Writing Software #IWSG @ScrivenerApp @ScrivenerCoach

InsecureWritersSupportGroup.com

Shout-out to Alex and the awesome co-hosts for today: JS Pailly, Rebecca Douglass, Pat Garcia, Louise-Fundy Blue, and Natalie Aguirre!

July 3 question -

What are your favorite writing processing (e.g. Word, Scrivener, yWriter, Dabble), writing apps, software, and tools? Why do you recommend them? And which one is your all time favorite that you cannot live without and use daily or at least whenever you write?

Joseph Michael's course on using the Scrivener App, the writing program, really helped me. Plot Your Book In A Month...With Scrivener by Stephanie Draven REALLY helped. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25816650-plot-your-book-in-a-month-with-scrivener My review has mysteriously vanished. The book is no longer for sale, so... sorry. 🤷🏽‍♂️)

I like the way I can organize by Chapter. Also, I like the split-screen option, so I can have my notes up in one area and type in the other. Before Scrivener, I would open multiple instances of Word, or multiple tabs on Google Docs, or have notepad open as well as the word processor. 

Scrivener requires some learning to be useful. Just messing around isn't honestly the best way to master it because there are cool hidden features. Apparently, there's a fair difference between Windows and Mac.

I dislike it when I'm in the midst of a project and the app wants to be updated the next day, and then I have to figure out how to navigate the changes. I love the autosave feature (set to however many seconds). I've never used an "app" version on a mobile device, so I cannot speak to that. 
  

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📚https://www.nationalbook.org/adventure/Summer Reading Adventure (based in the United States). 🕮 Adventurers must submit by August 31, 2024. (There doesn't appear to be an actual "signing up" stage. You just kinda do the activities.) I plan to keep track this summer here, on my blog.

IWSG, Summer Reading Adventure, WEP, updates

InsecureWritersSupportGroup.com

Shout-out to Alex and the awesome co-hosts for today: Liza at Middle Passages, Shannon Lawrence, Melissa Maygrove, and Olga Godim!

June 5 question - In this constantly evolving industry, what kind of offering/service do you think the IWSG should consider offering to members?

I'm happy with this monthly bloghop check-in. There was a book club, and I LOVED that. I loved finding new-to-me books there and discussions with others. But I guess it wasn't popular enough. I don't know an answer here. Maybe members with popular social media pages ("Bookstagram") accounts would want to offer to showcase new book releases from members??? I don't feel that I qualify as such a person, so I can't detail the plan better. I believe my socials really only reach the speculative fiction crowd (fantasy, sci-fi, etc). I'm not a marketing expert, I just learn what I can. 

This question is hard. I'm going to talk about a reading challenge now.

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📚https://www.nationalbook.org/adventure/Summer Reading Adventure (based in the United States). 🕮 Adventurers must submit by August 31, 2024. (There doesn't appear to be an actual "signing up" stage. You just do the activities.) I plan to keep track this summer here, on my blog.



- June is an update month. My spouse and I have been dealing with some rough life stuff. I've got family members going through hard times. I can't talk about everything that's going on right now, but some of it is definitely stranger than fiction. I'm having Internet issues lately, too. It is always something, isn't it? And a friend who usually helps me has dislocated her wrist, so she's not available right now. 


 - Road Tripping. I'm behind on visiting the Reflections. I'm behind on everything right now. 

Reflections #AtoZChallenge 2024 and #IWSG Distractions

I have won because all of my posts are posted. (There were some issues getting a few to post at the intended times.) I wish I had pre-scheduled all of them like I usually do, but life didn't work out. I did visit and comment on about 80 blogs in April.

• Do you believe your blog saw an increase in traffic and comments during April 2024?

Yes. Not as much as in previous years, though.

• Did you check the MasterList to be sure your entry was correct?

Yes. 

• Will you do the challenge again next year?

Yes. 

• Have you followed the social media of the A to Z Challenge?

Yes. 

• What was your favorite comment left by another A to Z participant on your blog during the challenge? 🏆

This one, on the first day, is probably my favorite from the month.

• Did any other A to Z participant make you and your blog feel especially valued this year?

Yes. Ronel, our wonderful graphics person. Her comments really got me through this year. 

📣

Also, a huge thanks and shout-out to Natalie Aguirre, Locksley, Timothy S. Brannan, Frewin55, Donna B. McNicol, and TWW for your comments.

• Do you have a favorite blog that you found during the challenge this year?

Yes.  https://coinofnote.com/ A history blog with ancient coins. Love it! @CoinOfNote

• Do you feel you had a positive impact on the Blogging Community during the hop?

Yes, I hope so!

• Did you invite or encourage any other bloggers to join the challenge?

Yes. 

• Will you consider doing the challenge again next year?

Yes, you betcha! 

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Please check out the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge
#AtoZChallenge a-to-zchallenge.com

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InsecureWritersSupportGroup.com

Shout-out to Alex and the awesome co-hosts for today: Victoria Marie Lees, Kim Lajevardi, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine!

May 1 question - How do you deal with distractions when you are writing? Do they derail you?

I hate distractions. "I love you, but leave me alone for an hour." 

Yup, they derail me, especially if I have to do something about the distraction. If whatever the distraction is can be done in less than five minutes, I'm fine. Any longer, it'll take me out of my mindset. 

Zero Errors #AtoZChallenge

Zero errors...

Nothing, seriously nothing, will cause errors to be found like publishing.

What will you do when readers find your mistakes?

Do you fix them and re-upload your manuscript so future readers have a better experience? 

Sometimes there are limits to the number or corrected copies allowed. But most self-publishers allow chances to update fixes.

• Even the most famous authors make mistakes.
• Different styles make some errors debatable. 

 

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Please check out the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge
#AtoZChallenge a-to-zchallenge.com

You Want More Books #AtoZChallenge

You want more books.

Because readers may want more. One book can sell another. If a reader likes a book, they might see what else the author has to offer. This is why many authors give short stories away for joining email lists and such. They like the free sample, they come back for more. 🤞 That's the hope and goal.

So don't stop at just one. Write more books. Enter more writing contests. Keep readers coming back for more and telling others about you. Keep making connections. 

 

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Please check out the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge
#AtoZChallenge a-to-zchallenge.com

X, Facebook, Instagram, and the Social Media Promotion Circle #AtoZChallenge

Promoting a book using social media is almost required nowadays. Doing it too often will annoy your followers and cause them to flee. People don't want to just see ads. (Proof is in the people who will pay extra on streaming services to not see commercials.) 

Your fans do want to know you have a new release.

They just don't want to be "hit over the head" with the message constantly.

Getting five followers to share a post about your new release is known to be good for sales. More so if those shared posts get liked and shared. Likes give you evidence that someone saw the post. 

The Social-media Promotion Circle:

First, a possible reader learns your book exists via social media.

Second, that possible reader goes to the buy site and considers your book.

Third, your possible reader acquires your book.

Ideal Fourth, the reader leaves a review and gives stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Astounding Fifth, the reader shares their thoughts about your book on their social media!

🤩 Magical Sixth, followers of that reader learn your book exists. ⭕ Circle repeats.

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Please check out the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge
#AtoZChallenge a-to-zchallenge.com

Winner for Contest #AtoZChallenge

If you held a contest, mention your winner. Congratulate them on your blog and social media.

https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/2024/04/find-title-atozchallenge-win.html  I appreciate the comments, but I'm not sure that I found any extra title suggestions I especially want to use. "Dark Bequest," was pretty close though. Thank you, Frewin55. 

Maybe 

Dark Bequest at the Shamlin Ruins

Thoughts?

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Please check out the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge
#AtoZChallenge a-to-zchallenge.com