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Crowdsourced Blog Post #1 - 'Best Writing Advice' - Results!

Last week we were crowdsourcing a blog post across Twitter, Facebook, Empire Avenue and our blog. It was a fun little experiment to engage with you all as well as produce this article for you to share your knowledge and advice with each other.

The question we posed was:

"What is the best writing advice you've ever received."

Read more to see all the advice we got back...

We're really pleased with the feedback we received in response to our question. Here is what you all said:

iWRR on Twitter (using #iwrr) @coffeewithkate Quite simply..... write everyday, write anything and everything, never stop writing. :-) @threecifer The best writing advice I’ve ever received? "Don't set unrealistic, self-imposed goals on your work..take your time, and do it right" @Kirie1st Best advice would be to read a lot! Read different styles and genres. Make notes of what YOU like about the book @NewEngland_Muse Write on what you know. @ACharles_writer Start with what you know and then build out from there. @dedbutdrmng Best advice I've ever had - 'The best way to write is whatever works for you.' @WovenStrands Write using your five senses! Incorporate smell, touch, taste and don't focus just on what ur character sees and hears. @RA_Whipple Write for your own enjoyment about things you know something about staying true to your voice. @unstitched_com Best writing advice rcvd: when you need to stop, do so at a point where you know how to continue. @nownewstrue Editing separates a real writer from a wannabe. @ChryseWymer recommended some of the best writing books that have helped so much! @SenorMomento Good question, I think it was to persevere when all the doubts raised their ugly heads. @wryteowl Take writing advice with a grain of salt and when in doubt, write as hard as you can from your gut. Put yourself into it. @SaraRosett Best writing advice: "Just get it down on paper, and then we'll see what to do about it." - Maxwell Perkins. @gailseymour John Locke on 99c books. I don't have to prove I'm as good as the $9.99 authors, they have to prove they are 10 times better @agenthunter The best writing advice would have to be NEVER give up! @InspiredQuill Some of the best writing advice I've received: "The aim of a writer should be to make their reader miss their bus stop." - R. Duncan @BlakeBooks Best writing advice? The location of the delete and backspace keys. The hardest task in writing is killing your creations. @WriteQuote 'It's a kind of zen question: if you write a book and no one reads it, is it really a book?' Lee Child. @sophieplayle Writing advice: Butt in chair. @cpd623 Best writing advice: Less is more. Choose your words carefully and be sure you are concise.

@tglong

#1 Read voraciously. We learn to write by reading like writers – reading closely and observing & imitating craft.

#2 Trust your instincts. Be open to criticism but don't let anyone change or rewrite your work in their image.

#3 Have a firm grasp of grammar & punctuation. If you're not sure, look up the rule or ask someone to proof.

iWRR on Facebook Georgia Eliot Look out for that word "that". Caitlin McColl Try and write *something* every day. It doesn't have to be tons, maybe just a few sentences, but writing something every day will keep your juices flowing and help with writing slumps. Jane Chin An excellent piece of advice I read about came from a writing magazine I'd purchased on a whim last year (this was before I ever considered myself an author/writer; I'd always identified myself as "consultant" or "entrepreneur"). There was ...an interview with a writer who said that he had written so much, he never feared gutting paragraphs and pages out of his work, because he knew he had more where that came from, and you never know where these pieces can show up somewhere else. It made me realize that in writing, you need quantity before you can get to quality. Sylvia Farebrother Write as though you are directly speaking to someone.

iWRR on Empire Avenue Matthew Kowlaski Write everyday whether you want to or not. Write a few pages everyday and you will achieve your goals. Kirsten Weiss "Butt in chair!" - Jayne Ann Krentz. Roger Hoyt Set smaller goals and to just write. Let it flow. Don't force it. Our Blog Russell Blake Best advice? Get a good editor, and don't try to polish your draft till it has sat unread in a drawer for a month. Only once you've forgotten the specifics of your words can you fairly evaluate whether they are improved by being set on paper.

Thanks for re-tweeting our requests for this go to: @sophieplayle @BubbleCow @threecifer @coffeewithkate @Jan_Marshall @Litopia @WovenStrands @gg @40kBooks @nickdaws

Thank you all for participating.

So, what do you think to the above? Should we do another one? If so, on what topic?

Let us know in the comments below.

Happy writing, reading and rating all!

The iWriteReadRate Team

#ebooks #writing #writer advice #writers #iwritereadrate #iwritereadrate.com #twitter #facebook #Empire Avenue #supporting new writer #indie authors #indie publishing #crowdsourced

From zero to 1000 thanks to you!

We're delighted to announce that we now have over 1000 followers on Twitter.

For us this feels like a milestone, and we're extremely pleased that you're engaged with iWriteReadRate.com.

Thank you for your support over the last few months, it has been fantastic!

We'd like to think that this is due to a number of factors, including that you're all excited about what we're doing; as well as the fact that we try our very best to be supportive and interactive as much as we can. We'll continue to do our best for you all!

Not connected? Join us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Heard of Empire Avenue? We're on there as well: here!

Looking forward to your continued support in the future.

Happy writing, reading and rating!

The iWriteReadRate Team

PS - Improvements and clarification coming to our Beta ebook upload process soon. Watch this space!

#ebooks #indie publishing #indie authors #writing #reading #twitter #facebook #linkedIn #Empire Avenue #iwritereadrate #iwritereadrate.com

iWriteReadRate Beta – Upload Process Overhaul!

We’ve learnt a great deal during the Beta so far. Thank you to everyone who has got involved from the beginning to help us evolve iWriteReadRate.com and figure out what works as well as what requires improvements.

We’re now in the middle of overhauling our ebook upload and conversion process.

Read more about what this means…

We’re pleased to let you know that we’re now overhauling our upload process to make it clearer, simpler, quicker, and provide better quality/consistent PDF samples and ePUB ebooks for you when you upload your work. The objective of this is to give you professional looking documents to enable you to receive the most feedback from other members.

This is all part of the Beta process, and we think the uploading improvements we are working on will make iWriteReadRate and even better community to be a part of in the future.

As we’ve previously said, this is just the beginning and we have plans for even more improvements in the coming months.

More details coming soon – watch this space!

The iWriteReadRate Team

#ebooks #indie #indie publishing #indie authors #self publishing #writing #creative writing community #reading

iWriteReadRate eBook Website Enhancements (June 2011)

It's been a busy month! We've been working hard to constantly improve the usability and functionality of our Beta site for you.

In addition the competition for our first 75 uploaders has been running - fantastic to see the number of ebooks increasing; also that members are beginning to read and rate other writers' work. "It's alive, it's alive!"

This is an article about what we've been doing, and why these improvements will make iWriteReadRate an even better community to be a part of. Read more...

We're committed to you to continue enhancing our site; refining it and adding additional features as we go along now the Beta site is alive and kicking. During June we've been busy working on the site to make sure that it offers you a fantastic platform for you to upload, publicise, receive feedback on and sell your work as ebooks.

These are some of the significant improvements we've made over the last month:

Improved eBook Conversion

We've improved the conversion of your uploads to both PDF and ePUB; as well as how the site processes your cover pictures. The underlying conversion engine has hit a new milestone which means even better and faster conversion of your eBooks to our output formats. This is really important as we want to make it as simple as possible to upload and for you to get a fantastic looking ebook out the other side.

We're committed to continuing to improve this going forward, however with these enhancements we think we've made great progress. We plan to continue the work on our conversion engine to enable Kindle style .MOBI formats outputs and even better ePUB ebook covers.

All the feedback so far during the Beta has helped us to do this - thank you!

Additional Information in the eBook Info Screen

We quickly identified that we needed to add additional information to each ebook screen. We've pulled the information that you complete about your upload through so that it now sits at the top of each individual ebook info screen. An important enhancement - now your readers have more detail with which to make a decision about sampling, downloading, rating and reviewing your work.

Remember when uploading make sure you pick the right genre for your work and also that you write a compelling synopsis to draw readers in.

PayPal Adaptive Payments

Perhaps it's the geeks in us, but we're particularly pleased with this one. We've integrated PayPal Adaptive Payments which means that any paid-for downloads you receive go through the system completely automatically. Instead of your writer commission being paid after-the-fact and manually by us through PayPal, this is a completely real-time and automatic process. We think this is pretty cool!

Improved eBook Stack Algorithm

We've also improved the brains behind how the home screen best sellers ebook stack calculates which order to display our most viewed, rated, and reviewed uploads.

Watch This Space

Watch this space for our new and exciting Writer Services section coming soon. We've joined up with a number of companies to bring to our members an array of services, and with a discount simply for being an iWriteReadRate member! It's coming soon, more details will follow towards the end of July.

Remember what we said when we opened the Beta site back at the end of April? We said that this is just the beginning. We're currently working on our 12mth roadmap of enhancements (we're a restless bunch!) - more features are in the pipeline!

Don't delay, visit our Beta site today! Click here!

Happy writing, reading and rating!

The iWriteReadRate Team

Other iWriteReadRate articles you should check out:

Using our Social & Sharing Features

How to Upload your ebook

Beta Upload Competition

Advice & Tips for New iWriteReadRaters

#ebooks #books #writing #creative writing #iwritereadrate.com #indie authors #indie publishing #self publishing #literature

Interview with Harry Bingham from The Writers' Workshop

New Interview Blog Post with Harry Bingham. Harry is a best selling author and also runs The Writers' Workshop. Read his thoughts and advice here:

http://blog.iwritereadrate.com /?p=1050

#ebooks #editing #writers advice #interview #indie publishing #indie authors #books #self publishing

Using iWriteReadRate.com's Social Media & Sharing Features

New blog post: Using iWriteReadRate.com's Social Media & Sharing Features. A must read for all new iWriteReadRaters: http://blog.iwritereadrate.com/?p=940 Other useful articles for new members: How to upload your ebook: http://blog.iwritereadrate.com/?p=799 Advice & Tips: http://blog.iwritereadrate.com/?p=561 A happy writing, reading & rating week to you!

#social media #sharing #iwritereadrate.com #iwritereadrate #ebooks #indie publishing #books #indie #writing #publishing #self publishing

Interview with Terri Giuliano Long

Continuing our Interview series with authors and industry experts we’re pleased to post this discussion with Terri Giuliano Long. Terri is a novelist and a teacher of writing in Boston, USA. Without further ado, here she is…

Q1: For the benefit of the members of iWriteReadRate.com can you tell us a little more about what you do, your sites/blogs, and your expertise?A1: These days, I consider myself a novelist first, but I’m also a writing teacher. I’ve taught creative and nonfiction writing at Boston College for 15 years. I’ve also written copy for marketing, advertising and public relations, written and edited technical articles for trade journals, and edited a small trade magazine. In Leah’s Wake is my first novel.Q2: From your experience, what advice would you give an aspiring writer about how they should go about self-editing their work in the first instance?A2: That’s a tough question. Unless he or she has an outstanding grasp of language and grammar, I suggest professional editing. The truth is, we all make mistakes – even writers who’ve published for years. After you’ve spent a certain amount of time on a manuscript, you stop seeing mistakes. I’ve read and reread my novel; I asked family members and friends, independently, to proof read; my writers group read it, and an editor read and proofed it – yet, this morning a very generous reader/writer pointed out 3 typos that every one of us had missed. Publishing a novel with three minor errors is not the end of the world– most books have a few. If prevalent, mistakes like this make us look unprofessional. Agents and traditional publishers will likely reject the work; if you self-publish work rife with grammatical or technical errors, you’ll open yourself to criticism and heartache.Yes, professional editors can be expensive. Now, with a wonderful service like iWriteReadRate.com, where readers and other writers can read and rate your work, there’s no excuse not to have your book edited. When you consider the stakes, the time and emotional energy you invest in your work, it makes sense.Q3: In your opinion, what challenges do unpublished writers face in their dream of becoming published?A3: Five years ago, I would have said withstanding rejection. Some writers, particularly those holding out for a traditional contract, still struggle with that. But the indie publishing revolution has opened doors that didn’t used to exist. This is an exciting time for writers. The traditional gatekeepers no longer hold all the power; today readers can choose from a rich selection of traditionally and indie-published books. The big houses are trying to find their way, and that’s hard. But writers whose books might have been lost under the old system are enjoying phenomenal success. I’m awed and encouraged by this. At the same time, I’m seeing a push to get as many books on the virtual shelf as possible. Apparently, this increases sales numbers. That may be true. Still, writers need to be patient – this may be a challenge for some. It’s exciting to finish a draft. In that first flush, the work glows; every word seems perfect.You can’t wait for someone to read it – as a result, a lot of writers, I suspect, are putting work on an ebook sales-only platform before it’s ready. After you’ve finished your draft – of a story, a novel – take a step back. Let it sit. Try to gain some distance and perspective. Stephen King waits six weeks, then rereads and edits. Wait at least six weeks, and then reread, start to finish, before even thinking about publishing. Better yet, ask someone you trust, a family member or friend, to read it, and give you honest feedback (it won’t help if they tell you only what they love). Or submit to iWriteReadRate.com.A good critic will evaluate your work honestly – and push you to produce your best possible work.Q4: How do you think the publishing industry will adapt to new and emerging technology over the next five years?A4: Right now, no one knows how this will all shake out. My guess is that publishers will follow the route taken by the film industry. The big houses will continue to underwrite and support big name authors, books they believe will make money or win major prizes, while new and mid-list writers will publish with indie houses, if not on their own, or join forces with other indie authors. This is already happening. Organizations like iWriteReadRate.com and the Indie Book Collective, among others, are uniting indie writers, and working to end the stigma that’s surrounded self-publishing. That’s indie spirit in action!Q5: What are your thoughts around the new community for writers’ unpublished work being launched by iWriteReadRate.com?A5: I think it’s a fantastic idea – and I encourage unpublished writers to join! I’m not an agent or editor, so I can’t speak for traditional publishers. I do know that indie writers who’ve sold a lot of books have landed huge contracts, so this may be a good way to go about it. Hitting those numbers, though – that’s a challenge. It seems easier for genre writers, and it’s certainly easier for writers who hit a trend. Paranormal novels, for instance, seem to fly off the shelf.As a peer self-editing service, I think iWriteReadRate.com is phenomenal. This is something I’ve thought about – and considered doing myself – for a long time. It’s very much needed. And it’s an inexpensive way for writers to get their books edited. It’s also a wonderful, affirming way of building community.Q6: What top writing tips can you give the aspiring writers on iWriteReadRate.com?A6: Please forgive the blatant self-promotion – my blog, “The Art and Craft of Writing Creatively,” focuses on writing tips and inspiration. The URL is: www.tglong.com/blog. Writers will find all sorts of tips and information on craft, as well as inspirational posts.My other top writing tip? Read. And read voraciously. Reading supports your fellow authors – more important, it helps us to become better writers. Writers learn to write by reading like writers – reading closely and observing and imitating craft.Q7: If you could change anything about the traditional way that writers get their work published through Agents/Editors/ Publishers – what would you change and why?A7: Probably the submission process. I understand all the reasons agents and editors keep the process impersonal. I’ve heard of writers writing nasty letters after a rejection. (If you’re tempted to this, don’t. Put the letter in a drawer until you’ve gained perspective, at which point you’ll probably delete it.) But writers have fragile egos and we make ourselves completely vulnerable, so receiving a formal rejection letter, though it’s clearly not meant this way, feels hateful and cold. It would be wonderful if there were a way to validate writers, let us down easily. But then, I’ve heard agents say that when they try when we receive the slightest nicety, writers take it as encouragement to hound the agent or editor to death. In that sense, I suppose, we writers are at least partially responsible for our own misery. Still, in the best of all worlds . . .Q8: In your opinion, can aspiring writers and authors afford not to engage with readers in this age of Social Media? What are your top tips for these interactions?A8: No, absolutely not – we have to engage. Readers are on the Internet – whether on blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads or some other network – talking about books. If you’re visible, maybe they’ll talk about your book. Really, though, these networks are about community. So even if you can’t directly link social networking to sales, you benefit from the mutual support. My advice: authors, indie or traditionally published – even before you publish your book – mobilize your networks. Spread the word to family and friends, send books to people who might be interested in reading, ask others to spread the word for you; ask friends to post reviews. If you can afford it, hire a PR firm you feel comfortable with and trust. Work hard with your publicist to promote your book. Over a million books are published each year, the majority of which sell very few copies. If you’re a name author or received a hefty advance, your publisher will promote you. For the rest of us, if we don’t take PR into our own hands, we’re likely to receive little or none.The reality is, we can either promote the book we’ve put our heart and soul into creating or watch it languish. There are various types and levels of promotion, so you don’t have to spend a fortune.If you can’t afford or don’t care to hire a publicist, do the work yourself. Create a website, build your social network, contact reviewers, bloggers; reach out to book clubs. Stacey Miller’s book, How to Market, Sell, Distribute, and Promote Your Book: Critical, Hard-to-Find Information for Authors and Publishers offers a wealth of information. You can also find information online. Check out Seth Godin and Jon Konrath’s blogs. It’s hard work, and it takes time — as long as a year or more, I’ve been told — but it can certainly be done.Q9: Any final thoughts for the members of iWriteReadRate.com?A9: Believe in yourself. I know many talented writers whose first, second or third books – really good, strong books – were rejected. To deal with rejection, boot your computer, day after day, when it seems as if no one cares, as if the stars are misaligned, to survive as a writer – to indie-publish in a world that privileges the traditionally published – you have to believe in yourself. Writing is a lonely profession. Most of the time, we’re alone with our work. The loneliness can wear on you, and cause you to question yourself. A few supportive writer friends can help and encourage you. Find them and treat them like gold.Hold onto your dreams. You can make dreams happen. Don’t ever give up!Thank you, iWriteReadRate! I appreciate your giving me this space and inviting me to share my thoughts with your readers and writing community!Terri Giuliano Long teaches at Boston College and blogs at www.tglong.com/blog. Her first novel, In Leah’s Wake, was released in 2010. Connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/tglongwrites or Twitter:www.twitter.com/tglong. Thanks, Terri. We all appreciate your thoughts and valued advice, and are sure they’ll be of help and support to the members of iWriteReadRate.com. You can also check out Terri’s editing article she wrote for us here: Weed, Tighten & Shine. Other iWriteReadRate Interviews:Interview with Giuseppe from 40kBooksInterview with Emlyn from Novel PublicityInterview with Helen from Cornerstones Literary ConsultancyOther iWriteReadRate articles you should check out:How to upload your eBookAdvice & Tips for New iWriteReadRatersOur Upload Competition – Upload to Win!Obsessive Self-Editing = part of being a writerRecap on our new eBook WebsiteThe Story of iWriteReadRateThe eBook Revolution

Happy writing, reading and rating!

The iWriteReadRate Team

Visit our Beta site here: Beta.iWriteReadRate.com

#ebooks #terri giuliano long #writing #editing #indie authors #indie publishing #self-editing #creative writing #writers advice #interview

Weed, Tighten & Shine by Terri Giuliano Long

We're delighted to continue our series of posts on advice for writers with this article by Terri Giuliano Long about self-editing and refining your work. We met Terri through Twitter, and are very happy to have made her acquaintance.

Terri is a novelist and a teacher of writing in Boston, USA. Without further ado, here she is...

"A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts." - William Strunk

Writing, I once told my teacher, reminds me of hairstyling. He raised his brows - as if to say, really? - and shrugged. We writers tend to think of our work as artful and precious. I get this. I do. Still, the metaphor works for me. Given scissors, a two-year-old child can cut anyone’s hair. How well – that’s another story entirely. Ask any little girl whose big sister chopped off her bangs. Like hairstyling, writing is a craft. It’s nice to be talented, sure, but the real game-changers are precision, attention to detail, and practice.

Like a hairstylist, an illustrator, or a machinist, writers need to exercise discipline. This means cutting unnecessary words. Taut writing has energy and power – it pulls our message forward, creates rhythm and cadence, and makes our work shine, bringing it closer to art.

Here are 8 easy ways to cut unnecessary words from your sentences.

1) Delete redundant modifiers: word pairs, such as true fact, past history, and – my favorite - close proximity, are redundant. Facts are true, history is past, and persons or items in proximity to someone or something are close. Although I know better, writing the first sentence, I nearly typed personal favorite.

Why?

Speech patterns - the way we talk - are ingrained. People say personal favorite, maybe we say this ourselves, and we hear, internalize and write it.

Rule Number 1: unless you’re writing in a first person voice or creating dialogue, do not write the way you speak. I know what you’re thinking: good writing often sounds conversational. Yes, and those conversational passages are lovingly and carefully crafted. That’s why they’re so fluid.

A few more to avoid: free gift, terrible tragedy, end result, final outcome.

2) Delete redundant categories: this repeats the rule above, only instead of cutting redundant words we’re cutting redundant categories – for example, honest in character. The adjective honest modifies the category character. In this context, character is understood, so redundant. Honest does the job well.

Other examples: at an early time = early. Red in color = red. Large in size = large. Heavy in weight = heavy. Extreme in degree = extreme.

3) Edit redundant word pairs: replace redundant word pairs with a single word. Instead of any and all, write all. Rather than each and every, use the word each or every.

4) Cut the fat: edit wordy phrases; use single words whenever possible – for instance, rather than on the grounds that, write because. Instead of in the majority of cases, write usually.

Write clearly and directly. Notice the fat in the following sentence:

I personally think that a vacation in Bermuda is the way to go for a lot of families I know with young children, and they should consider traveling there. Now edit:

Families with young children might consider a vacation in Bermuda.

Families with young children find Bermuda a great place to vacation.

A 29-word sentence just became 10 or 11. Use those extra 18 or 19 words to develop and clarify your point. Provide specific details. Give your audience reasons to travel to Bermuda. Your audience is more likely to be convinced if you give specific reasons for action than if you simply say they should act.

5) Eliminate unnecessary modifiers — words like kind of, sort of, type of, very, really, basically, for all intents and purposes, and actually say nothing essential, and thus weaken your prose.

Use intensifiers only if editing would change your meaning. Take a look at this sentence: I was very surprised by his exceedingly obnoxious behavior.

Which word or words would you cut? Take a look at the revised version:

I was surprised by his exceedingly obnoxious behavior. Cut the word very because this vague intensifier is extraneous; it doesn’t add any meaning.

If you cut the word exceedingly, however, your meaning changes: I was surprised by his obnoxious behavior. His behavior was not merely obnoxious. His behavior surprised because it was exceedingly obnoxious.

Revising to active voice also cuts fat: His extraordinarily obnoxious behavior surprised me.

For more please visit my blog post Two Rules Worth Breaking: Writer's Bootcamp, Part 2.

6) Eliminate lengthy introductions: Here’s an example: It is important to note that we will have a test on Wednesday. Instead, write: We will have a test on Wednesday.

Because of the fact that it’s snowing, school will be cancelled.

Edit: School will be cancelled because of the snow.

7) Omit repetitive sentences or words that explain the obvious: It goes without saying that I understand your policy and that I intend to comply. If it goes without saying, don’t say it. Compare: I understand your policy and I intend to comply.

In narratives, obvious or unnecessary sentences can be harder to identify. Here’s an example: I saw the train pull away from the station. It was just leaving as I climbed onto the platform.

The second sentence tells us you saw the train pull away from the station, making the first unnecessary. This sentence tells us all we need to know:

The train was pulling away from the station as I climbed onto the platform.

As I climbed onto the platform, the train pulled away from the station.

The second revision is stronger because it uses the active voice. Also, the important event – the train pulling away – comes at the end of the sentence, where it has greater impact. The effect felt by the reader mirrors that felt by the protagonist. This subtle change in syntax creates greater emotional truth.

8 When possible, eliminate expletives: expletives – for instance, the word it or there followed by a to-be verb - can usually be edited out of a sentence.

It is my understanding that we will be tested weekly. Edit: I understand that we will be tested weekly.

There are two issues that we need to address. Edit: We need to address two issues.

When an expletive precedes a noun and relative clause introduced by that, which or who, the sentence can almost always be revised: It is the teacher who gives the test every week. Revise: The teacher gives the test every week.

Sometimes, expletives are used for emphasis. Example: It is necessary to bathe regularly. Here the explicative form emphasizes the word necessary.

Challenge yourself. Cut out the fat - and your sentences will shine.

Terri Giuliano Long teaches writing at Boston College and blogs about writing, writing tips and inspiration at www.tglong.com/blog. She is currently on a blog tour, discussing her novel, In Leah’s Wake. For information, please visit her website: http://www.tglong.com/tlong-news.htm

Great advice, Terri. Thank you for taking the time to write a detailed piece about editing for us. It's very much appreciated and it's been great to have met you.

Other iWriteReadRate articles you should take a look at:

Our Beta eBook Upload Competition

How to Upload your eBook

Advice & Tips for new iWriteReadRaters

Our eBook Website

Interview with 40KBooks

Interview with Novel Publicity

Interview with Cornerstones Literary Consultancy

Obsessive Self-Editing = part of being a writer

Happy writing, reading and rating!

The iWriteReadRate Team

Visit our Beta site here: Beta.iWriteReadRate.com

#ebooks #self-editing #self publishing #indie publishing #indie authors #creative writing #editing advice #editing tips #books #literature #writing

Our Beta Upload Competition - Upload & Win!

We're delighted to launch a competition today for the first 75 uploaders to our site.

We've sourced a great writer services prize for you being among the first uploaders to our Beta, courtesy of Cornerstones Literary Consultancy.

Our new ebook website for indie authors and avid readers is all about simplicity, making it easy for writers to upload their work and start to contribute to the iWriteReadRate community and continuing to build their platform.

Before you upload take a look at this short video. It shows you just how easy it is to upload your ebook to the iWriteReadRate.com Beta site:

How to upload your ebook to iWriteReadRate.com

Please remember: the files that you upload should be in these formats:

Main ebook body document: DOC/DOCX/WordML/ODT/TXT

Cover Picture: JPG format, size W595 x H842 pixels (or thereabouts)

Thumbnail Picture: JPG format, size W107 x H152 pixels

Visit the iWriteReadRate Beta now to upload your ebook and become an active member of the community from the start.

Click here: Take Me to the iWriteReadRate Beta Site Now!

Happy writing, reading, and rating everyone!

The iWriteReadRate Team

For more information about iWriteReadRate take a look at these articles:

Recap - Our New eBook Website

The Story of iWriteReadRate.com

Advice & Tips for new iWriteReadRaters

The eBook Revolution

#ebooks #ebook #creative writing #writing #reading #iwritereadrate.com #indie publishing #self publishing #indie authors #publish my book

Hello there, our fantastic iWriteReadRaters!

It's been just over a week since we opened the Beta site for uploads from pre-registered members and to start testing the site in a live environment.

This is quick post to give you an update about how it's all going, and also to mention that we'll shortly be launching an upload competition. Read more...

Firstly, a big thank you everyone who has got involved, uploaded, and fed back to us so far - it is greatly appreciated. You've really helped the Beta stage progress.

As a recap: we emailed out unique passwords to all pre-registered members on the 29th April, and we started having the Beta tested in a live environment.

If you pre-registered, check your email and visit our Beta.

If you have feedback on the Beta please email us at: [email protected]

This is an important stage, it's so that we can get any remaining bugs ironed out, your initial ebooks uploaded, and your feedback on the site ahead of a full launch. It's also your opportunity to get involved from the beginning.

As an update, the Beta has been going very well. We've had a number of initial uploads and some great feedback about the site; as well as some bits that we need to improve going forward. This is exactly what the Beta is for: testing and improving.

We're aiming to have most of the significant patches applied by the end of this week. Following this we'll be looking to move into Phase 2 of the Beta. What Beta Phase 2 involves is a fully functioning, tested, site and opening up to previously unregistered people. It will still be a testing phase, but with only minor patches remaining to be added.

Take a look at our Advice & Tips for New iWriteReadRaters and The iWriteReadRate Beta Site is Open articles for more details on the Beta.

Our New Beta Upload Competition

During Beta Stage 2 we'll also be launching an upload competition. To qualify you need to be one of the first 75 uploads to our site. We're presently sourcing a fantastic writer services prize - watch this space for more details coming soon!

To qualify for our Beta upload competition you must have at least one ebook uploaded. Anyone who has already uploaded will be automatically included in this competition.

It's very exciting for us to see all the work coming together piece by piece, and we hope that you share our excitement too.

This Beta represents the first edition of our site – the beginning. We’ve tried to pack in as many great features from the start. As writers and readers ourselves we thought hard about what we’d want from the site, and we sincerely hope that you can see the work that has gone into delivering iWriteReadRate to you. There’s also more great stuff in the pipeline!

Happy writing, reading and rating everyone!

Best regards

The iWriteReadRate Team

PS – Our pre-launch registration competition to win a Sony PRS-350 eReader is now closed. We’ll draw the winner once our testing phase is complete.

#ebooks #books #reading #writing #iwritereadrate.com #literature #publishing #indie #self publishing

The iWriteReadRate Beta Site is Open!

We're proud, delighted, and extremely excited to let you all know that our Beta website is now open.

To make iWriteReadRate a thriving community of writers and readers we need you to get involved by uploading your work from today!

What happens now...

If you've already registered with us your individual Beta password will be in your email inbox - check your email now!

Next steps:

1) Read our Advice and Tips article, and

2) Visit the iWriteReadRate BETA Site with your password & email address to finalise your account activation.

3) Upload a profile picture and enter the email address you use for your PayPal account, and click 'update'.

So, what next? Well, it's really simple: we need your support, uploads, and social interactions to make iWriteReadRate a thriving and dynamic community of writers and readers.

This Beta represents the first edition of our site - the beginning. We've tried to pack in as many great features from the start. As writers and readers ourselves we thought hard about what we'd want from the site, and we sincerely hope that you can see the work that has gone into delivering iWriteReadRate to you. There's also more great stuff in the pipeline!

The pricing structure is presently UK only. US$, AUS$ and Euro will be available tomorrow (Saturday 30th). If you upload now, you can change your chosen currency when the alternatives are added in the 'My Details' screen and it will apply to all your uploads.

Please remember that the Beta is an opportunity for you to upload ahead of the full launch, and for us to test and fix any remaining bugs in the site.

If you've not registered you can still go to the Beta site and get involved from the beginning by signing up in the 'register now' box!

Welcome to the iWriteReadRate Beta, it's great to have you as part of our community. Visit the iWriteReadRate Beta Site Now!

Happy writing, reading and rating, everyone!

PS - Our pre-launch competition to win a Sony PRS-350 eReader is now closed. We'll draw the winner once our testing phase is complete.

#indie publishing #self publishing #ebooks #writing #reading #books #authors

Advice & Tips for New iWriteReadRaters

We're delighted to say that our Beta website will open tomorrow!

If you've pre-registered your individual password will be in your email inbox during tomorrow (29th April 2011).

We combined it with our April Newsletter. Keep a look out for it!

To make iWriteReadRate a thriving community of writers and readers we need you to get involved by uploading your work from tomorrow.

To support you in getting up to speed with iWriteReadRate from day one, this article runs through some advice for your ebook cover, pricing your ebook, and provides a quick overview on editing/formatting your work prior to uploading to our site, as well as some guidelines in relation to rating & commenting.

Great, you're ready to get started. Fantastic to have you on board.

Your eBook Cover Picture

We all know the saying that you should 'never judge a book by its cover', however covers are an important attention drawing feature of any book. The same is true for ebooks on our website.

Your main ebook cover should be this size for upload: Min W:595/H:842 pixels

You can also upload a smaller thumbnail version of your cover for display on the site. It should be this size: Min W:107/Min H:52 pixels

Most picture editing software will allow you to rescale your images to fit the sizes above.

Setting Your eBook Cover Price

We've been reading a lot recently about the price of ebooks. It's quite an emotive topic, it seems. A lot of writers are saying that lower prices for ebooks devalues all the hard work that writers put into writing, editing, and presenting their stories. Readers are likewise saying that a lower price point sets a low expectation of the quality of the ebook; however readers also say a lower ebook price may mean a higher likelihood for them to make an impulse purchase.

We think that it must be about striking a balance. At this point our thoughts on the matter are that a 'fair price' is important to achieve maximum ratings and downloads for your ebook(s).

We would suggest that you don't under price or over price your work; set a fair price based upon the word count, reflecting the time you've spent writing, editing, and presenting it. We recommend that you consider pricing your ebooks at or around the following points in whatever your chosen home currency is (options are GB£, US$, AUS$, Euro):

XS (3000-10,000 words) - Free to 0.99

S - (10,0001-17,500 words) - 0.79 to 1.59

M - (17,501-30,000 words) - 1.29 to 2.99

L - (30,001-60,000 words) - 1.99 to 3.99

XL - (60,001+ words) - 2.59 to 4.99

These are only suggestions as a guide for you, it's totally up to you to choose a price that you're happy with from the options provided, based upon the length of your upload.

If you're looking to upload multiple works to our site, we'd also suggest thinking about pricing older work lower than newer work. We think this is a great little idea for building your following and also increasing the value of your newer ebooks in the minds of your readers.

Deals of the Week will also be a feature that you can use to set week long changes to the pricing of your work - a short term promotional offer. This feature will be available later during the Beta phase.

Please be aware that we will never look to reduce the 60% writer commission across all size bands of ebook. On the contrary, in the future we'd like to look to increase the share of the Cover Price that writers receive, if it becomes viable for us to do so.

Quick note: at present we don't have to charge VAT or Sales Tax. We'll be looking into the options about how we integrate this in the future if it ever becomes necessary to keep The Tax Man happy.

Editing and Formatting

Editing is a crucial part for any writer during the stages of finalising any manuscript to show to other people and the outside world. It's really very important that you have judiciously self-edited spelling, punctuation, grammar and your overall work before uploading to our site. By doing this thoroughly it will give you the best opportunity of being read, rated, and ultimately downloaded by other iWriteReadRaters. We posted a basic, and fairly quick, self-editing article which may be worth a read if you've not yet done this already. Find it here: Obsessive Self Editing = Part of Being a Writer.

Formatting your ebook for the upload to our site is also important to ensure that it looks and feels consistant for all your prospective readers and purchasers of your work. As part of the editing process you should ensure that font, layout and spacing are consistent throughout the document.

Our site accepts uploads in the following formats, please ensure uploads are these file types:

DOC/DOCX/WordML/ODT/TXT

We're looking at expanding the upload format options in the future.

Rating and Commenting

Rating our writers' uploads is a key element of our site, and provides invaluable feedback to help them develop. Be constructive whenever rating or commenting on someone's hard work. We're about being supportive to help prove and improve the work of our iWriteReadRaters. Unconstructive or wholly negative comments are in contravention of our site's Terms of Use.

Final Thoughts

This Beta represents the first edition of our site - the beginning. We've tried to pack in as many great features from the start. As writers and readers ourselves we thought hard about what we'd want from the site, and we sincerely hope that you can see all the work that has gone into delivering iWriteReadRate to you.

There are quite a few Social Media interaction features in the Beta, so please utilise them to publicise your upload within your personal networks. This will help you get the word out about your upload.

There are also a myriad of additional features in the pipeline for our continual enhancement of the site, social interactive features, and general evolution.

So, what next? Well, it's really simple: get involved, upload your work, and interact to make iWriteReadRate a thriving and dynamic community.

Welcome to the iWriteReadRate Beta.

Check your email inbox tomorrow (29th April) for your password!

Happy writing, reading and rating, everyone!

#ebooks #books #writing #publishing #self publishing #indie publishing #indie authors #iwritereadrate.com #iwritereadrate #creative writing #reading

Like eBooks? Become an official 'Friend of iWriteReadRate'

Like what we're doing? Enjoy our website and blog? Interested in working together?

Why not become an official 'Friend of iWriteReadRate'?

All you need to do is help us spread the word about iWriteReadRate by:

1) getting in touch

2) choose and post one of our articles on your website or blog, and

3) share the news of iWriteReadRate with your members and social networks

In return we'll be delighted to:

- list your website or blog in the 'Friends of Ours' section of our site

- Provide you with a new 'Friend of iWriteReadRate' badge to proudly display on your website or blog (as illustrated above)

Email us here with details of your request.

#ebooks #indie publishing #books #literature #writing #reading #self publishing #creative writing #creative writing community

Recap - our new eBook website - iWriteReadRate.com

With the Beta launch very close, this is a quick recap of iWriteReadRate for anyone who has missed it - or if you are new to our growing ebook community of writers and readers - ahead of our upcoming launch phases. Adam Charles, one of our Directors, explains more about us:

Are you an aspiring author looking to upload your work, start or continue to build your readership, sell your books online, join a community of like-minded people, connect with readers looking for new stories, receive feedback to help you prove and improve your writing? iWriteReadRate is here to help you in your quest, to support you on your journey, and to give you a place to call your own. We’re writers just like you, so everything we’re doing is with your best interests at heart. We’re here to help you navigate the waters of ebook publishing simply and successfully.

Our website will enable writers to upload free of charge, sell, and receive valuable feedback on their work direct from their readers. Our core objective is to create a dynamic, constructive, and supportive community of writers and readers of all kinds. We are building a democratic and open platform for writers to find their audience; and also for readers looking for a wide choice of ebooks - as well as enabling them to interact with authors directly. Take a look, it would be great to see you!

About me and iWriteReadRate

My own personal story as an unpublished writer is very much intertwined with The Story of iWriteReadRate. In fact, it is because of my trials and tribulations that the very idea for our new website was born. I’m a life long lover of literature, writing, and all things creative. In launching our website it is my intention to help other writers and readers discover, interact, and get to know each other in a friendly environment. The iWriteReadRate team and I believe that this is a new dynamic in the writing experience and the relationship between those who have created the work and those who consume it.

A Quick Overview

We’ve thought hard about what features we’d want from our website - as writers and readers ourselves - and tried to pack in as much as we can from the beginning. The site will undoubtedly evolve over time, but we think we’ve got a great basis to develop our offering for indie authors and inquisitive readers even further in the future.

From the beginning, writers will be able to upload five different lengths of work; set a price from a number of options based on the length; receive ratings/reviews; and create an invaluable interaction with their readership. A dynamic, interactive, ebook community.

Readers will be able to read a Writer Bio, ebook Synopsis and Preview for free, and will only be charged to download the full document in PDF or ePub format (Mobi coming later). These ebook formats will mean that downloads are compatible with the vast majority of eReaders, tablets, and smart-phones.

This is just the beginning. For more information around features, functionality, aims and objectives take a look at our brief FAQs section and our Factoids Blog post.

I’ve also completed interviews over the last couple of months for bloggers Sophie Playle and Rebekah Montgomery – worth a look to find out more.

The eBook Revolution

There’s a great deal in the media at present about Indie Publishing, and we’re extremely positive and optimistic about the future for aspiring authors and writers of all kinds. The rise of motivated, dedicated, and enthusiastic writers, making their own path to improve their work, find their market and grow their own platforms, is an exciting one. Our website is designed with these objectives at the core of what we are doing. We think the old fashioned baggage associated with the term Self Publishing is a thing of the past, and that indie authors are the future.

I believe that most writers out there, as long as their work is well written, edited, and presented, will find an enthusiastic audience in the brave new world of eLiterature - it’s simply a matter of finding them. The Internet offers great scope and scale to do just that. Take a look at our recent blog post on my further thoughts about The eBook Revolution.

We think that one of the most exciting opportunities the uptake of ebooks enables is a democratization of what is determined to be a successful book, as well as the fundamental connectedness of the Internet being perfect for the distribution of literary work. Our opinion is that this can only further enhance and enrich The Social Experience of Reading.

Building the Interactive eBook Community

Our website also offers advice, support, and connects like-minded writers, readers and literary professionals for the benefit of all of our registered iWriteReadRaters. During the development phase we’ve been growing our contacts and building some useful advice for our members. We interviewed 40kBooks in April, Novel Publicity in March, and we’ve also completed an interview with a Literary Consultant - there's more in the pipeline as well. In addition to this we posted a short blog article about the importance of self-editing for all writers when sending their work out into the world to be read.

We’re keen to continue supporting our members, and growing the advice we provide. We will do this through engaging further with experts and feeding their knowledge back to you through our blog and social networks.

Final Thoughts

It can be daunting to be an aspiring author. Ultimately iWriteReadRate is here to help you progress and develop your passion for literature; to give you an interactive platform for your hard work and ideas.

We think there are a myriad of reasons to join us and use iWriteReadRate - either as a writer or a reader - and that everyone will find something that appeals to them. We’re incredibly excited and enthusiastic about the upcoming launch phases, and would be delighted if you joined us from the beginning of this new ebook community.

We’re launching the Beta website during April, and anyone who has pre-registered will be able to upload their work during this phase. Once we have completed Beta testing, we’ll open up the final build of the website for the full launch.

If you're a new or existing indie author, or an inquisitive reader looking for ebooks from new writers, you should check out our main page today!

The Beta launch is imminent!

If you're registered keep an eye out for an email from us called 'Your iWriteReadRate Beta Password' coming soon.

If you haven't registered yet, visit us now to join: www.iWriteReadRate.com

You can also connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or by email.

#ebooks #books #literature #indie publishing #indie authors #self publishing #reading #new books

Interview with Giuseppe Granieri from 40kBooks

We've had a great relationship with 40kBooks since discovering them on Twitter, and we've had a couple of our articles posted on their website. We caught up with the Editorial Director of 40k, Giuseppe Granieri, to ask him a few questions and tap into his digital expertise. Here are his responses:

Q1: For the benefit of the members of iWriteReadRate.com can you tell us a little more about what you do, your team, and your expertise?

A1: Well, we publish ebooks. We are a “native digital” publisher and we focus on short fiction (novelettes and short novels) and strongly focused essays. We publish award-winning authors (Hugo, Nebula, ecc) and talented new writers. Our management comes from two important publishing groups (Mondadori and Feltrinelli) and I’m really proud of our team (from our editors, to our production manager, to our graphic designer). We keep the best from traditional publishing and we try to think digital.

Q2: From your experience, what advice would you give an aspiring author about how they should go about self-editing their work in the first instance?

A2: I, as a writer, can only say that an editor and a proofreader usually add very much value to every text. If you want to self-publish, first hire an editor. Then be sure that your author platform can do its work at his best. You need to reach a lot of potential readers to get read from a very little fraction of them.

Q3: In your opinion, what challenges do unpublished/indie writers face in their dream of becoming published?

A3: A good story helps a lot. Social media helps too. But the strongest part of the work is to build a platform, to reach the readers, to build a network of trust with them. It’s not a matter of tools: tools can enable you, but you need hard work and well-formed digital literacy.

Q4: How do you think the publishing industry will adapt to new and emerging technology over the next five years?

A4: In the digital world five years are a “scenario” lapse of time. It’s impossible to make a forecast: in every moment we can face an innovation that changes the rules of the game. We have, I think, only a path: experiment, fail, learn, experiment. The biggest organizations will find it more difficult to adapt, maybe. But there is no choice: we have to adapt publishing to the digital.

Q5: What are your thoughts around the new community for writers’ unpublished work being launched by iWriteReadRate.com?

A5: Community is the keyword. We call them “social media” because the only way we have to get them working is by the people activities. The literary world will not be an exception. Community, to me, means sharing ideas, maximizing creativity, curating the readership, building relationships.

Q6: What top writing tips can you give the aspiring authors on iWriteReadRate.com?

A6: Only one. Read as much as possible. Your writing will follow.

Q7: If you could change anything about the traditional way that writers get their work published through Agents/Editors/Publishers – what would you change and why?

A7: Our culture is following a pattern: publishing costs trending to zero. The problem is not “to be published” but “how the publisher can help you to reach your readers”. So, if I could do some magic, I would build a world in which any reader have all the information useful for them to find the most appropriate book for them to read.

Q8: In your opinion, can aspiring writers and authors afford not to engage with readers in this age of Social Media? What are your top tips for these interactions?

A8: If you have a great fanship, you can choose to not engage yourself in social media. You can do it, but still it’s not an intelligent choice. Social media, in the digital landscape, is the place where readers live and decide what to read. That is the market. Can you afford to ignore the market?

Q9: Any final thoughts for the members of iWriteReadRate.com?

A9: I wish you all good luck. Enjoy the journey.

Thank you for your time, Giuseppe, we really appreciate your insight and ongoing support. All the best with 40kBooks.com - we like your work!

Not registered with iWriteReadRate? Join our growing community of like-minded people today by registering at: www.iWriteReadRate.com

Like this post? Take a look at:

Interview with Novel Publicity Founder

Interview with Cornerstones Literary Consultancy

The Story of iWriteReadRate

The eBook Revolution

Obsessive Self-Editing = part of being a writer

#40kbooks #creative writing #ebooks #digital publishing #indie authors #indie publishing #writing #reading #books #literature #interview #giuseppe granieri

Interview with Emlyn Chand from Novel Publicity

iWriteReadRate caught up with Emlyn Chand, founder of Novel Publicity, on Twitter and we thought that there's a great number of similarities in our objectives, so we interviewed her earlier this month. We think that you'll find her expertise and answers valuable. So, without further ado, here's Emlyn:

Q1: You recently launched Novel Publicity. For the benefit of the members of iWriteReadRate.com can you tell us a little more about what you do, your team, and your expertise?

A1: Sure! Novel Publicity offers a la carte author promotion, which means you can pick and choose the services that you want based on your needs and your financial constraints. We have 43 distinct services, including custom-scripted book trailers, blog tours, social media set-ups, web and blog design, audio book adaptation, and more. We’re writers working for writers, which, I think, makes us different from the other PR firms out there.

Q2: From your experience, what advice would you give an aspiring writer about how they should go about self-editing their work in the first instance?

A2: Editing is a learned skill. It’s challenging but also vital. I wrote an article about this recently here. Every author will edit differently. My best advice is to give yourself adequate distance from the piece before you begin revision, don’t impose deadlines on yourself (these could wind up being counterproductive), make sure to engage beta readers, and consider hiring a professional editor to look over your work. I also recently discovered the AutoCrit Editing Wizard, and, well, I’m sold!

Q3: In your opinion, what challenges do unpublished writers face in their dream of becoming published?

A3: The challenges abound. First, the writer must overcome the challenges she creates for herself—sending out queries to the wrong agents or publishers, sending out her manuscript before it is truly ready, and not understanding the absolute essentiality of building a platform to support her work. Once she has dealt with her own issues, she’ll have to work hard to break into an industry that is not friendly to newcomers. The author must bare her soul for the whole world to see, only to face faceless rejection, to learn that her soul is not pretty enough, that it’s not wanted. It’s very easy to be overcome, but you can’t give up! The writer must walk a tight rope act; at the same time, she must believe that her work is worthy and excellent, and she must also be ever critical of it. It’s extremely trying on one’s delicate ego, and we writers are already sensitive to begin with!

Q4: How do you think the publishing industry will adapt to new and emerging technology over the next five years?

A4: The industry has been adapting and changing in wonderful ways. As eBooks become more and more prominent, internet marketing will become crucial to the success of any author, digi-published or not. I believe that social media networking, multimedia promotional tools (such as book trailers and audio books), and blog out-reach will take over a great deal of the traditional PR services. I also believe that the shift toward the internet market will enable more authors to have their work published. The internet is a strange and wonderful thing; it brings the entire world to your doorstep, making it easier than ever before to find that exact audience who have been waiting their entire life to read YOUR book.

Q5: What are your thoughts around the new community for writers’ unpublished work being launched by iWriteReadRate.com?

A5: I love it! I can’t stress enough the importance of beta readers to the writer. You need that secondary feedback from someone, who has a bit of distance from your work, someone who doesn’t have access to all of the extra thoughts in your head that explain your story but didn’t make it into print. A beta reader can point out inconsistent characterization, lacklustre description, slow plotting, and more. The idea of somebody paying to beta-read a writer’s work is just fabulous. It’s not about the money but rather that iWriteReadRate connects writers with readers, who actually want to read their work! As a writer, how many times have you wondered if your husband, mother, best friend was truly interested in your manuscript or just said s/he was to protect your feelings? Novel Publicity is a big supporter of iWriteReadRate’s mission and can’t wait to find new ways to partner these two budding tech-savvy author service firms.

Q6: What top writing tips can you give the aspiring writers on iWriteReadRate.com?

A6: Practice makes… better than it was before. Compare the first draft of your novel to your most recent draft. Aren’t you disgusted by how poorly you used to write? We all improve as we go, so never stop writing. Also keep a voracious reading appetite—read both books that you love and books that you hate. I’ve found that I sometimes learn the best writing lessons from poorly written books. I didn’t understand how obnoxious adverb overkill, for example, could be, until I read a book that was teeming with –ly words (here’s an article I posted with examples of both types of books). Also make it a point to read writer’s magazines and reference guides and to engage in the online writer community. Every bit of inspiration helps, and, who knows, you may learn some tricks along the way.

Q7: If you could change anything about the traditional way that writers get their work published through Agents/Editors/Publishers – what would you change and why?

A7: I like the direction the market has been taking on its own. The indie publishing wave is brilliant. It gives authors the attention and recognition they deserve and can also save them a lot of heart-ache, when it comes to the querying process. The querying process is not at all fun. I wish that there was a way to change it, but I don’t think there is. Rather I wish that writers would be better aware of the alternatives before beginning their publication journeys. When I first began to pursue publication for my literary novel, I thought that cold querying was the only way to do it. It’s not. There are so many other opportunities out there with self-, digi-, and indie publishing. Research those, one of them may be a better fit for you than the traditional path.

Q8: In your opinion, can aspiring writers and authors afford not to engage with readers in this age of Social Media? What are your top tips for these interactions?

A8: I don’t understand why any writer would shirk this opportunity. One of the best things about being a writer is engaging with your readers, especially when those readers enjoy your work! Even the negative feedback tends to be constructive and can help you improve your future work. Everything Novel Publicity does is aimed at bringing the reader and writer together (kind of like iwritereadrate, but in our own special way). The absolute best way to connect with your readers initially is through Twitter. To develop a relationship with them over the long term, Facebook is golden. The value of a writer’s blog can also not be ignored. Oh, and then there’s GoodReads and a whole host of other sites on which authors should be present. We offer services related to all of these, and our Free Advice Blog regularly features do-it-yourself advice.

Q9: Any final thoughts for the members of iWriteReadRate.com?

A9: You’ve got to be willing to put yourself out there. You have to believe in the quality of your product but also to never stop seeking ways in which you can improve it. Iwritereadrate is a great way to stick your toe in the pond—you’ll be dealing with friendly guppies rather than author-eating piranhas (i.e. literary agents). Once you’ve landed a publisher or have decided to self-publish, make sure you are ready to market yourself. In a congested arena, you have to be willing to shout, wave your arms, and jump up and down to get people to notice you. And, hey, we at Novel Publicity can help you do that too.

Emlyn's bio:

From an early age, books have been Emlyn Chand’s best friends. She loves to hear and tell stories and emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). Her affinity for the written word extends to absolutely every area of her life—she has written one-and-a-half novels, has two freelance columns, leads a classics book group with over three-hundred members, and, of course, she runs the whole shebang here at Novel Publicity, contributing her business and marketing savvy as well as her writing and graphic design talents. She has an MA in quantitative sociology, which means she’s able to understand both numbers and people.

The book that changed Emlyn’s life is “Harold and the Purple Crayon” by Crocket Johnson. It opened her eyes to the world that could exist if only she was willing to create it and she’s never forgotten this lesson. She now reads an average of one book per week, and while she enjoys all types of novels, her greatest loves are literary fiction and YA. Emlyn truly believes that there is an audience out there for all books—it’s only a matter of finding it.

Emlyn can be reached via email, Twitter, or Facebook. You can also learn more about her by visiting her author website: www.emlynchand.com.

Thank you, Emlyn. We're really excited as well about the upcoming Beta site launch of iWriteReadRate. We look forward to working with you and Novel Publicity further following our upcoming launch phases, so we can continually improve the support we offer our writers and their readers.

There's still time to register to gain Beta access and enter our competition to win a fantastic Sony Pocket Digital PRS-350 eReader.

Visit us at: www.iWriteReadRate.com to find out more!

If you liked this iWriteReadRate article you should also take a look at:The eBook Revolution The Story of iWriteReadRate The Social Experience of Reading Interview with Cornerstones Literary Consultancy

#ebooks #reading #interview #indie publishing #creative writing #editing #emlyn chand #iwritereadrate.com #novel publicity #self publishing

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