Tag: Creative writing

How to select the best ebook conversion tool

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell7 Comments

Too many choices!

But fortunately, there is one that will work for you.

And thanks to  we now have a very good breakdown of several. While not an all-inclusive list, David has reviewed the top tools used by most writers.

So if you’re ready to convert and upload that best-selling book, keep reading.

Amazon KDP

KDP accepts ePub, Word doc/docx, HTML, mobi formats. Output mobi, and HTML.  In my book Tryouts for Ben, I uploaded a Word docx and had little trouble. I agree with David; it’s easy and almost fool-proof.  Don’t waste your time using fancy fonts, or formatting, because KDP will not recognize most of them. However, if you are confident with HTML, and CSS format, you can edit the converted file in HTML.

Barnes and Noble Nookbook

I’ve not converted any of my books to Nookbook. But David assures us it’s fairly straightforward. But doesn’t allow for HTML editing.

KOBO

Again, I’ve not yet used KOBO. It appears to be less than user-friendly and not sure I’ll bother with it. David didn’t appear to be impressed.

DRAFT2DIGITAL (D2D)

D2D accepts ePub, Word doc/docx, RTF files, and the output is ePub, mobi, or PDF. I did consider D2D but wasn’t happy with their conversion tool.

SMASHWORDS

Smashwords accepts files in ePub, Word doc (not docx.) Note: this means you must save your manuscript in the older version of Word.  Out put is impressive: ePub, mobi, PDF, PDB, lit, TXT, and many more. Again, this is one I considered but decided it wasn’t for me.

So which tool did I use?

computer-frogs 2

Check back tomorrow.

But in the meantime, head over and read David’s entire article.

The Convertible Cloud: Ebook Conversion Online

Click the “write me” tab or contact me onTwitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on and I’m waiting.

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How to make your pictures clickable

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell12 Comments

Everyone loves pictures.

Make your pictures more interesting by making them clickable.

Tricia Pimental, Author, blogger and reader sent me a request. She wanted me to explain a little about linking information and documents to a blog post or page.

I promised to try my best and hope this information is what she needs. Maybe one or two of y’all will benefit from the tips as well.

Why would you want to add a link?

  • Definitions
  • Purchases
  • Sharing other blogs

I hope this little video will help.

It’s easy as 1-2-3!

  1. Copy the web address that you want to point your readers to. It could be a 5 Star Review, your Amazon.com page or reference other websites.
  2. Then click on the picture or sentence you want to make clickable.
  3. Next, click on the insert/edit link and paste the web address there.

Your picture, book, icon, or sentence, should now be fully clickable, sending your reader to read more information.

Tricia Pimental, I do hope this is helpful and not too elementary.

Do you think making pictures clickable adds to a website?

Do you use click here links?

I’d love to hear from you! Click the “write me” tab or contact me onTwitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter  peeps andFacebook fans.

Do you know if you are suffering from brain-drain?

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell22 Comments

hello-summer 1281232_640

But Beware of Summer Brain-drain!braindrain

An affliction that slips up on you along with the rising temperatures, humidity,thermometer-153138_640

and buzzing mosquitoes.

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You may not notice it at first. Your brain cells and ideas drain away slowly when you decide to take a few days to welcome the sun and blue skies.sun-151763_640

Next, you’ll decide to skip a day of writing or blogging. I mean one day won’t hurt, or even a couple. Right? But before long a week has passed, you’ve forgotten a much-needed password and discover your muse is missing. You’ve developed foggy brain and reached the summer danger zone.

How do you combat this affliction , and survive until fall?

The cure for brain-drain can be done as you enjoy the summer.

  • Read good books. Notice the plural. One won’t get the job done.
  • Write. Write every day, even if it’s just fifty words. The writing doesn’t have to be prize winning. Once you get started, a sentence or two will become a paragraph and stop the brain-drain.
  • Music. Listen to music. It feeds the soul.
  • Watch old movies. That’s right old movies. Because the writers didn’t rely on “special effects” as much as the newer ones.

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Do you suffer from brain-drain?

What do you do to keep the mind moving right along during hot summer days?

Let us know- leave a comment!

I’d love to hear from you! Click the “write me” tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter  peeps andFacebook fans.

Should you write a fancy outline for your novel?

Published on by Jean M. Cogdell23 Comments

Maybe- Maybe not.

chart 1

It’s your book, you make the rules.

Different strokes for different folks. Me, I’m trying to be more organized in my writing this year. Only time will tell if I’m successful. LOL

However, I find outlining is a bit of a mystery. spirit-1272923_640

Outlining an unwritten book is weird because you don’t know what will happen. It’s not the same as outlining a book read for a class assignment. No the formal process of outlining a book idea is as foreign to me as Spanish or French. I know just enough to embarrass myself.

Last week I announced to my friend, with much excitement,  I’d finished outlining my first novel. I was stumped for a second when she asked me how many levels I used. Huh? Levels? Like in… I, A, 1, a, ii….

None. Nada, zip. I didn’t use any. Instead, I let the story unfold in my head and then put it to paper one scene at a time. 1-30.

Late at night, I lay in bed and the characters drove me nuts until I added another scene to the list. That’s how I outlined. Nothing fancy. Just one paragraph at a time. Also known as the headlight method.

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Today, outlines are much more fluid than the rigid things we studied  in school many moons ago. In fact, if you Google how to outline a novel you’ll find just about as many ideas on outlines as stories on the latest TV personality.

Writing is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as the headlights, but you make the whole trip that way.

E.L. Doctrow

Take your pick. Old school (traditional), Synopsis, Scrivener, Snowflake, Headlight method (yeah some weird names), Mind mapping, Sticky notes, Scratch pads, 3 acts, and the list goes on. Don’t let the idea of making an outline intimidate you. If you want to try just pick what works for you and run with it.

However if you just want a guideline to keep you from driving off in a ditch you might try my idea.

  • First: Open up your program, whichever you choose to use. Scrivener or Word, list your chapters, and then let the story begin to play in your head.
  • Next: Begin to write brief notes about what will happen.
  • Then: Step through each numbered chapter until you reach the end.
  • Now you’re ready to let your freak fly!
  • Go to the beginning and start writing. Use the numbered paragraphs as a map for when you get lost or veer too far off the path.

Do you outline?

What type of outlines do you use?

Or are you a pantster?

Keep reading – Great articles at the bottom of the post!

I’d love to hear from you! Click the write me tab or contact me onTwitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook Facebook fans.

How to Outline a Novel- The Headlight Method

Outline Your Novel in Thiry Minutes

PLANNING TO OUTLINE YOUR NOVEL? DON’T

How to Outline a Novel (Even If You’re Not an Outliner)

Plot outline creation: 7 smart methods