PUT YOUR HANDS DOWN. Heathens.

Alright, I’ll let you off. I was skeptical about audiobooks at first too. I couldn’t bear to listen to fiction stories. I just couldn’t get a grip of the plot. When I read it feels tangible; it’s not just the pages I can grip, but the words too. It has substance, it’s alive. But listening to audio books made the words feel like grains of sand slipping through my fingers.

But then I reflected on the fact I listen (and love) podcasts. What was the difference? For me it was non-fiction. Maybe podcasts have trained me. But I absolutely love listening to non-fiction on audible. I’ve got a couple of book recommendations for you too. But I thought I’d share a discount Audible are doing for Black Friday. They’re giving away 50% off audible subscriptions for just £3.99 per month*. Just click the image below to find out more.

I’ve got two Audible recommendations to share with you today. I’m sure there will be dozens more in the future, but I’m still just getting to grips with the world of audio, so bear with me while I chomp through a few.

First up, The Success Principles by Jack Canfield

Here’s the book blurb:

“In The Success Principles, the cocreator of the phenomenal bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul series, helps you get from where you are to where you want to be, teaching you how to increase your confidence, tackle daily challenges, live with passion and purpose, and realize all your ambitions. Filled with memorable and inspiring stories of CEO’s, world-class athletes, celebrities, and everyday people, it spells out the 64 timeless principles used by successful men and women throughout history—proven principles and strategies that can be adapted for your own life, whether you want to be the best salesperson in your company, become a leading architect, score top grades in school, lose weight, buy your dream home, make millions, or just get back in the job market.

Taken together and practiced every day, these principles will change your life beyond your wildest dreams.”

My god, this book gave me about a gazillion epiphanys. If you know me, you’ll know I like to joke that I’m dead on the inside. But the thing is, this book made me cry. ME. Miss dead on the inside all watery eyed and blinky over the success stories.

One of the other reasons I loved this audiobook so much is that it provided hundreds of practical tips and tactics you can easily put into place. Craft and advice books are swell when they’re all philosophical and thought-provoking, but come on guys, we need the good shit. That’s what this book delivers.

One of my favorite tips was the concept of ‘Pay Yourself First’. Doesn’t matter whether that’s in money or otherwise. What it made me realise is that I need to pay myself first with time. I hate Mondays because I have to get through 8 grueling hours before I can write. But says who? I started getting up at 5 to write so that I go to work having achieved the thing that’s most important to me. It’s had a radical impact on my mindset and my productivity.

Whether you listen to the audiobook or buy and read the actual book, this is one every author should read.

***

Thanks to BlondeWriteMore for this recommendation:

How To Be A Bawse by Lilly Singh 

I absolutely loved this audiobook. It was a no punches pulled guide to being a Bawse. Lilly details how to own your life and build success. She’s clear, there’s no shortcut, no panacea, it’s hard graft and sweat that got her to the top. But she also gives lots of tips and tricks.

“Lilly Singh isn’t just a superstar. She’s Superwoman—which is also the name of her wildly popular YouTube channel. Funny, smart, and insightful, the actress and comedian covers topics ranging from relationships to career choices to everyday annoyances. It’s no wonder she’s garnered more than a billion views. But Lilly didn’t get to the top by being lucky—she had to work for it. Hard.”

I won’t tell you everything, but two of my favorite tricks were:

1. Affirmation Passwords – when you next update your passwords, put an affirmation as your password. You type your passwords multiple times a day. What better way of practicing your affirmations than having them as your password.
2. Problem list – when you have a shitty day and loads of tiny little things build up, your lips are dry, your phone battery dies, you don’t have parking change. Write those problems down and systematically solve them. Sounds stupid, right? But how many people actively go out and try and solve their issues? Lilly bought a charger for her car, office, living room, bedroom and bathroom. She did the same for lip balms, and putting reminders in your phone to get a bag of change from the bank means you won’t forget.

I highly recommend this book. Lilly is hilarious and her book is a real feel good audiobook.

*For transparency, I will earn a small commission on the audible subscription, but hey, an authors got to eat!

If you want awesome writing tips, you can grab a copy of my book 13 Steps To Evil – How to Craft Superbad Villains. Click this link and tap the logo of your reading device or regular bookshop and it will take you to the right page. You can also get a FREE villains cheatsheet by joining my mailing list just click here.

You can also find me on  Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads

The post 2 Audiobooks every author needs to hear appeared first on Sacha Black.

Anyhoozle, of my 52 books, I wanted a quarter to be indie published, and a quarter to be non-fiction, because 1. supporting other authors, and 2. I’m a knowledge whore.

I’ve been surprised and delighted by looking back at my reading list, some of the stats have shocked me.

So, the stats, out of my 52 books (because I know what the final couple are):

• 26 (50%) were non-fiction
• 26 (50%) were fiction
• 27 (53%) were from self-published authors (of which a couple were author friends with publishing deals)
• 25 (48%) were traditionally published books
• 20 of the 26 fiction books were Young Adult (no surprises there!) Although the biggest shocker for me this year was that only 9 were fantasy, 11 were contemporary YA. I had a feeling I’d been leaning towards contemporary, but I was surprised to realise I’d read MORE contemporary than fantasy.

I’ve had a couple of characters that would fit a contemporary story flitting around my head, so I might start listening – obviously I’ve been bending towards it for a reason.

You can see the rest of the books I’ve read here.

So to my top 10 books of this year, and my top 10 books (plus predictions for next year).

BEST OF 2017

Fiction Books of 2017 (in no particular order)

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Oath Breaker by Shelley Wilson

Orbiting Jupiter by G. D. Schmidt

A Semi Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland

The Watch and Wand by Allie Potts

Keepers by me (because obviously I’m going to include my own books! :p)

Non-Fiction Books of 2017

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

Deep Work by Cal Newport

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Nobody Wants To Read Your Shit Anyway by Stephen Pressfield

13 Steps To Evil – How To Craft A Superbad Villain by me (because obvs)

And What of 2018? Predictions and Books to Watch Out For

Okay so I’ve got a couple of predictions for 2018

1. There’s been a TON of superhero books published by the big YA authors – Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Marissa Meyer to name but a few. With Infinity Wars coming next year, I’ve no doubt that were going to see an explosion of superhero books.
2. In addition, I think there might be more pirate novels too
3. Alongside that, more graphic novels
4. Last, I think audio books will continue to rise in popularity
5. Oh, and one more, I think that there will be an increase in co-authored books

10 (that turned into 14) Young Adult Books To Watch Out for in 2018

The sequel to Keepers, by ME!

The Astonishing Colour of After by Emily. X. R. Pan

The Exact Opposite of Okay – Laura Steven

Cruel Prince – Holly Black

Time Bomb –Joelle Charbonneau

Everless – Sara Holland

Zenith – Sasha Alsber & Lindsay Cummings

Children of Blood and Bone – Tomi Adeyemi

Onyx and Ivory Mindee Arnett

Glitter – Aprillynne Pike

War Storm – Victoria Aveyard

A Court of Frost and Starlight – Sarah J. Maas

Obsidio – Aimee Kaufmann and Jay Kristoff

Legendary – Stephanie Garber

That’s it folks, my year in books, my predictions for 2018 and a few books to Keep an eye out for.

If you haven’t bagged your copy of Keepers yet, don’t forget it’s out in all good bookstores now, you can grab your copy here.

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads

The post 10 Best Books of 2017 and 10 YA Books to Look Out For in 2018 appeared first on Sacha Black.

Allie is also a talented designer of covers, logos and, well, pretty much anything you need.

Today sees the launch of her long awaited sequel in her Project Gene Assist series: The Watch and Wand.

In order to celebrate, I asked Allie to indulge me in a spot of geekery about all things tech and the future.

Without further ado…

Welcome Allie

Sacha: In your book The Watch and Wand, you base the series on the concept that we will be able to integrate technology physically into ourselves. Do you think this is really possible and if yes, how long before we do it?

Allie: Personally, I believe that the robots have already taken over, as computers are already controlling stock markets, traffic lights, flight patterns, and even the order in which your customer support calls for help are received and humans are still here, so I am not particularly worried at the moment.

The problem is we humans are never satisfied with our robotic creations and being the egocentric short-sighted creatures we are, keep trying to make robotics more like ourselves complete with flaws, opinions, and limitations and that’s where the potential danger comes in.

My books, however, do not deal with an independent artificial intelligence, but instead with the concept of transhumanism in which people merge with technology.

Sacha: If we do integrate ourselves into a kind of hybrid AI – how do you think it will happen? microchips? Genetic manipulation?

MORE ABOUT ALLIE POTTS:

Allie Potts is the author of The Fair & Foul, Project Gene Assist Book One and is celebrating the launch of the second book in the series, The Watch & Wand. Set in a not too distant future, the series takes place at a time when science meets magic and biology merges with technology, and tackles what it means to be human.

Additionally, she is the author of An Uncertain Faith, a Rocky Row Novel, a cozy mystery/women’s literature story written for those who find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place.

When not finding ways to squeeze in 72 hours into a 24 day or chasing after children determined to turn her hair gray before its time, Allie enjoys stories of all kinds. Her favorites, whether they are novels, film, or simply shared aloud with friends, are usually accompanied with a glass of wine or cup of coffee in hand.

A self-professed science geek and book nerd, Allie writes everyday style stories, flash fiction, tips and tricks, and the occasional not-a-review review at www.alliepottswrites.com.

Book links include:

• The Watch & Wand – http://authl.it/B07791KJ2Z
• The Fair & Foul – http://authl.it/B01678T7CU
• An Uncertain Faith – http://authl.it/B00PYYB06A

Social Media Links

Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Google+

The post Watch and Wonders – Books, Tech and the Future with @alliepottswrite appeared first on Sacha Black.

Keepers, the first book in my  YA fantasy series, is coming to a rainforest-like

The count down to November 17th has begun and I couldn’t be more excited.

Because I’m jumping up and down with excitement, I decided to run a giveaway competition to win… 

1 of 2 signed paperbacks or

1 of 5 eBook copies

If you’d like to enter, all you have to do is sign up here. That’s it. Simple.

Competition closes 10th November at 12 pm. Winners will be notified at 7:30 pm BST on the 10th. Books will be shipped no later than 3 weeks after the 17th November (author copies take a while to arrive).

Here’s the book blurb:

Eden’s life is balanced…

…until her soul is bound to her enemy.

When her parents are murdered, the realm of Trutinor is threatened. Then a mysterious human arrives and changes everything.

As Eden’s world spirals out of control, she doesn’t need a charismatic Siren from her past returning to complicate life.

Now, saving Trutinor is the last thing on Eden’s mind.

Three boys.

Two murdered parents.

One deadly choice.

You can also add Keepers to your Goodreads list, here. 

SaveSave

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The post #Win 1 of 2 Paperback copies of Keepers #giveaway appeared first on Sacha Black.

You’ve written ‘THE END’ on your first, second, eighth – or if you’re me it will mostly likely be my third draft. You know it’s not perfect, but you’re happy you have taken your manuscript as far as you can. What next?

Alpha / Beta readers

As I approach the end of my first draft this concept is becoming more than just a twinkle in my eye. It’s quietly growing into the elephant in the corner of the room.

What are beta readers? How do I get one? How long will it take? Will they tear my work to pieces?

I resorted to asking some seasoned pros for advice and they really have given some amazing helpful and comprehensive answers. Please welcome Geoff and Dylan

Why use a Beta reader at all?

GEOFF – You need someone to tell you the story hangs together. That is what I want. Not a clean up on typos and grammar though that is useful, but is the plot engaging, do the characters work, does the story flow, make sense etc. to me a beta reader is not a paid for editor who could do the same job but a friendly help mate who is prepared to offer a view, possibly in return for you reading their work. Ideally, it is someone you know and trust to tell you as it is without some other agenda. But I’m not sure there’s any difference between a beta reader and the right sort of editor – clearly you need an editor as well for grammar and typos but that is different to a beta reader.

DYLAN – As a writer you are too close to your work. Even when you leave a manuscript to rest for a few weeks before going back to it, you know the story intimately. You know the character’s motivations and their backstories. You need beta readers to tell you what you’ve actually written, rather than what you intended to write. They give you insight to things you’ve missed out, things you’ve never thought of, plot holes, characterisation issues and so on.

How do you find your Beta readers?

GEOFF – Word of mouth, brazenly asking people, posting about the book and asking for help – personally I have found people love to help albeit that sometimes they don’t realise quite what is involved.

DYLAN – By asking people nicely.

When choosing a Beta reader, do you look for a certain type of reader? i.e. someone who does or doesn’t read your particular genre, and why?

GEOFF – I want someone who will take the job seriously. Ideally they will have a fondness for the genre but they must be open-minded. My first work – a comedic book – was easy enough to place. For my current WIP I had three aspects where a specific Beta would be useful. I found someone to cover two of the three.

DYLAN – I think it’s important to get a spread of people who are likely to view your work differently. Try to get writers and readers, those that are immersed in your genre and those that aren’t. Most important, get people who aren’t afraid to tell you the truth.

How long do you expect a Beta reader to take to read your work – do you agree a time?

GEOFF – I always tell them when I need the results by and I’m realistic to make sure I give them at least a month and often longer.

DYLAN – I try to set them a deadline of around a month, giving them warning beforehand, but they get as much time as they need.

How much feedback do you expect to receive or give when going through a beta reading process?

GEOFF – Piece of string. I tell Beta readers that I want more than ‘well done’ but then they know that. I try and give them at least three things to have in mind as they read. In all honesty I’m grateful for whatever I get, given they aren’t being paid and if they are shit I don’t ask again. I have the luxury of no deadlines so if I find the Beta reader or Beta readers I have asked aren’t any good I can circle back and recalibrate my timings.

DYLAN – Each beta reader is different. Based on their background and inclination I like to give an overview of how I felt about the book and then break it down into plot, setting, pacing and characterisation.

Do you set any guidelines or ask any specific questions of beta readers before giving them your work? 

GEOFF – Yes to questions, no to guidelines. I want the Beta reader to work as they feel comfortable. If they ask for guidelines then I discuss with them. Recently I had a Beta reader respond in three parts – plot, dialogue and other but that was their choice and they were looking at my writing about American characters hence dialogue as a separate topic.

DYLAN – I’ll ask them to cover the areas I mentioned above beforehand, and occasionally point them to a specific scene I’m concerned about, but otherwise I leave it to them. Any feedback is gold dust and I don’t want to either restrict them or steer them too much.

What does beta read feedback look like? Or maybe more importantly feel like?

GEOFF – I don’t think there is one way it is set out. The best is someone who will take a word version and annotate it with comments and changes but an email explaining is just as good. I don’t feel feedback – that’s far too spinach and quorn for me.

DYLAN – Again, it’s different depending on who the beta reader is. I like my beta readers to be blunt and honest. I don’t need the feedback sugar-coated because it’s important I get both their thoughts and emotions at the time of reading. All I ask is that it’s constructive. I always say “don’t tell me it’s shit, tell me it’s shit because…”

How do you receive feedback? All in one go or chapter by chapter? In a word doc, or hand written scrawls across the page?

GEOFF – See above; I had all sorts. I prefer not hand written scrawls and I prefer not face to face. I want to absorb their ideas. Some however prefer to explain themselves. There I have learnt to button my lip and not ask anything unless I really don’t understand what they are trying to say.

DYLAN – Most send me feedback electronically. Some like to give general thoughts, others a more detailed chapter by chapter run through.

Have you ever been stung or pleasantly surprised by beta reading?

GEOFF – My first Beta reader – my wife – hated it. I realised how hard it was and after that have always been grateful for whatever is said, even if it pulls something apart. No one, yet, has been obviously out to destroy so I take whatever they say in good faith. Have I been pleasantly surprised? Once; my current WIP contains a lot of the science of genetics and I had two biology graduates from oxford read it. They both made the same points and both complemented me on my understanding; since I stopped biology aged 12 I was quietly pleased!

DYLAN – I’m always pleasantly surprised by the feedback my beta readers give me, even if it’s pointing out terrible writing or major errors.

What’s the best advice you could give someone about to embark on the Beta reading phase?

GEOFF – Ask anyone who you think might be good, if they’d do it. Even if you don’t use them there will be another occasion. Work hard to make them feel comfortable; they know how much this means to you but if they are really going to be helpful they need to be made really comfortable that you’ll not eat them or, worse, if they are friends, you’ll not hate them. Remember: once you give them your manuscript it’s no longer yours, it is theirs and anything they say is right. Treat them with kid gloves and respect; if they haven’t understood something, chances are you haven’t told it very well. However if they suggest a solution be very wary about accepting it. Only you know your own book.

DYLAN – For the writer, be very grateful for the feedback you receive, positive or negative, and remember that any comments the beta reader makes is because they want to improve the book. You don’t have to take all points on board but you should read and consider each one carefully.

For the beta reader, be honest and constructive. These are your opinions so they can’t be wrong. And yes, we’ll still be speaking at the end of this!

***

So here are my top 10 tips for the Beta reading stage:

The post 10 TOP TIPS For the BETA Reading Stage appeared first on Sacha Black.

I’ve been waiting for the release of this book for the best part of a year. End of Days is the last instalment in the Penryn and the End of Days trilogy from Susan Ee. I’ll admit I felt like a kid, but I had to have it on pre-order as soon as it was available, that’s how much I wanted to read it!

Susan Ee’s trilogy is a YA/NA Fantasy/Dystopian trilogy – the same genre as the likes of Hunger Games and Divergent – the same genre I write, so I couldn’t help but read it. I adored the first book Angelfall. The second book World After was ok – but it felt much like a lot of second books in trilogies – a filler, a stop gap before the climax in the third book. (I’ll put links and photos and blurbs to the first two books at the end).

So you’re not completely lost the general background to the first two books is – Angel apocalypse – they bring war on humans the protagonist saves an angel (Raffe who happens to be an Archangel and gods wrath.) They start to fall in love – which is completely forbidden.

To End of Days, the final instalment.

Amazon gives this blurb:

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all. 

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

My Review:

I adored the first book so I was eagerly waiting for the final installment to find out what happens to the main characters. Ee doesn’t disappoint.

The book is generally quite pacey. Stylistically it’s written as an easy read. So much so that I found myself slipping through the pages, I’d blink and I’d read 15 chapters. The chapters are short which helps to keep the pace too.

The main character Penryn, is a really loveable protagonist, you can’t help but want her to ‘win’. She sucks you in and makes you feel for her. Ee beautifully depicts the raw emotions that teens really do feel. I found myself grinning at her first kiss, feeling her pain as she’s rejected and the desperation for her to get the boy. This really, is a love story at its heart. For me, the rest of the plot seems to disappear into trivialities, did I actually care who was elected as the new messenger? Not really, I was too busy caring about Penryn and Raffe. The characters really are exceptional. I imagine they are relatable to an entire generation of YA readers and those who are not quite so YA anymore… *cough*.

What I like about this series is that it is ‘real’ Penryn’s mother has mental health issues, and her sister… well, I will let you read and find out what happens to her. What Ee does, is touch on gritty real life issues in her fantasy genre (albeit mostly in the first novel). I like this, because a lot of novels in this genre don’t do that.

The novel builds to a wonderful crescendo. I did find the last 20% of the novel smidge slow. After the pace of the first two books and the first two thirds of the final book, it felt like a lot of fannying around to get to the ending we all knew was coming (and wanted). There was so much description and nothingness in the last few chapters before the final battle commenced.

But the actual ending? Well I got what I came for – I was thoroughly satisfied with the outcome.

That being said, this is my only other critique. The book got to the crescendo – what happened, happened and then it stopped dead. If I had a physical copy I would have flicked the pages over going ‘Huh?’ Don’t get me wrong, it was exactly what I wanted, but it was so good, I sort of wanted to know a bit more, I needed just a tiny bit more closure.

Thankfully Ee wrote an epilogue… I breathed a sigh of relief and then read it… Sadly it didn’t add anything to the book, plus it ended even more abruptly than the novel. It was two utterly random pages of nothing, and as I finished it I genuinely frowned and say ‘is that it?’… out loud, in the middle of the night with my wife asleep in bed next to me (she wasn’t impressed at being woken up!)

Am I complaining? No, not really. At the end of the day I got what I came for. I loved the characters, the plot and the overall ending. Would I recommend the trilogy? You’re damn right I would – especially to YA fantasy/dystopian readers.

There are two other reasons I love Susan Ee:

1. She skirts around religious topics – angel wars, Nephilim, Archangels and apocalypses. I find this fascinating as a topic for a YA novel.

2. She started out at an indie author. She self published Angelfall, and I think due to its success has gone under a publishing house now – Hodder Paperbacks. Good for her – that kind of self published success is something I can only aspire to. Also – and I am very excited that she is in talks with film directors…. Angelfall might well big coming to the big screen… eeek.

Final Book Rating: 4 out of 5 because unlike Veronica Roth, she gave us the ending we all wanted!

I’m going to give the overall trilogy two ratings – For anyone who doesn’t read the genre I’d say 3 out of 5 – it probably won’t set your world on fire, but it’s a good easy read and wonderful story with fantastic characters.

For anyone who does read the genre I would give the overall trilogy 4 out of 5. You will love it. It’s everything you want from this kind of series.

If you want to buy the trilogy you can visit here:

Angelfall Book 1

Blurb:

It’s been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain.

Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.

When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Including making a deal with the enemy.

World After Book 2

Blurb:

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what’s left of the modern world. When a group of people capture Penryn’s sister Paige, thinking she’s a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige.

Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels’ secret plans, where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can’t rejoin the angels, can’t take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

End of Days Book 3

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all. 

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

The post End of Days By Susan Ee – Book Review appeared first on Sacha Black.

I don’t mind admitting I’m a selfish reader. I’ve always read exactly what I want for no other reason than, I felt like it. So I never paid much attention to whether or not it was useful or beneficial. But now, as a writer, whilst I still need some of that escapism by falling into a good book, I’ve come to realise I also need to read to aid my writing – and I’m not just talking about non fiction books that teach you writing skills. This is part one in a two part series, looking at reading like a writer – reading what you NEED and reading what you WANT.

When I was at school I hated Shakespeare. I didn’t get it. I didn’t understand any of his wordy sentences, or the elaborate metaphors. I figured he was just another drunk writer that got famous after he died. But then, my discontent was probably more to do with the prescription of school and the incessant deconstruction of texts, than Shakespeare himself. It wasn’t until I voluntarily picked up Shakespeare in my teens that I really grew a deep appreciation for him.

I outlined my writing process and 8 steps to discover your own perfect process last week. I’m drawing close to the end of the first draft of my novel and as a result have started to think about second and third drafts and what might need doing, which led me to Shakespeare. In my second and third drafts come the detail and description.

Whilst I have lots of ideas and a vivid imagination to create plots worlds and characters, as someone who primarily learned to write academic stuff, actually being able to convey the images in my head with enough poetic description to conjure fantastical worlds for readers, takes more practice than I’ve had. I need a parrot constantly sitting on my shoulder barking “Context, Context, Description,” reminders at me. I’m referring to similes, metaphors, and descriptively evocative passages.

So as a writer, that’s what I NEED to read. I need to find novels, passages, and poetry that are spectacular examples of creating vivid imagery through context and description. Who better than Shakespeare himself. (yes there are lots of writers I could have looked at, but I fancied a bit of Shakespeare today!)

Do you know what your weaknesses are as a writer? Could your dialogue do with a brush up? Maybe your characters aren’t quite as full of life as you would like, or maybe your world hasn’t come across the way you thought it would. None of us are perfect. So there will be something you can work on. If you don’t know what you need to develop, then ask someone else. Ask a trusted person who won’t crush you, but will be honest at the same time. When you work out what you need to practice, research writers who excel at it.

It’s ironic that I hated the thought of deconstructing Shakespeare at school, and now that’s exactly what I am about to do! Although there’s a lot we can learn from Shakespeare, for the purposes of this post, and in support of thinking about my next draft I’m focusing specifically on his poetic style and ability to create spectacular imagery.

My favourite passage of Shakespeare’s depicts this beautifully. It’s slightly dark but I adore the imagery and tragic metaphors in it. I give you, Macbeth’s final soliloquy:

She should have died hereafter;

There would have been a time for such a word.

— To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

To the last syllable of recorded time;

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury

Signifying nothing.

— Macbeth (Act 5, Scene 5, lines 17-28)

I’ve bolded the bit that I really love.

‘Life’s but a walking shadow’ in other words life’s just an illusion. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s a powerful image. It reminds me of Peter Pan’s shadow, prancing around mocking the kids in Wendy’s nursery. I think the way he takes ‘life’ such a complex concept and uses such a simple comparison to draw a powerful image is quite frankly awe inspiring. But that’s the point, right? Use imagery to turn complex concepts into simple images. Sounds simple… *slaps forehead, pulls at face – wishes it was that simple*.

‘a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more.’ A poor actor who struts and worries for his hour on the stage and then is never heard from again. Such a sad image; an actor who works slaves for lifetime, practicing through the blood sweat and tears to finally get a break and then, only gets 15 minutes of fame. Forgotten forever, like the army of hopeful thespians who came before him, and the budding recruits yet to come. Sad, yet cuttingly true – not everyone can be famous.

The last line, ‘It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying nothing.’

Life is a story told by an idiot, full of noise and emotional disturbance but devoid of meaning. Not sure how comfortable I am with the sweeping generalization we’re all idiots! But I get his point. We do get caught up in the mundane, or caught up in the shallow intricacies of fads and social hierarchy, and that ultimately is meaningless. Does he really mean that life is meaningless? I hope not, I like to think he is making a point that Macbeth’s life was pointless – he spent it doing despicable acts, and if you do the same, then at the end, life becomes meaningless. Macbeth lived the life of a shadow, an illusion of life.

Isn’t that a wonderful image? Ok, I read into a lot, and the average reader skims through words at a thousand knots trying to get to the end of the chapter, see what happens next. But if I can convey even a slither of that imagery I would be a happy lady.

Tell me in the comments below: do you know what your weakness is? If so, what is it? And what authors do you (or will you) try and learn from?

The post Learn To Read Like A Writer – Read What You NEED appeared first on Sacha Black.

I came across Flipboard completely by chance. I was browsing my stats page and seemed to be getting an increasing number of referrals from this ‘thing’ called Flipboard. However, when I clicked through to the links they just failed so I thought it was spam.

The following day, I had over 100 referrals just from that site, so I decided to actually Google Flipboard, and low and behold its pretty awesome.

Anyway, if you’re anything like me, you might spend hours reading other blogs or trawling the internet for story research, but where do you put it all? I never really know what to do with all the things I want to read again, it’s not like the old days when you shove crap from magazines a in a folder or scrap book – I miss getting my fingers smeared with pritt stick and having a physical project book that never quite looked right!

These days I clog my laptop up with dozens of open tabs in my browser, (which stay open for weeks) and then I get mighty irritated when my laptop does an automatic update and closes everything. LOST FOREVER PEOPLE.

Sure, I could bookmark pages but isn’t that so last decade?! Plus I must have at least a thousand bookmarks none of which are particularly well organised.

Sigh.

Flipboard is a kind of Pinterest but for word oriented people rather than visual people. It works on the basis of you creating ‘Magazines’ which are effectively a storage folder. You can ‘flip’ articles, blog posts or pictures into your magazines. You can title, rearrange and organise your magazines and articles however you like.

It’s basically the ideal solution to storing those interesting blogs, pictures, research or articles you want to keep. It’s minimal effort, sleek, neat and can be visual for those who want it.  But more than anything, its tidy and doesn’t require hundreds of bytes of data to store.

They also have a ‘flip it’ button you can install onto your browser so that you can flip things from anywhere. They have apps for your devices and all the mod cons of a normal social media site, like the ability to follow other peoples’ magazines or general ‘topics’, of which there are thousands.

I am only just getting to grips with this little discovery, but it appears to be a bit of an (undiscovered to me) gem.

Have you heard of Flipboard? Do you use it? Like it? Let me know in the comments.

If you liked this post, why not get even more awesome writing tips in the book 13 Steps To Evil – How to Craft Superbad Villains. Click this link and just tap the logo of your device or regular bookshop and it will take you to the right page. 

You can also get a FREE villains cheatsheet and a villain’s short course by joining my mailing list just click here.

Read Keepers, the first book in my Young Adult fantasy series now. Or to hear more about the release of the sequels as well as get regular CogMail updates you can do so here.

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads

The post The Minimalists Guide to Storing Interesting Articles appeared first on Sacha Black.

If you would like to be featured like this on my blog, drop me a line.

I first found ‘A Disturbed Girl’s Guide to Curing Boredom’ in DIVA, a magazine for lesbians. It had the tiniest of blurbs (as all their reviews do) about this little book with a rather intriguing title. I absolutely HAD to read it. So I did, and I was an instant fan. His trilogy is one of my favourites… EVER. So it had to make my ‘books that MADE me write‘ list, because it was just that good.

I dropped him an email and asked if he would let me interview him for my blog. To my amazement he agreed! If you want to find out more you can visit his website Disturbed Girl (where you can buy the books) or his Facebook page here.

I can’t believe I am lucky enough to say this but, I am ecstatic to welcome James Howell to Sacha Black’s blog…

The Interview:

What are you working on?

I’m currently working on my new collection of short stories, Guinea Pigs, which will be out later in 2015. Following that, I’ll be starting work on my next full length novel.

When and how did Hannah come to you? Was it a moment of inspiration, an epiphany? Or did she grow in some murky recess of your mind?

The idea for Hannah Harker started growing in my mind while I was working as a local newspaper reporter. I was a bored journalist and would occasionally think about what it would be like to create the news. Rather than actually set fire to buildings and murder people, though, I decided it would be better if I created a literary alter-ego to live out these fantasies on my behalf!

There’s an acceptance that authors often write in traits or characteristics of themselves into their work, given Hannah’s personality, is there any part of you in her?! Or do you draw from life experiences instead?

I think it’s inevitable that some of an author’s opinions, values and prejudices will rub off on their characters, and that’s certainly the case with Hannah Harker. When I wrote the first draft of “Curing Boredom” she was far too similar to me, so I did go back and change some of her traits and characteristics. Part of the reason for making her female was also to create a divide between the character and myself.

How do you develop your characters? Do you let them brew in your subconscious, use character interview sheets, or something completely different?

I start off by writing a basic outline of a character based on their background in the story, their occupation, their age, where they’re from and how they’re going to be interacting with other characters. I don’t go into too much detail at this stage though because I find it more interesting to let them develop organically as the story progresses – a very confident, headstrong character may become very fragile and damaged as the result of a traumatic scene in the story.

Given that you are a new parent, you work, and have various other projects on the go, how do you find time to write? Do you have to sacrifice one for the other, or do you have a solution that would help me (and readers) get more sleep?!

I’m afraid the solution is less sleep, not more! I’m not very good at knocking out a hundred words here and there – I prefer to binge write a whole chapter in the early hours of the morning.

Are you a planner, or free writer?

A bit of both. I plan the skeleton of a story, but then let my creative mind wander as I’m writing. Most of my best ideas come while I’m actually writing because I get absorbed in the story and fresh plot twists/quirky scenes etc spring to mind.

When you are developing a book, what tools or techniques do you use, e.g. timelines, mood boards, character interviews, scraps of notes?

As mentioned, I don’t get too concerned with writing techniques. I prefer to write free for the first draft of a novel so that I can let new ideas develop and I’m not bound by any pre-defined structure etc. I think that helps a writer be more original.

After the first draft I do use timelines to check chronology, and I’ll analyse each character to make sure they are consistent and not doing something out-of-character in the story.

Where do you draw inspiration from? Do you actively look for it?

I never actively look for inspiration, I think it comes when you least expect it. I’ll occasionally be inspired by a film or a book and jot down some notes after, but I don’t sit down and think “right, I’m going to watch these films tonight for inspiration”.

I love travelling and draw a lot of inspiration from this, but again I let the inspiration come to me rather than actively seeking it out. I will walk around a city for hours looking at people, buildings, activities etc. If something could potentially fit into a story, I’ll tuck it away in my mind and let my subconscious work on it for a while.

Are you naturally this gifted at writing? Or did you have to develop? If you have developed, are there any key things that helped you get to where you are now?

You can go on courses and practice techniques, but in my view the only way to improve is to read a lot of books and write as often as you can.

I’ve been writing short stories since I was at primary school and I’ve continued that throughout my life. Every time you write a new story, it should be better than the last one. If you don’t feel your writing is improving, read some new authors to see if you learn and get inspired by them.

What kind of an environment do you write in? Day/night/silence/music/desk/sofa etc etc

Night, complete silence, at my desk. Any interruption completely kills my flow.

I’m 53K words into my first novel, it’s taking over my life. :s What advice can you give me on completing it? Or maybe an easier question, What do you wish you had known about writing a book before you started?

The first sentence is the hardest, but the further you get into a novel the easier it becomes.

It will take over your life and you’ll be thinking about it all the time, but you reach the stage where you’ve broken the back of the story and can see light at the end of the tunnel. The important thing is not to rush the end though – it’s arguably the most important part of the book.
The publishing industry is in decline across the board. Do you think things like the Kindle are bridging the gap, is there still the same love for the written word, or is it being diluted by the modern obsession with tech and gadgets?

The traditional publishing industry is probably in decline, but I believe literature in general is healthier than ever. Kindle and other technologies are simply changing the way books are presented and consumed. I’m involved in an international project called The Black Page which will create multi-media stories, for example. The decline of traditional publishing also means that more authors will have a chance to be published, thanks to digital publishing and Amazon distribution etc. I believe everyone should have the right to see their work published, although it does create a problem of quality control.

50 Shades of Grey author EL James was reported to make around £100k a day at the book’s height, and the upcoming film will make her millions. Do you find it a shame that the most lucrative and famous book franchise of the moment is one so widely derided for its lack of literary value? Or is it just good to have a book going mainstream?

It’s easy to be jealous of EL James, and in my opinion her books are quite poorly written, but if any author is successful I think good luck to them.

Hollywood seems obsessed with re-boots, re-makes and sequels, so if an original novel makes it to the big screen then it’s a great thing. 50 Shades, Gone Girl, etc will all give authors hope and inspiration that they can achieve similar success.

If a fascist regime was burning the worlds libraries, what books would you save? Or maybe I should ask what Hannah would do?

That’s a tough one. Hannah would probably be too busy shooting the fascists to worry about the books.

Did you always know you were going to go down the indie publishing route, and if so why?

I originally planned to find a traditional publisher and get paid a hefty upfront payment, but it’s too bloody difficult to be honest! You are competing with thousands of other manuscripts, and if you do manage to secure a literary agent who gets you a book deal, you’re not actually likely to make as much money as you think.

Self-publishing used to be considered cheating – it was for writers who weren’t good enough to get a “real publisher” – but that’s all changed in the last few years. The more I researched it and thought about it, the more it made sense. It’s a hell of a lot of work and you’ll never have the contacts or marketing punch of Harper Collins, but you have complete freedom over every decision and any money you make is yours (although don’t get me started on Amazon seller fees!)

What do you wish you knew about the publishing process before you started?

I wish I knew anything – I had no idea about any of the publishing process. It’s long and complicated and frustrating – somebody should write a book about it.

What is the best advice you could give to aspiring novelists like me?

Don’t write for fortune and glory, you’ll probably be disappointed. Write for yourself because you love it. When you no longer enjoy writing, stop.

Is fanfic to be welcomed as it broadens interaction and the readers experience or a scourge that devalues the ability of an author? (don’t worry I’m not writing fanfic!)

I’m quite anti fan fiction – if you want to write a story, do something original with your own characters instead of nicking somebody else’s ideas. There’s also the issue of copyright infringement, which I could see some people getting into trouble with.

Other than Hannah’s ‘unique’ personality, what is it about your books that make them so successful.

I’ll let you know when they’re successful!

As a lesbian, I was particularly impressed that a straight male wrote such brilliant lesbian sex scenes. Tell me more about how you were able to do this?

I didn’t really plan them, I just sat down and wrote each scene from beginning to end in one sitting, going with the flow. At the back of my mind I was thinking “don’t write internet porn”, which hopefully I avoided. I have a couple of friends who are lesbians and I asked them for feedback too – they gave me a few tweaks, but on the whole they enjoyed these scenes!
I am finding more and more, that writers often have several creative outlets. Do you? Or is writing your one source?

I used to make electronic music which I really enjoyed, but as my life has got busier I’ve had to narrow my focus to writing.

Instead, I collaborate with photographers, musicians and film-makers now so they can bring fresh approaches to the Disturbed Girl brand.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

An electronic music producer.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

From as young as I can remember. At primary school I wrote a story called “Revenge of the Burger Man” about a guy who had half of face blown away and replaced with a cheeseburger. Thankfully the school social worker never read it!

What authors do you admire, and why?

I grew up reading Ian Fleming’s Bond novels and these are still a huge influence on me. He was also a former journalist and you can see that in his writing – he has an eye for detail, but can tell a story without waffling. I loved the exotic locations, danger, sex and violence – all ingredients which make it into my stories.

These days I tend to go for non-fiction. I like Alain du Botton, Professor Kevin Dutton, Naomi Klein, people like that.

Finally, two questions about Hannah:

Do you think motherhood would have changed Hannah?

Yes, over time it will change her for the better. She will need to recover from her injuries and bond with Naomi , but ultimately motherhood will be the best thing that’s ever happened to her.

Lastly, what do you think she would do, if her daughter wanted to grow up to be an assassin like her?

She would give her a good slap around the chops!

Big, MAMMOTH thank you to James for taking the time out of what must be an extremely busy schedule, to make one fan’s year by answering all her questions.

If you want to know more, James’ biography is below, or you can catch him at the websites above.

Howell’s biography:

James Howell (born 1978) is a former journalist and author of the Disturbed Girl series of novels.

His experiences while working on a local newspaper in Essex, England, and on national newspapers in London, inspired the adventures of anti-hero Hannah Harker in the novels.

Howell’s debut novel, A Disturbed Girl’s Guide to Curing Boredom, follows the story of local reporter Harker as she gradually grows insane in her quest to find excitement at all costs.

Published by Amygdala Press in 2011, the debut is a “harrowing, savage and sexual exploration of a broken mind” and has attracted over 50,000 Facebook fans. In January 2013 it was named 7th in Really TV’s top 10 must-read erotic novels of all time.

The sequel, A Disturbed Girl Implodes, continues Hannah’s demented adventures and was published by Amygdala Press in May 2012.

The final part of the trilogy, A Disturbed Girl’s Redemption, was published in autumn 2013 to huge acclaim from fans globally.

In late 2012, London-based electronic music artist Mush No Candy collaborated with Howell and produced a unique soundtrack to accompany the novels, which was the subject of a BBC radio programme.

Aside from writing, Howell is a keen diver, amateur sailor, abysmal skier and occasional romantic. He has travelled extensively in the pursuit of fortune and glory, with extended periods in South America, India and Asia, but finds himself always returning home to the shores of Southend-on-Sea in the UK.

He would like the track Avril 14th by Aphex Twin to be played at his funeral.

The post Interview with James Howell – Author of the Disturbed Girl Trilogy appeared first on Sacha Black.

Everybody has a list. But for a writer, it’s THE list. You might call your list a number of things but essentially, it’s the list of books that made you a writer. For me it’s a list of the most inspirational, favourite and most irritating books I’ve read. This series will cover the technical aspects of ‘how to read like a writer’ but for now, I thought it would be good to start with what you have read that made you a writer.

For me, but in no particular order:

1. Day of The Triffids by John Wyndham

Blurb: When Bill Masen wakes up blindfolded in hospital there is a bitter irony in his situation. Carefully removing his bandages, he realizes that he is the only person who can see: everyone else, doctors and patients alike, have been blinded by a meteor shower. Now, with civilization in chaos, the triffids – huge, venomous, large-rooted plants able to ‘walk’, feeding on human flesh – can have their day.

Reason for being on the list: This is the book that started it all. When I read it, it ignited an obsession with post apocalyptic stories and a burning need to write one.

2. A Disturbed Girl’s Guide to Curing Boredom by James Howell

Blurb: Hannah Harker is bored. Her tedious job as a local newspaper reporter is grinding her soul to dust and she cannot find anything to interest or excite her. Refusing to accept a life of anonymity, she decides to tear up all the rule books and do everything in her power to find a cure for this boredom. Free from the shackles of social convention and morality, she sets off down a dark and dangerous path that will change her forever. A terrible tragedy of her own making sends her spiralling into meltdown and the lives of countless people get dragged into her twisted world. Embarking on a brutal journey through Asia, she befriends arms dealers in Thailand, gangsters in Hong Kong and terrorists in Malaysia, while breaking the hearts of men and women at every turn. As the clock ticks down to a shattering conclusion, the world can only pray that she self-destructs before creating the most staggering news event in history.

Reason for being on the list: This book happens to be the first in a trilogy. It goes down as possibly my favourite story ever. I discovered it when the author had just 500 fans on Facebook, he now stands at 51K plus. I have to warn you, it is not for the faint of heart, and the further you go into the trilogy the more disturbing it becomes. But it truly is fantastic, and just because he named a character after me in the last book (true story, I am a HUGE fan! but it’s my real name not Sacha!) doesn’t mean I’m biased!

3. The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder

Blurb: Twelve-year-old Hans Thomas lives alone with his father, a man who likes to give his son lessons about life and has a penchant for philosophy. Hans Thomas’ mother left when he was four (to `find’ herself) and the story begins when father and son set off on a trip to Greece, where she now lives, to try to persuade her to come home. En route, in Switzerland, Hans Thomas is given a magnifying glass by a dwarf at a petrol station, and the next day he finds a tiny book in his bread roll which can only be read with a magnifying glass. How did the book come to be there? Why does the dwarf keep showing up? It is all very perplexing and Hans Thomas has enough to cope with, with the daunting prospect of seeing his mother. Now his journey has turned into an encounter with the unfathomable…or does it all have a logical explanation?

Reason for being on the list: I can barely remember reading this book, however it is one of the few I read twice. I never read a book more than once. It’s a book I read in my early teens, and it stuck with me. It was the fantasy part of the story that inspired me, I was already long into my journey of writing stories but it opened up the world of fantasy to me, something that has never left me.

4. The Shack By W.M Paul Young

Blurb: Mackenzie Allen Philips’ 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. Four years later in the midst of his great sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend.Against his better judgement he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever.In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant THE SHACK wrestles with the timeless question, ‘Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?’ The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!

Reason for being on the list: As a self confessed atheist agnostic, I struggle with people who are fervently religious. I have no problem with religion or people being religious. My mother had her confirmation just a couple of years ago, and one of my best friends is a pastors wife. That being said personally I just don’t get it. I need proof. And I love science. That being said, I am also a fan of the truth, and with all the investigations I have been doing of alternative history, my truth might not be the same as yours. Anyway, the book. I adored this book. It made me sob, hysterically. But what I loved, what this guys ability to question his own faith in such a courageous way, and the ending – given that it’s meant to be a true story – is pretty amazing.

5. And This Is True by Emily Mackie

Blurb: Once upon a time there was a boy whose home was a van and whose world was his father. Be warned: this is not a fairytale. Although it does contain love, betrayal, escape, and most important of all, a kiss. But you have to be ready for an unpredictable journey through a realm where nothing is black or white. That, of course, is why you should take the first step. A startling new voice shows us a painful truth: You can’t help who you fall in love with.

Reason for being on the list: This is the first book that ever made me uncomfortable. I don’t just mean a little bit uncomfortable. I mean had to shut the cover, squirm, take a breath, reassess my whole outlook on life, and then continue reading! and for that reason alone it goes on the list. But the other reason is because it made me realise how emotive a book can be, it can change you. I mean really change you. This was the first book that did that to me, and I want to do it for someone else one day too.

6. Divergent Series by Veronica Roth

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