Posted on by Alexie Linn

The Checklist

The Checklist?

As an indie publisher one’s hats multiply like dustbunnies. Not only must you, the author, think of the book, write it, and edit it; but you must perform or cause cover creation and precise formatting for publication to happen. And you, the all-knowing author, are the head-hauncho of it all. You will take red hot poker heat for even one egads.

As for my experience, there’s nothing quite as embarrassing as forgetting to paginate or not catching misspelled words. Why? Because Daddy would have me jailed in my room for that. And Grandpa would be the jailer.

Why does it happen? Because I get in a hurry and zip over what I think I have down pat. I do. I confess. When I’m overwhelmed my mind turns to gloppy oatmeal. When the oatmeal oozes, important details go on an adventure.

But when it comes to publishing a new book, zero mistakes is better.

To reduce the risk or prevent embarrassing and time-consuming mistakes altogether, I now use a pre-publish checklist.

It looks like this:

  • First edit – for tightening, flow-test, spelling, punctuation, and …
  • Second edit – into Hemingway (one chapter at a time) for grade level, adverb overuse, passive, lazy actions, and confusing sentences… like this one.
  • Third edit – for reading experience details like titling, consistency, table of contents, pagination, copyright, and credits.
  • Fourth edit – After the cool-down period. For page-turning prose and spelling. The final step before preparing the manuscript for specific formats.

I format for *E book, **Print, and ***Narrating. Sometimes for ****Serializing.

Different Book Formats Require Different Formats — Add to the Checklist:

Note: My experience is with Amazon Kindle and D2D.

*E Books

The original manuscript is for E books. All other formats are ‘save as’ from this original manuscript.

I go through all four edits completely before copying for different formats because… wait for it…

If you change even one period anywhere after the reproductions are made, you have to remember to change the period in all the others… It’s a time consuming and hair-pulling affair.

So, before I replicate the original manuscript for other formats, I go through one more time. This time to confirm that:

  1. All the chapters are listed in proper numeric order within the Table of Contents. No chapter numbers are missing or out of order.
  2. Each chapter fits on one line of the Table of Contents.
  3. No words are misspelled unless I intend them to be.

It’s time to format.

*E-book – No changes to the original manuscript.

**Print – Paperback and Hardback – Change the paper size (or margins) to ½ inch smaller than the size of the finished book. For instance… a 6”x 9” book needs a 5 ½”x 8 ½” paper size.

Scroll the entire manuscript for visual issues and blank pages. Double check the Table of Contents for one chapter per line. Shorten chapter titles and/or reduce the font-size within the Table to make it fit – one line per chapter.

If PDF is the preferred file type, be sure to open the ‘options’; check ‘PDF-a Compliant’ to embed the fonts. Without this step, you will get an error message about embedding fonts. And it takes a lot longer to process your book for previewing. A bunch longer!

***Narrating

Put yourself in the storyteller’s shoes. Remove anything that your talented, oh so valuable, narrator cannot read… like:

  • Pictures
  • Drawings

Then it’s good to go.

Simplify web links. Instead of ‘https://www.alexielinnauthor.com’, make it ‘alexielinnauthor.com’. Make it easy for the narrator to read. And easy for the listener to hear clearly.

****Serializing

Change the ‘Chapter…’ to ‘Episode…’ at the logical ‘Episode’ divisions.

And that’s about it. Unless I’ve forgotten something.

Happy Publishing…

Alexie Linn

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

Subscribe to my You Tube Channelto not miss a fun and entertaining Book Trailer. They’re short. They’re mesmerizing. And they won’t waste your time.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

Smash Writer’s Block! Now!

Smash Writer’s Block

I have Writer’s Block as I write this. There are several causes of Writer’s Block. Here are four of them:

  • Hurry-Up-and-Wait Syndrome
  • Being overwhelmed
  • Interruptions
  • Boredom

Hurry-Up-and-Wait Syndrome

It happens when I’m waiting to run the final edit on the latest book. I’m afraid to start the next book because I’ll have to stop to run the final edit or listen to the audiobooks that are in process.

I know I should be using this time to blog about the writing process… but I don’t know what to blog about. I have writer’s block.

Being Overwhelmed

When I know I have only 45 minutes before the chaos begins around me. And my ‘do-today’ list has at least five critical items on it.

Interruptions

When one of my characters has their finger in the dyke, but the phone squawks. There stands my character. Waiting for me to write down what they’re saying besides ‘Help!’. By the time I get back to them, they forgot what they were going to do to save themselves – and the town below.

Boredom

When it seems like my characters are spending too much time sitting down, standing up, or pouring their 25th mug of coffee since climbing out of bed. Why are they there? Why isn’t something happening to struggle their way out of?

How-to Smash Writer’s Block
  • Read a Plot-Builder’s book like Plots Unlimited or Plotto or…
  • Ask your search engine for writing prompts.  Open one… any one of the 84,500,000 results and feed your plot brain.
  • Take a walk and clear your head
  • Have there be a knock on the door. But your finger’s in the dyke and the door is locked. Bellowing ‘Come in’ is not an option.
  • Go down memory lane with your own life experience. Pick an event that made you smile, laugh, cry, or screech. Work it in. Let your characters have their way with it.
  • Call cousin April.
  • Prepare your taxes.

Only you and your proteges can decide what’s next. And all it takes is a look, a word, or a knock on the door.

And have fun! No matter what!

Just one more thing.

Tell me how you smash Writer’s Block.

Email me here at alexielinn@gmail.com.

Oh my! Look at the time! Chaos will begin in 5,4,3,2,1….

The End Stuff

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

Subscribe to my You Tube Channelto not miss a fun and entertaining Book Trailer. They’re short. They’re mesmerizing. And they won’t waste your time.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

Can AI Write Your Book?

Can AI Write Your Book?

I confess! I tried it! I gave collaborating with AI (Artificial Intelligence) a test run. I named her Beulah. Here’s what happened:

Beulah asked me for a topic. I told her to solve an old mystery with three ghosts with three women and two men.

She thought a bit. Then flashed me the ‘writing’ card. Within a couple of minutes she displayed her 1311 word short story.

She had me hooked with the first paragraph. Here it is:

‘The three ghosts were sitting around the table in the old, dusty house. They had been there for years, ever since the murder happened. They were waiting for someone to solve the mystery so they could rest in peace.’

The second through sixth paragraphs weren’t half bad for collaborating with artificial intelligence either:

‘The three women were also sitting around the table. They were the sisters of the murdered woman. They had never been able to find out who killed their sister, and they were hoping that the ghosts would be able to help them.


The man was the detective who was working on the case. He had been investigating it for years, but he had never been able to find any solid evidence. He was hoping that the ghosts would be able to help him solve the case.


The detective asked the ghosts what happened on the night of the murder. The ghosts told him that they saw a woman come into the house and kill the woman. The detective asked the ghosts to describe the woman.


The ghosts said that she was tall and thin, and she had dark hair. The detective asked the women if they knew anyone who fit that description. One of the women said that she knew someone who fit that description.


The detective asked the woman to take him to the person she knew. The woman took him to a house down the street. The detective knocked on the door.’

But then Beulah showed her true abilities. The remaining paragraphs to this short-short were, in essence, a repeat of this:

‘A woman answered the door. The detective asked her if her name was Mary. The woman said that her name was not Mary. The detective asked the woman if she knew anyone who fit the description of the woman who the ghosts had seen.


The woman said that she did not know anyone who fit that description. The detective thanked the woman and left….’

The poor detective continued to ask the ghosts for more details. Then knock on a door to hear ‘no’ to his questions.

Beulah, my artificial intelligence collaborator, was not able to solve the murder.

Then I asked Beulah to write this blog post. She did a fine job of researching and writing about writing. There was only one thing missing from her oratory. Can you guess what it is?

Okay, I’ll tell you.

Beulah lacked personality. Dimension. Resourcefulness. Ingenuity. She got stuck in an endless loop of knocking on doors; asking the same questions and expecting a different answer. But the end result was always the same. No solution.

At least she didn’t forget to include the peanut butter in the peanut butter oatmeal bar recipe included in ‘The Auctionhouse Murders‘. Neither did she forget to add the page numbers to the book. And not even Beulah knows how many of the now Collector’s Edition copies with errors are out there. Beulah is programmed to do it right the first time, every time. As I said. No personality. No dimension. Just the facts.

In summary. If I ever resort to expose’ blogging or writing for Dragnet, I’ll set Beulah to the task. We’ll be a blur in getting the job done. But as far as publishing an action-packed, people clashing adventure? I might let Beulah help out with a plot twist now and again.

Or… have I managed to add personality and dimension to Beulah’s program? Who really wrote this piece?

Mua ha ha ha ha

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

Subscribe to my You Tube Channelto not miss a fun and entertaining Book Trailer. They’re short. They’re mesmerizing. And they won’t waste your time.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

Sally’s Character Secrets – Revealed!

Sally’s Character Secrets – Revealed!

Why didn’t I know about Sally’s character secrets? I’m her creator, for crying out loud!

Because, while she came into being through my imagination, I don’t direct her every thought or move. Although I do have to crack the whip to tame her now and again.

Once a character has their own avatar, they take over and tell me who they are, their beliefs, and what they like. And I let them.

Here are a few of Sally’s character secrets that I pried out of her:

  • She wishes she had a greener thumb. Successful gardening is challenge she’s never conquered.
  • A pint of Ben and Jerry’s is her favorite summertime supper… or a pint of red, ripe strawberries dipped in whipped cream.
  • She loves to travel. But hates packing up her van – and unpacking it when she returns.
  • Anticipating a road trip gives her night terrors. She says it would be fine if she could just get in her van and go…
  • Fear of scorpions makes her throw-up. It’s the only creature – so far – that she has to make herself squash instead of relocating it.
  • She has no mirrors under bright lights. Why?
  • She gives pack rats at least a day to move on before she sets the trap to ‘rehome’ them. Then assures them they’ll be happier in their new estate when she sets them free four miles away.
  • She loves living alone. But wants a companion to share experiences with… like the county fair, camping, and making tamales.

Characters grow into their own, if you let them. Each one will speak their own dialogue, if you let them. Even Leon, who has now appeared in two of the Sally the Loner MysAdventures, wrote his own script. He caught me by total surprise when he shape-shifted from a knight-in-shining-armor to a …

I know that there will be more of Sally’s character secrets to reveal as she journeys into her next MysAdventure… and the next… and the next…

But Leon may be done with his shape-shifting stunts… unless…

How are your personas coming along? Are they there yet? Do they ever get there? Only your characters know for sure.

“Mua-ha-ha-ha…”

Happy Trails and Tales,

Alexie Linn

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

Subscribe to my You Tube Channelto not miss a fun and entertaining Book Trailer. They’re short. They’re mesmerizing. And they won’t waste your time.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

Organized Manuscripts – How to Prevent Writer Frazzle

Organized Manuscripts – How to Prevent Writer Frazzle

I don’t know how many books I published before I realized the importance of corralling each work for retrieval. The problem? Disorganized manuscripts were turning me into a frazzled meme.

But when it comes to filing, I can also over file and make the same frazzled meme out of myself just to maintain the system.

Neither under-organized nor over-organized filing works! Both systems were gobbling up valuable writing time.

Finally! I flailed my way to a super simple system for filing each manuscript from moment one of its creation.

Organized manuscripts are happy manuscripts. And prevent frazzled writer syndrome.

Here’s how to kick it off:

Start with a new folder for the new ‘Series’. Next, I open a new folder for each manuscript within the series. Now a specific manuscript within the series is right where I look for it – each and every time.

The cherry on top? It’s fast and easy to save the day’s work to my back-up thumb drive.

It’s working great. It will work even better when (?) I go back to the beginning and whip all my manuscripts in line.

What are the nuts and bolts?

Here’s the simple process for organized manuscripts.

It works whether you write on a computer or on paper, but the terminology here is for a computer:

Start a New Manuscript

Open a new document. Title it ‘___ Manuscript’. Save it in a new folder (within the ‘Series’ folder) just for this manuscript.

In this new folder for this manuscript, I save another new document and title it ‘Cast of Characters’. And here’s three more new documents for the book specific folder:

  • Description
  • Narration Version
  • Audition Script

By inserting the labeled blank documents into the folder at the beginning, I don’t forget to create them while I’m writing the story. Or when I think I’ve finished the book. I’m not finished until the rest of the paperwork is done.

When it’s time to turn the story into an audiobook, I don’t have a panic attack because I forgot to write the ‘Audition Script’ while all those characters were acting out in my mind.

If certain places need research detailed, I add it. And pictures, whether they’re avatars or photos. Outlines and research notes go in, too.

Everything is neat and tidy. And quickly retrievable if I want to change anything or steal from it (I always do!).

Start Another New Manuscript

Now, when I get to Book 12 of the series, I simply open the ‘Cast of Characters’ and shop for the carryover characters (or places) from previous organized manuscripts. Then copy and paste to the new work-in-progress ‘Cast of Characters’, etc. document. Easy-peasy. No frustration or frazzle.

Why did it take me so long to figure this simple system?

Oh. That’s right. I’m human. Bleh!

On that note…

Happy Trails and Tales,

Alexie Linn

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

Subscribe to my You Tube Channelto not miss a fun and entertaining Book Trailer. They’re short. They’re mesmerizing. And they won’t waste your time.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

How To Plot…

How To Plot…

The plot. The actions, egadses, and events that make a story a page-turner. Without plot, you have a book of ants, following the lead ant to wherever it got off to before they were all annihilated. The end.

But the mechanics of plotting can be mind-boggling. In a nutshell, it’s a personal choice. Your choice. Here’s a smattering of options:

  • A plot generator
  • Outline
  • Storyboard
  • Start at beginning, the middle, or the end and tie them altogether
  • Build the characters and let them write the plot

Here’s how to use each option above:

Plot Generator

Google found 131,000,000 plot generators in less than 1 second. The one that I paid money for to experiment with gave me several options of first the kind and size of book I wanted to write.

From there, it broke the book into sections with percentages and boxes to write signpost events into.

The generator included a database to add my characters and offered several templates to build the characters. Some were very detailed, others just the facts, and everything in between. It also included a database of places to build and draw from.

There were print alternatives to turn the outline into a guiding light to the actual writing.

Experimenting with the plot generator was a good experience. But I haven’t used it since I played with it. I’ll tell you why a little later.

Plot an Outline

I have used a basic pen and paper outline several times. And I keep going back to it. Why? Because it organizes my thoughts into a beginning, a middle, and an end. When I can see there’s an actual story to tell, I turn my energies to building memorable new and collecting past characters who can tell the story better than I.

Plot with a Storyboard

For the artistic writer, putting the story into picture format first allows the writer to rearrange, rewrite, and layout the plot. I’m not artistic. My art is words. I write in flow charts … and then this happened…

Start at beginning, the middle, or the end and tie them altogether

Some writers do their best storytelling by writing in sections, independent of each other; then filling in the blanks. If I’ve mastered this, it’s been in my sleep. I’m not aware of it. But if this is how you march, do it. There’s no right or wrong way to plot. The end product is what will make or break the tale.

Build the characters and let them write the plot

Bingo! This is how I plot beyond the one-page outline. Why? Because characters are individuals with their own personalities and quirks. Their actions are usually what gets them into deep do-do. Can they slog their way out? Sometimes yes, but sometimes no. Sometimes they need help from another freaky character that has that kink in their DNA.

And here’s the kicker of why I haven’t used the plot generator after playing with it initially. I let my characters do the plotting. This assures me that I don’t have 20 characters that are actually clones of each other and very boring, indeed.

Is it perfect? Nope. But my books are as jaw-dropping to write as they are to read. And I’m always open to more better ways of doing the job.

What is your most productive way to write? I want to know. Email me here to share your quirky ways of getting the job done.

Happy Trails and Tales,

Alexie Linn

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

Subscribe to my You Tube Channelto not miss a fun and entertaining Book Trailer. They’re short. They’re mesmerizing. And they won’t waste your time.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

Profanity in Your Prose – Character Builder? Or Cop-Out?

Profanity in Your Prose – Character Builder? Or Cop-Out?

Do trash-mouthed characters move a story forward? In what way? What do we learn (or teach) from people who seem unable to make a statement or tell a story without vulgarities spewed throughout?

But a tale told without antagonists to spark action is boring to say the least. Not every character in life or fiction is polite, respectful, or happy.

What’s a writer to do?

How can an author build a foul-mouthed, mean, miserable character without spewing offensive expletives throughout the dialogue?

That is the mission of this post… To help you create characters with mind-blowing flaws but make the story reader-friendly and increase your readership base by doing it. It’s all part of the art of emotion-filled prose, my dear.

Do this: Use actions in place of words to build smutty, profanity spewing characters.

Can you love a character who trips handicapped people with their walking stick, cuts full school busses off in traffic, or bullies their way into the front of the line?

He made a fist, his forehead smooshed, he opened his mouth and I quit listening to his story… but trottted away to escape the hot air he spewed.

How about a character who flaunts their wealth while smirking in needy, fire-ravaged or tornado-flattened neighborhoods?

How lovable is a person who spits on the sidewalk in front of you?

What’s the character of a person who tosses litter (or puppies or people) out the door or window?

These are just a few of the ways to build a nasty character without ever having them waste valuable words that move the story forward every step of the way.

What action stabs your instant reject button for an individual in real life?

There is so much more to a person (or character) than the size of their vocabulary… If profanity is required to tell the story… is it a story or a rant?

On that note…

Happy Trails and Tales,

Alexie Linn

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

Subscribe to my You Tube Channelto not miss a fun and entertaining Book Trailer. They’re short. They’re mesmerizing. And they won’t waste your time.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

Writing is Fun and Easy! Is there More To It?

Writing is the Fun and Easy Part! But Is There More To It?

If my treasured coffee mug wasn’t ‘Joan’s Dazzling Mug’, it would be the ‘I’d Rather Be Writing’ mug.

Writing engulfs, excites, and challenges my brain. The other steps of being a professional in my craft irritates and frustrates me. But it must be done if my creations are to entertain and fill a need in someone else’s life.

What’s the process when the current book has passed its almost final edit? Is it time to succumb to the call of the chaise lounge and bon-bons? Hmm… not quite. There’s still a few chores to complete before I can say ‘finis!’. So, onward with the to-do list of what this indie publisher does just before and when the writing is done…

First, remind yourself that ‘Writing is Fun and Easy’!

  • Share the news that a new read is on the way through social media and your email list (at least 3 times).
  • Final edit and format the manuscript for the intended market (Ebook, print, screen…)
  • Write the description – a long one and a short one.
  • Design and build a cover – I use Canva but there are others to choose from, including hiring others. Ask Google for a million leads.
  • Share the news that a new book is on the way again.
  • Upload to the marketplace(s) – currently Amazon and Draft 2 Digital for me.
  • Post the news that a new book is up and running.
  • Set-up the advertising you choose to get your book in the face of prospective readers – Amazon ‘Sponsored’ for one.
  • Write the narration version for the audiobook, don’t forget the minimum 1-minute to maximum 5-minute retail sample after ‘The End’.

Say again that ‘Writing is Fun and Easy!’

  • Be sure Goodreads has picked it up (set-up your Goodreads account if you haven’t already done so) and set the giveaways to run.
  • Collect the ‘additional categories’ your book should be listed in if Amazon Kindle is one of your marketplaces. I use Publisher Rocket (Competition Analyzer then Unleash the Categories) for this to save myself 62 hours of research headache.
  • Request (in Amazon Author Central) that your book be added to the additional categories you collected. Please be sure the additional categories are applicable to your book.
  • Post your book to the Audiobook service you use to get it narrated. My choice is ACX, but there are others.

One more time… ‘Writing is Fun and Easy!’

  • Post the book and description and purchasing links to your website.
  • Blog about the book.
  • Respond to any comments or requests that arrive.
  • Check your website stats to see what is getting attention through what source and expand on what’s working.
  • Learn more about promoting and selling, including a You Tube book trailer video. Here’s an example.
  • Take a breath… Ahhhh…
  • Start your next book if you haven’t already.

And there ya’ are. Done! Bring on the chaise lounge and bon-bons! I’m pooped.

But remember that ‘Writing is Fun and Easy!’

Next!

On that note…

Happy Trails and Tales,

Alexie Linn

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

Is Spelling and Grammar Your Friend?

Is Spelling and Grammar You Friend? Did you catch that? Did you stop reading and want to fix it?

I have great news! You don’t have to. And you don’t have to be an English teacher to write a top-notch book. But you do have to know how to present a clean, clear, reader-friendly story to get top-notch reviews.

Coming up is two easy ways to polish your ‘spelling and grammar’ for clarity and happy readers.

But first I’ll tell you a story of my own about a book I just paid money for and read.

Is Spelling and Grammar You Friend?

The book promised to show me how to write, publish, and sell videobooks. There were two major problems:

  1. It was really a book of links and how-to’s for ranking on You Tube and Google. And promoting his choices of editors and producers.
  2. The spelling was so bad that I had to stop reading to figure out what the author was saying… like ‘you’ for ‘your’. SEO doesn’t call these STOP words, but I do. I had to continually stop learning and rewrite the sentence to understand what he meant to say.

The result of these problems?

I’ll give his book 3 stars because he did have some good points in the how-to’s. But I’ll take off one star for the not giving what he promised in the title and description. And deduct another star for the spelling and grammar.

AND I feel cheated; ripped off; defrauded. I won’t buy another book by this author. That’s significant and crucial. I can’t trust him to keep his promise.

Having gotten that rant off my chest, here’s the two easy methods to rid your story of my personal ‘STOP’ words.

1. Your word processing program has ‘spelling and grammar’ checks as well as ‘readability’ scores and wordcounts.

I currently write in Word. The ‘Review’ tab is where I find ‘Spelling and Grammar’ check for the entire document. It does the work. You and I reap the rewards. Easy Peasy and how I’ve earned the ‘Quality Book Award’. Have you found and used your spell-check yet?

2. Hemingway gives ‘readability’ scores by grade level and more.

I suggest Hemingway because it offers a free version that’s quick and easy to check for adverbs, passive words, and hard-to-read sentences. But there are more to choose from if you want to spiral deeper into grammar.

One is Pro Writing Aid and another is Grammarly. Both of these also have a free version. Check them out and go with what works best for you. But do something to encourage reader-friendly prose.

Sadly, I can’t suggest a quick and easy program to give you a heads-up for an on-point title and description.  That’s one you’ll have to figure out on your own. But please do that, too. Perhaps a beta reader that will give you quality feedback… another human? If you’re a one-person show, let your manuscript cool; step outside of it; and answer the questions from a new perspective.

Do I feel better now? Only if I’ve helped you see how important ‘spelling and grammar’ and on-point titles and descriptions are. Have I painted the picture in enough detail?

On that note…

Happy Trails and Tales,

Alexie Linn

P.S.  Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks……Free Audiobooks…..

Click here to join our Audible Lovers Cornucopia group. It’s free and where you’ll find links to Free Audibles for your listening and reviewing pleasure.

The easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

BUT! If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

Posted on by Alexie Linn

Serials Are Not Cereals

The Serial – That’s Serial, Not Cereal

Serials have been making a snail’s pace comeback. What’s a Serial?

A Serial is like a TV soap opera that you read. But it can move faster and have an end before the next millennium.

alexielinnauthor
A Serial to read with your Cereal

Serials are touted as entertainment on the run because you buy and read one episode at a time.

Vella serials are particularly suited to read on a smartphone and accessed through an App. Vellas cannot be downloaded to an E-reader like Kindle.

Episodes are purchased with tokens or ‘coins’, depending on the App.

Serials can, at the author’s discretion, become available in ebook and print version 30-days down the road. If you fell in love with a Serial, watch the author’s website and blog; follow the author wherever you can; or, better yet, tell the author you’d like to own it in book form. They’ll love you for it. 😊

Three reasons to indie publish a Serial are:

  1. Test Run – Get the feedback of whether readers are interested in your book’s topic before you compile, edit, and publish 100,000 + or – words.
  2. Build an audience – Perspective readers can ‘try before they buy’ your prose in more expensive and committed formats.
  3. Editing – Vella is my experience. It’s easy-peasy to edit one tiny episode of a Serial; while editing one chapter of a book entails several more steps and rereads of the entire project. The tradeoff is that Serials are uploaded one episode at a time.

Three reasons to read Serials:

  1. Give the author a test run. Do you and their prose click?
  2. Read an episode while you’re eating your cereal – or waiting for the bus – or stuck in traffic.
  3. Read it on your smartphone. No other devices or a book to carry around with you.

Three places to upload your Serial to…

  1. KDP/Vella –an Amazon company. Here’s where to find my latest Serial, Sally the Loner Meets the Sourdough Kid.
  2. Byliner Serials – A Barnes and Noble offering.
  3. Jukepop Serials – An indie publisher.

A Google search will give you 337,000,000 more details and options to choose from.

On that note…

Happy Trails and Tales,

Alexie Linn

P.S. Since this new, finely focused blog is just getting started, the easiest way to get updates is to follow this blog and  follow me on Facebook.  New posts should appear on the Alexie Linn page – if I’ve held my mouth right… 😊

If you only want updates and pre-order deals of new releases of Books, Vellas and Audibles, the easiest way is to follow me on Amazon. When you get an email notice of a new book release, simply ask for it by the title – or for all the Alexie Linn authored titles at your favorite retailer.

And just one more thing. Here’s where to find and follow me on Goodreads. Please do to get in on all that Goodreads has to offer. Goodreads is always at the very best price. It’s FREE!

But if you’d like to own this story in book form, send me an email here!