On this page, I’ll be occasionally reviewing software, writing strategies, podcasts related to writing, and probably some stuff I can’t even think of at the moment. I can remember writing in notebooks until I acquired an amazing piece of hi-tech equipment – a Smith Corona manual typewriter. I can remember stuffing two pieces of paper in with a piece of carbon copy paper in between. This was back in 1982 or thereabouts. I have not seen it in many years, but I know the closet it is in. The big jump was an electric typewriter, which was cool. Now it’s a 27’’ Imac computer along with two laptops. When I’m long gone, I can only imagine what writers will be using.
As a first, just a few words below regarding a couple of great podcasts for writers…
On this page, I’ll be reviewing software, writing strategies, podcasts related to writing, and probably some stuff I can’t even think of at the moment. I can remember writing in notebooks until I acquired an amazing piece of hi-tech equipment – a Smith Corona manual typewriter. I can remember stuffing two pieces of paper in with a piece of carbon copy paper in between. This was back in 1982 or thereabouts. I have not seen it in many years, but I know the closet it is in. The big jump was an electric typewriter, which was cool. Now it’s a 27’’ Imac computer along with two laptops. When I’m long gone, I can only imagine what writers will be using.
As a first, just a few words below regarding a couple of great podcasts for writers…
Writing Related Podcasts
My knowledge of self publishing has been helped to a great extent by several Podcasts I’ve listened to regularly and would like to share. The top two would be The CreativePenn Podcast by Joanna Penn. She has been podcasting for many years, and would be a great help to anyone looking to publish their first novel. Her site is loaded with very helpful information, and I invite you to take a look at it. The information is practical and easy to understand. I am fortunate enough to work behind a computer all day and can listen while working.
The other would be Orna Ross of the Alliance of Independent Authors. Her site as well is full of good information for those looking to get our books out there.
Time to Publish
So, you’ve finished that book you started writing a year ago and now it’s time to put it out there for the world to see. In the old day’s there was only one option; find an agent and with a bit of luck, have one of the big publishers publish your book. If you’ve been down that road like I have, you know your chances are maybe a little better than winning the lottery!
Thankfully, things have changed for all of us. Self publishing continues to grow and allows many good writers to get their work out there. One downside is many awful books are out there. Books that were hastily written with little or no editing. While bad, these books will get the critical reviews they deserve and let these authors know this type of ‘publishing’ will not work. But for the rest of us who may want to make a living at writing, the options are many.
Perhaps in a future article or post, I’ll look at the many options such as going direct verses going wide. Many may want to go to KDP only. This may give you a brief surge in the short run, but is not a good idea if you plan to build a business of writing over time. My personal plan is to go directly to KDP (without being exclusive), Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and go wide with Draft2Digital. KDP will not get you into libraries while Kobo and D2D will.
Scrivener
One of the greatest writing aids I have found is Scrivener. It acts like the word processors we’re used to, it does so much more. Think of it as a digital index card system where you build folders for chapters, characters, scenes, places, etc. Unlike Microsoft Word, you have the option of rearranging chapters and folders by drag and drop. There’s also a “cork-board” where you can see your chapters at a glance. Interested in counting daily writing goals? The program allows you to do this in several ways. Color coding folders to designate draft, completed or revised is an easy task. One of the best features is the compile feature.
When you’re done and ready to publish, the program allows you to compile and download in multiple formats such as EPUB, MOBI, PDF, and many more. If you’re a writer and never heard of Scrivener, do yourself a favor and check out the link above, or search for instructional videos on YouTube.