I’ve just started a new author website to focus on me and my career. How vain does that sound? Oh well, what must be, must be. The Crafty Writer will continue as it is as a writing advice site and blog – along with its associated free writing courses and editorial services. But all the self-promoting bumf about me, your dear host, will now appear on fiona.veitchsmith.com Do drop by from time to time or I will feel completely abandoned!
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Well I’ve finally bitten the bullet and released a novel on Kindle. The actual process of getting it up on the site was relatively simple, but it took a few goes as I needed to ensure that the source Word doc was as visually close to publishing as it could be with all of the correct style ‘tags’ in place. Yes the Kindle software formats your document into e-book form but it takes its cues from your original document and it is only when you review the Kindle version and see odd lines in odd places that you realise something has gone wrong in the source document. So if you’re going to follow my footsteps and get your book onto Kindle, take the time to get it right. And if you’re looking for a new book this autumn, why not download The Peace Garden now?
“When Natalie Porter starts investigating plant theft in a suburban cul-de-sac, she never dreams it will lead her on a terrifying journey from the gardens of England to the townships of Apartheid South Africa; and a far darker secret than the whereabouts of a missing azalea. A romantic thriller doused in political intrigue, racial tension, international terrorism and … gardening. If you like your romances gentle and your thrillers intelligent, then you won’t be able to put down The Peace Garden until the last breathtaking page.”
I’ve just been featured on Christian Bookshops Blog talking about getting my new book, David and the Hairy Beast, into independent bookshops. If you are thinking of doing the same, drop by and read about my recent experience. For a list of independent bookshops in the UK, visit Local Bookshops.co.uk
Five things you need to know about getting your book into indie bookshops:
- Your book must have an ISBN number and barcode and be Nielsen registered.
- Be prepared to give 35% – 40% wholesale discount off the cover price.
- You need to phone first then ask if you can send a sample to them (be prepared to lose this stock if they don’t want to order more).
- If they do stock your book they’re not likely to take more than a handful in the first instance.
- Terms offered should be 30 days.
For more on publishing your own book and getting it to market, read Anna Crosbie’s How to Publish Your Own Book.
The Crafty Writer is proud to announce the launch of its new publishing wing, Crafty Publishing. Some ‘how to’ books based on the popular Crafty Courses are in the pipeline but for now we’re launching with a stunning children’s picture book called David and the Hairy Beast, the first in a series of six.
David and the Hairy Beast
David’s dad gives him a very important job to do. But can the shepherd boy overcome his fear of the Hairy Beast to save the flock?
Written by Fiona Veitch Smith.
Illustrations by Amy Barnes.
Drop by Crafty Publishing now to order your copy.
I’ve had a good response to my interview with Khaled Mukerjee on self-publishing on Kindle – but I thought I’d take it a step further. Tambra Kendall, who has featured on the Crafty Writer before talking about how to write romantic fiction, has recently started her own e-publishing company, Daughters of Avalon. Tambra is not a first-time author and has already had some success in print and online books, so I asked her why she decided to start publishing her own material. And why, specifically, e-books?
Continue reading ‘Going Indie – starting an e-publishing company’
As we all know e-books are the new big thing. Traditional publishing houses churn out e-versions of their print books as a matter of course these days. And while the jury is still out on whether or not electronic books will completely replace the paper variety, no one can argue that they aren’t here to stay. I’ve been wondering how easy it is to go down this route so when I heard that a Creative Writing MA student of mine (in script, not prose) had just published his young adult novel for the Amazon Kindle, I asked him to tell me about it. Khaled Mukerjee writes as Art Epstein. Chak Chak the Last T-Rex is available for download now. Now over to Khaled: Continue reading ‘Kindle – an author’s story’
An orphanage helper shares a book with a young readerA friend of mine is a humanitarian aid worker in Banja Luka, Bosnia. In one of her recent newsletters she mentioned that she had started a book club at a local orphanage. I thought Crafty readers would be interested to hear how books and the love of reading are helping to touch lives. And if you are touched enough to give financial aid to this worthy project, all the better! So without further ado, over to Belinda: Continue reading ‘Book club at Bosnian orphanage’
I’m very pleased to be working with publisher Nick Rose and composer Mike Roberts on the musical version of Myro the Microlight. Mike is currently working on a cantata (a performance ‘package’ for school choirs)and I am helping write the narration. There is already a lively CD to accompany the Myro books so children can sing along to their favourite stories. For more on the Myro series visit www.myro.com.
Well the contract is finally in place so I can formally announce that I’ve been commissioned by Lion Hudson (Monarch imprint) to co-write the autobiography of Yookie Budia, a former child soldier from the Congo. The book will be called Child of War. Yookie’s story is an incredible but harrowing tale of a journey from war to personal peace. As a young boy, Yookie was forced to participate in a series of atrocities and witnessed the murder of his own family. He managed to escape and after a treacherous journey through sub-Saharan Africa made his way to Durban, South Africa, where more dangers faced him as a child on the streets. If you want to know what happened to Yookie after that and how he met his wife Sarah and how they now run a charity called Hope2thehopeless then you’ll have to read the book! Yookie and I are working on it over the summer and it will come out early next year.
Simultaneously, Craig Gailbraith from Drawbridge Productions in Cape Town, is making a film about Yookie’s incredible journey. I’m sure it will be a box office hit!
If you would like to develop your own skills in writing life stories as well as other non-fiction writing, why not work through the Crafty Writer’s free non-fiction course
In my university writing classes my students frequently ask me what they can expect to earn. Well this varies depending on the kind of writing they intend to do. Below, I have outlined the main areas of work for a writer. Note these are British rates. For American writers please consult the Writers’ Guild of America. For other writers, consult the relevant writing body in your country. Note too that I am not covering copywriting or business writing in this discussion (ask your favourite search engine instead). Continue reading ‘What do writers earn?’
