to an otherwise flat story. Consider creating character enhancements and contrasts for your story during the outlining and pre-writing phases of novel development.

Connecting the Middle of Your Novel With the Ending

Fiction novelists love to work on impulse, allowing one moment to guide them to the next in their work. Unfortunately, such a wonderfully creative method can lead to difficulty when it comes time to creating a series of resolutions in a novel. If you, like many writers, find yourself at the end of your rope when the time comes to draft those final chapters, consider the following tips on how to connect the middle of your fiction novel with the ending.

· List all "loose ends" in the piece. Take a break from your writing for a moment and go back through your manuscript, listing all details that still remain open for the reader. Create a list of what must be addressed in the final chapters of your novel for the sake of cohesion.Create a new outline only for your novel's ending. When an author sits down to create a preliminary outline for a novel, rarely does he/she fully grasp where the story will take them. As such, the original outline may no longer work for the current manuscript. Once all loose ends have been listed, create a new outline defining where you believe the story is now designed to go. Worry about how to get there only after completing the following steps.

· Determine two possible outcomes for your novel. Connecting the middle of your fiction novel with the ending successfully means keeping the reader engaged until the final page. At no point should readers be able to completely predict the outcome, lest they should put the book down permanently with no reason to continue any further. For that reason, at least two possible endings should be apparent in the final chapters of the middle section of your novel. Ideally, one outcome would be positive and the other negative. Consider adding a new scene or obstacle that will keep the reader guessing, and intrigued, before beginning work on the novel's ending.

· Create a moment where all hope is lost. Whether the hero's love interest seems to have fallen for his enemy or the necessary funds for the critical surgery are stolen at the last second, there must come a point when the reader believes the story is turning toward the negative possible outcome. As such, the reader is prodded to continue reading for further investigation and closure. (On the other hand, if you intend for your story to have a negative ending, consider creating a false sense of security for the reader very briefly.)

· Bring up the past. Chances are, there is at least one factor from your novel's earlier pages that can help bring closure to the story on its own.

· Leave room in the middle of your fiction novel for the "unexpected but understandable." All too often, fiction novelists find themselves desperately reaching out for an ending to their stories by grasping at unattainable scenes and additions. In other words, they do not develop their stories well and therefore must create endings that do little to provide the novel with continuity. Even if it means adding an extra chapter or two to your novel's middle section, leave enough room in the story for a few surprises that can aid in the development of a reasonable ending.


· Keep at least one aspect of the story completely uncontrollable by the protagonist. Creating suspense in a fiction novel means keeping some of the power out of the main character's hands. When connecting the middle of the novel to its' ending, you'll also have the power to determine how that uncontrollable factor turns out and how it can bring the story together in a believable manner.

Remember, creating continuity between those crucial middle and ending chapters of your fiction novel is absolutely essential to providing the reader with a sense of closure at the end of the story. Leave enough room for that creative spark to continue, and you will find your work coming together smoothly and consistently.

Why Self-Publish Your Novel?

Self-publishing, once referred to as “vanity” publishing, is no longer a last resort for professional and/or upcoming writers. Today, self-publishing is an approach used by authors who wish to retain complete control over their marketing and sales, the cover design of their novels, how they are represented to bookstores and the media, and what content will be included in their final manuscripts.

Unpublished authors often take advantage of self-publishing to gain recognition and prove their marketability, as well as to earn an initial readership for future publications. Having already sold a novel well independently can help authors gain attention from traditional publishers if that is their ultimate goal.

Authors who have previously used traditional publishers and later switch to self-publishing often do so to acquire more control over their work, and more reliability in terms of acceptance and publication.

Of course, self-publishing is not suitable for every writer. Those who may benefit the greatest from independent publishing may include:


· Authors wishing to break into a tight niche market


· New authors hoping to gain recognition from traditional publishers


· Writers with background knowledge in sales, marketing, design, and/or desktop publishing


· Full-time writers with the desire to promote their own work


While rejection from traditional publishers may be used as a prompt to look into self-publishing, gaining positive recognition from at least one major traditional book publisher, agent, contest, or magazine for your work is recommended before venturing into the independent arena. Professional acknowledgment is key to creating quality work, regardless of the publication method used.

What Is Indie Lit?

The word “indie” is merely an abbreviation of the term “independent.” Independent authors today choose to sidestep the traditional publishing world and venture out on their own through self-publication.

The "underground" movement of indie lit was formed in general to promote authentic, rare publications that are less susceptible to editing geared only toward widening a market reach. In other words, many independent writers feel that traditional publishing can at times, out of financial necessity, harvest less talented but more marketable authors' works as opposed to less marketable but better quality literature. While that feeling is not shared by all who choose to publish books independently, it has been a strong force in the creation of the movement today.

Independent literature is, of course, susceptible to the drawbacks of limited professional editing and feedback. For that purpose, this blog was formed to help both new and veteran writers in the independent publishing world polish their works, gain valuable insights on how to improve their techniques, and find support for their efforts. A large and growing phenomenon, indie literature is gaining prestige and marketability amongst traditionally published competitors today, due in part to groups of authors coming together to enhance one another’s work.

As the independent literature movement has gained momentum, it has begun to receive more substantial recognition from major publications, magazines, agents, and reading audiences than ever before. In the near future, indie lit is expected by many to rival traditionally published books in not only quality, but also in marketability and sales.