Advances

Most commercial publishers offer an advance once a book has been accepted for publication. If you are fortunate enough to get that manuscript taken on and published, you should be paid something in advance. This is usually split into 2 payments: on acceptance of MS and then on publication. What the advance is varies from publisher to publisher – and author to author – and can be anything from hundreds to thousands of pounds. The advance must then be ‘earned back’ by the publisher through sales of your book before royalties start to be paid. (Note, sometimes very small publishers offer a royalty-only deal. The down side is you don’t get anything up front, but you start earning on it as soon as books start to sell.)

Royalties

Royalties are an agreed percentage of the profits. This again varies from publisher to publisher, but they average 10 – 12% for print books. Ebooks pay a royalty between 25 – 40%. For children’s books with illustrations, royalties are split equally between the author and the illustrator, so you will only get half what you would get for an adult book. Royalties for books published through co-publishing or self-publishing service providers (eg Create Space, Matador, Instant Apostle etc) – where you cover the costs of publication yourself – the royalty rate is considerably higher (30 – 60%). Remember, conventional publishers don’t ask you to pay anything towards the cost of publication, so have to recoup that from sales before they pay you. I currently have books with three different publishers. Two of them pay royalties twice a year; one of them pays once a year. My self-published book via Create Space pays out once a month.

PLR & ALCS

If an author’s book is borrowed from a library in the UK or Ireland, the author is paid a small fee (around 8p). Authors need to register their books for Public Lending Right (PLR). Note authors must live within the European Economic Area to qualify. Payments are made once a year. More information here. Money can also be earned when your work is photocopied or used under some kind of copyright licence. This is collected by the Author Licensing Collection Service (ALCS) and paid twice a year.

One-off fees for articles

If you write freelance articles for periodicals, magazines and newspapers you will be paid a flat one-off fee. This differs from publication to publication and is negotiated up front. Sometimes ezines and blogs pay for content too, but not always. Articles and contributions to anthologies and booklets also qualify for ALCS payments, so don’t forget to register them.

Appearance / workshop fees

Authors are sometimes asked to give talks at various events. Payment for these things is patchy. Sometimes a fee is offered, sometimes not. The Society of Authors encourages authors to always ask for a fee. It’s up to you whether you are prepared to do it for nothing or not (for a charity for instance). But you should always ask for an opportunity to sell your books at the event.

Amazon affiliate programme

Amazon offer a commission on books sold via your website if you sign up to their affiliate programme. These are not just your books, but any books (or products) that you link to on your various websites or social media platforms. I get paid monthly for this. More information here.

Google Adsense

You can allow Google advertising on your various websites. How much or how little is up to you. You can also request the removal of any ads that you do not like. I get paid monthly for this. More information here.

Fiona Veitch Smith is a writer and writing tutor, based in Newcastle upon Tyne.. Her mystery novel The Jazz Files, the first in the Poppy Denby Investigates Series (Lion Fiction) was shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger award in 2016. The second book, The Kill Fee was a finalist for the Foreword Review mystery novel of the year 2016/17, and the third, The Death Beat, is out now. Her novel Pilate’s Daughter a historical love story set in Roman Palestine, is published by Endeavour Press and her coming-of-age literary thriller about apartheid South Africa, The Peace Garden, is self-published under the Crafty Publishing imprint. Her children’s books The Young David Series and the Young Joseph Series are published by SPCK.
http://fiona.veitchsmith.com
www.poppydenby.com
www.youngbibleheroes.com

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Get That Novel Started 2, 9, 16, 23 March 2017 £65
Get That Novel Finished 1, 8, 15, 22 June 2017 £65
Get That Novel Published 5, 12, 19 October 2017 and 2 November 2017

You can pick and choose which of the courses you do – one or all of them! – but you will get the most out of the series if you start at the beginning.

For more information and to book your place visit Get That Novel Started – booking.

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http://morethanwriters.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/save-cat.html?spref=tw

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Thank you, Fiona, for inviting me to write a guest blog on how to develop fictional characters for your book.  Actually, as the author of a number of biographies, I’d say that the same tips might be applied to real persons. Let me explain.

Inner Depth

My first tip would be to look beyond the obvious, the outer image portrayed by your character, to the personality that lies within.  When you’ve ascertained these inner characteristics, they may then be used either to the advantage or disadvantage of your character.

For instance, the first time I met Susan, when writing her biography, Healed Within, for Hodder & Stoughton, she came across as a very gentle, softly spoken person.  However, it soon became clear that although she never once raised her voice, she was a very determined and feisty lady and was good at getting others to do her bidding.  That was just as well, perhaps, because due to a brain tumour diagnosed when she was living in Ecuador, she ultimately became disabled.  The grit and determination of her inner self, although potentially a flaw, became her saving grace.

Gestures and Dialogue

Your reader doesn’t want you to tell them what sort of person your character is, but to show their strengths and weaknesses in action and speech.  Use patterns of speech, gestures, habits, mannerisms, likes and dislikes to show your reader how your character thinks and feels.

In my novel, A Painful Post Mortem, one of the characters habitually wipes his hand on his trousers.  Despite coming across as a successful businessman, inwardly he is lacking in confidence.  Overstepping the mark – when involved in a close call due to driving too fast, for instance – he wipes the sweat from his palms.  His speech impediment, too, is more obvious when he’s nervous, as is his swearing and drinking.

Career

Use your characters’ employment, or choice of education or lifestyle, to portray personality.  Think of the stereotype, then bend it a little.  Or a lot!

An example of this can be found in my latest book, Time to Shine, a novel where the protagonist, Evie Adams, is a counsellor.  She is not, however, a toe-the-line character.  Despite the ethical framework laid down by her mentors and governing body, she’s quite prepared to break the rules if it’s in her clients’ interests to do so.  What’s more, although she persistently declares herself to be an anti-snob, an advocate of make-do-and-mend, her inner counsellor chastises her for being judgemental of others.  As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that her attitude is a cover-up – a coping mechanism – to conceal the true state of affairs in her life: the hurts and the losses.

Effects of Childhood

I blog on my website and on Ezine Articles, and my top post of all time is a piece titled Eldest Child Syndrome: Are you What Your Parents Have Made You?. With visitors from every part of the globe, some of them countries I’ve never heard of and can’t pronounce, it seems that this is the topic that’s paramount in people’s thinking.

Parental expectation, sibling rivalry, low self-esteem, a strong sense of responsibility and perfectionism can all create a people pleaser personality.  And, of course different attributes are true of middle children – Birth Order – Middle Child, and the Youngest Child In The Family – Paragon or Pain?

These, however, are not the only influences of childhood.  A violent and abusive relationship between mother and father will, inevitably, have a long term effect on a child’s character, as will divorce, a parent’s criminal record or depression.  Add to that poverty, adoption, poor education – all these factors are instrumental in developing the characters of your book.  Again, I must stress: don’t tell; show the upshot in your character’s behaviour and thought processes.

Personality Traits

Also on my website, I have a personality test.  Similar in style to the Myers’ Briggs’ Type Indicator (MBTI) it shows what makes for the characteristics of an extrovert or introvert personality; a structured or spontaneous outlook and so on.  These, of course, are preferences rather than nurture or nature.  Use these, too, to develop your characters so that they become well-rounded personalities with a depth of feeling that your readers will find inspiring.

Merrilyn Williams, is the author of a number of traditionally published biographies, one of which was a bestseller, and she writes fiction under her maiden name, Mel Menzies.  Her latest novel, Time to Shine, a psychological mystery, published by Malcolm Down Publishing, is set in Exeter and substitutes counselling practices for police procedures.

Merrilyn is an inspirational speaker, has led writers’ workshops and is often asked to take part on BBC broadcasts on a wide range of topics, such as step-families; drugs; godparents; and bereavement.  She blogs regularly on creative writing, speaking and relationships.  Her website, An Author’s Look at Life, provides Resources to Inform, Inspire & Encourage.

Chat with her on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelMenzies
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MelMenzies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melmenzies

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The Winter Story Contest is open to all writers, and all entries will be considered for publication.

• $2,500 First Prize
• $1,000 Second Prize
• $500 Third Prize
• Ten finalists receive $100 each.

Deadline: Sun., Mar. 31, at midnight, PDT.

See the Guidelines. Read prior winners, and view recent awards won by Narrative authors.

They say: ‘We are committed to paying our authors, to providing excellent editorial support, and to encouraging a wide audience for good writing. ‘

Narrative reaches a worldwide audience of more than 170,000 readers.

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3. True Life Stories – market opportunity

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I hope you all have a fabulous 2014 and find some time to write.

Fiona Veitch Smith

The Crafty Writer

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The toughest critics

They say (whoever ‘they’ are) that children are the toughest audience. A hard readership to coax into your corner. Children know what they like. Why waste time on what they don’t? Well, harsh critics they may be, but children also have magnificently hungry brains. And with that hunger comes an imagination that’s unfettered and vibrant, ever-ready to explode into action. That’s the privilege of writing for an audience of children. Their imaginations have no constraints – and neither should the imaginations of their storytellers.

In children’s literature, kids can walk through a wardrobe and find themselves in a snow-covered land; schools of wizardry exist in fantastically gothic castles; teenage boys lead crazy double lives outwitting evil villains and living to tell the tale; bears wear hats and arrive from darkest Peru at Paddington Station, with nothing but a suitcase and a label saying: ‘Please look after this bear’.

There are no limits. Only the ones in our heads.

Avoiding preachiness

My children’s writing to date has been largely for the Christian market, and generally I’ve been commissioned for the books I produce – which makes me very fortunate, I know. Still, once the excitement of reading the email containing those magical ‘we’d like a new book from you’ words has just slightly abated, the reality of coming up with a story that’s right for the intended age group, as well as fitting within the publisher’s parameters, hits home.

My brief (as far as there is an actual ‘brief’) is to come up with and explore quite specific themes, and it can be challenging getting particular points across whilst trying not to be heavy-handed or patronising. Children don’t want to be preached at. They just want a good story. Christian books for children might have an underlying purpose, but that’s no reason why writers can’t let their readers’ imaginations fly. In fact, perhaps they should be allowed to fly all the more.

Fleshing out characters

So, where to start? For me, very often with a large mug of coffee. If I have an idea in my head already, then comes the scribbling. I like to write to quite a detailed framework, so my scribbles are extensive and my coffee goes cold. That’s not to say that the plot might not change once it begins to evolve into a narrative. As I begin the fleshing out, key characters might undergo distinct personality changes from their initial sketchy outlines. (Often they seem to manage that all by themselves!) Even complete sex changes aren’t beyond the bounds of possibility. And as the characters metamorphose, so may their situation. I love getting to the stage where they begin to interact. I know that I want to get them from point A to point B in their development, but how that is actually achieved unfolds in greater detail as I grow to understand them and they get know each other.

Reading other writers

I also love the ‘flow’ days, when the story seems to write itself and the words pour out. If I’m honest, I don’t get many of those. When I’m spending more time gazing out of my window than at my computer screen, I know I’m in severe need of an injection of another author’s extraordinary imagination. I find that reading someone else’s heart and soul is a truly powerful means of unlocking my own. David Almond (Skellig and Kit’s Wilderness, among others) puts words together in a magically musical and poetic fashion, building a landscape and an atmosphere that nudges at all the senses and never fails to kickstart my creativity when it’s starting to flag. Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Ryder series reads like a filmscape. I’m hurled into seemingly impossible scenarios, and yet the pace and attention to the minutest detail catapult me into joyous belief! There are no limits in Anthony Horowitz’s head, and his stories have the potential to sweep away those in mine.

I’ve now written some twenty books for children (pre-school age/7-12s), together with a still-burgeoning series of daily devotionals for 3-6-year-olds. I spend a lot of time immersed in worlds that aren’t my own. And I’m still experimenting with narrative styles. The way I put words together rarely sounds exactly as I’d like it to. But maybe that’s all part of growing into being a writer. Perhaps we have to evolve as storytellers along with our characters … I think I’ll let mine keep taking the lead.

Alexa Tewkesbury’s books include the Topz Secret Diaries series, The Christmas Star’s Big Shine, What’s Christmas?, The Camel Who Found Christmas, The Perfect Christmas Present, the Pens series, and the new Topz Secret Stories series. She also writes poetry and screenplays, and is an actor and voiceover artist. www.alexatewkesbury.com

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