I was very pleased to be a guest on Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond this week – writing about how I achieve my writing goals.
You can read the article HERE
Guest Post on Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond
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Category Archives: Toni’s Writing Tips
A 5-Star Review for Desolation Bluff on Readers’ Favorite
I have good news to share. Desolation Bluff, my latest release, has received a five-star review on Reader’s Favorite.
Desolation Bluff is a short suspense novel. When blind romance author Oliver Cameron suddenly regains his sight, he uncovers a shocking betrayal – and a deadly game of cat and mouse begins. Continue reading
Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore – New Book on the Shelves – #Thriller – Desolation Bluff by Toni Pike
I was thrilled and honoured to have my new book, Desolation Bluff, featured in Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore today. With thanks to Sally Cronin, who is an amazing and prolific writer and blogger.
Five Questions with Author Toni Pike
Many thanks to Maria Hanako van Straaten, who has featured her interview with me on her blog.
I have recently had the pleasure of interviewing the amazing Author, Toni Pike. She is a fellow traveller and novelist who enjoys travelling the corners of the world to gather inspiration for the scenes in her novels. I hope you enjoy reading this article, and her stories.
1. How did you initially find the inspiration for your Jotham Fletcher Mystery series?
I had dabbled in writing for years, but several years ago decided to try my hand at writing a fast-moving thriller. I thought it would be fun to take on the challenge of writing an exciting story that would entice my readers to keep turning the page.
First, I read as much as I could about the features of that genre and decided that I want to write a conspiracy thriller about a religious mystery. While doing some research, I read about Simon Magus, a magician and cult leader…
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4 Tips about KDP Select for Beginners
I recently enrolled my books in KDP Select, which means they are now available exclusively on Amazon and available on Kindle Unlimited. Here are five quick tips I learned that you may find useful if you are new to KDP Select or are considering whether to enrol any of your titles.
13 Things To Do After Publishing Your Next Book – Guest Post by, Toni Pike…
Many thanks to Chris Graham from The Story Reading Ape Blog for publishing my article: 13 Things to do after publishing your next book.
You have already published your first book. As part of that process, you set up your author pages on Amazon and other distribution sites such as Smashwords. You also established your own website, Facebook author page, Goodreads Author page, Twitter account and accounts on other social media platforms.
Now the time has come to publish your next book. You upload it and, hey presto, a short time later your precious creation goes live. Here is a list of thirteen housekeeping jobs to attend to before beginning the hard work of post-publication marketing.
1. Assemble your Buyer Links
Assemble a list of the new buyer links for adding to your website, signatures and posts.
2. Your Amazon Author Pages
Update your author pages on Amazon USA, UK, France, Germany and Japan: claim the new book and modify your biography.
3. The Author Page on other distribution sites, such as Smashwords
Modify…
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6 Ways to Recharge Your Writing Batteries – Guest Post by Toni Pike…
Many thanks to Chris Graham from The Story Reading Ape’s Blog for publishing my article about ways to restore your energy levels.
Do you feel as if you’re running on empty, distracted by the constant demands of social media or not finding the time you need to write your next novel? You might need to focus on recharging your writing batteries, and there are six easy ways to do just that. Try one or more of these techniques, and see if it makes a difference to your life.
Unplug your screen
If you’re writing, blogging and using a computer at work, then you’re spending a great deal of time looking at a screen. Try taking a break and see what a difference it makes. Keep away for all your devices for just twenty-four hours, and then write down how you feel at the end of that day. Chances are that you’ll feel healthier and discover a fresh enjoyment in the world around you.
Monotask
If you’re a blogger and writer, then you…
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The Theme of a Novel
The theme of a novel is the major issue that underlies the story, and is the lesson or message that it conveys. It is one of the most important factors to think about when planning and writing a work of fiction. When you studied literature at school, the theme of a novel was always an important point for discussion. Now that you’re a writer, don’t forget to give your own story’s theme the same careful consideration. Continue reading
Why Authors Need a Business Card
Business cards can be an important weapon in the arsenal of any writer wanting to promote their work. Many thanks to Chris from the Story Reading Ape Blog for publishing my article about business cards for authors. Continue reading
The Benefits of Reading Ebooks
I was delighted once again to have a guest post on Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog. Continue reading
You need mini-goals to write your novel
Many thanks to Chris from The Story Reading Ape Blog for posting my article about having mini-goals.Here is the link to that article:
You need mini-goals to write your novel
The Mood of a Novel
We all know what it means when someone says that they are in a good or bad mood. Every one of us has a range of moods, that cover the spectrum from deliriously happy to gloomy or sad, and that is a sure sign of our humanity. Continue reading
Guest Post on Sizzling Towards Sixty: How to Become an Author in Midlife
I was thrilled to be a guest on the inspirational Sizzling Towards Sixty website.
Here is the link to that article:
Midlife Matters – How to Become an Author in Midlife
I’d love to hear what you think.
The Setting of a Novel
The setting of your novel is a critical element that needs careful consideration and planning. It is the backdrop to your story, and requires as much thought as you give to the characters and storyline. There are several aspects that you need to take into account, including the time period, the location, the mood to be evoked and the level of detail to be used in your descriptions. Continue reading
Fiction Genres
Defining Genres
Fiction is normally divided into a range of categories that are referred to as genres. It will be the first way for readers and publishers to judge your novel, and every writer needs to select the genre of their own work. Despite that, many writers find it difficult to make that decision, even after completing the first draft. Many stories seem to fit into more than one category, making the choice even more difficult. This is a brief guideline to help you make that decision. Continue reading
The Length of a Novel
Standard Word Counts
You are about to embark on a long and challenging journey and so far you have only stared at a blank sheet of paper or a computer screen in the search for inspiration. It might seem too early too worry about the length of your novel, but I consider that some forward planning is essential. You will know where you are headed and the size of the task you are about to undertake. Continue reading
Learn the difference between these words and you will never get them confused again.
Continue reading
The words there, their and they’re are the source of endless confusion. Continue reading
One of the most common mistakes in writing is the misuse of either its or it’s. Continue reading
How to Write Dates – Guest Post…
I was delighted to have an article posted on Chris the Story Reading Ape’s Blog – about How to Write Dates in fiction.
Your mind is on fire as you type out your latest story at super-fast speed when, all of a sudden, you come to a halt. You want to include a date or a time period, and you’re not sure of the best way to express it.
Here are some easy guidelines to help you get started.
Dates
There are two simple ways to write a date but in fiction you should try to write the words out in full:
Thursday 9 June 2016 – with no comma and no “th”
or
Ninth of June
Always write dialogue the way your character would say it:
“She’ll be here on April the tenth,” said Mary.
Years
Write a single year in numerals:
2014
For a range of years, you can write the numerals:
1998-99 or 2002-2006
But for fiction, you should try to write the phrase in full:
She died sometime…
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How to Build a Story in 20 Easy Steps (Guest Post )
Chris from the Story Reading Ape Blog kindly posted my simple guide to building a story. Continue reading
Adrenaline – A Simple Guide for Writers (Guest Post by Toni Pike)
Chris from The Story Reading Ape Blog was kind enough to post my article about the effects of adrenaline. You can read more here: Adrenaline – A Simple Guide for Writers
This is a simple guide to adrenaline and its effects on the human body. An adrenaline rush is often referred to as the flight or fight response. You, the writer, put your characters into the most incredible situations and then decide if they will confront the enemy or run away – or do something completely unexpected. But what really happens when a person confronts an assailant or has a panic attack?
Adrenaline is a hormone that is sometimes referred to as epinephrine, but only in American medical circles – and that word may be slowly dying out. Adrenaline is the word of choice in all popular media and around the world.
Your characters are likely to have more than one adrenaline rush on their way to the exciting climax in your story. It happens in response to trauma, shock or a sudden fright. The hormone bursts out of…
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Toni Pike 