Guest post: ‘The Viability of E-Books’ by Nadia Jones

Tonight’s guest blog post, on the topic of eBooks, is brought to you by prolific article writer Nadia Jones.

The Viability of E-Books

I love books. I love the touch of them, the smell of them, and the way they aged as if having lives of their own. My childhood was built upon holding physical books, turning and earmarking their pages, and jotting occasional notes over the moments I loved in them.

When I first heard about the rising trend of e-book publishing, I was naturally skeptical. How could anyone sacrifice the tactile feel of a soft page? Slowly, after finally trying out various Kindles and Nooks, I began to realize some of their benefits. They weigh about the same as a paperback. The screen does look pretty similar to ink on a page. I can increase the font size if it’s too small, and I can easily search for words I want to quote or analyze.

There’s no denying that, with the rising tech trend of reader-like tablets, e-books will be on the rise for a while. But what does the rise of e-books mean for writers? While changing trends and the slow death of print may naturally scare a good many writers, I think most of us should view this shift to electronic publishing as a golden opportunity. With the rise of electronic copy publication, more and more publishing and marketing options will open up to those who dare to think outside the box and put in enough effort.

Three Types of E-Book Publishers

E-books are typically written, marketed, and distributed in three different ways. Each way has its own merits and opportunities for advancement and success although some methods are definitely more accessible to the up-and-coming author than others:

• The Big Industry Books – If you have a book published in physical print, you would be pretty foolish not to publish it electronically as well. Whether they are released first in print or electronically varies by the book and publisher. The publisher will pay overhead costs such as paying editors, designers, author royalties, and marketing. This type of publication has the largest barrier of entry as you have to attract a publisher or agent to receive this type of publication.
• The Self-Publishers – These e-books are usually written, self-edited, and then uploaded immediately. They have extremely low overhead costs except for the time spent writing and editing. While there are some exceptional self-published e-books out there (many of which you can find here), many of these works are published way too quickly and do not receive enough attention with proofreading or editing, and they generally sell for 99 cents.
• In-Betweens – These e-books are a type of self-publication that usually involves contracting other professionals to help market, edit, and design your cover at your own overhead cost. It can be a considerable investment, but with the amount of time already spent writing the work, many authors find that it is worth the extra financial burden.

Which Is Right For You?

This is ultimately a question that you will have to answer personally, but I do have some tips as to which type of publication may best be suited for your tastes and expectations. Each publication method has its own strengths and weaknesses, and it’s best to base your method of publication on what you are currently doing in your career and where your reputation currently stands.

Self-Publishing Tips

I will go out on a limb and say that if you currently only exclusively do self-publishing (also known as “home publishing”), you should consider investing either your time or money into marketing, editing, and cover design. I question the mental stability of people who write .99 cent novel after .99 cent novel expecting to one day have a best seller.

That being said, I have witnessed a good number of self-published success stories but these stories do not come without a great deal of work and time invested. One of the best marketing decisions you can make as a writer is to create a blog already. Network with other blogging authors, create a Twitter account, but most of all, create useful content. While your experience as a writer may be valuable to some, your blog should offer much more, including unique writing and editing tips, author interviews, and a balanced assessment of the publication industry. This blog is a great example of a blogging author doing just that.

In-Between Tips

While it is a smart idea to contract the marketing, editing, and cover design of your written work to other professionals, it is also extremely risky to pay this overhead yourself. You have no guarantee that it will pay off, and I definitely do not recommend spending any money you don’t already have saved up.

However, I generally think this middle-of-the-road approach to publication is a great way for up-and-coming authors to make their big splash and perhaps ultimately get scouted by an agent or publisher. Particularly if you don’t have any experience in online marketing or graphic design, you will be much better off paying someone else to do that work for you rather than figuring it all out yourself. Still, you will likely have to still put in time maintaining some form of blog or promotional site.

Big Industry Tips

If you are trying to go straight to big industry publishers, you will likely need to attract the attention of a good agent. To do this, guess what, you’ll probably still have to market yourself online through a blog and social media outlets. In order to be recognized, you have to produce commendable content and put it in areas where agents and publishers will likely see it.

Thank you Nadia, especially for the compliment about my blog! I’m happy to call myself an ‘In-Betweener’ (assisted by a great editor).

Nadia Jones blogs at online college about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics. You can reach her at nadia.jones5@gmail.com.

If you would like to write a writing-related guest post for my blog then feel free to email me with an outline of what you would like to write about. If it’s writing-related then it’s highly likely I’d email back and say “yes please” (while quietly bouncing up and down in my seat with joy!).

The blog interviews return as normal tomorrow morning with mystery author Lou Allin – the one hundred and ninety-eighth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, short story authors, bloggers, autobiographers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (my guests love to hear from you too!) and / or email me. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords.

 

Author interview (and blog) feedback sought

Hello everyone. I’ll keep this brief because Marla is waiting in the wings to guest blog but I’d love your opinion on the interviews I post here (and anything else you’d like to mention about my blog). I’m conscious that by posting an interview a day you will have a lot to read through so…

• Are they too long? Would you prefer a selected maximum of questions?
• Do you find them enjoyable to read or do you switch off part-way?
• Are there questions that you feel don’t need to be asked?
• Is there a topic we haven’t discussed that you would like covered?
• Is there a genre you’d like to read more about or are they fairly evenly spread?
• Generally do you find they are helpful / useful?
• Are they posted too regularly? (not sure I can do much about this as I have so many enquiries but it would be useful to know)

And about the blog itself…

• Can you find the information you want easily?
• Is there too much information here, is it overwhelming?
• Is there anything you’d like to read less of?
• Is there anything you’d like to read more of?
• If you’ve read any, are the guest blogs / author spotlights too short / long or about right?
• I’d like to include more poetry; any suggestions?
• Is there anything writing-related that I don’t cover on this blog that I could perhaps include?
• Do you have a favourite section / page on the blog?
• If you’ve been involved in anything here do you feel it was worthwhile?

I look forward to hearing your views; positive and ‘constructive’ – I’ve received rejections, I can handle it!  

I have the current format booked up until the end of the year but ongoing it’ll be really interesting to learn what is working and what isn’t (if anything ).

If you would prefer to email me directly rather than leave a comment here, you can email me at morgen@morgenbailey.com.

Thank you.

Morgen x

 

Guest post: ‘It’s all about readers’ by Rosie Cochran

This evening I welcome back interviewee Rosie Cochran for this guest blog post on the topic of readers.

It’s All About Readers

As writers, we can’t help ourselves. We have to write. We’re amazed as we watch the randomness of our thoughts and ideas flow from the pen to the paper, begin to sort themselves out, and finally reach a point of clarity. We write to bring clarity to our lives.

By putting our fears, dreams, and goals into the written word, we begin to sift through them. We distinguish between the realistic and the unrealistic. We write our way from undecided to a clear conclusion. Writing grounds us.

We also write for the pure joy of it. Writers are born with overactive imaginations. We get an idea in our mind that just won’t go away. We mull it over and revel as the idea grows into a story. The fun begins. Writing is our outlet for creativity. We receive much satisfaction from a story well crafted.

But what would these creative masterpieces be without an audience? What would a riveting novel be without readers? Without readers, where would we writers be? We need readers. We love readers. There will always be a relationship between readers and writers, and that’s the way it should be.

And so we writers take this moment to pay tribute to the readers of this world. Thank you for supporting what we writers love to do. Thank you for reading! Thank you for your input, the good and the bad. As much as a great review is sweet music to an author’s ears, constructive criticism grows us in our craft, the benefits sifting back down to you, the reader. And really, when it boils down to it, it is all about you, the readers.

Thank you Rosie – lovely to ‘see’ you again.

Welsh-born Rosie Cochran and her husband, Matt, served as missionaries in Venezuela for eighteen years with New Tribes Mission. Currently Rosie is enjoying her varied role as pastor’s wife, home-schooling mom to their youngest two sons, and full-time secretary at their former home church. Rosie is the proud mother of four sons.

Rosie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Intercultural Ministries from NTM. She holds NACPB Certification in Bookkeeping, QuickBooks and Microsoft Excel, and is a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor. Her hobbies include writing, blogging, and website design.

Rosie has written three books: Betrayed, Identity Revealed (a sequel to Betrayed), and A Murder Unseen; available from Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Amazon.co.uk. You can also see what Rosie is talking about on her website, blogs (Rosie Rambles On and Writing to Marketing), Facebook and Twitter.

If you would like to write a writing-related guest post for my blog then feel free to email me with an outline of what you would like to write about. If it’s writing-related then it’s highly likely I’d email back and say “yes please” (while quietly bouncing up and down in my seat smiling!).

The blog interviews return as normal tomorrow morning with children’s author Alicia L Wright – the one hundred and sixty-first of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, directors, bloggers, autobiographers and more. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found here. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate further. And I enjoy hearing from readers of my blog; do either leave a comment on the relevant interview (the interviewees love to hear from you too!) and / or email me.

 

Bailey’s Writing Tips podcast ‘red pen session’ no.5

This week’s podcast was released today, Monday 10th October, the fifth of my episodes dedicated to reading a short story or self-contained novel extract (with synopsis) and then talking about it afterwards.

I run a fortnightly critique group as well as critiquing other authors writing which I really enjoy so I thought I’d create podcast episodes doing this. Please remember that it’s only one person’s (my) opinion and you, and the author concerned, are welcome to disagree with my interpretation – I will never be mean for the sake of it, but hope that I’m firm but fair. I also type the critique as I’m reading the story for the first time so by listening to the episode you will have had the advantage of hearing the story in full before hearing my feedback.

Regardless of what genre you write I hope that this helps you think about the way your stories are constructed and that you have enjoyed hearing another author’s work, the copyright of which remains with them.

Today’s story was from Aneesa of Glasgow, Scotland who brought us ‘Finally you found me’ in episode two. Aneesa has been writing for some time and has always had an ambition to write her own book but was side-tracked with studies and work. Only recently has she come back to writing and is enjoying it very much. She has written a few short stories and sometimes likes to indulge in poetry. She is also fluent in three different languages: English, Urdu and German. This story, at 1,047 words, is entitled ‘You are my reasons’.

I read the story, critiqued it and concluded with: “Overall the story is extremely well written, with some minor tweaking it could easily be submittable. Unlike her previous story this ends really sadly but we know that she has the friendship of the man’s sister, although they only meet once a year. Then there’s the house, she’s said it’s her dream so there is a chance of redemption for her but as with good stories like this it’s up to the reader to chose an ending and whether mine would be the same as yours it doesn’t matter as with the joy of fiction, where the writer leaves, the reader continues.”

Aneesa’s blog is http://itsmythoughts11.wordpress.com (which has a really neat visitor location application!). She can also be ‘liked’ on Facebook and followed on Twitter.

If you have any feedback on today’s episode or any other podcasts or aspects of my website or blog, I’m always delighted to hear from you – my email address is morgen@morgenbailey.com.

And if you’re feeling brave enough to email me an (ideally up to) 1,000 word short story or novel extract (with a brief synopsis please) for these red pen sessions then feel free. I suggest you listen to at least one of the red pen episodes to get an idea of what happens.

Bailey’s Writing Tips podcast is available via iTunes, Google’s Feedburner, Podbean (when it catches up), Podcasters (which takes even longer) or Podcast Alley (which doesn’t list the episodes but will let you subscribe). Episodes include hints & tips (currently episode no.40) and author audio interviews – see this blog’s podcast page for more information.

 

Bailey’s Writing Tips podcast ‘red pen session’ no.3

I’m delighted to announce that this week’s podcast released today, Monday 5th September, was the third of my episodes dedicated to reading a short story or self-contained novel extract (with synopsis) and then talking about it afterwards.

Regardless of what genre or format you write I hope that this helps you think about the way your stories are constructed and that you have enjoyed hearing another author’s work, the copyright of which remains with them. Please remember that my critique is only one person’s (my) opinion and you, and the author concerned, are welcome to disagree with my interpretation – I will never be mean for the sake of it, but hope that I’m firm but fair. I create my comments as I read the story for the first time, as a reader would, so listeners will have had the advantage of hearing the excerpt in its entirety but hopefully what I have to say will make sense.

This piece was emailed to me by crime author Lae Monie who featured as my second Author Spotlight on 17^th August.

Lae is a 30-something author and citizen of the world (she’s travelled a lot – I’ve only moved 60 miles, six locations, in my 44 years). She says “I have been a writer for … well, it feels like forever and I can’t think of anything else I would like to do. My stories reflect the terse, lurid, violent tales about crime and desperation from the point of view of the criminal. They seek to discover the heart of criminality to create compelling reading for those who enjoy crime and are interested in the humanity of even the most unlikely characters.”

This episode’s item was 1188-word novel extract so she’s sent me the synopsis from her forthcoming novel ‘More Hungry Boys’ which I read first. I then read the extract and critiqued it (including highlighting some ‘show not tell’, repetitions etc), with the conclusion:

“This extract has everything that a novel opening should have; a great beginning location (the swamp), two characters with opposing traits and moods, some wonderful dialogue and it has ‘pace’. Although I’m not normally a fan of description (unlike one of my poets who loves it, I tend to glaze over if too long a passage of description – which this extract isn’t guilty of), I would have liked a little more description of the farm and their journey going from the swamp to it. The dialogue was superb. There is a sense of dialect without an overdose of dialogue that we can’t understand, and Lae has, on several occasions, picked unusual alternatives to words where a bland one would have done. I’m especially intrigued by Itchy. He’s not mentioned in the synopsis but is clearly the lead character at the beginning and I’m guessing a strong character going forward so it’ll be interesting to see how he fits into the scheme of the novel. Although I’d normally go for more contemporary stories, if this ever becomes an audiobook then it may well end up in my ‘to be listened to’ pile.”

You can find more about Lae and her work via her blog, Facebook and Twitter. Thank you again for subscribing, downloading or clicking on this episode and I look forward to bringing you the next episode next Monday, likely the usual hints & tips format. You can read the details of my other podcast episodes at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/bwt-podcast where you will also find the links to accessing the podcast (iTunes, GoogleFeedburner etc).

 

Blog interview no.94 with crime novelist, short story and non-fiction author Dave Wise

Welcome to the ninety-fourth of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, directors, bloggers, autobiographers and more. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate the author further. A list of interviewees (blogged and scheduled) can be found at http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/blog-interviews.

Morgen: Hello Dave. I know some of this already as we go to the same writing group (hello Northampton Writers Group) but please tell us something about yourself and how you came to be a writer.

Dave: I call myself an Anglo-American. I was born and bred in Chicago, Illinois, USA but left Chicago when I was 47 years old to live permanently in England. I’ve been here 25 years, now. That makes me 72 years old, with the mind of a 21 year old, still eager and curious about life, which are good attributes for a writer.

In 1965 I met my first wife on a blind date in Chicago. She was English and visiting her sister. When she went back to England, we became pen pals for 2 years. This was my first real taste of writing on a regular basis. I found I enjoyed writing and started writing articles on my opinions on many subjects.

After 10 years in England, my first wife died of cancer. I then lived alone for 4 years and wrote short stories and articles, which I had done since I first came to England in 1985. Writing was good therapy and filled the hours.

Then I met my second wife and I had a sounding board again. This brings me to my retirement. Now, I write more than ever. I belong to writer’s groups, I have nothing published yet, but I have received lots of praise for my writing from my peers.

Morgen: You do (including me).

Dave: I have hopes for a novel I am just finishing, titled “ Web of Guilt, A Chicago Story”. I find writing very satisfying and great ego food.

Morgen: It’s coming along really nicely. What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Dave: Well, my novel is a crime thriller, character study. My short stories deal with the trials and tribulations of the human condition. My articles, of course, are non-fiction, my opinions on things.

Morgen: A mixed bag… like me. Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Dave: Every short story that I’ve submitted to magazines has been rejected. Actually, I’ve kept them in a folder somewhere, but I’d be hard pressed to find them! I get satisfaction from just writing for myself. But, like I said, I get plenty of praise from people who have read my stories, which spurs me on.

Morgen: Including me, maybe I could take a look at your folder and red pen them… ooh, have one or three for my podcast red pen sessions (http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/bwt-podcast) if you’re that brave. What are you working on at the moment / next Dave?

Dave: Well, I’m finishing my novel and I think my next project will be my autobiography. It will be my legacy.

Morgen: Oh so wise (pardon the pun… it honestly wasn’t intended!) to write it – I keep saying to my mum to do hers (she used to be a groom for racing driver Stirling Moss’ sister) but she’s not yet and she’s 80 next month. Do you manage to write every day? What’s the most you’ve written in a day?

Dave: Yes, I try to write something everyday. One day I wrote 1000 words, but usually 250 – 500. I do miss a few days from time to time.

Morgen: Me too (too often). Well, 500 is 182,500 a year (with Feb 29^th off). What is your opinion of writer’s block? Do you ever suffer from it? If so, how do you ‘cure’ it?

Dave: It exists and it is very frustrating when it hits you. When I get stuck, I write spontaneously about anything that pops into my head. Once I’m writing, I go back to a piece of work in progress and the writing starts flowing again!

Morgen: Best thing to do. Who is your first reader – who do you first show your work to?

Dave: The writer’s group and sometimes my wife.

Morgen: What is your creative process like? What happens before sitting down to write?

Dave: Many of my stories have been set in Chicago. So, I look at my old photos of Chicago and it triggers memories and in turn stories form. I get a lot of my ideas from pictures in magazines and newspapers. Before I sit down to write, I usually relax with my eyes closed and stories sometimes come to mind. It’s a sort of self-hypnosis that taps into the subconscious.

Morgen: I often use pictures in my Monday night writing workshops – they work a treat. Do you write on paper or do you prefer a computer?

Dave: I write on paper first, I can think about the story better this way. Then after a few pages of longhand I put it on the word processor.

Morgen: And if you’re anything like me, you’ll edit as you type it up. What sort of music do you listen to when you write?

Dave: Sometimes I write in silence. But usually I listen to pan pipes or easy listening piano music.

Morgen: I’m with the piano music (Erik Satie is my favourite composer – Gnossienne or Gymnopedie hard to choose). What point of view do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? Have you ever tried second person?

Dave: I love to write in first person. I like to live the story very close to the protagonist. I usually use multiple first person narrators. This way you get more views of the action through different character’s eyes. I find third person a little distant from the action for me. I never tried second person.

Morgen: Ooh you must… I’ll give you some second persons (or you could go to http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/sentence-starts) Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Dave: Yes, a few of my early stories.

Morgen: Me too… but you’re more experienced now and they may surprise you if you go back to them. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life?

Dave: I love being transported into another world when I’m writing. I like the solitude of writing. I don’t like getting stuck and maybe not writing for a couple of days, very frustrating!

Morgen: Try wanting to be not having the time. Feeble excuse actually because I find it every NaNoWriMo and StoryADayMay. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Dave: Read all kinds of books. Join a writers’ group. Take a course in creative writing.

Morgen: Absolutely – and find the time to write (Morgen Bailey!). What do you like to read?

Dave: Thrillers, autobiographies, political and sociological stories. A wide range of authors- Philip Roth, John Irving, Dan Brown and Stephen King. “ The Great Gatsby” is one of my favourites by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Morgen: Ah, Stephen King… a HUGE former favourite of time (I’ve mellowed since… to crime). Where can we find out about you and your work?

Dave: I hope to set up my own blog.

Morgen: Oh, do. It’s very easy. I use WordPress (http://wordpress.com) and you just sign up and follow the instructions. When you do, I’ll add the link to this. http://davewise.wordpress.com is free. Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Dave: Someone said to me the other day, “We are all storytellers of our own days!” This intrigued me. Our lives are a subjective narrative. The stories we tell are our identity. Interesting!

Morgen: Finally, is there a question you’d like to ask me?

Dave: How did you become so passionate about writing? So much so, that you live and breathe the writing life? What triggered it in the beginning?

Morgen: Ooh, now that’s easy, and I’ll keep it short because I’m famous (take after my dad) for cutting a short story long. Moved to area, brushed up on languages / computer skills, saw creative writing in the prospectus, joined Sally Spedding’s group, was hooked from the off and took it over when she moved in Wales… been hooked ever since… have especially lived and breathed the last few months. Wow, that was short… maybe I’m not so bad at writing synopses as I thought.

Morgen: Thank you Dave, it was lovely getting to know more about you and see you September 8^th.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me at morgen@morgenbailey.com and I’ll send you the questions. You complete them, I tweak them where appropriate (if necessary to reflect the blog ‘clean and light’ rating) and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know.

The 100th interview falls on my birthday so I’m going to interview myself! If there’s anything you’d like to find out about me (no skeleton digging please) then feel free to email me a question or three.

You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything. … and follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/morgenwriteruk) where each new posting is automatically announced.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day I can’t review books but if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract/short chapter (ideally up to 2000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it/talking about it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use them or ignore them) on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast – see http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/bwt-podcast – then do email me. I plan to do one a fortnight (my shows are usually Mondays) so it’ll be interweaving red pen and hints/tips episodes.

In the meantime, if you have a moment and like quite dark stuff then you can read one of my ditties at Nathan Weaver’s http://www.talesfrombabylon.com/2011/07/rogues-gallery-2-morgen-bailey.html. Thank you.

 

They get their own back… interviews of me.

Some months ago I did an interview with Who Hub and I really enjoyed it so when Teresa Morrow asked me to partake with her I had no hesitation and I liked the result, although the link isn’t currently working. I’ll change this page when it does.

Just today the lovely Jess C Scott posted her interview with me and I have another upcoming with Winn Smith.

For this blog’s 100th author interview I shall be interviewing myself. Not because I’m vain (I’m really not) but because I’ve seen, or will have seen by 19th August, 99 other authors (with more to come) answer most if not all (the latter in most cases) of the questions I put to them so it only seems fair for me to answer them too.

And I’m inviting anyone reading this to email me with questions you have about me or about the craft of writing, and I’ll answer to the best of my knowledge, in the interview with myself which will be posted on Friday 19th August (my 44th birthday).

And / or if you have a blog and would like to interview me, feel free to email me. And / or if you’d like me to do a guest post, just let me know – I’ve done a few of those and have enjoyed them. So thank you one and all for dropping by, staying a little while and if the experience was a pleasant one, hopefully coming back from time to time.

 

A big “thank you” – 6,000 blog visits since 31.03.11

I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has visited (and especially those who have revisited) this blog since I started it at the end of March.

I really enjoy posting and more recently (mid-June) ‘meeting’ all the authors who have volunteered to lay themselves (and their photographs) bare for the world to see… yes, literally. To name just a few I’ve had western, crime and horror writers from the UK, paranormal romance from Spain, historicalites (or should that be historicalitesses) from Australia, biographers and scriptwriters from the US, and children’s / YA from Canada and receiving new enquiries enabling me to keep posting at least one interview a day.

So my thanks go not only to the readers but also to the contributors. Without them (‘you’ if you’re reading this and have taken part) this really wouldn’t be the blog it is today without you. For as long as there are authors who’d like to take part I’ll gladly keep going because not only do I love the initial contact but look forward to reading all about you… and then adding my comments as if we were sitting chatting in front of the fire (which believe me, despite being 22nd July, I could do with right now).

In addition to the interviews I shall keep posting competition information, hints and tips, pieces of flash fiction (some poetry, although this is not my strong point – feedback always welcome in that regard!) and other websites to visit.

If you’d like to get in touch for whatever writing-related reason my email address is morgen@morgenbailey.com and if you’d like to take a look at my website (http://morgenbailey.com) then you’d be very welcome. Oh, and the 100th blog interview (19th August) with be with me so if there’s anything you’d like to know about me feel free to ask.

Thank you again, from the bottom of my clichéd heart.

 

Blog visit milestone – a big “thank you”

Visits to this blog hit the grand milestone of 3,000 today (since launch 31st March 2011) and I’d like to take this opportunity of saying a big “thank you” (from the bottom of my clichéd heart) firstly to everyone who’s stopped by, especially those who have stayed long enough to leave comments, but also to all my blog interviewees (listed on http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/blog-interviews) because without them it would be half the blog (literally) it is today. I’m having such fun talking to new writers and going through their replies then talking to other writers (and readers) who are enjoying the posts and telling us so. I intend to keep posting interviews for as long as I have them coming in so if you’re reading this and write (to any extent, published or otherwise) then seriously, feel free to email me (morgen@morgenbailey.com) and get involved. I don’t bite and you get total choice as to which questions you answer (from a Word document) and how long it takes you to do so, and you never know you might even find it fun. So “thank you” for your support to-date and “thank you” in advance for the interview you know you’ll ultimately be too tempted not to take part in.

 

Author interview no.1 with horror / thriller / sci-fi writer Colin Barnes

I’m delighted to bring you the first of my blog interviews with novelists, poets, directors, bloggers, autobiographers and more. I announced the request for interviewees on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn only a couple of days ago and the response has been incredible. Already I have received over 40 replies and so hope to bring you, on average, an interview a day. If you like what you read, please do go and investigate the author further. Kicking off the series is fellow Litopian Colin Barnes.

Morgen: Hello, Colin. Please tell us something about yourself and how you came to be a writer.

Colin: I’m a misanthrope but have an interest in the psychology of people. Writing for me is a way of exploring how humans work without having to socially interact with them. My writing started when I was about 8, I found it easier to get my points of view across with the written word than with speech. It’s stuck around ever since.

Morgen: What genre do you generally write and have you considered other genres?

Colin: All my work tends to be in the darker genres (horror, thriller, sci-fi), I’ve tried writing lighter-hearted stuff, but it just doesn’t come naturally to me, and there is something very appealing about exploring the darker side of life.

Morgen: Although my longest pieces of work are light (chick- / lad-lit novels) I often write, and probably enjoy most, finding my dark side. What have you had published to-date, and how much of the marketing do you do?

Colin: I have three short stories coming out in an anthology that I’ve co-written with a American author (I can send more details in the summer when it’s released).

Morgen: That sounds great – short stories are my first love, reacquainted thanks to the http://storyaday.org project I undertook in May 2011. Do you have an agent? Do you think they’re vital to an author’s success?

Colin: I don’t have one, but my long-term aim is to have one. I personally think they are very useful, providing a much needed buffer between author and publisher, and (hopefully) provide long-term career advice.

Morgen: It’s said that it’s more difficult to secure an agent than a publisher, but definitely worth persevering. Are your books available as eBooks? If so what was your experience of that process? And do you read eBooks?

Colin: My anthology will be an ebook. I read a lot of ebooks. I read them on my iPhone, and kindle. I like that I can have a vast library of books in such a small space. I still like regular books though, and can see a future for both mediums going forward.

Morgen: That’s what I’ve been hearing. What was your first acceptance and is being accepted still a thrill?

Colin: My first acceptance was for the upcoming anthology, and it was certainly a big thrill. There’s one thing writing and having friends and family like it, but having a completely unrelated third party accept you work gives you a sense of validation that gives you the confidence to carry on.

Morgen: Absolutely. Novelist Jane Davis (http://www.jane-davis.co.uk) and I were talking about this in special episode 25 of my Bailey’s Writing Tips podcast (links in ‘Where to find me’). Have you had any rejections? If so, how do you deal with them?

Colin: Loads and loads. I don’t get down about them. It’s a rite of passage for any writer, it’s just a case of getting enough until you reach the ‘yes.’

Morgen: As the saying goes “A successful writer is one who didn’t give up”. What are you working on at the moment / next?

Colin: I have a number of projects I’m working on. I’ve just completed the first draft of a novel. I’m plotting out another that I will be writing as part of the Clarion Writeathon, and in the meantime I’m also writing a Novella that I’ll be self-publishing as an ebook, and finally, I’m writing a serial on my website. So I’m very busy.

Morgen: I’ve heard good things about Clarion from sources such as the ‘I should be writing’ podcast but very intensive and expensive so the Writeathon (http://www.theclarionfoundation.org/writeathon/wrtn-home.htm) sounds perfect! Do you manage to write every day? What’s the most you’ve written in a day?

Colin: I always get something down each day. I usually aim for around 3k, but sometimes I only get 500 depending on my work load (I’m also studying for an English degree, so that takes up some time too.) I have writing binges on my day off where I get the bulk of my writing done. The most I’ve written in a single day was 12.5k.

Morgen: 500 is still a great achievement. 500 words a day = 3500 a week = 175,000 a year = an epic novel or two healthy 90K-worders. You’ve beaten my best by miles (9,337) which was for http://nanowrimo.org November 2010 (the last day!). What is your opinion of writer’s block? Do you ever suffer from it? If so, how do you ‘cure’ it?

Colin: I don’t believe it exists. It’s simply an excuse not to write. If one is ‘blocked’ it’s because there isn’t a clear path of where to go, or a problem that needs sorting first. If I get this, I simply go back and think of where I’ve gone wrong and restart. Or, if I simply cannot be bothered, I’ll switch to another project. I truly think there is no such thing as writers block (or muses), it’s simply a matter of sitting down and doing the work no matter what.

Morgen: I agree. I’d say if a writer’s stuck, move on (to later in the same piece or something different) and come back to it, by which time, hopefully, you’ll have forgotten why you were stuck in the first place. Do you plot your stories or do you just get an idea and run with it?

Colin:  I’m mostly a plotter for long projects. For short stories I tend to construct the story in my head as a series of scenes, and write a few notes before writing it out in full. For novels and novellas I’m an obsessive plotter – I like to know where I’m going so I can keep up the intensity.

Morgen: Do you have pieces of work that you think will never see light of day?

Colin:  Hundreds. Some that just aren’t up to scratch. Some that approach subjects that would never be seen as acceptable, and others that are just so personal that if I ever released them I would fear for my personal safety.

Morgen: I like that, and oh, how familiar. What’s your favourite / least favourite aspect of your writing life?

Colin: Most favourite has to be creating something out of nothing, and seeing others enjoy my work. Least favourite? That has to be the often insurmountable obstacles one has to get through to get the work out.

Morgen: Walking the dog, housework, the garden, the ping of emails… What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Colin: Shut up, sit down, and write.

Morgen: Because you can’t edit a blank page. What do you like to read?

Colin: So many things. I like short story anthologies, love old stuff like HP Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith. I like anything from Ray Bradbury to Albert Camus. Of course there are the standard favourites such as King and Mieville – I love all sorts.

Morgen: I really liked Albert Camus’ ‘The Outsider’ (‘The Stranger’). Are there any writing-related websites and/or books that you find useful and would recommend?

Colin: Not really, I think there are too many websites and books giving advice (often incorrectly). The only one I could recommend would be Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’.

Morgen: I have it, it’s excellent (and highly recommended). In which country are you based and do you find this a help or hindrance with letting people know about your work?

Colin: I’m in the UK – can’t say it’s been a help or hindrance. I suppose with it being a smaller market might make things harder, but these days it’s a global market so I wouldn’t necessarily say there’s a particular disadvantage.

Morgen: It must help that we speak English. Are you on any forums or networking sites? If so, how invaluable do you find them?

Colin: Litopia and Twitter – both are very important to me. Mostly for camaraderie, but also for the shared critiquing and workshopping of ideas. Also, it was through social networking that I met my publisher for the summer anthology. It’s a great way of belonging to a community without having the real-life social responsibilities (great for a misanthrope).

Morgen: I use them both and love them both, and miss Litopia’s After Dark and Open House (Sundays) when it’s not on. Where can we find out about you and your work?

Colin:  The best place would probably my site: www.colinfbarnes.com and my twitter profile: http://twitter.com/colin_barnes.

Morgen: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

Colin: Thanks for the opportunity, It’s been fun, I always enjoy reading your website, and hope you keep up the fine work.

Morgen: You’re so welcome (and thank you). It’s been a pleasure to ‘meet’ you.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and are thinking “ooh, I’d like to do this” then you can… just email me and I’ll send you the questions. You complete them, I tweak them where appropriate (if necessary to reflect the blog ‘clean and light’ rating) and then they get posted. When that’s done, I email you with the link so you can share it with your corner of the literary world. And if you have a writing-related blog / podcast and would like to interview me… let me know. You can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything… and follow me on Twitter where each new posting is automatically announced. You can also read / download my eBooks and free eShorts at Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore, Kobo and Amazon, with more to follow. I have a new forum and you can follow me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook, like me on Facebook, connect with me on LinkedIn, find me on Tumblr, complete my website’s Contact me page or plain and simple, email me.

Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them) on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.