Thursday, 31 May 2018
From Joey's Instagram
And the vlog is live! This week I'm talking about building a fan base! You can find it here: http://www.youtube.com/JoeyPaulOnline #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #authortube #lovemyjob #ilovewriting #igwriters #igauthors #writingtips #authortuber #writingvlog #vlogger
via IFTTT
Building A Fanbase [CC]
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Tuesday, 29 May 2018
Monday, 28 May 2018
Working With Critique Partners - The After Process
WORKING WITH CRITIQUE PARTNERS
One thing you'll hear a lot about in the pre and post publishing world is the idea of critique partners. Some authors will swear by them and others don't really see what the big fuss is about. I've had CPs on and off for the majority of my writing career. And I'm one of those people who thinks they are a godsend and something you are made a better writer by having. Of course you need to find the right one, the one that fits your genre and you both are of the same skill level, both of you writing to the same target audience and all of that jazz, but once you do? Great things happen.
And I say one, but it doesn't have to be one. In fact I'd recommend at least two because that way you're getting two different points of view on your writing. That's only going to be a good thing. But in case you're not sure what a CP actually is, lemme give you a quick break down. A critique partner is someone who is also a writer. They are generally writing in the same genre and or to the same target audience to you. They are of a similar skill level to you, and they basically take your manuscript and read through it before it goes to betas or is even finished. I have my CPs read in 20 chapter chunks, but you can do less or more, it's up to you. They point out the good bits, and the bits that need improving and with their critique you're able to fine tune your work to be the best it can be before it gets to the beta stage.
So that's what the big deal is about, you need to have more than just your eyes and then your editors eyes on your work. You need to have reached out to betas as well, but I'll cover that in another piece. For now I'll talk about how to work best with CPs, and where you can find them.
#1. WORK OUT WHAT WORKS FOR BOTH OF YOU
By this I mean work out when you're going to swap chapters - will you do it in small chunks or big ones? Will you do it every few weeks no matter what you've written or is there going to be an as needed basis? How often will you critique for each other? If they're coming in at the middle of a series, do they need to have read the other books for things to make sense? How are you going to swap? Are you going to use Word and add comments or Google Doc to do the same? Do you have a timeframe when they need to have the book back to you? Are you looking for a sensitivity read at the same time? Are they qualified to give that?
These are all questions you need to be hashing out between you. There's no perfect way to do it because the best way is the one that works for both of you. I have a different group of CPs for my sci-fi dystopian than I do for my contemporary paranormal mystery, and that should be obvious why. How we make it work is not always going to work for you and your CPs and that's okay.
#2. FINDING CPs
A lot of people with similar interests hang around together. The indie world is not as small as you might think, at least when it comes to friends and connections. I found my CPs from both youtube and the authortube community as well as The Book Robin Hoods who have a forum for this exact reason. You can also find them on Twitter or Tumblr, there are several blogs that do CP connections that are ongoing. What you need to look for in a CP is basically someone who is of a similar skill level and also writes in a similar genre. It's not always going to be a perfect fit from the start, but that's not always a bad thing. Once you find CPs that will work with you, then you're basically done.
#3. STICK TO YOUR SIDE OF THE DEAL
The idea being that they don't just read your work, but you read theirs as well. This is one of the reasons why you want to be a similar skill level. Not only because if they're above you, you'll struggle to find a fit that works, but also because if they're below you, their feedback isn't going to be on the level that you want. So when you reach out to a CP, make sure that you're going to be happy reading their work. If not, then you need to seriously consider whether partnering with this writer is a good idea. It's no good asking for their feedback on your work if you don't intend to do the same for them.
So there you have it, working with critique partners and all the good that comes from them. If you've got any tips of tricks about CPs, let us know in the comments below!
Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.
Sunday, 27 May 2018
From Joey's Instagram
And book 22 is done!! I get to spend the last few days of May planning books 23 and 24! So happy with how this turned out!! 🎉🎉🎉✒✒✒💜💜💜 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookfinished #CrampingChronicles3 #bookworm #booknerd
Saturday, 26 May 2018
Friday, 25 May 2018
Review of People Like Us by Dana Mele
A sharp psychological thriller that's just right for fans of One of Us is Lying and Thirteen Reasons Why--this story will seduce, mislead, and finally, betray you.
Kay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet, but the past is past, and she's reinvented herself entirely. Now she's a star soccer player whose group of gorgeous friends run their private school with effortless popularity and acerbic wit. But when a girl's body is found in the lake, Kay's carefully constructed life begins to topple. The dead girl has left Kay a computer-coded scavenger hunt, which, as it unravels, begins to implicate suspect after suspect, until Kay herself is in the crosshairs of a murder investigation. But if Kay's finally backed into a corner, she'll do what it takes to survive. Because at Bates Academy, the truth is something you make...not something that happened.
Debut author Dana Mele has written a taut, sophisticated suspense novel that readers will tear through and not stop talking about.
Kay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet, but the past is past, and she's reinvented herself entirely. Now she's a star soccer player whose group of gorgeous friends run their private school with effortless popularity and acerbic wit. But when a girl's body is found in the lake, Kay's carefully constructed life begins to topple. The dead girl has left Kay a computer-coded scavenger hunt, which, as it unravels, begins to implicate suspect after suspect, until Kay herself is in the crosshairs of a murder investigation. But if Kay's finally backed into a corner, she'll do what it takes to survive. Because at Bates Academy, the truth is something you make...not something that happened.
Debut author Dana Mele has written a taut, sophisticated suspense novel that readers will tear through and not stop talking about.
My review: 5 stars
I loved this book! It was the perfect amount of intrigue and mystery, with the added wonder of what Kay will do. It was beautifully written and told the story in the perfect size chunks that left you wanting more and more. Revealing backstory as needed and not delving into things before their time. A classic case of who had the most to lose and even then the ending surprised me. Loved it and will be reading more from this author in the future! Recommended.
You can follow Dana on Twitter and her website.
Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.
Thursday, 24 May 2018
Book Release: Dying Thoughts - Sixth Change [CC]
BUY DYING THOUGHTS - SIXTH CHANGE: http://www.booksread.com/DTSC
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Wednesday, 23 May 2018
From Joey's Instagram
So now that #DTSC is out I can show you the updated shelf. 12 books out with book 13 coming soon. Very proud of myself. 📚📚📚😊😊😊 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookphotography #mybooks
Tuesday, 22 May 2018
From Joey's Instagram
#TEASERTUESDAY Hetti has to get used to Sabrina's driving! Check out #WAM and Pre order here for 99p until release day on June 27th: www.books2read.com/WAM #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookboost #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #WalkAMile #igbooks
Monday, 21 May 2018
Getting The Buzz Going - The After Process
GETTING THE BUZZ GOING
Now with one of my releases behind me, and now having twelve books published along with a new one out in just over a month, I know a little something about getting the buzz going before release and keeping it there afterwards. I am talking as someone who doesn't have a huge fanbase, let's be upfront about that from the start. However, I am actively building my fanbase and reaching new readers. I'm also trying new things to try and engage with my audience and part of that is a bit of trial and error. So while I don't have the following of some indie authors, I'm not right down at the bottom of the pile either.
I've talked a bit about this on my youtube channel, but I thought I would talk some more about it here as they seem to reach different people. So what I'm going to do is give you five tips that I've found work for me to get the word out, and the hype and buzz started for a release. You may find that they don't work for you, or that you need to adapt them to your own situation, and that's completely fine.
#1. - THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS TOO SOON
One thing I picked up very early on (though not early enough) was that you need to start as soon as you have an idea. The moment you start writing your book, get the buzz started. There is no such thing as too soon. I know a lot of people worry that there will be problems if they don't finish the book, or if they decide to go a different way, or if it takes them years to finish it - which just an FYI is pretty normal - and my answer to that is that people are going to want to know your story. You won't wake up one morning famous, but you will draw attention and that will help spur you on to finish, go through betas and edits and all of that jazz. On top of that, it gives you support and a fanbase to build on even if you're not sure if you're going the traditional or indie route.
#2. - DO YOUR RESEARCH
This is a huge point. So many people will go into the publishing world and not know what's needed of them, or what to do and where to advertise, how to find an editor, how to start a social media presence and all of that jazz. Make sure you know ahead of time what you need to do and how to do it. Whether that's going the traditional or the self-publishing route. You need to know about beta readers, about critique partners, you need to know where to look for cover designers and what is expected of your cover for your chosen genre. You need to know how to choose your genre and all of that jazz. All of this will help you make sure you are hitting your target audience and getting the right buzz going for the work you're doing.
#3. - ADVERTS ARE FRIENDS
I don't just mean things like Facebook ads or Twitter ads. I mean combining all of them together to make sure you're hitting the right people. I mean finding out what works best as an advert, what keywords to use and why, what kind of graphics and all of that. This can help you spread the word. Part of this is making connections which you do by starting early. You find yourself author buddies who either write in a similar genre to you or have a similar target audience to you and then you work together co-promoting. You have to decide for yourself who and where and how, but getting the buzz going means spreading the word.
#4. - SOCIAL MEDIA HELPS
I recently did a vlog on social media (found here) and one thing I was very clear on was that social media is not really optional. You don't have to have a big presence, but you do need to have some presence. It's the way of the world and people wanting to reach out to you, whether they be authors or readers, are going to want to have some way to connect. Whether that's having a website and the bare minimum of socials, or whether you have as many as you can handle, you have to find what works for you, but creating a buzz around releases and other promotions means being able to connect with the world. And for that social media is the easiest way.
#5. - ENGAGE WITH YOUR READERS
The biggest tip of them all is that you need to engage with your readers. Whatever route you choose, a lot of the promotional stuff is going to be on you unless you're a big name and generally speaking most people don't start off as big names. You need to be actually talking with people. It's all well and good to only talk about your book and release, but the majority of people want to have something more than just buy links. They want to get to know you, they want to get to see a part of you outside of the fact that you're a writer. So talk to people, engage with them, make friends and with that, spread the word. Not every tweet and message has to be completed with a buy link!
So those are my five tips of getting the buzz going when it comes to a release. As always, these are what works for me and they might be something that works for you, or you can add your own spin on it. Do you have any ways you like to get the buzz going before a release? Lemme know in the comments!
Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books.
Sunday, 20 May 2018
From Joey's Instagram
The first Teaser from #WalkAMile! Hetti's first day on the job and of course there's a body! 😱📚 Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/WAM #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookboost #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #WAM #yalit
Friday, 18 May 2018
Interview with Cindy Lynn Speer & Review of The Chocolatier's Wife
I am delighted to be welcoming Cindy Lynn Speer to the blog for an interview and my review of her book - The Chocolatier's Wife. Here's a little about Cindy.
I am the author of several books, including the best selling Chocolatie'rs Wife and its sequel, The Chocolatier's Ghost. When not reading or writing I can be found sewing or practicing pre-1600's swordfighting.
And onto the interview!
How long have you been writing?
Since I was thirteen. I never stopped...I'd write in lunch rooms, while in class instead of taking notes.
Do you write in the genre you love to read?
Somewhat. I love fantasy, I love thrillers/mysteries, I love historical, and I take elements from them all when I write.
Do you have any favorite authors to read?
I have a lot of authors I just love to read. I will stop everything for something new by Barbara Hambly, Lee Child, Preston & Childs, Bernard Cornwell...
Are you an organised writer or not?
I take the mid ground, here. The first draft is just write, write, write...don't think, don't worry, just get it out. If I know that I will want to spend more time in this world I try and use software like Liquid Story Binder to capture notes and dossiers on the character, etc. I use Scrivener to separate out the chapters and work on them in the second draft.
What's your idea of a perfect writing day?
When I am warm and comfy, there is tea at hand, I don't have any distractions, and I can just sit and create. And when they are really good days, the words come so easy, and everything makes sense. That's the best feeling, ever.
Do you like editing or is it something you loathe?
When it is someone else editing my work and I'm sitting down getting ready to see what they say, I hate it. But I remind myself that they are on my side. That they are trying to help me make the best version of my book possible. That they are the first reader. And if they see something wrong, future readers will see something wrong, too. So I work on everything they say, take is seriously, and try and fix everything.
What's your favourite social media? And why?
Tumblr, because that is where all the beautiful pictures live.
Do you do character profiles? If so, why/why not?
Only if they will be referred to in a future project. When I am writing the book, I have all the data uploaded into my head, so I am not worried that I will forget anything about them, but when it's gone cold for a while, I need notes to get me up to speed.
Do you have a favourite writing food? Drink?
I love tea. But then, I am not sure if you can call that a writing specific food. But for me, it is an antidote to a lot of things. Feeling hungry? Cruddy? Like you might like to murder someone? Tea! Want to feel happy and comfortable so you can sit and concentrate on writing? Tea!
What's your favourite idea of a cozy afternoon?
Right now it's an electric blanket, an electric kettle (tea!) and a pile of books.
How often do you write? Do you have a schedule?
Right now my schedule is wrecked. So I have to sit down and make a habit of writing again. Every day. Write a bit. Try and make 2,000 words. Whenever you have time, write.
ROMANCE, MAGIC, MYSTERY…. AND CHOCOLATE
When Tasmin’s bethrothed, William, is accused of murder, she gathers her wind sprites and rushes to his home town to investigate. She doesn’t have a shred of doubt about his innocence. But as she settles in his chocolate shop, she finds more in store than she bargained for. Facing suspicious townsfolk, gossiping neighbors, and William’s own family, who all resent her kind – the sorcerer folk from the North -- she must also learn to tell friend from foe, and fast. For the real killer is still on the loose – and he is intent on ruining William’s family at all cost.
The Chocolatier’s Wife is a truly original, spellbinding love story, featuring vivid characters in a highly realistic historical setting.
When Tasmin’s bethrothed, William, is accused of murder, she gathers her wind sprites and rushes to his home town to investigate. She doesn’t have a shred of doubt about his innocence. But as she settles in his chocolate shop, she finds more in store than she bargained for. Facing suspicious townsfolk, gossiping neighbors, and William’s own family, who all resent her kind – the sorcerer folk from the North -- she must also learn to tell friend from foe, and fast. For the real killer is still on the loose – and he is intent on ruining William’s family at all cost.
The Chocolatier’s Wife is a truly original, spellbinding love story, featuring vivid characters in a highly realistic historical setting.
My review: 5 stars
I loved this book! I'm not usually one for fantasy, but with the added mystery it, I was pulled in from the first page. The idea of magic weaved into the story in such a way that there was the history of the world given to you in bite-sized doses. I read this in two days because I just couldn't put it down! Excellent writing and story-telling, and knowing there's a second book out I am planning to pick up the next one in the series. Brilliant book and highly recommended!
You can follow Cindy on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter & Tumblr.
Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here.
Thursday, 17 May 2018
From Joey's Instagram
And the cover reveal is live! Walk A Mile has a cover! Check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/JoeyPaulOnline #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #authortube #authortuber #writingvlog #coverreveal #WAM #WalkAMile #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm
Cover Reveal - Walk A Mile [CC]
My thanks to Joel, Madalena, Gillon, Julie, Siri s, Mugdha, Melanie, Davianna, Pirya and Uday for help with the cover reveal. Their blogs are listed below:
JOEL: http://www.descendantofposeidonreads.wordpress.com
MADALENA: http://presa-nas-palavras.blogspot.pt/
GILLON: http://www.gillionreads.wordpress.com
JULIE: http://www.instagram.com/bookish.intoxication
SIRI S: https://siribooks14.wordpress.com/
MUGDHA: http://www.fictionalworld436.wordpress.com
MELANIE: https://everydayreadersblog.wordpress.com/
DAVIANNA: http:///Rhythmicbooknerd.wordpress.com
PIRYA: http://crazykidjournal.wordpress.com
UDAY: http://SinghWithBooks.wordpress.com
AND thanks to Gifgrrl.com for the awesome cover reveal graphic!
PRE-ORDER WALK A MILE: http://www.books2read.com/WAM
ARC FOR WAM: https://goo.gl/forms/5fB1dbgjCFiM3YU43
THE BOOK ROBIN HOODS: https://therobinhoods.wixsite.com/thebookrobinhoods
TICKETS FOR #BLISS2018: http://bit.ly/2yGorwr
TICKETS FOR #DARKERSIDEOFFICTION2018: http://bit.ly/2IVeJXK
BUY MY BOOKS ON AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1VhLHog
BLOG: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/
TUMBLR: http://authorjoeypaul.tumblr.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/JoeyPaulOnline
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/MsJoeyBug
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/authorjoeypaul
GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/1UcS61E
JOEL: http://www.descendantofposeidonreads.wordpress.com
MADALENA: http://presa-nas-palavras.blogspot.pt/
GILLON: http://www.gillionreads.wordpress.com
JULIE: http://www.instagram.com/bookish.intoxication
SIRI S: https://siribooks14.wordpress.com/
MUGDHA: http://www.fictionalworld436.wordpress.com
MELANIE: https://everydayreadersblog.wordpress.com/
DAVIANNA: http:///Rhythmicbooknerd.wordpress.com
PIRYA: http://crazykidjournal.wordpress.com
UDAY: http://SinghWithBooks.wordpress.com
AND thanks to Gifgrrl.com for the awesome cover reveal graphic!
PRE-ORDER WALK A MILE: http://www.books2read.com/WAM
ARC FOR WAM: https://goo.gl/forms/5fB1dbgjCFiM3YU43
THE BOOK ROBIN HOODS: https://therobinhoods.wixsite.com/thebookrobinhoods
TICKETS FOR #BLISS2018: http://bit.ly/2yGorwr
TICKETS FOR #DARKERSIDEOFFICTION2018: http://bit.ly/2IVeJXK
BUY MY BOOKS ON AMAZON: http://amzn.to/1VhLHog
BLOG: http://www.joeypaulonline.com/
TUMBLR: http://authorjoeypaul.tumblr.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/JoeyPaulOnline
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/MsJoeyBug
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/authorjoeypaul
GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/1UcS61E
Wednesday, 16 May 2018
From Joey's Instagram
And #DTSC is live! You can grab your copy in paperback or ebook at Amazon and loads of other stores! The link for the ebook is: www.books2read.com/DTSC 📚 HAPPY RELEASE DAY! 🎉🎉🎉 📚 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #dyingthoughts #books #igreaders #igauthors #igwriters #DyingThoughts6 #yalit
Tuesday, 15 May 2018
From Joey's Instagram
1 day to #DTSC! Release day is tomorrow! And the one thing that hasn't changed is Tara still wants to join the police. But will she make it? 📚 Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/DTSC 📚 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #yalit #readersofinstagram #amreading #books #igreaders #igauthors #igwriters #DyingThoughts6 #dyingthoughts #bookrelease #bookboost #bookworm
Monday, 14 May 2018
The Trials Of A Crime Writer: Crafting A Killer
THE TRIALS OF A CRIME WRITER: CRAFTING A KILLER
If there's one thing I've learnt since I started writing crime fiction back in the day it's that killers and criminals come in all different shapes and sizes. They can be pretty much any age and can have a wide variety of motives. When you sit down to plan out your crime novel, you're gonna be looking at ways to craft a killer that both leaves everyone guessing until the big reveal, and makes sense for your story. I thought I would do a piece on five tips to remember when you're plotting out your killer and their backstory and what have you.
#1. MOTIVE MATTERS
I know that it's the big thing that people talk about on crime shows, they want to know the "why" someone does something. Now while it's not always needed to prosecute, it is needed in a book. In my experience, if you can't give a good reason for why the killer does something, then you've missed a pretty important step. The other issue is that the motive needs to be believable. I know sometimes coming up with a convoluted motive can be fun, but it has to make sense. It can't just be "because they're evil". That's not a motive, it's an excuse and it doesn't really jive with how things work in the real world. While yes it can be a reason for some of the motive, it's not the whole motive.
#2. VICTIMS MATTER
If you're writing a serial killer, which y'know, happens in crime fiction, then who they kill is important. While serial killers are rare in the real world, there is still a lot known about them, and that knowledge can help you in the fictional world. Even if you're not writing a serial killer, who they choose to kill can be as important as their motive. If you're writing someone forced by circumstance to kill someone to save their family, that's going to be a different experience than say, someone who got into a fight with the intent to kill. Their victim is important and how you portray them is too.
#3. BACKSTORIES
This is where people go overboard sometimes. It's not always relevant to include every little detail about your killers childhood, including the time they were called mean names in primary school. Some details will be relevant and it's always good to have some idea about it all even if you never use it. However, I would warn to try and avoid the tragic backstory trope. Not all killers have a tragic backstory and even if they do, it doesn't explain or excuse the way they're behaving now. They are, after all, a killer. But this is also a place where you can have a little fun with your imagination. Because the majority of it won't make it onto the page you can go big and even if you're the only person who knows everything, it's still pretty cool for those snippets to share with your fanbase should the time arise.
#4. VIOLENCE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EXPLICIT
Now as someone who writes dark fiction, and is pretty damn unapologetic about it, I know that some of you will be looking at this and thinking: huh? My point isn't that you can't have dark scenes, but that the whole book doesn't have to be dark scene to dark scene and on and on it goes. There can be some light, and that is also true when it comes to crafting a killer. You don't have to depict every violent step they take, you can leave some things for the reader to imagine. In doing that you create different scenes depending on the reader. You also create darkness without having to describe it. When a killer is doing their thing, you can leave some of the grisly details for the reader to interpret.
AND FINALLY, #5. SOMETIMES ONE VICTIM IS ENOUGH
I know that sometimes it feels like you have to kill a ton of characters otherwise you'll lose the suspense and that's just not true. You can build the suspense by doing other things than dropping a new body. On top of that, considering point one, sometimes the motive is only going to apply to one person. Sometimes killers are driven by more than a body count, like jealously and rage and anger and fear. There are so many different reasons to cross that line, but just because they did it once, doesn't mean they'd do it again. That's a big point to remember. If your motive is one thing, you can't change it because you want to add a new victim and up the tension.
So those are my five tips for how to craft a killer. Usually when I post a piece like this, I get emails telling me that I shouldn't write on this subject because of the effects it has on the general public. And while I get it on some level, I just want to say: guys, it's fiction! I am not, and never would be, writing about my own murderous ways! So you have any tips or tricks on crafting a killer? Leave them in the comments below!
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From Joey's Instagram
2 days to go until #DTSC! One of Tara's fears is that Mike won't want to work with her. Find out more in 2 days time! 📚 Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/DTSC 📚 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #dyingthoughts #books #igreaders #igauthors #dyingthoughts6 #yalit
Sunday, 13 May 2018
From Joey's Instagram
3 days to go until #DTSC! Considering Tara never planned to do A-levels she certainly was quick in her choices! 📚 Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/DTSC 📚 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #yalit #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #dyingthoughts #books #igreaders #igauthors #igwriters #DyingThoughts6
Saturday, 12 May 2018
From Joey's Instagram
4 days to go until #DTSC! Tara has gotten better at life. More social. Even made more friends! The changes are everywhere! 📚 Pre-order here: www.books2read.com/DTSC 📚 #authorslife #authorsofinstagram #indieauthor #amwriting #writerslife #writersofinstagram #yalit #bookrelease #amreading #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookboost #dyingthoughts #books #igreaders #igauthors #igwriters #DyingThoughts6
Friday, 11 May 2018
Guest Blogger - Amanda Witow - How To Create Multiple Religions
How to Create Multiple Religions, Easily
Among the tutorials and discussions on world building, there are a subset that discuss creating fictional religions. Some are good, some are bad, and some are amazing. Very few discuss the fact that it isn’t very realistic for there to only be a single religion within your fictional world. And no, creating a polytheistic religion isn’t enough (most of the time).
Who am I to discuss the realism of fictional religions? Well, I’m the author of the Legend’s Legacy series, I got a BA in psychology and classical studies, and I’m very passionate about world building. Whether that’s enough qualifications for you or not, please at least consider my argument.
Except for very isolated or closed-off locations, there is a regular exchange of ideas between people from different backgrounds. This exchange influences culture, fashion, art, and religion (among other things). Even within a polytheistic religion, there are going to be different ways the gods are worshipped. Back in my university days, I remember there was one time we were talking about how two neighbouring city-states got into an argument over how to make proper sacrifices to Poseidon.
One city sacrificed a bull, while the other sacrificed fish.
“How could you sacrifice a bull—an animal of Zeus, and the land—to Poseidon?” one city cried.
“We honour Poseidon with our offerings, but you insult him by sacrificing the wild creatures of his realm!” the other responded.
Neither city could accept how the other worshipped Poseidon, and thus they refused to trade with each other.
Nos, this is not historically accurate (I believe we were discussing a fragment of a comedy), but it does illustrate how two groups that are geographically close, worship the same deity, and have the same basic culture, can still have fundamental religious differences.
Which is why I have trouble buying it whenever I read a story where there is a single religion (polytheistic or not) with no variation worshipped by everyone.
Before we go any further, I want to cover some terminology that I’ll be using throughout the rest of this tutorial.
When I say “religion” I’m using it as a generic term to refer to distinct religions, as well as sects, denominations, schools, and cults.
I will be differentiating between religions as Main, Major, Brother, Common, Minor, or Secret.
Main refers to whichever religions has the most followers, money, power, and/or public approval in your fictional world.
Major religion refers to any religion that 20%, or more, of the population follows. In almost every instance, a main religion will also be a major one.
Brother religion refers to a religion that is distinct from, but still shares core beliefs of the main religion. In real world religions, this could be like Roman Catholics and Protestants.
Common religion refers to any religion that 5-20% of the population follows. A main religion should never be worshipped by less than the common religions of a region.
Minor religion refers to any religion that 1-5% of the population follows. While there could be religions with less than 1% of population following them, for our purposes we won’t worry about creating them.
Secret religion refers to any religion that cannot be openly worshipped, for whatever reason. A secret religion could be followed by any percentage of the population, but cannot be a main religion. The reasons a religion might be secret could be due to oppression, governmental changes, a military defeat, or an influx of immigrants. Be careful that you don’t automatically equate ‘secret’ with ‘evil,’ as many religions are forced into the shadows due to circumstances that have little to do with the morality of the religion itself.
To decide how many religions you will actually need to come up with, you need to consider many different things. The physical size of the area you’re creating, the governmental and cultural landscapes, whether magic is real or not, and how the area interacts with its neighbours.
You can download a worksheet to help you work out these details, and then figure out how many religions you will need to create. Unless there are some story specific reasons, you should be creating at least 4 different religions, and could create up to 26!
For each religion there are several questions we need to answer.
Who follows it?
What influence does the religion have on/in the community?
What are the core and secondary beliefs?
What prohibitions does the religion have?
Now, regardless of whether your main religion is a major or common one, you should always start by creating it first. The details of your main religion will influence the details of your other religions.
Sects/denominations should share between 50% and 90% of the same core beliefs of your main religion, while brother religions should share between 20% and 50% of the core and secondary beliefs, as well as the prohibitions. Any other religion shouldn’t have more than 30% of their core beliefs in common with the main religion. Finally, secret religions should have around 20% of their core beliefs directly contradict some of the main religion’s prohibitions.
Once you’ve created the outline of all your religions, it’s time to take a look at how they interact with each other and your fictional society. To do this, create a list of the major and minor holidays your society celebrates. Major holidays would be any celebrations or observances where it isn’t expected for people to work or go about their day normally. Minor holidays are those that don’t disrupt a normal day—though they could be considered a major holiday by one or more of the non-main religions.
With the holidays decided, you should look at what laws and customs are influenced by the main and major religions. Some laws may be influenced by common and minor religions, but there will be less of them.
Finally, think about what stereotypes the religions might have for each other. You should also think about why the stereotypes exist, and what the truth is.
Once you have all of that done, it’s time for you to review your religions. Take a look at al the details and think about how it will affect the characters and plot of your story. If needed, make changes. Keep in mind the relationship between all religions and the society they exist in, and you’ll do fine.
Use the provided worksheet to create your religions, and always feel free to send me a Tumblr ask (on or off anon) if you need a bit of help figuring out any details.
You can follow Amanda on her website, Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
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