Tag: publishing

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.

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Reigniting the Spark

mjmarsauthor

I used to find motivation pretty easy. All it would take was an interesting story, a mystery, a book with an intriguing character, or a film that I wished I’d written. Lately, whether it’s because of lockdown blues, self-doubt finally taking hold or – dare I even think it – age, I’ve been finding it harder and harder to find that spark again.

The kind of spark that sends you characters when you’re trying to close your eyes at night and leaves your heart racing so fast you’re still awake at 3am thinking up voices, items of clothing, favourite places, and songs for a person who doesn’t even exist.

The thrill that stops you from reading in the middle of a bath because the words on the page have been pushed out by the words forming in your own mind. Where your eyes trace the paragraphs on the book held above the bubbles in front of you, but your mind sees something completely different as your brain replaces that story with your own.

The joy of taking a walk and feeling the heartbeat of a new protagonist forming with every step you take, until you can’t wait to get home and sit at your computer.

I miss that feeling.

The funny thing is, I had it until the moment I finished my last book. Since then, I’ve been in a slump. But maybe this is the universe’s way of telling me, “Don’t you dare start something new until you’ve seen this one through!” Because, now that I’ve finished it, I need convincing that it’s good. And, for someone like me, that doesn’t come from inside. The process of submitting is mentally draining and makes me clamber into my cave before it’s even really begun, which is a feeling that I know many of you share. But this is the brink. This is the truly exciting part. The moment when anything can happen.

So, perhaps the spark is changing for a reason. It’s not the after-effects of lockdown, or the self-doubt taking over. It certainly isn’t age, because…fuck that! The spark can’t be about new projects for a while. It has to be something different. Something that already exists. The sleepless nights can be from wondering whether today’s agent query will be the one that leads to success. The bath time daydreams that take over the book I’m reading can be about signings at a book fair, or the premier when it gets turned into a movie (it’s going to happen – of course it is! I’ve picked out my dress and everything…)

The spark might well be there if I just let it grow for the manuscript I already have, rather than something I’m yet to write. Losing it may be just another form of self-sabotaging procrastination, when really all I need to do is light the match under the next stage of the process. Next time I take a walk, I won’t be thinking about a new protagonist. I’ll be thinking about the ones I already have. I’ll get as excited about you meeting them as I was to get home and write about them when I first started my book all those months ago. And I’ll hurry home to sit at my computer. I’ll hit “submit query”.

And that’s when I’ll feel that spark.

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Unexpected Writing Inspiration

mjmarsauthor

One of the main things that I love about writing is its unpredictability. You might have a set plan, and you may be productive in your routine for a while, but in the world of writing it doesn’t always work out that way.

I mainly write horror shorts when I sit down at my desk. However, this year I branched out a little and began to write a young adult fantasy novel. I was inspired by the writing community on social media, and had a few ideas about my own little bunch of budding heroes, traversing adolescence whilst dealing with their new powers. It was fun. It was exciting and, being someone who struggled through my own childhood with the X-Men permanently reminding me that it was okay to be different, it was relevant. So, 60,000 words in with only a few lingering chapter inserts, fillers, and a final edit remaining, it should be ready to roll on to the next stage. Only, it’s not happened that way. I’ve completely shelved it. I think about it often. I occasionally make an insert or an edit here and there, but I have lost that spark of inspired joy that I usually need to complete a project. This has left me with two options. One; slog on and finish it anyway. Or, two; leave it and move on to a new book. For me, these are both equally impossible without the right kind of inspiration. I didn’t know what I was going to do.

Then, this morning as I was walking to the supermarket in the sunshine, a song came on my iPod that I hadn’t heard in ages. It was Coheed and Cambria’s The Suffering, and I loved it. I stuck it on repeat, and pretty much listened to it constantly as I walked the length of St George’s Quay to town. A thought popped into my head: “The Suffering. That would be a cool title for a horror short.” As I walked the rest of the way, the story ideas began to flow. Once I had the title (thanks Coheed and Cambria!), the plot followed, and I knew that the story will be perfect to submit to the upcoming Horroraddicts.net ‘Dark Divinations’ Victorian horror submission call. And that wasn’t all, my friends! I realised that the short story would make a cool origins tale for a full-length horror story set in modern times. So, that’s what I’m going to do next. Get the Victorian short story locked down, then use it as the origins tale for a modern full length horror.

That’s not to say I’ll never return to my fantasy wip. I’ve put many hours into it after all, and I love the characters. But right now I guess it’s important to work on what feels right. Two beautiful things about writing, then. It’s ever-changing. Never set in stone. The possibilities are endless. And you can find sudden inspiration anywhere – even when you’re walking to the shops.

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Submission Lessons

mjmarsauthor

Well, it’s been a bit of a stop-start month, after pledging to get straight into the swing of 2019! But now, after a fantastic birthday weekend away watching Britain’s Strongest Man live, I can happily report that I am back in the writing game.

I’ve spent this week getting my short horror stories organised and finding potential publishers for those that don’t have homes at the moment. I found a helpful list here: https://publishedtodeath.blogspot.com/2018/05/mega-list-of-paying-markets-for-horror.html , that tells you all of the current magazine calls for horror/speculative fiction. Little warning – they’re not all 100% up to date. That’s no comment on the website – it is excellent, and it would be impossible to keep up with all of the sites they showcase! But just be aware that some of the publications are no longer seeking unsolicited submissions, and some of the windows have closed. But it gave me a great starting point. First of all I made a list of my stories and word-counts, making it easier to match them to suitable magazines.

Does anyone else find the term ‘speculative fiction’ a little unnerving? Definitions vary, as do preferences from the editors themselves. I’m sure some of my stories would fit the bill, but the idea of avoiding realism is a strange one. I am never quite sure to what degree they are referring to. This is something I am definitely going to explore further this year! Anyway, that aside, I learned an interesting tip that I had never noticed before. I was making a submission to Red Sun magazine, and noted the often-seen request to anonymise the story. However, Red Sun didn’t just request that the actual story document be made anonymous. They specified the need to right-click on the file, enter the document properties, and delete your name from the creator and PC owner data. I had never actively recognised the need to go to such depths for anonymisation before, and now I’m wondering if this is something I should have done on previous submissions that came to naught. But, live and learn! From now on, I will be taking that extra step when publications ask for the story to be anonymised, just in case.

I am cautiously optimistic about one of the stories that I sent. I originally wrote it for the San Cicaro submission call, and received a fantastic response back from the editor. He disclosed that they considered the story until the eleventh hour, but ultimately refused it because the anthology is due to come out the week that the second part of the new IT movies comes out. Now, I just want to make it clear, there are no killer clowns in the story! But it is about a group of kids going on an adventure to try and discover the origin of strange events occurring in their hometown. I respected their decision, and am grateful for them taking the time to give such strong feedback. If they hadn’t, I may have shelved the story as ‘rubbish – unpublishable’, which I realised I had been doing when a story had been rejected by publications in the past. It taught me that this reaction is crazy – the story may not suit one editor for one reason or another, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good story. I looked a little further into this and found a comment from a writer who stated that it takes an average of ten submission attempts before a story is snapped up. Ten! So, never give up on your story. Keep submitting with a positive attitude. You never know the reasons that may have caused the editors to turn it down (after all – I would never have thought the local cinema listings would have had an impact before that rejection!)

Oh, one last tip – some of the magazine websites I viewed had a submission page that did not state they were closed for submissions. It was only after painstakingly formatting the work to their specs that I went to another area to submit and discovered that the submission window had passed. So, before amending your story formatting to fit a specific request, always check both the home page, submission page, and contact area to make sure they are ready for your work!   

Happy submissions, everyone!

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Recalling Magic

mjmarsauthor

As a result of sitting down to make New Year’s Resolutions, I’ve been thinking about how magical it was to first publish a short story. It’s a feeling I have enjoyed reminiscing about, because it has dawned on me that somewhere along the way I may have lost it. And that is definitely something I need to work on in 2019!

I had submitted to The Stringybark Prize, an Australian History fiction competition, and had written a wacky little story about a plucky young girl hunting for a bunyip. For those of you who don’t know, a bunyip is a cryptozoological swamp monster (yes, I am a geek!). Being accepted into the anthology, Marngrook, was such a thrilling moment. I remember telephoning everyone in my family to tell them, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the contributor copies, and sharing them out with pride.

I am fortunate enough to have had some short stories published since, but it recently dawned on me that in my quest to achieve the larger goal of publishing a full-sized novel, I have been forgetting to see the magic in every little victory. I commented about this in a post I made on Instagram yesterday (please come and connect with me if you have an account – @mjmarsauthor) and a lovely member of the writing community replied to say that they were still waiting for that feeling, having not yet been published. This got me to thinking, have I been a bit of an arse for saying that the magic has dimmed somewhat? After all, I am always over the moon to have any small successes in the industry, and don’t mean to sound at all ungrateful. But then I realised I have to be honest. Writers as a breed are extremely hard on ourselves. We all have our goals and dreams and not reaching them can feel as though we’re failing, no matter what we achieve along the way.

So, this year I am determined to remember to feel the magic in every step, and to celebrate each ‘small’ victory. After all, they felt like huge victories a few years ago! There is no reason to believe that they are any less because I haven’t met my ‘dream’ goals. We are so tempted to put time limits and additional pressure on ourselves, or to belittle the steps we have taken toward our main objective, that we forget to appreciate exactly what we already have.

Regardless of where in the writing process we are, we can make magic happen every day. And we do.


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Oddballs and writers

mjmarsauthor

This year will be the year. I just know it. Never mind the fact that I’ve said this every year for as long as I can remember. This year, 2019, big things are going to happen. And, even if they don’t, it’s going to be fun sharing it all with you.

Writing can be an isolating occupation. We spend most of our time with our fictional characters, dreaming up worlds that don’t exist and having conversations with people we have imagined. We are odd. We have to be, let’s face it. So I’m reaching out to all the other oddball writers out there who also see big things happening this year. Let’s be odd together. I want to share every step of my progress this year with people who understand just how strange the writing life can be. Let’s motivate each other, commiserate when things don’t go to plan, and talk about what writing really means to us. It’s difficult to explain it to someone who doesn’t write. But I know you get it.

A little bit about me, just so you know who you’re reading! I live in Lancaster, UK, a small city that has a castle, a quayside, and a very bleak history that gives me endless sources of horror-related inspiration. I have always loved writing, ever since I was a toddler. I don’t remember ever wanting to do anything else. I have had a few short stories published, and last year one of my horror works featured in the compilation Secret Stairs, which was number one in the Amazon horror chart for six weeks. My dream goal is, of course, to publish a novel. At the moment, I have a very rough draft of a young adult fantasy WIP on the go, which I am hoping to polish up and edit to within an inch of its life over the coming weeks. I’ll let you know how it goes.

There are so many wonderful blogs out there, I am not expecting to compete. But please stop by and let me know how you’re getting on with your own goals for 2019. We can do this together. Hopefully we can motivate and inspire each other, and make each other feel a little less alone on those frustrating days when editing is going terribly or the rejection slips are coming in thick and fast.

2019 is ours, oddballs and writers. We’ve got this.