Tag: horror writers

Writing Tips

Promoting Your Writing on TikTok

mjmarsauthor

I’ve known for a while now that there are hundreds of writers out there who swear by TikTok to promote their books and connect with the perfect audience of potential readers. The whole idea of filming myself and coming up with content that people might actually see filled me with abject horror, and I was dreading the moment the time came to actually get out there and start promoting.

Well, that time came last week. The Suffering had just been released and I decided there was no better time to bite the bullet, download the TikTok app, and post my first video.

You guys. I actually LOVE IT!

I never thought I’d ever say that in a million years, but it’s true.

As I say, I’ve only been on there for a week and haven’t yet built any kind of following so I’m hardly an expert. But I wanted to let other authors who are grappling with the idea of starting a TikTok know what my experience has been, and encourage you to give it a go. I’ll also give you a rundown of a few book-themed video ideas to get started.

The Best Things about Promoting on TikTok

  1. It’s free! All you need is your phone. The app has a built-in editing suite that’s extremely easy to work your way around. If you make a mistake you can hit the ‘undo’ key so there’s never any risk when you’re playing around with your first few videos.
  2. You can post about your book all day long if you like. Unlike Twitter and Instagram, the BookTok community is extremely receptive to self-promotion. The great thing about it is you can slant almost all trending videos and sounds to fit your books. So even though you’re regularly discussing your releases, all of your videos can be a little different, keeping your followers interested.
  3. The algorithm automatically targets your ideal readership. TikTok’s algorithm is scarily accurate. When you first start to use it, you’ll be shown generic or popular videos that have been decided based on your initial data. But within a couple of days you should find that most of the videos you see are targeted to match the content you are watching and producing. This means that the same can be said of the people who are shown your video. Your content will be made visible to people who want to see it, and that makes a huge difference in terms of sales.
  4. You can imitate other people’s videos, and it isn’t stealing! In fact, copying trends is encouraged. My friend watches mostly dog content and introduced me to the ‘cheese tax’ song and videos that are doing the rounds at the moment. She made a fantastic version with her own dog (check out Kirsty B’s account @kirsty709 to see it!). You can scroll through the BookTok trend videos, make notes of the ones you like, and come up with your own. This can be as simple as using a funny filter with a reading or writing twist.

That’s all very well and good, but what in the heck are you going to post? Here’s a few ideas to get you started:

Bookish TikTok ideas

  1. Introduce yourself and your book. For your first post, it’s that simple. Tell people who you are, what you write, and what they can expect from your books. Use hashtags such as #booktok, #myfirsttiktok, and multiple tags related to the genre you write so that it finds its way to your reading community.
  2. Flip reveals and page flicks. As you spend time getting to know BookTok, you’ll probably see a lot of these. Simply hold your phone and film either your book’s spine for a few moments, or film yourself slowly flicking through the pages. At the last minute, reveal the cover and record for a few seconds. Then, edit the video and add text that describes your book, characters, or plot. Play around with filters and effects and be sure to add music that is popular in your chosen genre.
  3. Filter fun. There are so many filters readily available on TikTok, you can make hours of content. Consider what may be relatable to a writer or a reader and try and add a bookish slant to the filter you use.
  4. What are you reading? As well as learning about what you’ve written, the BookTok community is also keen to fill their TBR pile with recommendations. There are multiple ways you can present these videos. Pulling a new book from a shopping bag or unpacking a delivered box of shiny new books is always attractive to fellow book hawks! But it can be as simple as putting books in a pile and slowly lifting each one up to reveal the next. Be sure to give a little bit of information about each title, or, if you’ve already read it, an honest review.
  5. Lip Syncs. Okay, I feel your panic. This is a trend that only the bravest attempt, but they can be extremely effective. Search for soundbites that relate to a topic. They might be snippets from a movie, or even lyrics to songs. Practice until you know the words and the timing, then simply record yourself mouthing along. If the thought of introducing yourself is terrifying at the moment, I’m sure this is the last thing on your mind. But you never know, you might find yourself so comfortable with TikTok you’re giving it a whirl in no time!

You don’t have anything to lose (unless you work for an establishment that doesn’t allow TikTok. Seriously guys, check with your workplace before downloading the app if you are in a data-sensitive environment!). Why not give it a try? You can always delete it if you hate it.

I’m brand new to TikTok, so come and follow me as soon as you get set up and I’ll follow you back! You’ll find me @mjmarsauthor.

One last thing, if you’re a writer you may have heard the rumours this week about a literary agent stating that you need “40k followers on Instagram and 100k on TikTok” to even be considered by a publisher. This may be true for some (if it is, it’s a sad state of affairs, and rules out a humongous portion of excellent talent out there). But I am proof that this isn’t true for all. I have about 2k followers on Insta, and I had 0 followers on TikTok a few days ago, since I didn’t even have an account! Don’t be disheartened by statements like this. Keep on submitting. And, if you’re worried and feel pressured into starting TikTok because of this agent’s comment, don’t let it stress you out. Like me, you might find it is surprisingly fun. And, if it really isn’t for you, don’t give up on your publishing dream. The right publisher is out there waiting, and doesn’t give a damn about your social media status. All they care about is your talent. As it should be.

Blog Post

Why You Should Never Listen to the Doubters

mjmarsauthor

With a week to go until my debut novel, The Suffering, is unleashed into the world, I wanted to tell you a story from when I was about 19 years old. This was at a time when I was feeling a little lost after a turbulent few years in my life, but I knew one thing and one thing only: I was going to be writer. It was the only thing I wanted to do.

I had no aspirations to be a doctor or a teacher. While my classmates were taking language classes so they could bag their dream roles in the tourism industry, perfecting tints and perms in beauty school, spending weekends at cadets to give themselves the right tools for a career in the army, or volunteering in a local lab while they worked through their science credentials, I was shut up in my room scribbling plots and character profiles.

I was close with my then-boyfriend’s mother, who was into new-age practices and spiritual awareness. One Saturday, she took me on a day out to a spiritual convention in Manchester. The day itself was a lot of fun, strolling from stall to stall. I browsed rows of glistening coloured crystals and listened to the whistle of a wand whizzing around the rim of a metal bowl. I was sprayed with various aromatherapy scents and advised which angel I should try and link to (Sandalphon – I even remember that today, for some reason, not that he and I have ever been in touch of course!)

We closed off the day with a psychic reading from a woman I was assured was “amazing” and “always right”. There was no crystal ball or velvet-covered table scattered with tarot cards. There was just a middle-aged, blonde-haired woman, smiling pleasantly as she took my twenty pounds and asked me to sit down opposite her. The reading was pretty generic, I imagine. Vague talk of a man in a military uniform hanging around, and general observations about my personality type. At the end, she asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I enthusiastically told her my dream: I wanted to be a writer.

“A writer?” she said, looking thoughtful for a moment. “No. I just don’t see that for you”.

I thanked her and went on my way but inside I was crushed. Remember, I was only 19 and very impressionable at that time, so when someone told me they could see into the future, I believed them. I remember going home and sitting in the bath crying my eyes out. My dream was pointless. The only thing I wanted to do with my life was never going to happen for me. It was devastating.

The thing is, I love writing. Even though I didn’t think it was in my stars to be a professional writer, I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Yes, it knocked my confidence. Perhaps things would have moved a little faster if it weren’t for that set-back. I do believe that dashing people’s dreams in that way is cruel and irresponsible. I’m more sceptical now, of course, but I believed her wholeheartedly at the time. Perhaps, like some people often say to justify a mis-fired psychic reading, that was what I really needed to hear in order to make it happen for myself. Maybe the stubborn part of my brain needed a battle of wits. An, “oh, you don’t think I can do it? Well, let me prove you wrong!” Who knows?

All I do know is that in exactly 1 week from now, I’ll be a published author. When people shoot down your goal and make you doubt yourself, always remember that the future isn’t already written. You have the chance to make your dreams come true.

No matter what anybody else says.

News

A Hell of A Week

mjmarsauthor

You guys, I did a grown-up thing.

I am now a fully-fledged member of the Horror Writer’s Association as an affiliate writer! It may sound silly, but it really does feel like the most grown-up thing I’ve ever done.

As well as celebrating this monumental happening, The Suffering is now released for pre-order on Kindle. It became the #1 new release in the LGBTQ+ category in Amazon, which made me exceptionally proud. Having a queer lead character wasn’t planned when I first started writing the book but, as my characters seem to have free will, Kyle let me know along the way! In a week of dark controversy in regards to representation and diversity in the horror writing world, it’s great to be able to share this positive news.

The book also did great in the categories of New Release in British Horror Fiction and Ghost Suspense, hitting #5 and #3 respectively. This is mind-blowing to me, and I thank everybody who has made the choice already to pre-order the book.

I’ve also received my first reviews from ARC readers on Goodreads. The first was a 4* review, saying they enjoyed the story and that Cassie was their favourite character. This was so great to hear! It was amazing to have a total stranger react positively, and to name a character that resonated with them. I’m also glad it was Cassie – she’s a badass, and I’m thrilled someone else feels the same way.

The second review was a 3* but the reader helpfully listed the reasons why it wasn’t for her, and I guess my style definitely isn’t what she enjoys! I’m grateful they took the time to explain the reasons why they didn’t love it: it has a 2000’s goofy horror kind of feel (excellent! That’s exactly the style I love!). I feel as though lovers of Thirteen Ghosts, which is the ultimate 2000’s goofy horror, will be more my audience. If you’re looking for a slow-burn, suspenseful chiller, this isn’t the book for you! It’s more of a fast-paced, horror romp. Just the way I like it.

Potentially the most exciting thing of all for me was seeing the book unexpectedly feature in 2 publications. You’ll find it in The Horror Maven‘s Comprehensive List of 2023 Horror Book Releases, and The Line Up‘s 4 Terrifying New Releases from Indie and Small Presses.

It’s been a whirlwind few days, the book having only been on pre-release for less than a week. There is so much happening, and a lot more to come! Thank you to everyone joining me for the ride.

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Would you want to live in a haunted Victorian murder house?

mjmarsauthor

How about if the rent was dirt cheap?

That was the dilemma faced by Cassie, Pete, Lance, and Tad, when they first moved into Brackenby House. And it wasn’t too much of a dilemma at the time. The house was famous in the local area, and it had featured in a few dark history books, but the students were sceptical about the rumours that the home was still haunted. Their friend Kyle (housemate and son of the current homeowner) liked to tell them regularly that his distant relative, the psychic Lucius Holgrove, had managed to banish the ghosts within the walls of Brackenby House after the séance massacre of 1876. So they accepted Kyle’s offer of low rent and the 5 of them settled into both university life and Brackenby in no time. That is until Halloween night 2016, when the group decide it will be fun to hold a séance of their own. Nothing bad will happen – not in this day and age. Right?

Plus, the jury was still out on what really happened that fateful night back in 1876. Did Lucius’s séance really pull forth 5 cursed ghosts from hell in order to fulfil a spell found in an ancient book? Did the hapless group of wealthy merchants and professionals, guests of Brackenby’s then-owner, Professor Josiah Grant, really die gruesome deaths at the hands of each of the ghosts? Or was Lucius the only survivor for another reason. A reason no-less dark. After spending months in jail awaiting trial, and then being freed into a sanitorium, Lucius was finally freed. The judge and jury hesitantly agreed – surely one young man couldn’t have been responsible for the carnage discovered at the house. A house that would claim another victim, when Lucius leapt from a cliff to his death shortly after being released. Victorian newspaper records detailed the initial carnage, Lucius’s graphic and terrifying testimony, and the news of his untimely death all too thoroughly. The séance was dubbed The Suffering, a sensationalist name that had lasted, almost 150 years later.

Kyle loves to big-up his distant uncle and his astonishing abilities not only to resurrect the dead but to send them back to whence they came. But trying to emulate him for a Halloween party trick doesn’t go the way he’d hoped. Now, the 5 ghosts are released back in the house: Jarvis Rice, a 17th century executioner who framed men for murder so he could get the thrill of killing twice. Connor Rourke, who died falling from the rafters of the grain factory he stole from, his footsteps a constant echo along Brackenby’s landing. Anthony Pile, a member of the Hellfire Club who struck a deal with the devil so he could keep his ill-gotten riches in the afterlife. Lisa Vaughan, a fortune teller who cursed the sailors who visited her, forcing them to jump into the sea and join her deadly hoard halfway through their next sail. And, most terrifying of all, the ancient pre-Incan giant, Po. Rumour has it Po has nothing in his eye sockets, and 3 eyes on his forehead. And he’s now residing in Brackenby’s basement.

Each of the ghosts latches onto one of the students, the individual hauntings driving them all to the brink. But the students soon learn that they can’t leave Brackenbury. When they do, the people around them are at risk, and the ghosts only grow stronger. Only Kyle’s uncle Caleb can help. Unlike their distant ancestor, Lucius, Caleb isn’t dashing, charming, or remotely psychic. But, as gruff and rude as he is, Caleb has his uses. He’s been trying to get to the bottom of the house’s secrets for years. And he may just have found a solution that turns the reported history of the séance on its head. The housemates must each do battle with their own individual ghost. But not all of them can make it out alive…

The Suffering, published by Wicked House Publishing – coming soon!

Next up: Meet The Suffering Ghosts! Which one will haunt you?

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Humour in Horror Writing

mjmarsauthor

Well, you guys, it’s been a while. And how things have changed since I last uploaded a blog post. I hope you are all keeping safe and managing through these bizarre times.

Lockdown has given me invaluable time in front of the computer screen working on my horror novel. It got me to thinking about the relationship between humour and horror, and about how the two tend to meet. It’s a fine balance – make horror too funny and it seems silly and loses its tension. Make horror too serious and, for me, it loses an edge that a well-crafted story with elements of both will undoubtedly demonstrate.

Some of my writing heroes excel at this technique. The League of Gentlemen (Reece Shearsmith, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, and Jeremy Dyson), inspired me when I was a school kid. Their eponymous television show was like nothing I had ever seen before. Their skill at writing comedy immersed in horror, full of sympathetic characters and humanistic struggles, has stayed with me ever since. Pemberton and Shearsmith’s Inside No.9 continues to surprise me, a television experience that my husband pointed out is no mean feat! When chatting about the show to a work colleague, he stated, “It’s the only TV show that ever surprises MJ. Because she’s a writer, she always guesses what’s going to happen or what the twist in a show will be. With Inside No.9, she’s always just as surprised as the rest of us, so she actually gets to enjoy it!” I hadn’t thought about it until he pointed it out, but it’s so true!

And that’s what you can do with horror. Truly take people by surprise and thrill them, more than any other genre. It’s something that I am trying to focus on as I push on through this novel, working on balancing truly fiendish characters and events with personable humour and empathy. I am trying to learn from the masters – after all, I have been following them for about 25 years now.

The horror/humour balance can never be more topical than at a time of crisis. It’s important to laugh, even when the world around us seems to be falling apart. And it’s okay to find humour in the madness. In fact, there is nothing more human.

Stay safe my friends, and seek out a little humour where you can.

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Inspired to write in Copenhagen

mjmarsauthor

I love city breaks. For me, the perfect holiday involves endless sights, peculiar statues, and oddities galore. When I first looked at Copenhagen I was surprised to find only a handful of myths and legends discussed online. When I asked the locals about this I was informed that the Danish are proud to be practical, and that many of the local tales of the paranormal were phased out over the years.

I admire the scientific approach, and take as much pleasure from discovering that a peculiar event has been debunked as I do from my imagination running wild at tales of ghouls and monsters. But the horror writer in me will always seek out the weird and will take solace in the fact that there are some things in our hustle-and-bustle world that can’t be easily explained away.

I ended up downloading a Monsters and Myths private walking tour on my phone and set out to discover the paranormal delights of the city. With the crisp blue January sky above me I loved hearing about the trolls, mermaids, and ghosts of Copenhagen’s past. Granted, the mermaid turned out to be a giant squid, the troll an explanation for the glacial stones in the countryside, and ghosts…well, the devil appearing in Laksegade in the 1800s and throwing belongings into the street was certainly a great tale.

For me, though, the true horror story was one experienced by Hans Christian Andersen, and documented in his diaries. Witnessing a boy plagued by epileptic fits, the cure at the time was thought to be drinking the blood of a corpse. Andersen was mesmerised by the potential power of the macabre treatment, and, because the fit passed over as the blood was administered, believed in its wonders.

As a horror writer, it is important to consider the human condition and the reasons for our superstitions, paranoia, and neurosis. Seeking out myths, legends, and ghost stories helps me to understand the mindset of those who had no access to scientific textbooks. It is the basis of human fear. And, in my opinion, it makes it more real than anything Hollywood’s scare fests can throw at us.

I often wonder how to balance the fantastical with the real in order to tell a convincing story. Copenhagen allowed me to consider the horrific with a practical mind, and I hope I can apply that to my writing in future. That’s not to say that I don’t believe that there may be some oddities and monsters out there that can’t be explained away by science! I love to keep an open mind. I don’t believe the human race can possibly know all there is to know.

Where would be the fun in that?

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Making Time to Write

mjmarsauthor

It’s early in the new year and I’m right where I need to be. I’m sat at my kitchen table with my laptop open in front of me, notebooks and diary notes strewn around me. I’m in my happy place. It’s a Sunday and I have nothing to do but write.

That’s not to say that the day hasn’t been filled with other essentials. The bathroom and kitchen have been cleaned. There is a wash load turning in the dryer. I watched the final episode of Cheer in bed with a cup of coffee this morning because I just had to know if Navarro won the division championship before I could even think about writing a word. But that’s okay. Those were not wasted hours. Because now I can shake off the day, focus on my words, and breathe.

My plan today is a simple one. Write a blog post (hi there!), write a rough draft for entry into the Tales from the Moonlit Path ‘Love Gone Wrong’ horror short submission, and add to my chapter plan. It is three attainable, satisfying goals, and all three will set me up for the week on a stronger footing than I would be without them. My resolution for 2020 was geared around me maintaining productivity without becoming overwhelmed, and I’ve come to realise in the last two weeks that I am finally able to breathe. Metaphorically – and often literally – I hold my breath while I rush through the motions of being a writer. My brain races through ideas spanning ten chapters, while at the same time considering social media and blog posts, potential short story submissions, and query letters. And then I wonder why I fail to work to the best of my abilities.

January has been a much-needed huff of oxygen to my writing practice. I’m organised. I’m pacing myself. I am allowing myself space to breathe. I trust in my inactivity, just as I trust in my ability to write the damn novel. I just needed a little space to fill my lungs.

And now I’m right where I need to be. Writing.

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New Year, New Writing Me…?

mjmarsauthor

Welcome to a new year, my writing friends. A new decade, to be exact. I already feel as though this will be a year of change. A change in practice. A change of habits. Renewed motivation and drive. I took a couple of months out to re-charge my batteries and shake off the technological burn-out I’d been experiencing. A hectic and challenging few months at my day-job had left me unable to enjoy time at the computer at home, and fighting to summon up the enthusiasm to post cheerful insta pics and remotely positive blog posts.

A break has done me good, I’m happy to report. I have something of a plan going into 2020. I am determined to organise my time and to ensure productivity no longer goes hand-in-hand with burn out. I have identified my problem – I’m an ‘all or nothing’ kind of person. In the past I have had no problem writing thousands of words, zoning out and immersing myself in my imaginary worlds, fingers flying over the keyboard and my brain working overtime to catch up to the images being acted out by the characters in my mind. But then comes the edit. Picking apart the plot holes and rectifying lazy setting descriptions. And then, inevitably, comes the loss of confidence. The spark dries up. The project gets shelved for a shiny new idea and off I go again, hurtling towards exhaustion but ultimately getting no closer to my goal of becoming a novelist.

2020 will be different. I’m determined to get a grip on my writing practice to ensure I move steadily towards my goals. I’ve bought a diary and have entered upcoming short story submission opportunities that I might like to try. This will hopefully allow me to manage my spare time more effectively and give me plenty of opportunities to build my short story portfolio while simultaneously completing my novel. I’ve set time aside in January to carefully plot my chapters and I’m ditching word-count focus until I know exactly what I need to write.

And one final vow going into 2020: To take it easy on myself. As writers we demand so much of ourselves. Of our time. Of our energy. Of our lifestyles and headspace. We aren’t superhuman, at the end of the day. The year has begun with nothing but negativity in the news of the world around us, and it can be disheartening. It’s hard to focus on our goals when the lives we live sometimes feel so perilously out of our control.

So, this year, take a breath. Allow yourself the time you need to be brilliant. Enjoy the small steps that you can take in order to achieve your goals. No matter what is happening around us, our writing is the one thing we do have control over. If you’ve been struggling to motivate yourself, just as I have, think of a plan that will take some of the pressure off your shoulders. Get back to doing what you love. And look after yourselves this year, my writing friends.

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Who’s afraid of the big bad edits?

mjmarsauthor

A few weeks ago I received a rejection email with a twist. On this occasion I was fortunate enough to have the editor come back to me with my story marked, suggesting that if I make some changes he would reconsider the submission. I was blown away by this opportunity, as I know how rare it is to get a second chance when it comes to submissions!

I went back to him asking for a latest date that he would expect me to return the altered manuscript, stating that I knew that this was no guarantee that I would make it into the anthology even after the edits, and thanking him for the opportunity to try again. He then wrote back to me thanking me for my response to his suggestions, stating that not all writers take the offer of edits quite so well.

This struck me as crazy! Here was a professional, who whilst considering my story had made edits in track changes, without me paying him a thing, and had offered me a second chance at publication if only I follow his advice. For a story that I wrote for his anthology. Who in their right mind wouldn’t snap his hand off, I wondered?! I mean, I know that your own writing is precious, and that having someone turn around asking for changes is like someone saying your baby would be cute if only it had brown eyes and curly hair. But I know I would have had to have paid a fortune sending it off to an editing company for the same pleasure. And his suggestions were completely valid: There was too much description before the action began. There were too many characters for a short story, and some of them had to go. I did need to ramp up the connection between the two main characters, and – damnit – the ending would be better if the narrator actually made it to safety!!

So I sat down to work through the changes, taking each point and scrutinising how to make the edits successful without losing my voice and my original intentions. Sometimes it’s difficult to take criticism, but thankfully this editor made both positive and negative comments with a considered, encouraging tone. I’ve received other edits by more brutal readers in the past, and this was a cake-walk in terms of bruised ego aftereffects! I was dreading making the edits, because I do hate editing. But this was kind of a fun experience, much to my surprise. I learned more from his suggestions that I ever have from courses or classes. I am grateful to him, and glad I learned a while ago to keep an open mind and listen to the experts (probably the most difficult but most important step in my writing career).

All I can say is, no matter how much it hurts, if someone offers you the chance to make edits to improve your story to their publishing standard, don’t let your pride get in the way. You’ll become a better writer from it. Fast-forward a month and I’ve made it into the publication! I am over the moon about it and can’t wait to see the book published. So, here’s to second chances, and expert advice.