Excitement, nerves and budget decisions...

I've had a fairly quiet week on the becoming an author front, after my 25 minutes of Wiveliscombe fame last week!

This week for 

Operation Author: 365 Actions to Becoming  A Successful Author

My seven actions have been baby steps and bits and bobs:

Action 1:
I've been making enquiries with several copy editors.

I spoke to Silverwood Books, who I had wanted to publish with but I don't have enough budget to pay for their full editing service, I'm hoping they could still help me in other ways through and I'm trying to arrange a meeting with them.

I met another writer who does copy editing and although I will probably choose someone else, as she specialises in non- fiction, I did make a good connection with another Bristol writer there and will stay in touch with Leah.

I also exchanged lots of emails with a friend of a friend who does copy editing, but again, her specialty is non-fiction. 

I think I might use my friend and fellow writer Jo Reed. She always gives me really useful and constructive critiques at our regular Southville Writers meet up. I'm slightly hesitant though as I'd rather use someone I don't know and I'm also aware that my genre isn't really the kind of thing Jo is interested in.

 
Action 2: 
In the end, I have decided to get a copy edit of the first 10,000 words and a publishing report from Arc Editorial & Literary Consultancy in Bristol - They've been recommended by several people. 

I sent that off this week and expect to hear back in a couple of weeks. Both excited and nervous about it!
 
Action 3:
A former colleague and fan of my books offered to do a proof read of Solomon's Secrets. I sent the book to her and got it back within a few days. She loved it and did it really quickly. Thanks Marion!

I'm now working through it doing another proof read. Most of the mistakes she noted had already been spotted but there were still some that had been missed. The book has now been proof read by five people, and it just goes to show that however good you think it is, someone will always spot something that others have missed. 

My advice to other writers, get at least 5 other people to proof read your work before contemplating publication. This was a lesson I learned the hard way when I had some bad reviews of my first book The Bronze Box. I have since been through it again and done a second edition.

Action 4:
I ordered a batch of the second edition of The Bronze Box, ready to send out to all those that pledged for it as a reward on the crowdfund.

Action 5:
I published an update on the crowdfund to let everyone know what progress I'm making and what I'm spending the fund on.

Action 6:
I have been away this weekend, visiting my sister in Cornwall. I took lots of postcards and mini manuscripts with me and have distributed a few around while we were out and about.

I could have kicked myself though; we spent the day in Plymouth and I left them at the house. 

My lovely sister, who is an artist and does some great work, is going to continue to do some guerrilla marketing for me. I left some mini manuscripts and postcards with her. 

Her business is Woolly Soup and she makes some really cool and quirky things that she sells in galleries across Cornwall.

Action 7:
I've been trying to hold off from getting too involved in writing the next book; Gabriel's Game, but it's swirling around in my head. 

I've been adding to my Pinterest board for Gabriel's Game with research links. 

As you can see from this screen grab, both Tom Sheridan and Sasha Blake are still my central characters but there will be themes around secret societies and ancient libraries

 
I haven't been able to resist doing some writing this week. 

As I'm sure many writers do, I often write in a note book and type up the ideas later. At that stage I can add details and do some editing. I tend to write in pencil, I find I can write more neatly and quickly. Here's a really raw conversation between Tom and Sasha that will be written into the new book:

I've been writing up a few snapshots and scenes. I'm planning to really knuckle down with the next book later in the year by doing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) again.

On this wet bank holiday Monday, I'm sat in my PJ's with a mug of hot coffee and some 80's-tastic music playing. Seems like a perfect day to get on with some more writing...

Where in the world is Wiveliscombe, and other marketing stories

This week for my

Operation Author: 365 Actions to Becoming  A successful Author

I've been out and about in my home county of Somerset.

My first action was being invited to be interviewed on 10 Radio - A community Radio station in the village of Wiveliscombe in Somerset, just a couple of miles form the small town of Wellington in Somerset, where I grew up.

Suzie Grogan contacted me through Facebook and we set it up. Suzi is a fellow writer, here's her blog: http://nowrigglingoutofwriting.wordpress.com/

She writes non-fiction and has a new book coming out late this year. Shell Shocked Britain; exploring the issues around mental health and the First World War, more details here: http://www.suziegrogan.co.uk/.

A future action will be to write a guest blog for her No More Wriggling out of Writing blog.

While I was in the area, my next action was to put some mini manuscripts and some postcards about Solomon's Secrets around Wiveliscombe and in a few other places on my journey back up to Bristol

Another action is that Suzie is going to write a review of the second edition of The Bronze Box on her blog and I've offered to review her book too when it comes out.

Suzie has also invited me to the launch in Bristol which is in my diary. I'll look forward to seeing her again at that event. 

Speaking of The Bronze Box, another action this week was that I finished proofreading the paperback version and relaunched the 2nd edition. The first edition is now out of print, so anyone lucky enough to have picked up the first edition (in all it's rawness!), hang on to it - when I'm the next JK Rowling it may be worth some money! 



Another action was to get some postcards printed. 
  
I used a local printer in Bristol, Sebright. They were good value, I could go and speak to a human and support a local business. The problem with some of the online printers is, although initially they seem cheap, once you start adding your own images and including postage and packing the cost soon increases and then you get daily spam emails trying to sell you more products.

I always enjoy connecting and supporting other writers and in October Southville Writers are hosting a Books Are My Bag event with Bristol Women Writers at Foyles. 

 
Another action this week as to produce a special newsletter calling for writers in the network to get involved.













Another action is that I wrote an Amazon review for a fellow writer and friend of mine, Nicola Sellars, who's debut novel, Colour Me In came out earlier this year.

Nicki and I meet regularly for lunch and I think of it as an opportunity for us to mentor each other. We bounce ideas off each other and share some inspiration. This kind of informal arrangement with someone like minded is a really useful way to stay motivated and fresh.

Bonus 8th action this week.

I like to engage in conversations with people on twitter and connected with Jono Young. I asked what tip he would offer for marketing what you do and here was his response:

 

Thanks for contributing, Jono.

Have you got a marketing tip you'd like to offer to other creatives?