Welcome to the third instalment of my 6-week blog event. Each Sunday, I release a constructed playlist inspired by one of my books. Then, that playlist is available through the digital music service, Spotify, which anyone can sign up for, for free. You can listen as you flick through the books, or just enjoy the music as it is.
This week, the book is The attempted demise of Augusta Walsh age 15 years, 4 months and 6 days.
In the novel, fifteen-year-old Augusta Walsh has been told to keep a diary. In it, she tells us her every thought, and what evolves is an honest account of what life is like for a teenager in the modern world. This coming-of-age story follows her spiral through identity, relationships, sexuality, self-worth, peer pressure, body issues, social media, and her stress and fears. All building into a dramatic climax.
The Playlist
With this playlist, I wanted to convey Augusta’s teenage thought process (smells like teen spirit), the way she felt different to others (people are strange), but also her journey through mental health through the book, which took up the bulk of the playlist. She was also a massive fan of the Geatest Showman, so I chose This is Me as it’s about being different and being accepted for who you are.
To hear the playlist, download the app, Spotify, sign up, and search for The attempted demise of Augusta Walsh age 15 years, 4 months and 6 days, using the picture as a guide. Then, simply click play. Sit back and enjoy!
Language. It’s the most underrated and misconceived aspect of our society. We underestimate how many different ways we use it every day. If you think about all your interactions with people, from buying something from a shop to an email for work to messaging with friends, we use different tones and various ways to converse with each other. Your email is probably formal, when you talk to your spouse, friend or child you use slang, more intimate language, maybe more playful, yet on the phone or when in shops we would be polite (hopefully) but then the things we say and conversation is generally kept to a minimum.
When people think of language they tend to think of words and “good” English but in reality, language is so much more than that. Language is actually about communication. And good language is simply expressing ourselves so what we are trying to communicate is understood. So language is actually understanding of our communication with others.
Far too much emphasis is placed on the words we use when we think about language, which is why language is often confused with English grammar. If, for instance, someone said, ” I got nowt in the bank.” We understand what this means. It may not be grammatically correct, but the understanding is clear. In truth, our mannerisms and expressionisms play such an important role.
Pepper
In Ai, a humanoid robot named Pepper was developed to read emotions and interact using its voice, arm, and hand gestures. It is no doubt cutting-edge technology and is more advanced in human interaction than any machine that came before it. It is impressive to see. However, what it does have trouble with is the spontaneous nature of our conversations. It can only be programmed to respond to so much. Humans are so diverse that the side of our impromptu nature makes it impossible for engineers to predict.
Technology has been a great influencer in the language we use today. Text speak has always created controversy. It has even been accused of destroying the English language. Yet you take such things as emojis. In addition to words, especially when used in messaging apps and texts, they are a quick and instantaneous way to add emotions.
If, for instance, we replied simply using the word ‘Okay’, the word itself on a message could leave the recipient unclear on how the sender has responded to the conversation. Using emojis, we can add emotional context to our conversations;
Okay.
Okay 🙂
Okay 😢
Okay 😘
Okay 😒
In addition to the written word, we can now use pictures to express ourselves more freely. But could we just use pictures? The Egyptians did it, but some symbols had multiple meanings. If we wanted to arrange to go out with friends, we could probably get across the activity okay, but any other details would be a lot more difficult.
For example, if we wanted to arrange to go out for a drink and pizza, we could use the emojis:
👭🍷🍺🍴🍕🕗
But where we would like to book and meeting place would be more difficult.
There are always opinions that language was better in the old days, but language like our world evolves. There was a time when hardly anyone could read or write. Words are disappearing from the latest editions of the dictionary every year. Words such as amazing, gaslighting, and absolutely have all been taken out. Words are also added. In 2023, the words nearlywed, cakeage, hellscape, and self-coup were entered. I must confess that if someone would utter any of these to me, I would not understand! I could guess nearlywed, but cakeage (a fee charged by a restaurant for serving a cake brought in from outside), hellscape (a place or time that is unbearable- actually quite like that one!), and self-coup (a nation’s head having come to power through legal means, tries to stay in power through illegal means -can kind of see the relevance to modern politics here) would be more difficult. So maybe language is moving too fast for us all to keep up.
When you think about it, language doesn’t just apply to humans. Animals communicate in packs, and the sky darkens to let us know it is coming to the end of the day. Language is all around us, and in the future, that will not change. We will just find more ways to use it, as our world expands, language expands with it. It is perhaps the biggest influence on our culture, and that is something that will never change.
Welcome to the second instalment of my 6-week blog event. Each Sunday, I release a constructed playlist inspired by one of my books. Then, that playlist is available through the digital music service, Spotify, which anyone can sign up for, for free. You can listen as you flick through the books or just enjoy the music as it is.
This week, the book is my anthology, The Collection.
The Collection brings together a treasury of work and features 75 stories, poems, and articles. It encompasses personal experiences amongst a varied display of works that shaped the writer I am today.
The Playlist
When I think about The Collection, one of the best things for me is the cover, so I wanted to pay homage to that. There are origami birds (Wings) of the play Romeo and Juliet. As love is one of the themes, Kissing you, the love song from the film seemed a natural choice.
There were certain songs that I played relentlessly during the years studying journalism and writing, which fills the bulk of the playlist, as the book is about my body of work so far.
Grief is an important part of the book, and so Into My Arms represents that aspect. As the book is about my body of work, I also included my favourite song Stand by Me. The lyrics seem simple, but the words and message are incredibly powerful. A great example of understated writing or ‘show don’t tell’. Otis Redding was my earliest experience and has remained throughout my joy and love of music. It also represents all the late nights meeting deadlines.
To hear the playlist, download the app, Spotify, sign up, and search for The Collection, using the picture as a guide. Then, simply click play. Sit back and enjoy!
The Challenge: Using these inanimate objects, write a story. You have one hour. You may research, but only within the time given.
Objects: Silver star bangle.
This one was interesting. In the hour, the story just evolved into a mind of its own. I had no idea where it was going. It was quite fun, though!
The boy and his grandfather walked up the grass till they came to the steepest bit. The boy crouched down to sit, but his bottom vaulted back up.
“Grandpa! It’s wet.”
The man knelt down and felt the ground. “It’s only a bit damp. Here…” he shrugged his coat from his shoulders and laid it on the ground. “Sit on this so you don’t dirty up your uniform.”
“Okay,” the boy agreed as he perched on the coat; his grandfather sat beside him.
The sky was a deep moonlight blue, but the day was not yet completely dark. Both man and boy could see a little as they sat in the field beneath the stars.
“You wanted somewhere quiet so we could talk about what happened. So, whenever you’re ready, Zack. I’m listening.”
Zack touched his face and felt the pain pierce just from a soft stroke of his fingertips. “I didn’t want Mum and Dad to hear.”
“I can understand that.”
“Or Billy.”
“No.”
“Mum and Dad might call the school, and Billy might make fun of me.”
“I understand.”
Zack looked down and took his school tie out from under his jumper. He wrapped it around his fingers, then let it go. Zack did it again.
“Zack?”
Zack let go of his tie. “I was sitting in class, and Mrs Caine was called out of the classroom.”
“Okay.”
“Jeffrey Wright got up and went over to Mrs Caine’s desk. It was her birthday, and Susie, my friend, brought her a cupcake. It was really pretty. It had stars and sprinkles and even glitter. Jeffrey picked up the cake, tipped it upside down, and smashed it with his hand! The whole thing was ruined!”
“Oh dear.”
Zack looked across at his grandfather. “Susie got up and started shouting at him. Jeffrey went over to her and started getting really close. He looked angry, and I thought he was going to hit her.”
The grandfather looked across at the boy. “So what did you do?”
“I got up and went over to Jeffrey and tried to pull him away,” Zack replied, looking back. Then, he looked down at his hands. “But, he’s strong, way bigger than I am, and hardly moved. So I thought of a way to get his attention.’
“Go on.”
“I went to Mrs Caine’s desk and grabbed a handful of the cake. My hand had loads of icing and stuff on it, like tons. I smeared it on his face.”
“Did you get his attention?”
Zack looked at his Grandpa. They made eye contact briefly, while the man waited patiently for the boy to speak.
“Yes,” Zack admitted. “He turned around and pushed me backwards. I fell against some desks, hit my face, and quickly got up to get him back when Mrs Caine came back in.”
“So you weren’t the one that destroyed the cake?”
“No, Susie tried to tell her, but Mrs Caine wouldn’t let her speak. She was really upset.”
“I expect she was,” agreed the grandfather. “So, why couldn’t you tell your Mum and Dad when you got home?”
Zack started pulling some blades of grass and tearing them up into bits. “I swore quite a bit as Mrs Caine came back in.”
“Aah, I see.”
Zack concentrated on the grass. “I’m sorry, Grandpa.”
The grandfather nodded. “Your heart was in the right place. Look up, Zack.”
Zack looked at his Grandpa.
“No,” smiled the man and pointed. “At the sky.’
“The sky?”
“Yes,” said the man, looking up. “The stars. Did you know that each one has a story? An identity?”
“No?”
“Each one has a legend attached to it or is part of one,” the grandfather explained. “A lot of the stories come from Greek mythology and ancient tales. You have heard of the all-powerful Zeus?”
“Yeah. He had a big beard.”
The Grandpa chuckled. “He did. You’re right. Well, although Zeus was mighty, he still made mistakes. There is even a story he ate his wife.”
Zack wrinkled his nose. “Eww! Why?”
“Because there was a prophecy, she would bear his son, and the son would become more powerful than Zeus himself. He wasn’t taking any chances.”
“I guess not!”
“Yet he is still remembered as the ruler of the Gods.’
“Tell me another one, Grandpa. With more death!”
The grandfather chuckled. “Okay, well, the greatest hunter in Ancient Greece, Orion, is up there in the sky among the stars. He was handsome and a fearsome fighter but also vowed while hunting with the goddess Artemis that he would kill every beast on Earth.”
“Even lions?” Zack asked startled.
“I presume so.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, Zach. I wasn’t there!” he laughed. “But Orion is still considered a hero and takes his place in eternity amongst the constellations.”
Zack looked up.
“People have always been flawed, Zack,” his Grandpa continued. “Ever since ancient times, no one has ever been perfect. The evidence is above your head every night. The stars are littered with every flawed hero or God that came before. Yet they still shine bright, people still admire them, and are absolutely fascinated with them.” He put his arm around Zack’s shoulders. “You should tell your Mum and Dad about today. Like the stars, they’ve been fascinated by you since the moment you came to be. I remember. I was there when they first saw you. If Zeus can eat his wife and still be enamoured, you can say a bad word. Let’s go home.’
Welcome to the first instalment of my 6-week blog event. Each Sunday, I release a constructed playlist inspired by one of my books. Then, that playlist is available through the digital music service, Spotify, which anyone can sign up for, for free. You can listen as you flick through the books or just enjoy the music as it is.
This week, the book is Isolation Tales.
In 2020, the world suffered a global pandemic. Isolation Tales is a collection of stories from different perspectives of all aspects of the health crisis.
The Playlist
The year is 2020. Blinding Lights is Number 1, and Jason Derulo’s ‘Savage Love’ is blaring from mobiles, as everyone is dancing on TikTok during lockdown. The world is in crisis.
Every person all over the world is united in loneliness (Joel Corry, ‘Before you Go’), fear, and uncertainty (Christine and the Queens).
It seemed everyone who ever wished to stay home and not work or go to school got their wish but soon we all realised it wasn’t what we thought it would be (‘Everything I Wanted‘). Death and danger seemed everywhere, people were grieving (Deathbed’, ‘Someone you loved.’), and everything was uncertain (‘My Future‘).
The easiest song I chose to project this period of time is ‘Parasite Eve‘ by Bring Me the Horizon. It was written during the pandemic and is about Covid-19.
I hope you enjoy the playlist, and let me know in the comments if there are any tracks from 2020 you think I missed that would go well accompanied with the book. Happy Sunday!
To hear the playlist, download the app, Spotify, sign up, and search for Isolation Tales, using the picture as a guide. Then simply click play. Sit back and enjoy!
Every person has that one book. The one they recommend, the one they read more than once, the one that when they finish, they are so heartbroken that they begin again and are jealous of all those who are yet to experience it.
It maybe something immensely popular like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, or for others a classic such as Little Women, The Picture of Dorian Gray or Pride and Prejudice, but mine has always been a lot more controversial. My masterpiece of literature is Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.
In case you are unaware, Of Mice and Men tells the story of two horticultural migrant workers named George and Lennie. Together since childhood and on the run from the law, George and Lennie go to work on a ranch on the outskirts of Soledad, California. Set in the Great Depression, the story revolves around the events at the ranch, which changes both men’s lives forever.
Strictly speaking, the book is a novella but is an absolute masterclass in writing. Just look at the way Steinbeck sets the scene from the opening page.
In the book, Lennie is simple, and George looks after him, keeping him safe and guiding him through life. It is their friendship that is the heart of the story. The characterisation in Of Mice and Men is insane. All are perfectly drawn, and even though there is no mention in the text of any thoughts or feelings the characters have, we still get everything we need of who they are through their detailed mannerisms, expressions and speech. It is an extraordinary example of ‘Show don’t tell’ a golden rule in writing fiction. Every character has incredible depth, and we, as the reader, feel everything.
In fact, the most endearing passages are between George and Lennie. Their friendship comes alive when they talk about their dream of owning their own piece of land and tending to rabbits. You are drawn in and share the dream. You connect with the love within the two men and their friendship. In a world where all the workers mistrust one another (and this is shown throughout), with George and Lennie, they don’t just trust eachother they live for one another. This makes the end so heartbreaking, as well as losing a friend, the dream is lost also. By this stage, you are so invested in their fantasy of a better life, the thought of that ray of hope disappearing in such bleak times is almost unbearable.
This is an example of one of their conversations. You can see the affection and warmth between the two men. Even though the prose is not overly sentimental, you can feel the depth of friendship and the way George looks after Lennie.
The hardship endured by the workers is realistically depicted throughout the story. The main reason for this is that John Steinbeck actually travelled around ranches in Soledad to witness firsthand the day to day lives migrant workers endured. He sets the backdrop perfectly, detailing the stark living conditions for workers on the ranch. None have many possessions. Each worker carries their personal belongings on their back as they travel, searching for work. Tiny windows and bunks give you the feeling of almost like a prison. The character of Curly brilliantly represents the corruption of property owners toward them.
But although each worker mistrusts each other, careful in their actions and weary of what they say, you can see and feel the loneliness of each. Crooks and Candy both encourage Lennie to stay when he visits, his disability making him unaware of any boundaries. The yearning for companionship and friendship is there. More blatantly, this is apparent in the Boss’s daughter-in-law Curly’s wife who feels trapped. She just wants to talk to someone, be the recipient of any attention at all, and the desperation inside her is easy to see. In fact, it’s almost as if the other workers are jealous of George and Lennies’ relationship, that they have each other. Even the boss says he has never seen any man go to such lengths for another.
So, you might be thinking why if all this is true is Of Mice and Men a controversial choice? Well, the book has been banned or challenged over 50 times since its release in 1937. In 2014, Education Minister Michael Gove ordered it to be removed from the UK syllabus in schools along with other American classics such as To Kill a Mockingbird. He believed students should only study British classics like Jane Austen or William Shakespeare, which I hope you agree is absolutely ludicrious.
But in 2021, the American Library Association banned the book due to charges specifically against Of Mice and Men. They believed the racial slurs and prejudice against disability were unfair and unjustified.
I have a petition with this decision. I do not agree with racism at all. Any kind of prejudice really upsets me. There is racial terminology in the novel, but it was how the workers spoke at the time. I don’t believe the text would be as realistic without it. Crooks is treated unfairly due to his race, and that injustice should be present. The workers were treated as possessions of the owners and Crooks more than most. This is no different than a story about slavery. It was unjust, and treating anyone as if they are beneath you is disgraceful and unfair. Prejudice is despicable and should be untolerated.
As regards to the disability element being unjustified, I think it couldn’t have had the story without it. Lennie is my favourite character in the book. He saw no class or race. To me, he is kind and generous, and his world is George. He does not know his own strength and is extremely vulnerable. It is Lennie that brings the heart, and I have read Of Mice and Men so many times and not once have I seen the disability before Lennie. It is a vital element of the character, certainly, but the personality of Lennie always shines through. You need him to cross boundaries, make mistakes, even the gravest ones, or the story would never unfold as seamlessly as it does.
Even with all the angst toward this book, I still think it is a masterpiece. Teachers have expressed it is their favourite book to teach, and they never get bored of doing it year after year. There was an outcry from many teachers when the book was banned.
Even though I have read the book countless times, I still cry at the end. I still feel the hardship and emotion of every character, and I still marvel at the skill and mastery of Steinbecks storytelling. I have read some of his other work, but Of Mice and Men so far has remained unparalleled. Each time I open the pages, I am taken to Soledad, transported to that sombre time, but the writing style is so easy to read and engaging, I am glued to every word. It has taught me so much, and I will continue to learn every time I read it again. And if that isn’t the definition of a literary masterpiece, I don’t know what is.
The Challenge: Using these inanimate objects, write a story. You have one hour. You may research, but only within the time given.
Objects: Sea debris.
THE SAILOR:
Where am I? What happened? I can not move. A sea demon! I close my eyes tight. It’s still there. Something is heavy over me. I can feel it weighing me down over my body as it trembles. Help! I can’t move, I’m captured! I open my eyes, and it’s still there coming for me. Crimson locks like rubbery fires of hell. Scaly skin like the Kraken. Its eyes are black and full of death. It’s got a knife and is going to kill me! Please, Lord, help me wake from this nightmare. Where are my shipmates? My friends. Why won’t they help me? Has this monster already devoured them? A scream leaves my lungs, I can’t breathe! Stop! Spare me! Please!
THE CREATURE:
Long slithers of blackened wood and metal float toward me in the water as they obstruct my journey back toward the deep. I dash under and around it. Floating bodies of man drift past me, destined for the seabed. As I avoid the debris infesting my world, I find myself in shallow water. The moon is still high, so I raise my head above the water. The air is uncomfortable, but I can cope for a little while. There is a strange object on the sand. Curiosity confounds me, and I move toward it. The thing is something long. And high. A baby whale, maybe. It might need help. I glide closer to the shore. It is not a whale. I come across the sand. Startled, I see it is a body of man. It has something sticking out of its skin that goes in and out. It is near dead or still alive. It has grey fuzzy bits on one end. If bodies of man float under the water, that must be where they go to die. It has scrapes of red. The kindest thing is to let him be with the others. I try and pull a brown part of it, but it doesn’t move. Maybe I should cover it instead. I go back into the water and retrieve some of the wood that I believe I can carry. It ends up taking a while as I can only move small parts. I start to cover it in the wood and also use some seaweed, crab shells and lobster claws washed up on the sand. There is just the grey fuzzy part left. I went back to find some metal that was floating with the wood. It’s grey, like the fuzzy part. As I move toward the body of the man, its eyes appear. I freeze. They disappear. It’s making a sound. I show it the metal, as it opens its eyes once again. It makes a loud piercing noise. I’m trembling. What do I do? Can it hurt me? I have never been so close to a body of man. I must go, I can do no more. I drop the metal and back into the sea, I know. Trembling, I swim to the deep.
Book covers. They are just as important as the title of any book. The covers are the first thing people will see, quickly followed by the title of your novel. Covers are tricky. They not only have to be eye-catching, standing out from a sea of competition, but they also have to relate to the story within. If you manage to come up with a great title along with a fantastic cover, you have hit the jackpot, and the sales will come.
One person who achieved this goal undoubtedly is Jonas Jonasson.
The Hundred-year-old Man who Climbed out a Window and Disappeared is a fantastic title. You are drawn to it, although it’s wordy, it’s memorable as it sounds as if you are already telling a story. His book cover is presented not only as a window but also thanks to the animated cover and font, you see humour and comedy, so more enticed to buy. The old man depicted in slippers, and a suitcase is a wonderful combination and gives you the visual of the character sneaking away mischievously. The book sold in the millions, no doubt quite a few from sight alone and now is also a successful film.
When it comes to my own books, I have always known the cover early on. I have always been quite creative, interested in art, and a fan of symbolism. Although I am only two-thirds through my first draft of my next novel Comic Book Guy, by the time I wrote the first 20k words I knew the outlay of the cover, and now I have an illustrator already in the back of my mind I wish to approach to make my vision become a reality.
With Isolation Tales, time was a definitive factor, and I actually took the photo on the cover at home. The book was about Co-vid 19. At the time, the population was treated as one, not individuals , a statistic. We were mostly all in lockdown within our homes, apart from those who had to place themselves at risk every day. We were faceless and survived within basic means. All of this I wanted to show.
The Collection is my favourite cover. It is the most personal and has the most detail. A tree at the beach (trees unite all my books they feature heavily on them all). The beach was to signify Cornwall as my home. As the book was my writers journey the boots signified the steps I had taken, the origami birds of the play Romeo and Juliet showed my influences of writers as well as a personal reference; the polariod of my Grampie was where I came from and those supported me through the years; the rainbow hearts were grief that lay within the book; the birds were my belief in my writing and taking the flight into going full-time, and the lights were my hope for the future, aiming to reach my goals. This was the cover I am most proud of, and from fanmail sent to me, a lady very kindly told me she picked up the book by chance driven solely by this beautiful cover. It is because of this affirmation that I know I got the cover right.
But ‘The Collection’ isn’t a very exciting title. It tells you what to expect, certainly, but it’s not a title that stands out from the shelf. The next one was. The attempted Demise of Augusta Walsh age 15 years, 4 months and 6 days. I received messages from readers saying that they read this and preordered copies based on this title alone.
The cover related to the leaves reference within the book (they are iconic in Augusta’s world) and also the darkness surrounding her. The book was written to shine the light on teenage mental health, Augusta is an artist, and I tried to draw refrence to that. I drew the tree and leaves with chalk as I wanted them to be bright. A stark contrast to the darkness surrounding it.
In my last book, Dudley the Dodo, I just had to appeal to the picture book market, so bright colourful colours and the friends having the game of hide and seek relating to the story inside.
I don’t believe I have accomplished Jonas Jonasson’s achievement, but I will continue to try.
Like many books, Jonasson’s creation came before the film, and I expect new covers were released after the film came out. Sometimes film makers actually use the book cover as the movie’s main image, such as The Godfather or Psycho.
This does remarkable things for the books as it becomes instantly recognisable as soon as the first film poster or trailers appear, just helping the book rise in popularity from the offset.
So, let’s have a look at some of the best book covers to have come out. This is obviously personal choice and a small selection of the many books out there.
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
This artwork was actually painted by Tolkien himself, who was an amateur artist. The wrap around cover, which, when laid out, features the long road toward the mountain. On the front, the sun rises, and on the back is the scene at night. The book cover is now considered one of the most iconic of all time.
The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
Cover art by Francis Cugat. This was the only book cover Cugat ever designed and actually did it before the book was even finished. Fitzgerald saw the cover, and it actually influenced the writing, and the author wrote it into the book. It is now considered the most recognisable book cover in American literature.
American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis
Cover art by Marshall Arisman. The brilliance of this cover is the darkness, and the imagery of Patrick Bateman’s sadistic mind laid bare. The mask is actually the human part of the painting dressed in a suit. Arisman captured the character perfectly, invoking a powerful image inviting you to read the horrors within.
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
The simplicity of this cover makes it instantly recognizable. It shows the two sides in conflict and the stories of racial inequality themes within the story of Steph and Callum. I like this one as it also portrays the parallel universe in an effective way that makes it jump from the shelves. Sometimes, simplicity really works. Many self-help books have used this strategy to have great effect.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Cover art by Ivan Belikov. Fantasy titles are an amazing array of stunning covers, so many could have been chosen. But I chose this epic fantasy novel as I discovered it whilst attending a talk by Shannon during her book tour upon its release. A lot of talk was being had about the cover. It looked incredibly striking on display. And the book is now an international bestseller.
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Cover art by Quentin Blake. Okay, we all know Blake’s illustrations and art are brilliant, but I chose this one as whenever I see this image, I am taken straight back to my childhood. Matilda was my favourite book. Like so many others, I discovered a character I could relate to. I used to read six books at a time, but I couldn’t get enough! The story gave me a fascination into psychology and led me to discover Carrie by Stephen King, which also featured telekinesis. Matilda is so little here but so powerful surrounded by knowledge. It inspires children to read, which is what I think every book should do.
Justice by Alex Ross and Jim Krueger
Cover art by Alex Ross. As you all know, I’m a complete geek, so we all knew comics would come in here somehow. Alex Ross is a god in the comic world, and this is my favourite piece of his work. It is the collection of the Justice comics where the Justice League of America (including Batman, Wonderwoman, Superman, and Green Arrow) face a team of super villains. The series included so many much loved DC characters, Ross’s lifelike paintings make this cover a standout for any comic book fan. It shows the heroes standing together as one. Powerful. Defiant. Glorious.
As an independent writer, you have to work several peoples jobs as well as your own. There is no big company staff, just you. One of the most problematic roles to embody is the dreaded Marketing.
There are lots of platforms you have to be present on now; Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, to name but a few, and all have different audiences. Of course, some content can cross over, but usually, you have to adapt things to try and appeal. It’s hard work, and I am not speaking as a person who’s cracked it. My numbers aren’t great, but many independents aren’t. Usually, they concentrate on one social media output for themselves and their books. I have not worked out which mine is yet!
The 5 P’s of Marketing are product, price, promotion, place, and people. Obviously, it’s like one big diagram with lots of strands, but essentially, social media takes care of the people aspect, and a website and 24-hour discounts is how I take care of price.
Now the most tricky : Product.
You have to get your product out there on social media as it has the largest reach. Post! Post! Post! You can use any kind of connection to a famous writer people love or your own publication day anniversary as a great little opportunity to promote; but somehow you have to show your books without people getting bored and thinking all you do is advertise. It’s delicate. I mostly just drop them into conversation or posts whenever I can like new mothers do with babies.
Also, they say, “Show your personality” through the platforms as well as your work. Post regularly, which in a world of writing and deadlines isn’t easy.
And something I don’t have time to do – comment on other authors and the book community. I tried, but I also need to write! I found I spent half my time on it as they advised doing it daily. Not really practical for me, but if you can fit it in, your network will no doubt grow quickly.
Outside of social media, you need to get your book into libraries, book shops, schools, and book fairs. To do this, you chase, chase, chase, become relentless, and even then, less than a third will say yes. Don’t lose faith!
Place. Everything has to be intertwined. Make sure details of your social media and, most importantly, your website is on everything. Make sure all your books are linked to your name and author page on the amazon site. It’s vital you do this. The easier it is to find you, the more people will.
If you haven’t already, start a blog on a wide range of topics. Some funny, what you learnt from your journey so far (this post is case in point) or expressing a general view or current event. Whatever you want, but make your personality come through.
For each blog, do a promotion photo, not one already around, use yourself – get your face out there so people know who you are. And then it won’t be some stock photo everyone’s seen before.
Everything I have talked about also comes under promotion, and as I say, I’m no expert. These are all things I have read, been advised, or learnt along the way. Marketing scares a lot of writers. It’s hard knowing what to do. But I find it’s the same as writers’ block – inspiration will hit. When it does, jot it down and act on it!
And finally remember there is only one you. In big companies they have a whole Marketing Department. So give yourself a break, just do what you can. And if you get a chance, do a bit of writing. That’s the reason you’re putting yourself through all this. So you can keep doing what you love. Good luck!
Have you ever wondered what a writer’s day is really like? Well, wonder no more! Obviously, everyone has their own process, but this a typical day for me.
– Wake up early and sleepily make scrawny written notes if I have just had an interesting dream. I have no idea why I do this. I have not used one yet. But at the time, a squirrel who somehow walks on clouds but falls through into ancient Egypt and helps to build the pyramids seems like a stellar plot.
– Make myself the biggest cup of coffee humanly possible.
– Work out. This is essential as a writer’s diet mostly consists of 80% coffee and 20% easy convenient food. Usually Haribo, doughnuts, and rice cakes.
-Shower (even though you work from home, you don’t need the distraction of body odour), then dress as if going into the office. Most writers miss this step, which is how we have a reputation of all looking like hippies or that bird woman from Mary Poppins.
-Armed with more coffee, check emails and social media. Then remind self that we aren’t in this for the money (thank God!).
– Read the last chapter of the book from yesterday. Then wonder how any books are sold at all, but sod it – it can all be sorted with editing (worry about that later!)
– Stare at the blank page while it looks at me with expectation.
– Type, delete, and stare some more. Decide to be productive and make more coffee.
– Look at the character book and contingency board for ideas and various notes you made to prove there is a plot.
– Write.
– Google questions to add detail and pretend you know what you’re going on about. A writer’s search history can vary from how to kill someone with a stick of bamboo to why is wombat poo cube shaped? How more of us aren’t arrested or committed into the insane asylum I don’t know!
– Lunch. This can be at any time from 11am to 10pm.
-Go back to your work. Realise you wrote the word ‘said’ 15 times in 200 words and look up other ways to write it on WordHippo.com.
– Look up dirty words on WordHippo.com like ‘fanny fart’.
– Write but soon get stuck.
– Stare at the page.
– Move around the room trying to figure out how to get your character from point A to point B.
-After 30 minutes, accept you have writers block and go for a walk.
-During walk, find the solution, but as no pen and handy notebook, you repeat your epiphany during said walk in your head and outloud over and over, praying you don’t see anyone. Or scare it away with thoughts like “What if every time you burped, you fainted?”
-Disaster! You see your neighbour who says hi, but you just smile through gritted teeth and march on through your front door.
– You type like a mad person as soon as you get home, then realise you also have to show your characters aren’t robots and need feelings (you forget what these are completely) so consult the emotion Thesaurus (obviously this inanimate object is better equipped to be human).
– Get stuck again.
– Despair.
-After 43 minutes you lose the will to live and call it a day. You are an imposter. Be a writer tomorrow. Vow to write more. Then look at your word Count and despair again.
Geek Girl Eats Cake 