Author: Brenda Poulos

Live a Thousand Lives

Posted on by Brenda Poulos

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”― George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons.

I came across this quote, yesterday, and was so moved!

If you are an avid reader, I think you would agree. Each time you read a new book, you are thrust into a plot and setting with unique characters.

To me, that is the lure of reading.

I could have never traveled to so many countries, met so many people, or experienced so much—except for the power of the written word.

Now, with so much unrest in our world, I am even more grateful to authors for their stories. Places I have planned to travel may no longer be safe—or affordable. The ability to hear, see, and move about easily may cause some of us to rethink vacation plans.

However, a short trip to the library, a book store, or one’s computer should yield a plethora of reading material on almost any subject/genre. I am grateful for stories that teach and entertain; books that encourage and stretch my imagination.

Feel like taking a trip? There’s a whole world out there to explore—and it’s as close as your own bookshelf.

What Motivates You?

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To piggy-back onto last week’s blog, let’s discuss our motivation for writing and how it affects our bank accounts.

Most writers will say that writing itself is intrinsically rewarding. They write what “speaks to them”… inspires them… It is those authors who write first for their own experience and enjoyment. They hope readers will like it, too, and become followers. While making money would be nice, it is not their main motivation.

But there are also those writers who pay attention to trends in reading. Their goal is to write what is popular and are motivated by the money they can make by doing so.

One reason for writing is not better or more “worthy” than another. Both have valid points. 

It is each author’s choice to write what they enjoy, what draws the reading audience, or whatever is lucrative.

And, readers, it is up to you to choose what you read. It is even okay to stop reading after a chapter or two, if the book is not what you envisioned it to be or if you feel it isn’t delivering a satisfying experience.

As in all of life’s decisions, the choice is yours.

 What Do Readers Want in 2024???

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If you are an author that writes according to the trends of the reading audience, I suggest looking back at what the most popular trends were in 2023 and take your writing in one of those directions.

Remember, however, popularity of genres change from year to year—even season to season.

So you may want to stick with your current genre or try your hand at one of these rising stars:

Romance was #1, again! (No surprise). However, a new kind of romance has taken readers by storm in the last year or so. It is called Romantasy (Adult Romance Fantasy). Other new twists were Sports Romance and Dark Romance.

Also, rising to popularity are stories about robots and other AI-related.

Crime fiction always gets lots of readers, but a new twist are those whose targets are authors. Yikes! (An upcoming movie soon to be on the big screen—if you are interested— is on this very subject).

I don’t want to forget to mention memoirs, satires, and short story collections.

Finally, this one might surprise you. There seems to be a resurgence of re-reading favorite books.

What I Didn’t Learn in 2023

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If you are like me, you made a list at the beginning of the year. For a month or so, you revisited the list, checking to see how you were doing toward reaching your goals.

Somewhere during the second or third month of the year, you realized you were falling short.

Then, around month four, you rewrote your goals, using more realistic expectations.

After you gave yourself this swift kick in the seat of the pants, you seemed to improve. You even got a couple of items checked off.

Feeling better about yourself than you had in a long time, you made the big push—until

October.

That is when you started getting requests for book fairs and podcasts. And other writer-friends asked you to read the books they had been working on and write endorsements for them.

Then came Halloween and Thanksgiving, followed closely by two or three rounds of shopping for Christmas.

And, you were faced with the hard reality in the few days leading up to the new year: you hadn’t achieved many of your goals.

A few days later, the cycle would repeat itself once again. And some of those same things on the list for 2023 would be on your 2024 list.

Here are my leftovers—things I swore I’d learn to do in 2023, but didn’t: How to use Instagram and Twitter more effectively; How to run more successful ad campaigns on Amazon; How to write poetry.

What about you? 

Most Important: Authenticity

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I just finished reading a book of short stories—the first book by a new author. With no formal training in writing, this man broke most of the writing rules us more “seasoned” authors take so seriously.

It was almost 90% “telling”, which we all view as the biggest “no-no” on the planet. It contained “head hopping” (going back and forth from different points of view on the same scene), changes in tense, and so on.

The only rules he did not “break” were spelling, punctuation, and (mostly) grammar. No matter what the genre, breaking these make books intolerable to read. Readers deserve to read effortlessly without tripping over these blunders.

So, I asked myself, “why did I like this pleasant little book? I really don’t have an answer for you, except to say that this author wrote with “heart”, conviction, and confidence. He showed unique “voice.”

In my opinion, he has learned the most important “rule” of all—being authentic. Composing with a voice that is uniquely one’s own, growing organically from the writer’s sense of purpose and intellectual honesty.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

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What one person likes, another may not.

That’s why it’s important to offer your book in a variety of formats.

For a long time, hardback and paperback were the only options for readers.

Later, e-books and audiobooks were added.

You can widen the market further still by offering your book in other languages.

My newest book was just published on Audible. Within a couple of weeks I will announce an interview on Facebook with the producer, Brian Callahan. You’ll want to be sure to watch it. He’s an accomplished guy that can make his voice sound both feminine and masculine; likable, angry, menacing. 

He’s likable, easy to work with, and very amenable to changes/suggestions. 

Justice for Jessie in audio format is now available on Amazon.

Book Gifting for Christmas

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My weekly post usually focuses on some aspect of writing. I share ideas, opinions, and information for authors.

However, readers are the reason we write, so this blog’s for you!

I just perused the books on The Kindle Book Review and on Book Bub. 

For the most part, the books I saw have Christmas and/or Holiday themes. Writers purposely focus on these, hoping to publish at least by October and thus, being ready to capture the “gifting” crowd.

While this may make sense to authors, is this really what readers want to read? Or would readers in colder regions of the country rather read stories with beach/tropical settings? 

Or, does it even matter? 

Perhaps you choose your books for gifting differently than those for reading. Maybe you select gifts based on ones you’ve read (and liked yourself) or ones that have been recommended to you by friends or those having lots of five-star reviews.

There are many reasons readers choose the books they do. If you are a reader (or a writer who is also a voracious reader), please write back and share your reasons for gifting books for Christmas.

Finding a Capable and Affordable Illustrator

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Find an illustrator who can bring great visuals to your children’s book may end up costing you between $2,000 and $10,000 depending on how many illustrations you need and how well-known your illustrator may be.

This is a big investment in time and money, so you’ll want to find someone who is a perfect “fit” for your project. REEDSY, Upwork, and Fiverr are good places to look for your illustrator. Or, browse through children’s books on Amazon “LOOK INSIDE” feature, or visit your local bookstore, looking for ones which fulfill your vision. Their work will be credited somewhere inside each book.

Contact a few illustrators, making time to discuss your vision for your book and get their ideas, too. Send them examples of illustrations you have seen that are similar to what you’d like. Ask to see examples of their work.

Ask how soon they will be free to work on your project and how long it will take to finish the work. (It can often take up to three months). Share your timeline. 

Draw up a contract between the two of you, stating beginning and ending dates, how you will communicate, and how the fee will be paid. Some will want payment in intervals, some at the end. Be sure to discuss this upfront. 

You are doing the hiring, so choose someone you feel you will be able to work with easily. 

You are in control. You set the pace. You assess the quality of the work. And it is you who will pay the bill.

However, don’t base your decision on money alone or you will be unhappy with your final product. Remember, you get what you pay for.

Writing From A Child’s Perspective

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I’ve never written a children’s book. However, I recently got an idea for one. The information I gathered about writing one may interest you:

  1. Begin your book with a simple, fun idea.
  2. Write from a child’s perspective.
  3. Some stories may address a child’s fears or doubts. 
  4. The most popular children’s books for MANY YEARS are those about bedtime, ABC’s, and the farm. Christmas, Easter, and Halloween books are perfect for gift-giving.
  5. Start with a relatable main character—one with flaws, strengths, and perhaps even sometimes special powers.
  6. Take the character on an exciting journey that leads through conflicts to a satisfying conclusion.
  7. Keep your book to no more than 30 pages.
  8. Remember that rhyme and repetition are the hallmarks of children’s books.
  9. Make sure the story is easy to follow—with age-appropriate vocabulary that elicits an emotional response.
  10. Be mindful of what you want readers to know and how you want them to feel at the end of the story.
  11. You’re going to need lots of illustrations. Probably on every page. It’s expensive, folks!
  12. By the way, there are quite a number of companies who offer book writing templates, making it easier than ever to write a children’s book.

**Note: Most of these ideas came from the REEDSY DISCOVERY Blog and www.thewritepractice.com **Next week, I will focus on finding a capable and affordable illustrator for a children’s book.

The Going Rates

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I recently had a request to ghostwrite a memoir. While I was considering the offer, I checked to see the going rate for such an endeavor.

You might find it interesting that ghost-writing rates vary. For 2023, they were between $12K to $42K for biographies and memoirs; $1,500 to $5K for children’s picture books; $6,500 to $26K for action and adventure—all of which depend on genre and expertise of the writer.

If you need a writer, you must decide if you want to self-publish your book or go through a traditional publisher.

If you self-publish your book, you must pay the cost of a ghostwriter whereas a traditional publisher might cover that fee for you.

Remember, there are other costs involved in publishing, such as transcription, editing, interview-related activities such as travel and legal agreements. Cover design, formatting, and a host of other fees will typically apply.

If you have knowledge that will help others or an interesting story to tell—and if you lack the writing skills necessary to do your own work, hiring a ghost-writer just may be the way to go.

If your budget allows, that is.