Writers and Readers Meet at Goodreads

 I really like Goodreads. As a writer it offers lots of opportunities for exposure and interaction with readers, present and future and fans. And as a reader it offers lots of great new possibilities.

So if you haven’t visited before as a writer or a reader my might well say what’s all the excitement about?

Well, it’s a busy site with lots of page views and new pages going up all the time. There are lots of books, giveaways and links to authors’ pages where you’ll find even more links to giveaways, videos, author’s blogs and more.  There’s a heckuva lot to explore on GoodReads.

As a writer you’ll no doubt want (or maybe already have) a Goodreads Author Profile page with the author program. If you don’t, you probably will want to head on over there now and create your page with links to your books, etc. The process, as with most of these things, is easy. Poke around the site and you’ll see the links pretty quickly. Besides, it really is a good idea for you to learn your way around. I’ll admit, there are times when I kind of get lost myself with all those little buttons and sections of the dashboard and site in general. Mostly though it’s a fun lost wherein I usually discover a new writer or spot a question from a reader I missed. Once you find the way to announce yourself they’ll want a bit of info from you such as letting them know you’re an author. After you confirm it can take a couple of days to confirm you actually ARE and author so be patient.

Once it’s established it’s really you you’ll want to set up your profile page. Really, set it up. Give a little info about you, maybe a personal nugget or two that your readers would love to know about. Don’t forget to upload a photo since your readers love to get a look at you and the photo makes your page more engaging. Add your twitter name if you’re on it, a book trailer if you have one, link to a blog sit you run or your webpage; all the little things that make up you. In fact, while you’re poking around consider setting "Ask the Author" to on. It’ll provide a few basic questions you can answer or skip and gives a great opportunity for writers and readers to connect. In fact, if you like, head over to my Goodreads page scroll down just a little and ask away.

My advice to other writers is think about an answer before you just dash it off. Your fans will appreciate it more and share a good answer that actually contains insightful or useful information. Oh, and you don’t have to answer every single one. A little secret is the questions are visible only to the writer until said writer answers them. Email will go out to the person who asked the question once you answer and of course then it’s visible on your feed as well.

And readers – hey what’s the hold up? This is one great site for books. You can see new releases, discover new writers, put out your own reviews, join groups to share reading experiences, see what others are reading and share what you have next on your list.

A great reader’s community to join. And there’s the opportunity to dive into the “giveaways” under the “explore” button and see what book you have the chance to win. There are always pages and pages and pages of giveaways you can enter. Fiction and Non-fiction. Debut books, books by established authors, books in a series and how-to books to name a few. And at the same time you enter you can add it to your “to-read” shelf in case you aren’t a lucky winner and want to read it after the giveaway anyway. And bounce around in the many pages to find ones that interest you - if you simply start from the beginning you'll never reach the end. 

It’s a great way to have a never-ending list of books you hope to read. As if we readers need even more! Still, I like it a lot. And you help the writer as well since putting his or her book on your ‘to-read’ list gives it more exposure.

So if you haven’t investigated Goodreads – do, and join. Then get your reading and writing friends to join. You can find friends from Facebook and more there as well. Join groups that interest you and connect there with other readers and writers you enjoy. As a reader be sure to talk about the books you love and the ones you don’t. Be thoughtful and give reasons and don’t just slam a book because you’re in a bad mood. Writers be good to your fans. Don’t spam them and continually push your book. If you write a blog be sure to link it in so readers and fans can find out even more about you and your work.

Goodreads – a fun place to share the enjoyment of reading.Visit, check it out, if you're already a member let me know and send a friend request or a question. Let others know what you think of Goodreads in the comments below and have a great week.

Writers Read & Many Readers Write

Every once in a while I’m asked by a reader; a fan, “what do YOU read?”

You mean besides my own work over and over and over again to edit, catch mistakes and generally polish? 

I read a lot. A lot as in a huge volume of material and ‘a lot’ as in variety of material. So I belong to Goodreads and share some of my books there. 

In general what I read is some non-fiction including what I’m reading right now, FreeThinkers by Susan Jacoby a book on secularism in the USA. I also enjoy ‘brain’ books by authors such as Dr. Dispenza (like Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself) and just plain weird books like Forbidden Archaeology . All of these can lead to interesting ideas for stories and just fun food for the brain. Like reading about the new physics of dark matter, string theory and faster than light travel as well. You don't have to be a PhD to read them either - the more they confuse you the more it stirs up story ideas.

I also read screen scripts of movies I’ve enjoyed, keeping abreast of the latest writing styles; how a certain scene was gotten across on paper before it became film.  Scripts are very tight writing, so they’re usually a pretty brisk read.

Books on writing also share space on my shelves. There’s Stephen King’s On Writing, Larry Brody’s  Television Writing From the Inside Out, Alex Epstein’s Crafty Screenwriting, The Transitive Vampire by Karen Elizabeth Gordon as a grammar reminder, Ursula K. Le Guin’s Steering The Craft and a whole bunch others that would make a list far too long to put here.  I am evolving a small store via Amazon where I put good and interesting books on writing I come across or have recommended to me at Writer’s Emporium.

 

Now if you’re talking about fiction (my favorite), then I’m all over the place. I’ll be reading Dan Brown’s Inferno next. I also read pretty much anything Dean Koontz, Orson Scott Card, Christine Feehan, Diedre Knight, Anne Rice, or Sherri Tepper writes. Also westerns by John Duncklee along with a host of other authors. I generally go through about two books in a week. Genres are Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Western, Drama, Horror. It would be more, but I do have to make time to write and read my own work as well. 

Still, I don’t want to leave out mentioning Ebooks.  I’m discovering indie writers there that I enjoy even as I’m reissuing many of my own previously traditionally published books in digital format. 

I’ve read books from authors such as Emily Frankel (who’s Karen Of Troy I very much enjoyed) Backworlds Series (first one's free on Kindle) by M Pax,  Beyond Hades and the Prometheus Wars series by Luke Romyn and The Next Planet Over by Dennis Burns. I haven’t stopped there. I have a number of ‘reference’ books on my reader and am finding new writers I enjoy every day.  I highly recommend you do some exploring yourself.

There you have it, a very abbreviated list of the kinds of things I read. And, may I add, it does keep changing. Keep reading and writing everyone – it’s a feast out there!

Writers and Readers Websites Wednesday - Open Learning

The UK has a way - of offering free learning on line.

Today I offer a link to their page, Start Writing Fiction. 

Here's their own blurb: Have you always wanted to write, but never quite had the courage to start? This unit will give you an insight into how authors create their characters and the settings for their work. You will also be able to look at the different genres for fiction.

It's in effect a 12 hour course, not just a few jottings online so be prepared to learn.

But don't stop there - they offer a whole lot of other courses that are just plain interesting and could have side-benefits for your writing (for the writers out there).

If you're a reader, there are courses for you as well.  Visit, check it out and sign up for the course you're interested in.

Guest Post by Jim L. Wright - The Next Big Thing

 Repost as Guest - Jim L. Wright's Blog Post

~part of a blog hop for authors to help readers find new writers, genres and books~

The Next Big Thing

Posted on 11/12/2012

I have been asked by Francis Laveaux of the blog In The Shadow of the Dragon and author of Le Cheval, l’Alouette to take part in a blog chain called The Next Big Thing in which an author answers ten questions about his/her next (or most in need of a push) book. At the end of the blog post I must ‘tag’ five other authors and they answer on their blog the following week. And, we all put it on our blogs and Facebook pages, and/or tweet it.”

And these are the 10 questions:

1) What is the title of your book?

The title of my book is “New Yesterdays”.

2) Where did the idea come from?

The idea for New Yesterdays was germinated in the 2011 NaNoWriMo. The story was originally about three young boys, modeled after my brothers and me, living in rural Alabama in the 1960s. I thought the story was going well for a few days there, but then the characters decided to go in a completely new and different direction. Remember, these boys were my brothers and me so I knew how headstrong they were so I decided to just follow along and let them tell the story. When the tale finished was both surprised and satisfied with what they’d done.

3) What genre best defines your book?

I reckon I’d have to classify it as a Young Adult Fantasy. However, I think that most adults will find it entertaining, as well. To bolster that belief, I’ve had a good many reviews and emails from adults from 30-75, all saying they enjoyed it very much! So, nuts to the classification system!

4) What actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?

I don’t know much about child actors nowadays, so I’d have to reach back to the past. I can see little Ronny Howard (of the Andy Griffith Show) playing the role of Jim and perhaps Johnny Crawford (of the Rifleman series) as Dustu. Co-stars could include Adam Beach as Adahy, Saginaw Grant as Tooantuh and Elaine Miles as Hiawassee, Dustu’s mother. The roles of Principal Chief John Ross, President John Adams, and President Andrew Jackson might be a bit more difficult since they are actual people.

 5) What is the one-sentence synopsis?

A fanciful rewriting of one of America’s ugliest eras.

6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

It is self-published at Createspace and Amazon.

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft?

Believe it or not, the first draft was banged out in thirty days.  However, I had spent the better part of the previous year outlining and researching the story. I spent the next four months editing and passing it around to beta readers before finally publishing at the end of February 2012.

8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Honestly, I can’t say I’ve ever read anything quite like this story, with which I could compare it. Certainly, I didn’t have a “model story” in mind as I wrote it. As I mentioned earlier, the boys are the ones who actually wrote it; I was merely the stenographer!

 9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My two brothers, Tony and Michael were my inspiration for the story and my love of history and my heritage helped me to research and finish it.

10) What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

I think that the way I deal with the actual history of the tragedy of the Cherokee people will interest most readers, even if they have only a casual interest in it. I also think my way of telling a story has a way of holding people’s interest. There’s nothing stilted or formal about it. I just write my stories the same way I tell them round the dinner table or over a nice hot, steaming cup of coffee!

Now, I must pass The Next Big Thing to five more victims… erm, friends. Watch for the answers provided by my nominees and support their efforts by picking up a copy of their books. If you like them let them know by posting a review. It’s your praise and criticism that keep us going!

And, the nominees are:

• Ruth Watson-Morris, author of The Reptilian Series
• Tony Levy, author of A Turnkey or Not
• Tom Rydder, author of The Clearing, due out from Greyhart Press in early 2013
• Michelle Patricia Browne, author of And the Stars Will Sing
• Peggy Bechko, author of Out of Thin Air

About olbigjim

Ol' Big Jim, a teller of tall tales. My stories should take you on a journey. I want to make you laugh, thrill you, and maybe even frighten you just a little. I hope you'll enjoy reading them and let me know about it.

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The Read and The Write Of It

Sometimes as writers we forget and take for granted the marvel of reading.

And it is pretty much a marvel you know.

We all read, well most of us read, well, a large number of us read and it's kind of funny how we don't think about it, but just do it. A part of every day. and thank heavens writers aren't the only ones who read!

Here's a definition of what reading really is:

..."a complex cognitive process of decoding symbols in order to construct or derive meaning...a means of language acquisition of communication and of sharing information and ideas. Reading boils down to a complex interaction between the text and the reader, said text shaped by the reader's prior experience, knowledge, attitude and community.  The reading process requires continuous practice, development and refinement."

photo by Chance Agrella

 Or the more dry dictionary definition:

"the act or practice of one who reads...the study of books; academic material."

The second doesn't tell you nearly what the first does, but you get it. The first definition makes it much more clear just how complicated and fascinating the act of reading is.

There are types of reading other than the written word such as symbols, pictograms and music, but let’s stick with what we scribblers know best - reading a book.

Plainly the first requirement of reading is that there's sharp contrast between the letters and the background they're printed on (don't you just love red on black?) and aside from that, readers, don’t you just love it when the text doesn’t fit your computer screen and you’re forced to scroll from side to side, back and for, repeatedly? (er, I think I can see that you don’t). So fiction writers, copy writers, all writers keep in mind the readability factor in the visual.

The other thing about reading is it is usually an individual activity. One person; book or magazine or whatever in hand, reading. Oh, occasionally someone will do a ‘reading’ and read aloud to a group. And, readers, did you know many writers use reading out loud as a tool when crafting what they write? Reading out loud fosters better comprehension, meaning it allows the writer to catch many of his or her errors and to correct them. Handy, huh?

Did you know also that reading really is a pretty intensive process because the eye moves back and forth assimilating text? Very little of a sentence is actually ‘seen’ accurately, thus the puzzles where you can figure out a whole sentence with lots of words or letters missing. That involves eye movement and visual perception which you can Google if you lile, but it’s a whole ‘nother subject.

So, back to reading. Yep, it’s a very active exercise for your mind as pooped to say watching TV or just listening to music. When you read your brain cells engage in activity as the words you read are automatically translated into vivid images painted on your consciousness from the story the reader is absorbing. Fascinating, don’t you think? But there’s more. Your brain is actually a muscle which really does need to be exercised regularly like any other muscle in your body. If you don’t, you risk dulling yourself down. You must keep your mental faculties constantly engaged to keep your brain from getting bored and that will keep you smarter. Yes, smarter I say. But don’t believe me, research that yourself.

Those of you who are regular readers, think about it. When you read you’re bound to explore the works of a variety of authors and thereby be exposed to different literary styles, learn new words, phrases, idioms, and because of that learn to use those things in new ways yourself.

So, be of good cheer, readers and obsessive readers because readers are generally more knowledgeable folks and more knowledgeable are generally more creative and more creativity leads to innovation and the ability to think more ‘out of the box. So keep reading and you’ll find you’re definitely more creative in whatever are of life you aim to excel.

Want to read a bit more and give me your thoughts? Hop over to The Importance Of Reading For All Of Us. Good article for more info.