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10 Steps To Hero: How To Craft A Kickass Protagonist OUT NOW

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Most people think their hero is the most important character in their book. I argue it’s the villain. After all, the villain is – for the most part – the source of conflict in your story. And without conflict you don’t have a story. Conflict is your hero’s catalyst for change, which means it’s quite literally the holy grail of story telling.

So your villain is important. But surely your heroes are too?

Yes. Yes, they are.

Your hero is the lens through which your reader experiences your story. Without your hero there is no narrator, no filter for which the story can be told. It would be like going to the movies and wearing headphones and a blindfold.

That’s why I wrote 10 Steps To Hero: How To Craft A Kickass Protagonist.

And guess what?

It’s out today.

Grab my copy of 10 Steps To Hero

Want to know more? Read on… [Read more…] about 10 Steps To Hero: How To Craft A Kickass Protagonist OUT NOW

The Burnout Bitch: writers beware

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Here’s the thing. Burnout is inefficient. And there’s literally nothing I hate more than inefficiency. It’s my archnemesis. It slows me down, makes me angry and ragey, and mildly violent… (toward my keyboard)1

But worse, if you’re anything like me, you’re completely incapable of realizing you’re tired, let alone reaching the brink of total burnout. I’m blind to burnout. It’s like fighting a custom built invisible demon while blindfolded and strapped into a straight jacket. Suffice to say, I’ve probably gone through at least six months of piss poor writing performance, chronic exhaustion, a terrible mindset and insomnia. Because I know what’s useful when you’re tired, NOT SLEEPING.

Okay, I’ll wind my neck in because I like to be a sparkling ray of positivity here.

LIES.

We all know I’m a scathingly cynical, intensely sarcastic rage-beast from the depths of your nightmares.  But that slight tangent aside, I do like to be helpful.

So here’s me being helpful:

[Read more…] about The Burnout Bitch: writers beware

Victor Launch Day – Plus a dose of Second Book Syndrome

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Once you’ve written a book, it’s easy to assume you can do it again. Surely you just sit your ass down, pound out some words, and hey presto, another shiny book-baby.

Not so much people, not so much.

I’ve written more than one book, but Victor was my second fiction book. That seemed to make a difference. [Read more…] about Victor Launch Day – Plus a dose of Second Book Syndrome

Learn How To Market Your Books #MondayBlogs #amwriting

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I get asked a lot of marketing and publishing questions. Most are easy to answer. But a teeny tiny nanosqueak percentage of them make my eye twitch. The ‘answer on a plate’ types who think there’s a magical panacea-button that will shower them in glittery dollar bills from their millionth book sale.

Anyway. I’m leashing my rant because contrary to excessive sarcasm and perpetual moaning, there is nothing I love more than helping people, especially if that help leads to selling or publishing books. And you know what helps you sell books?

Forehead creasing, caffeine addictions, midnight dates, multiple RSI cures and a laptop for a BFF.

Okay, fine. There are a few other things that rise out of the sweaty exhausted writer ashes to help bring in the dollars: [Read more…] about Learn How To Market Your Books #MondayBlogs #amwriting

7 Book Launch Lessons – #1 Book Marketing Mindset #MondayBlogs

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Ahh, ‘marketing,’ that filthy word writers hate slightly less than ‘self-promotion.‘ But, marketing is what sells our books, generates an audience and builds a fanbase… So why the apathy folks?

Whatever the reasons (unbridled imposter syndrome, unfathomable irrationality, a case of lost-your-fucking-mind-itis), we can’t help but cringe, whimper and cower away from saying those dirty words.

*cough… buy my book…please…*

Okay, maybe that’s a little unfair. We do say it… Just the once mind, and only quietly using our best polite-British voice.

*forehead slap*

Let’s get a grip, shall we?

If you’re even half serious about selling books or writing full-time, then you’re going to have to get with the self-promotion program, and fast.

Did I mention that I published a book…?

Cause I have…

It’s called 13 Steps To Evil, and you should probably check it out…

See… that wasn’t too bad, was it? No one died because I promoted myself, and I’m only sweating and twitching a little bit! *deep breath* *reaches for paper bag*

Before we move into hardcore tactics – here’s the ‘what I’ve learned about marketing through publishing my first book 13 Steps To Evil stuff.’ [Read more…] about 7 Book Launch Lessons – #1 Book Marketing Mindset #MondayBlogs

30 WRITING COMPETITIONS with Amazing Prizes

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Every few months, I like to collate a bucket load of writing competitions and plonk them in a post for you to peruse and enter at your leisure.

I say it all the time, but writing is a muscle. If you don’t exercise it, you’re guna lose it and that doesn’t mean always writing long novel-like prose.

Short stories are like the caffeine of writing. They give your muse a jump start shot of adrenaline and get your brain working in ways you never imagined. Why not make it your goal to enter a comp a month this year?

I’ve only listed first prize winnings this time to save time and as always PLEASE CHECK THE RULES for any competition you enter. There are always details and nuances that you have to adhere to, I have not included them here.

Here’s a list of 30 competitions with big prizes. Clearly enter the first one immediately :p [Read more…] about 30 WRITING COMPETITIONS with Amazing Prizes