I’ve been getting around recently and partaking in quite a few Guest Post opportunities. It’s all been in a bid to help expose my debut novel, Beyond Parallel, and I’ve met some great people along the way.
I hope you will click through to the posts below, leave a comment and support these excellent bloggers who have helped me out. It’s been a great journey so far with lots more to come.
How To Design Your Book Cover
My Guest Post on Book Buzzr
You know the deal: a modern day writer is more than a writer.
We publish, format, sell, market, and yes, design our own book covers. Some people will scold me for saying this, but sometimes it’s okay for a writer to design their own Book Cover.
There is a gigantic BUT, though.
Only do so if you’re 100% sure it’s the right decision!
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Evernote Is The Love Of My Life
My Guest Post on Novel Publicity
I fricking love Evernote!
Sorry for my blasphemy, but my adoration for Evernote is high—and no, I don’t work for them. I’m merely very passionate about what they do and how they help poor writers like myself stay on top.
As you may already know, writing is tough. There are so many words to choose from, yet we’re expected to choose the right ones each and every time. It’s lovely, but tricky, especially when you’re tired and sleepy-eyed.
I’m not saying Evernote will turn you into Stephen King, but it can calm the ocean that is your hectic mind.
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Use Your Kindle To Self-Edit your Book
My Guest Post on 30 Day Books
I love the writing process, but would you like to know what I hate? Self-Editing!
Some writers love it, but I’m not one of them. I find it difficult to concentrate on the words and not get lost in the story. Seriously, I’d make the worlds worst editor!
However, Self-Editing is 100% needed for every writer. I’m not saying you don’t need an Editor (you do), or BETA Readers (you do), or proofreaders and critique partners (you do), but self-editing is something no writer can escape.
Personally I found two rounds of self-editing:
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A Powerful Book Deserves Powerful Videos
My Guest Post on Bookmarketing Maven
Have you seen any Book Video Trailers recently?
I have, and in general, I’m not a fan. Don’t get me wrong, there are some good ones, and certain genres (Thrillers and Mysteries) suit a dark movie-like trailer. However, most don’t suit the Hollywood style, and they often leave me frustrated.
However, I do love the medium of video and believe visuals are an amazing companion to a book. We feed off of our eyes, so an attractive video can do wonders to a story. As you can imagine, I was caught between a rock and a wall. I’m a writer who wants to utilize video, but can’t stand the thought of producing another average trailer.
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I Love My Author Platform
My Guest Post on Tania Dakka
It’s the difference between being a writer, to a writer that’s read. Without my platform I’d be invisible, which let’s face it, is never fun. I know some people hate the idea of building an Author Platform; that it’s counter productive and takes away from writing.
I don’t see it like this. I consider the Author Platform as the be all and end all, and writing is merely one piece of the puzzle (albeit the most important piece). Without a platform I would write but not be read.
I thank my Author Platform daily, and although it’s still small and growing, it keeps me heading in the right direction. This is what my Platform has given me:
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10 Things I’ve Learned So Far
My Guest Post on The Book Designer
Self-Publishing . . . isn’t it amazing/awful/everything in between?
It has so much potential and holds so many opportunities, yet at the same time keeps you at arms length and practically invisible. We’re thrust into a large pond with many big fishes devouring all of the delicious readers.
Writing in its own right is hard, but being visible is a complete and utter nightmare.
I, like many modern day writers, began this journey with very little knowledge. Beyond Parallel had potential but nothing more. It’s now available for the world to love/hate/feel everything in between.
I still have much to learn, but here are:
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4 Ways A Storyteller Learned To Write
My Guest Post on Helping Writers Become Authors
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How To Engage Your Reader
My Guest Post on Storyfix
There was – apparently – a time when a writer merely wrote, sat back, and let the good times roll. That time is no more, at least not for 99% of us.
These days writers are marketers, publishers, formatters, designers, and most importantly… engagers. To stand out from the crowd you need to communicate with your readers, make them swoon, and have them become your biggest endorsers.
This is no easy task, and it needs genuine love and affection, but any writer is capable of it.Engage Your Reader
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Use A Short Story To Boost Your Book
My Guest Post on The Bookshelf Muse
Writing is hard! … Editing is excruciating! … Finishing is torture!
However, none of these are the hardest part about writing a book. The hardest part about being a modern day writer is becoming visible in a very invisible world.
When you’re a debut novelist (like moi), trying to get noticed is your main priority. When you’re a self-published debut novelist (again, like moi), it’s imperative you don’t become part of Amazon’s black hole.
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Use Email Without Feeling Like SPAM
My Guest Post on Wiseink Blog
Let me guess: you wake up each morning and open your email. Joy, you have 200 new messages. Wow, how popular you are. Happy days, right?
Absolutely, until you realise that 199 of those are SPAM and that you spend far too much time deleting newsletters you signed up for four-years ago. Email = SPAM, right? Any writer who chooses to participate in email is a slimy kid, yes?
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How To Write Your First Novel With Scrivener
My Guest Post on Livehacked
Oh, how naive we are when we first start to write a book.
It all seems so simple until you begin to consider the enormous task that stands before you. I was naive and I bet you were too. One of the silly assumptions I made was that I could open up a Word Document and start my masterpiece.
Six years later I have a fully finished novel (Beyond Parallel), but I wouldn’t be here without a piece of software that literally saved my life. That software is Scrivener, and it’s something I know Nick treasures too. Note from Nick: YES. There’s a reason I hawk Scrivener at anyone who’ll listen. It’s the bomb.com.
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There you go kids. Quite a lot I know, but hopefully you’ll come across some cool tips among them all. A huge thanks needs to be said to all of these Bloggers and Sites who have helped me launch Beyond Parallel. Without people like this it would be very hard to release a book on your own.
Speaking of which, have you looked at Beyond Parallel yet?
Turndog Millionaire – @turndog_million
