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Dear all,

This will be the last post before I start NaNoWriMo. My Aussie countdown tells me this is 1 day and 13 hours away! It’s getting super close.

I’m getting excited as well as nervous. How are you all coping? What techniques are you using to prepare yourself mentally as well as getting your story ready for NaNo?

~

What I am doing to prepare for NaNo:

1. I got rid of the husband. (He has gone to India for a month – Medical Student) = Quiet house
2. Got my roster changed to afternoon shifts so I can write in the morning or late at night.
3. Got a plan for my novel.
4. Spent ages stewing the novel (Which has really helped my novel construction skills)
5. Read James Scott Bell’s Plot and Structure – Possibly the best novel writing book ever.
6. Re-read the above book
7. Changed my story structure and re plotted cursing my insane naivety all the way
8. Read some great books to get me in the mood
9. Told as many people as I can that I HAVE to write 50,000 words this November
10. Waiting waiting waiting for November 1st to roll around.

I’m not waiting very patiently though – I Just want to start!

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LINKS:

My Deadly Writing Sin Posts –> Click Here

Link to NaNoWriMo site

James Scott Bell Plot and Structure –> Buy the Book Here

My Old New Website –> Steampunked How My Family History Inspired my Steampunk NaNo Story

Sarah

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Continuing my NaNo Writing Sins posts.

Giving the Game Away too early

Ok so in my writing I have started to notice that I feel the the need to explain too much and explain it too early in the story. Once again becuase I have stewed this story I have had a chance to see the faults at the structural level rather than the finished level. It has been very enlightening.

I’m sure by now I know the following points as well as the next writer…

1.  Readers don’t need the info dump
2. If the really really need the info don’t give it to them in one indigestible lump
3. KEEP THE CONFLICT AND KEEP THE TENSION = Happy reader

However –>

I noticed that I was explaining things too early in the book. For example. If someone went missing, there was an explanation scene very soon after explaining what happened. WRONG –> keep them guessing

HOW HAVE I FIXED THIS?

The Conflict/Tension List:

Evangaline got thrown out into the streets in chapter one –> kept any knowledge of her till right at the end of the book (rather than 1/2 way through) in fact I might even save this info for book two.

The girls know that Katherine is different. –> we pick up on this the whole way through but the reasons don’t come till quite at the end when the Professor explains it to her. (Rather than Katherine guessing at the reasons early in the book)

Clara is missing –> I removed all the really heavy “where is Clara” from early in the plot as MC won’t know there could be a serious problem with her friend. Katherine eventually finds what happened to Clara about 1/3 the way through. However the tension is continued as she can’t free Clara at that time. When she does, Clara has been badly traumatised and the reader will be left concerned about her future.

Sophia –> General conflict between the two girls. Sophia is always creating problems for Katherine

Main Protagonist –> I was planning on writing a scene where the goals of the protagonist where clearly displayed. I removed this scene. We know he is bad. We know he is planning something big. We know that it is related to some sort of plan to take over the city or government or royalty. We know he is manipulating and keeping young girls against their will. However I have removed the scene that explains this. For the moment I decided that he was much better as this mysterious figure that was just evil, and we are not sure just how much.  –> Fear of the unknown is much harder to deal with that fear of the known. I think it will add suspense. The actual specific plot will come out in book II. (I saw this work quite well in Clockwork Angel by Cassie Clare.)  We shall see.

Eleanor and the Master –> I added in a conflict mini subplot here. Which I am surprised I didn’t think of earlier! Eleanor has a young man trying to break her out of the Establishment. (that was always there) How much more motivating is it if she is the object of the Master’s affection. Especially with the hint at how he treats some of the older girls. Eleanor was always the beautiful graceful quiet one. Most likely to be an ‘object of affection’.

Katherine’s initial dislike of Ned was resolved too early in the plot. I have continued this dislike much farther into the book and increased the potential for conflict between Ned and the Master’s son.

Eleanor seems to silently oppose Katherine’s plans. –> I had planned on Eleanor confiding to Katherine early on in the plot about her secret love affair and plans to escape. However I have kept the two girls in wary opposition right through to the last quarter of the book. I think this will work lots better.

Obviously there are a lot more, these are just the main ones (Or ones I could think of)

Conclusion:

Being able to think about the plot in this was has really helped me examine and tease out the structure of the book. While I am sure that while I was writing the book I would have realised the tension needed ramming up a little, i would prefer to have a more detailed plan rather than having to fix things up. This method has really helped me see the structure, the bare bones of the plot. I have seen a problem and have tried to fix it before I started to write. I hope that this will help the first draft to be a lot tighter.

Coupled with reading James Scott Bell’s Book, On Plot and Structure, I really think this mini pre writing exercise has helped me understand plot elements and story construction a little better. Hopefully it will improved the writing as well.

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PERSONAL NOTE:

I really must appologise for being offline for nearly 3 weeks. We moved house rather suddenly and the internet was only just installed 2 days ago. Basically the internet company buggered up and connected a house in NSW rather than here in QLD. It was a REALLY big stuff  up on their behalf and has taken the best part of two weeks to fix. However it appears to be fixed now and I am back online.

We are now in the new house:-) Horray!! –> Spa pool included outside and it is awesome!

We have no furniture of course, but hey, I don’t need a couch or a flat screen TV. As long as I have binocular’s to see the minuscule TV screen that is ok. Besides I watch about 2 hours of TV a week, if that!

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Thanks to Mark Greenmantle Photography

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Today the writing sin is re-reading your work over and over

Come on please tell me you do this too…

Seriously, this is a big problem of mine. I like to read the words I have written. BIG time waster. There are pros and cons for this.

Pro Re-Reading:

1. You get back in the mindset
2. If the writing was awesome – It makes you feel just awesome
3. You might get better continuity.

Pro NOT Re-Reading:

1. Seriously how much can you forget in one day away from the novel Sheesh.
2. If it is crap it might make you cry and stop NaNo
3. If you start “Just fixing that one thing…” You will never get started for the day.

My Approach

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Links:

Awesome post for NaNo Resources: Try LYN MIDNIGHT’S site She is awesome stuff!

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The following posts are a series of writing lessons that NaNoWriMo has taught me. Like today’s, they are things that i have picked up because of the way NaNo is run. My Deadly Writing Sins are a few things i know that I do that might hinder my NaNo Progress. By getting them out in the open, airing the dirty laundry so to speak, i’m hoping to conquer them.

Characterization Pitfalls

One of the benefits of writing NaNoWriMo is that I have had months to stew and ponder over the novel I’m going to write. (Here is the link to the short synopsis teaser) and (here is my last post about stewing over the plot of this book.)

In doing so, it has allowed me to pick up potential problems before I write them. Yes I have spent months procrastinating (preparing) for NaNo, rather than writing, but for me this is a good thing. I haven’t written the ideas that didn’t work. Yes, stop pestering, I know that writing is about trying ideas and when they don’t work you try another. I know this is just practice. I do actually believe in the “Just Write” philosophy. But at the same time I really enjoy the fact that this book has been stewed. Rather than loosing excitement for it by waiting, I have a crystal clear idea of this book in my head. I can see the movie setting, see the clothes, see the characters that will play the main roles. This is what has lead me to this point.

I was reading James Scott Bell’s Plot & Structure last night, reviewing the LOCK principle and looking at the “gateways” that I have in my book. “L” stands for Lead. You need a great lead. We need to be interested and care about the main character. You have to make the readers read the book desperate to know what is going to happen to him/her. Will they reach their goal, or will the fall into a fiery pit before they get there.

Then it it me.

My Main character will have interesting things happen to her, but she in herself is not that interesting!

duh.

Super embarrasing. The supporting characters have quirks a-plenty. they have their insane personalities and they are so much more developed. I mistook exciting things happening to my main character for my lead character being likable.

Now I’m really glad that I stewed this book and had the chance to pick this up now. Granted I could have easily gone back into the book and added the characterization later BUT now I have the chance to re-develop the most important character in the book. To make sure that I start with the best chance possible. As I have said before, I do have a perfectionist streak in me. If it starts out tooooo crappy then chances are i’ll throw it against the wall before i finish. Don’t get me wrong, I like editing and am good at editing, but I like to start with some thing that has a chance of working first.

Back to the drawing board

So for me it is back to the drawing board and i’m going to try and weave some magic into the main character. The supporting characters are full of exciting quirks to start off with but the MC. Bland Bland Bland.

NaNoWriMo Deadly Writing Sin – Identified and Rectified

Tip for other writers:

By exciting I do NOT mean they need to swing around a gun, or swear at authority or anything, they just have to “Pop, Pop, Pop”

Note: you must have a kindle device, or someway to read the e-copy that i send you the link to

Happy NaNoWriMo everyone,

Sarah

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TODAY’S LINKS:

National Novel Writing Month Website

Buy James Scott Bell’s Plot and Structure - Buy from Amazon here (Kindle copy available)

Support an Author – Authorlove Website 

My NaNo Story Premise - Steampunk YA 

The NaNo Blogchain

Kristen Lamb’s Website – Awesome info on writing topics. Check it out! – Post on Novel Structure

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What is NaNoWriMo? –> National Novel Writing Month. –> In short you write a novel in a month. For longer details, please visit the NaNo home page here.

My Untitled Steampunk Novel for NaNoWriMo

Dear Readers,

Here starts my NaNoWriMo posts.

Now some of you will be asking, “Why are you starting your NaNo Posts now?” The answer is simple. Because in November I intend on writing a novel in a month. “duh.” I will be too busy to be posting every single blessed day. Ok so there is also the part about psyching me into the whole NaNo thing, and also trying to encourage a few more people to give it a go.

Oh and don’t forget about the part where I will be “naming and shaming” my poor writing habits, my “Deadly Sins” as you might call them, out in public. NO, you might say, be positive. My answer is simple, I know I can do NaNo. I have to believe that I am capable. My problem is I need to identify, to myself, the key areas that will be my downfall. Then fingers crossed, the road will be studded with “Go back now” posts and I can find my way back to the NaNo highway before I plunge off a cliff and end in the heap at the bottom.

My Problem #1 – Procrastination

As with anything, there are many ways to approach NaNo. Some like to Panster their way through, some like to plot their way through. I have chosen to plot my way through, while allowing my creativity to flex when it needs to. Here is the reason why. I Procrastinate. Yep, it’s true. I am the world’s best procrastination artist. Ok, so perhaps not totally the best, but believe me I could teach you a thing or two about the fine art of dithering.

I’m not sure about you, but I can write Panster style just awesome… for the first 10,000 words. Then my story falls into the pit of ‘ hasn’t been opened in 4 months because I didn’t know what to do next land”. From which point it is a hard slog for me to get it back up the hill and rolling down again. Like I said, I don’t want to tumble off the cliff and I need to take every precaution possible to avoid holdups and stopworks.

Hold-ups are not going to work in November. I have to average 1666 words every single day of the month. Yep if I flake out for a day, I have to do 3333 words the following day to make up for it. Sure, you might say, 3000 words a day is easy. You would be right. I have often written 3000 words in one day. I have even written 6000. I have never done this for 30 days in a row.

These posts are my road map of where NOT to go, and my plot outline is my road map showing where I want to be.

My Problem #2 – Perfectionist

The second problem I see here is that I don’t like doing things that are pointless. Sure writing 50,000 words in a month is a great way to avoid procrastination, but it does nothing for my sense of achievement and value in my writing. In other words, I want to give this novel the best chance of not being crap. Yep I don’t actually want a stinking, festering pile of pathetic, writing crap sitting in a hole marked “NaNo folder”.  I don’t expect it to be awesome and I do expect some parts to be utter garbage, but I would like to see the “ray of hope” filtering out from corners of the novel. I want this book to work. (See here for the very brief teaser of a synopsis.)

This must also be overcome. I intend of helping this along with some great plotting. Dialogue and things can be fixed up. Characterization can be tweeked and strengthened, however the actual plot – what happens needs to be strong.

A Novel is like a house:

Strong foundation = Premise

Well placed/built frames = Structure

How the rooms flow into each other (or are placed next to each other) = Plot

Furnishings and fittings = The fantastic characters that just ‘work’

Ambient music playing and the colorful inflections from the decor = The dialogue that just ‘sounds so right’

Sure you can cover bad frames with fancy paper, but at the end of the day if the bedroom is in the kitchen and the toilet is in the lounge room you will end up in a whole pile of… well lets face it… shit.

On the flip side, if the foundations are strong, and the covering are crap – they are much easier to edit. However nothing is going to hide the fact that the toilet opens into the bathroom instead of the hall. You will need to whack a great big hole and re-plaster it in.

Now i’m sure that some of you will disagree… I’m sure someone will send me an email saying how ‘easy they find it to adjust the house frames in the middle of the novel build’. That is great, I’m glad you do. However, I don’t.

That is why I need my frames in place before I build.

Period.

So here are my Deadly Sins that I intend on purging over the next two weeks:

1. Don’t read the chapter 5 times in the day – Procrastination and time management
2. Don’t treat the reader like an idiot - Foreshadowing too much
3. Giving the game away too early – Keep the readers guessing till the next scene
4. Distractions – Need I say more.
5. Fussing over minor details – Get on and fix later
6. Stay positive – Won’t get through NaNo if I give up. lol
7. Telling instead of showing (This includes over using words) -This is an easy fix later but I really want to focus on showing the story. I’m sure however that as a first draft it will be full of horror.

Conclusion: – I have now nearly written 1000 words in this post tonight. 1666 for NaNo is easy. Easy I tell you!

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TODAY’S LINKS:

National Novel Writing Month Website

MY page at NaNoWriMo

Support an Author – Authorlove Website 

My NaNo Story Premise - Steampunk YA

The NaNo Blogchain

NaNo folks on Google+  Thanks to the awesome Lia Keyes

Now you all have yourselves a fantastic day!

Sarah

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THE WEBSITE IS LAUNCHED HERE - Come see the competition

AuthorLove is about supporting authors everywhere.

I help my members and I hope my members will support each other.

~

Now I would like to formally invite you to become an Official Member of AuthorLove!

~ ~

Click the image to sign up to Authorlove

–>Sign up to authorlove here<–

Why would I Want to Be an AuthorLove Member?

This Means you get:

1. Sporadic updates about future competitions on the AuthorLove site
2. About 10 newsletters per year about AuthorLove news. (You might feature in this newspaper if you have a new book out.) –> Good advertising.
3. Go on my list of people to tweet and google+ about
4. I am likely to check out your book (I.E a SALE)
5. I will mention you and your books on this website (Back-links are good for you) See this example for India Drummond
6. I do review books and write Goodreads reviews on books I read.
7. Make friends and network with other authors
8. Join a community of people that just want to help each other out.

Why is AuthorLove Awesome?

Because it is!

No seriously. AuthorLove is about caring for the writing industry by support authors.

1. Support authors
2. Help promote their work (leave honest reviews)
3. buy their books!!!
4. Talk and make friends in the industry
5. Help them to create better books
6. Make friends
7. Build connections
8. Create a sharing environment
9. If you help others they might be more likely to help you
10. Make Karma work for you

 –> So JOIN THE AUTHORLOVE COMMUNITY NOW! <–

~ ~

Creator of AuthorLove

Website is:

www.authorlove.com 

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My Untitled Steampunk Novel for NaNoWriMo

I decided some months ago that I was going to do NaNoWriMo this year. –> A rather daunting promise that I made to my self if truth be told. Since then, I have been trying to find a project to work on during NaNo. I brainstormed for a while and in a flash of brilliance I came up with this Steampunk Novel.  I have been itching to start this novel since I thought of the premise. Itching badly in fact. So badly that I have stewed the story and writing methods and NaNo has already taught me much.

 

Is there more than a Plotter or a Panster?

 

What NaNoWriMo has already Taught Me

Yes. It’s true I have learnt many things already from NaNoWriMo and “stewing” my story. I have found the best writing software. Scrivener. See my Scrivener guides here. I have ready many books on writing methods. I have talked to writers and I have written other draft novels.

However I have uncovered another writing method. Many people break down their writing styles into Plotter and Panster. However NaNo has shown me the value of really contemplating the story. Of ‘stewing‘ the story in my mind. As I have been unable to write the story, as all NaNo entries must be written during the competition time, I have mulled the story in my mind. Sure i have ‘Plotted‘ and written down some fairly intensive plotting notes in Scrivener for my novel, but I have really taken time to get excited and think about the story.

~

What Has This Added to My Novel?

I believe this has improved the novel right from the start. It feels like I am starting the story with quality chicken stock, rather than just a weak, poor quality stock. I have had time to process the characters. To think about their interaction to grow them in my mind. Does this sound weird? Sorry but I have been able to lie in bed at night and plan the scenes and imagine how the movie would be.

I love jumping into my novel ideas and just starting to write. To fly with the idea and really get into the story. I feel good about it. Then I hit that wall. That wall that says “Sarah, you should have planned this better…” I do this with embroidery. I start an awesome embroidery concept and then 1/2 way through realize that it is totally awesome, yet i have done it on a cheap piece of fabric (as a tester piece) and can’t really do much with it. –> I need to plan better.

So the question today is:

How long do you stew your story for?

Do you jump right in and start from the moment you uncover that most amazing premise, or do you think, research and plan. What do you think are the benefits of this.

Finally, do you think it improves the outcome, or just really makes the initial draft easier?

Love to hear your thoughts on your writing style.

Want to see a sneak peak of the new AuthorLove Website and join the AuthorLove community –> Click Here for Authorlove

CLICK HERE TO COME AND SEE

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I was struck the other day by a comment on Twitter by a writer.

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“I always auto-unfollow anyone who doesn’t follow me back within three days…”

What! you can’t do that surely?

~

I am not a fan of the auto un-follow services and think that they are perhaps the worst invention on Twitter. While I will allow that for some people they might be useful, they certainly do NOT have a place in my Twitter repertoire. Here is why.

Why do People use Twitter Unfollow?

Points about Twitter Follow Etiquette

1. Why do people have a focus on more people following them than they follow?  –> Sure this is a sign that you are popular, but that popularity should be earned not bought by following 2000 people in a day and then Un-following those that don’t follow back.

2. If you have so so so many more people you are following than follow you, perhaps it is because you went out and follow 500 people of a list or another persons friend’s list.  –> This is fine, but how rude is it to follow all those people and then bump them when they don’t follow you back.

3. Some people do not have an easy method of following you.  –> I use Tweetdeck. I don’t have a list of ‘new followers’ to easily add people. I probably could if i wanted to, but I don’t. I have to go and log into Twitter before I can do that. I certainly don’t do it within 3 days.

4. This 3 day rule, (from a writer) many people don’t come on Twitter for a three day period, –> Or if they are on Twitter are too busy to follow you within that time. I look at my ‘new followers’ about once a month at max.

~

My Opinion on Twitter Follow Etiquette:

1. My opinion is that people that follow me are interested in my writing hobby. –> That means that they are probably writers. Which means that I am probably following them anyway. If not, then I really don’t mind if they follow me or not.

2. I have a list that tells me when people un-follow me.  –>That list is about 300 people over the past 6 months. Most of them are businesses that followed me to try and sell me something, I only have a few genuine un-follows. It is true that most of these un-follows come from people that i was NOT following, which is fine.

3. Most of the people I follow come from people that make and effort to contact me.  –> In otherwords people that send me a message or a tweet. I Normally follow them straight away from Tweetdeck.

4. It actually takes me a while to get round to following you if you don’t send me a direct message. –> This is because i use Hootsuite or Tweetdeck and i don’t go into my list of new followers everyday. I do this once a month or so. If you can’t wait that long for me to be your friend, and you don’t message me or try and engage me in conversation… then really why should I follow you anyway.

~

Twitter should be about conversations, not numbers… I hate to be treated like a number… don’t you?

Don’t treat your fellow authors like a number on Twitter.

Conclusion:

1. Stop stressing about the numbers and start making some friends
2. Talk to people – don’t just expect them to add you for no reason
3. Don’t treat me like a number – I am your supporter not a number
4. Promote a little #authorlove from time to time and help your fellow writers

~

I don’t mind the idea of finding people that you have mutual interests with on Twitter, i don’t mind it when people un-follow. I do NOT agree with the fact that if you don’t automatically follow back you are a bad person. Sometimes they might be interested in you, but you are not interested in them. That happens. I was dissapointed to hear that people do this on Twitter, especially someone who calls them selves a writer. However I am willing to admit that this is my point of view, it is not how others use Twitter and that people do do this. At the end of the day, i might have 5 un-follows a week because i don’t auto-follow back. Who Cares! – Not me.

In the last few months my followers have steadily increased.  I have not had one week where they were less than the previous. I have followed lots of people in this period but have never unfollowed someone because they didn’t follow me.

~

What do you think about this Issue… Seriously i would LOVE to hear from someone who does do this on a regular basis. I don’t quite understand why it is done. Please by all means enlighten me.

~

Do you want to show AuthorLove?

Agree that we should be nicer to our fellow writers and help them out?

Well please consider signing up to find out about my Awesome AuthorLove Quest. The website launches in a few days. It’s all about supporting writers and therefore supporting the industry itself. Click the Logo to sign up for updates about the launch and competition.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Sarah Ketley

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Just like to start with a big:

Congrats to the #Write Campaign Winners!!

Congrats to the Winners

Just while i’m here, i’d like to say a big thanks to Rachael Harrie  who did a fab job of this campaign. We all must remember to thank Rachael for all her hard work and determination. She makes this possible.

Michael Offutt, for sorting out the winners GREAT job

And Trisha Leaver Who is my co-conspirator for sorting out the prize donations and contacting winners. We are the list queens! You guys donated soooo many prizes which was awesome so our list was very long. (Not that we want to discourage donating prizes… you guys all rock!)

To be fair I think Trisha had the harder part of the job, I am quite happy to be Minion #2 and assisting, however thanks for all the kind messages on my blog saying thank- you. I am always happy to help out as part of my AuthorLove Quest IS to help out other writers. It has taken some time, but i’m always happy to help.

Contacting the Winners and Prize Donors

If anyone has any problems contacting the people that are providing/winning the prizes. Please feel free to EMAIL ME or use the WriteCampaign email –> thirdcampaign[at]gmail[dot]com.

Personal Plug:

Thanks to all the people that have signed up to get more info and be a part of the Awesome #AuthorLove Quest !

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

You guys are awesome too… I Have had heaps of replies. I’m hoping that we can run some mini campaigns and really help each other out. If you want to be involved / find out more –> Click Here <– I’m sending out an email about it shortly. The blog launch will be on 1st October You can sign up to receive an email when I launch the website and the competitions.

Anyway, happy writing everyone, I am so happy to see people getting into the spirit of #WriteCampaign and making some great friends. Keep it up!

Sarah

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Ok so many of you are well aware of my policy of  Authorlove.

If you are not – Please see my Authorlove page

AuthorLove

Breaking News About AuthorLove

Wait for it…

I bought the domain today www.authorlove.com. (Not yet active) I created the Google account for the webmail –> Contact.authorlove [at] gmail.com. I made the Twitter account Author_Love .

The AuthorLove Competition:

This will be starting later this year. The premise is to help promote the writing community spirit and promote awesome authors and new books. Basically, you will sign up to participate –> Pick some authors you think we all need to know about (including debut authors) and during the competition week we will be posting blog posts ‘highlighting’ this author. You can interview them, post a review, link to their blog or what ever.

The blog page will also host a twitter list and G+ list of authors participating so we can all follow each other and make some great new friends.

Who wouldn’t be excited

Then please sign up to the form below to get an email when the AuthorLove Blog is launched and to recieve another email when the competition starts later this year.

Please Note:

I hate spam too. This list is just for a couple of reminders about the site launch on 1st October 2011 and competition launch later this year.

GET SENT AN EMAIL WHEN WE LAUNCH

 Link to Sign up Form Here –>  

Or Use the Form Below (which is not quite as Pretty)

• Website AND Competition Launch
• Just Website Launch

THANKS SO MUCH I can’t wait to get started.

Would you like to follow the Twitter name as well?

Twitter link is for –> Author_Love

AuthorLove

Sarah Ketley