Born on this day...

Happy Birthday, Mary !

Celebrating Mary Shelley's birthday with one of her upbeat quotes!

What's your favourite Mary Shelley quote?

#botd #bornonthisday #maryshelley #maryshelleyquote #literarygreats #authorsofbookstodon

I’m feeling like migrating to a new instance. I need to get away from some pretty toxic political content some have been pushing really hard lately. I’m a bit more interested in creative content and interaction.
I follow hashtags but my feed is just flooded with stuff I need away from.
What is not only a “good” instance but “great” instance for authors and writers? Fair warning, I may just decide that self hosting is the way to go.
#AuthorsOfBookstodon #Writers #Authors

"I believe that, if I’m good with words, the single best thing I can do with that is write stories for young readers." -- thanks to @bigbeardedbookseller@mastodonapp.uk for having me for an author Q&A! We talked about my debut FRIEND ME (Scholastic), how I write, and my 122 rejections en route to publication.

http://www.bigbeardedbookseller.com/2023/01/20/sheila-m-averbuch-qa/

#writingCommunity #middleGrade #kidlit #AuthorsOfBookstodon #bookstodon @bookstodon #bookseller #booksellers #bookshops

Like many creators, I've stressed over whether Chat GPT could steal my livelihood as a writer. So I engaged it in conversation. Here's what happened: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-chat-gpt-got-me-my-book-really-wrong-sheila-averbuch

Holy crap.

Faleena Hopkins, the romance author behind #Cockygate, was in a high-speed chase and is now a missing person and I don't know how to process this.

I'm considering moving to a new instance. I'd love to find a place focused on discussing writing, #indiePublishing, and book marketing. (I just don't want to get swamped with book ads.)

Any suggestions?

#authors #AuthorsOfBookstodon and #AuthorsOfMastodon #indiePub #amWriting #HistoricalFiction #writingCommunity #FindAServer

Hi! Does anyone know of a farm animal veterinarian who wouldn't mind talking to me about cows for some book research?

Walking around Smlia Selli rested her bow on her arm and gazed in wonder at the surrounding nature! #whispers #whispersofthegone Whispers of the gone #AuthorsOfBookstodon

US #librarians: on behalf of #authors may I ask, is there any hope of a Public Lending Right equivalent in US, as in UK & Ireland? Authors whose work is borrowed here get a yearly payment. Has this been mooted in US? I just got my PLR payment here in Scotland but something similar from US libraries would be golddust. All comments welcome -- I'm keen to learn.

Fiction writing friends!

If you feel you need a little help with getting your goals in order for 2023, you should attend this Zoom roundtable at 7:30 EST tonight: Setting Goals and Strategies for Success

https://www.facebook.com/events/1214908769408192

Yes!! Had one of those writing mornings: the main character's emotions feel authentic and the next action will be driven by these emotions, and her resolve to act. I've only published one novel but written so many manuscripts and this is that bullseye feeling I live for: knowing my MC's character is driving the action, rather than me as the author dragging her along to get the story over with.

I'm finding revisions of my manuscript really difficult, but when were they ever easy? More on this and my writing progress, plus my review of Wendy Wan-Long Shang's fab new #MiddleGrade novel THE SECRET BATTLE OF EVAN PAO, in my latest #Kidlit News newsletter
https://mailchi.mp/69e10b255299/win23kidlitnews-13459052

#WritingCommunity #amwriting #AuthorsOfBookstodon #history @bookstodon #WendyWanLongShang #books

With one hour left of 2022, here’s how I did on my writing/goals this year:

Published Homefront Hearts 1
Wrote Homefront Hearts 2
Redid the covers for the Molly Miranda books
Outlined Homefront Hearts 3 (I’m getting there)

How did you do?

Yesterday we drove around some of East/North-East London so I could do some book research, although I create fictional locations based on real ones (it’s easier for artistic licence).

It was pouring with rain so we didn’t get out of the car – or even stop. My OH was driving. I’m not convinced that all of my photos will be useful enough to create a sense of place in my next book.

@bookstodon #bookstodon #AuthorsOfBookstodon #authorslife #writing

#AuthorCommunity friends! I’m formatting my Mac and I have a tech question.

If I save out my Scrivener files and Vellum files and import them later as Scrivener (.scriv) and Vellum files (.vellum), they should still function when I reimport them, right?

I’m not going to get some weird error or something… right?

Hey #AuthorsOfBookstodon, any hashtag games here?

Looking for some to participate in while the Twitterpocalypse is happening

Writers, how do you rewrite? Open the file on your computer and edit the previous draft? I feel like I'm the only one who starts with a blank screen. I keep a printout of the last draft by me but only glance at it. I'm afraid of the lure of a previous well-made sentence. I need to enter the scene again as if this combo of internal and external factors were hitting my character for the first time. What do you do?

#amwriting @bookstodon #WritingCommunity #kidlit #AuthorsOfBookstodon

Want to know what to get a writer this holiday season?

Time. Give them the gift of free time.

Or a time-turner.

I wrote 91 words this morning, which might be a new low, but I'm feeling strong about these. My main character is reacting authentically to the situation and her reactions are driving the plot, which is the sweet spot for structuring any story, imho.

#amWriting #MiddleGrade #AuthorsOfBookstodon @bookstodon #fiction #plotting #PlotAndStructure #kidlit #writingCommunity

#MyPoem
#Poetry
#vss365
#AuthorsOfBookstodon
He mocks the ugly ducklings
As they paddle for his pleasure
Water-play panto.
Do they not know
He has his muse?
A #swan in black lace
Pirouetting
At the toss of a pretty penny...