Northerner

I’ve heard a lot about how authours have to market themselves as well as their books, and about “defining your brand”, and all, but practically speaking how do you do this? I’m not published yet, but a certain amount of “advertising” is necessary both for getting traditionally published and for doing it on your own.

I’m not sure I’ll be able to do it, though I’d love to. If I can’t, is there a place I can submit a question, and then I can listen to the recording later to hear the answer?

@winter-rose, pretty much, yes. Technically it’s closer to five or six, but the ones that were most insistent last night were just three. At any given time I tend to have one I’m focusing on actually writing, one that’s in revisions, one that I’m brainstorming or picking away at in little doses off and on, and one that’s sitting in a corner…[Read more]

@overcomer, about a thousand words. It took me quite a while to decide which of three stories to work on, but once I decided things went fast.

I’ll be writing for a while too, @dragon-snapper, @overcomer. It’s surprising how much more I get done when I’m racing with someone.

@Daeus, so this is getting off-topic now, but I’m so glad you started the Ball and the Cross! It’s one of my favourite novels of his. Mind if I ask how far through it you are?

I wish my family had more leisure to sit and hear things read aloud, because the Ballad is such fun to recite.

Ooh! I’d love to do this!
Unfortunately. . . I’m busy. I could probably carve out time, but I’m not sure I can commit to it, and I’d rather not end up dropping out in the middle, or not being much help, because things got too busy. One of the drawbacks of taking college writing classes is that you have to write. And while I’m beginning to think a…[Read more]

Ooh! i’d love to do this!
Unfortunately. . . I’m busy. I could probably carve out time, but I’m not sure I can commit to it, and I’d rather not end up dropping out in the middle, or not being much help, because things got too busy. One of the drawbacks of taking college writing classes is that you have to write. And while I’m beginning to think a…[Read more]

@Warrioroftherealm I write medieval historical fiction myself. So far I have two set in 11th-century England (one on each side of the Conquest). I have another set in the seventh century, but that’s a bit early to be defined as medieval. Where and exactly when are yours set?

@Ethryndal, in case you were coming to a firm decision, how about another idea to consider? What about Ember? Coal has the wrong connotation, but an ember is also something that holds heat for a long time and glows, just waiting for the right scratch or added fuel in order to burst into flame.

Oh, and there appears to be an inside joke about an abused page boy. Is it something others are allowed to know?

Sparks start a fire, the flame has to be started. Is Rodyn starting the revolution, or is he more of a part of it?

@His-instrument a Dispensationalist is someone who believes in dispensations. (Forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but sometimes it helps.) “A dispensation is the way in which God accomplishes His purposes in the affairs of mankind for His glory, and includes new revelation from God concerning man’s responsibilities.” (That’s from our…[Read more]

@His-instrument I like to talk about these things as well as writing, though I’m not necessarily going to be right. That said, my pastor’s preaching through Exodus now (after three years on 1st Corinthians), and my father is about to get a PhD. in Old Testament theology (please do not ask what his dissertation is about. . . thanks), so I kind of…[Read more]

“Spark” is just another opportunity for a nickname by the villains. And I love the idea of him wearing silver because it stands for his country before it was taken over, and now it’s banned.
I’d go with either Silver Spark or Silver Flame, though the former is alliterative, and in the words of Matt Meese, “Alliteration is awesome.”

@Ethryndal, “colfox” is a word found in Chaucer for a fox with black-tipped fur (they’re quite handsome).

@Dragon-snapper 589

@Dragon-snapper I’m glad you’ve gotten past the writer’s block! I’ll be writing for a bit here.

@Ethryndal, I second what Dragon Snapper said, and besides, thanks to this thread, a few people now associate the name with “rod and staff”.

@Ethryndal, I had a thought this morning about the staff — Robin Hood usually has a Little John, and Little John’s weapon of choice is a quarterstaff. . . so that could work perfectly. 🙂