Category: Uncategorized

TREE LIFE EXPECTANCY…

I LOVE this illustration because (in my odd ways of thinking) it gives me permission to TAKE the time necessary to create the best possible novel I can.  The photo may be hard to read on this blog—so I’ll repeat two of the dates here: The SEED of this tree—at its center—germinated in the year 550 (yes 550 A.D.). The same GIANT TREE was cut down in 1891.  Of course, I seriously doubt that any of us will take 1,341 years to finish a novel—however it can still feel that it takes that long.

It is said that author Helen Hooven Santmyer wrote her novel, “…And Ladies of the Club,” over a 50-year span of time! Her choice to tell the story(s) of fictional members of a small town women’s literary club set her up for this lengthy adventure as their lives. The actions and events within the cultural and political life of their community necessitated the evolution of time both real and imagined.

No Great Mischief: A Novel by Alistair MacLeod simmered and stewed and bubbled and boiled within him for thirteen years. MacLeod was a well-established short-fiction author before he began the pages of this book in 1986. Unlike most of us, because of his previous successes, he had developed a friendship with his publisher who quite literally nagged MacLeod until the day the manuscript was placed on his desk in 1999.

Two other best selling novels—taking several years to write—are ROOTS by Alex Haley and PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett.

Mr. Haley, who was also a Senior Editor for Readers Digest among his list of careers, utilized his own family history as the storyline of this famous novel. However, he didn’t skimp on research and the authenticity of his work reads well on the page and views well on the movie theatre screens.

Mr. Follett shares in interviews that, “…towards the end [of writing this novel] I was working Saturdays and Sundays because I thought I was never going to get it finished.”  It is also the book he’s most proud of because it vividly recreates the entire life of a village and the people (characters) who live there—including their environment and way of life.

If you haven’t already discerned my bottom-line-thought-for-the-day, it is this: Research the Details. Looking again at the tree-slice illustration I’ve used, you can see that the Tree gives up its story in the “plotline” actions and events that occurred during its growth.

1. A catalyst event happened.
2. A birth—representing many births—occurred.
3.  A tragedy happened.
4. A military battle brought victory and defeat.
5. A king was crowned and laws developed.
6. A new continent was discovered.
7. More wars and battles were fought and treaties made.
8. A new nation declared independence.
9. Multiple discoveries using Electricity.
10. More battles between men and beliefs of what is right and what is wrong.
11. Concluding with The End of observations of the actions and event in that Time-Frame.

These elements will create an “epic tale” no matter the length of your novel. They also allow your own Tree-Slice to evolve, which is (I believe) an excellent method of plot development. BE ENCOURAGED, fellow-writers! The reading public is eagerly waiting for the novel only you can write, whether it takes a year—or three years—or ten—or fifty.

ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review by Midwest Book Review:

A Shadow’s Tale

Robert D’Angelo

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN:9781432782542

To bring your world back into what it should be, one is often tasked with overwhelming opposition. “A Shadow’s Tale” is a fantasy novel as author Robert D’Angelo explores the conflicts of Divina and her quests to restore the King and the Price, but with the heavy threats of magic lying in front of them to do so, testing Divina and her sister’s dedication to their family. “A Shadow’s Tale” is a strong addition to fantasy novel collections, recommendation.

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry. This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Tuesday to find out the hottest news.

How This Self-Published Author Made $450,000: Part 2

British author Mark Dawson makes hundreds of thousands a year from his self-published novels. In the second entry of a three-part series, Dawson explains how he cracked the self-publishing industry. This is an interesting and inspiring read.

Want to Succeed in Self-Publishing? Revise Wisely: Tips From an Indie Author

As a writer of historical fiction, indie author Sophie Schiller has always wanted to bring her “own unique brand of adventure” to life. In 2013, she self-published her first novel, Spy Island—and notes that going indie opened up a host of new opportunities. Read the full article to learn her self-publishing tips.

The Indie Authors’ Guide to Book Titles

Self-publishers should consider these six tried-and-true tips for creating successful book titles. This is a must read.

If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

May is National Recommitment Month. It’s a time to look back at the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the new year and recommit yourself to the things important to you. May is the perfect time to recommit to your writing projects and finally self-publish your book. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Make writing a habit.

You’ve heard it a million times. Writing requires consistency. It requires you to actively work on your projects every day. Otherwise writing always gets pushed to the side and replaced with something “more urgent” or “more important.” Commit to your work by setting a writing schedule. Decide how much time you can spend writing each week and when you’ll do it. Now stick to it.

2. Build a support system.

Writing is not easy work. There will be days you don’t want to write. There will be times you are convinced your work is awful. There will be days you second guess everything about your project. During those times, you need someone you can talk to and lean on for support. Whether you find an online writing group, a local writing group, or just talk to supportive friends and family, a strong support system is important.

3. Just Write.

There are a million ways to procrastinate and a million excuses of why you haven’t finished your project. Stop all the planning, researching, talking, avoiding, worrying, whatever is getting in your way. Just sit down and write. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Just let the words start flowing and worry about editing later.

I’d love to know, what writing projects are you recommitting to?

ABOUT JODEE THAYER: With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, Jodee Thayer works as the Director of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps and publishing consultants; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process in order to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Jodee Thayer can put you on the right path.

TREES…

…AND THEIR SEASONS OF GROWTH are another excellent example of storyline/plot development. Most novel writers have experimented with the Peaks-and-Valleys plot progression plan. However, creating an illustration of a tree-trunk slice (shown here) allows me a much clearer picture of the actions and events I want to incorporate into my story—and the bumps they create along the way.

NOTICE: the “first year of growth” is solid. It is the burst of life that brings this tree (novel) into existence. For the novel writer, this living element is that short statement that informs editors (and the writer) exactly what this novel IS ABOUT.

An example of this—taken from Ted Dekker’s new novel, Hacker—reads: “My name is Nyah and I’m a hacker. I know things most people would never believe. Things that shouldn’t exist, but do.” This type of introductory statement evokes strong emotions and immediate intellectual interest. This is an excellent core idea that will develop an amazing novel.

NOTICE: the rings closest to the center/core are darker. They are filled with lots of nutrients that the tree absorbs as quickly as possible.  For the author, these rings must be filled with the details that will stir the reader’s passions and provoke them to solve the issues you’ve created for your characters.

An excellent example is given on the back cover of the novel Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn. It prepares reader’s to see the layers of evidence and intrigue that will be laid out before them. Here are the core statements: 1.) “Hidden in an ancient biblical prophecy from Isaiah…” 2.) “the mysteries revealed…foretell recent American events down to the exact days…” 3.) “the 3,000-year-old mystery that revealed the exact date of the stock market collapse of 2008…” 4) “the ancient prophecy that was proclaimed from the floor of the US Senate and then came true…and more.”

NOTICE: the seasons. The “rainy season” shows many layers of growth. The “dry season” is quite narrow. These correlate to rainy season chapters that hold more characters in them (usually additional supporting characters needed to progress the story). Then there will be the dry/parched, intense/shorter chapters that are needed to provoke or inspire readers with excitement.  Both of the novels mentioned above accomplish this with excellence.

NOTICE: the scar on the illustration.  This is a major element in novel writing that must not be left out. Actions and events in the lives of human beings cause scars. Each and every one of your readers will have their own scars—some fresher than others—and many deeper scars that are hidden even from themselves.  The excellent novelist will create an event—or several events depending on the length of the novel—that will touch memories held by their readers.

The first example of this that comes to my mind is the novel The Shack by William Paul Young. His back cover statement explains the scar concept in one sentence. “Mackenzie Allen Phillips’s youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation, and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness.”

IF YOUR NOVEL feels stuck, try wrapping your story elements around the seed/core of it, and let it grow until it is FINISHED! Then publish it right away and start writing the next one!

ABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene Doyle is a Ghostwriter with Outskirts Press, bringing more than 35 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their writing projects. She has worked with both experienced and fledgling writers helping complete projects in multiple genres. When a writer brings the passion they have for their work and combines it with Royalene’s passion to see the finished project in print, books are published and the writer’s legacy is passed forward.