Author: Iola

I provide professional freelance manuscript assessment, copyediting and proofreading services for writers of Christian fiction and non-fiction books, stories and articles. I also review Christian novels at www.christianreads.blogspot.com.

20 October 2021

Book Review | Redeeming Your Time by Jordan Raynor

There are any number of time management and productivity books available at your local bookshop or library. in my experience, most of them promise if you follow their One True Way of organising your life, then you will be a happier and more productive person. The problem with this line is that God created us all to be unique, so what works for the author many not work for me, and what works for me may not work for you. This leaves us feeling like a failure when the One True Way doesn’t work, so we’re back on the organisation/productivity bandwagon to find a way that does work.

There are two authors I’ve come across who acknowledge the fallacy in this way of thinking:

Becca Syme, a Gallup-certified Strengths Coach, who encourages readers (and watchers – she has some excellent YouTube videos) to QTP: Question The Premise. What does that mean? Simple. Don’t assume that an absolute statement is correct, then feel bad when that thing does’t work for you. It doesn’t work because there is no One True Way to organise your life.

Jordan Raynor, who says:

“Nearly every author promise[s] that his or her method to solving our time management problems is easy … the work of redeeming your time will not be easy, but it will be worth it.”

Raynor points out that if we are to redeem our time and become more like Christ, we need to start with Christ.

In Redeeming Your Time, Raynor takes readers through a series of principles and practices we can use to better utilise our time. Yes, he shares his own personal productivity system, but doesn’t teach it as the One True Way. Where he does advise on a specific practice, the rationale is backed either by Scripture or by science.

For example, he talks about the Zeigarnik effect, the tendency for uncompleted tasks to clutter our minds (sometimes to the point that we forget things … or is that just me?).

This discussion brought to mind the many sermons I’ve heard where the pastor started by telling us to put out of our minds all those things on our to-do list and concentrate on God (meaning, concentrate on the sermon). My mind’s immediate reaction was to start listing all those unwritten tasks, to the point where I couldn’t concentrate on the sermon until I’d written them in the back of my sermon notebook.

This is basic psychology … but is exactly what the speaker didn’t want.

Raynor points out there is a reason St Paul tells us to make all our prayers and petitions known to God—because clearing our minds will help our anxiety and stress. That may also be a reason some Christians like to journal: writing helps clear their mind so they can concentrate on what’s important.

Raynor is a fan of David Allen’s Getting Things Done workflow:

I recognize that my ability to be hyper-productive is a gracious gift from God. But I credit Getting Things Done for being the dominant tool God has used deliver that grace in my life.

I took a lot of notes from Redeeming Your Time, and I will need to print them off, read them, and review them to work through what my “new normal” can and should look like now I am an empty-nester working three-plus days a week for a local company, rather than being the self-employed work-from-home mother of teenagers.

Will Jordan’s system (or any system) make me hyper-productive? Raynor says no (which is odd, but still a relief). Will it be easy? Raynor says no to that question as well. Will it help me get to the end of my to-do list? Raynor says no … and that’s okay because:

God doesn’t need you to finish your to-do list … If the things on our to-do lists are on God’s to-do list, he will complete them with or without us.

I find that both encouraging and motivating. If it encourages you and you want to better utilise your time, then you might want to check out Redeeming Your Time.

Thanks to Waterbrook and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Redeeming Your Time

Manage your time the way Jesus managed his with a biblical antidote to swamped to-do lists and hurried schedules.

Despite the overwhelming amount of resources for time management and work-life balance, the ability to cultivate the efficiency and equilibrium needed to manage all our worthy pursuits can often feel frustratingly out of reach. The reason for our struggle is that productivity and time-management systems focus on individual habits rather than more meaningful and lasting lifestyle changes. But as it turns out, there is a better way to reach our full potential.

We don’t need just another approach to changing our habits. What we need is an operating system that takes into account the full scope of our lives. In these pages, bestselling author Jordan Raynor presents this system, using seven powerful time- management principles drawn from the example of how Jesus lived:

1. Start with the Word: Find meaningful connection with the author of time daily.
2. Let Your Yes Be Yes: Accept only the commitments you can fulfill.
3. Dissent from the Kingdom of Noise: Create room for silence, stillness, and reflection.
4. Prioritize Your Yeses: Confidently maintain your commitments.
5. Accept Your “Unipresence”: Focus on one important thing at a time.
6. Embrace Productive Rest: Live the God-designed rhythms of rest which are productive for our goals and souls.
7. Eliminate All Hurry: Embrace productive busyness while ruthlessly eliminating hurry from our lives.

With these principles, you’ll see how Jesus managed his time on earth and how he responded to human constraints much like the ones you face today. More than that, you’ll discover corresponding practices that will help you embrace the best, most Christlike version of yourself possible: purposeful, present, and wildly productive.

Find Redeeming Your Time online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

6 October 2021

Dear Editor | Can I Use Fictional Characters in my Novel?

Please note that I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. There is a lot of great information about copyright on the internet, but none of it is legal advice. To get legal advice, you pay a lawyer licensed to practice in your state or country.

Can you reference another author’s characters in your novel?

As with so many questions in publishing, it depends.

If this is something you’re considering, here are some questions to ask.

Is the novel out of copyright?

If the novel is out of copyright, then it’s likely you can use the characters. That’s how we have so many versions of Jane Austen novels (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, anyone?). But keep reading, because it might not be.

Are you planning to sell the book?

If you’re writing purely for enjoyment and not making your work available for sale, then it may be classified as fan fiction. Many authors are perfectly happy for their characters to be used in fan fiction … but some are not, such as Anne Rice. JK Rowling doesn’t mind as long as there is no sex.

Do you have the author’s permission?

If the novel is still under copyright and you want to include the character (or the character’s name), then my advice would be to ask permission from the author or rights holder. The author may take it as a compliment and happily give permission, or they may decline your request.

Is there a valid trademark on the character name?

Some characters are so unique that their names are protected by trademark to ensure that no other author writes and sells novels using that character. If the character is trademarked, you can’t use that character without permission.

This particularly applies to characters where the book has been adapted into a film. In such cases, the name may well have been trademarked by the production company, if not by the author.

Is the character covered by copyright?

If the character is distinctive enough that they are subject to copyright in their own right (e.g. Jack Ryan or James Bond), then you can’t use that character without permission. If the character has appeared in a movie or TV series, you almost certainly can’t use that character without the permission of both the author and the production company.

So when can you use another author’s character?

When you have written permission from the copyright holder.

If the author has given you written permission for using their character, then you are fine.

Otherwise, don’t.

What if I accidentally use the same character name?

That’s going to depend on how common the character’s name is, and whether your character is clearly a different character. The legal issue here is “passing off”. Could an average reader mistakenly think they’ve bought an all-new James Bond novel featuring the famous 007 agent? If so, you’ve got a problem.

(An ornithologist named James Bond in your novel set in the Caribbean in the 1950s is unlikely to cause problems. A spy named James Bond will.)

Perhaps Google your main character’s name while you’re still in draft stage. Then you’ve got time to change your character’s name if you’ve unconsciously chosen one that is too close to a previous (and more famous) character … or real-life person.

But Why?

My question as a reader is why would you use another author’s character? I have occasionally read novels where a character from another writer in the genre is mentioned. I find it a little odd, especially if it’s not made clear the character has been “borrowed” e.g. by thanking the other author in the author’s notes at the end.

Using an existing name implies a connection between the two books and authors, and that breaks the suspension of disbelief necessary for great fiction.

So if you do borrow a character, make sure you have permission and make clear it is the same character. Don’t leave the reader wondering.

30 June 2021

Book Review | The Enneagram for Beginners by Kim Eddy

Over the last few years, I have seen more and more questions referring to the Enneagram. It’s yet another in a long line of personality assessment tools designed to help people understand themselves and others better. The author points out that what differs differentiates the Enneagram from other personality assessments is the focus on motivation.

The Enneagram for Beginners has a lot of applications for Christian fiction writers, regardless of what you think about the tool itself.

It gives all of us a window into other’s hearts, helping us to see the person, not just their actions.

That statement caught my attention, because I could see how it applies to writers. Many writers have trouble articulating a goal and motivation for their characters, which is an issue:

Without a goal, there is nothing for the character to come into conflict with.
Without conflict, there is no plot.
Without motivation there is no reason for the goal, no conflict, and no story.

The other difference between the Enneagram and other personality assessments is that most assessments categorise people into a box that is supposed to describe them. For example, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator categorises people with four letters representing four alternatives:

Introversion (I) or Extroversion (E)
Sensing (S) or Intuitive (N)
Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)
Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)

Thus, your Myers-Briggs Type might be an ISTJ or ENFP or any other combination of those four letters.

Once you have that those four letters, the tool shows how you are similar to or different from others, and points out certain personality characteristics you might have in common. The underlying principle is that our “type” doesn’t change, but we can learn how to maximise our own strengths and learn to work with those with different personalities.

In contrast, the Enneagram shows users a way to develop and change.

Sometimes this development and change can be positive, and sometimes this is negative. The author says:

One of the purposes of learning about our Enneagram type is to be able to grow beyond it.

As writers, we call this growth the character arc.

The Enneagram gives each of the nine Enneagram types a desire, a fear, a struggle, and a lie that Type believes.

As we authors know, the lie the character believes (aka the emotional wound) is one of the essentials of good characterisation.

For example, Type 3s prioritise being successful and achieving their goals. Why? Because Type 3s live with the lie that they will only be loved and respected if they live up to the expectations of others.

It’s easy to see how this lie can influence a fictional character.

The character wants to be admired and respected, so works hard and always presents a perfect persona to the outside world. I would guess that The Duchess of Cambridge (aka Catherine Middleton) is a Type 3.

But this belief is a lie, and a lie which tells us the lesson the character needs to learn as the novel progresses. A Type 3 character needs to learn they are more than the image they create, and that being perceived as a failure will not be the end of their lives. Instead, they need to learn that they have worth regardless of how others perceive them.

Each Enneagram type also has a growth type and a stress type.

For example, a Type 3 will grow to show some of the positive characteristics of a Type 6. They may become more cooperative loyal, and more of a team player as they put aside the emphasis on personal achievement and focus on others.

But a Type 3 character operating under stress could move towards the unhealthy characteristics of a Type 9. They might become more stubborn, more withdrawn, and more prone to becoming a workaholic in order to impress others.

I am no expert on the Enneagram and certainly have no desire to start putting real-life people in an Enneagram box.

But I think the concept has great applications for Christian writers, especially fiction writers. As such, I can see the book providing some great ideas and opportunities for character development e.g. if you want to understand your character’s underlying motivation, the lie they believe, and the kind of event that will produce a believeable and meaningful black moment or dark night of the soul.

The Enneagram for Beginners by Kim Eddy is a Christian guide to the Enneagram ... and is also a great resource for Christian fiction writers. #BookReview Click To Tweet

I especially like the way the book showed the blindspots each character type is likely to have the growth opportunities for the individual, for the individual with their families, and for the individual in the wider community or work setting. It went on to show the growth opportunities for each Enneagram Type, and how to become more like Jesus.

That, to me, was the real strength of the book. It said it was Christian, and it was Christian.

Everything in the book was bringing the concept of the Enneagram back to our relationship with Jesus and how Jesus is the answer to our problems (you know, like the Bible says).

The book didn’t quote other Enneagram experts (although it’s obvious the author has done her research and read widely are on the subject), but focused on practical steps about how to move from unhealthy or average to healthy for our Enneagram type (or our character’s type).

While The Enneagram for Beginners isn’t intended as a writing manual for Christian fiction writers, I do think it’s worth checking out if you’re looking for another approach to characterisation, or want to consider how motivation and lies can play a part in Christian fiction.

Do you know your Enneagram Type?

Have you used the Enneagram as a tool for characterisation?

About Kim Eddy

Kim Eddy is a Christian Enneagram Coach, speaker and author. Her passion is helping people of faith use the Enneagram to understand themselves and others better so they can grow in their life, relationships and wellbeing. Kim is the daughter of a pastor and a nurse, and is one of 9 children. She lives in sunny Arizona with her two world-changers-in-training little girls.

Find Kim online at:

Website | Podcast | Instagram

About The Enneagram for Beginners

Recognized as a valuable tool for identifying recurring patterns of unhealthy behavior and the ways we try to earn God’s favor, the Enneagram is used by churches, ministries, and families to grow more like Jesus and be closer to one another. While its wisdom is highly sought after, the Enneagram system can be complicated to navigate for first-time users. In this highly accessible spiritual guide, Certified Enneagram Coach Kim Eddy breaks down the essentials to help beginners discover their type and break free from fear and shame by knowing and experiencing the unconditional love, forgiveness and freedom in Christ.

The Enneagram for Beginners features:

Enneagram 101: that includes everything you need to know about the Enneagram, such as the triads, subtypes, wings, levels of health, ongoing struggles, and more
Easy and supportive steps to find your true type
Deep explorations into each of the nine personality types to understand the ways in which you experience the world and how you can find Jesus everyday
Type-focused scripture that reveals what God says about you
A special prayer for each type

This book is an essential tool for beginners who want to learn their type and find their own transformative path, all while keeping their faith and relationship with Jesus at the center.

Find The Enneagram for Beginners online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads

16 March 2021

Dear Editor | Should I Respond to Reviews?

This is a common question from first-time authors. It’s understandable: they have just got one or four or more positive reviews on their first book, their first reviews from strangers. Their parents raised them to say thank you, so they want to thank the reviewers. But they’ve heard it’s not appropriate to respond to reviews. So should they respond, or should they ignore the review?

As with many questions in publishing, it depends.

In this case, whether to respond or not depends on where the review was published:

Amazon or Other retail site.
Bookbub or another promotion site.
Goodreads or another booklover site.
The reviewer’s own website or blog.

Amazon or Other Retail Site

It is generally agreed that authors shouldn’t respond to reviews on Amazon or other retail sites, even if the review is positive. Responding to the first review is setting a precedent: are you going to respond to every review, even when you get hundreds, or thousands? No–because spending time responding to reviews means you’re not spending time writing the next book. And that’s what your fans really want–the next book.

Responding to a negative or critical review is even worse.

What are you going to say? Most authors respond by defending themselves or their book. That isn’t a positive response, and it will discourage people from reviewing your book … which will discourage people from buying your book. And defending your book won’t change the reviewer’s mind. You had 50,000 or 90,000 words in the book to convince them. If your book didn’t convince them, a 100-word rebuttal on Amazon won’t.

Either way, responding to reviews tells people you read your reviews and take them to heart. Is that a good idea? Instead, thank them by writing your next book.

The one possible exception is if a reviewer asks a direct question.

Even then, it’s probably best to ignore the question—answering shows you read your reviews. If the reader really wanted the answer, they could contact you through your website (because your Amazon Author Central page has your website link, doesn’t it?).

I’d also caution authors against “Liking” positive reviews or asking fans to Like positive reviews. There are two reasons for this advice:

It’s against Amazon’s Reviewing Guidelines for authors to attempt to “drown out other people’s opinions” by coordinating with others (especially if that is an attempt to upvote positive reviews to hide critical reviews).
When a book has only a few reviews and all the five-star reviews have one Like, but none of the critical reviews have been voted helpful, customers might suspect the author (or their spouse or BFF) is the only voter. As with commenting on positive review, this doesn’t give a good impression.

Promotional Site

I’m not as familiar with promotional sites. I use Bookbub, which now allows readers to add reviews and follow authors. Authors can Like reviews, and comment on them. However, I couldn’t find any guidelines for authors. My suggestion would be to join the site as a reader and see how other authors behave.

Booklover Site

Goodreads has a simple view on whether authors should respond to reviews: don’t.

Don’t engage with people who negatively rate or review your books. We cannot stress this enough.

Blog or Website

But don’t feel obliged to comment if they didn’t enjoy the book, especially if they got the book via a blog tour or a service like NetGalley.

Email

If a reader has taken the time to email you (and that email isn’t anonymous), then it’s worth sending a quick “thank you” in reply. I suggest developing three brief email response templates, and cutting and pasting:

Thank you for people who tell you they enjoyed the book, and a suggestion they review your book on Amazon or Goodreads, or sign up for your reader newsletter.
Thank you, and I’ll fix them in the next update for people who email you about real or imagined typos.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the book to people who didn’t enjoy the book. Or nothing at all.

If you do choose to reply, keep it brief. After all, your fans want the next book, and you don’t want to give the haters more time or brain space than necessary.

3 March 2021

WriteTip | Can My Characters Swear?

This is a common question from new fiction writers. As with so many writing questions, the answer will depend. In this case, the answer depends on the genre you’re writing and the market you’re writing for.

Market

There are two major markets in the USA and other English-speaking countries: the Christian market (historically represented by the USA by the CBA, or Christian Booksellers Association, and now represented by the CRA, or Christian Retail Association) and the general market (represented by the ABA, or American Booksellers Association).

Major Christian fiction publishers such as Harper Collins Christian Publishing (which includes imprints such as Love Inspired, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan) and Baker House Books (which includes Bethany House) sell through the CBA/CRA to Christian booksellers. These booksellers have historically been very conservative in terms of the content they would stock, so major traditional publishers are unlikely to publish books (fiction or nonfiction) with swearing or other offensive content that they know won’t be accepted by their major customers, the Christian booksellers.

As such, authors aiming on working with a traditional Christian publishing house would be advised to avoid any questionable language in their manuscripts.

In many years of reading Christian fiction, the strongest language I’ve seen was “crap” in a novel from Bethany House.

Self-published authors have more leeway, in that there isn’t a single gatekeeper like the CBA/CRA deciding whether their books are “good enough” or not. Instead, they have to work with thousands of gatekeepers aka readers. While there is nothing stopping a self-published author including questionable language in their manuscripts (in the same way as there is nothing stopping them including explicit sexual content in their manuscripts), the average reader of Christian fiction does not expect to find questionable language or content.

Your characters can swear, but it’s better to keep their outbursts implied rather than detailed.

Christian fiction readers can have strict standards on what constitutes bad language in a novel. I once saw a reviewer roast an author for taking the Lord’s name in vain in her novel. I’d read the novel, and what that review saw as taking the Lord’s name in vain, I saw as arrow prayers from a desperate character.

Common examples include:

He swore.
He let out a vile curse.
He let out a stream off words he hadn’t learned in Sunday School.
If his mother had heard him, he’d be eating soap for a week.

Genre

But what if you’re writing for the general market?

If you’re writing for the general market (whether as a Christian or non-Christian) then the question of to swear or not to swear comes down to genre. And genre reflects reader expectations.

For example:

Readers of sweet romance (e.g. Harlequin Heartwarming) expect the same standards of questionable language and explicit content as Christian fiction readers i.e. none.
Paranormal romance readers expect a lot of sex, and won’t be offended if that’s accompanies by a lot of graphic violence and a lot of bad language.
Hard-boiled thriller readers expect the characters to swear, saying the novel wouldn’t be true to life otherwise.

How Will I Know?

How can you tell what’s appropriate for your genre?

Research.

The only way to understand the language norms for your genre is to read a lot of books in your genre. (Tragic, I know.)

What if you don’t know what genre you’re writing?

Research.

You need to read a range of books and find three to five comparable titles i.e. books which are similar to yours.

Click here to read an introduction to genre and why it’s important.

Click here to read a post on comparable titles and why they are important.

Understanding reader expectations is vital if you want to engage readers and turn them into fans. This means writing in a clear genre, using familiar genre tropes but twisting them to create a unique story.

Click here to read about popular genre tropes in romance.

Click here to read more popular romance tropes.

If you’ve decided you are going to include swearing in your novel, then how much swearing is okay?

Again, this is going to come back to genre and reader expectations. The character’s situation may also play into the language. For example, The Martian by Andy Weir includes swearing in the first line. but the character has just realised he’s alone on the planet Mars, with no way to escape. If people swear when they are stressed or in an impossible situation, Mark Watney is that person.

But don’t overdo the bad language. Like any writing technique, like, bad language, like, can turn into a, like, tic if used too often, like.

Alic F, posting on The Story Doctor blog, suggests replacing swear words with “green” to see if they add to the plot or characterisation, or are merely repetitive.

(His vote is that the swearing is likely to be repetitive and cliché rather than fresh and original writing).

In general, I agree. But I can accept there are some occasions when swearing in general market fiction might be both appropriate and true to the character. I use the Mark Watney test: if your character is trapped alone on a planet with no hope of escape, they can swear. Otherwise, find a more creative and original way of making the point.

But if you’re writing for the Christian market, my advice would be to avoid any questionable language.

17 February 2021

What Are Comparable Titles and How do I Find Them?

If you are considering submitting a proposal to a publisher or a literary agent, you will find they don’t only want a sample of your writing to help them decide whether they are interested in you and your manuscript. Usually, they also want you to suggest between three and five comparable titles.

What Are Comparable Titles?

Comparable titles are books that are similar to yours. They may be in the same genre, have similar plots, use similar tropes, be written in a similar style, and/or have a common thread such as the setting.

Comparable titles should be new books, released in the last five years and ideally in the last two years. (No, you can’t use Jane Austen and Charles Dickens as comparable authors). They should be books which have seen success in their niche (you don’t want to compare your manuscript to the publishing equivalent of a movie that scores 9% on Rotten Tomatoes).

Avoid books that have topped bestseller lists and/or been made into movies. These books have typically seen success outside their core genre, so aren’t truly comparable.

Choosing megahits could also be interpreted as suggesting you haven’t done your homework (to find more suitable comparable titles), or that you have delusions of grandeur (“you have to publish this book because my mum said it would make a great movie” is not going to win you a publishing contract.)

Most agents and publishers want you to name between three and five comparable titles, each from a different author.

Top tip: Once you have identified possible comparable titles, note the authors. Read their new releases and add them to your comparable book list to keep it current.

That’s all well and good if you plan to seek a literary agent and pursue a traditional publishing contract.

But what if you plan to self-publish?

I would still advise making a list of comparable titles and authors. It will help you with a range of writing and marketing decisions. Knowing your comparable titles and authors will:

Inform your genre and the tropes you use.
Provide a guide to writing style and point of view (if all your comparison titles are written in first person and present tense, then you might need to reconsider your use of past tense omniscient point of view).
Enable you to find book reviewers who review in your genre.
Give examples of cover design trends in your genre, which can inform your cover design.
Help you find joint promotional activities to help expose your book to new readers and build your email list.

Finding comparable titles and authors will also help you identify your target reader, because readers who enjoy books by your comparable authors should also enjoy your book.

So How do you Find Comparable Authors?

Bestseller Lists

Start by checking the Amazon top 100 list for books in your genre.

I suggest starting with the Amazon lists because everyone has access to them, and because they are purely based on sales i.e. what buyers are buying. Lists in major publications have several limitations:

Lists don’t count Amazon sales (because they get their sales figures from BookScan, and Amazon don’t release their sales figures).
Lists may exclude self-published books.
Lists may be curated (i.e. whoever compiles the list chooses which books to include and exclude).

New Release lists from Relevant Writing Organisations

American Christian Fiction Writers publishes a monthly post compiling the new releases from ACFW members. It’s not all the new releases in Christian fiction, because not every Christian fiction writer is a member of ACFW, but it’s a start.

Upcoming Releases Posts on Book Blogs

Publishers typically work twelve months in advance, so they already know what books they’re planning to release in the first quarter of 2022. They have typically produced the cover and book description several months in advance. The books are then made available to industry professionals (including book bloggers) via services such as NetGalley.

Many book bloggers will post about they books on their to-review pile. Some (e.g. Rel at Relz Reviews) work with publishers to reveal the covers for their upcoming season.

Book Blogs

Many book bloggers review books in advance of publication. Others feature lists of books they’re looking forward to (often books they’ve already downloaded from NetGalley).

Following blogs in your genre can give you insight into what books publishers are publishing, so you can track new releases in your genre and find books to add to your list of comparable titles. You can also track debut authors, and add them if appropriate.

But how do you know which titles are most like yours?

Simple. Read.

Read new releases from comparable authors, and read new releases from debut authors in your genre. You don’t have to read every book – it may be enough to read the Kindle sample to determine whether the book is a comparable title or not.

I know. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Reading in your genre and interacting with readers and bloggers will help keep you up-to-date on writing and publishing trends …

And your comparable titles.

3 February 2021

Book Marketing | How Do I Market a Book?

This is one of the most common questions I see in Christian author groups.

Unfortunately, it’s also one of the hardest to answer.

Why? Because the question is too vague.

It’s like asking “what should I buy?” If I’m hungry, I should buy food. If I’m cold, I should buy clothes. if I’m bored, I should buy a book. No one can give a helpful answer without more information.

Top Tip: It’s best to ask specific questions, especially in Facebook groups.

The other issue is that the question is usually asked by someone who has already published their book. Most marketing happens before the book is published. Yes, you can advertise a book after it’s been published, but the success of post-publication advertising will largely depend on how well the early big-picture steps were completed.

Here are my suggested steps to marketing a book:

1. Write an excellent book.

Your book needs to be of the same standard as a book released by a traditional publisher, because this is the standard readers expect. Your book should also be written in an accepted genre, because that shows there is a group of readers who want to buy books like yours.

Click here to read about understanding genre.

2. Build your author website.

All authors need a website, an online home base that they can use to attract potential readers and even to sell books from. Recent events have shown (yet again) how easy it is to lose followers from a third-party website or social media network. Instead, build your website on a self-hosted WordPress site to limit the risk of losing your site.

Click here to read more about author websites.

3. Set up social media accounts on relevant networks.

While it’s unwise to build an entire platform on social media, it is worthwhile claiming your author name on the main social media networks (i.e. the networks your target readers use) and pointing followers towards your website.

Click here to read more about social media.

4. Work with an editor and proofreader.

Revise and self-edit your book until it is the best you can make it. Then use at least one paid editor to provide professional external feedback.

Click here to read why self-editing is important.

A developmental editor will help clarify your overall story, and help you fix plot, character, or structure problems.
A line editor will help polish your work.
A copyeditor will ensure the writing is consistent with the relevant style guide.
A proofreader provides on final check to ensure the manuscript is ready to publish.

Click here to read more about the cost of editing.

5. Set up an email list and offer a reader magnet.

An email list is your direct line to your fans. These are the people who will preorder your books and buy your new releases. The bigger and more engaged your list, the less “hard sell” you have to do.

Click here to read more about email lists.

6. Consider your path to publishing

Click here to read more about the paths to publishing.

Do you want to publish with a major traditional publisher? If so, your next step is to find a literary agent who sells manuscripts to your preferred publisher.

Do you want to work with a small press? Now is the time to submit.

Do you plan to self-publish? Make sure you’re self-publishing, not working with a vanity publisher (who won’t market your book, and probably won’t even edit it).

Click here to find out how to find a literary agent.

7. Create an ARC team.

An ARC is an Advance Reader Copy or Advance Review Copy. Create a team of people who will receive the pre-proofed version of your book, read it before publication, and review it on release date (or soon after). Reviews provide social proof for new-to-you readers and encourages them to try your book.

8. Hire an excellent cover designer.

If there’s one thing that’s more important than excellent writing and editing, it’s cover design. The cover is the first thing a new reader sees, so it needs to fit the genre, and attract your target readers.

9. Write a compelling book description.

When a potential customer sees your book, the first thing they see is the cover. If the cover looks appealing, the next thing they will do is read the book description. Your book description should introduce your main characters and the central conflict, hooking potential customers so they want to find out more.

10. Ask Book Bloggers to Feature Your Book

The internet is filled with book bloggers and bookstagrammers (booklovers on Instagram) who are always looking for the next great novel to read and promote on their blog.

Once you have a great cover and a compelling book description, you can approach bloggers in your genre and ask if they are interested in featuring you or your book. Offer them a free ebook for review (but remember they are under no obligation to review, even if you give them a free book).

Click here for information on how to ask book bloggers for reviews.

Top Tip: If none of the bloggers you approach are interested in you or your book, you’re either approaching bloggers in the wrong genre, or your book cover, book description, or actual book are to blame. If you can’t give your book away to an avid reader aka book blogger, your chances of selling it to a less avid reader are slim.

11. Publish your book.

Yes, we have finally got to the publishing stage (and I’ve missed several steps). If you are working with a traditional publisher, they will edit, design the cover, format, write the book description, print your book, and upload the book to all the major sales platforms. If you are self-publishing, these tasks are your responsibility.

12. Promote your new release.

Tell your email list and social media followers about your new release. If you have been featured on book blogs, comment on the post and respond to readers who comment. Share the blog posts, and retweet mentions. Release week is the one time followers will forgive you for self-promotion, so take advantage of that.

13. Write the next book.

If you’re aiming for traditional publication, write the next book. Publishers rarely offer new authors a one-book deal, as they want to spread their marketing dollar over two or three books.

If you’re self-publishing, write the next book in the series. Readers love series, and books in a series cross-promote each other.

14. Advertise

Once you have three to five books in a series, it’s worthwhile considering paid advertising e.g. Facebook and Amazon. You can offer books at sale prices (or even a free book) and make money as readers read through the series.

15. Apply for a BookBub Featured Deal

BookBub Featured Deals aren’t cheap, but they are the advertising prize. Apply as often as you can and expect to be rejected many times before you are accepted. In the meantime, work on getting more Amazon and Goodreads reviews.

Top Tip: if you only have one book published, don’t apply for a free deal on BookBub.

The way free deals make money for the author is via sell-through i.e. the reader downloading Book #1 free, reading it, then going on to but Book #2 and Book #3 and so on. This works best if you have at least three books in the same series.

Simple, right? (Not.)

As you can see, most of the marketing happens before the book is published.

If you have a published book that isn’t selling as well as you’d like, it’s possible the book isn’t meeting reader expectations. If that happens, my best advice is to write the next book, and ensure it meets reader expectations in terms of genre and the standard of writing, editing, and cover design.

Do you have any specific questions about how to market a book? Let me know in the comments.

18 November 2020

Dear Editor | Should I Capitalize Nicknames or Brand Names or …

Most writers know the basics of capitalization: we should always capitalize the first word in a sentence, and we also capitalize personal names, place names, and other proper nouns. Today, I’m looking at some other common questions around capitalization:

Brand names
Christian Terms
Nicknames
Organization names
Racial or ethnic identity
Titles
Other Uses

Brand Names

Capitalize brand names to be consistent with the brand trademark, i.e. use standard capitalization for Samsung, but nonstandard for iPhone.

Christian Terms

Most dictionaries only include basic Christian terms, which can leave Christian authors and editors scratching their heads when it comes to capitalizing terms referring to God. The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style includes a comprehensive section on capitalization of Christian terms. If you edit for Christian writers, The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is a must-have.

The main question that comes up around capitalizing Christian terms is Should we Capitalize Pronouns Referring to God or Jesus? (also known as deity pronouns). The answer? It depends. Either is acceptable, as long as you are consistent.

Other common Christian terms include:

Church is capitalized when part of a name (e.g. St. Peter’s Church, New Life Church, the Roman Catholic Church), but not when used more generally (the church as the people, the building, or a service).
The devil is usually lowercase, but his name is capitalized.
The names of God are generally capitalized (e.g. the Most High, but heavenly Father).
The Word is capitalized when referring to the Word of God, Word of Life, Word of Truth, or when referring to Jesus (e.g. as the Word made flesh).

Note that individual publishers will have their own style guide. If so, that will prevail. I once worked with a client who didn’t capitalize any term referring to the devil. He said it was because he didn’t want to give the devil any honor (although that’s not why we capitalize proper nouns). I have seen a niche Christian publisher with the same policy.

Nicknames

A nickname, epithet, sobriquet, or soubriquet is a descriptive word or phrase used instead of or as part of a person’s name. We capitalize people’s names, so it makes sense that nicknames are also capitalized.

However, terms of affection or endearment are not capitalized. The challenge is therefore to decide whether the term you’re using is a nickname or a term of affection.

In general, a word is considered a nickname if it refers to one specific person. Famous examples include Twiggy, Babe Ruth, Capability Brown, and the Iron Lady. You may or may not know the given name of these people, but you know who they are and why they are famous. These terms are therefore nicknames or sobriquets, as they refer to one specific person. However, someone might be described as looking like Twiggy, or acting like the Iron Lady.

In contrast, terms of endearment or affection such as “dear” or “son” are not unique. The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style considers such names to be terms of affection:

“… unless they are used so often as to have the force of a nickname.”

So when might a term of endearment become a nickname? For example:

If you’re writing biblical fiction that features God, Jesus, and their relationship, then it would be appropriate for God to call Jesus “Son” rather than “son.”
If you’re writing a speculative fiction story set in a society with only one male, then his mother might call him “Son” as he would be unique in that setting.
If your character was named Sonny, then “Son” would be capitalized because it is a shortened form of his proper name.
If you were writing an allegorical novel, then you may capitalize “Son” when referring to the Jesus figure—The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style suggests always capitalizing “Son” when referring to Jesus.

In that final example, capitalizing “Son” will be a subtle hint to readers that this character is the Jesus figure … which is why it’s important not to capitalize “son” if it’s merely being used as a term of endearment. If you do, the reader might read more into the capitalization than intended.

Finally, some nicknames are portmanteau terms, where parts of two names are combined into a single nickname that refers to a specific couple. Examples include Brangelina (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) and Bennifer (Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez).

Are brand names, Christian terms, nicknames, or terms relating to racial or ethnic identity capitalized? #WriteTip #Grammar Click To Tweet

Racial or Ethnic Identity

Terms referring to racial or ethnic identity are usually capitalized. For example, my background is Welsh and English, and I’m a New Zealander (colloquially, a Kiwi). These are all capitalized: a kiwi (lowercase) is a brown flightless bird.

The exception to this rule has typically been when discussing color: style guides such as The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) have historically advised writers to use lowercase for terms such as black, brown, and white (see CMOS 8.38).

However, the Chicago Manual of Style and Associated Press now both state that black is lowercase when referring to a color, but capitalized when referring to a person or people group who identify as Black.

Note that writers should refer to Black people, not Blacks (which is considered derogatory).

Organization Names

Organization names are capitalized when written in full, although we don’t capitalize the articles, prepositions, and conjunctions. For example:

the Ministry of Health
the University of Auckland

The generic version is lowercase:

the ministry
the university

Titles

Titles are capitalized when referred to in full. For example:

Queen Elizabeth, but the queen (or the Queen in the Commonwealth).
President Abraham Lincoln, but the president.

A title used alone may be capitalized when used in direct address. For example:

Ladies and gentlemen, the President.
Yes, Captain.

Other Uses

We occasionally use capitals to indicate humor, irony, or for emphasis:

The memory of The Ice Cream Incident sucked her confidence.

The key is “occasionally”. As with any writing technique, capitalization for irony or emphasis can become tedious to read if used too often:

Using capitalization for irony can feel like the equivalent of asking the reader if they’ve got the joke.
Using capitalization for emphasis has the same issues as using italics for emphasis, or overusing exclamation marks!

My suggestion is to capitalize no more than two terms for emphasis.

Capitalize other words in line with dictionary usage.

Have I missed anything? What other questions do you have around capitalization?

11 November 2020

Book Review | Blogging for God’s Glory by Benjamin Vrbicek and John Beeson

As the title suggests, this is a book about blogging as a Christian in a world that seems to rate sensationalism over truth and quantity over quality. The two authors provide a compelling case for more purposeful blogging from Christians. Neither is a megablogger. Instead, they are both average people, like you and me.

They are not promising instant fame and fortune if you follow their method.

Instead, they say almost the opposite:

In other words, if you’re blogging (or considering blogging) to earn easy money, you’re misguided because that’s not how it works for most people. And if you’re blogging for the wrong reasons (especially money or platform), then it will become too easy to give up when you don’t immediately succeed. (And you won’t immediately succeed.)

Rather, the authors encourage us to believe in our calling to blog, and to continue serving God by delivering quality content.

The book also asks bloggers to consider who we are writing for, serving God and our readers (not ourselves), and the all-important issue of promotion: is it godly to promote ourselves by promoting our blog? This was definitely one of the stronger sections:

They then move on to addressing some of the practicalities of blogging: what to blog about (and what not to blog about), what platform to use, and how much it will cost in terms of time and money.

My one issue was that book seemed to end abruptly, at the 67% mark on my Kindle. The book then included three lengthy appendicies. The first was a series of quotes from Christian bloggers answering the question, “Is blogging dead?”. The second was a glossary of terms bloggers should know, and the third was a range of other quotes from bloggers. These appear in the text of the print edition but for some reason they couldn’t format the quotes as pull quotes in the general text of the Kindle edition, so they appeared at the end. There was also an extensive references section.

This was all valuable and useful information, but it did affect the pacing of the book.

By the halfway point, the authors had covered a huge amount of information. I wondered what the rest of the book would include, as it felt like it was slowing down. Then it picked up pace again, before an abrupt conclusion and the long appendicies. Reversing the final two chapters may have improved the overall pace and offered a more satisfying conclusion.

Having said all that, the book’s benefits definitely outweigh the weaknesses. Vibrcek and Beeson have clearly outlined many of my own beliefs about blogging as a Christian, and provided a solid biblical backing for those beliefs.

I definitely recommend this book for Christians who blog, or who are considering blogging. It will help you decide why you’re blogging, and will challenge you to blog (and promote) with the right motives.

Thanks to the authors for providing a free ebook for review.

About Blogging for God’s Glory in a Clickbait World

7 Reasons God Hates Listicles

See what we did there? We piqued your interest, confused you, and maybe even made you mad. Mad is good; anger provokes a response. Maybe you will tweet your rage. Perhaps you will decry our buffoonery: “The ‘seven-reasons-why’ structure is a list-article,” you’ll tell your followers. And just like that, we won the scramble for clicks and attention. But did we steward your attention in a way that honors God?

Bloggers publish millions of posts each day, many written by faithful Christians who want to honor God with their words but struggle to know how. Blogging for God’s Glory in a Clickbait World guides Christians through the basics of setting up a blog—everything from affiliates and algorithms to widgets and WordPress—but also how to be a godly landlord of your internet real estate.

If you are a Christian blogger, you likely oscillate between burnout and apathy, with thoughts like “I must post NOW!” and “Who even gives a rip?” If you’re at this point, you’ve likely lost the plot. But you can get back on script. Authors Benjamin Vrbicek and John Beeson explore where the spiritual stamina will come from to serve a small readership faithfully and how to steward attention in a way that honors God in a world that celebrates chasing profit and pageviews.

New Resource & Giveaway Alert: The Occupation Thesaurus Writing Guide Is Here!

Some of you may know Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi of Writers Helping Writers. Well, today they are releasing a new book, and I’m part of their street team. I’m handing the blog over to them so they can tell you a bit about their Writer’s Showcase event, new book, and a great freebie to check out. Read on!

Certain details can say a lot about who someone is, like a character’s goals, desires, and backstory wound. But did you know there’s another detail that can tie your character’s arc to the plot, provide intense, multi-layered conflict, AND shorten the “get to know the character” curve for readers?

It’s true. Your character’s occupation is a GOLD MINE of storytelling potential.

How much time do you spend on the job? Does it fulfill you or frustrate you? Can you separate work from home? Is it causing you challenges, creating obstacles, or helping you live your truth?

Just like us, most characters will have a job, and the work they do will impact their life. The ups and downs can serve us well in the story.

Maybe you haven’t thought much about jobs in the past and how they act as a window into your character’s personality, interests, and skills. It’s okay, you aren’t alone. The good news is that The Occupation Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Jobs, Vocations, and Careers is going to do all the heavy lifting for you. You’ll be able to pick the perfect job for them and discover how to weave it into the very fabric of the story. (Here’s one of the jobs profiled in this book: FIREFIGHTER.)

GIVEAWAY ALERT: THE WRITER’S SHOWCASE IS WAITING

To celebrate the release of a new book, Becca and Angela are running a giveaway from July 20th & July 23rd. You can win some great prizes, including gift certificates that can be spent on writing services within the Writer’s Showcase. Stop by to enter if you like!

Resource Alert: A List of Additional Jobs Profiles For Your Characters!

Some of the amazing writers in our community have put together additional career profiles for you, based on jobs they have done in the past. What a great way to get accurate information so you can better describe the roles and responsibilities that go with a specific job, right? To access this list, GO HERE.