@skaeth@writing.exchange
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skaeth

@[email protected]

Science Fiction and Fantasy author @ https://www.skaeth.com
Reviews on Bookwyrm at [email protected] and on IndieStoryGeek.com at https://indiestorygeek.com/user/SKaeth

reader, writer, dreamer, worldbuilder
Co-founder of IndieStoryGeek.com
Host of WriteHive's Word Nerd Cafe podcast and Co-founder of WriteHive's Mentorship program (mentorship for traditional, small press, and self-publishing paths)

She/Her, dysgu Cymraeg

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skaeth, to bookstodon
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Looking to dive into some Kindle Vella stories? There are 13 #sciencefiction and #fantasy stories collected here: there's action and adventure, historical fantasy, mythology, samurai + ninjas, romance, superheroes, epic fantasy, and more.

The first chapters of each are free, & then you can decide if you want to continue on the platform through purchasing tokens to use to unlock more of the story.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/vellafantasyscifi/s2id04l1n5

#KindleVella #SerialFiction #WebSerial #Bookstodon #BookToot @bookstodon

skaeth, to bookstodon
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Last call for nominations! The nomination window for the at https://indiestorygeek.com ENDS in just a couple hours!

Got a favorite or book, especially from marginalized communities or with great tropes? Nominate your favorite from all genres for the awards that make the most sense for it. Is your favorite book not listed? It's easy to add it!

@bookstodon

skaeth, to bookstodon
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I just finished uploading all of the latest year's #SPSFC books ( #SPSFC3 I believe) and all of the books from the new #SFINCS competition to https://indiestorygeek.com .
Remember, all of these books are eligible for the #IndieInkAwards competition!
Nominations are open through the end of November, so make sure you nominate your favorite #IndieBooks for the awards that make the most sense for them. All genres of indie books are welcome!

#ReadingCommunity #ReadersOfMastodon #Bookstodon @bookstodon

skaeth, to bookstodon
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Have you nominated your favorite #IndieBooks for the #IndieInkAwards yet? Nominations are open for the month of November for several awards from Side Character MVP to Wittiest Character, & to highlight amazing #LGBTQ Representation, #MentalHealth Rep, #Disability Rep, #BIPOC Rep, & more. Open to all fiction genres and YA, NA, & Adult books. While you're there, you might find more #BooksToRead !

Join in at https://indiestorygeek.com/a/indie-ink-awards-2023

#Bookstodon @bookstodon #IndieAuthors #SmallPress #SelfPublishing

skaeth, to random
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

Sept 17: How do you promote your writing?

Instead of answering, I went through all the responses thus far and made a spreadsheet of the answers. (This is absolutely non-scientific and possibly inaccurate, plus there's no data as to how well these strategies worked, but hey, I was curious and thought maybe others might be interested too.)

I also have a list of "Other" answers that didn't fit neatly in these boxes or struck me in some way-- I'll link those next.

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

Other answers to check out:
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111080804351879862
https://writing.exchange/@ewdocparris/111081004629118268
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111080802913568573
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111080751608065637
https://writing.exchange/
https://writing.exchange/@crcollins/111080464552847506
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111080443948573904
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111080357218202388
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111080331332385807
https://writing.exchange/@sagetyrtle/111080268100946882
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111080158159491083
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111080044850473370
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111079788588674954
https://writing.exchange/@Firlefanz/111079704104662764

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

Even more other answers to check out:
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111079408677947895
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111079343945016774
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111079307764260899
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111079299964229244
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111079280675469264
https://writing.exchange/@JonSparks/111079209037162718
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111079207618926351
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111079172480404912
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111078923448524876
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111078841232093363
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111078745101572805
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111078605088170027
https://writing.exchange/
https://writing.exchange/@NikkiSloan/111077505181337787
https://writing.exchange/@[email protected]/111081611779090897

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

Ok more about this huge list with why the post appeared here.
@ashtardeza posts weekly chapters, which caught my eye as a strategy (even though it won't work for me by and large, as I tend to write out of order)--but snippets are great and as a reader I've absolutely picked up books based on snippets the author shared.
@ewdocparris showed a book trailer and shared the expectation not to make money on a debut book, which I've heard before. Lots of strategies shared though in this string of posts!

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@sarahijackson posted about workshops and a quarterly writing magazine ( @innerworlds ) which caught my eye.

@floofpaldi does serials, which is super effective for other writers I know, too.

@CA_Hawthorne talks about completing the series as part of her strategy, which yes, I absolutely need to get on that for my own series!

@crcollins mentioned the @liminalfiction site, which I've looked at. This and other sites designed to boost authors (like IASFA etc) are a cool resource.

skaeth,
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@ElisesWritings Specifically mentioned genre-specific newsletters which I thought was a smart detail to consider.
@joyce mentioned not seeing a lot of boost from FB/Amazon ads, and that mostly word of mouth has been key.
@pretensesoup specifically mentioned Instagram working well in regards to time spent, and also targeting hashtags.
@sagetyrtle mentioned taking workshops for learning to get better at promotion which I've been working on too.

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@stevendbrewer mentioned posting story fragments as well as large posters of his covers that are visible when he runs Zoom, which I thought was a cool idea. Also cons, being on panels, and offering readings and goodies-- tons of great ideas here!
@amalia12 mentioned creating video readings and other videos. Also, I just perked up in general since she's another indie author, so promo ideas might translate well
@heatherrosejones has an amazing thread of her strategies you really need to check out!

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@johnyNocash mentioned pre-sales with extras (I also do direct sales with goodies), but what really struck me was his music-oriented strategy. Very cool, and I hadn't heard of that before.

@Firlefanz mentioned BookFunnel promos which I also do, and using Fussy Librarian, which I've heard about but haven't yet tried.

@catchingshadows caught my attention mentioning Discord servers, as I'm on Discord a lot too.

@anderlandbooks mentioned making pictures and videos which sounded very cool to me.

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@raemariz mentioned blog interviews and word-of-mouth, especially when talking about other people's writings. This struck me because this is what I do too-- I'm way more comfortable shouting about other people's books, lol

@drinkswriter does all the things. This is probably the correct answer, lol! Gin tastings might be a fun thing to springboard off of if you write alcohol-adjacent stories (or hey, who knows, maybe even if you don't)

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@RubyJones specifically mentioned being creative about showing people what she writes including images & tropes, which I thought was a smart detail to mention

@JonSparks mentioned using promo stacking, which I've also tried but not with success--I've heard people advise it though!

@mamelby mentioned book signings and going to a festival, which caught my eye.

@Chriscutler brought in a new perspective, living in France and reminding us that successful strategies might vary from place to place.

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@ElisesWritings @RubyJones I haven’t heard of reading and reviewing as a marketing strategy, though I do a ton of reading and reviewing when I can, mostly to spread the word about amazing books, as well as to fill the creative well, study craft through incredible storytelling, and to find similar books to target for ads, etc (If you like X and Y try Z— and if you like X or Y but haven’t tried the other, do that too!)

skaeth,
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@ElisesWritings @RubyJones I’d be very interested in knowing how effective that strategy is too!
For comp titles, (first of all, I’m just plain interested, but that’s a total sidebar) have you tried asking @bookstodon ? Or using the hashtag? Using this resource, I have gotten so many amazing books to read to see if they’ll fit, along with just plain awesome books to read for fun too. I asked recently for low fantasy adventure romance recs and now have a pile of books to read.

skaeth, to bookstodon
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It's Monstrous release day! I love this book so much. It's a YA with a main character you've gotta root for, even when she makes questionable decisions. Totally rooting for the sapphic romance subplot, too. The cult is chilling and kept me on the edge of my seat, while the snake god himself, well, I honestly kinda like him.
Can't wait till my copy arrives!
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/690250/monstrous-by-jessica-lewis/

@bookstodon

ABOUT MONSTROUS Forced to spend her summer in her aunt’s strange small town, a teen girl discovers dark secrets hidden in the woods. From the author of Bad Witch Burning comes another pulse-pounding novel perfect for fans of Supernatural and Lovecraft Country. Don’t go outside past dark. Come straight home after church. And above all— never, ever, go into Red Wood. These are the rules Latavia’s aunt gives her when Latavia arrives in Sanctum, Alabama for the summer. Though, weird as they are, living in Sanctum does have its pros. Mainly, the cute girl who works at the local ice cream shop. But Sanctum is turning out to be as strange as the rules—and the longer Latavia’s in town, the more suspicious she is that the people there are hiding something. And the more clear it is that she’s an outsider. Everyone’s nice enough, but they seem determined to prove everything is normal. But it’s not. Because there’s something in Red Wood that the towns’ people are hiding. And if Latavia doesn’t follow her aunt’s rules, she might not be able to leave Sanctum. Ever...

skaeth, to bookstodon
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My friend Jessica Lewis’s next book comes out TOMORROW! I had the pleasure of beta reading this, and it was absolutely amazing even then! If you want YA contemporary fantasy with evil cults and morally grey snake gods, you definitely want to pick up this book! If you order tonight, you can get your copy signed, plus with bookmarks and stickers!

https://www.brownbooksandmore.com/product-page/monstrous-jessica-lewis?fbclid=IwAR3B08w2l4d14G5bSKFwKALHMrAswjJs2EPDzkab6IlzB9_d_xtXX0_P3wE

@bookstodon

skaeth, to bookstodon
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@bookstodon I need #BookRecommendations please! I’m looking for low #fantasy recommendations. Romance can be there but I want plenty of adventure & banter to go along with it. Nothing epic- magic should take a back seat and it’d be amazing if the main character did not have magic at all. Best if MC is not royal/deity/etc.

The closest thing I’ve read to this is Intisar Khanani’s The Dauntless Path series (which is amazing and I highly recommend). Anything else like it?

#Bookstodon #FantasyBooks

skaeth,
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@paul_ipv6 @BunRab @bookstodon Thank you! This looks like more urban fantasy in London, is that right?

skaeth,
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@drsbello @bookstodon Sounds interesting-- I'll check it out! Thank you!

skaeth,
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@paul_ipv6 @BunRab @bookstodon I'll take a look! Thank you!

skaeth,
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@jarulf @fskornia @bookstodon I ADORE Guy Gavriel Kay! His writing is right along the lines of what I'm looking for. I can't believe I forgot about him. Thank you both!

Also I've read one of the Kushiel books and it's just not for me. I'll check out Swordspoint! Thank you again!

skaeth,
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@BunRab @Da_Gut @bookstodon

Ok I definitely need to read more T. Kingfisher, sounds like!!

skaeth,
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@zakyfarms @BunRab @bookstodon I'll check out both!! This also sounds interesting!

skaeth,
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@CommonMugwort @bookstodon @Da_Gut Ok I am definitely reading this book! It sounds fantastic!

skaeth,
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@jarulf @CommonMugwort @bookstodon @Da_Gut Yes, I saw it wasn't very expensive! I love that my question got you to pick up this book too! The contagious aspect of reading is fantastic.

skaeth,
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@jarulf @bookstodon I adore those books! They're a little more high fantasy than I'm looking for this, but they are one of my all time top favorite books ever. Robin Hobb is incredible.

skaeth,
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@luigirenna @bookstodon Oh this sounds interesting! I love the Three Musketeers aspect. Thank you!

skaeth,
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@Da_Gut @CommonMugwort @bookstodon I am very much on board for the non-standard-European lore! Definitely going to check these out, especially knowing that!

skaeth,
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@jarulf @bookstodon Oh the ending is so epic. I really liked it. I think I heard a rumor that she's writing a new series with Bee.

skaeth,
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@CuriousMagpie @jarulf @fskornia @bookstodon

These look interesting! I'll check them out-- thank you so much!

skaeth,
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@paul_ipv6 @fskornia @bookstodon
Guy Gavriel Kay writes like he's painting with words. It's been a while since I've read something of his, but I love his books so much!

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@jarulf @bookstodon lol oh no, a few months earlier than you'd expected 😂

I had to sit back and just exist for a while after The Realm of the Elderlings was done. Huge book hangover. I can't wait for more from her though!

skaeth,
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@paul_ipv6 @fskornia @bookstodon

I've heard of Charles De Lint but I've never read anything by him. Do you have a favorite?

skaeth,
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@jarulf @bookstodon

Absolutely.

I have had better luck with reading recommendations here than I ever have anywhere else. It's a dangerous, wonderful thing!

skaeth,
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@libreture @bookstodon I haven't heard of this before but wow, it looks excellent! It looks like it could be a bit of an undiscovered gem.

skaeth,
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@Clundoff @bookstodon Interesting! I've heard of Heather Rose Jones but this is another author I haven't gotten around to reading yet! Thank you!

skaeth,
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@paul_ipv6 @fskornia @bookstodon

Awesome! There's a certain captivation to knowing there's a ton of works to get buried under, just waiting to be read. Thank you!

skaeth,
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@jarulf @bookstodon Mastodon is my favorite social network I've ever tried (unless you count Discord, in which case it's a strong second)! I'm very bad at social media-ing but it's just nice here.

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@jarulf @bookstodon Oh, wow, thank you! I wasn't at all intending to get eyes on my own books with this.

But what sort of thing are you feeling like right now? Windward is faster paced with fire and fury, dragon riders and dragons and internal-cave-strife. Single POV.
Between Starfalls (and the series it kicks off) is set in the same world (same island) but's slower paced with a much more epic scale and some sci-fi elements spattered in more and more as the series progresses. It's multi-PoV.

skaeth,
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@libreture @bookstodon @paracactus Oh sweet-- and now I have another blog to follow too! Awesome!

skaeth,
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@jarulf @bookstodon
Oh thank you! By "down to earth" what do you mean? Windward's smaller in scale but I wouldn't consider it down to earth, myself.

skaeth,
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@jarulf @bookstodon

It sounds like Windward is more likely up your alley then-- Palon has no special magic apart from her dragon bond, which is 100% usual for her community. She happens to excel at dragon riding because she's talented like that. Definitely there's danger, but nothing too grand in scope, and relationships and character are the center.

For the epic series, the MCs are all superheroes but also they have no idea what they're doing. Lots of relationships and development though.

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@jarulf @libreture @bookstodon @paracactus

This list is like a breath of fresh air-- sometimes you need a little slice-of-life to cut through the sweeping epics that so often get center stage!

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@jarulf @bookstodon Oh yes, I had just finished a sale and hadn't gotten around to changing the price yet-- lucky for you! They should arrive soon if they haven't already! Hopefully you can carve some reading time to tackle that TBR mountain lol

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@JoanGrey @bookstodon Thank you!

skaeth, to bookstodon
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The Narratess Indie Sale is tomorrow! My books Windward and Between Starfalls are both reduced to 99cents for this sale (for US, Canada, Europe, and Australia), and that price is in effect already for most book sellers!

Tomorrow the sale page goes live with tons of amazing deals: prices Free, 99cents, or $1.99.
Check out https://promotions.narratess.com before the weekend is over.

Boosts appreciated to help others find incredible to snatch up!

@bookstodon

skaeth,
@skaeth@writing.exchange avatar

@bjornlarssen @bookstodon @szattwellauthor @endalia Oh the prose was easy to read! It was just... mostly Jinx lol. I was so afraid for Kayl and Quen!

skaeth,
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@bjornlarssen @bookstodon @szattwellauthor @endalia It was so good!

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