Jill Paterson

YOUR MANUSCRIPT'S SAGGING MIDDLE

2012-02-28T09:00:00.018-05:00

You’vewritten zealously for months, your enthusiasm growing as the plot unfoldsbefore your eyes. Characters, once justnames on a page, have come to life and appear to be writing the story foryou. Each morning you wake up with freshideas and churn out yet another thousand words before lunchtime. It’s exhilarating to say the least until, oneday, you find it all grinding to a halt. Your manuscript has sagged in the middle!

Daysbecome unproductive, nights sleepless. Is there a solution to this dilemma? The first thingis you don’t give up. Instead you turnon your determination and treat this as a challenge.

To startwith think of your manuscript as a three act play.

Act 1 you are busy introducing characters, thesettings they inhabit, establishing subplots and conflict.

Act 2 complications arise, your protagonist triesand fails and tries again.

Act 3 you tie up sub-plots and loose ends, yourprotagonist finally confronts the villain and all is resolved.

If you lookat Act 1, you can see there’s lots to be done establishing your characters, settings etc. And again in Act 3, you arebringing it all together and finalising everything. But Act 2 can be difficult because it’s whereall the action is. You have to tell your reader, in a plausible way, how your characters are dealing with their conflicts. If you’re writing a murder mystery you haveto show the workings of how the crime is being solved. So it’s not uncommon to experienceproblems. Your conflict might run out ofsteam or you find it difficult to solve the crime.

Here are afew suggestions to remedy the situation:

Option 1: Someoneonce said to me that embarking on writing a book is like giving yourself a lotof problems that no one can help you with. That’s true in a sense, but not altogether because I’ve found justtalking to someone about plot problem(s), does help make things clearer in mymind. And the strange thing is the personyou’re speaking to doesn’t necessarily have to respond. They just have to have the endurance tolisten to your ramblings until you’re quite finished. Mothers are the best choice for thistask. If that’s not an option then aspouse or sibling is probably the next option. Friends, not so good. Youwouldn’t want to do this to a friend!

Option 2: Takestock. Think about your characters andyour plot. What’s at stake for yourcharacters? Is there something aboutthem you have overlooked? If your plothas come to a standstill, is there another direction it can go in?

Option 3: Skipover your problem area and write a scene further along. Sometimes what you write might suggestactions for the scene(s) that have been giving you trouble.

Option 4: Makethings happen. Create a new conflict/eventfor your character(s) to be faced with. Andthink about how your character(s) will logically deal with this new situation. If you’re writing a murder mystery, haveanother murder take place. This is sureto get things moving again!

Option 5: Writethe finale. Even if this eventuallychanges, it might give you a sense of direction.

What areyour suggestions for sagging middles?

BOOK REVIEW

2012-02-23T21:34:00.006-05:00

The Winter Sea

by Susanna Kearsley

I becametotally absorbed reading The Winter Sea. Set in north-east Scotland, it tells the story of Carrie McClelland, anauthor who starts writing a historical romance using her ancestor, SophiaMcClelland and the exiled King James of Scotland as its background. The reader is swept back in time to 1708, atthe height of James’s attempt to regain his crown from England, and Sophia’sentanglement in this affair.

Carrie,settles into her rented cottage in the historic village of Cruden Bay where shefinds herself surrounded by images of the past, not the least of which isSlains Castle, in 1708, a Jacobite stronghold, and the focal point in her book. It’s not long, however, before the characterin Carrie’s story start to take over her writing with surprising results.

Slains Castle today

If youenjoy reading history mixed with fiction and a smattering of romance as well as mystery, you will not bedisappointed.

DO YOU OUTLINE OR WRITE BY THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS?

2012-02-20T18:45:00.000-05:00

When writing, do you outline, use a storyboard or, as someoneput it to me the other day, do you write by the seat of your pants? A Panster, in other words. There is, of course, no right or wrong way,it just comes down to what works for you.

I, myself, work in some sort of confused muddle for eighteento twenty-four months in the hope that I will eventually emerge into the sunlight. It’s like trying to find my way through amaze.

I’ve never used a storyboard, but I do spend a lot of timedrawing diagrams over the backs of my manuscript pages, on serviettes while I’min a restaurant or coffee shop, and in a notebook I carry with me. I don’t know whether this pastime helps mesort out my plot problems, but I think it has a therapeutic benefit. I liken it to watering one’s garden. It has a calming effect when I can’t solvethe mystery I’m writing! I do create atime line for my characters so I know where they were at the time of themurder(s). And I keep a table of all mycharacters’ details. It doesn’t do tohave someone’s eyes change color between page 2 and 22.

What about you? Whatare your methods?

YOU ARE A WRITER, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER PARTS OF YOUR LIFE?

2012-02-13T22:37:00.000-05:00

Writing is an all consuming activity, your thoughts constantly with your characters, the settings they inhabit, the plot and sub-plots. You're virtually in another world most of the time. One that you have created. And what happens in that world is entirely up to you. Such power! It's rather addictive. So much so that you can fall into the trap of letting the other parts of your life slip by without your notice. That's a shame because you will miss so much. And it's why, if the opportunity arises to get away for a few days, you should do so.

It doesn't matter where you go as long as you leave behind your computer, your manuscript and the cell phone. Just take a good book. You might find yourself in the South Pacific in cyclone season as I did last week. Or in the northern hemisphere winter surrounded by snow and ice. In which case you will need that good book, plus a roaring fire. Of course, there is the possibility that you're unable to get away. If this is the case. there's no reason you can't do the same thing. Close down your computer for a couple of days over the weekend. Put your manuscript in a drawer where you won't be tempted to look at it, and concentrate, just for the time being, on the other parts of your life.

I guarantee that when you return, you will be refreshed from your sojourn, however short, and your characters, settings, plot, and sub-plots will all be there waiting for you.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

2012-02-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome everyone toAuthor Interview

Today we have with us,Darlene Jones, author of Embattled. Darlene lives on Vancouver Island, Canada andspends winters in Mexico. She loveschocolate and thinks it should be in a food group of its own. Good morning Darlene! It’s great to have you withus!

Please tell us about your recent release, Embattled.

DARLENE: Ah, my baby! Embattled is the first of a series andfeatures, Em, whose life is taken over by “beings out there, somewhere”. To add to the problem, the being controllingher is a rookie and, of course, he messes up. Then he risks his future when hefalls in love with Em and becomes insanely jealous of her lover. And yes, they will get to live happily everafter, but it will take four books to get there.

Where did you get your story idea?

DARLENE: I wrote the storymotivated by my experiences living in Mali a long time ago. I chose to go the“soft” sci-fi route for the adventure and element of magic that I needed, butat the core it's a love story.

Is there a message in Embattledyou want readers to grasp?

DARLENE: Yes. Withoutmoralizing, I'm trying to show how bad war and armed conflict are.

Of all your characters you’ve created, is there one you particularlylike? Why?

DARLENE: Well, Em willalways be first in my heart, but really I love them all. As I wrote the storyit seemed that they became a part of my life and I didn't want to be withoutthem. Laugh – that's why one book morphed into four and who knows if that willreally be the end?

Did you plan your characters out before you started writing or did theydevelop as you wrote?

DARLENE: Some weredefinitely planned, but others developed and grew along with the story. Tony,for example, was incidental in the first draft, and came to play a larger roleas I revised.

What is your writing process? Do you outline or start writing and seewhere it takes you?

DARLENE: With thefirst book, I just wrote and played musical chapters as I rearranged the storyline, but now I do work from an outline although it's not a detailed one and itoften changes as I go.

Please give us a sneak peek at your future books. What’s on thehorizon?

DARLENE: Book twowill be out in the next couple of months. I don't want to say too much –spoilers, you know, but I think readers will be very happy with the plot line.

How many hours a day do you spend writing? Editing? Procrastinating?

DARLENE: I often feel that I'm glued to the computer. Not just writing and editing, but also marketing now that book one is out. I don't procrastinate most of the time, but, to answer the next question, when I get writer's block, I leave it alone for a while and then suddenly I'll have brainwaves that send me back to the computer.

And now a bit aboutyourself.

Do you write full time? What did you do before you became a writer orstill do?

DARLENE: I startedwriting when I was still a junior high school principal so my writing wassporadic. Now, I'm retired and have much more time to write, when I'm not withmy granddaughter that is.

What is your favoritegenre to read and who is your favorite author?

DARLENE: I read anything that catches my eye and holds myinterest. I have a long list of authors I like, including Alan Bennett, AmarLakhous, Kathy Page...

And I have to askthis. Please tell us about that camelI’ve seen you riding.

DARLENE: Chuckle. That was in Egypt riding to the pyramids.Seemed the right thing to do.

Thank you so much forjoining us here today, Darlene. Is thereanything else you would like to tell the readers we have not touched on?

DARLENE: You know, it seems there are so many serial killersand vampires and paranormals, etc out there right now. I'd like your readers toknow that Embattled is none of that. It's a unique concept that takes readerson a new ride.

Do you have anyquestions you’d like to ask Darlene about her book, Embattled? If so, leave acomment here or connect with Darlene on line at:-

Blog:

Official Website :

Amazon:

Smashwords:

DON'T THROW ANYTHING YOU WRITE AWAY

2012-01-21T19:43:00.000-05:00

At times whenI’m writing a manuscript, I find there is something I want to change or omitaltogether. It might be a mere paragraphor it could be a page or more. Whateverit is, I don’t discard it. Instead, I cut and paste it into the back of the manuscript I’mwriting. I also add a heading so it’sclear what it’s about. Invariably, I findmyself going back to it at some point and using it, or part of it, thankful that it's been saved.

What areyour methods?

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

2012-01-14T21:18:00.000-05:00

Today we have with usAnna Mullins, author of Confessions of a Crazy Fox. A memoir. Good morning Anna! Welcome to The Perfect Plot!

Anna, tell us about Confessions of a Crazy Fox.

ANNA: Texasin the 30’s, 40’s, 50's, to the present!
"Confessions of a Crazy Fox" is the culmination of almost a decade oftrying to write my strange life story as honestly as I can remember. It tooksome extremely stressful events to make me finally realize I didn't careanymore what anyone thinks about the way I think. It happened...and it wassometimes just outright bizarre...so that's the way I wrote it.

I really enjoyedreading your book and was amazed at the amount of detail you remember aboutyour life. How did you go about puttingit all together?

ANNA: I was at a very low point in my life after myMother’s death when I decided to write about it. I wasn’t certain where tostart; I just set down and let it flow. I didn’t plan it. My detailed memoryhas haunted me for as long as I can remember. Once I started writing, I hadover 600 pages in a month. At that point I hadn’t considered publishing it. Imade that decision almost a decade later. I did spend a few months editing itto a reasonable 327 pages before I submitted it.

I think a memoir isvery special because it’s the personal experiences of the writer and much ofwhat you read of the past, in such a book, you could never find in any historybook. The lives of your grandparents fleeingreligious persecution in Europe to settle in America, is a fine example. I think capturing that in your book is awonderful testament to them. What do youthink?

ANNA: Mygrandparents had a profound effect on my childhood as I noted in the story,they were wonderful and loving, and though they never had very much in the wayof material things, they had an abundance of love, faith, and appreciation forthe blessings they felt God had granted them. My parents and grandparents wereall interesting story tellers and I had long wanted to document some of theinteresting facts about their lives.

Why did you decide towrite your memoir?

ANNA: I wascompelled to write it to pull myself out of the deep depression I fell intoafter Mom’s death and 9/11 happened in close proximity. Some of the strangethings that had happened in my childhood came back to haunt me at that time andwriting about it seemed a good way of purging it all out.

Once you decided toshare your life story, what was the most challenging aspect of the memoirwriting process?

ANNA: Ididn’t start writing it intending to share my darkest secrets, at the time Ithought no one would ever read it but me, so I never felt challenged. Not untilmany years later when I felt publishing my story was the only way the truthabout what had bothered me so much would ever be known.

I imagine there was alot of research that went into your book. How long did it take you to write?

ANNA: Therewas no research at all done for the book, it all came flowing from memory veryquickly once I started writing it. When the final stressful event happenedalmost a decade later that provoked me to try and publish, I knew 600 pages wouldnever fly with a publisher so I went through it and took out all the memories Ididn’t feel were pertinent.

Do you have anyadvice for others who might wish to write a memoir?

ANNA: Don’twrite and publish it when you are angry! I suppose my problem became, Icouldn’t get over the fury until I publicly confessed all my sins and those ofothers who had distressed me so.

Do you have plans foranother book? If so, will it benon-fiction or fiction?

ANNA: Iwould someday love to write the sequel to my memoir to tie up loose ends butnot sure they can ever be. I wrote a historical novel many years ago my youngdaughter really enjoyed and I may try writing that one again at some point.

Confessions of a Crazy Fox is traditionally published. Would you consider self publishing in thefuture?

ANNA: I’mnot sure I would attempt to self publish though I admire those confident enoughto do so. I never would have self published my memoir due to the very personalcontent. I felt I needed a professional to give me advice on whether it shouldbe printed. The first publisher who read it offered me a contract. I signed itbut I’m still wondering.

How did you come upwith the title?

ANNA: Itwent through a number of title changes from beginning to end and I didn’tdecide for certain until it was being edited by the publisher. It is a trueconfession and I explain the “crazy fox” reference in the book.

And now for somethingabout yourself. What do you enjoyreading, and who are your favorite author(s)?

ANNA: I wasan avid fiction reader in my youth and have always loved historical novels,especially some of the classics, Gone With The Wind, Dr. Zhivago, War AndPeace. Most of what I read today is shorter non-fiction. I can’t honestly saywho my favorite author is any more. Tolstoy and Nathaniel Hawthorn were at onetime…so was Jackie Collins.

When you’re notwriting what do you enjoy doing?

ANNA: I havebeen an artist of some sort all my life. I took piano lessons for 11 years andlove all sorts of music. I play the harmonica sometimes. I have sculpted andpainted in a variety of mediums as well as spent several years on detailedceramic art. I love to cook and still sew some. Whenever I feel a creativeurge, I can usually find something around to satisfy it.

I seem to writewherever I happen to be - study, coffee shop, airport lounge. Where do you prefer to do your writing?

ANNA: I onlywrite on my home computer these days. I still wonder sometimes if I really am areal writer. I’ll usually take alongsomething to read if I know I’m going to have the time.

And finally, youmentioned in your book that you have previously written two books offiction. When you write fiction, wheredo your ideas come from?

ANNA: Thefirst novel was a contemporary twisted political inspired story that I neverdid finish because I couldn’t think up a realistic ending. The historical 19^thcentury Civil War era romance just seemed to flow from a dark recess in my mindthat opened up once I put my fingers onthe typewriter. The fact that my teen age daughter was eagerly waiting everyafternoon to see what I typed the night before may have influenced it but I hadno problem with that happy ending…after about 400 pages.

Many thanks forstopping by to be interviewed Anna. Isthere anything you’d like to add?

ANNA: Thankyou very much Jill for giving me a chance to explain. Confessions Of A Crazy Fox is not a typical memoir with a happyending. I have a feeling it leaves some readers with their mouths wide openscratching their heads in wonder saying, “Huh!” I have been accused of beinghonest to a fault and still wonder if I didn’t take it to the extreme with thebook.

Do you have anyquestions you’d like to ask Anna about her book, Confessions of a Crazy Fox? If so, leave a comment or connect with Anna on line.

Anna Mullins Blog-Confessions of A Crazy Fox

Amazon

Women's Literary Cafe Spotlight Interviews

2012-01-13T16:01:00.000-05:00

Jill Paterson's Murder At The Rocks

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR STORY IDEAS?

2012-01-10T21:15:00.000-05:00

I’m oftenasked where I get my story ideas. Totell you the truth, they can come from anywhere and at the most unexpectedtimes. It pays to carry a notebook andpen with you. Needless to say, I didn’thave one when the idea for The FourthString popped into my head because I was listening to a symphony at theSydney Opera House. An odd time and placeto be thinking about murder but there you are, I’m probably a bit odd and myimagination is persistent. I haven’tdecided who will be murdered, but the fourth string of a cello is the murderweapon.

You canbuild a story from a thought, an experience, a fleeting event, in fact anythingat all. Once the spark is there yourimagination can run rampant. You are onyour way. And don’t be surprised if thatinitial idea gets buried or changed as your story takes shape. This happened to me when I wrote The Celtic Dagger. My idea came from a news item I heard one dayabout a scientist whose car was found on a bridge. The keys were still in the car, but thescientist wasn’t to be found. (I’veoften wondered what happened to that poor man.) With that one news item I started writing, but the scientist became anarchaeologist and the bridge turned into stolen artefacts.

So, whatdoes this tell you? Don’t dismissanything you see or hear because it might be the spark for your masterpiece!

Where doyour story ideas come from?

SMALL SUCCESSES

2011-12-20T18:45:00.000-05:00

Are you like me and make to-do lists? Are they like mine and grow rather thandiminish? It wouldn’t be so bad if youcould at least get through the list before having to add something else toit. But alas, that never seemed tohappen. I felt I was on a treadmill.

I mulled this over in my mind for some time anddecided to implement something that was told to me years ago by a workcolleague. Concentrate on small successes.

Instead of trying to tackle every item on my list, Ichose one. I put the rest out of mymind, and concentrated on getting it done to my satisfaction. I was amazed at the sense of accomplishment Ifelt when it was completed.

The INDIE BOOK BLOWOUT 12-Days of Christmas!

2011-12-09T19:24:00.000-05:00

***DECEMBER 12 – 24 ONLY ***

Thebest ever INDIE BOOK BLOWOUT

MAKETHIS YOUR Merriest Christmas ever!

Toscore dozens of FANTASTIC indie books for only 99¢, visit indiebookblowout.com. While you’re there, register towin a brand new Kindle & up to $ 100 in Gift Cards (entry form on thesite).

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GET A BAD BOOK REVIEW?

2011-12-08T00:11:00.000-05:00

It’swonderful when you get a good book review. All that hard work has suddenly been worthwhile. And it’s rewarding to think that you havebrought pleasure to your reader.

But what ifyou have received a bad book review? It’shappened to me as I imagine it’s happened to most writers at some time oranother, and it’s a devastating experience. I’d call it ‘the pits’. No twoways about it. Nobody likescriticism. We’d much sooner bepraised. That’s natural.

So, what doyou do?

Well - andthis is purely from my own experience - you will feel appalling for the nextday or so until the shock wears off.

After that,I suggest you go back and read the review again. If it is constructive criticism you mightglean something from it that will help you to better your writing. Readers quite often see things that theauthor doesn’t because we are too close to the work.

Of course,there is another way of looking at this whole experience. Whether it is a good book review or a badbook review, the reviewer has been moved enough to write something about yourwork. He or she has put a lot of thoughtinto what they want to say. Far better,I think, than there being no one with an opinion, be it good or bad.

So in thatrespect wouldn’t you agree that there is no such thing as a bad review?

ARE YOU OBSESSED WITH YOUR BOOK SALES?

2011-11-18T18:44:00.000-05:00

Once yourbook is published there is the tendency to become obsessed with its sale. Particularly if you have self published yourbook and you are able to check and recheck its progress on a daily basis. While the traditionally published author mightthink this is great, it can actually drive you to distraction. It can also take your attention off your maintask which is to write another book. Notonly that. If your sales are not doing aswell as you expect, it can cause you a lot of angst.

If this ishappening to you, don’t despair. Beingan author is a long term commitment because books take a great deal of time andeffort to write before they are the best they can be, and publishable. In the same way, the sale of those books doesnot happen overnight. Just think, yourbook(s) will be one of thousands on offer whether it is on Amazon, Smashwords etc.,or in a traditional bookshop.

You don’twant to ignore your sales altogether, but you don’t want to slip into thissales obsession either. So what can youdo about it? I can see a number ofthings.

· Ifyou were anything like me, you were obsessed with writing your now publishedbook. So my advice is to get interestedin your new project. After all, yourreaders are waiting for your next book!

· Nowthat you are published, you will need to build up your reputation as anauthor. There are a lots of ways you cando this, and I’m sure you will find the one(s) that you are most comfortablewith. Some suggestions are creating aFacebook Fan Page, joining the Goodreads Author Program, joining Twitter,creating a blog. You might also considerparticipating in forums, book signings, talking to groups, conducting Giveaways. The possibilities are many and varied.

· Communicationis the operative word and with social networking particularly, you have theopportunity to meet so many wonderful people. So enjoy yourself. Write anotherbook, publish it and watch your readership grow. But remember, it will not happen overnight.

Mostimportantly, don’t lose sight of the one thing you love to do, and that is tocreate wonderful stories for people to read.

Do youagree with this philosophy?

A SPECIAL POST FOR VETERANS DAY - BLOG TOUR DE TROOPS

2011-11-11T00:02:00.000-05:00

Welcome to The Perfect Plot and to Blog Tour de Troops organised by the Indie Book Collective for Veterans Day.

If you arefollowing this Tour you will have just come from Augusto Pinaud site. After you leave here, you will be going on to Melissa Foster. But, before yourun off, remember that by commenting on this post you not only win a free eBookof Murder At The Rocks, but also acopy for a soldier of your choice or, alternatively, you can have a soldierrandomly chosen from the list of troops who have requested eBooks.

Pleaseremember to leave your email address with your comment so that you can receivethe Smashwords Code for Murder At TheRocks.

If you'd like to donate money toward those Kindles for our soldiers, simply use Paypal and ibcprograms@gmail.com as the address to send money to. Please note on your payment that it's a Troops donation.

November 11 is Veterans Day,in the United States of America, the day we honor military veterans for theirservice and their sacrifice. InAustralia, it is known as Remembrance Day where at the eleventh hour there is aminute’s silence. At the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra, a wreath is laid at the Tomb of the UnknownAustralian Soldier.

In Australia November 11 isalso known as Poppy Day. The redremembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day because they bloomedacross some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I.

The Roll of Honour dotted with red poppies

Whether it is called Veterans Day, Remembrance Day, orArmistice Day, it is a day that we all stop to remember. As the wife and the sister of two Vietnamveterans, I extend my good wishes and gratitude to all those serving in themilitary and to their families for your sacrifice.

Blog Tour de Troops continues until 14 November so there isa great opportunity for you to win quite a few eBooks for yourself and for thesoldiers. I’m so pleased you visited ThePerfect Plot. Please remember to leave acomment along with your email address so that you can receive your eBook. Your next stop on the Tour is Melissa Foster site.

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Review of Murder At The Rocks - 8 November 2011

By Vidocq (Vidster) See all my reviews at Defrosting Cold Cases

BLOG TOUR DE TROOPS - VETERAN'S DAY WEEKEND

2011-11-08T18:59:00.000-05:00

Join us Veteran's Day Weekend when we have a blast blog hop to dozens of authors sites where each is giving away not only an eBook to every commenter, but another one to a soldier! Blog Tour de Troops

November 11th - 14th

Anne K. Albert: Jill Paterson's Murder at the Rocks

2011-10-29T16:05:00.000-04:00

Anne K. Albert: Jill Paterson's Murder at the Rocks

UPDATING YOUR EBOOK AND PAPERBACK

2011-10-28T23:24:00.000-04:00

After publishing Murder At The Rocks in both eBookand paperback formats, I found I wanted to make some changes. The thought was rather daunting in case Idestroyed what I’d originally published, but because I can’t stop myself once Ihave a bee in my bonnet, I went ahead, into the abyss! I should add that I was helped along by afriend on Goodreads as well as KDPs support team.

I had published through Smashwords, Kindle Direct PublishingKDP, and Createspace. I decided to startwith updating my Smashwords eBook first.

Smashwords

I found making changes to my Smashwords version the leastcomplicated.

1. Make and save changes to your file, and go into your SmashwordsDashboard.

2. Under Operations, click on ‘Upload New Version’.

3. Under Select File, press the ‘Up-load button’.

4. Return to your Dashboard.

5. You will see that under the heading ‘Premium Status’ itwill now say ‘Pending’. This will remainso for approximately 24 hours until your updated version has been approved.

Kindle DirectPublishing KDP

Making changes to my KDP version was a little moredifficult, but only because I wasn’t aware that, depending on what kind of fileyou originally loaded, the process for updating is different. In my case I had originally uploaded a MOBIfile.

MOBI file

1. Make the changes to your original file, and save it asWeb Page, Filtered (*Htm & Html).

2. Open MobiCreator.

3. Select “HTML Document” from Import from an Existing File

4. Press “Import”

5. Select “Build”

6. On the Build page click ‘Build”.

7. Once completed you should see the message “Build Finished”.

8. You will find the file in your ‘My Documents\MyPublications’ folder. It is supposed tohave a PRC (or prc) extension, although, mine said Kindle Content.

You can now upload this updated file to KDP as you did youroriginal.

HTML or Word docs

1. Sign in to KDP

2. To the right of your ‘Bookshelp’ screen click the Actionsdrop down menu.

3. Choose ‘Edit Book Details’

4. The details of the book you published will come up.

5. Scroll down to Preview Book

6. You will see your book as it is in your KDP account and the ‘DownloadHTML link should be at the top of the Preview screen. Click on this to download the content andmake your changes before resubmitting it.

*I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Kindle systemupdates from the CLOUD so that anyone who has bought your eBook previous to theupdate will automatically receive the updated edition.

Kindlepublishing video tutorial at https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help?topicId=A2M7MM0UP7PHK0

Createspace

As you know, the paperback format is a PDF file so you needto make the changes to your original PDF file and then upload it ontoCreatespace. It will automaticallyreplace your original. There will be adown-time for this updated version of your book until you have approved the newproof. In my case this only took a week.

What are your experiences with updating your book(s)?

Indie Writers Zone: Indie Insider - Jill Paterson

2011-10-18T21:24:00.000-04:00

Indie Writers Zone: Indie Insider - Jill Paterson: How long does it take you to create a book from start to finish on average? Murder At The Rocks, took me approximately two years to write...

BALANCING YOUR WRITING AND SOCIAL MEDIA

2011-10-09T22:43:00.000-04:00

Socialmedia is a wonderful thing. It enables usto interact with our readers, advertise our work, as well as keep in touch withfamily and friends. But have you everfelt that it is taking over?

The merry-go-round

You jump onand don’t get off. It can change all theplans you had for your day. That bookyou are writing isn’t getting written. Atleast that has been my experience, so I decided to do something about it.

Setting limits to getthe balance right

For methere were two options. To spend mymornings writing or my afternoons writing. This wasn’t a difficult choice because I knew that if I turned theinternet on first thing in the morning, I would invariably get caught up, andnever get around to my afternoon’s writing.

This is what I came upwith.

Resist theurge to connect to the internet and spend the morning writing.

Dependingon other commitments, blog writing, postings and maintenance of the site, inthe early afternoon.

Emails,Twitter and other social media between 3-4pm.

Have you found that your writing time has shrunk?

A SPECIAL PLACE TO WRITE - YOU DON'T NEED ONE

2011-10-07T00:26:00.000-04:00

I’m lucky Iguess. I do have my own study, albeitvery small. It houses three bookcases, afiling cabinet, a large desk, two printers, my chair, my cat Fergus, andme. It’s saving grace is a floor toceiling window enabling a good deal of natural light and, for me, alleviatingpossible claustrophobia. For Fergus, itmeans many happy hours of feline growling at the birds in the bird bath outside.

Of course,you don’t need a study because you can write anywhere. I guess that’s the beauty of it. All you need is a pen, some paper and somewhereto sit. I’ve written on trains, planes, airportgate lounges, the park, the hairdressers, the dentist’s waiting room (ugh), myback patio, the dining room table, the couch in the living room. One of my favourite places is the coffeeshop at my local aquatic centre. Withtwo 50 metre swimming pools, it tends to be a noisy place, but I can’t say thatI notice once I start writing. I wrotemuch of ‘The Celtic Dagger’ and ‘Murder At The Rocks’, at this coffee shop.

So why am Itelling you all this? Because, as Isaid before, you don’t need a special place to write. You can write anywhere.

BEGINNING WRITERS - STOP THINKING, START WRITING

2011-09-24T21:11:00.000-04:00

Getting started
Do you have story ideas spinning around in your head but don’t put pen to paper to write them down? You’re not alone. I, for one, spent years doing just that. So, why not start today.

Is one of the reasons you didn’t pick up your pen because you thought your story idea wouldn’t be big enough for a short story or a book? Then you would be wrong because you only need a mere spark of an idea to set you on the road, and once there, you will be amazed at what you will achieve. Whether the initial idea is about a character, a setting, or an incident, any one of these is enough for you to begin.

The first draft
Now that you are on your way, don’t stop until you have finished your first draft. Try to resist the urge to edit as you go along because it will break your momentum. You will have all the time in the world to edit once you have that first draft finished.

We all tackle our writing differently
As individuals, we tackle our writing process differently. For example, one writer I know produces his first draft in next to no time. It irks me, actually, because I take forever. But that’s me, I guess. I don’t edit along the way, but I do a lot of procrastinating. And that is my point. It really doesn’t matter how anyone else does it. What matters is what you do.

Doubt

Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Along the way you will experience doubt. It’s inevitable, especially in a solitary occupation such as writing. There’s no one looking over your shoulder telling you what you are doing right or wrong. You will ask yourself whether your story is compelling. Will anyone want to read past the first page? Am I wasting my time? I believe that no matter how many books you eventually write, you will find yourself asking the same questions with each one. Determination is the operative word here. Don’t waver, just keep going and believe in yourself.

Your first draft is complete. Now what
I think having your first draft completed is a most exhilarating experience. You now have a story from beginning, through the middle, to the end. This doesn’t mean that you won’t make changes in your subsequent drafts, but you now have a story to work on. Make it the best that it can be. And don’t rush the process.

SELF PUBLISHING A PAPERBACK EDITION - Part 4 Cont'd

2011-08-25T01:00:00.000-04:00

Well, it’s done. The paperback edition of, Murder At The Rocks, is now published on Amazon along with my Kindle edition and I’m happy to say that the whole process went smoothly.

After receiving and approving my proof copy from CreateSpace, I uploaded the PDF file of my manuscript along with the full book cover image onto the site. This was made easy by the various prompts. Once uploaded, I waited the obligatory 7 to 10 days for the book to appear on Amazon, linked, hopefully, to the Kindle edition. When they did not appear together and my paperback edition proved hard to find, I contacted CreateSpace Support who quickly fixed the problem.

For the benefit of those who would shy away from self publishing because they doubt their computer abilities, I must tell you that I am no computer geek, and if I can do this, anyone can. I will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

SELF PUBLISHING - Part 6

2011-08-06T21:17:00.000-04:00

An Author Platform

Whether youare going to self publish your book, are being traditionally published, or arestill writing your manuscript, you will need to think about its promotion. A good way to do this is to develop an authorplatform. What on earth’s an authorplatform? You ask. It’s, quite simply, a way of reaching youraudience, mainly through social media.

I’m a writer,accustomed to sitting here alone in my study oblivious to the world outside. My computer literacy only extended to using myword processing program and sending the occasional email. I’d never dabbled in Facebook or Twitter orany other social networking, but after the publication of my first book, Idecided it was a necessity. To be quitehonest, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. I’ve discovered a community of wonderfulpeople out there who not only love to write, but who share their experiencesand offer help so readily. Consequently,I’m no longer sitting here alone.

I startedby joining Goodreads It’s a great site for both authors andreaders. It enables you to have anauthor page where you can display your book(s), advertise and dogiveaways. Added to this you will find ahost of group to join where you can communicate with like minded people. I’ve found this a very helpful and friendly sitenot only as an author but also as a reader.

With myconfidence growing, I decided to join Facebook You may already be a member of Facebook, butdid you know that you can also have a FacebookFan Page that enables you to get your book(s) seen.

Next came Twitter and to be quite honest, I’mstill coming to grips with it. Evenso, I’mlearning the lingo even to the point of retweeting RT, thanks to the help from anotherTweeter! Or is it Twitterer?

Finally,a Blog is a must and here ismine. A work in progress.

Of course, the above suggestions are just a start. There are so many great sites out there inhabited by wonderful people from all around the world.

The Fitzjohn Mystery Series

2011-08-05T06:26:00.000-04:00

The settingfor the Fitzjohn Mystery series is Sydney. It features Detective Chief Inspector Alistair Fitzjohn, a policeofficer of the old guard, his methodical, painstaking methods viewed by some asarchaic. Nevertheless, over the years,they have brought him success as well as the respect of all but one of hiscolleagues; Superintendent Grieg, the man Fitzjohn regards as his nemesis.

Fitzjohn lives alone in his Birchgrove sandstone cottagewhere he escapes the harrowing realities of his job by tending his orchids, alegacy from his late wife, Edith. But hecan’t escape his sister, Meg, who is determined to help him through his grief.

His sergeant, Martin Betts, is an eager young detective even though having difficulty when it comes to viewing the unfortunate victims of crime, and occasionally finding himself a pawn in Superintendent Grieg's war against Fitzjohn.

Murder At The Rocks is set mainly around the historic Rocksarea of Sydney Harbour, and Circular Quay as shown here.

The settings for The Celtic Dagger, although going further afieldat times, are in and around the University of Sydney and the Australian Museum,particularly the Bird Gallery.

SELF PUBLISHING - Part 5

2011-07-09T00:26:00.000-04:00

ITIN number.

If you liveoutside the USA and do not have an IndividualTaxpayer Identification Number (ITIN),Smashwords and Amazon (or whoever you are selling your books through) willwithhold 30% tax. However, you are notobligated to obtain an ITIN if you are happy to live with this fact.

If youchoose to obtain one, the process is as follows:-

Download aW-7 form from the IRS website along with instructions for filling it out. At the same time, download a W-8BENform. When you have uploaded your ebookonto Kindle Direct Publishing, you will be able to download a letter from themexplaining why you need an ITIN number. Enclose this letter along with your completed W-7 form and othernecessary identification documents and mail to:-

InternalRevenue Service

ITINOperation

PO Box149342

Austin, TX78714-9342

USA

I thinkthis process takes about six weeks. Whenyou receive your ITIN number, you then need to fill in W-8BEN forms with yourITIN number and send them to whoever you are selling through, eg., Smashwords,Amazon.

SELF PUBLISHING A PAPERBACK EDITION - Part 4

2011-07-07T22:53:00.000-04:00

Many peoplestill prefer to hold a book in their hands so I think it’s important to make apaperback edition available. There are anumber of print on demand companies. Theones I have looked at are LuLu, Lightening Source and Createspace. I’ve decided to go with Createspace who isowned by Amazon.

I’ve onlyjust started this process, but so far my steps are:

I havecreated an account with Createspace.

I havebought an ISBN number and a barcode. (You have to have a different ISBN for your paperback edition).

The personwho created my eBook cover is working on a full cover for me.

I found itdifficult to format my manuscript for a paperback edition so I went in searchof someone who could produce what I needed. A pdf file that can be uploaded to Createspace. This has cost $164AUD up front and theprocess took approximately two weeks.

I am nowawaiting the final proof of the full cover.

When Iupload the pdf book file and cover to Createspace, they will send me a proofcopy by mail so that I can check through it. When I have approved it, it will go onto Amazon in the USA, UK andGermany as the paperback edition. Createspace will print copies as they are bought by customers.

I can setmy own price and change it if I wish.

More onself publishing a paperback edition when I get through this process.

SELF PUBLISHING - Part 3

2011-07-06T20:58:00.000-04:00

Kindle Direct Publishing is your avenue to publishing your eBook onto Amazon.

I opened an account, created a profile and read the information about eBook publishing provided on the site.

I then made a copy of the formatted eBook I had uploaded onto Smashwords, and after a few minor changes, uploaded this and my book cover onto the Kindle Direct Publishing site.

Within half an hour, my eBook was available for sale on Amazon in the USA, UK and Germany.

To check for sales and royalties, you go into the Kindle Direct site.

So far, this whole exercise has cost me $147. My eBook is on Amazon in three countries, on the Smashwords site as well as for sale through all their distribution partners.

SELF PUBLISHING - Part 2

2011-07-04T18:40:00.000-04:00

eBook formating for Smashwords

As I said earlier, you can download the Smashwords Style Guide if you wish to do your own formatting, or alternatively, Smashwords will email you a list of people who can do this task for you. At a cost.

I like to try things for myself so I made an extra copy of my manuscript and following the Style Guide meticulously, I went to work. It took me a few days to complete, and after checking and rechecking everything, as well as deciding on the cost of my book, I took the plunge. I clicked on the Publish tab on the Smashwords site and uploaded my cover and my book. When you do this, your book and cover goes through what they call an Auto Vetter that inspects your book and gives you instant feedback on potential formatting problems. Thankfully, I had none.

Once your book is uploaded successfully, it is available for sale straight away on the Smashwords site. At the same time, it is placed on a pending list for entry into the Premium Catalogue. This is a manual process and can take up to two weeks to complete. Once again, if any formatting errors are found, you will be notified and given the opportunity to correct them.

It is important to get accepted into the Premium Catalogue because once there, Smashwords distributes your eBook to their retail channel partners such as Apple, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, The Diesel eBook Store, Amazon and Scrollmotion.

SELF PUBLISHING - Part 1

2011-07-02T20:53:00.000-04:00

If you had asked me in June 2010 whether I would have considered self publishing my second book, Murder At The Rocks, I would have given you a blank stare because the thought had never occurred to me. I planned to do what many authors do - look endlessly for an agent to represent me or a publisher who would consent to read my unsolicited manuscript. As you know, this can take months before you get a reply be it positive or negative. After spending two years steaming ahead writing a book it’s like you have come to a brick wall built right across your path. Everything comes to a standstill. A year ago I would have accepted this however frustrating, but now I’m not willing to. Not since I can now self publish.

I’m going to cover my self publishing journey over the next few blogs hoping that it will help others if they choose to go down that road.

Where to start

I wanted to publish my book as an eBook as well as a paperback, and after looking into the process for both, I decided to start with the eBook edition first. This you can do through Smashwords and Kindle Direct Publishing which is owned by Amazon.

Smashwords

· I started by opening an account on Smashwords and reading all the information they make available.

· Next I chose someone to create a book cover. (On request, Smashwords will email you a list of people who can create a cover.) I supplied my own background photograph and the cost ended up being $57. I think the cost depends largely on a number of things such as time spent, images used, and how many proofs are done.

· My next step was to acquire an ISBN number. This I bought from Thorpe-Bowker for $40 plus a (once only) registration fee of $50. It is possible to get a free ISBN number from Smashwords, but not until you have been approved for their Premium Catalogue.

· With my book cover in the making and having entered my ISBN number onto the site, I looked into formatting my manuscript as an eBook. This process is rather more challenging, but not insurmountable with the help of Smashwords Style Guide. It is a 75 page document and free to download. There again, Smashwords will email a list of people who can do this for you at a cost. I decided to try it myself.

Writing Tips for Aspiring Writers

2011-05-13T21:26:00.000-04:00

HOOK YOUR READER FROM THE BEGINNING

How do you ensure that your readers will turn that first page and read on. Only your imagination limits the choices you have, but whatever you choose, it has to give the reader a sense that something threatening is happening or about to happen. This can be done in a variety of ways. An intruder, a death, even a doorbell ringing. Wouldn’t you agree that the doorbell ringing in the middle of the night would give you a sense of dread? At least until you opened the door.

Your hook can be your opening sentence or your first paragraph but whatever you decide, keep the description to a minimum and don’t use passive sentences. For example,

Esme’s eyelids flew open, her body tensed and her arthritic joints twinged as the scraping noise came again from the room above.

Straight away we have the name of the character. We also know that she suffers from arthritis, is possibly elderly, and what is that scraping noise she hears. Is Esme in danger?

Laurence Harford emerged from the building into the cold night air and lit the cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. Drawing on it, he discarded the match and exhaled, watching the smoke blend with the shadows in the dimly lit laneway. He started walking toward the stone archway and the street beyond, but froze when a figure stepped out in front of him. As their eyes met, Laurence’s heart pumped, a sense of recognition registering in his brain. Beads of sweat broke out across his brow and his cigarette fell to the wet flagstones, its life snuffed out. Laurence lurched out into the deserted street, the sound of uneven footsteps behind him.

In this second example something is happening. Who did Laurence see in the laneway, and why did he react as he did?

Writing Tips for Aspiring Writers

2011-04-21T21:54:00.001-04:00

SHOW DON’T TELL

To give your writing life and capture your reader you need to show not tell your story. So, what does this mean?

Basically it means that you want the reader to experience what is happening to your character through detail. You want your reader to not only see the action but feel, taste, smell and hear everything that is going on. This will bring your reader into the scene. For example, if you tell the reader what is going on it will be like this.

Robert parked his car, and went for a walk on the beach.

As a reader, how does this make you feel? At a distance? You are being told that Robert has parked his car and gone for a walk on the beach.

But what if you show the reader what is going on as demonstrated in the following paragraph.

Robert parked the car, and pulling his collar up against the cold sou’westerly wind, he walked down onto the beach. Deserted, but for a bunch of seagulls huddled together on the sand, their attempts at flight marred by the howling gale, he became mesmerised by the sea, its choppy, uneven swell crashing onto shore before being dragged back.

Does this make you feel a little closer to the character and the scene? As if you are experiencing the walk on the beach with him. The reader can imagine what the weather is like. He can picture the seagulls huddled together against the wind. And he can see Robert staring at the waves crashing into shore. This gives the reader so much more information about the scene and makes the reader feel a part of the scene.

Writing Tips for Aspiring Writers

2011-03-28T23:13:00.000-04:00

POINT OF VIEW
One of the first things you need to decide when you start to write is through whose eyes you want to tell your story. In other words, which point of view do you want to use.

If you choose to have your character tell the reader the story, you will be choosing the first person point of view. For example,

As I left the shelter of Blackheath, the road disappeared under a mantle of snow, the trees that lined its sides my only guide. I stared ahead, mesmerised by the snow that cross my field of vision and watched for the entrance to Cragleigh.

With this point of view the reader is inside the character’s head and consequently will come to know that character well. It can present the writer with some difficulties, however. For example, you are only able to use what one person knows and will have to devise ways to have that character find things out. The reader only knows what one person knows.

Another choice is the third person point of view where the reader is viewing the story from outside the character(s). For example,

As James left the shelter of Blackheath, the road disappeared under a mantle of snow, the trees that lined its sides his only guide. He stared ahead, mesmerised by the snow that crossed his field of vision and watched for the entrance to Cragleigh.

The third person point of view has a number of advantages. You can, if you wish, use more than one character’s point of view. This gives the writer the opportunity to increase the tension as the reader can see problems coming. You can also leave one character in difficulty and go onto another character’s point of view. Having said that it can make structuring your story complicated.

Another point of view choice is the omniscient point of view. Used by writers in the 19th century, it is seldom used today. In this point of view the narrator is in all the characters minds so can see and tell all. It has the effect of distancing the reader.

A form of the omniscient point of view is used today when we present settings and describe events in third person.