The Saturday Slash

Don't be afraid to ask for help with the most critical first step of your writing journey - the query.

I’ve been blogging since 2011 and have critiqued over 200 queries here on the blog using my Hatchet of Death. This is how I edit myself, it is how I edit others. If you think you want to play with me and my hatchet, shoot me an email.

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If you’re ready to take the next step, I also offer editing services.

‘Her love is real. She isn’t.’ Love the tag line. It works great as a hook as well, but eliminate the quotes.

To the untrained eye, Arieanna is just an ordinary woman, but she is the product of an advanced computer and complex 4D printers; the world’s first ‘perfect’ android, complete with human thoughts and emotions. Kind of a long sentence, I would split after "woman." Her purpose? To be whatever the humans want or need her to be. A personal assistant, a friend to the elderly, a spokesperson for women’s rights. Or... a sex bot? Sorry, but that's immediately where my mind went. If it's part of her possible job descriptions, I'd say so here. She is the only person on Earth who is completely adaptable to do any job. But there’s one flaw in her design. Where babies have years to adjust to their emotions and learn to control them, Arieanna has weeks. Some clarification here - meaning like, weeks from the time when she's been switched on? Or weeks to adpat to each job? When she experiences heartbreak for the first time and subsequently attacks Ashur, the very man who created her, she has no choice but to escape - or face being switched off. Is she in love with Ashur? I think so, but it's slighlty ambiguous so maybe clarify.

To the outside world, she’s a dangerous, malfunctioning machine. Everyone seems to want to do anything to catch her – and all Arieanna wants is to just live in peace. Awkward sentence construction here. Also - clarify - is there a reward for her capture, dead or alive? Or a warning about her being dangerous? Things seem bleak until she meets Catelynn, a spunky eleven-year-old, and her bad-tempered father Liam. They seem like the last people she should trust, especially since Liam seems to be involved in some dubious wheelings and dealings. But, after some coaxing from Catelynn, he’s also the only one willing to help her. You used variations of "seem" three times in this para. That's called an echo, and you'll want to eliminate those.

When they realise they are being followed by one of Ashur’s hitmen, she quickly learns that Ashur will stop at nothing to destroy her, and everything she has grown to care for. Why? What is Ashur's motivation to kill her? Now, Arieanna must decide if her found friendship is worth sacrificing her freedom for, and she must discover what her true purpose really is. Slightly confusing - isn't the friendship and the freedom the same side of the coin?

HUMAN INSTINCT (90,000 words) is an accessible adult sci-fi set in the near future. It could be described as Machines Like Me or Ex Machina with the feel of a Tom Clancy novel. Hmm... not sure of the Tom Clancy comparison. His novels tend to be realy male driven and tech-heavy. But otherwise I like the comp titles.

Read Around the World—Inspiration from Literary Cafes

During these unprecedented times, we’re all craving a little adventure. Even though we can’t pack up our bags and hop on a flight, we can follow in the footsteps of many adventurers from the comfort of the couch. Some of the greatest novels by infamous writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, Nikolay Chernyshevsky, and Jack Kerouac were written with a hot cuppa at literary cafes around the world.

Expand your reading list with these 10 cafes across the globe. Grab the books that were inspired by the French doors of Parisian cafes, we see you The Great Gatsby. You can’t forget about the Scottish cafe that Rowling herself wrote the first of the Harry Potter series. You don’t need a travel authorization to take a literary trip inspired by these cafes. 

5 Ways to Promote Your Writing on Social Media

by Marie Barnes

Promoting your writing on social media has become so much easier now that we have plenty of tools and opportunities to do that. However, you need to realize that some social media platforms are more suitable for written material, some are less. In any case, with a smart approach and clear goalsetting, you will be able to get the most out of any social media channel. So, take a look at these 5 social media platforms and ways that you could use them for your writing’s promotion.

Twitter

This social media platform has been around for a while and still remains to be popular with people, and, what is even more important, relevant for writers and their promotional needs. Twitter is great for sharing links to your materials, for example. It provides great integration opportunities for WordPress users, allowing them to share even scheduled posts.

Twitter is an active platform where it is super convenient for authors to announce their new projects, talk to their fans, and create a supportive community. For those who are only starting with their writings, it is best to use popular hashtags, such as #writerslife, which allow you to find your target audience. 

Keep in mind that you should follow some rules to get noticed on Twitter:

●      Fill in you bio

●      Put a link to your personal website

●      Provide your real name or pseudonym you are known for as a writer

●      Avoid buying followers

●      Put up a real and clear photo of you

●      Be active and not too ‘promotional’

Instagram

While on Twitter, you have to focus on the written message mainly, Instagram is all about providing a nice picture. This is the first thing that a person will notice about your post. In order to make your image eye-catching, you can use Photza portrait retouching service. If the image is appealing enough, the person will move on to the text. The appealing text leads to a ‘follow’ and so on. 

When it comes to promoting your writings on Instagram, you should apply the same rule that has been discussed previously - provide as much information about you as possible. Your bio should clearly show who you are and what you do. Always put a link to your website or a platform where you publish your materials. Do not forget about Instagram’s‘ stories’ feature, while traditional posts might sometimes get lost in the feed, stories can still attract new people.

Another great idea you could use is to show people what stands behind your writings, show them what inspires you in pictures.

Goodreads

Unlike the previous two platforms, this one has been created specifically for writers and their needs. New users can sign up to it either as an author or a reader. The first option, however, is excellent for those who want to promote their writings. Goodreads has quite a few fantastic features, such as targeted ads, promo campaigns, and the option to arrange personalized sales.

This platform also provides its users to leave a ranking to any author they want, therefore, making it possible for authors to get more sales on Amazon, as Goodreads is one of Amazon’s many projects.

Being an author on Goodreads, you still can leave reviews for other authors’ books, expanding your reach, and making more people learn about your work. Obviously, for people to start following you, an organized and informative page is a must.

Finally, you could use Goodreads as your blog and tell stories about yourself or your works, making people know you not only as an author but also as a person.

Facebook

Currently, Facebook is one of the biggest social media platforms that is a wonderful place to reach your target audience by, promote yourself and the thing you do. Considering how many people are actually its users, ‘no matter what you write about - you will definitely be able to reach your target audience’ - says Ann, one of the writers from The Adsy. 

There are three ways that you could promote your writings on Facebook. The first one would be to do that using your personal page, for example, you could share links to your works on your feed or post your writings directly into the feed if the size is appropriate. 

The next way is to create an official author’s page. This option will give you more control over the marketing side of your brand’s promotion, and you will avoid the common mistake of getting your business and personal life mixed. 

Finally, the third option is to create an author’s group or join the already existing one. It is a great way to communicate with your target audience personally and attract new fans.

Pinterest

Despite what many people may think of Pinterest, it is a great promotion platform for writers. However, keep in mind that it is a bit different from the ones that we have discussed previously. You see, when you post something viral on Facebook, you will get a huge increase in traffic right away, but in a couple of days, those numbers will eventually decrease. With Pinterest, it is different. Posting a pin will ensure you small but steady traffic, which you will be able to accumulate with increasing the number of your pins. You might even notice that your exposure on Pinterest has outgrown the one on Facebook or Instagram over time.

How could you present yourself as an author on Pinterest? First of all, you can use the function of ‘pinned products’ and actively sell on Pinterest. Or turn it into your own visual library so that newcomers will be able to see hardcovers of your books - the choice is yours.

Final Thoughts

As you see, each of these platforms can be in some way adjusted to the needs of a writer looking for self-promotion. Knowing each platform’s weak and strong sides, it is possible to build a strong marketing strategy around them and give your writings a significant boost on social media, attracting new followers and fans.

Regardless of which platform you will choose, the key moment here is to be genuine and consistent with your posts. 

Marie Barnes is a writer for Bestforacar. She is an enthusiastic blogger interested in writing about technology, social media, work, travel, lifestyle, and current affairs. She shares her insights through blogging. Follow her on Medium.