Countdown to the Finish Line

This week for my

Operation Author: 

365 Actions to Becoming a Successful Author

...project I have dedicated much of my time to writing. The couple of actions I've completed were:





First Action: 

Scheduled plenty of tweets up to the New Year so I don't have to think about it over the Christmas break.

Follow me here:

https://twitter.com/TomCatDesigns






Second Action: 

I have plenty of stock of The Bronze Box and Solomon's Secrets at home and posted images on Facebook for anyone looking for last minute present ideas.

Third Action:

I've done some more dodgy artwork. 

I get quite a few followers on Pinterest, especially my 'Writing' board.

As an experiment, I've doodled an image for Pinterest to encourage people to connect with me on Facebook too.

Amy on Pinterest

 Here I am on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/amymorse184/

Speaking of Facebook, my Fourth Action was to schedule some regular tweets to try to reach 100 likes on my Facebook author page. 

I've picked up a few, but if you'd like to keep up to date with my adventures in writing, come over and say hello to me on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/AmyCFitzjohn




We're down to the last 10 days of the year and the end of this project. I'm cheating slightly, this is what I'm going to do next and I'll update you again in January with my progress.

Here's my plan for a 10 day countdown to 2015

Ten

Plan my 10 remaining actions (Check!)

Nine

Complete the chapter I am working on for Gabriel's Game

Eight

Put together some content for my next 365 project

Seven

I have 6 more chapters to complete for Gabriel's game. Finish one of them

Six

It's Christmas Day! I've some business and writing books on my present list - Let's hope I get some of them.

I'll fit in some writing if I can, but I suspect I'll be eating and drinking and being merry

Five

I'm hosting family but should be able to fit in some writing at the end of the day after they leave. Finish a chapter

Four

I'm hosting more family but have a plan for a treasure hunt to entertain my niece and nephew which involves some creative clue writing - I'll make my last minute preparations before they arrive

Three

Finish the last of the chapters

Two

It's my birthday! I'm going to London but one thing I want to do is visit the British Museum and I'll be using it as an opportunity to do some research ready for my re-writes

One

Do some last tweaks, structural changes and write any extra passages needed to connect the first draft up

Zero

Happy New Year! Now my next 365 Project starts and so do the re-writes and edits.

(Is it weird that as I wrote this countdown I had the theme to Thunderbirds in my head?)

 

And here's a final dodgy doodle for you:

Pulling faces in the mirror and other writers habits...

This week for 

Operation Author: 365 Actions to Becoming a Successful Author

I've not quite built up to seven actions and with Christmas approaching, my time is going to be more and more diverted. I plan to continue this 365 project into January before starting a new one.

My first action has been to think about what 365 project I might do in 2015. I put a question on my Project Book 365 Facebook page:

What do you think I should do?

Vote here:  https://www.facebook.com/ProjectBook365


My second action was to create some 'writers problems posters'

 

 






















My third action had been to schedule in lots of social media updates on Twitter and Facebook using these posters and other content, follow me there. I've also been pinning them on Pinterest, find me there too.

My fourth action was to map out 'Gabriel's Game, part 1: The White Queen' - Here's how I plan my books:

 I start with a blank sheet and mark the first chapter and the last chapter







The blue post its are character groups and a key 
The yellow post its are the scenes







I have 1 post it per scene and plot them out






Finally, I've marked the scenes I've written with orange.




As I write I can rearrange the scenes and connect them together. I may add, merge or remove scenes and I can then swap the post its around until everything fits neatly together







My fifth action had been to make writing related Xmas presents. I don't want to say what they are until after Xmas in case of spoilers.

My final actions have been writing. I have set myself a target to complete the first draft of
'Gabriel's Game, part 1: The White Queen' by the end of the year.


Arr - I've just seen a You Tube video of a Dr Who feature called 'Gabriel's Game' - I might have to rethink the title of the book...











 

Parties and Books...What else is there?

This update for

Operation Author: 365 Actions to Becoming a Successful Author

covers two weeks.

Last week I had an intensive period of writing to make up some lost time on NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and the two big things were my launch events. 

Here are some of the images from the celebration for Solomon's Secrets:

Every party must have bunting!

Goody bags and cutting the cake. It was awesome chocolate cake!

Myself and some friends. Left to right: My amazing husband Graham, me, Becky, Andy, Alice and Linzi

These pictures were from earlier in the evening, before the shots started to come out.

The second launch was decidedly less raucous. It was at Small Bar on King Street.

The books in their box

This week my seven actions have been:

1) I also completed NaNoWriMo

 

2) I have continued to write and I'd like to have the first draft of Gabriel's Game: Part 1, The White Queen, written by the end of the year.

3) I changed the price of the eBooks for The Bronze Box and Solomon's Secrets and started an offer on Black Friday. 

I'm going to to leave the two books at the lower price for the rest of the year.

Both are now available for $2.99 or £1.97

 

4) I've had my first review on Solomon's Secrets - 5 stars, a short but great review and what it now means is that the book is starting to come up organically on Amazon so I hope more people find it.

Thank you Judith Canterbury for taking the time to write it.

 5) My next action is to put an appeal out...

If you've read, or are in the process of reading Solomon's Secrets, please help me out by sparing a few minutes to write a review on Amazon.

If you email or tweet me with your Facebook/Twitter links I'll thank you publicly and follow you

Twitter: @TomCatDesigns

amy@tomcatdesigns.co.uk

(If you would like a free copy of the eBook in exchange for a review, also email me.)



6) My sixth action is to do some research to find out if there are other ways I can get some reviews for the book. I'll let you know how it goes.

7) I listed Solomon's Secrets on BookBzz

Have you found any good book listings sites?

Have you found a good way to get reviews?

Share your experiences here and help out other writers.