Novlr Authors
A Week in the Life of a Novlr Author
The struggles that writers face can be daunting, but Carolyn Mandache gives us a glimpse into her life as a Novlr author. With regular updates on what life as a writer entails, she inspires and motivates others by sharing the joys and pitfalls of a writer’s life.
Monday
I took a bank holiday day trip to St. Andrews with the kids, and although I didn’t get any writing done today, I find myself paying much more attention to everyday details; scenery, people watching, the much experienced windswept feeling of the beach, the sun giving a false sense of security and making you believe it can’t possibly be as cold as it feels.
All of this will be locked away in my brain as a reference for future writing inspiration. I did manage to take a few pictures of a vivid rainbow pouring into the sea, stored away for Instagram later. I will admit to finding Instagram a challenge. I struggle to know what to post as an author and business owner.
Do I only post about writing or a combination of things? Don’t get me started on having a theme or a trendy grid layout! For the time being, I’ll stick to posting what inspires me, what amuses me, interesting experiences I’ve had, and reference my book or writing every few posts. I heard a rumour about something called Booktok, but for now, I’ll pretend I imagined it…
Tuesday
I got an exploratory call about an app, which works as a kind of audiobook. You hold your phone over the page, and the words are read out to you. I decided it wasn’t suitable for me and was more suited to kidlit or academia, but I’m always open to suggestions.
I had an enjoyable night at Strathkelvin writers group where there was a selection of travel mementoes for us to choose from as inspiration for a 20-minute free write. As we read out our pieces, the talent and variety of work produced by the group, as always, inspired and motivated me to keep going. I thoroughly recommend writers join a local writing group.
Wednesday
They say you can’t write well if you don’t read. I’ve always been an avid reader, but I am actively trying to read more as I believe it will improve my own writing.
I joined #LetsReadNL on Twitter today for an online Q&A about the book chosen by North Lanarkshire libraries this month, The Phonebox at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina. I’m also reading Buddha Da by Anne Donovan for an online book group I found via Instagram.
Buddha Da is written in Glaswegian dialect, which I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy (even though I’m from Glasgow), but it’s surprising how quickly I got used to it. I also heard a discussion recently about some writers choosing to omit speech marks as long as context makes it clear enough that it’s speech.
I like to learn about different ways of writing, and even though they may not be something I’d choose to do. It’s interesting to see how other authors approach writing. It reminds me that it is possible to do something other than preserve the status quo.
Thursday
I’m feeling quite pleased with myself as I have submitted my Q&A to a popular blogger for my author slot, even though it’s not until November!
The toughest question was to choose one male and one female celebrity, dead or alive, to join us on a night out. I chose Michael McIntyre as he’s one of the funniest people on the planet, and Sarah Rafferty in character as Donna from Suits; smart, funny and killer dress sense!
I enjoyed the questions as they were a good balance of opportunities to promote my book and upcoming writing, as well as answer some fun, non-writing related questions.
Friday
I have found an amazing feature on Novlr!
Up until now, to comply with the double-spacing requirements of many competitions, I have painstakingly hit return at the end of every line. Of course, I’m sure there is probably an easier option that I’ve not figured out, but that was my solution.
Novlr has a double space feature. No need to worry about it as when you export, you just slide the double space option on and, hey presto, sorted!
I tested it out, and take a look at this:
In other exciting news, I had my first book signing at a local Waterstones today! My 16-year-old finishes early on a Friday, so I had my trusty social media assistant with me to share in the excitement.
As an Indie author, it is really tough to market my book, and although it is available online, there’s nothing quite like seeing my work in physical form on the shelves of actual bookshops.
So that’s it for this week, and I look forward to updating you in two weeks time. Will I have decided by then which genre my book accurately fits into? Watch this space…
Carolyn’s debut novel is called Behind the Curtain, a fictional account of her husband’s life in Romania before meeting her and moving to Scotland. You can find it on Amazon, or get a signed copy from Waterstones in Falkirk.