Category: Liz Fielding

Creative Writing, Kate Walker, Liz Fielding, Mentor, Romance Writers of America, Romantic Novelists' Association

Three Top Tips For Writers…

christinahollis
By Henriette Brown

1. When you first start writing, keep an open mind. Try anything, until you find the perfect match between your own personal style and one particular story-telling genre. Finding the right outlet for your writing voice is a bit like falling in love with a pair of shoes in the shop window. If you try them on and they don’t fit, you know they’ll be a daily agony – it doesn’t matter how much you invest in them. Look elsewhere, and you’ll save yourself a lot of pain. Writing is hard enough, without having to struggle against your own nature every step of the way.
2. Find yourself a successful mentor, preferably through your local creative writing group. You need someone who will be honest about your work, and suggest ways you can improve. If you can’t find any face-to-face guidance, go on line and check out popular writers whose work you admire. Then you’ll see if they’ve produced any guides to writing that will help you. Kate Walker’s 12 point Guide to Writing Romance and Liz Fielding’s Little Book of Writing Romance are both brilliant, and will take you step-by-step through the process of crafting the novel of your dreams. 

3. Writing is a solitary business. Take care you don’t become too self-absorbed. Sometimes it feels like you’re the only person struggling to meet a word count, deadline, or grappling with characters who won’t grow and a plot that won’t arc. Meet up with like-minded people online for a new perspective. Check out Facebook and Twitter, of course – they’re brilliant, but can take up a lot of time. Visit your local library to find out about local creative writing groups, or join The Romantic Novelists’ Association or the Romance Writers of America. Both organisations provide lots of useful information and contacts.

If you’ve enjoyed these tips, there are more at christinahollis.com Visit here and you can click to sign up for my newsletter, which will bring news about my next release and a whole lot more!

Christina Hollis author, Creative Writing, Free Books, Kate Walker, Liz Fielding, Making Money, Working From Home.

Make Money From Your Writing – 3 Top Tips…

christinahollis
By Kili
1. AUDIENCE Selling your work relies on producing suitable content to the highest possible standard, for exactly the right audience. Always write first and foremost for your own pleasure, but have a very clear idea of your readership and tailor your work accordingly.  Whatever you write, pour your heart and soul into it. Believe in your work, and so will your readers – and making money means appealing to the widest possible audience. Read widely, join book clubs and talk to people. The more research you do, the more you’ll find out what people enjoy reading.  That is what sells.
2. HELPING HANDS: Find yourself a successful mentor, preferably through your local creative writing group. You need someone who will be honest about your work, and suggest ways you can improve. If you can’t find any face-to-face guidance, go on line and check out popular writers whose work you admire and see if they’ve produced any guides to writing that will help you. Kate Walker’s 12 point Guide to Writing Romance and Liz Fielding’s Little Book of Writing Romance are both brilliant, and will take you step-by-step through the process of crafting the novel of your dreams. 
3. THE WORD ON THE STREETS: Once your book is published, the hard work of marketing and selling begins. Word of mouth recommendations drive the majority of book sales, so think creatively when it comes to getting your books into the hands of willing readers. If your book is good, they’ll spread the word at no expense to you.  Offer free copies to your local libraries, donate books as prizes on your website, during blog tours and to your local fundraisers – raffle prizes are always in demand, especially approaching holiday seasons.  Be generous, and make sure everything has your contact details on display – you want repeat purchasers to come straight back to you.
Above all, enjoy your writing and remember – success isn’t only measured in financial terms. To have completed a book you’re proud to have written is something few people achieve. It’s a triumph in itself. 

What’s your top tip for writing success? There’s a signed copy from my backlist on offer for a comment picked at random.