Click on the image below:
I hope you enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed writing it.
It's about a young girl's quest to find the murderer of her favorite magazine editor, Leo Forrester. Willow Barke is fifteen. She was orphaned shortly after her birth and doesn't know the identity of her parents - a scenario she isn't particularly happy about.
On her quest for justice, she engages the help of a thirteen year old psychic boy and a ghost called Rick. The three of them set out to track a psychopathic murderer who seems to be able to kill people - without actually being anywhere near them! Yikes!
Join Willow, Harley, Rick and a host of other fabulous characters on the super-thrilling adventure of a lifetime!
And prepare yourself for the stunning twist at the end!
Go here to get your FREE copy of PSI-Kids: Willow.
Rob@easywaytowrite.com
THIS WEEK'S ARTICLE:
Who Are You Writing For?
Rob Parnell
I remember reading once that Irvine Welsh didn't initially write Trainspotting for public consumption. He wrote it for himself.
For a book that was so critically acclaimed and then went on to become an iconic movie, I found this a little hard to swallow - at first.
Now I think I understand what he meant.
It's hard to imagine why anyone would write a novel or a even collection of short stories unless the idea was for people to read them. But is one eye on the public detrimental to the integrity of your writing?
Certainly much of Trainspotting is confronting - and perhaps Irvine thought that nobody would want to read it - much less publish it. But I think what happened was that, without the psychological pressure of thinking about the reader, Welsh could let everything out - the truth in other words - about drug taking, modern Scottish morality and his fairly ambivalent - but perceptive - views on our society.
Indeed, when the book was published, it was Irvine's brutal honesty that impressed most critics - even though some thought it no more than salacious and exploitative, not to mention dangerous to young minds!
The point is, when writing fiction, should you write for the reader first - or for yourself?
Publishers claim that around 99% of the manuscripts they receive are unpublishable, for a variety of reasons.
Most are badly written - that's the biggest complaint. Wannabe authors tend to think that their first draft shines with genius - even though they often haven't bothered to edit it properly, do a series of re-writes or even get some informed feedback before firing it out as a submission.
That's fine - at least it makes the publisher's job easier. They reject these manuscripts quickly or, more often nowadays, simply bin them.
Of the 5% left, publishers often say they can rarely find one in a hundred that actually 'fits' into their list - that is, it doesn't coincide with their current marketing strategy, or, you're not famous enough for them to want to take the risk on a new novel.
Of the tiny minority left that the publishers actually do take on, there's still a good chance the books won't be successful enough to pay for their initial print runs.
Publishing is clearly a game of chance at the best of times!
Which is why the Internet is such a fabulous new medium for the author to exploit. Why?
1. You can write for yourself.
2. You can publish yourself.
3. You can reap the rewards without paying a publisher a cent.
Okay, so you may not sell a truckload of your books - but you might, if you catch the mood of the public in the right way.
But what you can do is build a following.
Douglas Clegg - around a decade ago - was a struggling author who had a blog before anyone knew what they were. He had a mailing list that he emailed his day's writing to - and basically just kept in touch with his fan base, as it was.
He wrote horror stories, long and short, submitted to publishers constantly but more importantly, he kept in touch with his readers.
Now, he's considered an A list author - which means you can buy his paperbacks in Target...
Never underestimate what the Net can do for you as a writer.
It may not be a get rich and famous quick answer - but there again, neither is anything else I can think of!
being a career writer is about being consistent and committed to the desired outcome - that is, to have readers eager to read your next book.
Even Hollywood knows now that the stars who use Twitter and Facebook are the ones that can command larger audiences to their films - and encourage young stars to get online - be human - and share their lives with the public (up to a point!)
I think authors should do the same - if only because people like to know you're a real person and that you care about your audience.
Plus, when you know what your readers want, you're more likely to be able to write what you want, without having to worry unnecessarily over what traditional publishers think readers want!
Write for yourself first. Don't do it for fame and fortune.
Do it because you love it - and want to share it with the world.
Keep writing!
rob@easywaytowrite.com
Your Success is My Concern
Rob Parnell's Easy Way to Write
THIS WEEK'S WRITER'S QUOTE:
|
Previous Newsletter includes:
Article: "Give Away Your Fiction"
Writer's Quote by Lord Goodman
No comments:
Post a Comment