Meet Jade

How do I overcome writer's block? What do I love about being an author? Find out in my newest interview! 

I answered some in-depth questions about writing and reading at Confessions of a Book Addict. Visit the blog to read the entire interview, and find out which direction I'm taking with my next project.

Get a Bunch of Free Books

I'm participating in the vacation extravaganza at Blkosiner's book blog! Enter the giveaway to win a copy of the first book in the Deck of Lies series in any electronic format of your choice. 

You'll also get a $5 (USD) gift card to Amazon so you can buy more books (the rest of the Deck of Lies, maybe?). Don't miss your chance to win!

Inside The Tower

"Jade Varden HAS to be one of the best indie writers and yes guys she blew me away again with her second book in the Deck of Lies series!"

"Just brace yourself for a jaw dropping storyline."

BookAThonFreak has posted a new review of The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2), and I want you to read it! It's spoiler-free, so feel free to go check it out. While you're there, watch the official trailer for The Tower at the bottom of the post.

Best Apps for Writers

Writers have always used the best technology possible to create their books. Do you think anyone welcomed the invention of the fountain pen more than the authors of the day, who had drawers filled with empty ink bottles and used-up quills? Do you question at all that writers were the first to try out typewriters, and felt deep longing the first time the electric typewriter became available? No! Technology is even more sophisticated today, and it's even more useful for today's writers. But app-hunting takes up some pretty serious time, and you need your time for writing. So I've hunted out the apps for you to make things a little easier.

Apps for Writers

Even web browsers have apps and add-ons, and there's no reason not to use them. Anything that can help you save time or get things done more efficiently is worth pursuing. 

• Blogging. You never know when you're going to get a great idea for your next blog post. The Blogger app is available on the Android market and through the iStore, so go download it. If you're a WordPress user, download that app for your browser and all your smartphone devices. Browser apps are especially useful because they give you quick, instant access to your posts. If you blog elsewhere, just get the Pages app. It's a handy little word processor that makes it easy to record notes or even create entire compositions. Get it from the iStore for any of your Apple products.
• Notes. But if you're a serious note-taker, you need a serious app for it. Get Chapters from the iStore to keep all your thoughts organized. You can even add password protection for extra-sensitive materials. 
• Words. I'm a big advocate of using appropriate reference materials, and that's why I love the Advanced Dictionary and Thesaurus app. It's available on Android and Apple products. A dictionary-only version is available on Blackberry. If you're using the same words too much in your writing, even a quick glance at the thesaurus can get the creative juices flowing again.
• Social. As every indie author knows, writing is only one part of the job. It's great to keep your notes organized and your words interesting, but you've got to do a lot of promoting work, too. That means you've got to get the Twitter app, the Facebook app, the Goodreads app and apps for every other social media site you use. They're available on just about anything you might have. Sync your smartphone to your author accounts for quick access. If you've got a Facebook author page, get the Facebook Pages app, too.
• eReaders. If you're downloading apps, you can't pass on the Kindle and Nook apps. Get them both so you can get an idea of how readers are looking at your work. You might end up being surprised at what you see. It's always a good idea to put yourself in your reader's shoes (or in their ereaders), so get all the ebook apps on all the devices that you use.

And because my blog is dedicated to self-published and indie authors, all of the apps on my list are free. You've got to save up your money for ebooks, covers, copyrights and all the other stuff that goes into creating novels. Get the free stuff that helps you save time and get more done, and write more novels!

Getting in Deeper with Death...

"Rain is down the rabbit hole again, seeking out the truth in the thicket of lies and secrecy."

"More twists, turns, and secrets exposed. It was a fun ride."

Death (Deck of Lies, #3) has been reviewed at Quirky Girls Read. Visit the blog to read the entire review. 

Use the links above the post to get the first three books in the series, and get caught up on the story before I release book four!

Writing 101: How to Write Objectively

If you're a writer, there are times when you have to learn how to leave your opinions out of what you're writing. Even fiction authors who largely focus on novels might be asked to write an article or blog post, and it's definitely a good idea to do so. Any piece of writing can help you promote yourself as an author and make more people aware of who you are. But if you can't write objectively, you may end up hurting your sales and your image instead. 

Shhhh...

Believe it or not, I'm very good at keeping certain opinions to myself. Sure, I've passionately talked about certain words and I'm very clear about grammar rules and how I feel about them...but you definitely can't tell me if I vote, if I'm religious or how I happen to feel about any issue outside of writing whatsoever. Authors have to learn how to write objectively not just in blog posts and articles, they've got to learn how to do it in social media and forum groups, too. There are lots of reasons you're going to have to write objectively. 

Do you know how? 

Writing Objectively

As an author, it's always a part of your job description to look at things from different perspectives. When you create certain scenarios and scenes in your books, some of them are bound to involve more than one person. You have to write for your main character and the entire supporting cast as well, and each one of them is bringing something different to your literary table. So you might be really great at expressing and imagining opinions, drawing conclusions and forming emotions.  

Having no opinion and no emotions is going to be a whole heck of a lot harder. But I feel strongly about most everything (I'll engage you in a 10-minute argument about closet doors any day of the week), and I've found ways to be objective just the same -- so I know you can, too. 

• Get opinions. Writing objectively isn't always about writing with no opinion whatsoever. More often, it's about showing all sides of a particular argument. You can try mental gymnastics, and use your author's creativity to put yourself in a dozen different pairs of shoes, and you should. But while you're at it you should also do some general research. See who else has written about your topic, and what they've said, and what opinions they've expressed. Reading what others have to say about a thing can really help you write objectively, because it can help you see something from many different sides. 
• Informative, not emotional. You have to learn how to be informative and not emotional when you're writing objectively. You're presenting something to readers, not expressing it. This in particular can be tricky for fiction authors, who are always so focused on painting complete scenes and putting emotion into every paragraph. You've got to turn all of that off. Think of each sentence as some new evidence you're putting out there. 
• Look at your adjectives. Re-read what you've written and find all the adjectives. In lots of objective writing, you don't need too many adjectives. It's not for you to say something is "small." Give me the dimensions, and I, as the reader, will decide that. Are you qualified to say that something is "beautiful?" Maybe I like pea green best of all -- is that your favorite color? Adjectives are really just traps in objective writing, because more often than not you should be presenting and not describing. 
• Don't engage. When it comes to social media, forums and other venues when objective writing isn't really practiced by anyone, you have to discipline yourself not to engage in certain conversations. Unless you are marketing books that are obviously religious or political, and obviously aligned with some faction therein, you will only be alienating readers by loudly shouting your opinion on these matters. When you're wearing your author persona, you are not a complete person. You're an objective, creative writing machine that turns out fantastic prose. Where you stand politically isn't any of my damned business, so don't make it my business. 

There are lots of reasons writers have to learn how to write objectively, and lots more reasons why that's incredibly difficult. Re-read your stuff to make sure you're looking at things from all sides, or no sides. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, and you are too -- but you shouldn't necessarily be sharing it everywhere. Let your characters have the opinions, and all the glory, and you just continue to do your thing behind the keyboard. When you're not in author mode, continue being whoever you already are, and keep opinions where they belong.

Writing 101: Dealing With Other Authors

Every kid has a dream, right? Mine was to be a writer, and I spent a lot of time imagining how it'd be. I would sit in some beautiful room somewhere, in front of a window overlooking an idyllic garden perhaps, quietly tapping away on my keyboard at rapid speeds. No one would ever bother me. I would complete my books and send them off to some huge publishers, who would turn the pages into a perfect book with a fabulous cover and all of that. Everyone would buy the books, and I would continue writing. Now, I am a writer...and I realize how foolish every bit of that imagery really is. 

I hardly ever have the time to write. It's the last thing I add to the list and the first one I take off when things get dicey, the task I wish I could get to but rarely do. And some of the time I'm not writing and yet still fully engaged in the job of being a writer, I'm dealing with other authors other than myself. 

And if you're self-publishing, you're going to have to deal with them, too. 

Hey, There Are Other Writers Here

You're a member of the indie author community even before you self-publish your first book. Once you make a decision to self-publish, you're part of the group...and it's a huge group. You're going to need them right away, so that's a good thing.

• Reviews. Most all your early reviews are probably going to come from other authors if you're participating in the indie community. Review swaps can help you get your first reviews, and even if you don't swap you will find lots of indie authors who really want to review other self-published writers. Participate in forum groups (like the ones at Goodreads) to find them. 
• Networking. Indie authors share information with other indie authors. Participate in forums where you find useful links, and look for indie author blogs where writers share from their own experiences and provide resources. If you want more specific information, send a message to the author through social networking sites or through email addresses, if they're listed on the blogs themselves. 
• Supporting. Indie authors will support one of their own. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook, and they'll follow you back. What's more, they'll re-tweet and re-post your stuff when you're sending out links and information about your books. This is a great reason for keeping the indie author community on your side. 
• Opportunity. Speaking of indie author blogs, you'll be exposed to a world of opportunity when you participate in the indie author community. You may receive invitations to provide guest posts, join blog tours and participate in other special events that will help you promote yourself and your work. 

 Now, Deal With It

Any one of the reasons listed above is a compelling argument for participating in the indie author community, but in reality it's a whole lot easier said than done. Dealing with other authors in almost any capacity, especially indie authors, can be extremely trying...and there are times when you're going to need to marshal your strength in order to do it.

But a few tips can't hurt. 

• Reviewing Them

They'll be more inclined to review you if you're reviewing them, and it's always a good idea to read other self-published authors so you understand your own market. You want to know what your readers are reading, because they aren't reading your books alone. You may also be approached by other authors about doing a beta read, or looking over their work and giving them notes. Hang around in the community long enough, and you may end up giving out reviews.

And that's when things start to get dicey. You may be met with anger and unappealing behavior after giving a self-published author some well-meaning criticism. It's your job to stay professional and polite, and that's the beginning of the first thing you need to know.

• You're a professional. 

You're a self-published author. You're an indie. You are an entrepreneur, perhaps well on your way to full-time self-employment. That makes you a professional, and that makes your pen name a brand name, so at all times try to act like one -- especially when you're engaging other authors. Treat them with respect, politeness and some necessary distance at all times. They're not your best friends, nor are they your enemies. They are your colleagues, each and every one of them from Amanda Hocking to the Fifty Shades of Grey author to me, Jade. Think of them as business associates, and always remain polite to them even if they're lashing out at you in some way. We're all human, and writing is pretty emotional business. Outbursts are bound to happen, but you've always got time before hitting Send to take a deep breath and re-read whatever you've about to post/email/blog. Editing and reading is part of being a writer, right?

• Supporting them.

If you want to get support from the community, you should return the favor by supporting other self-published authors. Retweet, repost, share links, tell them things that you've figured out and don't be afraid to recommend their books if someone asks you about what you like to read. You should absolutely be reading other indie authors, and familiarize yourself with those who write in genres similar to your own. To be a part of the community, be a part of the community. Get it?

• Tolerating them.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by it all. I started following 7 groups on Goodreads, boards I picked with great care for well-thought reasons that were driven by logic. Now I'm a member of 30-something groups, at least, that quickly become overloaded with new posts in a matter of hours. I could pay an assistant a full-time wage to keep up with it. If I had an assistant. Or money for an assistant. The point is, there are so many self-published authors out there that you're going to get swamped. There might be times when you're receiving so many requests to do so much stuff, you want to swear off technology and swear at your ereader. I'm constantly reminding myself to focus on one thing at a time, instead of thinking about the long line of tasks awaiting me. I like to make a list, so I can check each item off one by one. It gives me a sense of accomplishment, and helps me stay focused on the particular thing I need to work on right now. Even if you have to comb through 30-something forum groups, it is doable if you avoid distractions.

• Reading them.

I used to love Patricia Cornwell books. You know, Kay Scarpetta? Anyway, I devoured them. She couldn't write them fast enough for me. Then one day I got to talking about books with an acquaintance, and without a bit of prompting she roundly disparaged Cornwell right in front of me. She said the books ought not to have been published, and went on to impugn Pat's writing with colorful language. I was stunned, affronted, shocked.

All readers don't respond to all writers the same way, and you're going to find lots of indie authors to whom you don't respond when you read their work. You might end up reading and reviewing an indie book that quite literally makes you miserable, or one so filled with errors it brings you to tears. They're out there, guys. I know where they're at, and you'll find them, too.

You might hate them, for that. You might hate them for those errors. You might, like me, go to the very brink of insanity because of repeated formatting issues (justification, justification, justification). You might hate yourself for agreeing to read something that turns out to be not worth reading beyond the first page. Everyone has hated a book produced by a major publishing house, too. I've found errors in mass-market paperbacks that could curl your eyelashes.

You might think to yourself, I'm not like them. I don't belong with them. I've seen, and been offended by, flowery forum posts that say pretty much this. There's a stigma associated with self-published authors, and believe me if you read enough of them you'll know why it's there. But there are fantastic indies out there, too, the discovered and the un-discovered who are just waiting for their words to catch fire (and they will). I've found them as well. Like every single other kind of author, self-published authors all have their own writing strengths and weaknesses, and you're going to love some and hate some. Do not become guilty of grouping them together the way the media and the numbers-crunchers do.

All books are books, and all authors are authors. They all write the same way, don't they? They've got the same standard keyboard as you, and me, and every other self-published author. They're on the same social media sites. They've got the same plot problems, and they roll their eyes the same way when it's time to start editing. They just have a few more people around them and a few more dedicated readers, that's all. The main thing you ought to know about being an author? You have to extend some professional respect to all other authors...and that's the best, and only, way you should be dealing with them.

Jade, Behind the Words

Why did I become a writer? What's my greatest weakness? And if I could live anywhere, where would I go? Get these answers -- and a whole lot more -- in my newest author interview!