• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chandler's Ford Today

  • Home
  • About
    • About Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research
  • Blog
    • Blogging Tips
  • Event
    • Upcoming Events
  • Community
    • Groups
    • Churches
    • Schools
    • GP Surgeries
    • Leisure
    • Library
    • Charities
      • Eastleigh Basics Bank
      • Cat & Kitten Rescue in Chandler’s Ford
    • Fair Trade
      • Traidcraft stalls in Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford Parish Council
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Site Policies
  • Site Archive
    • Site Archive 2018
    • Site Archive 2017
    • Site Archive 2016
    • Site Archive 2015
You are here: Home / Arts / Wrapping Up

Wrapping Up

October 23, 2020 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

It’s a wrap! How often have you heard that? It usually means a film or a scene within it is “finished”. For writers, I guess our “wrap” is when we’ve written our draft, edited it and polished it, and then finally sent it off to a publisher for their consideration. At least you’ve got that stage done!

Feature Image – Wrapping Up. Pixabay

Job Done?

Even if a publisher accepts your book (or short story or article), does that mean your work is over? Oh no. You need to build on writing credits and successes, no matter how small, if you want to develop any kind of writing career, for a start. So it is a case that you’ve done it once, can you do it again and again and again?

The good thing with this is you do discover different markets for your work. You learn to target what you write to the market you’re aiming at (and the “trick” here is to write what you want to write and then find a publisher who likes that kind of thing. Easier said than done maybe? Perhaps but resources such as the Writers’ and Artists Yearbook and the Mslexia Indie Press Guide are wonderful aids to have by your side. You have to know what is out there and guides like this are invaluable. Oh and bear in mind the libraries will often have copies of the Yearbook in especially).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I know in my case when I wasn’t specifically looking for publication, what I did want to do was to prove to myself I could write and keep writing. And that’s fine. I think it is a good thing to want to push myself here and to see how I can do things better. There’s always room for improvement.

And a writer that seeks to keep developing will never run out of things to write. It’s also fun to keep developing. It also stops you from becoming complacent (and that to me is always a good idea. Writing should keep you on your toes and I think that would apply to any of the creative arts. You don’t ever want to think you’ve cracked it. Wouldn’t that be boring? Where would you go from there? Only downwards. I think I’ll give that a pass!).

I don’t think any writer can really say this – there is always the next story or article to work on. Pixabay

Discovering More About The Writing World and How to Market without Annoying People

The more I’ve written, the more I’ve discovered about the writing world and indeed, given I didn’t start out writing flash fiction, had I not been writing short stories, I would’ve missed out on that format of storytelling altogether.

And even when you’ve found your niche and are developing nicely, the other side of the writing coin is telling people about your work and finding creative ways to do that without annoying them. There is an art (and a lot of hard work) to marketing and the best kind engages with people. It is why, for example, every so often I share a new flash fiction story on my Facebook pages or on my website.

For my recent cyberlaunch for Tripping the Flash Fantastic, as well as the book trailer, where I share a story from the book, I also recorded some videos reading stories from my new book and then sharing a little of how I came to write them.

See the book trailer and then the video for Judgement Day below for more.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k90mtzq9l3l27de/Book%20Trailer%20-%20Tripping%20The%20Flash%20Fantastic.mp4?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zhzy6nv5i7762gh/Story%201%20-%20Judgement%20Day%20TTFF.mp4?dl=0

Moving On

My task over the next 12 months will be to juggle marketing two books, creating new fiction and non-fiction, and seeing where else I could be published. I have two major long term projects on the go at the moment (I’m never one to do things by halves!) and I am hoping to get one finished by next summer so I can then edit it and start pitching it to potential publishers.

One thing that can come as a bit of a shock when you are first published is how much work there is to be done after that! The joy of publication is wonderful and you rightly want to tell the world about it but you need to find ways of letting people know about your pride and joy so they will want to find out more.

There are so many different ways to market books and you have to find the ones you like the most. You need to keep your “campaign” going so if going on blogs etc is your thing, then it would pay to prepare blog posts in advance, invite people to your own blog and see if you can get on to theirs for guest appearances. The good news here is most writers do reciprocate.

But you do need a kind of plan of campaign for whatever marketing you decide to focus on for your work.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Having an Online Presence

Publishers also like to see an author has got some sort of online presence and a website that is attractive and is updated regularly is pretty much a must. So put on that website things you yourself would want to see on there if you were a visitor to it.

On my website, my blog consists of a twice weekly round up of what I’ve written where (and indeed includes links to my Chandler’s Ford Today posts). But every so often I will put up a story trailer for one of my flash tales and other content and flag up it is on there. It keeps the website topped up with fresh material and, of course, this kind of thing is part of a long term marketing plan.

Writers need to decide where to focus their energies when it comes to marketing. I don’t believe it is possible to do it all. I think it is far better to focus on what you enjoy doing and know you can keep going. That last bit is important. If you decide to set up an email newsletter, for example, you need to know you can keep on producing the content for it.

True but what makes your book unique, what could be YOUR niche? Pixabay

Wrapping Up 2020

Yes, I know. We’d all say a hearty “yes please” to this one! But I guess, even in such strange times as we are living in now, we still need to make the most of the time available to us. I’m about to resume work on a major project I would like to submit sometime next year as well as continuing to write for CFT and sending in flash fiction stories. (Oh and I do have a third flash collection to edit and polish and get ready for submission at some point).

I do believe it is a good idea, where possible, to plan out what you do with your time. I think it is more likely you will achieve these things if you set them down.

Mind you, I’m all for the other kind of wrapping up now the weather is turning cooler and the nights are drawing in. Just where did I put that nice big cardigan and cup of hot chocolate?!

Am partial to an orange flavoured hot chocolate. Pixabay

Related Posts:

The Writing Game – and What to Watch For – Part 1

Part 2 – The Writing Game – and What to Watch For

Part 3 – The Writing Game – and What to Watch For

Mixing Things Up

Read interviews with Chandler’s Ford writer Allison Symes: Part 1 and Part 2.

Read blog posts by Allison Symes published on Chandler’s Ford Today.

Never miss out on another blog post. Subscribe here:

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email

Related posts:

Tags: creative writing, juggling writing and marketing, publication, targeting markets, wrapping up

About Allison Symes

I'm a published flash fiction and short story writer, as well as a blogger. My fiction work has appeared in anthologies from Cafelit and Bridge House Publishing.

My first flash fiction collection, From Light to Dark and Back Again, was published by Chapeltown Books in 2017.

My follow-up, Tripping the Flash Fantastic, was published by Chapeltown Books in 2020.

I adore the works of many authors but my favourites are Jane Austen, P.G. Wodehouse and Terry Pratchett.

I like to describe my fiction as fairytales with bite.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Chandler's Ford Today blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Archives

Top Posts & Pages

999, 111, 101, 112? Emergency Numbers You Must Know
101 Things to Put into Room 101
The Grand Houses of Chandler's Ford
Lockdown Afternoon Tea
Peculiar British House Numbering System
101 Things to Put into Room 101 - Part 7 - The Final Leg
84 Charing Cross Road
Home
Reminiscing The Old Chandler's Ford Train Station
Lamson Pneumatic Tube System

Categories

Tags

arts and crafts books Chandler's Ford Chandler's Ford Today Chandler’s Ford community charity Christianity Christmas church community creative writing culture Eastleigh Eastleigh Borough Council education entertainment event family fundraising gardening good neighbours Hiltingbury Hiltingbury Road history hobby how-to interview Joan Adamson Joan Adelaide Goater local businesses local interest memory Methodist Church music nature news reading religion review social storytelling theatre travel Winchester Road writing

Recent Comments

  • Susan Hyde on The Grand Houses of Chandler’s Ford
  • Doug Clews on It’s All Greek to Me
  • Rick Goater on Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 159)
  • Mike Sedgwick on It’s All Greek to Me
  • Mike Sedgwick on Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 159)
  • Allison Symes on Local Author News – Allison Symes – Summits, Talks, and Interviews

Regular Writers and Contributors

Janet Williams Allison Symes Mike Sedgwick Rick Goater Doug Clews chippy minton Martin Napier Roger White Andy Vining Gopi Chandroth Nicola Slade Wellie Roger Clark Ray Fishman Hazel Bateman SO53 News

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

Reviews of local performances and places

Reviews of local performances and places

Copyright © 2021 Chandler's Ford Today. WordPress. Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.