Don't Wait to Create...

Life and living is about immediacy. Its about the power of the present, its now, its the experience in the moment  Edward Young once said, 'Procrastination is the thief of time.' And so it is. When I was a teenager, I felt that a year was an interminably long time  Now its just a succession of 12 months which fly by.  I've learnt to break time down into manageable bite size chunks instead of looking at a year as an eternity.

So, with not a moment to be lost, what can I create today? Creating does not have to be an art form such as painting or writing, or sculpting. Whatever you do that you lose yourself in the doing of it, and where something tangible that you have made is the result - that's creating. It can also be an intangible thing that you create in your mind, in your imagination. That is a very powerful form of creating.

Sometimes I find myself putting off creating... in my case, my next book. Why? Because I look at it as an eternity, that's why. Because it seems to me to be this mammoth task and when I feel overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it, I have no idea where to start. 
That's when I tell myself that if I can break down 'time' into bite-size chunks, I can do the same with a book.

So, here are my chunks:
1. Start with the story. Write in down in one paragraph.
2. Break the story into four parts - read Larry Brooks Story Engineering for the how to.
3. Write a sentence per scene.

4. Write a paragraph per scene.
5. Expand each paragraph into a full scene.
6. Read through your first draft (Yes, you've done it! You've written a book. Now comes the hard part)
7. Rewrite until you get it right - check story flow, grammar, spelling, etc.
8. Get 3 people to read it and give you feedback (editing).
9. Make the changes that you feel are warranted.
10. Edit again and read through it yourself.
11. Submit for publication or self-publish.

You've done it! You've written your first book ... see it wasn't that bad.

How to pace yourself over the Xmas period.

Heading into the three days of celebration over Xmas (at least), I want to be sure I have the maximum amount of fun with the least amount of suffering from over-imbibing and over-consuming! On the other hand, I don't want to feel stifled, like I can't enjoy myself or let go, or have that second helping (food or wine). As much as I want to get into the spirit of Xmas, I also don't want to break the scales next time I get on them...

So, what's a girl to do... Here are some of my tried and trusted do's and don'ts to get you through the quagmire of celebrations:

DO:
1. Drink a glass of water during/after each glass of alcohol.It will keep you hydrated which should lessen the negative effects of the alcohol.
2. Fill up with delicious vegetables and fruit as much as possible before munching away at potatoes, Xmas pudding, mince pies, etc. It will help fill you up on lower calorie foods.
3. Chose the leaner cuts of meat for your plate.
4. Start with one small serving. You may not feel like shovelling in another plate after the first one, but if you do, then its OK because your first one was small.
5. If you know you are having a full on Xmas lunch with all the trimmings, then go easy the night before and at breakfast that day.
6. Get some fresh air - take a walk, go for a run, get moving. You'll feel better for it, and probably have earned those extra calories when you sit down to eat.

DON'T:
1. Mix your drinks. Its a sure-fire way of giving yourself an almighty hangover.
2. Bolt your food down - take your time. It will taste better and you'll fill up more.
3. Feel obliged to have that one last piece because your mother (in law or other)/grandmother/hostess thinks you should.
4. And the age-old wisdom of don't be tempted to eat between meals. You won't believe what a difference this makes!

I'm sure you're pleased to note that the Do's outnumber the Don'ts - its is Xmas after all.
And so, we are happy and prepped and ready for a party!

Wishing you all a Merry Xmas and a safe and happy New Year!
Gabi

Who dares...

Last week, our heroine, Casey Trent - a fledgling author travelling the world on an unusual promotional book tour - came face to face with the sinister man who has been stalking her.

Now, let's backtrack to earlier in the evening where meets she another 'dangerous' man...

His gaze held hers. Intoxicating madness. She felt her heart thump in her chest as if it wanted to break free. But not like most men who undressed her with their eyes. His eyes didn't need to move over her body; she wanted to undress for him. She felt the raw yearning that emanated from those steel blues.

Until next week...
Gabi

Books I've written...

The first thing I ever wrote was more of a compilation really. I called it Heart Beguiling Araby. In it, I pasted pictures I loved, copied down poems I enjoyed, and wrote paragraphs of original content when something inspired me. I was 11 years old. I still have that book today and love the feeling it gives me when I flip through the pages. Such innocent passion.

I save every single thing I write, and am fast approaching about 8 books in varying stages of completion.
Here's a brief summary of two of them:

There's Hunter's Mean (working title), a murder mystery set on the country estate of an eccentric, older woman, named Giselle. When her best friend is murdered and the police find a voice recording of the killer, Giselle has her suspicions that the secret lies in her past and the eclectic group of people she used to know. So she invites them all to her country house (its big) for a long weekend. The dynamics of the group bring old grudges to the surface and reveal new demons, until eventually the killer is exposed. But its not who you think it is (is it ever?).

Then, there's The Home Executive (working title). When Farah's health takes a turn for the worse, she invites her young niece to come and stay with her. From the beginning, she can see that her niece and the housekeeper don't hit it off. Strange and sinister accidents start happening, until eventually someone is seriously injured. Enter Josh, Farah's enigmatic young friend who takes it upon himself to find out who's behind the intimidation and why.

Do you lose yourself in your stories when you're writing? I do.
Its almost better than reading a book when you've got a flow of words and story going, and your fingers are humming over the keyboard or fervently scribbling on a page...

Gabi

3 Ways to get past Writer's Block

If (like me over the last few months) you procrastinate about flowing your stories/ideas/thoughts onto a page... its called Writer's Block. If, every single other thing/action has to have priority over your writing... that's Writer's Block. If, you promise yourself you'll schedule to do it when everything else is done, and you can only 'relax' when there is nothing else to cloud your mind...you have a case of Writer's Block.

It's not about getting everything ticked off your to do list before you put pen to paper ... nor is it about being in a position to to relax before you can be creative. You may be naturally gifted at writing or like 99,9% of us, you need to develop the skill.Anyone can develop a skill, its just takes perseverance. However for it to elevate it to an art form, you need to add passion.

So, if you have a yearning to write, love writing, can't live without writing, feel like your life is lacking something if you don't write.... then you have the passion and you can become a superb writer. Just stick with it.

Here are 3 simple ways to get past writer's block:

1. Schedule 10 minutes a day where you write freehand about anything that comes to your mind. For those ten minutes, do nothing else but write.

2. Carry with you a small book to capture ideas. As writer's, our brains are constantly firing with ideas. Jot them down in your little book.
3.  Breaks your story/book into baby steps. Create a broad outline of what happens where and when and to whom for the whole book. Then break this into sections. Then focus on the sections.  Now its not such an overwhelming task. See Larry Brooks site for tips.

Most important though, when I write, I feel great, I lose time, I am totally immersed in what I am doing. That's passion. Remember it, because it feels good.

The First Encounter

This is a first for me, so be gentle...
To all Six Sentencers, I hope you enjoy this.

An excerpt from my début novel, Deadly Obsession: Our heroine, Casey, encounters her stalker in a narrow corridor on board a plane at 30, 000 feet. There's nowhere to run.

His strong, lean body pressed up against hers and she felt panic thrash inside her like piranhas in a feeding frenzy. He grew hard against her belly.

Casey shoved him with her hands, turning her face to avoid his. Panic overcame surprise. He nuzzled her bare neck and his lips found skin. Before she could cry out, a hand came over her mouth to cut all sound. 

I'd love to hear what you think, so feel free to comment. I'll be posting regularly from different parts of the book, so watch this space. 

Many thanks
Gabi 

The power of balance

I owe you all an apology for my lack of posts over the last five months. There's no excuse, I have been remiss in updating my blog. I stand suitably chastised, trust me!
Where have I been? What have I been up to?
Honestly... enjoying the end of summer (Jul - Sep), feeling the thrill of autumn (Oct - Nov), and now the chill of winter (Dec), and working my day job through it all. Other than that, I cannot claim anything earth-shattering that may have taken me away from my writing. Pity, I hear you say, because if you had been tapping away at the keyboard to finish the next novel, we might just be able to forgive you...!

I have not been writing, and I feel it. Its not something I can put my finger on, but I feel slightly underpowered, mentally restless, and, as a wonderful friend once told me, 'thinking too much'. I've been holding back my natural creative outlet because 'there's no time', or 'I'm not good enough, or 'I don't have anything worthwhile to say' .... the list is seemingly endless.

Then yesterday, I stumbled upon a post  The 4-Hour Novel: How to Balance Work, Life, Blogging and Your Passion By Ollin Morales which in turn led me to his blog, Courage to Create.

It brought home to me again, the power of balance, where setting aside hours in a day or in a week to get certain stuff done WITHOUT breaking one's neck is the way to sustain different aspects of life.

It's about ongoing growth, not a massive spurt. About consistency, not a bender. Its simple, not complicated.
That's what Ollin talks about.

Of course, after reading the post, I had to see what he was up to on his site. He's fascinating, refreshing and personable. Have a look, its definitely worth a read.
He has re-inspired me; made me stop, look and think. I wish they had a smiley face feature on this... so think smiley face, right here. Sometimes, a slice of someone else's life, however small, gives you a 'eureka moment' and prompts you to do stuff in another way.

Thanks Ollin!

Make your own Magic!

We bandy about phrases such as 'Don't worry, be happy', 'Be positive' or 'Look on the bright side of things',  without giving them too much thought except to put a fleeting smile on our face.
And yet, there is a growing awareness that being happy, can get you all the things you want in life. Too much of a stretch for you?

Let me give you something to ponder ...


First ... everything in our lives we have attracted - whether intentionally or unintentionally. The Law of Attraction says 'like attracts like'; in other words, similar things gravitate to each other; similar people, similar feelings, similar situations, etc. We see this with people at a party - those of similar interest or something in common, tend to stick together. People who worry a lot often have plenty of things in their lives to complain about. I'm sure you can think of plenty of examples in your life. 


Second ...people talk of 'vibes' - I get a good vibe from her or a bad vibe from those people. This is all about vibration. It is something we all know about but rarely pay any attention to. We use the words without realising the hugely significant meaning behind them. Everyone has a vibration that is unique to them; it is a combination of their values, thinking, integrity, and self-esteem (amongst other things). How you feel about yourself, about life, about opportunity, etc. is what you put out there as a vibration. This is the 'vibe' people get from you. 

So what is it that actually does the attracting? How does it work? In short, its you who attracts into your life. No one else. No one else can attract anything into your life. They can influence you, but its you alone who does the attracting. 

If you knew that by staying happy all day everything you ever wanted would come your way, what would you do? If you believed that by being positive, not judging, not getting angry all day, that your life would change for the better, what would you do?
If I said to you ... its only for one day, why not try it?
Would you?

Its as simple as it sounds - make the choice that for only one day, you will:
1. Be happy - if something negative comes along, change your thought to something that makes you happy
2. Be present - in the moment, focussed on what is happening now
3. Enjoy every minute!

At the end of that day, be thankful and look back on your day in gratitude. Then the next day do it again.... In a very short space of time, things in your life will change as if by magic.

So remember, set the 'Be Happy' goal only for one day, that's all you have to achieve.
And then repeat it again the next day!

Get your name on Amazon!

Its been a busy, and interesting time since I self-published Deadly Obsession in January 2012. I've listened, learnt, revised and revised.
I've spent time trawling through 'how to' books and consuming novels from author's that I enjoy, and drilled down into story architecture - I really enjoyed that - and all to improve my skills as a writer.

But there is only so much feedback I can give myself objectively! Either I am too critical or I am too lenient on myself. Bottom line, I need feedback from you, my readers.

I need to know...

• what you liked?
• who you liked?
• which character scared you?
• did any character inspire you?
• was the pace constantly moving?
• was it too fast?
• did you get enough detail to form your own pictures?
• did the book reach a climax?
• were all the loose ends tied up?
• did the short synopsis draw you in?
• what didn't you like?
• did the story make sense?
• any other comments you may have...

In fact anything you thought about the book would be enormously worthwhile for me to know. Every writer needs reviews/feedback/comments, and whilst sometimes these things are not easy to hear, I am committed to improving as a writer ... so jot down a few lines, post it on Amazon, or send me a short comment on this site. I'd be eternally grateful!!

But first ... read the book! Its Deadly Obsession... its fast-paced, salted with suspense, and peppered with lust. 

And I want YOUR opinion....

The World according to Woody...

I love dogs.
In fact, I love all animals although I wouldn't necessarily cuddle all of them!

Woody is very special to me. He is a Golden Retriever who belongs to a dear friend of mine, and I take him walking. Winter, summer, autumn and spring, come rain, shine or even snow.

When he knows he is going for a walk, his excitement is palpable. He shivers and shakes in anticipation, and lately, he has started vocalising his excitement too.

I walk him off the leash in beautiful countryside, and the minute I open the car door, he leaps out; sniffing, marking territory, and bounding. Once we set off on the walk, he has loads to look out for, such as squirrels, birds, rabbits, and even deer. He has been known to chase a deer right across my path. Bless him, he never catches anything (thankfully), but it gets his blood up, his tongue lolling and his body alive with energy.

And then of course, with all that activity, he gets hot.

And what better way to cool off than to lie tummy down in mud!

The first time he did it, I could see it coming. He headed for a large muddy patch which was a mixture of mud and rain water, he lowered his head and then crouched in it. I bellowed, 'Noooooooo!' but I could have been mute for all the good it did. He just looked up at me with blissful eyes clearly enjoying the feel of the cool mud on his hot belly.

How much do we limit ourselves by holding back from doing something we might have enjoyed as a kid because it is now not appropriate as an adult? How often do we really just enjoy the moment - whether it is wind through one's hair or mud between one's toes?

Perhaps we rationalise too much ... instead of just living in the moment and for the moment. That was a Woody lesson for me. 

Friends can be the best teachers ...

We all have them... friends. Some we love, some we tolerate, some drive us nuts, some are high maintenance, some are good to meet for drinks, some you'd like to spend a whole day with and then some (just a few) are so much a part of you, it would be unthinkable to live life without them. 

But every single one of them can teach you something. I've learnt a lot from friends of mine over the years. 

Friends forever ....

To say no

In my 20's, I shared a house with a friend of mine. On Saturday mornings I wanted to go clothes shopping, or out for a coffee with her. But most of the time, she would just say no. This annoyed me, and hurt me until I realised that she wasn't saying it to hurt me, she was saying no because she didn't want to do it. She was being true to herself no matter what I thought about it. A valuable lesson indeed. (We are still friends btw)

To be nicer

I have another friend who can be very cutting and sharp and essentially bitchy when she gets angry or has to confront. I know another side to her so it doesn't put me off, but many people don't like her because of it. I learned from this that I don't need to be aggressive or nasty to make my point. I can do it in a nice way too.

To give your attention to what you are doing

One of my dearest friends, is kind and caring, but definitely no pushover. When she speaks to you, there is nothing in the world other than you. She focusses completely on you, the conversation or what she is doing. 

No matter whether a person is a street sweeper of a head of state, everyone deserves respect and your attention. To be dismissive is rude, and reflects on no one else but you. 

To buy quality

I used to buy loads of throw rugs to cover the terracotta tiles in my house, until a friend of mine said to me, "Why do you buy this cheap stuff? It will never last. Rather buy something that will get better and better with age. Have you thought of Persian carpets?" I hadn't, simply because I imagined they would be far too expensive for me to afford. But when I looked into it, they weren't really. So I started one at a time. I now have enough beautiful Persian carpets to throw over every room in the house. 

You don't have to be the same to be friends ....

One of the most special things that I experience every day from my friends, my family and occasionally from people I have never met before is .... kindness. 

What have your friends taught you? What have you learned from the people you spend the most time with? I'd love to know .....

Fancy doing a book review?

Its been 4 months since I published my début novel, Deadly Obsession, and it has been a whirlwind since then. After coming down from the heady high of seeing my book on Amazon, I investigated how to publish it as a paperback and knuckled down to complete that.

My paperback was released on Amazon.com on March 27 this year (my birthday!)

Then I went and got a new job - yes, authors are normal people too - and time ran away from me.
I'm starting to catch up with it, and the next book(s) are forming in my head, but the task of getting my book out there and known, and onto shelves (and hopefully, enjoyed) is upon me.

The major challenge for any author is to get their book out there. This means bringing the book into the field of vision of an increasing number of people.

As with anything, there will be people dying to get their hands on it at first look (like being in love at first sight); there will be those who forget about seeing it a minute afterwards because its not about something on their immediate radar; and then there will be those who are interested but may or may not come back to it depending on what life throws at them in between.

And these are only those currently in my network (both on and offline). That's where celebrity endorsements always come in handy... if you happen to know a Lady Gaga, a Paulo Coelho or Justin Bieber!

And so, the search for willing and able book reviewers/bloggers is here. The offer includes 5 electronic copies to give away to your readers/followers.

Can I tempt you?

Rain

Born in Britain, lived in South Africa, back now in Britain - that's me. Sometimes, people look at me as if I'm crazy. Why would I leave a country where the sun shines every day, where rain showers are short and sharp.

'How do you deal with the British weather?' They ask, particularly on days like this.

When we have days like today, grim by most people's standards, I understand their sentiments, and yet, I have to admit, I love it! The rain, the gloom, the chill in the air, the wind.
Some of my best walks have been through the woods on a day like today.

The forest is alive with sound as the rain and wind talk to the trees. Drops of rain hit the ground and drip from the branches of tress in a constant chatter. Leaves are great whisperers when the wind moves through them. If you listen you can hear the forest sigh with pleasure.

Rain is Nature's way of washing the world. I love its fresh smell, and the way it releases the rich scent of sodden earth. The wind in my hair and across my face loosens the cobwebs of conditioning and I am free and blissful.

Its not a good feeling if I'm trying to get away from the wind, because its relentless, but when I stop resisting it, and just allow myself to feel in the moment, it never fails to make me feel alive.

The incredible natural beauty we have in this country, and the spectacular seasonal changes we experience are due, largely, to the amount of rain we have.

Canada and parts of Northern America are similar - once they all used to be one large landmass.

Who can forget Bella and Edward falling in love in Edwards forest where the sun seemed to shine only in that magnificent field of flowers.

Its different strokes for different folks, I guess. For me, the rain is heaven-sent.

If you go down to the woods today...

I've had the most wonderful last few weeks with one of my dearest friends staying with me, all the way from Oz.  We've laughed and talked long into the night catching up on life and each other. The last time I saw Lynnie was almost three years ago now, when life was very different for me. Even thousands of miles away, she will always be my rock.

Of course, it goes without saying that I had to take her walking in my magical woods, to share with her why I love them and this country so much.
I wanted her to feel the resonance I feel when its just me, the dog, the trees and the breeze.

If they could speak (the woods) I imagine they may say something like ....

A young male deer and I met in the woods. 

"Every day is a new routine, and we're never sure who is going to lead the dance that day. When a strong wind sets the pace, we creak and groan in wild abandon to an ever-changing rhythm. 
The strong wind heads off elsewhere, and its time to sigh, and rest as leaves of silence waft to the forest floor. 
In the heat of summer the beat throbs yellow, orange and red through our greens- constant and unrelenting. Nothing moves. 
Its a light breeze that lifts the spirits - ours and those of the forest creatures - as it carries hope and soothing cool on its gentle eddies." 


That's when the magic happens.


You can see it if you look...

Deadly Obsession available in Paperback!

My paperback is out; you can read it by turning pages. Wow, its a GREAT feeling!

And it wasn't that difficult. Of course, I thought it would be (difficult) when I started because it was an unknown entity. But Createspace was amazing. The site takes you step by step through the process, and if you make a mistake you can go back and change it as many times as you like. 

Before I started, I read through the various stages so  I knew what I had to deliver from my side, such as a cover to the correct dimensions, a blurb for the back cover, the correct layout, the correct font. 

On my first attempt, I simply used the same layout as I had for the Kindle version - well, when I received my proof, the typeface was so big you could read it from a distance of  ten yards. 

Through all my iterations of this book, I found the following to work best for a paperback novel:

• black print on cream paper, not white
• 5x8 in size, nothing larger
• Palatino Linotype, 10
• review the digital proof as well as a hard copy
• provide a professional cover

I've been through it with a fine tooth comb; its been edited and proofed for grammar and typos; its been tweaked and turned and tossed and tinkered with - its should be in its best shape yet. 

I hope you enjoy Deadly Obsession as a paperback. If you do, please let me know. 

At the moment its only available on Createspace,  but I expect it to be out on Amazon.com within the next few days. 

If you have any comments, I'd love to hear them (please keep them constructive). 

Writing rocks!!

Deadly Obsession in Paperback - I'm nearly there!

Have you ever wondered why nothing is as simple as it sounds?
But then again, often when you finally complete a complex task which you viewed with dread before the outset, it turns out to be far simpler than you originally thought?

When I don't know what something will be like/take to do, it becomes this massive mountain, and I'm a piddling climber attempting to transcend a sheer rock face with nothing but my bare hands.

I even get that knot of anxiety churning away in my stomach which I have to push through in order to come out the other side. But when I'm out the other side, I look back and say 'that wasn't so bad!'

90% of the time, its never so bad. 90% of the time, its never as hard as I make it out to be in my mind.
I'm holding onto this thought with both hands and my teeth because I'm smack bang in the middle of trying to publish Deadly Obsession in paperback, and I'm daunted by the task!
I have to say, that from this side of the fence (i.e. haven't done it yet), I feel totally inept. Having said that I WILL persist.

I'm nearly there.

With any luck, by this weekend...

Move to change.

Nothing is still.

Everything at every moment is moving, changing, evolving: from the molecules and atoms in a seemingly still, inanimate object to the molecules & atoms that make up your body, a tree, a bee or the earth beneath your feet.

Everything is on its way somewhere.  Its on a journey.
Its aiming for a destination, and when it gets there, it  sets its sights on the next destination such as A to B to C, and so on. There is no end destination, because there is no limit to where it (you, things) can go, expand to... or become.

Life is the same.It is constantly moving, changing, evolving, growing, expanding. It is always on its way somewhere - but to where?

In my life, I'm the only one who can determine where I am on my way to, and how long it will take me to get there. And then once I've reached 'there', I'll set my sights on the next destination, and so it goes.

The key is to know where I am going and to keep my eyes focussed in that direction.

'Pin' yourself out there.

Self-branding is a buzz word today, but what does it really mean? Without taking it to the level of global celebrities, let's get simple about it. 


The people who know you - friends, family, colleagues, community members, whatever - know things about you on various levels. Those you've known forever, know you better than those you've known for five minutes. You may keep your private life separate from your work life so your colleagues will have a different view of you to possibly your close friends. 

Every day in every part of our lives we are self-branding ... and we've been doing it all our lives. Our target audience has just been contained, that's all. 
Today, the internet and social media enables us to achieve a much greater reach.  


I've read articles that advise establishing a niche and focussing purely on that - tailoring posts, interactions, comments, discussions, etc. around a specific topic and no other. It gives people a clear understanding of what you associate yourself with and so they follow you because of the content you put out. Other points of view include letting your audience see a bit more depth to the real person behind the niche marketer. This holds for brands as well. Customers want to connect more with the humanity of the brand - its human face - if you like.  


I've recently started out on my self-branding journey. I've just released my début novel and started my blog a couple of months ago. 
My activity has focussed on posts about my book and my experiences in self-publishing because this is what I've spent my time doing. There are so many facets to a writer and an individual, and you may not want to limit yourself. I know, I don't want to. 


Social media is evolving and so is self-branding. On Facebook, you can now 'like' stuff, on Google +, you can '+1' something, on Twitter you can retweet. These options tell your audience more about you and where you stand: more about the person and the personality behind the brand/niche/blog; more all-roundedness; more humanity.

Enter Pinterest. 


Its the picture (of you) that paints a thousand words. 


You can 'get' so much more about the person/brand/group by looking at their Pinterest boards, than you can by reading most blogs. 
It gives each of us (individual and brand) the opportunity to show, not tell the world about ourselves. 




And that's something any writer understands (or should). 

Keep it regular, keep it real.

This may sound like young adult jargon to some, but the more I think about these words and toss them around in my head, the more I realise they hold a whack of wisdom right there for the taking. They give me a succinct vision/mission/axiom to live by.

And they apply to loads of life experiences and adventures. Let's have a look at a few:

1. Blogging:
I started in January 2012, pumping out 14 posts in my first month. Then, life burrowed its way back into 'top of mind' and I throttled back to 6 posts in February. I'm mortified to say that to date in March, I've only posted once (before this one that is).

I'm still trying to find my rhythm. I started a new job recently and that consumed a lot of head space and time space for me, I'm looking for that slot in my day where it fits comfortably and feels easy.The kind of natural flow I'm looking for only comes with time and perseverance.
So this is me keeping it real - I may not have the regular down pat just yet, but I'm working on it....

2. Exercise:
Oh you know I just had to slip this one in! Regular in this context means consistent - daily, twice/three times weekly for a set time (1 hour, or maybe a little less). A four hour marathon one week and nothing else for a month will be way less for you than 30 minutes three times a week.
That's because regular, real exercise makes you happy, knocks stress on the head, fires up the muscles, gives the metabolism a zing, and is guaranteed to keep you focussed in the moment for the time you do it. Benefits, benefits, benefits - it doesn't get better than this.

3. Email:
The best thief of time I know. Email is supposed to make our lives easier, to speed up the communication process between people, and can zip around the globe in seconds effectively reducing vast distances to byte-size pieces.
And why are incoming messages so mesmerising? Do you find yourself (like me) checking your email regularly (read - way too often for optimal productivity)? Have you ever been deeply engrossed in a humongous spreadsheet only to see the email notification pop up in the bottom left corner of your screen, and then your mind is off subject and you're trawling your email again? 

The trick is to schedule certain dedicated time slots to check email, and when its not one of those times, close it.

By the time you login again, the people who like to hold detailed conversations on email will have finished their discussion and you can quickly skim the copy for relevant issues. Less than half the time, all the info. Result!


So keep it regular and keep it real whatever that means for you.

Tips to Design Your Book's Front Cover

Your book's front cover is the picture that speaks a thousand words. It's what your book looks like to, hopefully, millions of viewers and readers out there. You've got to make it good, and there are a number of ways in which you can do this.

If you don't have a specific idea in your head, and there may be many of you who don't, that's OK, because as with anything there is a simple formula you can use.

1. What is your book about?

The front cover is the face of your book. This is the first thing your reader will see, so it needs to be designed to draw the reader in. It needs to give the reader a taste of what they can expect to find in the book. The front cover is the epitome of show, don't tell.

Many writers will have a picture in their head of how they want the cover to look. If not, these questions may help you:

·        What does your main character do? Are they a detective or a sailor or maybe a painter?

·        Where is the book set? If your main character is a sailor then maybe the book is set on the high seas.

·        What happens in the story? Is it a murder? Is it a love story? Is it a drama?

Try to incorporate images that start to tell the story for you.

2. Is there a key/major theme?

You're unlikely to find the front cover of a murder mystery depicting two people in love under a starry sky. Likewise, any self-respecting romance is unlikely to feature a bloodied knife on the front cover.

Take the key theme and try to find images that illustrate it.

3. Where to find the images?

There are a multitude of websites offering images - some free, some not. It all depends on what you are looking for.

If you manage to find something free online then use it, but if not, it's a relatively small investment to purchase five images. Usually these images can be downloaded over a set period (up to one year), so if you don't use all of them now, you can use them for your next book.

Here are some useful websites:

·        www.shutterstock.com

·        www.istockphoto.com

·        www.gettyimages.com

·        www.alamy.com

·        www.imagesonline.com

4. Colour scheme.

What genre have you written for? If your book is a mystery, you'll probably want to steer clear of colours such as pink or lavender? Thriller, mystery, crime novels call out for dark colours full of foreboding. Chick Lit, on the other hand, works well with the use of white, pretty colours, and pastels.

Consider the colour of the spine of your book. This is particularly important if you are producing a paperback or print-on-demand edition.  At some stage, the book will sit on a shelf, and that's where the spine comes into its own. Make sure that your spine colours work well with the font colour so your title and name stand out.

5. Layout - DIY or Pro?

Here's where it can get tricky. If you're not a graphics person or don't have some rudimentary knowledge of graphics software, you may decide to opt for a professional to lay it all out for you. I did.

After days of trying to get to grips with a software programme, I gave up. After all, I want to spend my time writing rather than trying to get my head around a completely different skill.

6. Front cover hook

I'm a fan of a hook on the front cover. It's a teaser; a tantalising insight into what the book is about. I always remember the story - legend, by now, I imagine - of the guys who concocted the screen story for the film, Alien.

Their challenge was to summarise the story to the film makers. They described it as "Jaws in space."

Those three words give you the Alien story in a nutshell. No need to explain, no need to embellish.

Thing is, you don't want to give away too much on your front cover, but you do want to use words to précis the story into a bit size chunk of a taster.

7. Back cover blurb

Here's where you set the scene a bit more. Here's where you introduce your characters and the journey they are about to take in the book. It's a short pitch or synopsis, and there is an art to getting it right. Get a few drafts together, and pass them amongst your friends for feedback. You're looking for an I'd like to read that response or I'm dying to know what happens to them.

8. Your name or pen name?

This is ultimately a personal choice. You write under whatever name you choose. People may advise you why a certain name won't work or why something else would work better, but essentially it is your choice.

One thing I would say - these days with personal branding and the stratospheric rise of social media, people (readers) are looking to connect. In that quest to connect they want to get to know you, and they want to know the real you.

Just something to bear in mind.

9. Proof

You will have done it to the manuscript in various stages of rewrites and you will have done it with the final draft of the manuscript but sometimes seeing it in a slightly different format to the one you normally work in, may help you to see things more clearly.

Proof it one last time.

Remember, the more professional you can make your book the better. Be proud of your work, it's taken a tremendous amount of time and effort on your part.

Your book's cover puts a face to the name - make sure the face you put out there is a good one.

Self-publishing - Paperbacks

For the uninitiated, yes, you can self-publish in paperback yourself for no cost!

This was a glaring example to me of how I shouldn't let previous experience close me off to new possibilities. You see, I've had a fairly lengthy career across marketing, PR and events management and one of the things I got to do was manage a print production process. In those days, digital was embryonic at most, and final print costs per unit (one item) were totally dependant on print runs (total number of items printed). I take the time to understand behind-the-scene stuff with anything I do, so this made complete sense to me.

What I hadn't taken into account was technology - don't ya just love it! Before digital, I was used to organic growth, now in the digital age, we are accustomed to exponential growth and even more recently, the explosion of viral growth!
Long story short, I finally woke up to find that what I had learnt was not true and what I couldn't conceive of, was. Hello technology!

How does this relate to self-publishing your own paperback at no cost to yourself? It's called Print-On-Demand (POD).

It is possible for yes, you've guessed it, Amazon, to print one paperback book complete with full colour cover to fill one order!

As you can imagine that shot to hell my perception that if I wanted to self-publish in paperback, I would have to go to some small-time printer, scrape together the funds to get 100 copies published and then store them in my garage with practically non-existent means (financial and marketing platform) to sell them.

Amazon has given us indie authors, Createspace. So, what does Createspace do for you?

• Formatting
• Size of book
• Colour of paper
• Selection of cover templates to choose from
• ISBN

As with the process on Kindle Direct Publishing, I strongly recommend you read whatever guidelines you can on Createspace before you start. Remember, I'm only relating my experience with a novel, that means I have no internal images, no strange fonts or complex formatting, no table of contents, no bibliography.
Once everything is in place, your book is ready, and Createspace highly recommends that you get a proof copy sent to yourself to see how it looks.

You see there is one major difference between publishing on Kindle and publishing on Createspace - and that's the formatting.

This is my story... (wow, did I laugh!)
My Kindle edition looked great - I used an Arial font, 14 pt - and when I checked it out on Kindle Previewer, it looked pretty cool, I have to say so myself.
So, I took the same format, did a bit of work fitting it into the trim size (actual dimensions) of the book and finished the process.
I immediately ordered my proof copy which is free of charge, but you pay for the shipping. Not trusting myself to handle the anticipation of waiting three weeks for the regular delivery, I selected the fastest delivery time and then put myself on bread and water for the rest of the month (only kidding!).
It arrived three days later and I cannot put into words the thrilled awe I felt when I held my book in my hands for the first time. But I digress.
When I opened the book, it looked like it was meant for someone who was visually challenged - the font was huge! (I myself am visually challenged, so no offence meant or taken).
Yes, I'd seen it online and there it looked great, like my Kindle version on which it was based. But in print, it looked so wrong!
This is the value of the proof copy underestimate it at your peril.

You see, font styles and font sizes that look great on an e-reader do not necessarily look good on the printed page.
It appears that sans serif (Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet) better suits e-readers and serif (Times, Georgia) suits print. Just one of the things you'll learn on the self-publishing journey.

I am currently revising my paperback version (still in process), but am strongly leaning towards Palatino Linotype for the font, 10 or 11 pt.

Hope this helps
Until next time.

Self-publishing - The Benefits

Years ago, the idea of being self-published was frowned upon, and often considered a disadvantage if you were ever to seek an agent and go the traditional publishing route thereafter.Today, it can only be considered an advantage if you go about it the right way!
Funny how things go full circle.

Why do I say this when there's a fair amount of bad press between self-published/indie authors and traditional publishing (agents/large publishers)? From what I have read, and I can cheerfully say, I have not read everything, so I stand to be corrected, it seems that opposition raises its ugly head when the mud slinging gets in everyone's eyes on both sides of the fence.

With the global pressures on profit and turnover, you can increase your chances of securing a deal with an agent and traditional publisher (if you choose to), by self-publishing and playing an active role in the marketing of your book.

Your book is the seed from which the tree develops. Your marketing efforts form the branches/networks through which your promotions flow, and eventually the tree should be strong enough to grow unattended.

There is space for everyone out there, so do what works for you and allow everyone else to do the same. Trust me, no one is out to get you personally (unless you've been doing some serious mud slinging of your own).

So, lets look at those benefits of self-publishing:
1. Sense of achievement: You get your book out there in a published format even though you may have had a gazillion rejections. You've done it! If you never do another thing with your book, and you never make a single sale, you are still a published author. Its a great sense of achievement.
2. Additional income: The vast majority of us are not going to spend many hours slaving over our book only to stop when it gets published, sit back and say, that's it, I'm done. We want to generate income with it. This requires marketing (more on that later), but the option to earn additional income is there.
3. Change of career: Publishing a book may give you the opportunity to change direction in your career. You may think I'm talking purely of a runaway best-seller, but there are other reasons at play -  it could be the platform for a lucrative copy-writing career; you could use it as a promotional tool to local press or a magazine to become a columnist; or you could discover a love for editing and proofreading.
4. Building your brand: Marketing yourself and your book is a sure-fire, rapid way to learn about digital marketing and social media. If you have loads of money to throw at marketing then you can employ the best of the best and have them do it for you. If not, then you need to do it yourself, until the time you've made enough money to hire the best of the best and have them do it for you! Ultimately, as a writer, I want to write. That is my passion. But I also love people and I enjoy marketing and the creative energy that goes hand in hand with it.  So for now, I market myself... who knows what will happen down the line.
5. Honing your craft:
Learn, practice, improve - learn, practice, improve - learn, practice, improve. Your work is never done. With writing there is always more. That's the beauty of it. The trick is not to let the quest for excellence prevent you from taking the next step - getting it out there.
6. Getting noticed:
Some writers write because they don't want to be on display. Its a way of hiding out of sight from the world behind your books and your characters. But if you want your work recognised, and purchased, this is something you have to do. In the digital world, its called 'Know me, Like me, Follow me.' In fact there is a book by Penny and Thomas Power entitled exactly this. In the writing world, it could be 'discover me, read me (and enjoy), become a fan. This is what you want - people who know who you are, like you and what you do, and become fans. Ultimately, they become your very own marketing and advertising agency.
7. Closing the big deal/making a good living: I alluded to this in the beginning of this post: writers like Amanda Hocking who has just secured herself a $2,5 million publishing contract is a shining example. She is a prolific writer and she has built her own dedicated fan base. With these two elements, you're as close to success as you'll ever be because even if no million dollar deal comes up, you're making the big bucks on your own anyway!


I'm not touting one route as any better or worse than the other: they are both effective and both lucrative.

This post is meant for you, the writer, who wants to write and to share their work with the world, however you find your way to market. 

Part 3 - Self-publishing on Kindle

Kindle Direct Publishing or KDP - now, here's a little bit of wizardry for you. I dipped my toes into the waters of self-publishing with this one, and the process couldn't have been smoother or more enjoyable.

I'd known about Kindle's as e-readers (who didn't?), and I'd heard about people selling their own goods on Amazon but probably because my focus was elsewhere at the time, I didn't put two and two together. Then I saw a friend of mine's book on Amazon and I squealed with delight. Firstly, because I was so excited she was published, and secondly, because if she could do it, then so could I.

I loved working with KDP - it was simple, easy and they take you through everything in a step by step process. This will produce your book in a Kindle format only, i.e. to be read on Kindles.
For those who aren't sure, the kindle is an e-reader produced and sold by Amazon exclusively.

However, you can rely on Amazon to be business savvy, so, in their wisdom they offer a nifty bit of software you can download to enable you to read a Kindle book on your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and android phone. So, straight away your potential reading market has just expanded. There is no cost to publish via KDP.

Where to start, I hear you ask? Let me take you through how I did it:
1. Read through all the steps in the Kindle Publishing Guide before you start - its well worth the time.It gives you a good idea of what the process entails, what it will do for you, and what you need to have prepared before you start.
2. Download the Kindle Previewer so you can check what your book will look like on a Kindle (if you don't have one). 
3. Download the Mobipocket Creator - this is the software that will convert your book into the Kindle format. There are some other ways of doing it, but remember, this is just what I did for a black and white novel.
4. Collate your necessary elements: book front cover. front pages (copyright, acknowledgements, etc.), your correctly formatted manuscript. Be sure to save everything with a date and version because you may upload a few times before it is as you want it to be. You will need to save your manuscript as a 'Web Page, filtered document (see below).

5. Follow the process that KDP gives you online. Format your book cover. For Kindle, all you will need is a front cover. Imagine the front of a book if it is lying on a table... that's what you need.
6. Upload this to the Mobipocket Creator, together with the cover to your book and it will build your book for you. This is the file you will need to upload onto KDP.

In terms of the actual publishing, that's pretty much it, but there are two other very important things you need to think about before you start the process. 

Pricing & Royalty: You choose, but there are considerations. 

• I'm a new author so I wanted to come in low on my price. I didn't want price to be a barrier to purchase. 
• Pricing affects your royalty - check out the section on pricing and royalties first. Your first book is unlikely to make you a million (although I truly hope it does!), so perhaps consider it as a learning curve and practice your marketing and networking skills on this one.

ISBN (ASIN):

• Amazon will assign an ASIN - Amazon Standard Book Number to your book, free of charge. This is specific to your Kindle version book and cannot be used on other versions such as other e-reader versions or print. 
• If you decide to offer other versions of your book, a separate ISBN (International Standard Book Number) will need to be allocated. These are generally offered by the system you are using, however, if you want to, you can purchase your own ISBN number. 

I found this article here extremely helpful. I hope it encourages you to try the self-publishing route on Kindle.
Until next time.