This is not book-related at all. This week’s video is purely about showing off my family’s new little puppy Dawson. Dawson is a 9 week old (at the time of filming) Shih Tzu. He’s the cutest little ball of fluff and even though he likes to bite anything near his face, he’s still absolutely adorable! See his debut on Youtube!
And sometimes he helps me write…sometimes…
Find me on Instagram! @mandilynnwrites
Watch on YouTubeSo you may remember my recent post? I said I was revealing the title of my third novel? Not to make it seem like it was click bait–I had all the intentions of revealing the title of my newest novel–but…I may have overlooked one tiny detail. I originally said my third novel was going to be titled Remedy for Memory, but there’s another wonderful Youtuber, Brista Drake, who has a book titled Remedy for Memory. Now Brista has been awesome and said I can title my book that as well, but after feeling a little bit silly for not remembering that was the title of her book (I follow her on YouTube for God’s sake!) it just doesn’t feel right to title my novel Remedy for Memory.
For now, novel #3 has no title, but it will I promise! And when it does I won’t have the same issue!
I wanted to spend today talking about how you should choose a title for your novel. More specifically, if you’ve chosen a title, making sure it will work for you.
Do Book Titles Have Copyright?
The good news is books can have the same title. There is no copyright over titles unless it’s a book that has an “image.” This would be the case for something like Harry Potter. Harry Potter is a trademark, if you used the name in your title you would get sued if it caught their lawyer’s eyes. While you can legally use the same book title as someone else, it’s not always the best idea.
Same Titles?
It’s important to do a Google or Goodreads search when you’re titling your novel. It’s okay if a title is the same as another book, but it shouldn’t be a book in the same genre simply because you don’t want people confusing the two books. Now the book I’m writing and the book Brista published aren’t technically in the same genre, but we use the same marketing techniques. We both appear on YouTube, so our books, and ourselves are bound to bump into each other. With the same titles, things would just get confusing.
Does the Title Fit the Genre of the Book?
Just like you want your cover art to speak for the genre, you want the title of your book to speak for the genre as well. Often times you’ll know a romance novel from a mile away because of the title, and that’s a good thing! A lot of books will get bad reviews because their cover art or title was misleading. Some readers don’t always check what genre a book is, so when they pick up a book with a title like The Floral Night and it ends up being a book with blood and gore, odds are a reader will leave a not-so-good review.
Most of all you just want to make sure the title feels right to you. Play around with a few different options until you find out what’s right for you. And don’t do what I did and announce the book title is absolutely final and you’ve done your research.
What are some of the titles of your novel/works in progress? Share them in the comments below!
Find me on Instagram! @mandilynnwrites
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In this month’s box:
Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix
On her eighteenth birthday, Lady Truthful, nicknamed “Newt,” will inherit her family’s treasure: the Newington Emerald. A dazzling heart-shaped gem, the Emerald also bestows its wearer with magical powers.
When the Emerald disappears one stormy night, Newt sets off to recover it. Her plan entails dressing up as a man, mustache included, as no well-bred young lady should be seen out and about on her own. While in disguise, Newt encounters the handsome but shrewd Major Harnett, who volunteers to help find the missing Emerald under the assumption that she is a man. Once she and her unsuspecting ally are caught up in a dangerous adventure that includes an evil sorceress, Newt realizes that something else is afoot: the beating of her heart.
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.
Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.
At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.
Until one day, he does…
As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?
Find me on Instagram! @mandilynnwrites
So there’s this tag called AuthorTube WIP Tag and I was tagged by the lovely Natalia Leigh. Unfortunately for me, good for all of you, the tag asks questions about my latest work in progress. I wanted to wait until I had a least the first draft of my third novel done before I started revealing information but I figured, eh, why not? So here we have it! The official title reveal of my novel! (Coming to a bookshelf near you)
What is the working title of my book?
To be determined! Right not I call it novel #3 because I’m not original.
Where did the idea for your book come from?
Both my grandparents have/had a form of dementia. I wanted to write a book that reverberates around the themes of desperation to cling onto your loved ones and also the fact that when someone has dementia you loose them twice. First mentally, then physically.
What genre is your work in progress?
Thriller? We’ll have to wait and find out!
Choose the actors for your movie rendition.
I don’t what TV or movies enough to have a list of actors I love…I live in a bubble.
One sentence synopsis of your book.
Sam’s house was on fire the night Willow reached her breaking point, and now she doesn’t care who’s life she ruins when she attempts to find a cure to Alzheimer’s disease.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
My goal is to query agents once I’m happy with the outcome of the manuscript. I feel I’ve finally reached the point where I have enough experience and a big enough platform that maybe, just maybe, a publisher will take me on!
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I’m in the first draft phase still, but we’re getting there! I’ve been working on this story since the summer of 2016 but I wasn’t able to get serious about it until recently.
What other books would you compare the story to?
Still Alice by Lisa Genova, in terms of subject matter, not genre. If you haven’t read her novels yet, pick them up! They’re amazing!
Who or what inspired you to write the book?
My grandmother who has frontal temporal dementia (Pick’s Disease) and my Memere who had Alzheimer’s.
What else about your book might peak the reader’s interest?
This novel doesn’t even compare to Essence and I am Mercy. So far, this novel reaches a whole new level (but I may be biased).
I tag: Shaelin Bishop, Kristen Martin, Vivien Reis
Guess who went to BookCon for the first time! I may have only gone for one day, but I had an amazing time! I went with a friend from college, Ellen, who is a fellow writer/booknerd. We had a fabulous time and although I didn’t get to vlog as much as I wanted to, I still want to give you guys some insight into the experience.
When Ellen and I first got there we arrived late so we missed the first book signing we wanted to attend. As BookCon newbie’s we also didn’t know that you needed autograph tickets to go to any of the signings that weren’t at a booth and by the time we realized this all the tickets were sold out. We were a little bummed but we were determined to get an autograph from at least one BIG author. And that author was Reneé Ahdieh. She had a booth signing so we bought her book about two hours before the signing and got in line about 45 minutes before-hand. And guess what? We were some of the first ones to meet her!
Also, you may think standing in line for 45 minutes is boring but you meet really awesome people to fan-girl over with about books. Also, while standing there we also fan-girled over Mayim Bialik from Big Bang Theory signing her book, Girling Up.
We went to a few panels, bought some books, got an ARC and, oh! Did I forget to mention I met Kristen Martin? It was great to finally meet a fellow author YouTuber! I’m a huge fan of Kristen’s and if you haven’t checked out her channel already, be sure to now! And since I met her I also bought her series so I could have them all signed!
All in all it was a great day! I didn’t come home with bags and bags of books, but honestly, I didn’t want to. (Do you have any idea how heavy books are?) Next year Ellen and I are crossing our fingers to go both days, and who knows, maybe I’ll see you there!
BookCon goodies:
The Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh (signed)
The Alpha Drive, The Order of Omega, and Restitution by Kristen Martin (signed)
The Cellar by Natasha Preston
Why Do Dukes Fall in Love? by Megan Frampton
Girl in a Bad Place by Kaitlin Ward
Find me on Instagram! @mandilynnwrites
The New York Times Bestseller list. It’s a goal all author aim for. Once you’re on that list, you get that title for life. For every book your write, you get “New York Times Bestselling Author” printed on the cover of all your books. Unfortunately, getting this goal is a little complicated and the first step to getting on the list is to know how it works. So let’s break it down!
Self-Published? Not Going to Happen
You can be a bestseller on Amazon (which is still amazing!) you just won’t be a bestseller per the New York Times. Self-published books can never reach the mass quantity of sales needed to hit the bestseller title and in a little bit, you’ll see why.
I Have to Pre-Order How Many?
So the bestseller list is, in theory, based upon sales the first week a book is published. You sell the most books that week out of all new released? Bam! You’re a bestseller. But the thing is, in order to sell a huge amount of books, you have to have huge amounts of books to sell. A bookstore isn’t just going to magically stock hundreds of copies of your book. Last I checked you have to sell about 10,000 pre-orders of your book for your published to be like, “Well this is awesome, we need to thousands of books to sell!” Preorders are how publishers gauge how many sales they expect to make. Bookstores also use preorders to determine how many more books they want to order on top of that to sell to those who haven’t yet preordered the book.
But My Publisher Will Print Thousands of Copies!
There’s a lot of prep that goes into traditional book publishing. Publishers have a professional media team that markets the heck out of books so they can make the most out of that first week of sales. The thing is, they aren’t going to do this marketing or printing of thousands of copies unless they are 99.9% sure your book is bestseller material.
It’s About Supply and Demand
Or in this case, demand and supply. Once again, your publisher and bookstores will only request a huge supply of books if there’s a demand for it. And of course, you have to write a good story.
So do I, a self-published author, still dream of being on the New York Times Bestseller list? Of course! I’m an author and I could love to have that title! I don’t care if behind the scenes things are a little screwy and not fair. As long as I’m writing, I will continue to shoot for this dream (no matter how unrealistic it may seem).
Find me on Instagram! @mandilynnwrites Stay tuned for my vlog of my first experience at BookCon!
Today I’m doing a collaborative video/post with another awesome writer who I know you’ll love. Meet Shaelin Bishop, another writer on youtube. Today we both decided to discuss some of the many different things writers learn throughout their career. After reading/watching my points, be sure to check out Shaelin’s video. And if you haven’t subscribed to her already, be sure to do that!
Hater’s Gonna Hate-
Not everyone is going to enjoy your writing, it’s just a fact. The larger audience you reach, the more haters you’ll gain. But also keep in mind, your fans will always outweigh your haters and it’s your fans you need to listen to. If you have haters, then congratulations, because this means you’re at least semi-famous and people have invested enough time and enjoy into their daily life to dislike you. Take it as a compliment.
You Can’t Protect Your writing-
A lot of people are hesitant about sharing their writing when they first start off because they are terrified that their ideas are going to be stolen, then talk of copyright ensures. The fact of the matter is that no amount of copyright can protect your work. In theory it does, but there’s nothing stopping people from stealing your work unless you want to jump into a lawsuit. The only thing you can do is stay on top of things and report any abuse. Even best-selling authors get their work stolen. Just keep in mind, if someone steals your story, it means they like it, so it’s a compliment in a way. I’ve had my own novel stolen and uploaded to a site that was giving it away. The only thing I could do was report it, and I did and it was eventually taken down. If someone “steals your idea” you have to remember that there’s no original ideas, just an old story being told in a different way.
You’re More Than Just a Writer-
Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published you’ll end up doing a lot more than just writing. As a published author, you not only get to write, but you’re in charge of marketing yourself. Ultimately, your success is dependent on your hard work. As an author you’re in charge or writing, marketing, your website, going to book events and the content you create online. If you’re a self-published author your list of to-dos more than doubles because now you need to do everything your publisher would normally do for you on top of all your authorly duties.
Check out Shaelin’s video!
What have you learned as a writer?
Find me on Instagram! @mandilynnwrites
Get your subscription to BookCase Cub: http://bit.ly/2ljr9R3
Use the code Mandi15 to get 15% off your purchase!
In this month’s box:
The Diviners by Libba Bray
Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.
Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.
As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened.
Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong
In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.
Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.
Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known. Accompanied by a stubborn imperial guard and a dashing condemned thief, the girls cross a once-empty wasteland, now filled with reawakened monsters of legend, as they travel to warn the emperor. But a terrible secret awaits them at court—one that will alter the balance of their world forever.
What happens when I’m sick for three days? Well, I think I get a little loopy actually. Lookin at this video now, I realize I should never be allowed to film while I’m sick. Luckily, I have Molly to amp up the cute factor in the video while I sound terrible because I’m still working on getting my voice back. Anyways….I outlined my third novel!
I’ve been having terrible progress with my newest novel for two reasons: I’m busy and I’m lazy. I also had a lot of writer’s doubt, aka I thought of giving up being a writer completely. With outlining this novel I’ve learned once again why I love writing and why I’m going to keep pushing to get better.
My third novel has 31 chapters outlined (a 6-page outline!) and very soon I’ll be starting the actual writing process for it!
Here’s a video on how I used to outline:
Find me on Instagram! @mandilynnwrites
So a little a while ago I had arranged my books into a rainbow. And by a little awhile apparently, I mean 2015. How it already been almost two years since I arranged my books into a rainbow?? See my previous rainbow bookshelf.
Anywho, I love rainbow bookshelves. They are simply beautiful. The only downside is while everything looks pretty, it’s a total and complete mess when it comes to finding your book. Traditionally I enjoy arranging my books my author, series, and genre (preferably in that order). With that said I can be a tiny OCD when it comes to how my bookshelves look. All that aside I decided to take a deep breath and rearrange my shelves…again! Because honestly, I should probably be doing homework or something right now.
Watch me arrange my books into the prettiest of rainbows!
