I’ll be presenting a talk, “So You Want to Be an Author” at ATLOSCon 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia, tomorrow. ATLOSCon draws attendees from all over the country to share their passions and ideas with others interested in the ideas and philosophy of Ayn Rand. ATLOSCon consists of classes featuring interactive talks across a huge range of topics, including politics, parenting, art, psychology, and fitness. This post provides a link to my Prezi slides as well as URLs for attendees to follow up on the helpful resources and references I mention in my class. For starters, here are my slides.
I mention a variety of helpful resources in my class. This blog post provides the URLs and videos I discuss.
The “Vigilante Author,” Robert Bidinotto, wrote a couple great thrillers, Hunter, and Bad Deeds. His latest, Winner Takes All, is coming soon. Bidinotto also has a number of great videos on subjects ranging from writing to marketing your book.
The Mad Genius Club is an ensemble of top science fiction writers who share writing tips and advice. They offer a wide ranging collection of articles from writing, through editing and marketing.
Another marvelous reference for fiction writers is TV Tropes. This Wiki collects all the hackneyed and cliched plot devices from literature, film, and television. However, plot devices become cliches because they are effective and are therefore overused. The list of tropes provides a great jumping off point for your own original and fresh take on classic plot devices.
Author Earnings does a great job collecting, contrasting, and comparing indie versus traditional publishing revenue and sales.
The web site “Fiverr” offers creative and professional services starting at $5 per gig. These include cover design, editing, and proofing.
If you want to pursue independent publishing, I recommend Createspace for paperback, and Kindle Direct for eBooks.
I hope you find these resources helpful, and best wishes for success in writing!
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