Sharing the Writerly Love

Location, location, location

In my world of Kindle:

There are titles published in Australia I can't access for Kindle from Amazon, not because they don't have Kindle format (they do), but because I'm located in Australia??? 

From what gossip I could gather, I take it publishers are worried that allowing Australians to buy Australian books on Kindle will affect Australian book sales (i.e. you won't go to the book shop and buy the paperback). They're right. It does affect sales. If I can't purchase it for my Kindle, even though the format is there, then I just won't purchase it. I had this trouble with Tim Winton's Cloud Street (I already have a paperback copy, but I wanted the Kindle version as well) and Dan Wells' I am Not a Serial Killer. That tactic should be about as successful as musicians choosing not to sell their songs on iTunes because it might affect CD sales. Sigh.

But the good news. Kindle sample pages have boosted sales (well, from me anyway). I've finished Hooked by Les Edgerton (and I will keep hassling you about it until you read it). The book does not just explain how to open your novel with a hook, it tells you how to introduce characters, subplots, inciting incidents and more. It also helped me to understand the power of writing by scenes. 

Kindle Samples I will now buy:

Seize the Story: A Handbook for Teens Who Like to Write by Victoria Hanley - this will be great inspiration for modelling my creative writing classes for my high school students.

Creating Characters and Plots: Secrets of a Jungian Toolbox to Guide Inspiration by Roger Burt - I'm very interested in the Jung applications to writing (you can see my post on Jung here).

But the ones I'll pass, thank you:

How to Write a Novel: 52 Tips for Developing Your First Book by Patricia Gilliam - the sample was just an introduction which didn't really tell me or promise anything special.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott - I'm sorry, but the sample section made it seem so ambiguous and boring.

Also this week:

I came across these book giveaway contests:
Book Junkie is celebrating 500 followers (wow).
Dreaming in Text is giving away a signed copy of Nathaniel Wolfe and the Bodysnatchers (great title).

I recently took part in an online writer's workshop through:
The Muse Online Writer's Conference

The one day workshop was for writing children's stories and we got to workshop our first 200 words and complete some exercises. I received some useful feedback and good e-books to help me through it. I recommend you check out what workshops they have available.