Advice

Writing an Unreliable Narrator

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An unreliable narrator is a protagonist who can’t be trusted to tell the events accurately. By having this narrator be insane, evil, delusional ect. hooks the reader to find their own truth. 

Writing an unreliable narrator allows the author to play with withholding the truth and when to reveal it, keeping the reader on their toes. 

If you would like to write your next story with an unreliable narrator in mind follow these tips:

Withhold information. Readers are used to having more information than the characters. So play with the idea of withholding information, and what information you would withhold. 

Hint at the qualities early on. More often than not your narrator will be unreliable from the start. Unless it is a straight they suddenly developed. However, in order to make a fluent story your narrator should be unreliable from the start. 

Characters interpretation. You don’t need a ton of other characters’ perspectives. However, you should use them to reflect the inconsistencies in your story. 

Even if you don’t want your narrator to be completely unreliable you can experiment with vulnerability. Even Harry Potter a gives the reader misinformation in Prisoner of Azkaban when he thinks the escaped prisoner who killed his parents is actually a lie. A slight flaw can make the narrator seem more believable. 

Happy Writing!

What to do When You Have Writer’s Block

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Let’s get you out of your writing rut. Writer’s fear it all everywhere- the inability to connect your mind to your hand. But don’t worry, there is always a solution!

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New Scenery

The environment you are in can be your friend or your foe. Make sure it is a pleasant space for you. Have a list of go to places to visit to muse and sit- hopefully it will spark some inspiration. 

Temporary Relief

You know yourself better than anybody, so when writers block hits make sure you have the necessary stress relief. Whether that be taking a bath, doing a favorite hobby or opening up a bottle of Tylenol. Do what your body needs. 

Lift Yourself Up

In a time like this, things can seem pretty dim. But remind yourself of all the good things you accomplished that month/year. Find some quotes that inspire you and keep them visible for more self lifting. 

Support System

It is amazing the kind of energy you can draw from friends and family. Don’t push them out in a time like this, they can help! Starting a conversation to get the ball rolling can be very helpful.

Let us know some of your tips and tricks!

Happy Writing!

Daily Motivation – Be Amazing

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Hello Monday! I always like to start the beginning of the week with motivation, and I hope that it inspires you all to do the same! This week focus on going outside the norm. You don’t realize how much you conform to society’s standards until you realize why you do things a certain way. So be different! And don’t try so hard to be normal because as Maya Angelou said “you will never know how amazing you can be.”

Follow us on Instagram to get motivation right on your feed!

Upcoming Audiobooks!

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Typically I give you a round up of the audiobooks released at the end of the month. But, I thought we should switch it up this time around and let you know when they’re releasing! So mark your calendars because we have some great audiobooks releasing soon!

Ignite, The Disciples series Book 4 by Cassandra Robbins – April 12

Savage Row by Britney King – April 13

Outskirts of Hope by Jo Ivester – April 13

When the Smoke Clears by Kenya Wright – April 13

The Entitled by Cassandra Robbins – April 20

Ghosts, King & Slater Book 5 – April 27

And make sure to follow us on our other social media so you can learn more about these titles!

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Write Your Next Book With Audio in Mind

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Audiobooks are growing fast in the publishing market! How do you hop on this bandwagon and create a successful audiobook? Well, you came to the right place! Follow along and learn tips and tricks on how you can write your next novel with audio in mind. 

  1. Simplify your writing. 

One big difference between print and audiobooks is that in print you can go back and re-read with ease. While you can still rewind on an audiobook it is not the same as browsing back to the previous paragraph. Which is why simplifying your writing will make an audiobook go smoothly for the reader. 

  1. Read aloud. 

Something so simple can go a long way in creating a successful audiobook. Make sure you read everything aloud! Pass it along to friends and family to get another opinion. Narrators are performing your novel, so when you read aloud really read it! Sell the characters and make it come to life. 

  1. Make it a script. 

Going back to the performance of it all remember when the narrator gets a hold of your manuscript it will be a script. Think about your writing being vivid- Is it fun to read? Do you need all the ‘he said she saids’? Another helpful tip is to record yourself and see how it sounds!

I hope these few tips will help you on your audiobook journey, and if you have any questions leave a comment below!

Make A Quit-Proof Commitment!

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Here are 4 steps to maintaining a quit-proof commitment! I love creating new goals for myself, but the problem isn’t making them, but maintaining them…Here’s what I do to help me stay on track!

Every commitment is different but this is a good place to start.

  1. Set boundaries. 

Give yourself expectations of what should be done, and what you would like to stick to. For example, if you want to commit to writing for 3 hours a day your boundaries would be to sit at your desk while writing, or to split the time between morning and evening. Just make sure they are right for your needs. 

  1. Enlist help. 

You are not alone! There are so many tools you can use to help you stay committed, people who can help. Reach out to others and ask how they stay committed or ask them to help encourage you and keep you motivated. 

  1. Block out your schedule weekly. 

Having dedicated time is the best way to stay on track. It will be very beneficial to you if you know what your week will look like so you can make sure you continue with your commitment. 

  1. Schedule your own performance review. 

This one might be my favorite. At the end of the week or the month go back to your commitment and evaluate yourself on how well you did. Use the steps above to see if you set boundaries, enlisted help and made a weekly schedule. And if you didn’t do as well as you thought, you actually did this pretty perfectly because now you can better judge yourself for improvement. 

You can do it!

How to Build A Reading Group

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Having a dedicated space for readers is a great way to stay connected with your audience, promote your work, and get inspiration. Some authors may choose to have groups based on a specific series, but that is up to you. 

Many authors will use Facebook to house these communities. Unlike a Facebook Page, group updates will appear on the members’ new feed. They will also get notifications of new updates to the group, unless they opt out of notifications

Once you create your Facebook group don’t forget to promote it on your other socials so your readers know it’s there! After all it is for them! 

  1. Post on it frequently. When it’s small, welcome each new member, get them excited! Plan your posts in advance  so you won’t have to worry about it for the week.
  1. Don’t forget to engage! Answer all the questions you can and comment on posts that your readers make. 
  1. Host events. Set up a group meeting, post a video and answer questions about yourself, have a giveaway of your upcoming release! The possibilities are endless!

Have fun with your reader group! Once you get the hang of posting on one group, maybe you can start another!

How to Spice Up Your Bookshelf

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I scroll through instagram a lot…and I ALWAYS come across these beautiful bookshelves! So today our blog post is inspired by just that…bookshelves.

#bookshelf as over 6 million posts on instagram- because people love it! This might encourage you to post a picture of your bookshelf and rack up some likes OR inspire you to spice up your own bookshelf. Either way let’s get started!

  1. The first simple yet effective way to organize your bookshelf is by size. Play around with vertical and horizontal stacking for fun! Some people might even want to take it to the next level and sort the books by color too!
  1. Update your bookshelf by painting it or applying wallpaper to the back. This will give it a wonderful and new look!
  1. Don’t let your bookshelf get too cluttered. If you want to display small knick knacks put them in a fun jar:) Let your books breathe!

Have fun!

Spring Cleaning for Writers

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Hello Spring! Tomorrow, March 20th marks the first day of spring! I can’t wait for warm weather (we’re on the East Coast) fresh flowers, and hanging up my winter jacket! Something else that typically comes along when warmer weather hits is spring cleaning… Some may look forward to it while others run and hide, but today we will be discussing the way writers can benefit from some spring cleaning!

Reorganize work space

First things first, some good old fashion cleaning. Make your work space yours again. This will be a great time to switch up the layout. Have you always wanted to be closer to your window, well make it happen! Think of how you can optimize your space to feel more comfortable. And while you’re at it clean off your bookshelves too! Go through your books and if you don’t see yourself reading it, then give it to someone who will.

Sort through old papers

Have your old papers piled high throughout the year. Now is the perfect time to go through them. Sort, shred and organize all your papers. Create a system that will keep you organized for years to come!

Declutter folders

Now hop on that laptop because we are decluttering all of your folders too. I find that my laptop organization lacks more than the papers sitting on my desk. I save everything on my laptop but never put it in a designated folder. Do it now! And I will too. Color code and use the folders to your advantage.

Clear your email

Next on the list is to clear your email! Are you tired of seeing 800 unread emails on your screen. Take a deep breath and go through them! Start the new season with a fresh email. Update your signature if you want to! Go nuts!

Update your socials

Has it been a while since you updated your social media? Take this time to switch up your profile picture, add more to your bio and go through your instagram highlights. Also, take the time to update your website if you have one. Do a deep dive and see what you’re missing. 

Happy Spring!

Why Authors Need A Call-To-Action

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First thing’s first, a call to action is a marketing term for a design that prompts the viewer to an immediate action. For example, when you go on a website and they ask for your email. That is what we are looking for!

People need to be reminded, it’s as simple as that. Having a call to action on your website prompting the viewer to put in an email so they can stay up to date is a genius tactic. If you already have one- great! Just make sure you use it. 

Your call to action can simply ask for an email, but you might want to think of an incentive to do so, such as receiving an exclusive monthly newsletter. Regardless, you should use this to give your readers notifications about upcoming books, or any highlights you have going on. 

Happy Monday!