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From what I have read, and I follow most threads, is that TBers have ALL been extremely supportive and helpful to Lydia. Sure, there might be a few quips made about lack of productivity, and I have done so myself, but, importantly, Lydia has taken all this in her stride and has PERSONALLY ACKNOWLEDGED that she has not travelled as quick as she would like in pursuing the direction of her writing. I refer to her deciding what form to follow: script or prose. Lydia has also acknowledged that she has double-posted some (or a few) similar questions, and has apologised for doing so.
We are all a band of writers with a love of the craft. We go about that craft in different ways. It might be frustrating to some (and me) to read similar questions about social media, photographs, themes et al, but we do not know how Lydia meets those challenges and we do not know her manner of prioritising all the many components of fleshing out a writing career, as she so dearly wants.
The fact that Lydia 'soldiers on' week after week, is a vivid demonstration of her enthusiasm and determination.
I have over 17,000 words written. I also know how the theme is going to pan out and all the interweaving plots that will give it a bit of depth and flavour. There is just quite a bit of stress in my life which is slowing me down. Ever the optimist with the Dunkirk spirit I soldier on regardless..
God's literally freaky. If He can perform miracles and make Jesus walk on water and feed the starving masses, something like talk back wizardry would be a doodle....
Just checked out Wattpad. Some hungry types on there. Starving for attention. So, being a strategist, methinks if I spend time getting to know that crowd, as individuals, I might persuade a few over to my sites as followers for potential sales. Goodreads too.
As has been pointed out. If you want to sell books you really need to find a market and then use your imagination to conjure up suitable tales for them.
Having said that, the script I'm now editing and honing is a universal idea, with twisted feelings, jealousy and resentment in a love triangle, If i send out the completed script and nothing happens then I'll keep tweaking and altering it to fit the right format but also get on with the next one too. And the prose version of it. So, long night ahead of me..
If you want to sell books, you have to have books to sell! Concentrate on writing. Keep up a social media presence, but don't worry so much about the market. You need to hone your craft first and foremost and have a product ready for potential readers. A waiting audience will not wait forever and then you're back to square one anyway.
Just speculating. A few thoughts to myself. If I have a novella of about 120 pages, 20/25,000 words, would it be acceptable to have it in book form? Would many go for that option in a novella? And audio? A potentially good market?
If you had two stories each with those lengths then it would likely make a printed book possible, but not one story by itself due to the cost to the word count.
That's what I was thinking. So on that matter, how many stories in a series would be best? Before deciding to move onto another lead character with a different set of problems and life issues to resolve?is there some way of 'calculating' that?
I would not put a 'cap' on a series. We want our readers to stay with us, so the way I would do it, (and do) if you want to change lead characters, is to morph one series into the next, much like a series of novels that each stand alone in their own right.
Oh, I see. So you can continue on with your lead character and take them all on a different adventure, with or without the same crowd from the original tale and, even decide to allow another character the lead role in any future story?
So, speculating, one could really keep those characters and lead, adding and shedding some along the way, and your whole set of ideas could revolve around them only. Taking a break every now and then to maybe write different standalone stories along the way.
Just wondering. Would this actually work for a stream of novellas?
Thinking on serializing some short stories, of about 500/1500 words in length, where my main protagonist from my first ebook, is in some form of mini drama which could end on a cliffhanger to be continued in the next short story saga?
To gain attention, on Wattpad, to my style of writing and to attract followers to my ideas on my social media sites and also to introduce my main character and the other supporting ones, so as to work up some interest in her tale before the ebook gets uploaded onto Amazon...
As long as this doesn't involve a purchase from the reader. They might feel short-changed if they have bought a story which doesn't have a satisfying ending and requires a further purchase to know what happens!
If you mean, effectively, posting chapters with hooks and cliffhangers, yes, people might want to read more.
I meant just a few paragraphs Ina short story form about some drama, incidental to my ebook, as an adjunct.
That way the characters could be introduced, their personalities and interests etc. Much like two characters or more having a 'conversation' between themselves on a twitter account set up just for that purpose. To promote the ebook when it gets released...
These short stories will be free on Wattpad etc as an incentive to purchase the ebook, to try and gain attention and interest in the characters and their lives and little dramas.. sounds like a good marketing ploy...
I think that if it's to direct readers to your book, then your book should be ready at the same time. If there's a gap, they'll never remember what it was they read some time ago, or who it was by...
Y'know, Lydia, whilst it's good to be aware of marketing and to have an idea of how you're going to do it, you seem to spend far too much time concentrating - and researching - on all these peripheries. You should be concentrating on your writing. Knowledge of marketing unwritten work is totally pointless. By all means, decide how you will go about it when the time comes, then set it aside and get on with the writing.
Personally, I wrote the books first, then engaged on social media. There's nothing to stop you posting snippets after the work is complete. In fact, that would be far more effective than doing it beforehand.
Good point. And believe me I am still writing every day or editing of my work, but I am sure you are all aware of just how long it takes to create a story, and the extra editing required to bring it up to standard, not to mention all the little dramas going on in one's life to hamper these intentions. So rest assured, the story is coming along, gradually.
So, yeah, you're both right. I have the right idea, but best to wait till it is completed so I can use some additional real short stories to galvanize some interest in buying the e-book from the Wattpad crowd. Thanks for the adjustment of my plan..
I think that's sensible - and it doesn't stop you from engaging on social media in a purely conversational way. You can still discuss interesting topics and let your personality shine through.
Or you can waffle, like I do, about nothing in particular!
Another point Lydia, that you may not have considered, is the time devoted to writing or re-writing the short 'snippets' shall we say, might detract from your productivity on the main story. If you can post excerpts, fair enough, because there is no re-working.
I read that if you post excerpts of your writing it could affect the chances of a publisher or agent from accepting your book?
Just wondering if that includes film scripts too? That I am intending to add some words to the script to turn it into prose. If an agent etc was interested in it would my ebook, adapted from the script, would that put off possible interest in it?
And, yes, I guess that is true, PET. That short snippets relating to my main story might distract from that drafting of my book. So best to do what TN suggested and wait to my writing idea is complete before trying to grab some attention for my stories...
Been thinking about my story. Whether the language I am using might seem a little 'stilted' for the Wattpad crowd? Me coming from a different era to them? There might be some dissonance and misconnection of ideas? That could put up barriers? Wondering if there is a way round this?
That's not going to make any sense in a novella about modern romance? I have a dread of incomplete words and sentences so that would be my dissonance moment..
Don't discount the whole idea, Lydia. Mr Robots is on to something there. Might there be a possibility that 'text speak' could be a character trait for a younger character in your Novella, and therefore make your product attractive to a dual audience?
Been thinking about my story. Whether the language I am using might seem a little 'stilted' for the Wattpad crowd? Me coming from a different era to them? There might be some dissonance and misconnection of ideas? That could put up barriers? Wondering if there is a way round this?
Then maybe you are targeting the wrong audience.
If you have to change your writing style to something which feels unnatural, then how are you going to produce your best work?
Why not just use your blog as a platform to display your writing? You can always ask for constructive comments at the end of each entry.
That's a good idea, TN. And, ideally, I'd love to write for a more mature readership. It's just I want to sell my novellas and have a following and Wattpad is ideal for this as a captive audience to try to win over..
Maybe I should experiment? Try a story or two, of about 15/20 000 words, aimed at that crowd, together with targeting their readers on there, and see what happens, and if nothing happens, go in a different direction?
I have noted that they are reading other stories, including the classics, so are used to more mature language and plot devices. So maybe my little efforts might win some approval if I try to reflect their lives and concerns...?
Have tried doing some networking on Wattpad, but it's usually trite responses I get, no real engagement.
So, realising that they are either not serious about sharing or are just too young and frivolous to waste time on, I think I will turn to Goodreads and direct my attention towards them.
Have a few friends on there so I will try and network with theirs to see if I can gain some followers. They might appreciate words more there and so prove more productive.. still experimenting..
Still chucking up words and ideas in my mind and writing them down furiously, PET. Going to delete some of my scenes, real good ones, I feel, but you have to 'kill your Darlings' no matter how much texture they create. If they are not right for the plot, they have to be removed. All leading to a much more entwined and twisted tale that should have a few layers to it
Don't know how I am going to sell the novella, but will definitely be putting out two versions of this original film script. One straight, one lesbian. To see if any interest is sparked. If I ever make any money from this, I'll head in that direction. Which is why I am backing away from Wattpad. No serious intent there so harder to please and win over..
Can you put novellas on Goodreads via Amazon or do you mean a printed version? So much to do on all of this I haven't had a chance to check up on Amazon...? Slight burnout..
Just wondering if anyone can supply an answer to this one. Should my film script not succeed, and I choose to adapt it as a novella, would it be possible, some date later, to expand this into a full length ebook of between 70/100,000 words? Maybe, even if do get a film script from, say, Amazon studio(let me dream), and I can get permission to upload a novella onto Amazon, I could still adapt it into a book..?
Meanwhile, just about to do some more editing on this script. So onwards I go..
No. That's what I meant, BB. to give it additional themes and plots for each character to create a fuller experience for the readers. They might welcome a grander tale of the original story? Like an extension of the plot..
Numerous times I've written something short, but by the end I can see there's a much bigger story behind it. If I left it as the shorter one I wouldn't be doing my story justice, and I'd be cheating the reader.
You're probably right, Claudia. It's just that, once this film script is complete, and should I get permission, if needing it, from a film studio, to add some prose description to it to make more sense of the dialogue in there, then I would want to do that as quickly as possible so that I could get on with the next script.
That's not properly thought out yet, as it is rather dependent on whether I make a success of my attempts at scripts. If so, I probably wouldn't delve into novellas because I would be making good money from those scripts. Just some ideas I'm ffloating while I'm getting on with the writing... a dreamer, me. Trying to make them come true...
. . . to give it additional themes and plots for each character to create a fuller experience for the readers.
Lydia, I think your charter should be to give the reader their FULLEST experience first-up. I understand what you're saying, but it sounds as if you might have some good material held in reserve. As Carol (who is strangely channelling 'Claudia') said: 'Every story has its own length'. In all likelihood, any novella stretched to 70-100K words will look, and read, 'padded out'.
I was just floating the idea. To canvass opinion and, from what has been said, it doesn't sound like an idea to go ahead with. So I'll shelve that one and get back to drafting my script instead...
God's literally freaky. If He can perform miracles and make Jesus walk on water and feed the starving masses, something like talk back wizardry would be a doodle....
Great! What I need! A challenge! Just checked up on Michelangelo's 'Creation of Adam'. And, also, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Thinking, there's similarities there? The fusion of the hand of God breathing life into Adam, and the monster being given life by a bolt of electrical current.
Hmm... I wonder if the author had that in mind when she wrote this tale. Believe I read that, some time ago, that at the time of her writing this, there had been a great volcanic eruption in the world which had darkened the skies of Europe, giving Shelley the impetus for her dark tale.
Not quite sure how that ties in with the painting. It just popped into my mind the other day. The similarities of the creation of these two beings.
Wonder if 'God' is trying to give me some 'Divine Revelations??'. Must ruminate on this further. Could be a great plot for my next film effort. Something more darker and twisted compared to this lovey-dovey love story effort I am drafting? Hey, thanks for the prompt...!!
Apologies for the two same posts but, from experienced,I know if I edit one of them, they will both vanish. So cannot. Not writing that all out again...!
I sell lots of short stories on Amazon – in collections. The latest of these, Can't Choose Your Family, contains 25 stories and is currently on sale for 99p (99c)
Just checked out your stories, PM. They looked so good I downloaded a copy. Anything based on ideas of families, and how they interact, especially with sons in the stories, have a nephew in his early 30s who I am quite attached to, and figuring him out is proving difficult, so reading someone who understands such dynamics might give me some real insights..
Already read your other book you suggested 'Not a drop to drink' and really felt you understood your characters well. They were tales from a different perspective from my own, but I was able to understrand the concepts behind them.
As Joyce Grenfell sang about, reading opens the horizons and allows us to 'sample' other's lives. So thanks for telling me about this book. Shall read it with relish..
Comments
We are all a band of writers with a love of the craft. We go about that craft in different ways. It might be frustrating to some (and me) to read similar questions about social media, photographs, themes et al, but we do not know how Lydia meets those challenges and we do not know her manner of prioritising all the many components of fleshing out a writing career, as she so dearly wants.
The fact that Lydia 'soldiers on' week after week, is a vivid demonstration of her enthusiasm and determination.
As has been pointed out. If you want to sell books you really need to find a market and then use your imagination to conjure up suitable tales for them.
Having said that, the script I'm now editing and honing is a universal idea, with twisted feelings, jealousy and resentment in a love triangle, If i send out the completed script and nothing happens then I'll keep tweaking and altering it to fit the right format but also get on with the next one too. And the prose version of it. So, long night ahead of me..
Meanwhile I'll add some prose and tweak this to reflect the interests more of the youngsters on Wattpad.
They seem hungry for attention and I can type up some short stories and offer them up to keep them interested while writing the novella.
As an adult they might welcome my more mature reflections on their stories, profiles and lives...
so I think I am now going in the right direction. As Sandi Toksvig put it on a radio 4 quiz programme:- 'Two points to me...!!'.
So, speculating, one could really keep those characters and lead, adding and shedding some along the way, and your whole set of ideas could revolve around them only. Taking a break every now and then to maybe write different standalone stories along the way.
Just wondering. Would this actually work for a stream of novellas?
To gain attention, on Wattpad, to my style of writing and to attract followers to my ideas on my social media sites and also to introduce my main character and the other supporting ones, so as to work up some interest in her tale before the ebook gets uploaded onto Amazon...
A good idea?
If you mean, effectively, posting chapters with hooks and cliffhangers, yes, people might want to read more.
Why not just try it and see what happens?
That way the characters could be introduced, their personalities and interests etc. Much like two characters or more having a 'conversation' between themselves on a twitter account set up just for that purpose. To promote the ebook when it gets released...
These short stories will be free on Wattpad etc as an incentive to purchase the ebook, to try and gain attention and interest in the characters and their lives and little dramas.. sounds like a good marketing ploy...
You should be concentrating on your writing. Knowledge of marketing unwritten work is totally pointless.
By all means, decide how you will go about it when the time comes, then set it aside and get on with the writing.
Personally, I wrote the books first, then engaged on social media. There's nothing to stop you posting snippets after the work is complete. In fact, that would be far more effective than doing it beforehand.
So, yeah, you're both right. I have the right idea, but best to wait till it is completed so I can use some additional real short stories to galvanize some interest in buying the e-book from the Wattpad crowd. Thanks for the adjustment of my plan..
Or you can waffle, like I do, about nothing in particular!
Just wondering if that includes film scripts too? That I am intending to add some words to the script to turn it into prose. If an agent etc was interested in it would my ebook, adapted from the script, would that put off possible interest in it?
And, yes, I guess that is true, PET. That short snippets relating to my main story might distract from that drafting of my book. So best to do what TN suggested and wait to my writing idea is complete before trying to grab some attention for my stories...
If you have to change your writing style to something which feels unnatural, then how are you going to produce your best work?
Why not just use your blog as a platform to display your writing? You can always ask for constructive comments at the end of each entry.
Maybe I should experiment? Try a story or two, of about 15/20 000 words, aimed at that crowd, together with targeting their readers on there, and see what happens, and if nothing happens, go in a different direction?
I have noted that they are reading other stories, including the classics, so are used to more mature language and plot devices. So maybe my little efforts might win some approval if I try to reflect their lives and concerns...?
So, realising that they are either not serious about sharing or are just too young and frivolous to waste time on, I think I will turn to Goodreads and direct my attention towards them.
Have a few friends on there so I will try and network with theirs to see if I can gain some followers. They might appreciate words more there and so prove more productive.. still experimenting..
Don't know how I am going to sell the novella, but will definitely be putting out two versions of this original film script. One straight, one lesbian. To see if any interest is sparked. If I ever make any money from this, I'll head in that direction. Which is why I am backing away from Wattpad. No serious intent there so harder to please and win over..
Meanwhile, just about to do some more editing on this script. So onwards I go..
Padding it out won't do your writing career any favours. You'd have to add to the plot.
Every story has its own length.
Numerous times I've written something short, but by the end I can see there's a much bigger story behind it. If I left it as the shorter one I wouldn't be doing my story justice, and I'd be cheating the reader.
That's not properly thought out yet, as it is rather dependent on whether I make a success of my attempts at scripts. If so, I probably wouldn't delve into novellas because I would be making good money from those scripts. Just some ideas I'm ffloating while I'm getting on with the writing... a dreamer, me. Trying to make them come true...
All the best with it.
And virtual Jaffa Cakes.
Hmm... I wonder if the author had that in mind when she wrote this tale. Believe I read that, some time ago, that at the time of her writing this, there had been a great volcanic eruption in the world which had darkened the skies of Europe, giving Shelley the impetus for her dark tale.
Not quite sure how that ties in with the painting. It just popped into my mind the other day. The similarities of the creation of these two beings.
Wonder if 'God' is trying to give me some 'Divine Revelations??'. Must ruminate on this further. Could be a great plot for my next film effort. Something more darker and twisted compared to this lovey-dovey love story effort I am drafting? Hey, thanks for the prompt...!!
http://getbook.at/CCYF
Already read your other book you suggested 'Not a drop to drink' and really felt you understood your characters well. They were tales from a different perspective from my own, but I was able to understrand the concepts behind them.
As Joyce Grenfell sang about, reading opens the horizons and allows us to 'sample' other's lives. So thanks for telling me about this book. Shall read it with relish..