A Directory of Inspiration!

Last week (27th April - 3rd May), I was the Crowvus Author of the week. For the first five days I wrote a blog on various ways in which I become inspired. These were:

• Places
• Objects
• People
• Music
• Characters

[you can read these by clicking the links!]

On the last two days I considered looking forward and looking back.

The lockdown has given us plenty of opportunity to do this!

I had the idea of writing a series of short stories with the same group of characters, and that's what I've been on with for most of this week. I haven't finished any, but that's just the problem of writing outside - too many distractions - but so much inspiration!

Currently, I have characters I write short stories about for the following genres:

1. High Fantasy
2. Historical Fantasy
3. Mystery
4. Historical Fiction

Probably no surprises there!

My New Year's Resolution is continuing, having made submissions to KSAA's #Chatterton250 and The First Line. Time will tell how those get on. If nothing else, I'm building up a collection of poems and stories of which I am proud.

In other news (that is: wearing my publisher hat!) the 4th Crowvus Ghost Story Competition is now open for entries. Head over and have a peek! The other judges and I are putting together a free eBook of our own ghostly experiences - this is coming out in mid- to late May.

Remember! You can read my books here, here and here(this one's free until 20th May).

Find me here: www.stompermcewan.com
www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory - follow me there!

Writing Tips in Tumultuous Times

Trying to settle into writing has been slightly - ok, not so slightly! - awkward this week. But only from the point of view of new writing. I've had a super busy week in the realm of author and part-time artist! Here's some of what's kept me busy...

I took part in the Writing Community Chat Show's #WritingCommunityBedtimeStory challenge. So now you can, if so inclined, listen to me reading Chapter One of Caledon. Authors, if you haven't already done this, please give it a go. It's great for readers to hear a story in its conceptual voice.

I've also signed up for Our Own Write, a virtual book fair which takes place on 22nd and 23rd April. I'm on at 8pm BST, followed by Judith and then Clemency.

And, since I've mentioned Clemency, she's offering everyone - readers, bloggers, reviewers - a chance to join in with her next book. You can find more about it here! So I did her a little picture (above) to celebrate.

Finally, I'm still on with my New Year resolution. If everything goes according to plan, these are the four competitions/submissions which I'll enter in April. Why don't you have a look and see if there's one you'd like to enter?
The Trench Coat Chronicles
Didcot Writers
Parsec
87 Bedford Anthology

Remember - writing is not just about new writing. Take time to re-read and edit your earlier writings.


Find me here: www.stompermcewan.com
www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory - follow me there!

Hello Indie April

A quick look through my writer's diary reveals that this week's biggest advancement has been March into April. Writing-wise, this has also presented a big change in direction.

The Clan of Caledon - in avatar form!

Two reasons.

1. One - welcome to #IndieApril, the month of the year where we, as independent authors and independent publishers, become the stars. This doesn't necessarily mean we become famous, in fact this week's biggest achievement has been helping other indie authors along the way. Writing is really NOT a competitive business. If we support one-another, we're all winners!
2. Two - Camp NaNoWriMo! Day three, and already I'm really failing on this! But I'm going to try and persevere through this crazy time. In Possession of Words, my horror novel, is currently weighing in at 13,887 words, the majority of which are still little more than notes. I have to come clean and admit that only 1,760 of those were written during Camp NaNoWriMo. If any of you are part of this, please hunt me out and add me as a Buddy - I'm here: https://nanowrimo.org/participants/stomper-mcewan

But April's arrival also means that I'm a quarter of the way through the year, and my literary New Year's Resolution is still in tact! Nothing's come of it so far, but I'm hopeful! How are your 2020 writing goals shaping up?

Finally, week three of my review tour occurred yesterday with a couple of reviews. Interestingly, this week's reviews were both impressed with the history and landscape in the book. It's always great to have feedback like:

I found this book immersive. The world felt real and like I could walk right into it.

and my favourite of this week:

One of the best features of this book is the significant amount of accurate, intriguing Scottish Highlands time-period detail that the author weaved into this book.  It is [...] well-versed in the culture and customs that she was able to provide such cohesive knowledge and references in her writing.

There's only one more review left on my tour, but if your appetite has been whetted, you can find Caledon FREE here. Whatever you thought, please leave a review and I'll be eternally grateful!

Find me here: www.stompermcewan.com
www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory - follow me there!

Hello Again - 2020 Writing Challenges

Someone pointed out to me that a blog was a good way of sharing ideas and thoughts on writing. Since there are very few activities I love as much as writing, I decided to give it a go, and share some of my 2020 antics with you, one writer to another, this author to her readers.

2020 is a new decade and so I've set myself a new writing challenge or two. My New Year resolution was to enter one writing competition/award each week and, so far, I've managed to stick to it. I'm 12 entries in, and scribbling eagerly at number 13!

Although that resolution has constantly pressing deadlines, by far the harder goal I've set myself is to write a book in each major genre.  Until now, all my books have had an historical backdrop, but this year will see the release of my first contemporary novel, a thriller with the working title Among These Dark Satanic Mills. This has been a while in the making but, when my publishing team suggested it was good enough to put "out there", I decided I wanted to know if I could write in other genres.

At the moment I'm writing a horror novel, trying to balance the right amount of cliche with a fresh plot and my own style of telling the story. I'm not sure horror is the genre I'm best cut out for, but we'll see how the end product looks!

In a way, I have NaNoWriMo to thank for this new challenge. Stories I have stored up in my head for months and years formed the basis for my first November writing month last year. Going back to these plot lines, scrawled in the tiny notebook I keep by my pillow, has given me a new drive to get them written. So far, it's still at the enjoyable stage!

Find me here: www.stompermcewan.com
www.twitter.com/DaysDyingGlory - follow me there!

Book Launches - A Blog Guaranteed Not To Help

While I've been working alongside the Crowvus team to prepare for the three Book Launch events, I've read SO MANY websites about creating a good and effective launch.  I can tell you now, not one of them works entirely.

So in this Blog I intend to address some of the issues I've faced around planning my own Book Launch, with perhaps a few harsh truths thrown in.

1. Budget - Almost all lists suggest that you set your budget and stick to it.  Make sure that you stay within what you can afford.  This is a fair comment because you can bet that, as soon as you go from posting cute pictures of your dog on Facebook to posting your Crowdfunder page, most of your friends suddenly treat you like a pariah.
   "Virginia who?"
   
2. Entertainment - Clearly most people who turn up to a book launch are there to see the author.  But having an alternative - but thematic - entertainment can also be very welcome.  However, expect to be ignored by these people 50% of the time, turned down 30% of the time and gain success the other 20%.  At this point I have to pay huge thankful recognition to Duckegg Theatre Company who were the first people I asked and who have supported me from the word go:
   "You guys are amazing!
   
3. Venue - I landed on my feet here and got some real support!  Choosing somewhere that will draw in like-minded people is crucial.  It's worth looking around carefully before you choose.
   "I've always wanted to go there!"
4. Blog Tour - This is a great idea!  There are so many successful blogs around that if you write a post for them it'll be helping all involved.  Plus, for the main part, book bloggers are quite a nice bunch.
   "Blog it out!"
5. Reading - Choosing which passages from your book you want to deliver.  I have to admit that, whilst the rest of the organisation has been a nightmare, this is the part that fills me with dread.  I'm a trained teacher, and talking in front of people does not phase me.  But READING in front of them, and from something that contains heartfelt words from your own soul, is downright daunting.
   "Please don't laugh..."
   
6. Advertise - As aforementioned, social media is not always the best way to gain support, although throw it out once, twice, thrice...  Actually keep on putting it out there until people get bored of it and agree to attend the launch just to shut you up.
   "Hello? Hello, friends?"
7. Advertise - Get local press involved.  Don't email though, as that is easy to be ignored.  Give them a ring.  Or if, like me, you have an aversion to telephones get your agent/publisher/friend/random-person-you-grabbed-off-the-street to call for you.
   "Yes, you don't know me because I'm a debut author..."
8. Advertise - This is the soul destroying part where you realise that, despite your best efforts to coax, cajole or beg people to attend AND the £££s that you've spent persuading them don't seem to be getting you anywhere, you break your budget as you pay to appear on that one bus shelter you're sure will make all the difference.
   "Of course it was worth mortgaging the house three times, I'm on the billboard three miles outside town!"

And then you turn up, convinced that the only people there will be your immediate family, faithfuls of the venue and those three trusty friends who'd follow you anywhere.  And are you correct?  Well, let's wait and see!

11th April - The Ropewalk, Barton-upon-Humber

17th April - The Library of Innerpeffray, nr Crieff

6th May - St Magnus Centre, Kirkwall.

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[Thank you!]

From Stick Men to Statues - Ideas to Build 3D Characters

Occasionally (or perhaps not quite so occasionally!) I get told off for wanting to know who a reader's favourite character is. I always have a favourite character when I'm reading, whatever the story, ranging from The Three Musketeers - definitely Athos, by the way! - to The Wheel of Time - and that has to be Mat.

Strangely, I do not have a favourite character when I'm writing. But perhaps that is the point of this blog post. Every character I write represents an aspect of myself, and I could not be any one of them without acknowledging the other. So here are my four stages of how to build characters so that they are believable and engaging:

1. Look in the Mirror
   Have an idea - and make a note - of what your characters look like.  If you write fantasy the appearance of people is almost always of special significance to the role they will play. Don't apologise for this. Make sure that you know the approximate height, the ethnicity, hair colour, build and eye colour of your characters. You do not need to write this every time a character appears, in fact sometimes it is better to avoid it all together, but it saves you the embarrassment of having your reader come back at you and query why, when Robert Robson had grey eyes in chapter three he now has brown eyes in chapter twenty.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. There is No Such Thing as Normal
   
   I am from a large family, but there are no two of us who walk the same. If you have someone walking down the street your reader will be less engaged than if you have someone sauntering, stumbling or swaggering. Movements are almost always as unique to a character as they are to a real person. Example: "She got on the bus and paid for a ticket" or "She quickly stepped onto the bus, searching for the correct change before she collected her ticket and moved down the aisle". Don't overuse adverbs but don't ignore them entirely. They have their place in character development as surely as nouns and adjectives.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Nature Versus Nurture
   
   You are not solely what you have inherited from your parents, so the same must apply to your characters. Knowing a backstory for each of your characters deepens your understanding of them. In turn, this helps your reader form a stronger connection with them. Whatever our background, it leaves a huge footprint on our future. Characters carry the same scars and the same values during and beyond their childhood as people in the real world. Someone who grew up in New Delhi is going to have a different outlook to someone who grew up in Norfolk. Perhaps your character is well travelled, having an impact on their appearance as well as their acceptance and appreciation of other cultures.  And, of course, they will talk differently.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Everyone Has a Quirk
   
   I have known people who are obsessed with symmetry; who count everything; who need to find patterns in floorboards; who arrange everything alphabetically...  The list goes on.  When characters embrace chaos, as many do during their journey through the pages of the book, they need to have had an order in the first place to make their actions chaotic. But beware! A clever writer slots these things in under the radar and does not force them on the reader. Make sure that your character, and not your writing, highlights these issues to the reader - remember it should be your character's quirk, not your own.
   
   

And suddenly your characters are 3D, believable and easy to relate to.

[Drawing pictures is optional!]