C. M. Skiera's Blog

Do you use online promotional websites to advertise your book giveaways and Kindle Countdown Deals ? If so, you've experienced the tedium of filling out practically the same information on all these online forms. And if you haven't used these promos yet, but intend to, the template below may save you some valuable time. I assembled this guide for myself to have all the necessary information at my fingertips to easily complete the promo forms for my book events. This simple resource allows me to easily cut-and-paste the required text to fill in the boxes. Feel free to copy and modify the template (i.e., delete my info and insert yours) for your own books, if this looks like something that may save you some time. It's also handy for submitting book review requests, blogger guest posts, etc. KDP Select Advertising Form Information Author Name: C. M. Skiera Author Website:   cm@yourresearchhelp.com Book Title: Mirrors & Mist Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/...

I originally started preparing this post when I began writing the first draft of Warlock & Wyrm over a year ago, but the article languished and before I got around to completing it, I'd finished the book instead. So, as I prepare to send Warlock & Wyrm to my editor, my thoughts drift to planning my next novel. Right now, this new story exists primarily in my head and on a MS Word document containing thoughts and ideas. The next step is to begin using some of my favorite writing software to morph this collection of ideas into the start of a first draft. Because I'm a plotter (and not a pantster), the planning stage is integral to my writing. You don't need these programs to write a book, but I've found through trial and error that they benefit my writing process greatly. For my first step, I'll use Dramatica to set up my story and ensure my characters have proper motivations and the plot is solid and well-developed. I've used the Dramatica software for...