Rough Word Counts for Books

Hi all! 

I've seen a lot of blog posts about this already but I thought I would weigh in on the subject. So many authors are unsure of their book length, whether it's too long or too short. I like to say that it should be as long as it needs to be, but many agents do require debut authors to be within a certain word count. This is because a book that is too long of too short is usually a lot harder for them to sell. 

Disclaimer: these are rough guidelines. Make sure to do more research of books in your genre to see what words counts they fall in. Some agents may want longer books while others want shorter, so make sure to look into each one and their guidelines carefully.

First off, I thought I'd go with writing lengths:

Flash - 0-500 words. 

Short Story - 500-5,000 words. 

Novelette - 5,000-20,000 words. 

Novella - 20,000-50,000 words. 

Novel - 50,000-120,000 words. 

Epic - 120,000+ words. 

These are usually rough guidelines, some agents are usually a bit more relaxed. 

Now for genres. Again, these are quite rough guidelines but are what a lot of agents follow:

Fantasy - 80,000-120,000 words. 

Science Fiction - 80,000-120,000 words. 

Horror - 70,000-90,000 words. 

Crime - 70,000-90,000 words.

Thriller - 70,000-90,000 words.

Mystery - 70,000-90,000 words.

Romance - 50,000-90,000 words. 

Historical - 80,000-100,000 words. 

Dystopian - 80,000-100,000 words. 

Literary - 80,000-100,000 words.

All books in the Elemental Dragons series stay within the 79,000-85,000 mark

Now, for age ranges:

Picture Book - 100-1,000 words.

Middle Grade - 40,000-50,000 words. 

Young Adult - 60,000-80,000 words. 

New Adult - 70,000-100,000 words.

Adult - 80,000+ words.

When querying it's best to stay within their guidelines if you can. Although most of the time it doesn't matter if you're a little bit over or under. If you find that you are way over the word count for your genre, go back through your work and see what you can take out. If there are any subplots, characters etc. that your novel doesn't need then don't be afraid to cut it out. If you're writing a series, you can add some of that into the next book if you don't want to get rid of it completely.

If you're writing in two genres, for example; Young Adult Fantasy, it's best to stay within the age range just in case. 

I hope this can help those querying, see you next week! 

How Writing has Improved my Mental Health

Hi all, 

It's been a while since I made a blog post about mental health, so I thought I would talk about how writing has greatly improved my mental health and hopefully it can help anyone suffering too. 

I suffer from depression and anxiety, though I am nowhere near as bad as I used to be. Now that I'm medicated and out of school I'm much happier mentally. A change of scenery can do wonders for mental health. I used to have frequent panic attacks and depressive episodes, but that has decreased a lot. I feel much more human than I used to be. 

It's an outlet. 

No matter what mood I'm in, I can rely on my writing as a way to get my feelings down. I can use my life experiences in my writing and how I wanted to deal with them or how I dealt with them. For example when I was at school I was ignored most of the time, but then I could write about characters who were great friends and it would cheer me up. I could write anything I wanted. 

Your writing won't judge you. 

You are the creator of the story, you decide what happens. Your writing and your characters won't judge you. You can write freely without fear of being taunted by others. 

You can be anything. 

All authors write a little bit of themselves in their stories. This means when you're down you can write yourself as anything. A dragon rider, a cat or the leader of a faction of survivors. You can be anything you want and you can do anything you want. 

It's an escape. 

I read and write to escape from reality. I still believe that fiction is better to take my mind off things rather than talking to someone about it. 

A hobby makes you feel better. 

Getting up and doing something gives you something else to think about. When I'm writing I find that I'm thinking less about how anxious or depressed I am when I go through bad spots. 

It combats loneliness. 

Writing your characters can help with loneliness, which I used to suffer from a lot when I was at school. You can write how your characters interact and who is friends with who. They can't ignore you as they are in your head. 

You can help others. 

I write for all the depressed and anxious teenagers out there that need an escape from their lives. Your writing can not only help you, but it can help others too. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have books to read. 

That's it for this week, see you next week! 

Venom and Earth now Available on Amazon!

Hi all!

This is just a quick post to announce that Elemental Dragons Book 2: Venom and Earth is now live on Amazon!

It’s available in ebook and paperback.

I’ve even managed to do a universal Amazon link, so I’ve updated my ‘Books’ page as well with the new links. When you click it, it will automatically redirect you to the Amazon page for Venom and Earth in your region.

Life just keeps getting harder.

Hazel and the gang are back, but after the near cataclysmic events of the last year they might not be together for long. The Wyrms are on the move and so are those that serve them, including the Cindaraans who will let no-one get in their way.

As long as they are on the hunt no dragon is safe, and if the group can’t learn to control their elements in time then they never will be again.

Just as they are starting to settle into a routine back at the camp, the group falls under the public eye mostly because of newcomer Violet who harbours a secret that quickly thrusts them all straight into the limelight.

Can they duck the paparazzi and stop the villains at the same time? Or will some of the very people they’re trying to save be the group’s undoing?

Find out in Venom and Earth, the exciting sequel to Blood and Water. An action and adventure fantasy series that will keep you glued to every page.

Next week I’m going to talk about how writing has improved my mental health, so I hope to see you then!

How I use Mythology and Folklore in my Writing

Hi all! 

This week I'm going to talk about Mythology and folklore and how I use it in my writing. A lot of my work is greatly inspired by ancient myths and folklore, so I thought I would go through some of my series that contain it. 

Elemental Dragons. 

This series, of course, has dragons of all species in it. From hydras to Wyrms. I spent a lot of time researching which dragon species I could use for this series. For example, in Elemental Dragons the hydras will regrow heads when cut off, just like in the Greek myth. I've always been fascinated by dragons and wanted to make sure I wrote them the correct way, with a little bit of wiggle room to change them as I saw fit. Even in this universe they study myths through Dragon Mythology classes. I

Years.

I'm currently writing this Young Adult Sci-Fi for Camp NaNoWriMo. The characters all pray to Mother Earth and build machines to sacrifice people to keep her alive. The machines are named after goddesses that represent Earth or are linked to it in some way. They are Sif, Terra, Pachamama, Prithvi and Gaia. I'm still writing this one so I'm sure I will add more as I go along, depending on what the story needs.

Damayanti - by Danielle English @KanizoArt on Twitter

Damaged Goods. 

I have yet to start writing this series, which will be a Young Adult Historical trilogy. The first book is set in ancient Greece, where belief in the Greek gods are rife and people mould their lives around them. Then the next two books are set in more modern times, but people still believe in the Greek gods and it shows how that has changed society. Greek Mythology has always been my favourite and I knew at some point I would write something about it.  

Curse of Anubis. 

As you can probably guess from the series name, this set of books will contain Egyptian gods. Most notably Bastet, Thoth, Anubis and Set. I haven't started writing this series either, but I can't wait to get into it. It will be a Young Adult Horror/Dystopian about a zombie apocalypse. Some Egyptian gods will descend to try to help people during the outbreak, while others are trying to prolong it. After Greek Mythology, Egyptian would come second for me and I still want to do a bit more research before starting this series. 

Mute. 

I'm planning on starting this book during July 2020 Camp NaNoWriMo. It will be my first attempt at New Adult and Horror. This book centres on university students making a video game. They accidentally summon a wendigo, a creature that feasts on human flesh. I'm in the final stages of researching wendigos now as I want to make sure I write them scary enough for people to want to continue reading. 

Elemental Dragons Book 2: Venom and Earth is out Tuesday 14th April. If you haven’t purchased a copy yet but want to - please visit my ‘Books’ page!

That's it for this week! I hope you enjoyed reading, see you next week! 

Pros and Cons of Giving Books out for Reviews

Hi all! 

This week I'm going to talk about another marketing tool, giving out copies of your book in exchange for reviews. Although I've never done this myself, I have been given a few books in exchange for an honest review. It's good to drum up reviews when you need them, as many promotion sites won't advertise your book unless you have a certain number of reviews. 

Pros. 

More reviews. 

This is the obvious one. The more reviews your book has the better it looks to prospective readers. Not all of those reviews have to be positive either, having a few different reviews shows that it's not just your friends and family rating it. 

Advertising. 

You can use these reviews to advertise your book. As I said earlier, a few promotion sites won't even look at you without a specific number of reviews. Some even ask for 25+ with an average of 3.5 stars. Giving your book out can help you get some of those reviews. 

Getting a range of opinions.

Your book will look more professional to new readers when it has more reviews. Some readers buy books based on reviews alone, so having a range of them can help you. 

Extract of a review from entering the Wishing Shelf Book Awards

Cons. 

You may not be able to afford it. 

Especially giving out paperback copies. Ebooks are easier to give out than paperback, as you can just email it straight to the reviewer. With paperback you have to purchase an author copy and mail it to the reviewer all out of your own pocket. 

There's a chance you won't get a review. 

Despite giving the book out, the person may never read it. If they do, there's a chance they won't review it. Then you've given a book away for free and received nothing in return. 

Not all the reviews will be good. 

Asking people to give an honest review means what it says on the tin, honest. If they don't really read books in your genre or don't like of they are required to say so. Be prepared to get some reviews that not are glowing five stars. 

People who love freebies are more likely to be receiving books than regular readers. 

People who only seek free books are more likely to approach you for a free copy in exchange for a review. Just be careful as these people usually receive books in bulk and rate them lower due to the tiniest things. 

That's it for this week! I hope this has helped those who are considering giving books out for reviews. See you next week! 

Paperback Books for Indie Authors

Hi all! 

This week I'm going to talk about indie authors printing paperback books. Is it necessary? Does it boost sales? 

I chose to print in paperback as I wanted to be able to hold my work in my hands, my years of hard work contained in one book. I also did it for my Grandfather, as he was desperate to read my book and show it off to his friends but doesn't have a Kindle.

First off, is it necessary? 

Short answer, no. You can publish a book without paperback and purely stick to ebook. Some authors choose to do this, some don't. 

Does it boost sales? 

I've found that although ebook pulls slightly ahead, a chunk of my sales are paperback. Some people, like my colleagues, prefer holding a book in their hands rather than reading it on a screen. Most of these sales have been friends and family, while readers I don't know tend to lean towards the ebook version. 

Do I need a separate cover for paperback? 

When I had Blood and Water designed, it was originally just ebook. Then a few months before publication I added it as paperback. You can still use the same cover, but you will have to go back to the designer to get the back matter and spine designed. For a paperback cover you will need the following information:

• Trim Size. 

• Page count (including front matter and back matter). 

• Interior colour. 

Mishka hijacking my paperback photo

Are paperbacks better for book signings? 

Although I haven't held a book signing yet, I can imagine that readers would prefer to get the physical copy of the book signed. 

Do I need to bulk buy a certain amount of copies?

I'm not sure about other publishing methods but with Amazon they use print on demand. That means they only print what's needed instead of printing off a certain number and making you buy them to resell.

Traditional authors have them, shouldn't indies too? 

Again, it's up to the author. Most traditional publishers will publish ebook and paperback, but I have noticed a few in the past just doing ebook for their debut authors. Only the author themselves can decide whether they want to do paperback. 

Is it worth it?

In my eyes, yes. I can reach a broader audience and it always makes me smile when I see a physical copy of Blood and Water and now, Venom and Earth. I am keeping a paperback copy of each of my books to put on my bookshelf. 

That's it for this week, I hope you enjoyed reading. See you next week! 

Pros and Cons of a Book Trailer

Hi all! 

This week I'm going to talk about book trailers. A book trailer is kind of like a film trailer, except it showcases a book or a series of books. I don't have a book trailer myself, but I have looked into getting one. However, then I heard about how other authors got on with book trailers. 

Pros. 

Not many authors have them. 

There aren't many trailers around for books, so having one done could make you stand out. It can also drive more traffic to your YouTube channel if you post it there. 

It can get more clicks. 

Facebook especially favours video ads over picture ones. A video is more likely to catch someone's attention. Your video ad will get shown to potential readers more than picture ads. 

You can get more post reactions. 

Whether it be likes and shares on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube, you can get more attention with a book trailer. If other people like or share it, it broadens your reach to new customers that might not have known your work before. 

It can drum up excitement.

Posting a book trailer for a new release can get readers excited. They may also share the trailer with their friends and family.

Cons. 

They don't convert. 

Although you might get more attention from a video ad, the likelihood of someone buying your book is a lot lower. A video catches people's attention, but it doesn't turn them into readers. 

It's costly. 

Unless you're good with making trailers already you will have to hire someone to do it for you. This can be an unnecessary extra cost, especially if you want the entire thing to be an animated scene or extract from the book. It may be better spent elsewhere. 

There's not a lot you can do with it. 

Apart from using it on YouTube, social media and Facebook ads, there's not really much else you can do with it. You can't easily show it at book events or signings, it would just be for advertising. 

It's better to just get your cover animated. 

An animated cover can be used for more than ads, you can post it all over your social media with links to your book or quotes. This is more likely to get sales than a trailer. 

That's it for this week, see you next week! 

Why Authors Need a Media Kit

Hi all!

This week I'm going to talk about something important that some authors may never have heard of. I'd never even heard of it until a few months ago when there was a Twitter thread about it, and I decided to create one myself.

I'm talking about an author media kit.

First off, what is a media kit?

A media kit is a collection of documents that you can send off when inquiring about interviews, TV appearances and other things. This can also be downloaded from your website directly if anyone happens to stumble across you.

What an author media kit contains:

- Bio.

- Author headshot.

- Website link.

- Social media links.

- Book info.

- Book blurb.

- Book cover.

- Book links.

- Extract from a review (by a reader).

- Mock interview questions and answers.

- Any awards you've won.

- Contact details.

I'm still putting mine together (and figuring out how to upload it to my website) but I've managed to do quite a bit already as you can see from the screenshot below:

Now onto the big question, why do authors need one?

It keeps everything in one place and organised.

Having it available in one document or a folder makes it easy for you to find and send to anyone you want. It also saves searching and time for anyone who would like to get hold of you.

It makes it easier for people to contact you.

If they want to invite you for some sort of interview or appearance then they can download everything they need in one place. They can then contact you easily instead of trawling to find what they need on your website or social media.

You can easily update it.

Once you have the template for one done, you can copy it over for another book. You can also just go in there and alter anything that is out of date.

It filters out spam.

Anyone can contact you through your website contact form, but only those that are really interested in getting to know you and invite you into things will download your media kit first. Then you can see who actually did their research and who didn't.

You can easily send it off.

Instead of having to write long emails to fight for a spot on radio or in a newspaper, you can attach your media kit and write an introductory email. It saves a lot of time.

In conclusion, a media kit is a necessity for any author, regardless of how you publish. I made one and it wasn't too difficult, just a bit time consuming. But now I have my template set up so I can just copy it for my other books.

That's it for this week, I hope you enjoyed reading. See you next week!

Entering my First Book Award

Hi all!

In November I entered Blood and Water in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, and I thought I'd share how it got on!

The Wishing Shelf Book Awards is an award run by Billy Bob Buttons, a children's author. For each category a group of the target audience reads the books and rates them. I entered the teenage category, so my book was read by my target audience.

A few weeks ago the finalists were announced, but unfortunately I didn't get through. I did however get wonderful feedback from those who read my book and a four star review!

There was a surprise among my feedback, Blood and Water won a Red Ribbon Award! This means that although my book didn't get over 30/40 to be a finalist, (it got exactly 30/40), it was enjoyed very much by the readers, who gave it a Red Ribbon! I'm thinking of adding it on the back cover, so it doesn't draw from the front cover.

The Red Ribbon Award I will be adding to my book cover

For my first time entering an award I wasn't expecting to get through, but I'm very happy with the fact that I got an award out of it. I've entered another two different awards, so fingers crossed I'll win something there too!

That's it for this week, hope you enjoyed. See you next week!

Venom and Earth Preorder Live

Hi all!

You may have seen my posts on social media this week, but if you haven’t; Elemental Dragons Book 2: Venom and Earth is available for preorder!

I can reveal that the publication date for both ebook and paperback is 14th April 2020.

If you would like to preorder the book I have linked the US and UK versions below, but is available internationally if you aren’t in either of these places:

UK Version

US Version

If you’ve already read the first book and are hungry for more, the sign up to my mailing list! In return you will receive a free enovella with four short stories from the Elemental Dragons universe. The only way to read them is by signing up, as they aren’t available anywhere else!

https://www.subscribepage.com/jessicaturnbull

Thank you to everyone who supported me through publishing Blood and Water, I’m so grateful that I now have the opportunity to publish a second book.

See you next week!