Ally Aldridge Behind The Book, Fantasy, High

Behind the Book: Gem of Meruna by Elexis Bell

Elexis Bell – Gem of Meruna


The Gem of Meruna blurb

Gem of Meruna made you a published author, but you recently released it again, why?

The first time around, I was woefully undereducated about the publishing world. As such, I didn’t know to run (as fast as possible) from any publisher that expects you to pay them. I thought it was normal for the author to cover part of the costs. But…it definitely isn’t. That was just a vanity press.

My novel received no edits. It got no marketing. I was inundated with phone calls from their marketing people trying to sell me promotional packages, all of which were pitiful yet expensive.

Basically, it was a legal scam and my novel suffered for it. Now that I’m self-publishing, I’m making it right.

You now have three self published books, does publishing get easier?

It does, actually. It’s still very time-consuming and certain aspects are tedious, no matter what. But the metadata, copyright, and ISBN process gets easier with practice. Each time through, I have little tricks I picked up the time before.

What was the earliest story you can remember writing about?

In 3rd or 4th grade, my class was assigned a creative writing project wherein we had to write about a horse and a bat. I don’t remember the story I came up with, but I do recall something my teacher said when she called for me to read it. Apparently, I already had a reputation for writing darker stuff, because she said, “Knowing Elexis, the horse and the bat probably both die.” Lol.

What genre is Gem of Meruna and can you name any similar books?

It’s high fantasy romance. As for similar books…I’m really bad at finding comparison books. That was one of the hardest parts of querying when I was pursuing traditional publishing.

Please share a snippet or teaser from Gem of Meruna?

A noise startled Kiluna awake. It was far too close. The sound came again, right at her ear, but this time, she realized what it was.

Father had often snored when he slept, and Grandmother had, as well. But Kiluna hadn’t heard that sound since they died. Joseya’s snore was much softer, quieter, but its proximity made it seem far louder.

That was when Kiluna noticed it. Joseya no longer faced away from her, rather he nestled in close. One arm curled under his head, but the other wrapped around her waist.

Nothing about it felt strange though, just…right. She didn’t want to move, or even breathe too hard, for fear of waking him. The embrace would be retracted if he woke, she knew it as sure as she knew her scars were still there.

So, she laid still. She concentrated on his breath on the back of her neck. She relished the moment, all the while wondering if this would be the only time she lay near another Leey.

Her eyelids fell, blocking out the world as she savored the closeness. She didn’t notice when she drifted back to sleep.

Several moments later, she felt Joseya stir. His sudden movement made her jump. Instantly, he pulled his arm back to himself, muttering apologies as he did so. Kiluna flinched at his words but held in her pain. A single tear escaped her eye, leaving a tiny wet spot on the earth.

Which character from your books is most like you?

Every character gets a little piece of me. Sometimes it’s my favorite color, sometimes it’s more than that. Annabelle from my novella and Chloe from World for the Broken (my upcoming dark post-apocalyptic romance) have a lot of big experiences from my life, but so does Christian (also from World for the Broken).

What project are you currently working on?

I’m currently editing a dark post-apocalyptic romance, a dark high fantasy romance, and a dark supernatural high fantasy romance for release. Hopefully, I’ll be releasing all three this year, but at the very least two of them. I also just started writing another dark high fantasy romance wherein a deposed prince teams up with a druid high priestess to landscape their enemies to death.

Where can we find out more and buy your books?

My website has information and links for all my published works, as well as little tidbits about my WIPs. My blog is chock full of (blunt) writing advice and updates on all my work.
www.elexisbell.com

All my books are available on Amazon, and can be found on my Amazon author page.
www.amazon.com/author/elexis_bell

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Elexis Bell – Author Bio

If you enjoy this, you should check out:

World Indie Warriors

Behind the Book: Number Eight Crispy Chicken by Sarah Neofield

Book Review: Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver

Why I have chosen to Self-Publish

To discover more ways to connect, click my link tree:





 

Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Contemporary, Fantasy, Fiction, Goal setting, Novel, Personal, Writing, Young Adult

A decade of writing

I can’t believe it has been 10 years since I first wrote my novel. I’ve written countless other novels but this one I felt had potential. This one, I decided to take seriously.

2009 and 2010

It was Christmas 2009 and I was off work for the holidays when the idea for a novel, about a redhead teen with no idea she is a mermaid discovers she has powers, hit me. I wanted it to be like a modern Little Mermaid.

Once I sat at my PC and started to write I was unable to stop. Without an outline, it was like I was possessed, I struggled to sleep, to eat… I felt anxious if I wasn’t writing Drift. 

My fiancé got worried. He saw the sudden change in me and urged me to take a break, to visit family.

But, I couldn’t not write. So I lied to appease him. Pretended to go out, then sneaked back once he had gone to see his own family. It was like having a secret wiring affair. But after an intense week, the first 60k words were written.

I share my novel with anyone willing to read it.  My novel was on WeBook where I developed a supportive group of fans.  They were a huge confidence boost and we had our own little group to chat about my stories!  

It is laughable now but I edited my novel in 2010 and started querying. Surprisingly, I did get some requests.  It is surprisingly because now I look back at that early version and see how it wasn’t finished.  At the time, I thought it was ready.  

My fan had some valuable feedback for me, “You can’t end the story like that!”  At first, I saw that as excitement for the next book in the series and began writing Wipeout, but slowly it dawned on me that they were right. 

Promise and Deliver

I learnt an important lesson. Readers will develop certain expectations of your story and you must deliver on those.

Version 1 ended with Jace winking at Fern and there being the ‘suggestion’ they were about to get together. But, fans had read for 60k words. They wanted to see Fern achieve her happily ever after and a ‘wink’ was not the grande finale they had invested their time for.

2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Early 2011, I was distracted by wedding preparations as my June wedding date got nearer. Then, I desperately wanted a baby. We were also trying to move house and the recession meant the value of my home was dropping every month, loosing the equity needed to move.

But 2013, we sold our house, bought a lovely family home and I had my son. With everything falling into place I would like to say I returned to my novel… but my baby boy was the biggest distraction of all.

Stupidly I thought being off work with a baby would free me up to write more but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Noah was not a chilled out baby. I spent his first year keeping up with his hunger, entertaining him and sleeping whenever I could.

Have realistic expectations

Sadly WeBook was no longer the thriving community it once was.  All my fans had moved on, possibly grown up, and I had lost them through inactivity.  I had to find a new source of feedback. I joined Movella, Figment and Wattpad.

Wattpad became my new favourite.  I began editing Drift and Wipeout and shared other novels and created some poetry collections.  

For Drift, I changed the ending so Lily (formerly Fern) is asked out by Jace (formerly Sam).  I removed the parts by Denny (Jace’s mum) – she gave an outsider perspective of Lily’s unusual upbringing.  

Th sequel Wipeout was also told from Lily’s viewpoint and had a few part’s told by Kiara – she was able to show what was going on with Murray.  The sequel wasn’t coming to me as easy as Drift had and I was falling in love with Kiara… 

2017 and 2018

2017 started with my employer going into administration. I had worked for the company for over 10 years. It scared me, not knowing where my next pay cheque would come from. With bills to pay, I had to find work fast and job hunting became my new priority. 

Once I found a job, I felt a little disappointed in myself.  I felt I had wasted an opportunity to spend time with my son as I now worked more hours. I realised how I wasn’t prioritising my dream.  My profession is a job, not my passion.  

Make it a priority

Whilst job hunting, I thought HR and PR work looked appealing but didn’t have the knowledge employers wanted. So in September 2017, I told my employer I was interested in doing the CIPD HR qualification and to my surprise they were willing to support me. I learnt, if you don’t ask the answer will never be yes.  

In November 2017, I found out I was pregnant. I was over the moon and in a much better place.

Passing my course, doing well in my job and having a baby were all super important. But, I no longer wanted to treat writing as a hobby. I knew how busy my life would be once Aria was here so I became determined to edit and query before her arrival.  My goal was to be signed by an agent by August 2018 (Aria’s due date).  

I learnt knew ways to query. I developed my pitch and took part in Twitter events, I found out about Agent 1-2-1s and worked on improving my synopsis.  Despite getting requests, I never got offered representation.

In 2018, I edited Drift by removing the parts told by Gwyn (Lily’s mum) – she did some foretelling using her crystal ball. I also decided to scrap Wipeout.  I took parts from the sequel and put it into Drift, Glide or cut it out completely.  

2019

My goal was to finish editing Drift and Glide. I began by restructure my novel using Save The Cat Writes a Novel. It started off a a way to check my plot and pacing but it soon became apparent that I needed to pull the whole novel a part. It was very intimidating but by the end I had a better novel and a brand new ending.  Now there was the highs and lows, romance and I had delivered on the promise of an epic battle.  This novel was so different from my original idea of a modern Little Mermaid and I needed a new title, Jewel of the Sea.  I also renamed Glide as Diamond in the Sky.

I tried new ways of querying my novel.  I pitched on Twitter and in person and got requests but sadly never heard more. Although, I still love the idea of traditional publishing, I have spent the year learning about indie publishing.

I discovered the writing community on Instagram and joined groups like Hustling Writers, Fellow Creative Minds and World Indie Warriors. I also connected with talented authors like Pagan Malcolm and Bethany Atazadeh who share their journey and advice.

Connecting with indie authors gave me insight into their world and processes. No longer did their world scare me, but intrigued me.  With their support and encouragement I decided not to spend another decade waiting for someone else to give me permission to publish.  

Say yes to yourself!

The problem with querying is you are waiting for someone else to say you can publish. They can say no for countless reasons and rarely have time to explain why. The truth is you don’t need their validation because you can give it to yourself.

You no longer have to traditionally publish. If you are willing to work hard, you can choose your own team and publish yourself.  With so many crooks masquerading in the traditional publishing world, it is a mine field to navigate now (I’m sure I had requests from at least three dodgy publishers, I didn’t submit to in 2019 alone).  

After ten years writing and querying Jewel of the Sea (formerly Drift), I have decided to Self Publish.

2020

This year is the start of a new era. This year, I am going to publish. It won’t be easy and I have lots still to learn but I’m ready.

Jewel of the Sea is due back this month from a developmental editor. This is my the first step in my big publishing plan.

Celebrate your milestones

To celebrate this new venture, I feel Jewel of the Sea, aka Drift, needs a new name.

I have set myself some strict deadline to keep myself on track but I I won’t rush to publish.  I have waited so long for this, I want to be certain my novel is a quality product when I put it out there.  I want my readers to love it.

I will blog about my publishing journey, so if you are interested in the process, stay tuned. I would love to hear your thoughts on the new title Ocean Heart.

If you enjoyed this, you will like:

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Same dream, six years on…

Writers beware! Know who you are querying.

Creating a Catchy Novel Title

Click my link tree to discover more ways to connect:

@Redfae

 

 

Ally Aldridge Writing

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 4 (November 2019)

Fri, 22 Nov

Another busy Friday. At drop off I chatted to the mums who are organising Noah’s joint party (it’s there kids birthday too and our kids are all friends). We got nattering about what was left to do and who was doing what. Luckily, I didn’t get asked with anything -yay!

I was then late for play group and in desperate need of cat food. So, I decided to do a Sainsbury click & collect order so I didn’t have to traipse around the store – I really don’t enjoy shopping. I also needed a gift for a party Noah was attending after school and added it to my order. I was feeling super savvy as I sat back and enjoyed the rest of my morning.

Then Aria came with me to an afternoon work Christmas meal. I couldn’t make the evening one, nor could some of my colleagues so we decided to have our own mini get together. We went to Shelly’s which is a student run service restaurant. It enables the students to get valuable experience alongside their qualification. The students handled Aria amazingly. She was a terrible rude customer, pointing and shouting nonsense words. They played catch with her cracker that she kept tossing and demanding back. They cleared up her mess as she nibbled food, then threw it on the floor. They did it all with a smile and kept my little diva happy. Aria embarrassed me as expected but the students really impressed me.

Aria fell asleep in the car and I had a few minutes to pack a change of clothes for Noah before the school run. I picked Noah up and we went to collect my order from Sainsbury’s. When we arrived I was told the phone lines were down and they couldn’t process my payment. We waited 20 minutes before I had to go to get Noah to his friends party. My fabulous plan quickly unravelled. I had to apologise for not having a gift but hopefully bring it at pick up. Luckily when I returned to the store the problem was solved and the guy who greeted me couldn’t apologise more.

I then rushed home to let my husbands best friend in. Then I was back out to collect Noah.

I wasn’t able to use the computer so I wrote on my mobile, writing over 2k.

Sat, 23 Nov

Today has been busy. I tried to return a baby sling to the sling cafe but it’s closed so I have tried to find out where to return it now. Instead, I headed into town and delivered a bag of clothes to H&M to receive £5. They were all things I couldn’t sell I.e stained or odd socks. They break the fibres down and use them to make new clothes for their conscious collection. It’s the first time I did it and loved how simple & rewarding it was.

The afternoon flew by and before I knew it it was time for Noah’s party. It was lovely to see all the children playing together – we really didn’t have to do much. Plus people wanted to play with Aria so I got to sit down – such luxury. I was grateful to Chloe & Helen, the two mums that shared hosting the party. They really are a blessing in my life.

We got home late with the kids (past their bedtime). By the time they were tucked up I didn’t feel like writing and broke my writing streak. I was disappointed in myself later. I should have written something, even of if it was only a sentence.

Sun, 24 Nov

Today, we had family visiting. We hurried around to get out and see them (met up at my mum’s home). There is something wholesome and lovely about being with people you’ve known and loved your whole life. We got Aria home for her nap and then I spent time talking to my husband. NaNoWriMo has left him feeling a little neglected. We also got on the computer together to do a little Christmas shopping.

We had a lovely day but the time flew by and when I finally got the kids to bed and was able to sit at the PC, I didn’t feel like writing. Oh no, I was ready to procrastinate! First I browsed online shopping sites making wish lists I never intend to buy. Then when I open my word document, I had to stop to get a snack, then a drink, then another snack. I was chatting on social media. Until, I realised what I was doing and stopped myself. I managed 1k before bed. I needed a lot more!

Mon, 25 Nov

Today flew by. I ran around after a tiny whirlwind trying to keep the house in order. When Aria finally napped I had too much to do that I didn’t have time to write.

After school, my family cane over to visit and Noah made them his first ever mug of tea (with supervision).

I had trouble getting Aria to sleep but once she they both went to sleep, I jumped online to host my live write-in on World Indie Warriors Facebook group. We did two 10 minute sprints and it got me in the mood to write. One of my friends sent me a steamy extract from her novel which was rather distracting but I still managed to write 1.5k.

Tue, 26 Nov

Today was my long day at work and everyone is talking about getting ready for Christmas and I am not ready.

Once the kids were in bed I spent the evening browsing online and deciding what to buy.

I write zero words. Boo!

Wed, 27 Nov

Today is my short work day, but I get no lunch break and as soon as I finish it is a mad rush to get the kids.

Today is my mum’s birthday so we popped over after school pick up to see her.

I didn’t get to write until the kids were in bed. I made sure I did.

Thurs, 28 Nov

Today, was my long day at work. It was an odd day. I saw a student I hadn’t expected, and I didn’t see the student I planned to see. I had a bizarre lunch but managed to write 500 words.

I was glad to get home and see my family. Once the kids were in bed, I relaxed in the bath. My husband was surprised to find me in the tub and not writing. I explained I am not going to make 50k. He gave me a mini prep talk. I got on the PC and ended up with 1.5k.

Week one total

To be on track I need to have reached 46,666 so I am behind.

Finishing the second week my grand total is: 36,567 words.

I’m 14k behind with only 2 days left. Although it is possible to write 7k a day it is unrealistic for me. I have a really busy weekend coming up so I will only get to write in the evenings. I’m going to push for 40k though. Wish me luck…

 

Check back next Thursday to see my progress.

If you liked this, then you will enjoy:

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 1 (November 2019)

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 2 (November 2019)

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 3 (November 2019)

Write 50k words in 30 days

Click my link tree to discover more ways to connect with me.@Redfae

 

 

Ally Aldridge Writing

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 3 (November 2019)

Fri, 15 Nov

Today was a non-pupil day meaning Noah was off school, so I had to energetic children to entertain. I decided to also take my niece and nephew out as their mum does a lot for our kids. With a full car of kids, I took them to a soft play centre to wear them out. The older kids were great and helped keep the little ones busy but I was constantly on the go.

When we got home, Aria napped and I used the time to support Noah with his homework and make important calls.

My husband needs the PC tonight so I am using the time to update my blog on my mobile and read a book.

Sat, 16 Nov

I’m very conscious of the fact that I need to catch up. When my husband took the kids out for a walk I jumped at the chance to get on the PC achieving almost 2k before lunch.

I really enjoyed what I wrote. Chapter 13 overlaps the epic battle from Jewel of the Sea at the end of the book. Where Mariah was unleashing her powers, Kya is at her lowest point. It was fun to write such a powerful scene from such a hopeless perspective and feel anyone that has read Jewel of the Sea will notice the stark contrast making the chapter very different between the books.

Aria was a little difficult to get to sleep and wanted extra cuddles. We think she’s having a growth spurt or teething as she’s extra hungry too but I finally got on the PC and added another 2k.

Sun, 17 Nov

We’ve had a very chilled out day today but this afternoon we discovered Aria has a rash on her body. We think it might be a heat rash so we stripped her off to cool her down.

I also spent a lot of my writing time chasing authors for their bios, profile pics, book photos and blurbs, etc. Back in October, I volunteered to create the World Indie Warriors catalogue to help promote their books to potential customers. I asked for details before NaNoWriMo started so I could finish it before this started but it didn’t happen. I’m really enjoying the creativeness and playing in Canva. It reinforces the feeling I would love to work in graphic design but I have no idea how to get into it.

Mon, 18 Nov

The rash hasn’t gone. So the first job of the day was to get her an appointment. I had to wait for a call back from the GP to decide if they will see her. It left me in limbo, watching my phone, waiting for the call but when they rang they offered 3:50pm. I knew this would be a rush with the school run so we hurried straight there and arrived with only a minute to spare. In my haste, as I leaned into the car to get the changing bag, I caught Aria’s forehead on the corner of the door. At first I thought it was nothing and gave her a kiss as we ran to get checked in. Then Noah needed a wee so i got him to the toilet. Whilst we waited for him I noticed the massive bruise swelling up before my eyes. By the time we got called in, it looked terrible. The GP was lovely and checked her over and gave me advice for head injuries (just in case) although he felt it wasn’t as bad as it looked. Then he checked out her rash (the reason for the visit). It turned out to be an allergic reaction. He gave us a prescription for that – a non-drowsy one because of her bump. Then I explained how she won’t take her chocolate laxative as she doesn’t like the taste so he did her a prescription for the plain which she we tried as soon as we got home and she loves it – yay.

After all that drama, we decided on a McDonalds for dinner. I know its not healthy but… happiness.

Once the kids were in bed, I jumped on World Indie Warriors Facebook page to host my live write-in. We had a great productive social and some people shared some steamy snippets with us. It got me back into my writing.

Tue, 19 Nov

We had a very exciting morning with Noah loosing his first tooth. He went through a kaleidoscope of emotions before becoming excited about the tooth fairy coming.

This then made us late and we were in a mad rush to get Noah to breakfast club and myself to work on time. When i arrived at work, I discovered I had forgot my purse and my stationery. I found a stray pen and my accounts debt showed me how to create a pre-pay card & got my husband to send me his card details so I could buy food.

With no money to spend at lunch, I was focussed on writing and got over 500 words written.

Bedtime was lots of fun with Noah telling his teddies to protect his tooth and only let the tooth fairy take it. Noah was eager to go to bed and agreed to put his tooth in a dish at the foot of his bed as daddy was worried it might get lost under his pillow.

My first job tonight was to email Jewel of the Sea to my editor. Then, I added another 2k to Jewel of the Sea before bed.

Wed, 20 Nov

The tooth excitement continued this morning with Noah waking us up to announce the tooth fairy has been.

Today was my short day at work with no lunch break so I didn’t get to write. I was then in a mad rush to pick up Aria, then Noah.

Noah’s school had a book fair so we had to check it out. I got 7 books for £10 and a percentage from the book sales will go to the school to buy books for the children! Win win!

Aria was in a dangerous mood climbing everything. She seems to be collecting a daily bump or scrape. I’ll be pleased when this stage is over but I fear this daredevil will only get more adventurous – eek!

I couldn’t relax until the kids were in bed. I wasn’t feeling my story tonight but I tried. I tried to encourage myself with chocolate but once the chocolate was eaten I decided to call it a night. I had almost achieved 1.5k so that’s not too bad going.

I ended my day going to bed and enjoy Crown of Conspiracy by Kara A Weaver.

Thurs, 21 Nov

It was my long day at work but I managed to write in my lunch break. After work I was tired and unmotivated to write. In total I wrote 2k. I wanted to write more but the words were not coming.

Week one total

To be on track I need to have reached 35000 so I am behind target. No surprises there.

Finishing the second week my grand total is: 27,471

I’m 8k behind but feely oddly hopeful i can still do this. I somehow need to write 2.5 to 3k per day which isn’t impossible. I’m still pleased that I’m writing and pushing through the tricky parts of the novel.

Check back next Thursday to see my progress.

If you liked this, then you will enjoy:

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 1 (November 2019)

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 2 (November 2019)

NaNoWriMo Preparations

Book Review: Envy by J D Groom

Click my link tree to discover more ways to connect with me.@Redfae

 

Ally Aldridge Writing

Writers Hashtags Collection

You are going to want to save this blog post.  This post is going to share all the links to the previous hashtag series in one place but it’s going to do more than that. It’s going to share my final tips to help out any writer getting started on Instagram.

Have a public profile

If you are looking to connect with writers and promote your writing, then you need to be visible. If you make your content private people won’t be able to see if they want to follow you.

Complete your bio

Tell people what you are about. If you are a writer/author put it in you bio. I feel I need to add some more detail to mine but it’s way better than nothing.

Create a Link Tree

Instagram only allows you to share one link. Link Tree is a clever site that enables you to link to a page where you have listed all your links. This is useful to sign post people to your other social media accounts (I.e. Twiter, Facebook, etc), your website and/or blog, and sign up to your news letter.

Make use of the name space

I only discovered this recently but when you fill in the field for your name you can also write “author” or whatever else you want to be identified as. This gets picked up by search engines.

Don’t exceed 30 hashtags

You can have up to thirty hashtags on your post. Every hashtag helps you get discovered. However, don’t only use the most popular hashtags. These are good as the hashtag will have lots of followers but your post could get lost in the volume.

Mix up your hashtags

Don’t use the same hashtags all the time. Instagram will think you are spam and ‘shadow ban’ you for using a hashtag too frequently. This means that the algorithm won’t favour you and you are less likely to be seen.

Use different volume hashtags

I don’t know the technical phrase for this but this is what I mean. Some hashtags are very popular I.e. #writersofinstagram (275k posts) . Using a hashtag like this means your post could get lost in the volume as your competing against lots of images being posted frequently with the same hashtag. However, popular hashtags also have more followers and you could be spotted by someone you’ve not connected with yet.

Low volume hashtags tend to be more niche. For example #writersblocksucks has 1k+ posts. People searching for this are likely interested and your post has less competition. Recent posts stay near the top for longer.

Follow hashtags

Follow hashtags that relate to things you are interested in. This will help you to see what others are posting and discover new accounts to follow & engage with.

Create a hashtag collection

Note down hashtags you find useful. It’s useful to store these on your phone so you can copy and paste when you need them. To discover more hashtags to add to your list, look at what others are using that post similar content to you. So, if your a poet, what hashtags are other popular poets using?

Take part in follow loops

Choose a loop that feels relevant to what you wish to achieve, I.e. similar interests. Follow the loop rules but remember if someone is posting content you don’t like, you don’t have to follow them. What you should not do, is follow to unfollow – it’s just bad etiquette and not how you engage with others.

In addition, a lot of people have ‘follow apps’ to tell them when someone does that. Plus Instagram will detect accounts that follow and unfollow a lot and delete them as they will think you are a bot. The same goes for liking then unliking lots of posts.

Use apps

I have an iPhone and love certain apps for creating content:

  • Unsplash has so many free stock photos.
  • Canva is easy to use to create images and add text and embellishments.
  • Typorama is great for addding text.
  • B612 has great filters for taking selfies or animating pictures.
  • Preview to see how your posts will look in your feed prior to posting.
  • Planoly to schedule posts enabling you to create your posts ahead of time.

Try new things

I have figured this out over the last few months by daring to try new things. Social Media and trends are constantly changing and you need to move with it. Keep it fun and do what you enjoy.  You may even start a new trend.

THE HASHTAG COLLECTION

Click the picture to go to the part of the guide you want to read.

Extra Advice

Stay true to yourself. People like personal posts, so post selfies. It’s social media, be social. But, don’t get hung up on followers, likes, comments, etc. Remember, if it gets too much, you can take a break. Writing is what is most important to a writer.

One last tip that works for everything… Create a Pintrest Board to save useful tips and advice.

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#BoostMyBio for Pitch Wars 2019

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How was #PitMad September 2019?

Click my Link Tree to discover more ways to follow me

@Redfae

 

Ally Aldridge Writing

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 2 (November 2019)

Fri, 8 Nov

I had the worst nights sleep. Aria was up every hour – maybe she’s having a growth spurt. We had to wash & sterilise her bottles in the middle of the night as we ran out. We heard Evie have two seizures. And, I had a killer headache, borderline migraine.

In the morning, Rob was going to take Noah to school so I could have a little lay in but it’s hard to sleep with all the noise of people rushing around so I got up. Sadly Evie had a seizure while Noah ate his breakfast. It was the first time he has seen it.l, although we told him she is poorly, it really upset him. Afterwards he claimed he was poorly with a tummy ache and begged to stay home and watch Evie. I let the school know what happened as I couldn’t be sure if he was ill or expressing his sadness, either way he wasn’t going to be any good for class.

I had wanted Noah out the way as we needed to pack for our holiday and help my mum with how to care for Evie and give her medicine. We managed to get it down in time and Noah appeared much better now he had cheered up – phew (he’s usually ill in November).

We arrived at Forest Holidays. Unpacked, ordered pizza, got the kids to bed – Noah was a little tricky to get to sleep as he found the new sounds disturbing. Once they went to sleep my hubby and I enjoyed the hot tub.

Sat, 9 Nov

We woke up after a brilliant nights sleep and our first breast at our lodge.

We headed to the Forest Retreat and got details of the “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt!” trail. Noah read the map and lead us through the forest. He answered the questions, wrote down the answers and read us the field facts. I was very proud of him. We then returned to the Forest Retreat to claim our prize – a copy of the book that inspired the trail. We then stayed for lunch.

Aria was tired and fed, making her a happy content baby that agreed to go down for her nap. Once asleep, we let Noah check out the hot tub. He loved it. He was ready to get out just as the timer went off for 20minutes which is the max allowed for safety.

Afterwards, I tried to get on my laptop to write but it decided to do an update! Why does this always happen when you have limited time? Once done, I managed almost 500 words before Aria woke.

We had a chilled out afternoon watching Incredibles 2. We had dinner, put the kids to bed and then I spent time with my husband. I was then tired and read Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver before bed.

Sun, 10 Nov

Both kids slept like angels. I gave them breakfast but Aria was in a naughty mood and made so much mess. While I cleaned the dinning room & kitchen, she headed off to the bathroom to throw toilet paper everywhere and empty the bin. She brought me a dirty nappy she had opened to alert me to the next disaster.

We went for a walk before lunch where Aria threw away her hat – no idea where it is. We had lunch, she slept, Noah and I took advantage of the hot tub.

Now, I’m trying to write but do you think my laptop will turn on? It’s been charging all night and now… playing dead. I’m going to have to write on my mobile. Grrr!

Later, we watched a film, had dinner, put the kids to bed and enjoyed our last night here together.

Mon, 11 Nov

I didn’t want to leave the forest but it was time to travel home. Mum gave us an update on the cats and Evie had a bloody paws. It looked like she’d broken her back claws during a seizure. I rang the vet and as she wasn’t in pain and the blood was dry, we agreed to keep her home as bringing her in could cause more distress. The meds seem to be working.

We unpacked, I did laundry and prepared for work. I knew Ofsted were in so I wanted to double check my plan for the day except… where was my diary. I was in a blind panic, cursing myself for unpacking my handbag to use it for a day at the spa. It took me a full hour to figure out where it was. It was then dinner time, putting the kids to bed and then… going live.

Yes, tonight I finally did it. I logged onto World Indie Warriors Facebook group and did a live write-in. We chatted about our projects and writing and did three writing sprints. Once finished I was excited about my novel again and super proud of myself for braving the camera.

Tue, 12 Nov

Today was my long day at work. It felt even longer with Ofsted in as many people were tense, making sure their lessons were perfect. I think everyone did well and I’m silently confident.

Tonight I added over 1k to my word count. I would have liked to have done better but my neck is in pain (I think I slept on it funny).

Wed, 13 Nov

Today was my short day at work. It doesn’t mean I get more free time. As soon as I’m home I’m busy with the kids. Tonight, Rob & I we’re busy wrapping presents for Noah’s birthday. By the time always done I had no time to write.

Thurs, 14 Nov

Today, is Noah’s birthday but I had an early start at work so he only had time for one card and present before breakfast Club.

I expected to be visited by Ofsted today as they have not yet seen me or any of my learners but they didn’t. Although, lots of my colleagues were visited. Today was my last day of work for the week so I will find out how we scored next week. However during my lunch break I wrote a few words and emailed them to myself.

I finished work late so when I got home it was dinner time. Noah waited for me before unwrapping his presents and having cake before bed.

I’m conscious that I am falling behind so I made sure I write tonight. Adding almost 2k to my total.

Week one total

Finishing the second week my grand total is: 14,783

To be on track I need to have reached 23,333 so I am behind.

I’m 9k behind so it is doubtful I will catch up in time to make 50k but the important thing is the progress I have made and will continue to make. I’m not giving up and even if I need a few more months, I will finish this novel.

Check back next Thursday to see my progress.

If you liked this, then you will enjoy:

NaNoWriMo Diary – Week 1 (November 2019)

Goals: Progress Since June 2019

How I edited my novel – 12 tips for self editing

Book Review: You stole my heart… Do I have to take your name?

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Ally Aldridge Writing

I got to tour Ingram Spark’s print facility

I helped myself to one of everything.  My bag was super heavy but I knew this was a very valuable opportunity and after hearing the talk I was invested in the idea of self publishing. 

The Tour

Then we got to have the grand tour! This was a real highlight. Our tour guide referred to it as the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory equivalent for Book lovers and he wasn’t wrong.

It was fascinating watching the machines churning out pages on printers that were bigger than me.  The ink cartridge was basically a massive barrel.  Huge rolls of paper were loaded into the machine and they fed into the printer, coming out on a roll full of print.  The pages were folded and chopped and moved along a conveyor belt to the next part of the production process. Another machine printed the covers to the specification requested. They then entered a machine where pages were bound and matched with the correct cover. The books continued on their conveyor belt until they reached a machine which trimmed the cover to size and sorted the books for distribution.  Massive mail bags that would rival Santa’s sacks were bursting as they awaited collection. 

Afterwards

We made the most of getting to meet up and Nicola (local to the area) took us to a beautiful pub for a drink. The sun was streaming and we kicked back and talked about writing. There is nothing better than being surrounded by like minded creatives who understand your crazy imagination. We took full advantage of the opportunity to connect on a more personal level offline.

I loved hanging out with them so much, I definitely want to meet up again. There have been whispering of another WIW meet at London Book Fair!  I just have to figure out childcare and travel etc.

My thoughts…

Seeing the books made, filled me with excitement.  My inner voice kept squealing, “That could be your book one day!”  I wish I could show you pictures or videos of the factory but they made me sign an NDA.  Seeing it come to life made me eager to get my manuscript ready for print so my ink and paper creation can go for a ride on their conveyor belt.

If you ever get the opportunity to go on their tour, do it.  If you are thinking about self publishing, definitely consider Ingram Spark. 

If you enjoyed this post you would like:

Why I love World Indie Warriors

What to do after you finished your novel

Why I love YALC

Felixstowe Book Festival and My White Knight

Click my Link Tree to discover more ways to follow me

@Redfae

 

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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Ally Aldridge Goals, Novel, Writing

Reflecting on Camp NaNo July 2019

July has been a challenging month for my writing goals. For Camp NaNo I decided to make a start on book 2, Diamond in the Sky but it has been full of distractions! I’m hoping August will be more productive for my writing.

Distraction 1: Course Work

I needed to finish my coursework for the Working Together Community Course. I must admit I had been putting off the assignments to work on my writing and as the deadline to submit approached I had to prioritise it and get it done. I have really enjoyed volunteering and everyone at the school has been lovely. On my last day, I got a card from the teachers and signed by all the children and chocolates.

Distraction 2: Blog

I didn’t make any progress on my Camp NaNo project until day 7 and I quickly realised that I needed to do some more planning. Not only that but my blog was also in need of some attention. I need to write up about all the fun I had at Felixstowe Book Festival. I then spent the next few evenings prepping some posts.

After a little plotting and scheduling, I was ready to write and decided to sign up to Mandi Lynn’s #10kWritingChallenge. I knew there was no chance I could write 10k in one day with my other commitments but I knew if I aimed high, I would achieve something great. I wrote 2,792 new words for Diamond in the Sky. I was back on track for my Camp NaNo goal.

Turns out Mandi Lynn didn’t make 10k either. She vlogged about her struggles and celebrated the words she did achieve. She encourages people to sign up to next months 10k challenge and win a pin.

Distraction 3: Important dates

The end of July and start of August have some important dates for me.

Husband distractions: It is my husband’s birthday month. I needed to sort out his gift and I wanted to take him out somewhere child free. I arranged for his sister to babysit. I also got Aria to print her feet in his card and Noah to write a personal message.

Valerie Patisserie

Also, last month, my hubby got a little neglected as the end of Jewel of the Sea got closer, so I promised to watch Stranger Things with him – which was awesome.

Noah distractions: My son was finishing his first year of school (Reception class).

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Wow! Seeing Noah’s first day of school and his last day in Reception, I can see how much he has grown. . The months have flown by. I’ve been fortunate that the other parents help me figure out what I am doing and save Noah from my mistakes (like no uniform day – Thanks @helenling27 ). Being on maternity leave has enabled me to take advantage of the support offered by the school and I’ve even passed a course. We couldn’t have wished for a better teacher. She has helped him settle into school and has done a tremendous job of developing him and preparing him for Y1. Most of all, I’m incredibly proud of Noah. He has achieved so much in a short time. ? . #receptionclass #receptionclass2019 #nowandthen #finishingreception #growinguptoofast #growinguptooquick #whatadifferenceayearmakes #schoollife #proudmummy #proudmum #mygorgeousboy #lovehimsomuch #receptionlife #5yearsold #schooluniform

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I think it is nice for kids to make their teacher a card or gift so I had to come up with an idea and organise the craft.

We got to go to Noah’s first sports day. I also decided to arrange a night out with the playground mums and get the ball rolling on some summer play dates.

Aria’s distractions: Aria’s first birthday is at the start of August. I have been busy arranging her cake smash and splash and worked with the photographer to create a very personal experience (more coming soon).

I’ve also been planning her parties. Yes! That was ‘party’ as a plural. She is a very lucky girl.

Distraction 4: Pitching

SFFpip was this month. It was my first time taking part in this Twitter pitch event and I got a like by a publisher! Naturally, I have then had to research them to decided if the feeling is mutual.

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How exciting! I dared to take part and pitch in the #SFFpit event on Twitter. Swipe to see my pitch. Swipe again to see the Publisher that like it. ?? . I'm not going to rush my submission. I will research them to check the love is mutual and work hard on making sure cover letter, etc, is perfect. I'm so excited and happy. . Let me know if you've heard of this publisher or any tips for submitting. Many thanks ?✍️ . #SFFpit #pitch #pitchevent #novelpitch #novelpitching #twitterpitch #publisher #publisherrequest #submission #query #querying #queryletter #happywriter #happyauthor #debutnovel #debutnovelist #yafiction #yafantasy #contemporaryfantasy #cf #ya #writersofinstagram #aspiringauthor #aspiringauthorsofig #aspiringauthorsofinstagram #aspiringauthauthorslife

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If writing up about Felixstowe Book Festival was my distraction at the start of the month, then YALC was my distraction at the end. The closer the date got, the more excited I became. I went to bed early the night before and barely slept a wink. I can’t believe it, I pitched to two agents – one of them I have stalked on Twitter for years – and they both asked me to send them Jewel of the Sea – Aghhh!

Now, my distraction is trying to write the perfect query letter. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I’m pretty sure my letter stinks and is why I get rejected. I feel like an excited puppy chasing my own tail and equally terrified that when I bite, I am going to get hurt. I need to conquer my fear and be brave.

Conclusion

I was in two minds whether or not to do Camp NaNo as I knew I had a lot on already this month.

With a grand total of 9,886 words, I think it is pretty impressive what I achieved despite all the distractions. If I hadn’t given it a go, I may not have written anything this month.

I also feel the challenge has kept me in touch with my novel so when things calm down in a few weeks, I can dive straight back in.

How did your July writing goals go? Did you do Camp Nano?

If you liked this post, you may enjoy:

My plans for the third quarter

Felixstowe Book Festival – The Publishing Industry

#PitMad June 2019 Summary

YALC Prep

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