Category: The Binge Writer

The best way to succeed in the publishing world, is to stay ahead of your competition. You have to write fast, write well, and be highly productive. The Binge Writer equips you to improve your writing, speed, and production, all while moving forward in your writing career at “ludicrous speed”.

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The Binge Writer

Writing Contests – Winning Can’t Be Duplicated

 

When it comes to entering writing contests, it’s important to remember that winning can’t be duplicated.

Many children’s sports leagues contain participation awards. Writing is very different form children’s sports. Publishers and agents aren’t looking for authors who have received participation awards. They are looking for authors who can write well enough to sell books.

Contests often help speed up an agents or publishers search process. They help separate the wheat from the chaff. Award recognition is a healthy sign of writing ability.

If you aren’t entering writing contests, you need to be. Contests help your writing career is various ways.

  1. Contests require you to meet deadlines
    1. Any writer, worth their salt, is capable of meeting a publisher or agents deadline. Contest deadlines push you to write well in a tight timeframe.
  2. Contests build your writing resume/bio
    1. Winning awards helps you pad your writing resume or bio. This is essential early in your writing career, as most beginning writers don’t have a lot of published work to include in their author bio.
  3. Contests help you find an agent/publisher
    1. Many agents and publishers serve as judges in contests. It gives them opportunities to discover new talent, find new clients, and see how your work stacks up against similar competition.
  4. Contests stretch your writing ability
    1. Competition drives us to improve. When you know your work will be judged against others, you strive to create your best manuscript, applying learned skills and strengthening your writing.
  5. Contests allow you to gain perspective
    1. Sometimes we need a reality check. You may think your manuscript is amazing, but in reality it needs some work. Many contest offer constructive feedback, which can give you critical insight into improving your writing.
  6. Contests encourage you to step outside the box
    1. Entering contests in various genres and writing styles helps you become a more well rounded writer. You may not be the best novelist, or best poet, but entering in various contests encourages you to grow as a writer, which can improve all of your writing.
  7. Contests help you get published
    1. Many contests offer publishing opportunities to winners and/or finalists. If you enter these contests and win, you may also find yourself become published in a magazine or anthology. Or better yet, you may land that all important book contract.

Writing contests are an important and necessary part of the writing lifestyle. Take time to search for contests that have deadlines within the next few months and begin writing and editing. Don’t wait for your writing to be perfect before you enter. No writer’s ever is.

Good luck, and I hope you win!

[bctt tweet=”Contests help you get published #contest #writer #writerslife”]

[bctt tweet=”If you aren’t entering writing contests, you need to be. #author #writersroad”]

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The Binge Writer

Facebook First Impressions

Have you looked in your computer mirror lately?

You ask what is a computer mirror? This is your life on social media and it reflects who you are. In a sense, a computer mirror. Social media can either help or hurt you as an author. In the coming weeks, I will be blogging about first impressions on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pintrest.

In this first blog I will give you tips on Facebook to start your own Facebook page to promote your writing. Facebook is still the number one social media platform, and has a large reach. The demographics for Facebook and engagement has shifted from high school and college students to their parents and grandparents. User ages range from the late 20s on up with engagement. High school and college students still have their accounts and check pictures and posts, but they do not engage as much as they did five years ago.

First Impressions

Facebook Name

What is your Facebook name? Is it your name, your companies’ name, or your writing name?

You want to make sure that whatever name you have on Facebook you market and brand the same name on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. That way your fans can look you up in all the platforms.

Example: Cyle Young – Facebook: CyleYoung (if available); Twitter: @CyleYoung; Instagram: CyleYoung

You can also use a _ as I use @adam_ledyard on Twitter

Facebook Header

When shaping and branding your Facebook page you want to select pictures that represent who you are. You want to make sure the picture is a crisp and clear picture, and not blurry or chopped off.

Facebook suggests a 1200 x 630 pixel image for your header. So, if you like the cover of your book, open up a picture program to crop or resize your picture for Facebook.

Make sure you have a picture that lines up with your marketing and branding plan that will represent you. Again, first impressions are everything when you are trying to sell your book, sign with a company, or work with a book store on marketing your book.

Facebook Image Picture

This is the picture on the bottom left of the Facebook Header. It is another way to represent your brand and who you are. It is a tiny square that is 180×180. You may upload a larger pic, if the picture is sized in a multiple of 180, such as 360, 540, or 720. Facebook will resize your picture for you when you upload it. The larger size pixel picture is better as it is a better image compared to a smaller pixel image.

The square image can be a mug shot of you, or a picture representing your brand. For example, if you use a letter in the alphabet for representation, you may want to put this is the box. If you have a professional picture, you may want to use it in this image. It all boils down to your branding, marketing, and how you want to use that box.

Check your computer mirror today and see what you look like. It could make or break a deal for you.

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The Binge Writer

Are you a Binge Writer?

I am a binge writer.

I always have been, and I probably always will be. What is a binge writer you ask?

A binge writer is an author who indulges in writing for a brief period of time. Often followed by extended periods of an absence of writing.

For me, I can write 10,000-15,000 words a day typing at 25 words per minute. I know what you are thinking, and yes, I am a terrible typist. I am actively working to get my words per minute count higher. Mainly because I want to have more output during my writing binges.

This year I wrote a 70,000 word novel in about 70 hours. It was a fun experience for me, but once I finished I had to get back to reality. I didn’t write again for an entire month.  I also entered 13 writing contests after taking a weeks vacation to write. I wrote a ton that week. After I entered the final contest, I didn’t write again for a month.

I would like to say that I do this on purpose, but I don’t. It’s my personality.

God wired me this way.

I have tried to write a 1,000 words a day and I last about three days. I am not wired to be that consistent. But I can sit down and write a ton of words in a short amount of time.

[bctt tweet=”A binge writer is an author who indulges in writing for a brief period of time. “]

Maybe you are like me, maybe not.

In my periods of non-writing, I study, I read, and I enjoy life. All of these things help make me a better writer. I use what I learn to improve my writing and to help increase my productivity when I do finally sit down and write.

So… This blog is dedicated to Binge Writers or to those of you who want to use some of my Binge Writing techniques to increase your own writing output.

I will discuss writing software, apps, websites, writing techniques, procrastination, writer’s block, and many more. Hopefully these posts will help you meet deadlines, increase word count, and become the best writer you can be.

Any ideas on post topics? Post them in the comments below.

[bctt tweet=”What is a binge writer you ask? #writer #binge #writing”]

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The Binge Writer

5 Tips on How to Write Faster (With Bonus)

Do you want to write 30K-40K+ words in a weekend? Do you want to write faster?

You can. Become a binge writer.

Binge writing is an impassioned writing session during an elongated time period. It can last from five hours to fifty hours. A binge writing session is uninterrupted—apart from limited sleep.

[bctt tweet=”Do you want to write faster? #1K1H #writer #novelist”]

Many writers spend years attempting to finish their stories, but they never do. Not for lack of desire, but for lack of follow-through. I know from firsthand experience that if I tried to write 2,000 words every day I’d fail. I already have, multiple times. But, if I set aside time to binge write, I can complete project after project.

It’s time for you to become a binge writer.

[bctt tweet=”It’s time for you to become a binge writer. #writer #writing #writingtips”]

The results will astound you. I bet an extra 40K words might help you finish the final few chapters or your novel, or help you create an entire series of chapter books. The uses are endless.

But if you never embark on your binge writing journey, you may never accomplish your writing goals in a realistic timeframe, unless you learn to write faster.

Here are some binge writing tips:

  1. Cram your brain.
    1. Fill your mind with pictures, ideas, and research on the topic you are writing about. If you are writing a novel set in Paris, inundate yourself with French music in your car, watch French foreign movies or documentaries, and visualize the world around you as Paris itself.
    2. If you are writing a non-fiction about training dogs, spend time with dogs. Train them, observe them, and watch movies with dogs as characters.
    3. Let your mind absorb the images, actions, and ideas that you want to flow effortlessly out of you and into your story or book.
  2. Schedule your binge session.
    1. Pick your time and place. Don’t let anyone infringe upon your session and don’t make plans close to the start and finish of your time. You’ll only be able to binge write, if you hold fast and firm to your timetable. So when your brother-in-law calls to invite you to dinner and board games, you say NO even though you really want to go. You make a date with yourself.
  3. Set the mood.
    1. Before your session download music that will stimulate the proper mood for your writing. Epic soundtracks for fantasy, love songs for romance, etc. Have them preloaded and ready to go.
    2. If you like the lighting low for romance or suspense. Get your candles ready.
    3. If you are writing a story in a bakery, plan to have fresh bread baking in your house. Or, if your story is set in a field of flowers have scented candles or oils to help create the right aroma and atmosphere.

    [bctt tweet=”It’s not called binge editing—It’s binge writing, so write. #write #writing #1K1H”]