I have some very exciting news. For those that have been following my writing journey, you shall remember my deal to publish my first novel, To Wield the Stars with publisher Fiction Vortex, however, in short, it went bust from COV-19.
And just as the Phoenix
rose from the ashes,
she too will rise.
Returning from the flames,
More beautiful than before.
Shannon Heartz
As a member of the story verse with other authors, we were hung out to dry with meaningless contracts until our Head proposed an idea. To become a publisher. Thus, Of Metal and Magic Publishing was born. Keep reading below to find out how to get FREE BOOKS!
WRITING UPDATE: I’ve been editing extremely hard over school holidays and at the last stages of my novella. I sent out for beta-readers here, if you’re interested (if that doesn’t work comment below). However, I am still a little stuck on the title. I like what I’ve been working on but I think more opinions. Please vote below and let me know what title intrigues you the most!
EDIT:I forgot to add the blurb of my novella to help you with the title.
BLURB
Twins, Jaromir and Talmage, have been held captive. Jaromir is taken prisoner for forming an alliance against the wicked sorcerer Pius, and Talmage is thrown into a dark labyrinth for his final trial; to face the ghosts of his past.
Twin brothers. Different beliefs. Jaromir has pledged his life to the arts of weaponry and promised to rid the world of all magick. Yet Talmage developed an obsessive desire to become the next Sorcerer Monarch, in secret from his brother.
Both brothers are forced to identify their distant relationship, challenge the current status quo and save their loved ones. With arms twisted and anti-magick wards, the brothers have to search within for a courageous instinct to challenge fear before it is too late. Jaromir and Talmage have their secrets with the power to shift the chaos of injustice, but only if they are eager to expose it.
Which brother will surrender their secret first to save everyone?
As I mentioned in a previous post, Of Metal and Magic Publishing has got a whole lineup of new books coming in the next several months. The first of these just released on January 19th on Amazon. This novella represents the first original content from Of Metal and Magic Publishing.
If you are slightly confused at why I’m advocating OMAM Publishing, it’s because I am the new Content Developer for OMAM Publishing. A lot of things will change, especially for my blog, there’ll be more details to come but be prepared.
For now, the first of many releases for OMAM Publishing in 2021, is here. We should have a paperback available soon and a free preview is below.
Stealing a dead old man’s journal should not be so difficult.
Nari Alhara has one task—recover the private journal of Abdul Rahal, the late founder of Telsemar University and infamous treasure hunter. This shouldn’t be hard for the most cunning rogue of a formidable secret order. But things do not go according to plan. Another thief is also seeking the journal, and hidden hands are pulling both of their strings in unexpected directions. Nari cannot afford failure. She must rely on her sharp mind, natural instincts, and an unlikely ally to uncover the true source of Abdul Rahal’s wealth and power.
A Wealth of Knowledge is a tale of conspiracy and discovery in a world where true magic has been all but lost. Follow Nari Alhara as she uncovers a dangerous secret with the potential to change the world. Fast paced and action packed, this story has everything fans of Indiana Jones and other classic tomb raiding tales could want. How can one simple object demand so much attention?
So you’ve completed a draft of your manuscript! Congratulations!
What’s next?
Before sending your manuscript out, you’ll want to edit it to correct your mistakes. While editing your own manuscript might seem daunting or hard to manage, it’s perfectly possible to edit all by yourself. In this article, we’ll share our five best tips for editing your manuscript… without an editor.
For most authors, mastering productivity is a classic sink-or-swim situation. I believe that even if your novel cracks the bestseller list, and you’re able to pursue this career full-time, it’s unlikely you’ll be focused solely on your next book manuscript and then onto promotional efforts, reader-focused events, and a mountain of miscellaneous messages waiting in your inbox.
As I mentioned in my last post there has been quite a lot happening in our household and I’ve finally managed to finish the edits for the novella I’ve been working on, Shadow of the Wicked.
I’ve recently completed the third round of edits, synopsis and the book blurb. In the process, I have learnt a great deal in regards to story and character structure. In such a confined space of the novella, it was tough to contain my fantasy building limits but I really enjoyed it and I’ll probably continue to write novellas.
It has been way too long since my last post. In that time, I’ve had a son, Sage Garnet Smith, and I’ve been working on a novella, editing my novel, To Wield the Stars and renovating a house.
I’m in the third rounds of my novella and I should have it completed by the end of October. If you have been following my writing journey (that’s cool if you haven’t) and thinking, why am I writing a novella when I’m trying to publish my first novel, To Wield the Stars? To build an audience for when my novel is ready.
The title is yet to be confirmed for my dark fantasy novella but if you’re interested, I have a poll running on my twitter account https://twitter.com/DouglasWTSmith
In the process, I have learnt a great deal in regards to story and character structure. In such a space of the novella, it was tough but I really enjoyed it and I’ll probably continue to write novellas.
It made me reflect on my other works in, how do I know if my story goal is good enough to support the entire novel? I don’t know but I guess that’s when my beta readers and editor will tell me.
‘In nearly all good fiction, the basic – all but inescapable – plot form is this: A central character wants something, goes after it despite opposition, perhaps including his own doubts, and so arrives at a win, lose, or draw.’ ~John Gardner
In this useful post, I write about how to deal with the pandemic by recommending 3 creative things to keep you sane in self-isolation.
We may all need to find some things to do now that we can’t go anywhere.
Whether or not you feel this pandemic is overblown, you will be confronted with the fact that many things you normally do are not available right now.
This is a short list of creative things to keep you sane that you can do for free.
Regardless of what you choose to do, it is important to keep to a schedule. This will give purpose to your day even if you find yourself in quarantine.
The last few weeks have been excruciating for us all, however in the midst of this crisis, there has been a surge in positive creative energy and optimism in our community. So many of you are getting in touch with your creative selves – exploring new skills and outlets, sharing stories and expressing yourself in new ways. I pray that you and your families and loved ones have taken every precaution to stay healthy and safe.
Self-isolation has forced me to finish the third draft of my novel, ‘To Wield The Stars’ and I am now at the stage for beta readers.
I’m looking for a beta reader and/or a critique partner. I am willing to exchange my writing with someone else (any genre, no restrictions) and give you proper feedback on your manuscript.
TO WIELD THE STARS is a 95K word epic fantasy adventure novel with three main POVs. It’s told in the close third-person past tense and in an episodic format. My novel is part of a shared universe with multiple author’s overlapping series.
Continue reading below if you’re interested to take part in the beta reader process.
Publishing is a competitive industry whether you self-publish or go the traditional route. Polishing your manuscript until it’s the best it can be is even more important for the self-published author. When you publish your own work, you likely don’t have an entire team of editors and industry experts to help bring your book to market.
If you haven’t signed up to my mailing list to recieve exclusive offers, free stories and extracts from my novel. Click the link below to be taken to my sign-up page.
I’ve done a bit of research into why authors need mailing lists. If you have a strong mailing list, you will sell books. If you don’t, you might, but you might not. Therefore, your best effort is spent building an email list so you can sell more books.
With an email list, you can promote and share new ideas, products, and services and then direct readers to a place where they can make the purchase. I began building my mailing list two months ago and it sits at a comfortable number but I regret not starting when I created this blog.
If you haven’t signed up to my mailing list to recieve exclusive offers, free stories and extracts from my novel. Click the link below to be taken to my sign-up page.
