Adam Croft's Blog, page 25

We all know that, when writing a novel – any novel – the location is important. Where and when you set your story has an impact on everything that follows. This is particularly true in crime fiction, where the setting of a story can affect the novel in more ways than we might at first think. With this in mind, here are four reasons location matters in crime fiction.

A backdrop for your story

Of course, it almost goes without saying that the location the novel takes place in will provide a crucial backdrop for your story. However, this is a point that still bears repeating, as without a coherent setting, it is unlikely that your novel will work as well as it could. Different backdrops will have different influences on a crime novel – a small-town setting will undoubtedly lead to a different feeling and sense of place than a large urban environment, for example – so they need to be chosen carefully and taken into consideration throughout the writing process.

Its influence on the crime

Your choice of location might also have an impact on the crime investigated in your novel. Different parts of the world might be more likely to experience certain crimes, for instance. A crime that takes place in broad daylight might well be considerably different to one that takes place behind closed doors in a remote area. All of this will affect large chunks of your novel, so the location of the crime itself is certainly an issue to take seriously.

Impact on solving crime

We also can’t forget the impact on the protagonist solving the crime in your novel. Are they hindered by an icy landscape, or is some of their crucial evidence lost thanks to a big rainstorm? Do they find themselves in an unfamiliar environment that makes it harder for them to make progress, or that makes their job more dangerous? All of these issues can help to add interest and suspense to a crime novel, and without a clearly defined location, they wouldn’t have nearly as much impact.

Location as a character

Then there’s the idea of the location of your story acting as a sort of character in its own right. For example, if you set all of your crime novels in the same small town, that setting and the backdrop it provides can become as much of a feature as the characters themselves. All places have their own characteristics, and this can be an interesting issue to explore in crime fiction.

How do you go about choosing settings for your crime novels, and why do you think they matter so much?

We all want to make our writing time more productive. We’d all love to write more and make more progress than we currently do, yet managing to do this in reality can be harder than we first think. It takes commitment, and it also takes a little bit of planning and ingenuity. Here are five ways to make your writing time more productive.

Do the maths (yawn)

First of all, it’s worth doing your sums. Work out how many hours per week you have to spend on your writing. Then work out how many words you can write in an hour. Multiply your words per hour by your hours per week to work out how many words you can feasibly write in a week.

Take a look at your current productivity rate – are you hitting your maximum word count each week? If not, there is definitely room for you to be more productive, even when you’ve built in breaks. Start thinking about where the time goes when you’re not writing, and whether you’re using it all productively – or whether you’re using it for Twitter.

Know your best time

You can also increase your productivity simply by changing the time of day at which you write. This might involve some jiggerypokery and rearranging of various activities, but it’s worth doing what you can to write at your best time of day.

Stop talking about writing

This one doesn’t need much of an explanation. If you want your writing time to be more productive, just start writing. Don’t talk about writing. It might feel like you’re being productive as it’s related to your writing, but as long as you’re talking about it you’re not actually doing it.

Redefine progress

It’s also worth redefining what progress means to you. Maybe you can’t always hit your word count goal for every week, but you can make progress of another kind. You might finish a chapter, for instance, or learn three new things about independent publishing or teach yourself a new type of marketing. All of these things are productive and move you forward, even if they don’t boost your word count by X number of words.

Market your deadline

If you need a big jolt to make you more productive when writing, give yourself a deadline and tell people about it. Announce the publication date for your next book (or if you can’t bring yourself to name a specific date, the publication month). Self-imposed deadlines can work just as well, but if you’re someone who’s known for bending them, letting other people know what your deadline is can be the push you need to become more productive.

 

How do you make your writing time as productive as possible?

Cover design. It is the bane of many an independent publisher. Let’s face it, for most of us, it’s something of a challenge. We’re authors, not designers. Still, plenty of independent publishers do their own cover design. Some do it well, some do it not so well. There are quite a few common mistakes that self-publishers make in cover design. This blog covers six of them, but please do add your own comments if you think of any more.

Bad colour choices

We love colour. Get it right and it can lift your book cover to a whole new level. Get it wrong and the cover will, at best, look plain weird. At worst, it will be almost impossible to read the text. Some colours don’t print very well on other colours, and some colours just don’t go together at all. This is largely a common sense issue and so should hopefully be a relatively easy one to fix. If the colours on your book cover look wrong, it’s probably because they are.

Too much clutter

There can also be a tendency for some independent publishers to put too much on their book covers. As a novice designer, it’s hard to know what to put on and what to leave off but if in doubt, it’s generally best to go simple. Too much clutter on the cover will make the book look messy and can put people off reading it.

Losing author name

Another mistake is to make the name of the author too small on the cover so that it gets lost amongst everything else. Even though your book title might well be larger than the author name, your name should still be prominent on the cover. You don’t want people wondering who wrote it.

Too many fonts

More than one font on a book cover isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but any more than two fonts probably is a bad thing. There comes a point when there’s just too much different stuff on there.

Unprofessional design

This is probably one of the biggest cover design mistakes independent publishers make: unprofessional design. This is why it’s often best to keep things simple; it’s easier to hide your limitations as a designer when there’s not too much to sort out. Even if you’re not a designer by trade, it’s still important to take the time to make sure your cover looks good, because if it doesn’t, you’ll soon feel the effects of it as readers are likely to turn away.

If in doubt, professional design services are worth the investment.

Unrelated content

Finally, you need to make sure all the content on your book cover is actually relevant. Images that don’t really have much to do with your book are usually a strike in the negative column. It might sound obvious to say that you need to make sure your cover makes sense with the rest of the book, but incongruous covers are out there. Don’t fall into the trap.

How do you measure success? Some measures of it are quantitative, while others are not. Sometimes, success can be hard to define, particularly in a subjective field such as writing where so many factors – not least personal preferences and luck – are at play. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to measure success in independent publishing. Here are some of the main ones, and do feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments.

Sales figures

However much we tell ourselves we’re not that interested in our sales figures, we actually are that interested in our sales figures. They’re one of the key measures that tell us how well our book is doing, and they are important for writing success (not least because more sales = more money). How many books we’ve sold is not all that matters, but it is a key indicator of how well we’re doing.

Chart position

It’s not just about the sales, though. Chart position – closely related but also different to sales figures – also shows how well we’re doing in independent publishing. It’s worth having goals such as breaking into the top 1000/100/10 books of particular charts as it gives you something concrete to work towards – and the achievement of getting there is something you’ll always remember.

Reviews

OK, so we can’t always get the amazing sales figures or be top of the book charts. We can, however, still get reviews (hopefully). Good reviews (hopefully). It’s important to remember that reader reviews represent the views of one person and so aren’t all that representative of all readers of your book, but there’s no denying the ego boost that comes with a good review. Even if the review isn’t that great, it still shows that someone has thought about your book enough to pass comment on it, and that’s still a form of success.

Reader response

The slightly less formal side of reviews – general reader response – can also be an indicator of success in independent publishing. Are people telling you that they liked the book? Are they taking action based on it? Sometimes, one person telling you that they thought the book was wonderful or inspired them in some way means more than one hundred sales.

Skills gained

You can also measure success in terms of the skills you gain through independent publishing. You might master cover design, for instance, or learn how to format an e-book or get better at editing. Those are all successes, and they can all help you to be more successful in the future.

Social media presence

Social media, and other forms of author platform/marketing activities, can also be a sign of success. You might notice a spike in your Twitter followers, for instance, or see an increase in the number of people reading your blog following the publication of your book.

Personal satisfaction

Finally, there is the deep personal satisfaction that comes with an independent publishing job well done. Sales figures, reader response and everything else aside, if you’ve published your own book, that’s a huge success in itself. Not only have you written a book – a massive achievement – you’ve also taken the time to get it ready for publication and been brave enough to put it out there. And if that isn’t a sign of your achievement, I’m not sure what is.

You’ve got to that point of writing your novel/story/essay/poem/random stream of prose where you need a title. You can’t keep on calling your project by an amusing yet not-particularly-helpful pet name. The Beast. The Book. The Big Fat Mess. It’s time to give it a proper name.

Much like naming a child, there are things to consider when choosing a title for your writing. You don’t want it to grow up embarrassed, after all. You also don’t want to find yourself wondering in years to come exactly what you were thinking (and possibly drinking) when you named your novel. With this in mind, here are a few questions to ask yourself when choosing a title for your writing. Please feel free to add your own title-based tips in the comments box.

Is it mad?

It isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker if you conclude that, actually, your title is a bit mad, but it certainly helps to know if it is. If it is mad to the point of not actually being in any way related to your book then, unless you have a very good reason for it being unrelated, it’s probably a sign you should think of something else. However, if it is mad in a humorous, “this is weird but I like it” kind of way, you could be onto a winner*.

*Alternatively, it might just be you. Ask some other people what they think of the title. If the universal response is “huh?” it’s worth taking note.

Is it intriguing?

One of the main things a title has to do for your book is make people want to read it. “Make sure it isn’t boring” might be pretty vague advice, especially as the kind of titles that resonate differ from person to person and book to book, but it’s still a fairly decent rule to live by.

Is it memorable?

Your title also needs to be memorable. Readers should be able to say “I just read X, it was great.” They shouldn’t be saying “I just read this book about (insert topic here) but for the life of me I can’t remember the title.” You want people to recommend the book so other people will read it, and the title matters for this.

Also, you don’t want to end up forgetting the title yourself. Imagine the mortification that would be likely to occur in five years’ time as you give a talk and then completely fail to remember the title of your own book. Remember that potential shame when naming your book and avoid it at all costs.

It almost goes without saying that your first book is important. We all know that it matters. However, as independent publishers with complete control over what we do, there can be a slight tendency to think that if our first book doesn’t do very well, it doesn’t really matter – there’s always next time.

In some ways, this is true. There is always next time. Success doesn’t usually come with the first book and most writers improve as they go on. But we should never underestimate just how vital that first book is. Here’s why.

It’s your first big announcement

Your first book matters because, well, it’s your first book. It’s the first novel you’ve put out there, that you’ve sent into the big scary world of sales figures and readers and reviews. It’s what announces you as a writer and, to put it bluntly, you don’t want it to announce you as a rubbish writer.

It can be a catalyst for future books

The first book you publish can also be a catalyst for your future books. Maybe you want to turn it into a series – if so, it needs to be a good, solid start. If it sinks without trace or, perhaps more painfully, explodes in a great mess, that will be tricky to pull off. Don’t let your first book have a negative impact on what comes after.

It teaches you publishing skills

Another reason the first book matters for independent publishers in particular is that this is usually the time when you learn the majority of your publishing skills. Of course, those skills are developed over time and you can’t learn everything at once, but your first book will probably be your main learning experience and that definitely shouldn’t be wasted.

It can be useful for marketing

A good, well-reviewed first novel can be good for more than just your ego (and, with any luck, sales figures). It can also be great for your future marketing campaigns. When you’re releasing your second novel, imagine how great it would be to put a quality quote or statistic on the cover. The success of your first book might not be the be all and end all of your writing career, but it can certainly set you up for the next bit of your career.

It teaches you more about writing

You’ll also learn more about writing from your first independently published book. Maybe you’ll learn that you never want to write anything like that book again, but hopefully you’ll also learn things such as how you work best, what inspires you and productivity tricks to keep your progress ticking along.

It will be remembered (hopefully (preferably for the right reasons))

Finally, your first novel will be remembered. Hopefully. If someone reads it and thinks it isn’t up to much, they’ll probably be less likely to read your work in the future. Alternatively, they might forget all about it and subsequently not look out for your next book. Either way, that could well be some sales down the drain.

Your first book might not be the best book of your career, but it should definitely be the best book you can write right now. Even if you’re just self-publishing it as a bit of an experiment to see what happens, make it the best book you possibly can. You never know the impact it might have on your future as a writer.

According to statistics released by eMarketer, there was significant growth in e-reader use in the US last year. They estimate that there was a 44% increase in adults using an e-reader at least once a month in 2012 compared with 2011.

This isn’t really that surprising – we have known for quite a while that e-readers have rapidly become more popular. However, what is interesting about the research is that it seems the growth in e-reader use is set to slow for 2013.

Of course, this was always bound to happen. There comes a point when the majority of people who are likely to want an e-reader already have one, and sales are affected accordingly. It’s still interesting to see evidence of this though; eMarketer predicts that growth in e-reader use will slow to around 10% in 2013 and will fall even further next year.

What is important to note here is that even though growth in e-reader use might be slowing for now, there is still a growth there. It also doesn’t take into account the fact that e-readers are not the only devices that readers use for electronic books – tablets, smartphones and computers all play a part in terms of e-book sales.

It will be interesting to see whether this growth in e-reader use continues to slow though, or whether it will see another surge. For now, you can read more about this story here.

Book reviews have always mattered, but now, with more and more readers buying their books off Amazon and checking out the reader reviews before purchasing, they matter more than ever. However, getting reader reviews can sometimes be a challenge for independent publishers, so what are some of the best ways to go about generating reviews?

Have a free giveaway

A giveaway of your book has to be one of the best ways of encouraging people to review your work. There are three main types of giveaway you could utilise:

Giveaways on websites such as Goodreads
Social media giveaways on Twitter and Facebook
In-person giveaways, such as holding a free event or simply giving out copies of your book to people when you see them

It’s worth stressing when you’re holding giveaways that you’re after honest reviews. Readers shouldn’t feel pressured into giving you a five-star review just because you’ve given them a free book – make it clear that you’re after their honest opinion.

Of course, giving your book away for free doesn’t guarantee that people will review it for you, but it will at least get you some exposure and hopefully a few reviews to go with it.

Find a local reading group

Reading groups can be a good place to check out if you’re looking for some honest reader reviews. Groups are usually used to critiquing work, and if you ask nicely, they might well be willing to offer you an online review in exchange for copies of your book to read.

Use your writing group

If you’re in a writing group, there’s nothing to lose by asking your fellow writers to give you a review once your book is published. They’ll probably have seen your book develop too, so might well be able to give more insight than most.

Contact local papers

It’s always worth checking with the local newspapers to see if they’d be willing to read and review your book. They’re quite often keen to interview local authors, and getting a review in the local press is generally much more achievable than getting one in a national newspaper.

Research bloggers

Finally, there are plenty of review bloggers out there who might be willing to take a look at your book. Make sure you do your research for this though; look for bloggers who review the genre your book is in and who are more likely to be interested in it.

What are your tips for getting reader reviews for your book?

 

When you’re just getting into independent publishing and marketing your books, it can be easy to think “I’m a writer, not a brand.” However, your author brand definitely matters. Here’s why.

It defines you. Whether you want to be defined as part of the mainstream or as something a bit apart, people need to know what you are. This is where your brand comes in. This doesn’t mean you need to market yourself like a corporation if you don’t want to, but it does mean you need to think about how you come across. Think of it as a coherent publicity strategy if you don’t want to call it branding.
It defines your work. Perhaps even more important than defining yourself is defining your work. What kind of books do you write? In a market that is undoubtedly competitive, it needs to be clear what your books are within the first few seconds of a reader clicking a link. Taglines, summaries and eye-catching, recognisable graphics are all important aspects of this part of your brand.
It helps you get your message out. Every author needs a platform of some kind, and a brand gives you something to work from and helps you get your message out. Once you know how you want to market yourself, you should have a better idea of who you need to market yourself to – whether there are particular groups of readers you should be targeting, for instance, or whether there are certain types of media you ought to be favouring over others.
It helps you with what comes next. For plenty of writers, their first novel is not their last novel. However, if you want to build continued success as a writer, people need to know about you. A brand can give you direction when it comes to future projects and, if some time in the future you decide to do something completely different, that track record of your current brand can help you with new launches.

Why do you think author brands are so important?

It’s got to the point now where it’s hardly news to say that readers are continuing to turn to e-books in increasing numbers. However, it’s always interesting to see a recent set of figures as it helps us to get an idea of the scale of the growth in e-books. This is particularly relevant for independent publishers, who often rely on e-books for the vast majority, if not all, of their sales.

So it’s with some happiness that independent publishers should take the news that, over the past year, 23 per cent of people in America read e-books, compared with 16 per cent the year before. These figures are from a survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, which also found that one third of people in the US now own an e-reader or tablet.

Interestingly, a quarter of e-books in the US are now read on tablets as opposed to e-readers, which is also a significant jump on figures from the previous year.

These stats help to illustrate just how the book market is changing – and just how fast it is changing. You can read more about this particular survey here.

What do you think of the latest e-book statistics? What do you predict will happen in the book market over the rest of 2013?