The interview with Wendy Willett is now online at WaukTown Radio.
Look for the special offer from Wendy at the end of this article.
Wendy Willett got her book into print by taking control of the process with self publishing her first book, Amber Shadows and the Missing Wands.
Following our recent interview on WaukTown Radio, Wendy shared several of her design and writing tips which helped personalized the book, saved her money, and motivated her to keep writing.
Polish Your Manuscript with Drop Caps
Adding dropped caps to the manuscript gives the introduction of each chapter the polished look of a professional printer.
They’re easy to add. Here are Wendy’s directions: In MS Word, highlight the first letter in the first paragraph of each new chapter. Then go to Format in the menu bar and select the “drop cap” option. “I always liked doing the font of the drop cap in the same font as the title; i.e. I used Papyrus for the chapter title and chapter number,” Wendy explained.
Use Your Art Background or Connections
If you have an art background, or know someone who does, it will save you money when designing your self published book. Wendy found that doing her own illustrations was more cost efficient than hiring the art team from the print- on-demand publisher. “Sketching for me was a lot of concentrative work; however, I had art lessons in high school and it turned out to be a talent I never knew I had.
I was determined to have picture images in each chapter because it’s more appealing to young children age 9+ and I did not want to pay well over $1,000.00 for someone else to do it. I’m actually glad I did, and most likely will do the sketches for the next three books,” she said.
Reach Out to Others
The Internet site AuthorsDen.com has played an important role in Wendy’s development as a writer. The service is free, but Wendy upgraded and paid for the gold membership so she could make use of all of the features it offers.
“The website is easy to use, you can publish straightaway and people do leave you messages/reviews after reading your work that has been posted,” she said. “Sometimes they don’t, but that’s ok too. Amber Shadows and the Missing Wands, even now, is one of the books always listed as ‘popular.’ ”
One of the features Wendy especially likes to use allows her to track interest and sales by viewing statistics on the site. She pointed out that books don’t always have to be featured on the AuthorsDen home page to be successful. “It doesn’t have to show on the AuthorsDen home page for it to be popular,” Wendy said. “If you click on “stats” it tells you how many people have read your work. There is also a “Potential Sales Statistics” link to click on where you can find out how many people have actually gone to Amazon.com and other online stores to possibly order your book. This is a definite website for those wanting exposure and a ‘keeper’ too.”
Take a Class and Use Those Resources!
Wendy has praise for the classes she took at the Institute of Children’s Literature. “I highly recommend it,” she said. “(I give it) over 10 stars for those who know how to write, but need a college professor to teach you everything you need to know about how to write a book properly from beginning to end, whether it is for children’s picture books or youth novels, etc. My professor told me my strongest quality was writing for young adults to adults, and writing articles.”
When it came time for her final exam, Wendy said she had to write a complete novel and she found she enjoyed writing novels for youth.
She also relied on Writers’ Digest and The Writer Magazine. “These two mags are filled with tips on what the publishers are looking for, how to win them over, and how to basically write a great piece,” Wendy said. She also recommends keeping the latest version of The Chicago Manual of Style on hand for any grammar or usage questions.
“These three are a must have. The Chicago Manual of Style is handy to have if you are doing your own editing and want to save on editing costs when going with a print on demand publisher, Wendy said. “Never use a subsidy publisher! Print on demand is the route to go so you can keep control over your project and finances.”
And…always keep reading
For Wendy, it’s important for writers to find time to read a number of books in your favorite genre. “If you have writers’ block, reading or even watching a movie or two on your favorite genre can break the writers block and open your imagination to create a world to go along with the idea buzzzing inside your intellect, ” she said. “Avoid plagiarism at all costs, use your own ideas, keep them fresh, real, and different.”
Some additional motivation tips from Wendy:
-Write when the inspiration hits you, whether it’s with pen, quill, (some writers are eccentric) or computer/laptop. Ideas sometimes hit us in the middle of the night and if it’s not written down straightaway, the idea gets lost and forgotten. So keeping a pen and paper with you or on the bedside table is essential.
-Keep notes of all your details, make an outline of the things you are putting in your novel if you are writing a series, and keep it up to date if the novel changes. That way, you can go back and reference your notes to keep each new story in the series flowing. I keep a lot of my ideas in my head, but a vast majority of it is written down in my files. Flight of the Arc Angels, a short story I wrote, came to me one night when I was trying to comfort my son to sleep. I wrote it and posted it on AuthorsDen.com that very night.
And Now a Special Offer from Wendy
Order Amber Shadows and the Missing Wands directly from Wendy, and you can have the book autographed by her. Contact Wendy by email at MWillett (AT) Ameritech (DOT) net.
“For kids 9+ I think this book is a great Christmas idea,” she said. Anyone that orders directly from Wendy will get the paperback version of the book for the reduced rate of $15.95 + $5.00 shipping anywhere in the USA.
Good By and Good Luck
Wendy is in the process of planning a book signing, which she hopes will be soon. “Till then, God bless and good luck to all those out there writing their hearts out to make a name for themselves. The road is never easy, but nothing we want in life ever is. Your dreams are worth fighting for whether you choose the traditional publishing route or self publishing route, so keep writing and keep perfecting your talent and writing skills,” she said.
In the meantime, Wendy said she is very interested in hearing from people. “If anyone would like to write to me and ask advice or a few questions, simply contact me at MWillett (AT)Ameritech (DOT) net. I would love to hear from others needing advice on what to do. I’ve actually been thinking of writing a piece each week on AuthorsDen on Sundays, giving advice on writing and publishing.”
