October 30, 2012

Want to help my book get seen?

 Right Now Goodreads is holding their Goodreads Choice Awards. (as in, you can go vote for the best books you read in 2012, Right Now) They ask for a category, so what popped in my head Right Now was paranormal fantasy but that's basically because it's not completely a standard science fiction or fantasy. You have a better choice, feel free to vote there. I doubt I'll even come close to winning, but please just vote, and help me get noticed.
Seriously, I haven't even hired an artist, Right Now.
If you want to read it before voting, it won't take up too much of your time. The eBook estimates I've seen give it 21-22 pages.
It won't take up too much of your money either, it's only 99 cents. (and I think there's a place or two linked to the goodreads page where you can get it free for the rest of the year.)

Other than that, what can I tell you? My name is Sarah Baethge, and I'd love to get noticed by a possible publisher. (Someone who won't just stand by and let me go through my whole book spiel without bothering to state the name of the short story I'm trying to sell.)

October 26, 2012

Advice that is sure to Help Me

When I looked in my email yesterday, I got the MSS report on the draft of my upcoming novel Panoptemitry from Cornerstones Literary Consultancy (cool prize I won from iwritereadrate.com). It had not only ideas for how I can polish this book to make it pretty for publication, but it gave me a connection with an editor who seemed to genuinely care about the made up characters in my story.
(Now that's a cool feeling for a wanna be author.)
Matt R wrote out for me advice on how to improve my style of writing. I need to allow the action to happen- not just tell about it happening.

Confused about the difference? No one's ever explained it to me so I understood the concept right before now, so I might not say this clear enough:

wrong way: Having looked at this report will help improve my writing.
(I tell about what happened)
right way: Reading this report improves my entire approach to writing.
(it happens)

That wasn't everything of course, but most of the rest was kind of specific to the story; what was good, what could be improved. Why, and how so.

I'm still just thrilled I got my book evaluated like this. The timing of the report is perfect too because now I'll have advice specific to my own style of writing fresh in my head just in time for NaNoWriMo.