So I'm Batman

This term has been thrown around quite a bit in recent times and I'm here to tell you, everyone who has said it has been lying, because the truth is... I AM Batman.

Okay, so creative licensing used right here.

So I'm not great at swinging from wires at great heights, I don't talk in that weird deep voice, and even if I painted it black I doubt my little four wheel drive could be mistaken for the Batmobile - that and I imagine that hat (ears?) he wears would really mess up my hair! 

Having said all this, I can say I have a secret identity (oooooo!). Okay, so I'm not Matt Damon, I haven't cut my hair and changed my identity (well okay, I did cut my hair, but that's unrelated), and I'm not wanted by the police (as far as I know); but I have a Wattpad account not many of my friends know about.

You might remember I published Out Of Her League on Wattpad back in May to what I would call a good result.  I then took it down and published it on Amazon. 

Side note, but there's a high chance it will be going back on Wattpad once my 90 day exclusivity deal with Amazon expires in December.  Sure, if Amazon realises I'm giving it away they will probably drop the price of it on their website to $0 and it will never be able to be changed, but I'm cool with that.  (Random fact, you can't 'sell' a book for $0 on Amazon but if they find out you're giving it away somewhere free they will drop the price to match it and will never let you put it back up - some writers do this on purpose as they want their book to be free but aren't allowed to do it - sneaky!)

Why am I doing this?  Because I've found that I value feedback more than I do sales.  I love hearing back from people who have taken the time to read my writing and this isn't something that happens too often on Amazon.

For those who don't know, Wattpad is an online community where writers can publish their works and get feedback.  It's free and like most (all?) social media sites, you can follow other writers and they can follow you back.  I was surprised to find there are a number of well known, famous writers on Wattpad including Dan Brown and Margaret Atwood.

Just Googled 'famous writers on Wattpad' and this article written my Margaret Atwood came up.  It's from 2012, but she makes some good points and I LOVE the story about the man in Africa.  Very cool.  http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jul/06/margaret-atwood-wattpad-online-writing

Okay, getting back to Batman.

Lately I have been delving into the world that is fantasy and have found it quite fascinating.  Okay, so I'd already written two fantasy books before this (geek alert!), but I've been reading a lot more lately as well.

So why not publish on Wattpad under my name?  Well I don't call myself Bernard or anything, I still use my first name, but decided to create another account that wasn't linked to any other social networking sites. 

Just to be clear, it's not because I don't love you guys, it's because I wasn't sure how it would go and didn't want to look like an idiot if I completely screwed it up.

Well... I have several followers, have had a couple of people design some awesome media for me (through Wattpad) - let me just say there are some extremely talented writers and artists on that site! - and have received some really positive feedback.

I have one very regular follower (here's to you gay guy in London, you're awesome!) who gave me the nicest feedback when he said 'Seriously, one of the best free stories I have read, it should be in bookshops'.  Okay, so maybe he was being nice, but it did make me smile nonetheless.

Whilst on the subject of Wattpad, I want to take a moment or two to highlight some things I have recently learnt about the site (gotta love a dot point list right?)

• There are some really amazing writers on Wattpad - some who have been picked up by publishers from the site.
• You don't always have to have perfect grammar and punctuation to tell a good story - if the story is interesting enough the reader can look past these little errors (of course if there are too many it detracts from the story making it very hard to read).
• Writers of all ages can be awesome - I read a story recently by a fourteen year old!  Crazy!
• Writers are an interesting breed of creatures and quite entertaining to talk with and learn from.

(Disclaimer:  If you do head over to Wattpad, be warned there is an awful lot of fan fiction on there so if you don't want to read about One Direction, maybe avoid that category.  Also, it does sometimes take a little while to find something you're interested in, but it's worth it once you do.)

Am I going to put my Wattpad username on here?  Not at the moment, I kinda like being anonymous.  Although if you feel the need to play 'Where's Miranda' I will follow you back if you find me.

Somewhere, someone out there is shouting 'challenge accepted!' as those around them look for a means of escape.

Until next time...

The Importance of Reading

(Before I get into this post, you might notice the change in format of this blog.  Although the other background was cool, I found it a little too busy and hard to read so thought I'd try this design instead - the fact that I'm excited about the spring weather might have influenced my choices just a little...)

So I recently decided I was going to stop writing and spend between now and Christmas reading - only reading, no writing at all.

How did this go?

Well...  I lasted about three days and then found my imagination running a little too wild and in need of reigning in.  I'm not sure if other writers have this problem, but I find writing helps me relax and unwind if I've had a particularly full day.  I know some people reading this are thinking 'who is this crazy person?' and that's cool, but for me it works.

Having said that about failing to stop writing, I can say I have greatly increased the amount of reading I've been doing lately and significantly decreased the amount of writing.  I've also completely put a stop on the next Caterina Boston book for now. 

Personally, I've never had a problem with the mysterious 'writer's block'. Instead I follow a rule I read once a long time ago (and unfortunately can't remember where I read it!); instead of stopping, I just keep writing until it starts to make sense.  Does it mean I will actually use what I've written?  Nope.  Will I look back on it in a couple of months and think 'whoa, what was that about?!' most likely... but it doesn't matter.

I recently had a discussion with someone about my decision to write less and read more.  It occurred to me during this conversation that it's impossible to know how to write well unless you take the time to stop and learn how others write.  Am I going to stop writing my own stuff and start writing fan fiction?  No!  (No offence to those who do write / read fan fiction, if it works for you, that's cool, but it's not my thing).  Someone else asked me if I was reading more for 'research'.  I laughed and explained I have no intention of taking someone else's ideas and making them my own.

Why then am I making a point of doing this?  Because I have this theory that if you're learning to speak another language you can't just learn the words and never listen to anyone speak them; you can't learn to play piano without every listening to piano music.  It's the same with writing.  How can you possibly be a good writer without knowing how others write?

Whether you read a book and analyse each sentence for correct punctuation, tense, setting, tone etc or (like me) get so carried away reading that you don't remember turning the pages and wonder how all of a sudden you're at the end of the book, you are still learning how to write by reading.

Ask ten people to explain an event and I guarantee every one of those people will tell the story differently.  Each person has their own way of storytelling and I think it's only by reading a variety of writers that you can learn the different ways to express the same story.

I know, I know, I'm sounding a little too philosophical here aren't I?  Sorry, please insert your favourite geek quote here [          ] (as an example, 'Bow ties are cool!', 'I don't understand, why do you want me to say my name?  'The ring Sam!' - okay as I've said before, I might reference Lord Of The Rings quite a bit, but I don't actually know that much about it.  Not sure that last one is a quote, but I'm sure it's still in there somewhere.  Right?  Guys?)

Okay, getting off topic here.

I have recently rediscovered the epic-ness that is fantasy novels and have been staying up after midnight most nights thoroughly engrossed in the book I'm reading. 

In the last two weeks I have read five and half novels.  Okay, the five I've read are from the Tamora Pierce stories I read as a young teenager, so they're only around 300 pages long and the writing is in about size 12, so they're a very easy read, but I'm surprised at how much I really still like the books. 

I have also read half of Cassandra Clare's City of Glass (that series has taken me a while to read, but I do enjoy them), have Brandan Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy box set sitting on the kitchen table as well as all the Narnia books (my colleague was shocked to learn I have never read Narnia and perhaps equally as shocked when I admitted I only watched the second movie because I thought Prince Caspian was kinda hot - losing any credibility here aren't I?)

So I guess you could say I'm definitely embracing the reading life lately and plan to continue this way.

As well as established authors, I have recently discovered I like reading the works of undiscovered authors and have therefore spent a little too much time on the awesome www.wattpad.com; a website where writers can post their work, read other writer's work and comment, share etc. 

As with a lot of websites of the same ilk, a reader does need to sift through quite a bit to find a book they're interested in, but (excuse the cliché), there are a lot of undiscovered gems on Wattpad.  I won't be surprised to see some of the books currently on the website published by the publishing houses in the future.

Whilst there are the usual categories on Wattpad (romance, adventure, horror etc), it is no secret amongst the writers and readers that fantasy seems to be the category of choice.  Good thing I'm getting back into fantasy books lately isn't it?

On that note, I am going to be brave and post a small excerpt from a book I started writing ten years ago when I first started work (crazy how fast that time has gone!!).  This book was the first fantasy book I completed and it (well the start at least) has been rewritten in so many different ways I'd have to look at the original draft to see how it first started out.

I'd say be kind, but let's be honest, I can deal with it.

Until next time, read a lot, write if you feel like it, and live long and prosper (wait... what?)

The night was dark; lightning cracked around the port of Shelldorne.

Sir Jett Logan squinted against the rain lashing the buildings, the gas lamps swaying wilding in the wind whipping through the laneways.  He pulled his coat tighter and sighed; it had been a long, cold night.

Resigning, he turned his horse and headed slowly back along the cobblestone to join his men, they couldn’t stay out in the weather all night; it was time to retire to the inn until the rain slowed.

Unknown to Sir Logan, nearby, a horse and rider tore through the streets, the horse’s sides streaked with sweat, his eyes wide with fear.

Seek sat upon Onyx, her mind whirling, her heart beating hard.  She swore under her breath as she guided the black gelding around the corner and ignored the aching in her shoulder and body.  She knew the wound was bleeding, but she would deal with it when she had time. Putting her head down against the rain stinging her cheeks, she cursed the weather, cursed the day and cursed her indifference.

One moment of complacency was all it had taken; one moment of not watching her back, of daring to try and live a normal life and she had put herself out in the open again.

She had been travelling for days, trying to shake the man in the long dark coat, her former trainer. 

Tonight I planned to spend the night writing.  So far I have exercised, watched an episode of my favourite TV show and am now watching The Chronicles of Narnia:  Prince Caspian; my writing plans aren't going quite as well as I'd hoped.

So time has gone a little fast and I just realised this is a movie I wanted to see at the cinema when it first came out.  It was released in 2008... I think I might be a bit late.  Getting off track now...

Today I decided I would drop the price of Out Of Her League on Amazon as a bit of an experiment.  Sorry and thanks to those who purchased it at the previous price. 

After dropping the price I decided to do some research (yep, normal people would have done this first, but I think anyone who knows me knows I'm not normal - that's no fun).  It seems I'm not the only one who thinks this way and it's a proven method of 'getting a book out there'.  So who knew? (Apparently half of the online writing community!) 

As I've described in previous posts, I'm honestly not writing to make money; I'm not publishing on Kindle in the hopes of being the next big thing, I'm just doing it because I like it and I'll be honest, it's pretty cool to think someone is reading what I've written.  Having said that, if I could afford to spend my days writing, I would be pretty happy with that.  So why have I changed the price?  Because I'm curious.

The other day I received an email from Amazon advising I will be receiving my first payment for my book in the next few days; I don't think it will quite pay off the mortgage just yet, but it's an email I plan to keep. 

I've been thinking lately about the next book.  I'm about 25,000 words into it and it's all planned out and ready to go - although let's face it, I never stick to the plans anyway.  The book currently named Out Of Her Depth (don't know if that will stick) is going well and I plan to continue with it but progress is a little slower than Out Of Her League.  Although I started Out Of Her League several years ago, I wrote almost the entire 77,000 odd words while I was home from work for a week with a sprained ankle in January. 

Okay, Narnia has now finished and I'm watching the latest Die Hard movie - Die Hard 250 is it?  As much as I love fantasy I find I am more likely to write scenes that are likely to be seen in Die Hard  than in Narnia.

Which leads me to my next point; watching Narnia reminds me of one of my favourite movies and books by the infamous Neil Gaiman, Stardust.  Described as the fairy-tale that won't behave and a movie I could watch over and over without getting bored.

So, this in turn leads me to think about the fantasy I've written and how far removed that style of writing is from Out Of Her League.  I wonder if it's best to stick with one genre when self publishing or whether it's okay to try different things and see what works.  I imagine the audience for fantasy might be quite different and I'm (again - feeling a bit like Alice In Wonderland here) curious...

I have written two fantasy books which are both in desperate need of editing.

In the meantime, I clearly am not getting much writing done tonight and based upon what I have been watching I could write a story about a giant talking lion who takes out a helicopter with a car and speaks with a Spanish accent... could make for good, although perhaps confusing reading.  Maybe I'll just continue with Out Of Her Depth for now.

My previous posts have had (at least some) direction or topic whereas I feel this is just me raving, so to at least give you some information for the night, here is a link to a page I was just reading (whilst watching Prince Caspian talk to a mouse - or was it Bruce Willis muttering to himself and blowing things up?  I'm not sure, I've lost track) about creating supporting characters. I found it quite interesting and a good refresher.  Enjoy.

Until next time, have a great night, an awesome weekend, and a less eclectic movie night than I have had - seriously considering putting Stardust into the DVD player.

Oh and speaking of the fact I write more 'guy' type scenes in my books, for those who have read Out Of Her League, this is a Bentley Continental Supersport - the one Gryffon gets so excited about - I asked my husband's opinion on a super fast, fancy car and this is what he came up with. 

And here's a picture of what I image Cat's Beetle 'Marvin' looks like. I had an awesome 1969 Beetle and loved it!

Personally I think Marvin is a little more awesome than the Bentley, but I could be biased (and clearly I've never had the need to run from any bad guys in my Beetle - might reconsider the Bentley if that's ever an issue)...

.

Oh the places you will go - or at the very least the things you will learn

First off, let me start by saying, I have only recently discovered this quote by Dr Seuss and I really love it.  It's simple, truthful, and - let's face it - catchy.

So it's been over a month since Out Of Her League was published on Kindle and I have to say I have learnt quite a lot in that time.

I have had around over 400 downloads, so far no returns (yes, you can do that on Kindle!) and to my amazement, when I Googled myself (as you do - I really did have a valid reason - honest), I was surprised to find it listed on GoodReads.

Am I a millionaire ready to quit my day job yet?  Nope!  I can honestly tell you Amazon currently owes me about $12 and I am one hundred percent fine with this.  Crazy concept I know, but I'm actually not out to make money writing.  Well, okay, I do get paid for writing for various websites and freelance work when I do it, but that's just a way of getting out there and trying new things.  And if someone wants to pay me to stay home and write, who am I to argue?

I published on Amazon because I love the idea of anyone wanting to read my stuff (I was going to use the word 'work' but I write for my own enjoyment and it doesn't feel like a task I'm obligated to complete), I welcome any feedback, and yes, I do get a buzz every time I see someone has purchased it or downloaded it during the free period.

In my (very short) time on Amazon I've discovered a couple of things - Kindle is user friendly, simple and effective, it keeps track of sales, rank etc and it gives writers the opportunity to (as airy fairy as it might sound) express themselves.  In case you haven't caught on, I've also discovered that I don't know whether to call it 'Amazon' or 'Kindle'.  I'll let you know when I figure this part out; for now I'll just keep you on your toes and alternate between the two.

Kindle offers a program called 'KDP Select' which basically means writers agree to publish exclusively on Amazon for 90 days.  During that 90 days they can offer their book free for 5 days - choosing either 5 consecutive days, 5 separate days or a combination of both.  This gives readers the chance to download the ebook free.

KDP Select is a great way of getting your name out there - and, if you're like me and didn't know there were other websites to publish ebooks on, you might as well take advantage of the 'free days'.

I have also learnt that there are some great writers out there publishing exclusively on Kindle.  I would love to name a whole bunch but the truth is I've downloaded a couple of books but haven't finished reading them yet.  I have no doubt based on what I've read that they will be worth writing about.

I have realised something lately - I really miss bookstores.  There are very few left in Adelaide which I find sad - the ones that are still around are great, but there just aren't as many.  As strange as it might sound, I used to love walking through the bookstores in the city on a cold winter's day and just trying to fathom the sheer volume of information, adventure and time put into creating all the amazing books.  Okay, I'm sounding a little strange and maybe I've watched Beauty and the Beast one too many times (how awesome is her library!), but there is something to be said about the smell and feel of a real book.

The irony is not lost on me; here I am raving about the smell of a bookstore from a bygone era (back in my day we walked twelve miles in the snow just to get to the beach!) while telling you about the great books available on Kindle.  But, times have changed, people do live in an instant world where they want everything yesterday and that is sad in a way; I hope we never lose that love for books, the feeling of opening the pages and wondering what adventure awaits.  Having said that, Kindle  gives emerging writers the opportunity to sample what once was an exclusive world and gives readers the opportunity to sample new writers and carry around far more books than they could before.

As well as discovering new writers on Kindle, I have been writing the second book in the Caterina Boston series titled 'Out Of Her Depth'.  I decided against the previously suggested 'Out Of Her Nose' and as clumsy as Cat is, decided against the funny but slightly dead end story wise title 'Out Of Her Door'. 

I have written 23,000 words since starting the story when we were in the Whitsundays (so almost two months ago) and am about a third of the way through.  So far it's all going to plan and I'm really enjoying writing it; and that's really why I'm writing it in the first place.

I read something recently that said a writer should know who they are writing for - some writers say their fans, their husbands and wives (not usually both their husband and their wife - that's frowned upon in this society); I find I write for myself.  I haven't decided if that's good or bad yet, but it seems to be working at the moment - plus I don't have to worry about making sure I'm meeting expectations.

I realise my previous posts have been far more silly perhaps than this post?  I could insert a line about The Hobbit, Supernatural, Doctor Who or basically anything you would find at a convention worthy enough to scare 'normal people' (who wants to be normal, so dull!), but I think I will leave it at this for the night.

I will update you on my favourite ebooks from emerging writers once I've had more of a chance to do some reading.  In the meantime, I leave you with a quote from Out Of Her Depth:

"I asked reception to make sure you weren’t disturbed.”

Oh I was disturbed alright, just not by housekeeping.

Update

So I just spent last week in the Whitsundays - Hamilton Island to be precise.

I can honestly say it is by far the most beautiful, relaxing place I have ever been. 

Leaving brisk (spelt FREEZING) Adelaide on a 6am flight to Sydney I wondered if the tropical paradise could really defrost me; in short, yes it can.

Spending time on the island surrounded by the bluest, clearest and warmest water I have ever seen and felt gave me and my husband the chance to relax and just stop - something that I think a lot of us forget to do a lot of the time.

I will of course be publishing an article on Weekend Notes about my travels and adventures but for now I felt like sitting down and just writing about it in more general terms.

(Photo taken by me on Whitehaven Beach)

Okay, so I'm not great at sitting still and doing nothing, but I did manage to do this quite a bit while we were away.  I have never slept as well as I did on the island and the day we visited the majestic Whitehaven Beach and I found I was able to write more.

Now I've said this, you can almost guarantee it will happen (nope, not really, won't let it), but I don't usually have a problem putting metaphorical pen to paper - really fingers to keyboard.  Generally I find writing is a great way to de-stress; but I was surprised at how much easier it was when I was relaxed and on holidays.

Waist deep in water fifty metres out (and no I'm not really very tall, the water was very shallow) my husband and I had a funny conversation.  As some of you might know, I have recently published my book on Amazon.com.au as an eBook.  Whilst standing out in the water I thought of a name for the second book if I decide to write it (who am I kidding, I've already started it).  I told my husband I thought the next title could be 'Out Of Her Depth' and we began discussing other options. 

For those who don't know, Out Of Her League is a book about down on her luck writer Caterina Boston who, whilst slightly drunk, applies for a job as a blogger / travel writer in the Amazon Jungle in the hopes of meeting Tarzan. When I say it like this it sounds very girly - the truth is it's a bit girly but I can give you a soppy-free guarantee (not my style).  I can however guarantee gun fights, things blowing up and a couple of fancy cars.

As we threw around ideas of book titles I suggested, Out Of Her Nose.  My husband looked at me very seriously and said, "And that's when you become a travel writer."  (In reference to Cat's failed book, not because there is anything wrong with being a travel writer - if someone offered me that job I wouldn't say no!)

Perhaps it was funny, perhaps it was funnier because I was in paradise and in a great mood, whatever the reason it got me thinking (I tend to overthink quite a bit but for once this was just normal level thinking - is that a thing?  I guess it is now). 

It got me thinking about the possibility of actually keeping up with this whole writing thing. As I've discussed in the past, I have always loved reading and writing and have rather a strange (possibly unhealthy) obsession with it.  I don't know if obsession is the right word?  Passion?  Nope, that sounds a little too Mills and Boon (is that what the Fabio books are called?). Whatever the word, I have tried several times to stop writing, deciding I'm really not cut out for it, but without fail I always go back to it.

Hey, what can I say, it's a cheap hobby.

So my eBook has been on Amazon for 6 days and has had 288 downloads at the time of writing this.  I have no idea if that is good or bad, but I think it's pretty cool (maybe my Mum isn't the only one who thinks I'm cool?  Nah, unlikely... I'm comfortable with that).

Am I doing this instead of thinking or starting on my articles about my holiday?  Yes!  Will I get onto it this weekend?  I would say so.

Since it's Friday the 13th I feel it's necessary to tell you a spooky story or something.  I don't really have a whole lot as I've never really been in to horror movies - but I am rather hooked on Supernatural - does that count?  Probably not.

Anyway... a few months ago I was doing some freelance work writing calming stories / scripts about lying on beaches, listening to the rain etc. (not in the same story of course, not many people like lying in wet sand while rain assaults their skin - because it would need to be reasonably heavy to hear it on the sand). 

At the same time as writing these stories I discovered Supernatural and realised that what you're watching / reading can in fact have a profound influence on the way you write.  I wanted to suggest a new style of writing called 'shock' or something similar where I write something extremely calming and then just when the person is all nice and relaxed, freak them out!  I never suggested this but I'm thinking there could be a very small market for this kind of work.

Here goes...

You lie on the soft, warm sand.  The sun warms your face and a cool breeze dries the salt water on your skin.  You take a deep breath, and smell the fresh salty air.  Behind you palm trees sway gently in the breeze, birds call from the cliff tops.  The water laps gently on the shore; slowly, softly, coming in before lazily going back out.

You sigh and lick your dry lips, relieved to feel the moisture on your skin.  You grimace as you taste something bitter, something not quite right.  You draw your tongue back into your mouth and you idly wonder what tastes so strange. 

A breeze above you breaks through your thoughts; you open you eyes expecting to see a seagull idly watching you.  Your heart races, your skin turns clammy and goose bumps appear as you see the creature hovering above you, dripping, writhing, staring...

And that kids is the end of the story for this week.  I apologise if that wasn't quite as therapeutic as you expected - perhaps there isn't a market for it after all?

On that note, have a safe night - told in a creepy voice as I wave my hands around in the air and back off into the shadows - tripping over something in the process - then continue further back into the shadows (where my Mum is waiting in the car to pick me up) and an awesome weekend!

Oh and if you are interested in Out Of Her League, the link is here for Australia and here for America.

So today I bought a Kindle...

So today I bought a Kindle. 

I have been resisting this for a long time. I love reading and trying different authors (although I'll admit I'm a bit of a loyal reader so once I find a writer I like I stalk them until I have read everything they've ever published - okay, maybe not that extreme), but with physical bookstores on the steep decline I've always struggled with the concept of Ebooks and the digital publishing age.

But, I'm here to admit, I've been converted. Will I still buy traditional hard copies of books?  Absolutely! There's nothing quite like the smell of a book; the paper, the dust... okay, maybe that's just me.  Most book stores in Adelaide have now closed which I find very sad.  I loved walking into a book store and knowing there were so many stories in there I hadn't yet read - so much knowledge and entertainment. 

However, when it comes to writing and reading, I think the digital age is well and truly upon us.  The Kindle is small, light and very portable.  I recently spent some time in the magnificent Whitsundays (a tropical paradise for those who don't know) and I took a good old favourite Janet Evanovich book with me.  Janet's Stephanie Plum books are by far some of my favourites; they're an easy read, entertaining, funny and if you can get past the gore, light hearted.  The problem with taking the book with me was I couldn't take too many and finished the book well before my flight home; meaning I was bookless. 

Sure, I could have taken more than one book, but the Kindle holds around 1,400 and I've heard airlines and security aren't that keen on you lugging that many books through the airport or trying to store them in the overheads.

So would the Kindle have come in handy?  Absolutely!  It might not have the same level of nostalgia that sitting down with a good book has, but the practicality is undeniable.

All right, I'll be honest, I bought a Kindle because my first book Out Of Her League has now been published on there and I wanted to know how it looked.  I am excited that my book is now available for sale and even though ultimately I would prefer it was in physical form, I understand that it's able to reach far more people for far less cost as an Ebook.

Sometimes you just have to go with the flow and understand that technology has changed things.  I have absolutely no intention of replacing my overloaded bookshelves with a small digital device (if and when the world gets overtaken by zombies it's important we still have knowledge and I don't spend my whole time roaming the streets looking for somewhere to plug in my USB to read Walking Dead to know how to defeat them).  Disclaimer, I have never actually seen Walking Dead, I'm currently still way too obsessed with Supernatural, but it is on my list.  I do know it involves zombies and I'm reasonably sure they aren't roaming the streets looking for somewhere to plug in their iPods.  Although I could be wrong.

I previously wrote about working up the nerve to try different things and 'put yourself out there' and I've decided it's really not that scary.  This morning I went for my first run outside in ages (usually done on the treadmill on the odd occasion I actually do it); I was wearing track pants, a baggy top, my hair was wet and I didn't have any makeup on, but that is okay.  I wouldn't go out to the shops dressed like that and I was wearing my oversized sunglasses, but I think it's okay to try something different every so often and not worry about what others think. 

Now I've painted that charming picture of myself (sweaty and daggy), I'm going to limp off to the kitchen, make myself a cup of peppermint tea and shamelessly read my own book on Kindle.

Oh and if you get the opportunity, head to the Whitsundays - the most beautiful place I have ever been to.

P.P.S (that should really read 'P.S' but peepee makes me giggle), if you're interested, the link to my book is here (for Australia) or here (for the US).

Giving it a go!

Why not?  Throw caution to the wind, live life to the fullest, publish a book online and then duck for cover.  That's how it works... right?

So I recently discovered Wattpad.  An awesome website which allows readers to read the works of up and coming writers free.  Readers can choose from the usual categories (fantasy, adventure, paranormal etc etc), they can comment, share and vote on their favourite books.  They can also follow their favourite writers and be notified when a new 'part' or chapter is added.

Writers are given the unique opportunity to publish their work and receive feedback.  Sure, writers aren't paid, but I think constructive feedback can be far more valuable. 

Okay, I'll admit, if you're looking at publishing anything anywhere on the internet, you need to be able to take criticism well and for lack of a better phrase, have a thick skin.  Fortunately, through writing for various websites as well as freelance work, I have developed this aforementioned skin and like to think I can handle criticism with the best of them. Yes, there are trolls on the internet who will write nasty things in an attempt to get a reaction, but that's the internet for you.  You just need to realise they don't know you and you don't know them (unless you do know them, then perhaps you need to talk to your friend about their comments!) and it's their time being wasted, not yours.

So after perusing Wattpad for a week, I decided today was the day.  I created a cover for the fourth novel I've written, 'Out Of Her League', checked it one more time (I think I've edited it to death by now), uploaded the first three chapters and waited.  Okay, I'm still waiting, and I'm not entirely sure what for, but hey, at least I have a hobby.

I have pondered the plusses and minuses of publishing on a public forum like Wattpad, but in the end the positives won.  Sure, there are downsides to everything, but there's nothing quite like that feeling of pressing 'publish' (in the case of Wattpad), or 'notify editor' (on Weekend Notes) and knowing others are going to read something you've written. 

Okay, so I'm rambling to avoid putting up the link to my first 'seen by the general public' novel.  Am I worried about what people think?  Sure.  But sometimes you just have to step out and hope for the best.

The first three chapters have been published and although the novel is in fact completed, I will see how these go before posting more... just to keep you guessing - or something.

So... without further fanfare, here's the link (click on the title) Out Of Her League - a story of down on her luck, washed up writer, Caterina Boston.

Thanks for reading and goodnight (hits posts and hides under the blankets).

Aspiring Writer v Writer

I'm going to be honest here and say, for as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a writer.  I love the idea of crafting a story, creating characters, letting them live their lives, turning them evil and unleashing their wrath on the world... wait... that's Stephen King's dream...

I have always written for myself, meaning aside from the work I do for the various websites I have mentioned in my first post, I enjoy creating these worlds and the characters in them for my own amusement as much as anyone else's. 

Does that mean I don't like my life and want to escape it?  Not at all!  Life is good!  But when I write I find I can drift away into other worlds, create whatever I want whenever I want.  There is something about the written word which some marvel at and become completely enthralled in whilst others just see it as a way of communication.  I don't think I need to specify which category I come under.

It is only in the last couple of years I have found myself publishing work which can actually be read by other humans (gasp!), and it wasn't something I did without a lot of thought.

So the question I've asked myself is, when do I stop saying I'm an aspiring writer and start just calling myself a writer?

The truth is, assuming you have written something (or at least started to write something - grocery lists don't count - unless you're writing a story about someone going shopping I guess...), you really should call yourself a writer; it's good for morale.  Okay, it's best not to call yourself a 'published novelist' because the conversation at a party with a stranger could go something like this:

"What do you do with your spare time?"
"I'm a published novelist." [Nods thoughtfully whilst trying to act as casual as possible.]
"Oh really, what's the name of your novel?"
"I'm sorry, would you mind repeating the question?"
"Where can I get your book?  Who's your publisher?"
"Publisher?  Interesting word publisher..." [trails off.]
"Err... yeah... fascinating.  So who is your publisher?"
"Hey look!  Cake!". [Gets up from chair and spends the rest of the party hiding in the pantry in the kitchen handing out serviettes to those who walk by.]

The truth is, if you have written anything you find worthy of being called yours and it's creative, you ARE a writer.  I read somewhere (unfortunately I can't remember where and therefore can't quote it), that a writer is a writer if they've written something, they're an 'aspiring writer' if they have never written anything but one day plan to.  Something like 'one day I will quit my job and write that novel everyone will love'.  Let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with aspiring towards something, but why wait?

Being a writer is something you can do without a degree to prove you are qualified (courses can be great, whether they are through university, TAFE, or a short online course, but they're not essential) - this is where writing and many other professions differ.  For example, law enforcement officials frown upon you being an 'aspiring police officer' (that's called impersonating an officer and the courts don't appreciate it), NASA isn't keen on sending an 'aspiring astronaut' into space on the pretence they are actually an astronaut, hospitals aren't all that enthusiastic about allowing an 'aspiring surgeon' to operate...

Okay, I think you get the idea.  Writing is something you can do without having to spend your life aspiring towards it.  Sure, you might need to work on the published part, but it doesn't mean you can't be creative.

It took me a long time to change my Twitter information from 'aspiring writer' to just 'writer' but when I did, I realised it wasn't really that scary after all.  My twelve followers (yes that's right - I have twelve - awesome right!  And no, that's not sarcasm) didn't react strongly, accuse me of lying or I can only assume, even notice it had changed.

So before you get arrested for impersonating an officer or operating on the wrong end of someone (hello Doctor Nick!) take the time to think about whether you really are 'aspiring' or whether you are already there.

Again, I stress, I'm not saying formal education doesn't help your writing (I've done some TAFE certificates - granted all but one had nothing to do with creative writing), but you don't have to spend years studying to start learning how to write.  The best step is to just start... that's all there is to it.

Just start...

[Pep talk to self for the week - CHECK]

Helloooo...

[Sits staring awkwardly at screen for a while... knowing that at least one person (hi Mum!) is waiting for me to say something - anything!]
 
Hmmm... how to start a blog...
 
Dear Diary,
 
Wait... no... too teenage girl - and I didn't even do that as a teenager...
 
To whom it may concern,
 
Nope... too formal.
 
Okay, well I appear to be having some creative difficulties as I'm not all that familiar with writing a blog.  While I consider my options and wonder how I'm going to start this blog, I'll tell you a bit about myself.
 
In case you can't tell from the title, my name is Samantha.  I live in South Australia with my husband and my ginger fluff ball cat Cookie. 
 
I write for www.weekendnotes.com.au, www.recipeyum.com.au and various other websites on occasion.  I also work as a freelance writer which can be quite interesting and test me in ways I haven't experienced before. 
 
I have always had a love for writing and reading and started writing my first novel when I was around 16.  Yes, I know, nerd right? 

Sometimes I would like to say I'm a party girl, but that is so far from the truth it's almost laughable (go ahead, laugh, you know you want to).

As much as I love catching up with friends and socialising, I'm going to be honest here and say I've recently come to the realisation that I'm actually a hobbit (to any friends that might read this, love you!  Want to catch up on the weekend?). 

I'm not a big eater so seven meals a day might be a bit of a challenge, but the staying home reading and sitting in the garden suits me just fine.

Not so sure about the hairy feet though...

I'm pretty sure if I was in Bilbo's position the story would have been far shorter.  Gandalf arrives, gives me the contract, I say no, wake up the next morning, make my breakfast and go and sit in the sun.  Some months later I receive a nice post card from Middle Earth, singed on the edges, with a note that reads 'Really wish you had come.  Farewell'.
 
I joke.  My friends know I'm a hobbit.  And yet they hang around anyway... something to ponder later.  (And to those die hard Hobbit fans, I apologise in advance if I got those references wrong.  I have seen the movie, liked it, but don't have a Gandalf fake beard hiding in my cupboard - that's where my Doctor Who scarf is!).  And to those Die Hard fans... um... how weird does Bruce Willis look without hair?!

As I mentioned earlier, I'm not knowledgeable in the ways of blog writing and therefore am not sure if it is socially acceptable to write a blog about my writing life (or sometimes lack thereof), but this is my plan.

I have created this blog to document my thoughts on writing, to add some information that might help others, and, let's face it, as a way of distracting myself from actually doing that editing I so desperately need to do.

There are a lot of things that can distract you on the internet, but if you have run out of funny memes, finished stalking your favourite celebrity on Twitter, and have watched all the funny animal videos you can stand for now, I will hopefully have something useful on here to distract you (although I do recommend looking up Maru on YouTube, that cat is hilarious!)

To start you off, and to shamelessly self-promote, here are the links to my writer page for Weekend Notes and Recipe Yum.
 
http://www.weekendnotes.com/profile/170008/
 
http://recipeyum.com.au/cookbook/100/
 
Now to stop procrastinating and get some writing done... right after I check to see if Maru has found another box.

Until next time...

[Hey, look at that, seems I found a way to start the blog after all!]