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Tag Archives: Writing

Tips about writing, suggestions for better writing, how to write.

Workshop: Writing and Comics Track @OutlantaCon #scifi #amwriting

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Workshop: Writing and Comics Track @OutlantaCon #scifi #amwritingOutlantaCon has been around for 8 years and has seen a steady increase of attendance. It’s an Atlanta-based event for the Queer Geek audience, and the straight audience too. It’s my favorite convention, and I’ve attended since the first year. I have an honorary lifetime membership. When you attend a workshop here, you relax and chat, and can ask questions one-on-one. As a writer, it’s a great way to network, cut loose, and have some fun. The literary guests (in alphabetical order by first name) include:
Ally Blue
Brent D Seth
Eden Winters
Kage Alan
Kayelle Allen
Kiernan Kelly
Lee Martindale
Michael James Bode
R Alan Sler
Warren Rochelle

Workshop Listing

This workshop listing is only a sample. Please see the website for the full list. I’m teaching one of these, plus one on using Twitter (Sunday 5/15).

Workshop: Transitioning from Writing in One Genre to Another: Don’t Be Afraid
Fri, May 13, 10:30pm – Sat, May 14, 12:00am
Room: Decatur I
Why is stepping outside our writing safety zone so difficult? Is trying something new a good thing? Bad thing? Will we lose readers? Gain new ones? Can we successfully go from one genre to another?
10:30p – 11:45p
Panelists: Kage Alan, Kiernan Kelly, Eden Winters

Workshop: Self Publishing Vs. Publish with an Agent: The Pros and Cons
Sat, May 14, 10:30am – 12:00pm
Room: Decatur I
Discussion of the differences between traditional publishing versus self publishing. The values and pitfalls that happen with each. How to navigate and decide which would work best for the individual.
10:30a – 11:34a
Instructor: Kage Alan

Workshop: Walking the Self-Publishing Minefield
Sun, May 15, 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Room: Decatur II
A round table discussion of what to do and what to avoid when self publishing in order to turn out a polished manuscript, including how to market it once it’s published.
Noon – 1:15p
Instructors: Keirnan Kelly and Kayelle Allen
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Don’t see a workshop you like? No worries. There is an entire list available on the convention website, and more than one track to choose from.
Main site http://www.outlantacon.org/
Programming http://www.outlantacon.org/#!programming/c1yjy
Membership http://www.outlantacon.org/#!membership/chul
Cost for the entire weekend is $60, or $30 for Saturday only. Email registration@outlantacon.org for more information.

Where is OutlantaCon?

Atlanta Marriott Century Center/Emory Area
2000 Century Boulevard NE Atlanta GA 30345
More info on the Marriott Reservation page.
The rate is 92.00 USD/night plus applicable taxes for the Thursday to Monday dates of the convention. If you have any problems with the reservation process online call the hotel direct. (404) 325-0000

Posted in Conventions for Sci Fi Lovers | Tagged , , , , |

What’s New in M/M? Authors Share Their Books

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Share Your Book Details.

Welcome to the monthly share feature. On or about the 24th of each month, I’ll be asking fellow authors to share their blurbs and buy links in the comments section of my blog.

This month, the focus is on M/M. If you have a book of the male-male persuasion (in any genre), feel free to share it here.

We’d like to see:
Author:
Book title:
Publisher:
Genre:
Blurb:
Buy Links:

Readers are welcome to leave questions or comments. We’d love to hear from everyone.

Kayelle Allen is an award-winning, multi-published author. Her heroes and heroines include badass immortals, warriors who purr, and agents who find the unfindable–or hide it forever. She is known for unstoppable heroes, uncompromising love, and unforgettable passion.
Posted in Marketing for Romance Writers | Tagged , , |

Mind Maps or Why I am Not a Pantser

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A Mind Map of my Work in Progress.

I’ve discovered (the hard way) that unless I have a solid plot my book ideas fizzle. I am not a pantser. I recently got a program called Freemind that is “mind map” software. You start with a central idea, and keep clicking to create new “bubbles” or trains of thought, writing down a bit to capture the idea and then moving to the next point. I’m not an “outliney” kind of person either, so making one never worked for me. But for some reason, this program helps me capture my racing thoughts fast enough that I can get them down before they’re gone. When I get an idea it springs whole into my head and I can’t put it on paper fast enough.


Click either image in this post to see them in a larger size.

My character Alitus Vivaldi started as a walk on part because I needed someone to deliver a bit of news to the Empress in her big scene. I kept calling him “her assistant” and after about six times, I realized I needed to name him. The moment I had his name I had all of him. His backstory, his life, his goals, everything. He ended up getting his own book and being a major player in my overall series of trilogies that link together. When things like that happen, it’s hard to record it all. This program has been a real blessing to me. Five years ago I might not have been ready for it, but now, I can’t imagine how I’d get through a plot without it. It’s literally saved me hundreds of frustrating hours of work. My current wip is in its sixth rewrite, and I think this will be its last because of the program. It’s Java based, and it’s produced by Sourceforge, which made Audacity.
One leg of the above mind map.

I used Freemind to come up with ideas for a non-fiction book I’m doing on how to write dialogue. Once I saw the possibilities, I started a mind map for my wip and within days, had mapped out the entire thing, solving my dilemma over the ending and plot problems. My editor had sent me some good info which helped, and between the two, it made a big difference. I attached a print of the dialogue thing, showing just one leg of the basic “topic” mind map. When you open the whole thing, it’s so huge you have to move it around the screen to see it all. I’m doing one for each aspect of the book, and then will work on putting down the details. This program exports as jpg, png, flash, html, java, pdf, open office, and more. I can export it as open office, then save it as rtf, and open it in Word as an outline. I’m amazed that I can write this way. I’d never have thought of doing it but came across the idea in a book I was reading and decided to Google mind map software and see what I could find. This one was free so I figured what the heck. I’ll give it a go. I’m quite visual — I’m stimulated by visual images and inspired by pictures, so this turns out to be ideal for me.
Once I start with a solid idea of where I’m going, and a purpose to accomplish, the random ideas seem to flow better. A mind map seems to be just what I need.

Want to try the product? Go here to download it. Let me know what you think! http://freemind.sourceforge.net

Kayelle Allen is an award-winning, multi-published author. Her heroes and heroines include badass immortals, warriors who purr, and agents who find the unfindable–or hide it forever. She is known for unstoppable heroes, uncompromising love, and unforgettable passion.
Posted in Marketing for Romance Writers | Tagged , , |

Fun New Software for Zip #amwriting

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Pro Writing Aid

I’ve been enjoying a new piece of software called Pro Writing Aid. It’s my favorite price: Free. You need at least 200 words for the program to work, but since I’m working on a novel, that isn’t a problem for me.

Click the title under the logo to try it out. It opens in a new window. No worries about your material ending up anywhere else. You can clear the page when you leave, but it doesn’t keep any information if you don’t.

Below is its analysis summary of this article. Click the image to see it full sized.

Click to view in larger size.

Once you paste in your material, click Analyze, and watch the magic happen. This program gives you words that are homynyms, shows you alliteration, sentence length variations, diction issues, sticky sentences (cumbersome or full of phrases), and much more. Each section is shown in its own neat window. Click the tab sections on the left to open the page and see the text.

I keep my document open and make changes to it while referring to the website. When I’m satisfied, I copy, clear the old data, paste the new, and analyze again. Sometimes I find things that it notes are not really “issues.” For example, it tags the word “said” as a dialog tag, even if I’m not using it that way in context. I might have written, “She said you were wrong.” That’s not a tag, but the software only catches the word said. It also picks up growled, whispered, and other such words. These can be helpful catches. Just be aware that now and then, it may be taking them out of context.

Nothing beats a good critique partner or beta reader. Mine are worth far more than gold. But in a pinch, this little program is a great help.

Kayelle Allen is an award-winning, multi-published author. Her heroes and heroines include badass immortals, warriors who purr, and agents who find the unfindable–or hide it forever. She is known for unstoppable heroes, uncompromising love, and unforgettable passion.
Posted in Marketing for Romance Writers | Tagged , , |

University for Romance Writers @RomanceUniv #MFRWauthor

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University for Romance Writers

Romance UniversityI’m proud to announce I’ve been invited to join Romance University as a regular contributor. I’ll be sharing posts about various aspects of marketing and writing. Romance University is dedicated to helping writers establish and advance their careers, introducing readers to a variety of authors, and delving into the ever-inscrutable male mind. Below is info taken from the “About Us” portion of the site, showing what kind of goodies are covered when.

As the founder of Marketing for Romance Writers, this is a great spot for me. I currently share on the MFRW Author blog on the 3rd of each month, and I’m often on the Yahoo group talking and sharing with members. MFRW is also on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads. We promote for our members, so if you’re looking for a way to get your name out there, come by and see us.

Monday: Crafting Your Career

Most writers begin writing because they love the process–using just the right word, crafting the perfect sentence, giving life to imaginary people. However satisfying the writing process, many writers begin to want more. The want people to read about and love those imaginary folks. Okay–they want people to pay to read about those imaginary folks. Join us each Monday at RU where we’ll discuss the business of writing or career topic. Visiting Professors (guest bloggers) at the university often stop by the school to offer advice.

Wednesday: Anatomy of the Mind

This is the day we explore every facet of writing, reading, and men.

Friday: Chaos Theory of Writing

On Fridays, RU Faculty along with industry professionals and established authors will focus on the elements of manuscript writing. Tips to help you hone your craft and write a damn fine book. After all, it will be your writing that will catch (and retain) the interest of a lucky agent or editor.We’ll tap into our own experiences, share what’s working and what isn’t as we chase our dreams of becoming published authors. We’ll also discuss advice from our favorite writing reference books and websites. So join us each Friday to experience the chaos of writing.

Join Me

Please join me on Romance University, a place where friends are made and dreams are realized. http://romanceuniversity.org/

Posted in Marketing for Romance Writers | Tagged , , , , |
How to Leave a Review #Writer #Books

How to Leave a Review #amreading #Books

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Does it matter if readers leave a review? Yes. A book with even one review moves up in the sales ranking on Amazon. With enough reviews, an author can join programs that offer the book to more readers. It’s easy to leave a review. If you’ve never written a review before, this will guide you.

How to Leave a Review #amreading #Books @kayelleallen

What should a review say?

If you received a book free then Amazon requires the following text (you can copy and paste):

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

For the rest of the review, the wording is up to you. When you leave a review, you should tell others what you liked about the book, or how you felt the author did at getting across the story. It can say that you recommend it to other readers. A review should not give away the ending of a story or spoil surprises for other readers. A review can be short and sweet.

What should a review not say?

Remember that a book review is for a product for sale, so keep the topic to the actual product. It should not have negative or unkind words. If should be about a book you’ve read. If you didn’t read it, it’s not fair to leave a review. It should not be about delivery issues. For example, if the book arrived late in the mail, that has nothing to do with the book itself.

Where can you leave a review?

If you have a blog, Facebook page, or an account on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, or other sites, you can post a review there. Here is a brief how-to that will guide you to getting to the right place to leave a review. In the examples below, I’ve used the book title “A Romance for Christmas” but you can substitute that for any title you wish.

To leave a review on Amazon

Go to www.amazon.com and log in.

To be considered a verified reviewer on Amazon, you need to have purchased at least one item from Amazon in the past.

In the search bar, put A Romance for Christmas.

Once you find the book, scroll down to “Customer Reviews” and click on “Write a customer review.”

To leave a review on Goodreads

Go to www.goodreads.com and login or create a new account: https://www.goodreads.com/user/create.

In the search bar, put A Romance for Christmas.

Once you find the book, click on it.

Rate the book with a star number underneath the book cover. The box above the stars will now mark the book as “Read.”

Hover over the box saying “Read” and you will see a small pop up balloon. Inside the balloon, click “Write a Review.”

Write a review in the box on this page or copy and paste your review from Amazon.

Sample Reviews

A sweet Christmas romance by @kayelleallen #holiday romance

A Romance for Christmas

Here are three actual reviews for my book A Romance for Christmas.

  1. Even when you think there’s no one else for you, surprises happens & another chance presents itself. Take a shot and see what happens.
  2. Merry Christmas to me. Absolutely loved this romantic story. Just beautiful.
  3. It was a very touching story! Dara and Scott were perfect for each other because they had a lot in common. It was a nice light romance and fun!

 As you can see, a review doesn’t have to be long or have a lot of detail. Of course, if you think a book deserves a longer review, by all means leave one.

Do you have any tips for reviews? Please share them in the comments. If you left a review because you read this post, please share the link. It doesn’t have to be one of my books. Also, feel free to share this post with friends.

Posted in Marketing for Romance Writers | Tagged , , |