Jade Varden Official Blog

I imagine that being a writer was a much more romantic occupation centuries ago. Once upon a time, wealthy nobles gave writers and other artists food, clothing, shelter and even money to help them master their craft. So it got me to wondering...is there anybody willing to do that today? A Wealthy Patron Storytelling bards used to travel between castles and keeps, sharing their tales for a warm meal, a nice bed and much welcome. The good ones even got to visit Kings and Queens. Pretty good stuff, right? Like, who wouldn't want to travel around just telling stories and visiting fabulous places? 

Success is not an easy thing to define or measure. So how can you tell when you've "made it" as an author?  Being Successful By conventional standards, success equals money. People who are known for wealth are considered to be very successful, even elite, and they're admired and envied for all that spare cash. Television shows like Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and (much newer) Cribs prove that people are fascinated by wealth.  But the truth is, the majority of authors don't make a lot of money. Being an author is often equated with being an artist, and that profession is synonymous with starving. So all the beach houses and big mansions and Bentleys are, sadly, probably well out of your reach.  However, you can make some money with writing . And if you write a lot for lots of different companies, it's even possible to make a living as a writer. If you're living the dream of writing full-time, maybe that means you've made it......

Punctuation. Grammar. Sentence structure. Prepositions. Proper spellings. It's overwhelming to write a book, and frankly that's far too mild a word. But don't get lost in the writing while you're writing...because you may forget about the storytelling. Technical Difficulties I'm the first person to point to a misplaced comma or improperly capitalized word when it comes to published books. In fact, I've been known to go on full-scale rants when it comes to the mechanics of writing. I'm very interested in putting articles in the right place and avoiding the abuse of adverbs. I've gone 20 rounds with my very own employers about the existence of the word " alot " and I'll fixate on even the smallest mistakes when I find them. But I don't allow myself to get too bogged down in all that when I'm actually writing my own books. If I did, I wouldn't ever get past the first page. The mechanics of writing are very important....

One of the best ways to create a book that readers will like is to start with a character that readers will like. So now you've got to know how to create a likeable character. It's really not as easy as it seems.  Manufacturing Like What I've just asked you to do is actually insane . You're supposed to invent an entire person, out of nothing but your own imagination mind you, and now you have to figure out how to make me like that person. Only you and I have never met, and you don't really know that much about me. Oh, and it will help if I believe that your character is a real person...not just a character on a page.  This is why so many authors turn to drink to calm their nerves. Creating a likeable character is actually a really hard thing to do, and lots of writers just can't figure out the secret formula. But never fear, because I know it.  Lots of authors who offer tips will tell you lots of different things about character creation....

The first Amazon review for my newest novel, Hope's Rebellion , unexpectedly appeared last night and I couldn't be more pleased...though some might think that reaction is strange.  Not YA? In a review that immediately calls the book violent , the reader said that the inclusion of "rapes, murders and beatings" make the novel seem a little less than YA. It's a fair criticism, and not unexpected (coming from someone who isn't familiar with my usual murder-soaked styled of writing), but happily he does laud the book as a "page-turner," and said he "raced through it in a couple of days."  So apparently it's "unexpectedly bloody," but not unpalatable. In my eyes, it's totally a rave review (because the reviewer didn't say it was the worst book he's ever read). Get your own copy of the book to see if you agree with the assessment. And if you're not sure you want to buy it, get a free sample of the ...

As a self-published author, you're going to have to do all sorts of things to get readers to notice you. It's necessary to join Twitter, to participate in forums, to find potential fans and engage with them. Social media is great, but at the end of the day you want people to be interested in your writing. So give them stuff to be interested in .  Free Articles Okay, so the goal of publishing is to get your words read .  You're an artist, you have a voice and a viewpoint and something to share with the world. But you also live in the real world, and that costs money. So clearly, it's ideal to make money from your writing. Creating free articles seems to be at odds with this goal.  But you're wrong for thinking that, and I'm about to tell you why: publicity is invaluable. Getting your name out there with a byline is so worthwhile, you should be paying the Internet for allowing you to do it. But you don't have to pay. In fact, there may be a wa...

The copyright. The cover. The Facebook ads. The paid reviews. The trailer, the proof print copies. All those marketing materials. When you self-publish, expenses add up quickly. Have you got a marketing budget yet?  Being Businesslike    You're creative, and if you're like me then you're also shite with numbers. When you become an indie author, you're no longer just a writer. Now you're a promoter, and an accountant. Don't become your own worst enemy as well. Establish a book budget...before you start writing the book.

Some authors spend a ton of time describing the leaves of trees and the way the grass blows in the wind. That's all well and good, but don't ever forget to include the details that matter. What?! When I was a little girl, I found the plot of Star Wars to be incredibly confusing. This is because I thought they were saying that Luke's father had gone to the dark side of the forest . I was always like "well, maybe he got lost." It took me a long time to really understand the plot of those movies, and it's not even my fault. The storyteller should have made it more clear.  It's your job to make sure no one is thinking that about your books. Sometimes when I'm writing, I get into a zone where the words are just pouring out. I don't even have to think about them, half the time. And I might slip into all sorts of slang and colloquialisms. Then I go back and read what I've written and I realize that I'm the only person who knows ...