We all love writing a synopsis, don’t we? No? You’re right. We all hate writing a synopsis. But there’s something even worse: the blurb. The blurb is the stuff on the back of the book which outlines the story in about ten lines. The blurb is, along with the cover, what makes people buy or … Read more …
Do you enjoy plotting? I don’t. Well, let me qualify that – I enjoy it at the beginning of the process when the germ of an idea that captivated me at the breakfast table progresses to a rough (and I mean rough) idea of where the novel is likely to go. At that point I … Read more …
When I started publishing my books I chose the Lulu option. Now, I’ve decided to abandon Lulu and port all my titles across to CreateSpace. Here’s why: I can choose a standard format (Lulu only allow 6×9) I can have a cream interior which looks much more professional The CS interface is very easy and … Read more …
I never get distracted . . . Oh yeah? So you reckon you can work at home, huh? Sure, you say. I can switch off the phone, lock the door, unplug the Internet . . . Then the postman knocks. And the dog barks. And your neighbour pops in for a chat or wants you … Read more …
Quick Edit of .mobi file – Tech Tip #1 So, you have your new .mobi file ready to roll, lovingly converted from your MS Word manuscript by some kindly soul you met at Costa while having a de-stress session from writing (see earlier post). Or maybe they’ve charged you a small fee. Or a large … Read more …
Sales Sales Sales Well, Autumn’s well and truly here; the local woods are a painter’s palette of fabulous colours and there’s even a thick ‘pea-souper’ mist this evening. What’s more, it’s just over a year since ‘The Trespass’ sold almost 6000 copies in one month (October 2011). So, what’s been happening since then? Firstly, I’m … Read more …
How much ‘you’ projects into your writing? It’s an interesting question. Can an author successfully excise his or her views and attitudes to the extent that their characters are able to live and act entirely independently of the author’s own mores and general life-governing principles? I think the answer is ‘yes and no’. Yes, in … Read more …
George Orwell‘s quote: Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout with some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand. . . . has never rung so true. I am almost at the … Read more …
Murder – what’s to like? What is it with us and murder? Ever since Cain killed Abel the human race has been fascinated by homicide. Is it because taking another life is the ultimate sin? Or does this fascination come from something more primal? To deliberately send another human being into the unknown, into the … Read more …
Good question, huh? The answer, of course, is the same as for the old adage (can a question be an adage? Ed.): ‘How long is a piece of string?’ In other words, it depends who’s buying. I, for instance, would buy thrillers, crime novels, anything about the Great War, anything set in Roman Britain or … Read more …