Writers Remedies

Creating Epub files of your book with images is not as straightforward as publishing a text only kindle book, such as a novel. Until recently, self-published writers were unable to preview their books on all reading devices; now publishing platforms enable the writer to preview their books on most ereaders online. Ereaders come in all shapes and sizes, from the large screens of the Ipad to the small Iphone. Pictures on your book must look good on all devices, no matter how big or small. Kindle Previewers for Epub Epub Images for Ebooks The screenshot shows a visual representation of a step by step demonstration on KDP Amazon’s previewer (top row from the left) the Ipad, Iphone, the standard Kindle. The Kindle Fire and the Kindle Fire HD can be seen beneath on the left, and the large device is the Kindle Fire HD 8.9”. How to Make Images on Epub Look Good on Readers I stumbled across this problem recently when I spotted a customer review from an owner of a Kindle HD 8.9” scre...

You’ve been asked to do a talk on your novels. As a successful author, people expect a thrilling presentation that will end with a standing ovation. But what happens instead? You find yourself a gibbering wreck, you can’t remember your words and people are fidgeting. They look bored. How can you devise a book talk that will keep your audience talking afterward – and not for the wrong reasons? What can Go Wrong with a Book Speech? There are three secrets to a successful book presentation.  Firstly, have a backup plan. Secondly, be prepared. And thirdly, pretend. Pretend you are not nervous and pretend you are confident. This might require an Oscar winning performance. We will explore these in more detail in a moment, for now here is a list of beginner’s mistakes when it comes to speaking on your books. Not writing out or preparing your speech. Not practicing your speech or reading it aloud. Not timing yourself. Not anticipating questions or preparing your answers. Not reco...

There is lots of information on how to market your book online, with author blogs, author pages, Facebook and twitter. The traditional marketing strategies for writers are easily overlooked. This means getting into the real world. Covering both avenues could increase the sales of your books. Generating Sales of Novels without Using the Internet  How to Market your Book There is no doubt that any writer who does not use online marketing avenues, such as a book blog networking their book on Facebook, twitter or listing their books on Goodreads, Smashwords or Shelfari would be missing out. However, such means can cause the traditional route of book marketing to be overlooked. This means getting away from the lap-warming effects of the laptop and getting out into the real world. This was something I decided to do. Marketing Your Book in the Real World Selling books online can lull the author into the closet world of internet marketing without actually meeting or talking to any...

Sales channels for novels need not end with Kindle books, audio books or a regular paperback, but a novel in large print. Not only does this cater for specialist readerships’ needs, but also provides an extra sales channel for authors. Creating a large print book is not difficult and is free. Here’s how to create a novel in large print. Sell More Novels in Large Print Writing the novel is the hard work. Formatting a novel for paperback is easy only if you know how. But if you have already formatted a paperback you are halfway there. You may have noticed a ‘large print’ tick box on the Createspace site (Amazon’s platform for writers marketing books on paperbacks). Ticking this box after publishing your novel will place the book within large print listings. However, the books must be correctly formatted for the large print market before publishing it on this channel. How to Format a Book for Large Print Firstly, create a copy of the Word file where your novel is loca...

Creating a Word book file to upload onto an Epub platform is easy if you know how. But if the file is a picture book, certain formatting errors often occur on the Kindle previewer that is otherwise invisible on the original document. Here’s how I fixed formatting problems with ebooks by creating a zip file for ebook conversion. Book Converter for Epub If the ebook is a text only file, such as a novel, the writer need only think about formatting text. But as in my case, if there are pictures involved all sorts of problems can occur that may only show up on the Kindle previewer. Firstly, read my article on the beginner’s guide to formatting text only books for Kindle. If the book is a picture book such as a how-to or hobby book, read my article on how to format words and text in a word file for epub (or epublishing). How to Cure Formatting Errors on Picture Books Until recently, I uploaded a simple Word.doc book file onto Kindle and Smashwords without any problems at all. Howeve...

This eerie suspense thriller follows insomniac, Luke who pays debt-stricken Gemma to perform erotic routines entitled Domestic Bliss in the dead hours. In this scene, we get a peek into the mind of a possible psychopath as Luke encounters a work colleague on the stairwell of a corporate building. It would appear this voyeur is to be feared. This excerpt is taken from Falling Awake by Charles J Harwood . Excerpt from Falling Awake by Charles J Harwood This Client is Best Left Alone Charles J Harwood Luke entered the building, took a left past the lifts and towards the stairs. The seven-storey climb never failed to provide a kick for the circulation and ensured aural hygiene from small-talk. The encroaching footfalls warned him today was not going to be one of those days. The footfalls hastened towards him and Andrew Chapelstowe, coordinator of correspondence, snagged him with his sights. ‘Mornin’ Luke. I thought I might find you here.’ Andrew waited for Luke on the corn...

The Shuttered Room by Charles J Harwood  pushes the boundaries of abduction to the limit: obsession, forbidden love and sexual chemistry. Stockholm Syndrome Romance This crime novel tells the story of hostage, Jess, who spies upon her captors from a spyhole in the bedroom floor. In this scene, she waits for her breakfast. Instead, her most feared captor, Justin emerges with a nasty surprise. A Thriller on Psychological Warfare The bolt disengaged on the ensuite door. Justin emerged through the bedroom door. He stood by the window and fished out a table runner from his pocket. Put this on,’ he said flatly. Jess’s mouth fell open, a question teetering on her lips. She stood without thinking and stared at the cloth. ‘Put this on,’ he repeated. Justin’s eyes had that glassy obsidian look she’d seen yesterday. Nonplussed, Jess took the runner and draped it over her shoulder as a scarf. Twisted Stockholm Syndrome Charles J Harwood ‘Not like...

A contemporary English drama, adapted from my novel, A Hard Lesson, the story explores betrayal, torn loyalties and peer pressure. A character study on how people behave when under the spell of a manipulative sociopath, every character is tested to the limit. Modern English Screenplay The story centres upon a teacher, Sarah who is assigned to tutor a dyslexic, Josh, who becomes a suspect to a stabbing. Her boyfriend, Frank belongs to a tightly-knit clique controlled by fearsome Kurt who lacks human empathy. Little does she realise a link exists between her job and Frank’s world. But being timid by nature, she would appear insignificant to the likes of Kurt. But the dynamics of the group begin to change when a sexual chemistry develops between her and Josh after she sets him an assignment on erotic art. One insignificant event has an unforeseen impact upon a system that would appear infallible. As a result, the story climaxes in an unexpected way. Screenplay on Kindle A Hard L...