Monday, July 2, 2018

Top 5 Tips for Aspiring Indie Author's | Guest Post By K.A Emmons


I have two authors on here in a row. I know I know I'm cool thank you. I am so so so excited to have Kate back on my blog! Becausssssssssse she is releasing the second book in The Blood Race trilogy aka World's Beneath! I was so so lucky to have been able to read it and ahhhhhhh it's super good you guys! She was here last year so if you want to take check out that post you can. Today she's going to be sharing her top tips for aspiring indie authors which seriously, I'm so excited for! Ok but first a bit about her and her booooookkkkkkk.


When she’s not hermiting away in her colorfully-painted home office writing her next science fiction, passionate story-teller and adventurer Kate Emmons is probably on the road for a surf or hiking trip, listening to vinyls, or going for a power run. Emmons’ debut novel The Blood Race is the first book in her YA science fiction/fantasy thriller series. Get connected with Kate on your favorite social platform, and be sure to check out http://kaemmons.com/!

Find her at these places:

Twitter: @emmonswrites 
Instagram: @emmonswrites 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaemmonsauthor/ 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17065155.K_A_Emmons 



Ok ok, now Kate can show us her amaingness.


This is a question I get asked a lot: what advice do you have for aspiring writers? What tips can you give
to new authors? And my answers are always simple and have little to do with literary jargon, plot
devices, or story arcs. Let’s break it down to five points, and get to it:


#5 JUST DO IT. so many of us spend a heck of a lot of time, debating about whether we should write a
book, thinking about how we would write it, wondering if we’re good enough, or psychoanalyzing every
single detail. There’s nothing wrong with spending loads of time thinking about your book idea, in fact
that’s part of the fun. But make sure that’s not *all* you’re doing. Actually buckle down and start writing
the book. Just do it. Get started. Don’t wait until everything is 100% figured out, and the weather is just
right, and you’re in the perfect mood and the right music is playing… that day will never come. Just do it.
START NOW.


#4 DON’T TAKE ALL THE ADVICE. Let me tell you right now, when you write a book, lots of people are
going to have lots of advice for you about lots of different things in your book. Don’t take every piece of
advice and implement it just because it’s a piece of advice. Not a good idea. You book will not become
better as much as it will become a complicated mix of everyone else's ideas but yours. You have the
reins, take ownership of that and have confidence. Take advice from the *few* you really, really trust and
who you *know* have the book’s best interest at heart.


#3 WRITE. We can talk about our plot notes and ideas and playlists and plot bunnies and all of the
above… but if we’re not actually writing? The book is not going to get done. It’s not going to become a
reality. I have known some very talented writers who spend far more time talking about their ideas then
they do figuring out how to make their ideas a reality: actually writing. It’s totally cool to talk about your
awesome brainchild… but if you’re serious about this project, respect it and yourself by spending the
most time actually *writing* the book.


#2 HAVE DISCIPLINE. So in order to make the above happen - in order to make your book a reality, you
have to cultivate a level of discipline. It may be becoming better at time management, so you have more
time to dedicate to writing the book, or waking up early for the same purpose. It could be not getting all
mad and down on yourself (which can take practice) when something doesn’t turn out how you wanted it
to. Discipline will get you through the editing process, and the often tedious re-reads to search for typos
or mistakes. It will get you through learning curves and teach you not to throw your hands up and walk
away defeated… which leads us to the number one MOST IMPORTANT THING...


#1 DON’T GIVE UP. if you do nothing else, do this and you *will* succeed. If you don’t give up ever, there
is no other option: you will eventually succeed in meeting your goal, finishing your project, and
manifesting your dream. Not giving up takes discipline, and it takes grit - dogged persistence through
trials and countless hours of hard work. It’s staying strong and holding the line even when you’re down
on your knees, even when you can’t see what the next step will be. It’s believing in the project, it’s
remembering the reason WHY you started in the first place and using that to propel you forward… to
victory. DON’T. GIVE. UP.


I hope these tips help you guys and act as a springboard and motivator to help you go forth and conquer.
I BELIEVE IN YOU! You’ve got this.


Thanks so much for having me on your beautiful blog, Nabila!

Ahhhhhhh how cool was that??? Even I feel inspired now??? And I'm like not an author or aspiring one or really a writer (well a fiction writer) at all??? 

Are you a writer?? If so what are you working on currently? 

Monday, June 25, 2018

Writing + Self Publishing Tips By Anna McAuley | Cessation Blog Tour


Hiii friendssss!! This week I'm excited to say I have an author on the blog. She is releasing the third and last book in her Continuing forever trilogy and as part of her book tour, she's doing a little guest post. :) She's talking about self-publishing which I honestly know nothing about so maybe I'll learn something too haha.





 Hello, friends!
My name is Anna, and I am thrilled to be guest-posting on Nabila’s blog today as part of my release tour.  
I blog at Lethologica (currently under construction), and I am the author of the Continuing Forever trilogy.  I started writing the first book a few Novembers ago at the age of fifteen.  Since then, I’ve written two more books and self-published two (and am currently publishing the third and final installment!).
    
       That’s what I’m talking about today: self-publishing.
It seems scary when you first think of it, I know.  When I first toyed with the idea of self-publishing my books, I had no idea what to do or where to begin.  However, I played with it and figured it out as I went… and it’s turned out pretty well for the most part!  The entire process has definitely involved some trial and error, but overall, self-publishing has worked exceedingly well for me at this point in my life.  I’m very happy that I chose this path and would highly recommend it if you have a book you’re considering publishing!
That being said, there are definitely a few things you need to know before diving into the great wide wonderful (though often confusing) world of self-publishing.

  1. Research.  You will need to research everything before you make decisions involving your books.  To some, this may seem obvious, but I’m serious: Look into all of your options before deciding on one.  This applies to publishing platforms, marketing strategies, formatting tips, and pretty much everything else.  One idea might be the “norm”, but there could be an option that’s an even better choice for you and your book.  Look into all aspects of the process carefully, and, when you can, get advice from someone who’s “been there, done that” and has used a product/method/platform that you are considering.
  2. Community.  Firstly, when you announce that you’re publishing your own book, your family and friends are going to be excited- and more than likely, they’re going to want to help out if they can.  Use their generosity and interest!  Beta-readers/proofreaders.  Advanced readers.  Cover design/formatting help.  Marketing strategist.  Graphic designer.  These are all roles that your family and friends may be able to help fill so that the burden doesn’t fall solely onto your shoulders.  Secondly, be sure to reach out to other self-published authors!  Be involved in the writing community (online or local or other) as much as possible; believe me, it’s one of the best parts of being an author!
  3. Determination.  This is by far the most important.  If you’re going to self-publish your book, you’ve gotta apply fierce motivation and determination to this project.  Don’t back down!  Don’t get discouraged!  Be okay with having to try Plan B, Plan C, or Plan D (and maybe even Plan E…).  Know that there will be some learning curves, and prepare to handle those gracefully to the best of your ability!  Apply this to editing, marketing, talking about your book, etc.  KEEP GOING!

  There you have it: a short summary of what I’ve learned through my self-publishing experience.  I hope that some of you aspiring authors find this helpful!  Go get ‘em!
If you want to find more of her/her book feel free to check her out at her website or insta. :)
Have you read any of her books? Have you ever thought about self-publishing? Are you a writer?


Tuesday, June 19, 2018

A Day In The Life Of Abigail Lennah + How She Increases Her Productivity


I AM POSTING TWICE THIS WEEK I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING DON'T QUESTION IT. I am super excited today because I have the absolutely awesome Abby formally from Ups And Downs.  She has been around for quite a while in the blogging world and her writing is literally one of my fave things ever. :) She is launching a new blog called Story-Eyed and I'm super honored to be a part of her blog tour! I absolutely love day in the life posts so get excited for this post lady's and gentleman, welcoming Abbbbbbbyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Hi, friends! Summer is usually the time to relax and take a breather from all the stress the school year has
to offer. For me, it's the main time frame where so much gets done! A lot of my days are variable, but my
summer schedule usually falls under the same cadence. Here is what my summer days look like, alongside
some tips on how to remain productive!


9:00am -- Usually around the time I wake up in the summer! Since my family just got back from
traveling three major cities, our kitchen lacks any food stockpile, so today I settle for some oatmeal and
honey. I scroll through my phone and check emails for any updates regarding college housing and blog
tour posts.

9:30am -- Time to go and clean up my room! I find productivity to be the most efficient in a clean and
relaxed environment. Today, the culprit of the mess is my desk table, clustering a large stack of books
and some graduation memorabilia. My phone turns up to WALK THE MOON's "Surrender." I jam out to
this over the loud hum of the vacuum quite loudly, as no one is at home to hear me belt at full capacity.
Hey, if there's an empty room, why not sing?

10:00am -- I read the news and watch a TED Talk. One of the things I did my senior year was visit
classrooms and ask what the headlines were that morning because during discussions I felt behind and
wanted to improve. It's something I still want to adhere to now, to learn about what's going on in the
world as well as listen to ideas which will help change the world.

10:30am -- Well, time to go work on job applications and scholarships!

12:00pm -- Lunch with little food options available takes a form in a microwavable chicken pot pie.
Around this time, too, I end up reading and taking American Great Reads list by finishing Frankenstein by
Mary Shelley. Horror isn't my typical genre, but I enjoyed this book way more than I initially thought.

1:00pm -- My schedule becomes SUPER variable around this point until five-thirty. A lot of this stems
from what I want to do in that particular day. A majority of the time, the activities lack any access to a
computer, but today is the exception. Right now, I feel like editing and working on Story-Eyed's blog
layout, seeing as Wordpress's PHP servers and their novelty intimidate more than help.

2:00pm -- One of my friends is inviting me over to her house! I quickly finalize some of my job
applications and drive around town to drop them off before heading over to her house. We then spend the
next two hours watching the Legend of Korra all while eating ice cream, with kids clamoring around us.
It's good to go out once a day in the summertime, especially with nothing to do, because not only do
you get to spend more time with friends and explore, but it allows the ability to discern days from
each other.

4:00pm -- Something I need to do for college is reorganize all of my clothing and non-clothing essentials.
My family bought a ton of items without removing the price tag. So, I decided to bite the bullet and let my
crazy organizational skills take hold: spend the next two hours snipping away loose tags, folding the
clothes properly, stuffing them into bags with categories, and then fitting them up in my closet.
Meanwhile, Friends plays in the background, though I do not pay attention to Rachel and Ross with
marker stains on their faces.

Here's a photo of one of my friends' dogs when I went to go visit her house!

6:00pm -- Surprise! My mom brings home some food from one of my favorite local restaurants: pizza
slices with cut chicken and lots of jalapeƱos. I knawing on the food while allowing my computer to finish
processing its update.

6:30pm -- I decide to work on the blog again. This time, I focus on writing future posts and editing my
about me page. Oscillating white noise fills my headphones as I work upstairs, with so many surrounding
distractions. I tend to not use my laptop in my room because I despise being stifled and it's good to
change environments. Several drafts are composed, and I edit roughly fifty photos. It's productivity at its
finest!

9:00pm -- Several text messages sprout from my phone. They're from friends, each with their own
distinct topic. One sends me videos of Tom Holland being Tom Holland, while another sends me the
anatomy of sponges in full caps before talking asking whether or not Dash Parr from the Incredibles can
withstand the friction he makes while running (scientifically, he cannot). I quickly reply to these.

9:30pm -- I write some poetry ideas and lines dancing in my head.

10:00pm -- Right before I go to bed, I log out of all of my devices and listen to a soothing. Social media is great, but at night it brings on distraction too the point where I must physically turn off my phone and hide it in a hard to reach place. Honestly, by
doing this, it makes sleep easier to come by.


If you want to see more of her check her out at these places: 

Story-Eyed: http://story-eyed.com

What kind of posts do you want to see from me? Have you checked out Abby's new blog yet?
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