Day 3 of 30 - going where the buyers are

There are some useful sites in this book as long as you've got something physical to sell.

I haven't.

All my stuff is creative driven but if you want a book reviewed or manuscript feedback or anything like that, just email me here and we can discuss prices.  Members get discounted things, obviously, as well as free updates to the software, but until I've got members I'm charging 1p per word of any children's manuscript right now.

I can't guarantee publication or representation or anything, but I can give you an honest opinion of your pride and joy as long as you're happy for me to rip it to pieces if it needs it!

Already published but want a review?  No problem.  Email me with the length of your book and the synopsis of it and if I agree to review it, we can discuss prices.  When you've paid, send me a .pdf of it and I'll put my review on Amazon, this blog and the site.

My in-house-geek is in the process of coming up with a shop for these kinda things so it'll hopefully be easier soon, but while we're waiting, just email me and let me know what you want me to do and how much you're willing to pay and we can then discuss it  😀

Day 2 of 30 - Microblocking

Just learning about something called "Microblocking" in the book.

Don't know what that is?  Neither did I half an hour ago!

It's basically setting a minimum of 20 minutes aside every day (as an appointment or meeting if you need to) and doing just one task during those 20 minutes.  Turn off your phone, close down your email and internet browsers... those 20 minutes need to be uninterrupted, right?

OK, so you've got a peaceful 20 minutes, what do you do with them?

Whatever you need to.

For me, that's reading the book and making these blog posts.

That's it.

Nothing else.

I don't have a job so I'm free to do this for as long as I need to.

You might not be though, and that's totally OK.

Wake up half an hour earlier or go to bed half an hour later and those 30 short minutes will be your microblocking time.  If that's a struggle, fit it into your lunch hour at work.

You can do this!

It'll be hard at first like the next few days will be for me until I get into a new routine but we can do it together if you like?  I'm going to block out lunchtime and all afternoon every day to work through the book because it needs to be returned in 20 days time.

It'll really help to prepare me for my education with the OU though... I just need to get into the routine of setting aside some time to concentrate every day and the next 20 days will be the start of my new routine... what about you?  Are you going to join me in getting into the new routine?

That's a point!

I know it's only a couple of minutes since my last post, but if you're a writer or illustrator or editor or publisher or agent or anything else to do with stories for children, post a single paragraph in reply to this post to let me know what you want me to focus on in this blog, then email me with a longer explanation of what you're looking for in an agent or client or whatever.

I'll put the paragraph you post on the public site and the longer, more detailed information into the members area on my site... who's going to be first?

I'm online for like 10-12 hours a day so it'll be up before you know it!  👍

Now would be a good time to join the site... you'll be able to grow with it then!

Day 1 of 30... are you coming along for the ride?

I've borrowed a book from my local library called "screw work break free" by John Williams and I'm gonna make this blog my first "playcheque"... are you going to join me on the journey?  Do you know other children's story enjoyers that may like to follow the journey too?  Let 'em know!  Copy and paste the URL from up there ^^ in the address bar and email it to them!

Thank you for joining me on this new step.  Thank you for your support and Steve's putting the kettle on for a cuppa for me but there's tea or drinking chocolate or even coffee if you want it instead?

Leave me a comment on this post and let me know you're with me, supporting me on this new journey!

Blushing in people who are BAME

I've got a mixed race family in "Keep Out!" and the MC blushes red/crimson a couple of times. This next bit is going to sound sooo racist but that's exactly what I want to avoid so I can only apologise in advance.

When I first wrote it, I'd intended the family to be white and black and that's in the MS near the beginning. I want the family to be obviously black 'cos Jools, Logan and Zion are all bulied because of the colour of their skin, but can BAME people blush red/crimson IRL if they are mixed race? If not, how can I illustrate embarrassment in the MS in a show rather than tell way please?

Like I said, I don't want to be racist but at the same time I want to get my facts straight too!

It's a realistic MG novel so they can't blush green or anything like that! lol

Thank you!

Spent all day editing...

All I've done the entire day is editing of the MG novel called 'Keep Out!' so I'm gonna check my email for the first time today now  lol

Beta reading and critting

I'm thinking of adding a service to my site that I beta-read/crit a children's manuscript for 1p per word.

Should I make it publicly available to all visitors to my site or just for members or both (1p per word for Jo Public and 1p per 100 words for members)?  Picture books would be £1 for everyone as they are so short.

As always, all thoughts are welcome!