Guest post from Voinks

My thanks to fellow author Voinks for permission to repost her latest blog here. She is on the nail when it comes to the writing process. You can find out more about her by visiting her website.

Writing can be one of the loneliest professions. Even if we’re not stuck away in the proverbial attic our quill pens or laptops are not the friendliest of company.

Luckily the ‘family’ of authors are one of the most supportive group I’ve ever come across. Having been there, done that and bought the printing paper I’ve learnt that experienced, best selling, traditionally published scribblers are as likely to offer their advice and support as others still struggling to understand the vagaries of the Indie route.

Here’s a quick guide to writing a book and becoming an overnight success:

• Have an idea.
• Start typing (or writing) feeling inspired.
• Get stuck half way through.
• Finally type ‘The End.’
• Sit back and wait to become famous.
• Realise that’s not going to work.
• Re-read your masterpiece and discover all the errors.
• Friends and family re-assure you it’s wonderful.
• Re-write your blockbuster.
• Proof read.
• Get other authors to beta read.
• Cry when you realise how much work it still needs.
• Revise and proof read again.
• Send off to publishers. Bite nails while you wait for a response.
• (If you’re lucky) get a rejection letter. Cry again.
• Repeat ad infinitum with proof reading, rejection letters and sobbing.
• Start learning about self-publishing.
• Despair (and cry).
• Discover the joys of metatags, formatting, page layout, editing, synopsis, blurb, printing, cover design and don’t even begin to think about marketing as you realise how little you actually know.
  (I’ve left out quite a few stages as my laptop is now sodden with all the tears.)
• Take out a second mortgage to buy more print cartridges and paper as you are now firmly hooked into the crazy idea of actually getting your book into print.
• Daily check your number of sales- Despair.
• Make a sale. Celebrate. That ten pence/cents royalty will make you rich- er, maybe not quite yet time to give up the day job.
• Try to persuade everyone who has read your book to write a review.

       Realise how important reviews are to an author.

It doesn’t matter what you say, or even if you have never written one before, I can’t stress enough how important they are to spread the word and support the ‘newbie’ authors. Thank you.

Here are some suggestions for books you might like to read and the writers who will totally understand the problems. 😀

Voinks
Changes     www.amazon.co.uk/Changes-Voinks/dp/1848972997

Romance

ABC Destiny http://www.amazon.co.uk/ABC-Destiny-Voinks/dp/1784556963

Mystery
(Watch this space for the next release, hopefully this year.)

Drama/Thriller

Paula Harmon
Kindling     http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kindling-Paula-Harmon-ebook/dp/B01LYMHUMB
The Advent Calendar  www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N8R4XR3/
Short stories

Glen R Stansfield
Harry        http://www.amazon.co.uk/Harry-Glen-R-Stansfield-ebook/dp/B01JLO67CA/ 
Crime/Thriller

Julie Eger
Eeny Meeny Criminy Crow    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eeny-Meeny-Criminy-Crow-residents-ebook
Fantasy/Mystery

Rick Haynes
Evil never dies    http://www.amazon.co.uk/CHOCOLATE-CHUNKS-CRAZY-CRETE-Haynes-ebook/dp/B01M7WRPSF
Medieval fantasy
Chocolate chunks from Crazy Crete     http://www.amazon.co.uk/EVIL-NEVER-DIES-MAXILLA-TALES-ebook/dp/B011GP1LQO
Short stories

Mike Williams
Lavender and Haddock  www.amazon.co.uk/LAVENDER-HADDOCK-Trouble-Wyrms-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00JX8UQEU
The allure of the Red Wyrm  http://www.amazon.co.uk/ALLURE-RED-WYRM-Trouble-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00K7DMWX8
Educating creatures   http://www.amazon.co.uk/EDUCATING-CREATURES-Trouble-Wyrms-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00K0TPBNC
Comedy trilogy

Jo Roderick
Format it yourself  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Format-Yourself-P-I-Y-Step-step-ebook/dp/B01GARM58G
Non Fiction. Part of a series giving guidance on formatting for self-publishing
Bermuda Phoenix  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bermuda-Phoenix-Beach-Read-RomCom-ebook/dp/B01N7U89WQ
Romantic comedy

Yasmin Selina Butt
Gunshot Glitter   http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gunshot-Glitter-Yasmin-Selena-Butt-ebook/dp/B00916B4OU
Thriller/Mystery

Seumas Gallacher
Killer City  http://www.amazon.co.uk/KILLER-CITY-Jack-Calder-Crime-ebook/dp/B01B7IMYES
Part of the Jack Calder Crime Fiction series

To our readers: Hopefully there’s something for everyone in these suggestions. Please check them out, tell your friends and help to spread the word.
Even better, buy our books and leave a review.

On behalf of authors everywhere, thank you for your support.

© Voinks January 2017