Writer Rambles

This week I share the podcast with two winners of the Open Novella Contest: Rainer Salt and Evelyn Hail. We talk about inspiration, process and what it takes to win a place in a competition on one of the largest writing platforms in the world.

Links-

Daniel Wallace (Style and Voice Summit)

Jeff Elkins (Dialogue Doctor)

Evelyn Hail

Rainer Salt

Hate is a strong word but some things I read really set my teeth on edge. A different kind of podcast this time, no instructions or lessons, just me telling the world what I don't like.

I had a rough week, the rant cheered me up. Oh as mention him this week you'll find Shad's youtube here 

A reminder that my opinions are just that- my opinions. You don't have to agree with me, in fact, I encourage you not to- because reading is an individual experience for everyone. 

(Some swearing in this show)

I welcome Kristi Elliot to the show. She is a Watty 2020 award winner with her horror-comedy Zombie Soap and she is about to publish her debut novel The Social Media Bride through a publisher that approached her after a Twitter pitch contest.  

(Some swearing in this show)

Grab a blank character profile from my website and start building characters focused on storytelling.

Every main character should be a bundle of inner conflict, a push and pull between what they want and what they actually need. Characters with agency and authenticity require careful consideration and that is where profiling comes in.

Is this the only way to create characters? No. Is it the way I find best? Yes, so I'm sharing.

I have two books out, so how are my sales? I crack on with my self-publishing goals and start 2021 with a bang.

I am back home!

Improved sound quality and a round-up of my first year in self-publishing. The victories and the defeats. But ever onwards I go!

Bring it on 2021, I am ready for you!

Yes, the sound quality will still be poor as I am living most of the week away from home- but I wanted to get this out.

I am doing NaNo this year for my third novel and I am often asked how I plan my work- like most things I do, there is a system behind it so that is what I am sharing today.

I live! I have been off the grid for weeks but I kept writing in that time. I will tell you all about what has happened and what I am doing now I have finished Pler book two- Icedancer

I have invited fellow Roleplayer Hiedi onto the show to talk about how we approach character development and to highlight the benefits of this most gloriously nerdy form of collaborative storytelling.  

I am deep in the editing trenches, a few writers on Facebook have asked how I edit. Well, here is my process (and you will probably wish you had never asked.)

I also go over how Bookbub changed my launch and how Amazon decided it wanted to change my prices.