Tips - Ally Aldridge

October 24, 2019 Ally Aldridge Tips, Writing

Useful hashtags for writers (Part 6) – Month

If you would like to read part 5, please click here.

This was the most time consuming post in the series to write because sometimes dates change. I have selected those I felt would most interest writers.

Use the list as a reference but search to find out more about these special dates to check when they are running and how to get involved.

January

#januarygoals #goalsetting #goals #goalsetter #goalgetter #goaldigger #youcan #writergoals #writinggoals #annualgoals #muchtodo #januaryreads #readinggoals

#thankgoditsmondayday (first Monday of the year)

#internationalcreativitymonth

#nationalmentoringmonth

1. #happynewyear #newyearnewme #januaryfirst

2. #sciencefictionday #sfday

3. #jrrtolkienday

6. #cuddleupday #curlupwithabook

14. #nationalcleanyourdeskday

17. #gettoknowyourcustomersday

18. #theasarusday #nationaltheasurusday

23. #nationalhandwritingday

31. #inspireyourheartwithartday

February

#takeyourchildtothelibrary #librarylover (first Saturday in February)

1. #getup #nationalgetupday

1. #worldreadaloudday #readaloudday #readaloud

11. #dontcryoverspilledmilkday

14. #valentinesday #happyvalentinesday #valentine

15. #singlesawarenessday #single

17. #randomactsofkindnessday

20. #nationalloveyourpetday

26. #tellafairytaleday #tellafairytale #tellatale

March

#campnanoprep #campnanoprepApril #campnanoprepApril2019

#marchtodo

#borrowedbooks #returnborrowedbooksweek #returningbooks #ebooks #readanebookweek

4. #natonalgrammarday #grammarday

5. #worldbookday

11. #nationalworshipoftoolsday

14. #nationalwriteyourstoryday #writeyourstoryday

17. #stpatrickday

21. #worldpoetryday

30. #nationalpencilday

31. #nationalcrayonday

April

#nationallibarymonth #libraryloversmonth #schoollibarymonth

#nationallibraryweek (7-13 each year there’s a new theme) #libraryweek , #nationallibraryworkersday (Tuesday of library week) , #nationalbookmobileday & #supportteenliterature (Both on Thursday of library week). According to Wikipedia.

#nationallibraryday #nationalbooklibraryday #celebrateteenliteratureday

#childrensbookweek #childrensbookday

NaPoWriMo

#napowrimo #instapoems #poetrymonth #poemsforapril #nationalpoetrymonth

CampNaNoWriMo

#campnano #nanoapril #campnano2019 #campnanoapril2019 #campnanogoals #campnanoprogress #nanocabin #cabinmates #nanocabinmates #nanobuddies

1. #aprilfoolsday

2. #internationalchildrensbookday

4. #nationalschoollibrarianday #schoollibrarianday #schoollibraryday

5. #flashdriveday

5. #worldbookday

16. #wearyourpyjamastoworkday

17. #gettoknowyourcustomersday

27. #nationaltellastoryday #tellastoryday #tellastory

27. #independentbookstoreday

28. #nationalsuperheroesday #superheroes

28. #greatpoetryreadingday

May

#mermay

#audiobookappreciationmonth

#getcaughtreadingmonth

#readingisfunweek (12 – 18)

2. #harrypotterday

30. #nationalcreativityday

June

#campnanoprep #campnanoprepJuly #campnanoprepJuly2019

#lgbtbookmonth

1. #saysomethingniceday

3. #nationalrepeatday

6. #nationaleyewearday

10. #ballpointpenday

11. #makinglifebeautifulday

12. #nationallovingday

15. #smilepowerday

16. #nationalfathersday

18. #nationalsplurgeday

21. #nationalselfieday

21. #summerbegins #summersolstice #longestday

30. #socialmediaday

July

CampNaNoWriMo

#campnano #nanojuly #campnano2019 #campnanojuly2019 #campnanogoals #campnanoprogress #nanocabin #cabinmates #nanocabinmates #nanobuddies

#paperbackbookday

August

#happinesshappensmonth #romanceawarenessmonth

1. #worldwidewebday #wwwday

2. #colouringbookday #nationalcolouringbookday

5. #worklikeadogday

9. #bookloversday #booklovers

10. #vloggingday #vlogging #vlog #vlogger

10. #loveyourbookshopday

14. #calligraphyday

18. #badpoetryday

21. #poetsday

31. #welovememoirsday

September

#librarycardsignupmonth

#bannedbooksweek (last week of September)

6. #readabookday

8. #literacyday #internationalliteracyday

13. #positivethinkingday

13. #roalddahl #roalddahlmonth #roalddahlday

15. #internationaldotday

22. #hobbitday #lotr

22. #deardiaryday

24. #punctuationday

25. #comicbookday #nationalcomicbookday

30. #internationalpodcastday

October

#nationalbookmonth

#teentober (previously #teenreadweek)

#wrimoprep #nanoprep

#libariesweek2019 #libariesweek (7-12 Oct) #libarydayuk #nationallibariesweek

Link to all Library Days in Europe and Library Week UK Org

6. #madhatterday

10. #worldmentalhealthday #wmhd #mentallyaware #mentalawareness

16. #nationaldictionaryday #dictionaryday

20. #nationaldayofwriting #dayofwriting

31. #halloween #samhain

November

#nationalmemoirwritingmonth

#picturebookmonth

#nationalfamilyliteracymonth #nationalfamilyliteracy

NaNoWriMo

#nationalnovelwritingmonth #nano #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2019 #nanogoals #nanowrimogoals #nanoprogress #nanowrimoprogress #nanowinner #nanowrimowinner #wrimo

#nationalnonfictionday (first Thursday)

#blackfriday #blackfridaydeals

#smallbusinesssaturday #nationalsmallbusinesssaturday #smallbizsaturday #shopsmall

#cybermonday #nationalcybermonday

1. #allsaintsday

1. #nationalauthorsday

2. #dayofthedead

3. #nationalbookloversday #bookloversday #nationalbookloverday #bookloverday

5. #guyfawkesnight #guyfawkes #bonfirenight #guyfawkesday #gunpowderday #happybonfirenight #nationalgunpowderday #fireworks #bonfire #fireworkdisplay

15. #ilovetowriteday

December

#readanewbookmonth

#christmasholidays #happyholidays #uglychristmasjumper #uglychristmassweater #christmasdecorations #christmasdecor #christmasstyle #christmasfashion #christmasshopping #latenightshopping #christmasparty #christmasdinner #christmastime #christmastree #underthemistletoe #mistletoekisses #christmasreads #festivereads #jolly #presents #gifts #picoftheday #santa #fatherchristmas #saintnicholas

21. #celebrateshortfictionday

21. #firstdayofwinter #wintersolstice #shortestdayoftheyear

21. #crosswordpuzzleday

24. #christmaseve

25. #christmas #christmasmorning #christmasday #xmas

26. #boxingday #thankyounoteday

31. #newyearseve #nye

There is one more post in this series to come…

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Click My Link Tree
To Connect On Social Media

September 30, 2019 Ally Aldridge Blogging, Goal setting, Goals, Novel, Personal, Tips, Writing

Goals: Progress Since June 2019

Here is an update on how I have progressed towards the goals I set in March 2019 (towards achieving my annual goals set in January).

Social Media

Blog (Word Press): To continue to post at least twice a week keeping to my content schedule as much as possible.

This has been happening even though it has been challenging to find time since returning to work. With my hashtag series, I’ve got quite a few posts already scheduled so I should be able to post twice a week for a little while still.

Instagram: To maintain the new connections I have made and continue to engage with them and share content about my writing.

This has definitely happened and I there are some writers that stand out to me as we have been chatting off Instagram (I even met three of them in person).

On Instagram, I took part in the #WIWJulyChallenge by @worldindiewarriors. I have continued to post for the #StorySnippetsSaturday challenge and I took part in their week long #WritingJourneyChallenge in August by the same hosts. For September, I have been doing the #aestheticWIPup photo challenge (I’ll share my highlights soon).

I got to create the October Instagram photo challenge #WIWOctober for @worldindiewarriors , so I need to post daily for that – eek.

Twitter: Continue to share links to my content on Twitter and connect with writers on the platform.

Twitter is a platform I’ve neglected as Instagram has taken precedent and I tend to only use it for events. On Twitter, I took part in #SFFpit September, #PitMad September. I am also taking part in #PitchWars.

Facebook page: To brainstorm how I can use this to connect with more writers.

I haven’t really done this.

YouTube: To be brave and get in front of the camera and start sharing video content.

I just don’t have the opportunity to create videos. With an ambitious, mischievous, one year old that rarely naps, I think I will have to put this goal on hold until she moves out.

Tumblr: Share Instagram and Word Press content to this platform.

This happens all the time.

Other?

I managed to send out my first ever newsletter (sign up here).

Writing

Jewel of the sea (formerly Drift)

Edit: Enter into the Wattys. Put novel out to Beta Readers. Take part in September’s #PitMad. Work on my query letter.

I’ve attended a few pitch events and got some requests. As a result, I had to work on my query letter (which I am rubbish at) and send to the interested parties.

I didn’t put my novel on Beta Readers but I did email it to some writer friends to read for me. I’m saving up for an editor and I think once I finish the next edit, I’ll try out the Beta Readers site.

I entered Wattys 2019 and as I write this post I don’t yet know the results. They are released today! Wish me luck.

Diamond in the sky (formerly Glide)

Finish & edit: Diamond in the Sky has been on hold but work on this is possible to start in July or August but I plan to give myself a little break.

I went back to the drawing board. I’ve got a new notebook and I’m exploring all the characters – even the side ones – to make them more real. I’ve also been use Save the Cat to work out the plot and beats as I’m struggling with how to put the pieces together towards Act 3 and 4. I know what I want to happen and can see certain scenes in my head but I need to put it together. The aestheticWIPup challenge this month has really helped me discover where the gaps are.

Tinsel Tiger (picture book)

EXTRA: I needed a picture book to enter a competition. I decided to edit a poem I had written into a picture book format and submitted it. I also pitched it during #PitMad.

I have pitched my picture book a few times but not had any interest. Is it the pitch or the story? I don’t know.

I have thought about researching agents and querying them. I love the story but I’ve not written a picture book before so perhaps I’m doing it wrong.

I’ve also thought about another poem I wrote that I think could be edited into a fun picture book.

Writing Course/Writing Festivals

Third Quarter: Attend writing festivals

I’ve attended a few Literary Festivals over the summer and they’ve been a wealth of information. Granted these weren’t free to attend but I made the most of what I got for my money:

Felixstowe Book Festival – Felixstowe
YALC Book Festival – London
MKLit Festival (blog post coming soon) – Milton Keynes
Wow-Con (blog post coming soon) – online

Personal

Working Together Course: Finish this course.

I’ve got a certificate and everything. *happy dance*

Crafts: Make time at least once a week:

Planner: continue to use Carpe Diem planner
Pocket letter: write another pocket letter
Scrapbook: Do at least one page
Crochet: Finish Aria’s blanket for her birthday

Over the summer crafts has taken a nose dive. I did take Noah to a local craft cafe to do some activities but the challenge is Aria.

This week she removed a painting from the wall, took the leg off a table and climbed up a chest of drawer to throw pens at us. If you restrain her (car seat, cot or a high chair), she just screams. Until Aria is more easy going, she needs someone to play with her so I can help Noah do crafts or even his homework.

In the evenings, I’ve been focused on reading/writing and it’s left no time for anything else. The local craft cafe also do evening activities for grown ups so once Aria is better at night, I’m going to a scrapbook evening.

Read at least four and a half books by the end of September (annual goal 6 books):

I’ve smashed this. I’ve finished my annual reading goal. This summer I have read Envy, The Deepest Blue (book reviews of the last two are coming).

I bought lots of books at YALC. I’ve also been sent some books by authors for me to review and I’ve borrowed books from the library. I’ve got ebooks on my Kindle. I’ve even got sample books and guide books from Ingram Spark. I’ve got more books than time!

I’ve almost finished You Stole My Heart, Do I have To Take Your Name and I’m reading The Lost Prince on loan from the library and got The Cruel Prince waiting on my Kindle.

That’s enough about my goals, did you achieve yours? Let me know in the comments. If you enjoyed this post, you will like:

Development

Writer courses: Continue to take advantage of any free courses that come my way if I have the time to do these.

These have mainly been the workshops at the book festivals, etc. However, a friend on Instagram recently sent me access to her self editing course for me to review which I am eager to take a look at as editing is one of my major struggles.

Resource book: Buy another writing help book. I am considering the Emotion Thesaurus.

I downloaded a sample on my Kindle but haven’t looked at it yet. The other day someone posted on Instagram a picture of a book they are using for plotting and it looked awesome and now I want that one too. And, I’ve been toying with buying the Writers and Artists Yearbook but can’t decide if I need the children’s one or adults…

What’s next

I’m going to evaluate how I am doing and set some new goals for the next quarter.

Let me know how you are progressing towards your goals and whether you check in on yourself too?

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like:

Goals: Progress Since March 2019

Felixstowe Book Festival – How to connect with local writers?

Why I love YALC

Book Review: Save the Cat, Writes a Novel

September 26, 2019 Ally Aldridge Tips, Writing

Useful hashtags for writers (part 2) – writing communities

To read part 1, please click here.

For part 2, I am going to share tags for more general communities that are not hosted by anyone.

General writing community

#writer #writers #writerofig #writersofig #writerofinstagram #writersofinstagram #instagramwriter #instagramwriters #igwriter #igwriters #writingcommunityofinstagram #fellowwriters #writersofinsta #writerscommunity #writingcommunity

General author community

#author #authors #authorscommunity #authorschallenge #authorsofig #instagramauthors #authorsofinstagram #igauthor #igauthors #aspiringauthor #aspiringauthor #authorsofinstagram #authorcommunityofinstagram #authorslifeforme #fellowauthors #authorcommunity #authornetwork #authorsonig #authorsofinsta

General indie author community

#indieauthor #indieauthors #indie #indieauthorsofinstagram #indieauthorsofig #indieauthorsofinsta #indiecreatives #fellowcreatives #indiewriter #indiesareworthit

General poets community

#instapoet #poetsofinsta #poetsofig #poetsofinstagram #poetrycommunity #poetsandwriters #igpoets

General bibliophile community

#bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagramer #newbookstagramer #bookworm #bookdragon #booklover #bookish #abookaday

There are more bookish hashtags coming but they have been listed under other categories such as genres and book bloggers.

If you find these useful, please stay tuned for the rest of the series coming every Thursday.

In the meantime, you will enjoy:

I did #FebWritersChallenge

April, I featured poets – what’s next?

Me being featured!

Book Review: Duet Rubato

September 19, 2019 Ally Aldridge Tips, Writing

Useful hashtags for writers (part 1) – writing groups

If you’ve been following my blog you may have noticed that this year I’ve been really enjoying Instagram. I recently achieve 3,000 followers and I created next months #WIWOctober photo prompt for @worldindiewarriors.

My idea for this post was to share my personal collection of hashtags but as I started writing it I realised it was getting too long! So, I have broken it down into a series of posts.

I am going to start off with tags associated with writing communities I have connected with via Instagram.

Tags for writing communities

There are lots of people looking to connect on Instagram. Here are some of my favourites and tags associates with them:

World Indie Warriors

This is a great group for any creative or indie looking to collaborate and make meaningful connections. This supportive group share tips, resources and support each other’s growth.

Follow @worldindiewarriors and join their group on Facebook. Use hashtags: #wiw #worldindiewarriors

Founder @michelleraabwrites also encourages the use of the hashtags #readersheart #everyonehasastory

Hustling Writers Community

This group is aimed at anyone that aspires to be an author but has to juggle writing alongside other commitments making your dream the side hustle. There are people working full time, studying, parents, carers etc but they are all dedicated to squeezing writing in wherever they can.

Follow @midnightstarlightwrites and become part of her group on Facebook. Use the hashtag #hustlingwriterscommunity

Fellow Creative Minds

This is a networking group to connect creatives together. There is a good mix of artists, writers, musicians, etc. If you would like to meet fellow creatives follow @lizthewritingwiz and join her Fellow Creative Minds group on discord. Use the hashtag #fellowcreativeminds

Authors Challenge 2019

Follow @debratorreswrites and pm her to take part in her monthly challenge. She will add you to an IG chat group so you can get to know other authors taking part in the challenge.

Use the hashtag #authorschallenge2019 and post pictures for the daily picture prompt.

Tags for Wattpad

One of the most popular online platforms for sharing writing is Wattpad so it is no surprise that people are posting to IG about it. You don’t have to follow @wattpad but it is a great way to stay up-to-date regarding the platform.

If you are a Wattpader (reader/writer) here are some tags you may find useful.

#wattpad #wattpadstories #wattpadwriter #wattpadquotes #wattpadmemes #wattpader #watpaders #wattpadbook #wattpadcover #wattpadstory #wattpadauthor #wattpadlove #wattpadislove #wattpadlife #wattpadnovel #wattpadreader #wattpadbookclub #wattpadaddict #wattpadlover #wattpadlovers #wattpadteenfiction #wattys #wattpadrecomendation

If you enjoyed this post, stay tuned for the rest in the series.

In the meantime, you will also like:

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September 9, 2019 Ally Aldridge Query, Tips, Writing

How was #PitMad September 2019?

As always, this Pitch Wars event isn’t simply about grabbing the attention of your dream agent or publisher. It is also about connecting with the writing community.

Taking part, I gained more followers. People retweeted my pitch to show support and help it get noticed and some even commented to let me know they liked my idea which is really encouraging. Further down you will find a collection Tweets that sum out the event for me.

The Manuscript Wishlist

One Tweet that was incredibly useful was by @RebeccaFKenney1 who told me about #MSWL. I never knew that agents tweet about the manuscripts they are wishing for. A quick search for “#MSWL Mermaid” sorted by most recent, brought up the two agents she had sign posted me to.

I have now discovered that on 24 September 2019 is #MSWL Day when agents will tweet their wish list to help authors find their match. I shall be adding that to my Literary Calendar which you can access to discover useful literary dates.

How successful was I?

Tinsel Tiger (picture book) – 4 likes (none were agents or publishers)
Jewel of the Sea (YA fiction) – 5 likes (three by publishers)

I will research these publishers to see if I feel they are a good fit for me before submitting. On initial inspection, one of them really appeals to me due to their ethical values.

⚡️ “#PitMad September 2019”

#PitMad September 2019

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September 2, 2019 Ally Aldridge Fiction, Novel, Tips, Writing

Writers beware! Know who you are querying.

Sadly, there will always be con artists looking to prey on the vulnerable. It is easy to manipulate someone if you promise you can make their dreams come true.

When I started modelling I was aware of rogue agencies that offer to build you a portfolio for a charge. They sell it as your big break and that it will open doors for you into the industry but the truth is it is just a photography package. There is nothing wrong in paying a photographer if you want photos, but don’t be fooled into thinking it will guarantee you work.

If an agency really likes you, they won’t charge you for the privilege. You should never have to pay your employer for the opportunity to work. Especially with no guarantee of any return.

Sadly, writers don’t always realise this. With so many barriers to the publishing industry they are relieved when they finally get an interested agent that sometimes they fail to check them out. They are so happy they naively agree to costs their agent tells them are necessary to start the publishing process. This is untrue. The only time you would pay up front to publish is if you wish to self-publish or if you have chosen to use a vanity publisher.

Travis Heerman

Here is a story by Travis Heerman about his early experience of the industry. He was conned out of a large sum of money in pursuit of his dream, by a scam that seemed to never end. Even worse, he was not alone. Cautionary Tales for writers – part 1.

Travis shared his story in the hopes of saving other hopeful writers from the same heartache and stress he went through.

I would like to highlight that one of the defendants (found guilty in court) of this scam was a man named Don Phelan. Why this is interesting will be raised later.

September 2018

During the September 2018 #PitMad event I got a request by Burchette and Ferguson, however, I chose not to follow up and send them my MS as I was put off by their website and here is why. They had only existed for three weeks and had no details about who worked at their company or their background.

I started drafting this article in February 2019 (screenshot below) and checked out their website again only to be greeted by the a message informing me that they are preparing for their big launch and the site had been down since October 2018!

However, I checked the site again today (almost a year later), 1 September 2019, and the site no longer exists!

With Pitch Wars #PitMad (September 2019) in just a few days, I felt it was a good time to remind people that just because someone likes your pitch, doesn’t mean you have to send it to them. This company was ‘preparing for a big launch’ a month afterwards that I don’t think every happened, and vanished in less than a year.

February 2019

This year I have been connecting more with other writers on Instagram. It’s been great for motivation, support and tips. One of the connections is The Writers Advisor.

On 20 February, they posted about a Literacy Agency actively seeking submissions. Here is the post.

It wasn’t clear to me at the time that they are a Literary Agency. I thought it was a post they were sharing. I said I would check it out later.

Later on, I visited the site but could not find any details about who works there or any authors already signed or books published. So, I returned to Instagram to comment publically asking if they knew anything about which agents work there.

They responded with a private message:

It might be a coincidence and a completely different Don Phelan to the one in the publishing fraud case but with the lack of further information I decided to pass on sending him/her my manuscript.

Then Don replied to my message publicly on 23 February 2019.

His response strikes me as rather rude. I understand that when I query I am hoping the agent would like to work with me but it is a two way partnership. I always research an agent before I query to check they are a good fit for me too, otherwise I’m just wasting their time. His/her response gave me clarity that they were not someone I wanted to work with.

Do you need an agent?

If you are looking to traditionally publish then you’ll find most publishers won’t deal with writers directly. It will say no ‘unsolicited manuscripts’ meaning you’ll need an agent to approach them on your behalf.

It is important to research Literary Agents to ensure they are a good fit for your book, someone you want to work with and most of all to ensure they are authentic. Don’t fear, there are simple ways to check them out:

Agent History

For example, check the agents history. Legit agencies often have a page about the agents and the authors they’ve signed. They often promote the books they got published as their success is a reflection on them.

New literary agents often start out supporting an experienced agent, which gives them a platform to prove themselves and some assurance to writers and publishers that they either know what they are doing or are surrounded by the guidance of those that do.

You may be able to find their employment history on LinkedIn or try a website like Writer Beware to see if anyone else has raised concerns about them. You can also buy Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook by Bloomsbury Publishing (check for the latest version as it is updated annually).

Online presence

At the very least they should have a website with a profile to tell you a little about who they are and what they are in to. Check to see how the site been published. Businesses use the internet to have a presence so if they have not been around long, you need to ask why? Have they re-branded and if so who were they before. Are they just starting out and what previous experience have they got.

Not all Literary Agents use social media, however, most do and it is beneficial to discover more about them. Are they promoting books/authors they’ve represented and how well have they done? What are their interests and would they enjoy your book? See how active they are and how long they’ve had their account.

Conduct

How do they behave? Many agents are drowning in submissions. It is highly unlikely they will have time to look for you and request a submission. They only time agents will reach out to someone is for non-fiction if you’ve done something that they feel their audience would be interested in and wish to ask you to write about it.

They should be upfront about what they are able to offer you and answer your questions in a professional manner. If they start hounding you with phone calls trying to push you to spend money, then you should block them and move on.

If they are rude or do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, trust your instincts. It takes on average two years to get traditionally published! If that sounds long, it’s going to feel even longer if you don’t like them.

I wish you every success and hope this post has been helpful in what to look for when considering who to send your novel to. It is a personal decision and you have to do what feels right for you.

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August 23, 2019 Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Books, Festival, Query, Tips, Writing, Young Adult

Why I love YALC

If you are a fan of YA Literature then you need to check out this book festival. It runs annually in London during the last weekend of July and the book deals are so good you’ll travel home like a pack donkey.

The book deals!

It’s easy to get carried away so here are some tips to help you curb your inner book dragon:

Here is what I bought:

The deal was three for £10 and a free Epic Reads tote. Because I chose a two hardbacks it bumped up to £12 which is still incredible value and I got the last tote!

The book nerd in me is looking forward to my showing off my new bag at my next library visit. I’m going to look epic!

These books from Bloomsbury were three for £10. They’ve been on my wish list for ages as I’ve seen people recommend them on IG. I’ve been warned they are steamy!

It was a total accident that all the books are by authors named Sarah. Did you notice? Do you like any books by a Sarah?

Author Panels

There is something amazing about meeting the mind behind a novel. Lots of the stalls are hosted by authors themselves and are happy to sign a copy of their book if you own a copy. In addition, the festival has panels and talks where the authors talk about their novels.

In addition, there are scheduled events where groups of authors chat to a live audience. Their is often someone asking questions and the talk is on a set subject.

Workshops by Industry experts

Experts from the industry deliver workshops during the festival. These are often run by authors, Literary Agents, Editors or publishers but the list is endless.

I attended a workshop in the Agent Arena by Zoe Plant talking about editing. Editing is one of the aspects that I find incredibly difficult with writing a novel as it is a massive task and I am not confident in my abilities. She had great advice on what to expect but not only was the talk really informative, it was also an opportunity to get to know Zoe too. I had not seen her before and she is truly lovely.

I also attended the Author & Agent talk between Literary Agent Chloe Seager and her non-fiction author Laura Coryton. Laura is a campaigner against Tampon Tax. I had heard about this before and think I signed the petition ages ago. It turns out that Chloe also signed the petition and decided that this would be a great subject for a non-fiction book to empower young adults. Chloe approached Laura to propose the idea and Speak Up! was born. It was fascinating to see how the non-fiction industry works in comparison to fiction novels. It was also extremely valuable to hear about Chloe as an agent as she has been a favourite of mine for a long time now.

Pitch to agents

If you are an author with a completed novel, looking for representation, then this is an awesome event to attend. Here, you get an opportunity to spend five minutes with a potential Literary Agent to sell them your novel. It’s an opportunity to be seen above the slush pile.

It’s not guaranteed that they will be interested. I pitched two years ago and wasn’t confident in myself. We ended up chatting about identifying my books place in the market but I did gain a little bit of experience in pitching, mainly what not to do.

This time, I felt more prepared (although still incredibly nervous) and I pitched to two agents who both asked me to send it to them. I also had a writer friend encouraging me to do it which really helped.

Fellow readers and writers

That leads me on to my next point. The festival is full of fellow readers as you would expect but a lot of readers are also writers. This year, I got to meet one of my online writer friends at YALC. She was so lovely we spent the day together.

Win competitions

The festival is full of competitions eager to get you to sign up and raise awareness. @hellomeitsyou tweeted to say I was their Sunday winner. I had already left so sent them my address so I can receive my prize. When I receive it, I’ll post a pic to IG.

If you like this, then you will enjoy:

Felixstowe Book Festival – The Publishing Industry

#PitMad June 2019 Summary

How I edited my novel – 12 tips for self editing

August 19, 2019 Ally Aldridge Tips, Writing

Are you starving your creativity!

Today’s blog post has been written by G.C.Ramey and when I read it, I was able to relate to every word.

NB: His article is written in American English.

Write for the Sake of Writing

By G.C. Ramey

“Are you ever going to finish writing your book?” my wife asks as she passes by my office, noticing that I am reading Neil Gaiman’s Ocean at the End of the Lane for the second time this year.

“I’m hunting for inspiration,” I say, glancing back at her. “I think Neil might have hidden the secret formula in here somewhere.”

I can tell by her face that she is unamused. Her comment had a purpose to it, a purpose that couldn’t have been more obvious if it had been written across the side of airplane and flown directly through our house. Obvious or not I plan to ignore it anyway, but then she says it
plainly, “Stop procrastinating.”

Her remarks are well meaning. When we got married, she decided to take on the arduous task of keeping me straight, and in this case I needed just that. Although her comment was brief, the layer of hidden subtext rolled over me soberly and I knew every word that she had left out but meant to say, “Telling people that you are writing a book is not the same as actually writing one.”

That was the not so subtle kick that I needed.

I love writing. It’s the thing that I enjoy most in the world. The only thing that comes even close to it would be reading, but even then, why would I settle for a world created by the hands of another, when I have the power to create my own?

The idea of creation is powerful and even, at times, magical. Maybe it’s that faint desire to be like God— which would explain the typical bouts with pride that most author’s face from time to time— and maybe it’s just the joy that comes from expressing one’s inner feelings in such a physical and intimate way. Regardless, the appeal to tell stories is nearly synonymous with my identity as a person. It is who I am and what I was born to do. Even so, something strange always seems to happen. My identity has the habit of feeling more like a chore and less like a purpose, but why is that?

While I cannot speak for every writer who faces this, I can speak for myself. My current situation is one where I am constantly feeling the unforgiving push of deadlines. Whether it be from graduate school assignments, freelance jobs, or even just volunteer edits for my friends, I feel as if I am always burdened by the pressure to complete things. The part of my passion that suffers from the vice of procrastination is not professional productivity, but instead, my personal creativity. Because I am constantly meeting these professional obligations, I have forsaken my own projects. Of course, I defend myself by rationalizing that it is simply an act of maintaining proper priorities. I mean, deadlines have to come first, right? And my own creative expression can come with whatever time I have left. Maybe that is good in theory, but the problem is that by the time “leftover time” comes around, I feel so burnt out on the process of writing, that writing is the last thing that I want to do. It’s as if the joy is stripped away from it.

It’s quite a sad place to be. It reminds me of a story I heard a few years ago in college. In a small town, there was a baker who worked tirelessly at his craft to make bread for those in the community. Everyone who came to his bakery left well fed, and although he found joy in feeding
those who came, he began to grow weary because he never stopped and ate for himself. The demand for more bread continued, and the baker pushed onward. Eventually, he died of starvation, surrounded by plenty of food, all because his professional commitment outweighed his personal need.

With this in mind, I suggest something to those writers who have felt similar pressure. The suggestion is simple, write for the sake of writing. Whether it be a poem, a journal entry, a fun review of a book you love, or even that novel you continually put off writing, just do something.

Get back to the joy of writing for yourself. In this way, you can continue feeding the masses, without dying of hunger yourself.

G.C.Ramey

G.C.Ramey is contributor for a sports news source (thespursupshow.com) and contributor for a sci-fi and horror site (alienbee.net). He is a masters student at the university of New Orleans. You can learn more about him by visiting his blog (gcramey.blog) or Twitter (@gcramey).

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August 16, 2019 Ally Aldridge Books, Goals, Tips, Writing

Why I Love World Indie Warriors

First you need to know who World Indie Warriors is.

World Indie Warriors is a collaborative group of indie creatives.

Indie creatives are people who created something and decided to put their product out into the world themselves. Creatives can be writers, artists, musicians, singers, actors, designers, etc. The list is endless.

For these creatives to make their product they need resources, knowledge, experience. The vision of WIW is that together we can help each other grow.

Why am I part of this?

It’s true, for years I’ve dreamt of being traditionally published but as I’ve met more brilliant talented authors that are self published, I’ve started to ask ”Why wait for someone else to say yes, when I can say yes right now.”

Being part of WIW has enabled me to see how self publishing could be a reality. One of my fears was that I had no idea where to start. The answer is WIW.

The group shares what works, what doesn’t work and offers guidance and encouragement.

At first I wondered what I could bring to the group. All the other members are more experienced and I felt inferior in comparison. But, those beliefs were my own. The members never treated me as less important and always value everyones contribution. It is a truly inclusive and diverse group.

What do I get out of it?

Initially I joined for the wealth of information. Whenever someone is willing to help me, I’m always very grateful. However, I quickly found myself part of something much bigger.

Being part of WIW is much more than just a knowledge source. They have become my author friends and together we empower each others creativity to become more than we could alone.

We support each other with marketing so we don’t get lost in the noise of social media. We collaborated to create a giveaway with an incredible prize of signed books and merchandise for our first winner. I got to be part of the Claerie Kavana’s Duet Rubato ARC (review coming soon).

View this post on Instagram
Thank you to everyone who took part in our #wiwjulychallenge , we had so much fun getting to know you. . So without further ado, the gold star contributor and winner of our super duper giveaway is @sarahneofield !! ? . Sarah walks away with a large collection of prizes from indie authors, including signed books, so please contact us with your mailing details! . For your chance to be a winner, follow us and #worldindiewarriors ,and keep your eyes peeled for future challenges. . . #worldindiewarriors #wiw #indiepoet #indieart #indiemusic #writer #indieauthor #authorsofinstagram #author #iwrite #indiewriter #selfpublishing #indiewritersofinstagram #fellowcreativeminds #indiecreative #writingcommunity #amwriting #readersheart #everyonehasastory #everystoryhasahome
A post shared by World Indie Warriors (@worldindiewarriors) on Jul 19, 2019 at 2:24pm PDT

Over the next few months, I plan to share more with you about the WIW members and activities.

Anyone can join WIW. If you want to be part of the group, here is where to find World Indie Warriors:

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August 5, 2019 Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Contemporary, Fantasy, Horror, Novel, Paranormal romance, Tips, Writing, Young Adult

Writers and YouTube Playlists — Ally Aldridge

In the same way a song can make you think of a person, place or time, it can also inspire writers to develop chapters. Music can bring chapters, characters and moments to life. It is a great aid whilst developing your story.

The connection writers develop for their creations is personal, like a parent to their child. This is why sometimes criticism (no matter how constructive) can hurt. But, this post isn’t about that. This post is about the connection writers make with music.

Writing a novel is a long process. You develop a relationship with the characters, their environment and experience their highs and lows. I struggle with writing horror because I frighten myself. Then I can’t sleep!

Inspiration

In the same way a song can make you think of a person, place or time, it can also inspire writers to develop them. Music can destroy writers block and bring to life chapters, characters, places and moments.

Currently, the song that is really inspiring me to write a horror – if I can get over my fear of my own mind – is Ruelle’s “Monsters”.

I haven’t given up on this idea. Originally the idea was for the MC to be haunted by a demon (a mix of the urban legend of Slender Man, the manga character Orichimaru from Naruto and the Goblin King from Labyrinth). Although I am still struggling to get the outline right, I am now swaying towards this novel being part of my shifter series.

My story’s playlist

As I edited Drift, now Jewel of the Sea, for the umpteenth time, I created a playlist for the chapters. This playlist was added to Wattpad using YouTube links as I worked on improving the story. Some songs have been there since the start whereas others got added as the story developed.

Click here to listen to the playlist on YouTube:

Taylor Swift – Everything Has Changed ft. Ed Sheeran
Leona Lewis – Run
Mazzy Star – Fade Into You
Lykke Li – Little Bi
Hunter Hayes – Invisible
Christina Aguilera – Beautiful
Evanescence – Bring Me To Life
Birdy – Wings
Coldplay – Yellow
All Saints – Pure Shores
Angel Olsen – Windows
Wilco – Kamera
Seafret – Skimming Stones
Lauren Aquilina – Ocean <related chapter now cut>
Dorothy – Gun In My Hand
Katy Perry – Rise
Ellie Goulding – Starry Eyed
Ed Sheeran – Give Me Love
John Legend – All Of Me
Safety Suit – Anywhere But Here
Demi Lovato – Stone Cold
The Paper Kites – Bloom
The Ligthouse and the Whalers – I want to Feel Alive
Amer Run – I Found
Evanescence – Bring me to life
Ed Sheeran – Thinking Our Loud

Sometimes I hear songs and they inspire me to write (see 7, 8, 14 and 15). They draw up pictures and feelings in my mind and drive my imagination wild.

Editing

Other songs, I hear after I’ve written the story, usually whilst editing. They remind me of the vision I had and help me focus on what I need the chapter to deliver (see 12, 13, 20, 22 and 24).

I’m not a fan of editing. I spend way too much time being critical of my writing and ripping it apart. I don’t enjoy the process and if I could afford to pay someone to do it for me, I would! Having a playlist does make it a little more enjoyable and you can create one of all your favourite songs to keep you motivated.

Theme

When I first started writing Drift, “Starry Eyed” by Ellie Goulding was playing on the radio and resonated with the way the story felt to me.

Once I finished editing Drift, I found that the song that resonated with the overall feeling of the story had changed. The song is now “I Want To Feel Alive” by The Lighthouse and the Whaler.

Perhaps it’s a result of how the story has evolved or how my music tastes have changed over the years. The bottom line is, music fuels my imagination. It certainly makes editing more enjoyable.

Please share your playlists with me

If you have a writing playlist, please share it with me. I would love to listen to and to know why those songs made your playlist.

NB Previously posted: Writers and YouTube Playlists — Ally Aldridge

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Category: Tips

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Travis Heerman

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February 2019