Posted on 03 April 2010.
Want to increase your chances of writing a bestselling book right from the get-go? Here are some tips used by the top 5% of authors.
Many successful writers do considerable research before they even get started writing their books. Much of this relies on having a basic understanding of marketing. Read the full story
Posted in 2. Find Your Market, 3. Write Books Easily, 4. Get Published, 5. Sell Loads of Books, PrinciplesComments (0)
Posted on 30 March 2010.
So you want to write a book? But perhaps you’re daunted by the odds? Believe it or not, there is a way to stack the odds in your favour – though less than 5 per cent of writers seem to know about it. If you want to give yourself a fighting chance, then it’s worth spending the time doing some research before you even write a word of your book. Read the full story
Posted in 3. Write Books Easily, 4. Get Published, Authors, PrinciplesComments (0)
Posted on 24 December 2009.
Most writers feel overwhelmed at one point or another. In fact, staying focused can be one of the biggest daily challenges. There are always 101 other things that need doing – domestic, social and professional.
This can prevent you from getting your book written and published as quickly as you’d like… and leads to that feeling of there never being enough hours in the day.
Here are some steps you can take to put yourself back on track: Read the full story
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Posted on 10 December 2009.
Authors and scriptwriters are often worried that someone might steal their book or film idea. They become nervous once they start sending out their manuscript to agents or producers.
I usually offer a number of reassurances to writers who ask me about this. Here are some of the points to consider:
1. Date-stamped mail
A simple and legal way to safeguard your copyright is to send a copy of your manuscript to yourself via registered mail ensuring that the package is date stamped. You can then leave the envelope sealed – something that is valid in a court of law.
2. Register your work
There are a number of companies that offer to ‘hold’ your manuscript for you or register your idea for a small fee. In my opinion, this is unnecessary. However, if this sets your mind at rest, this is an option to consider.
3. Ideas & concepts
Be aware that there is no copyright for an ‘idea’ or a ‘concept’. This is because there are very few original book or film ideas. Most ideas are workings or reworkings of archetypal or classic plot lines.
4. What is unique?
What makes a plot unique is the writer who writes it. Consider ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and then ‘West Side Story’. Same plot, different writer. You could say that Stephen Sondheim stole the idea from Shakespeare. Yet the new story set in 1950s New York is a masterpiece in its own right.
5. Professional reputation
Agents and producers work hard to build up their reputation for excellence and professionalism. They wouldn’t last five minutes if they started stealing clients’ ideas. In this Internet age, where millions of people are connected via blogs, ezine and social media, word would soon get about. You can quickly and easily check out the credentials of most book and film professionals simply by using Google.
5. Your passion
Every writer has their own passion. I might love the pitch for a thriller set on a desert island. But the fact is, I could never write it even if I researched it. Passion is the hidden ingredient that gives writing its energy, vibrancy and appeal. Without it, writing is lifeless and dull. Remember that no-one else will ever be able to write like you.
Posted in 4. Get Published, PrinciplesComments (0)
Posted on 04 December 2009.
Authors often want to include quotations in their books from their favourite songs or authors. They unknowingly stumble in to a thorny problem – that of Copyright.
To give you a basic understanding of Copyright in a nutshell, here is the main guideline:
Copyright in a work lasts for 70 years after the death of the creator. Unless a work is stated to be copyright-free, or out of copyright by virtue of its age, it is illegal to disseminate it, even if no financial gain takes place.
A similar rule – but for 50 years – applies to audio and video recordings.
Now, there are various ways around this:
1. Find works that are copyright-free – or where the author has been dead for 70 years – and only use quotes from these;
2. Contact people direct and ask them for an original quote for your book (good free publicity for them – you
can entice them by offering a link to their website);
3. Contact the permissions department for book or music publishers and ask permission to use a quote.
However, this is MUCH easier if the book is by a self-published author – as they will have total control.
Mainstream publishers, on the other hand, can take months to get back to you. They may restrict the publishing territories in which you can use the quote. (They may restrict the use to America only for example and only in ebook form). They may also try to charge you a small fortune for the privilege. You therefore need to weigh this up before opting for this route.
Posted in PrinciplesComments (0)
Posted on 23 November 2009.
Your writing space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the ultimate writer. Your continuing mission to explore strange new words, to seek out new characters and new plot lines, to boldly go where no writer has gone before!
Yes, you know where I’m talking about-that final frontier you have avoided all day. Your story, or that great idea you have for a book. When was the last time you went there? How many weeks ago? Do you even know how to get there? As the “Starship” commander of your own writing destiny, it is your mission to save the lives of those characters, inform those greatly in need of your expertise, and get your great ideas onto paper. Those great story lines and expert opinions you have running around in your head are trapped on the planet “In-Your-Head” until you put that writing “ship” in gear. And that planet is light-years away from would-be agents, editors, and readers.
So, how do we get that ship started? I once read a quote from Tim LaHaye, the famed co-writer of the Left Behind series, that said, “The only way to write a book is with seat in chair.” Even Captain Kirk had a chair! So where’s your chair?
1. The Chair - It begins with a chair. Where is that chair found? You need to establish where your writing space is located. It should be a room of limited distractions. Beware of rooms with TV’s, video games, or other mind-numbing devices (Klingons). Rooms with doors that close are helpful if life partners, housemates, or mini reproduced humans exist. Finding that chair in a coffee shop establishment is fine provided you are not easily bothered by crowd noises or shelves of books or magazines.
Now that you have found your assigned seat on the deck of your writing “Enterprise,” look around you. Captain Kirk’s bridge was specifically designed for the overall mission. Each piece of equipment, every screen, every surface had a purpose and function. As the captain sat in his chair, you could see his deck encompassed everything the Enterprise was destined to be.
2. The Bridge – This is your environment. What surrounds you? What is within reach of your hand? Just as the Enterprise was set up to meet every need of the captain, is your writing “Enterprise” set up to meet your every need? Is your desk or table surface cluttered? Captain Kirk never had to push aside bills, stacks of papers, stray pens, or pencils to complete his mission. What do you have to push aside to complete yours? Have in reach everything you need and nothing you don’t.
(Side note: Use your control panels for their intended purpose only! Distant galaxies were not discovered via web surfing expeditions.)
And now it’s time to begin your journey. Now that you are seated in your chair distraction free, it’s time to engage the engines. The good news, your writing “enterprise” is actually much easier to activate than you think!
3. The Button – It really is that simple as pushing a button, just as the Enterprise was started with a single button and a joystick, so does your writing expedition. Open your current file or favorite word processing program, place fingers on key board and begin typing. Honest. Captain Kirk didn’t have to think about where he was going-it was already programmed into the systems, just as your next point, or that fabulous plot line is already in your head. It might take a few minutes to get your mind and keys on the same page, but don’t pause. Just begin and see where those words take you.
(Side note: turn off the “spell check” on your word processing program and write without fear of errors. Write first-edit later!)
And finally, as you begin your journey as the captain of your own writing “enterprise,” the leader of the ultimate writing “expedition,” as you travel into the unknown worlds of your amazing writing talents, make sure you surround yourself with the best from the Academy!
4. The Crew – Captain Kirk did not man the ship alone. Mr. Spock, Bones, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov were all high ranking lieutenants, chosen specifically to assist Captain Kirk. Who have you chosen to assist you? Get involved in writing groups, hang out with other writers, and seek those out who will encourage you and your talent. Beware of those wearing the same “uniform” but who have no purpose on your ship. Is there someone aboard who is sucking the life out of you? If they are not encouraging your talents, it’s time to beam them off into space! Choose your crew wisely and keep them close when needed.
Your writing space, your final frontier, this is your voyage-the voyage of ultimate writer-you! It is up to you to continue your mission, to explore strange new words, to seek out new characters and new plot lines, to boldly go where no writer has gone before! Begin your journey today, right now. Write now!
Posted in 3. Write Books Easily, AuthorsComments (0)
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