Should Writers/Authors Be Political On Social Media?

With the upcoming election in December, I've noticed more and more writers on Twitter posting their views, I've also noticed writers complaining because they feel political preference shouldn't be used on author pages. People's political opinions can deter followers, apparently. Should writers and authors state their views - will it affect their audience?

Firstly, everyone has a political opinion, whether it be right, left, undecided or not bothered, and they can express it via their own social pages if they feel the need. I've written politically driven poetry in the past and have had good feedback on my work - but is it because those people agree with me on the subject, or do they enjoy the poetry? I didn't even notice if I did lose followers as a result.

I've also noticed in the writing community that I follow authors with completely opposing views, and that's fine, because I still respect them as a person, and as a creative. I do, however, want to know if politics should be left out?
I'm happy to share my lefty views, and I can see writers happily sharing their right wing views. Social media can be a platform for influence. It can also be a place to rant, expose your soul, argue and have fun. I think it's important to post politically, but sensibly, arguing with writers, authors and readers isn't going to have a positive outcome, you won't change their mind, however you could change how they perceive you.

I feel that people build a connection to writers and authors they enjoy, and if said creatives have opposing views, people may feel distanced. That's why those people would rather not know who they'd vote for. You can enjoy someone's work and not agree with them, are their views that important to an audience? Was their artwork made with their political views in mind? - Not necessarily. If it was, and you enjoyed it, decide whether or not it's because there's an agreement or just an appreciation for work.

I say you need to call it.
If your work is political, you should share it, you've created it. If you know it will cause upset, I'd advise laying out the pros and cons. It may not sway people in the way you want, but it's up to the creator what content they put out. You create the content - If you have something to say on the matter, it's your decision to post. Obviously, I'm not condoning getting into arguments with people, because where's the fun in that?

Mini Rebrand

I've bit the bullet and made an 'authors page' for my children's books. It took a lot of bottle for me to do as I was terrified that it would come across as arrogant. My anxiety has been through the roof on the run up to creating the page - I needed a space for my books in general, to save me making a new page for every book I made - and this way, my work is all together.
The Twitter Writing Community has been very supportive of me creating the page, which helped my nerves.

I've deleted my Charlie Cheese Books Facebook page because I wanted to focus on the general page for children's books - and it makes room to promote books that aren't in the CC series. Plus, I can use the page to post about upcoming books or any book news.

I have a new avatar, shown on the homepage and this will be my profile picture on most things where my children's books are concerned. I have tried to use headshots before, but it's more comfortable to use the avatar. This was drawn by the ever awesome Tommings.

The page can be found here: Beffy Parkin Children's Author.

Please give the page a like, or have a little look around if you've got the time. There isn't much on there as of yet, but I'll be sure to update whenever I can. Phew!

Meet The Author

I thought I'd make a 'Meet The Author' post for whilst I'm on my writing break. I hope it makes for an interesting read and I'll be back as soon as I can! You can follow me on Twitter: @beffyparkin or Instagram: @thebeffyparkin if you fancy.

Do you use a Pen Name?
- Yes. 'Beffy' is my nickname, I gained it when working with small children as it's easier (and more fun to say) than my actual name, and 'Parkin' is my maiden name. I answer to my pen name more than I do my legal name!
What do you write?
- Children's books mostly, I have released four story books into the wild. But I have tried to expand my creative writing, I also dabble in poetry, screenplays, jokes, short horror stories, stand up comedy sets, and I'm working on a novel.
Do you base characters on real people?
- I have a few WIPs that have characters that are loosely based on people I know. I find  real life characters make the best book characters, even if it's just aspects of their personality.
What does literary success look like to you?
- I'm aiming to have 10 books out by the time I'm 30. I already have 6 books available to the public, so I'm nearly there. I like having my name on things, so the more books, the better!
Do you read your book reviews?
- Definitely, someone took the time to read one of my books and leave feedback, I'm happy to hear opinions on my work, positive or negative.
Do you Google yourself?
- I have done in the past, mostly to find where my books are available to purchase - I don't get updates for this, so I have to hunt them down myself.
How many hours a day do you write?
- I write as much as I can before burning out. I try to set time aside to write, but if I'm not feeling creative, it's not happening. I don't force it too much, it'll render the exercise pointless.
What are you working on?
- I have lots of unfinished writing projects, such as poetry, short stories and comedy. I can't wait to come back and get working on them again! Time away has worked well for me, so I'm happy to put pins in work.
What are the titles of your children's books?
- My Charlie Cheese Books have three books so far, Don't Eat Charlie Cheese, Charlie Cheese Travels The World, and Charlie Cheese And The Food Dance. I also have a book inspired by my naughty, little dog called The Macroodelzig. There will be more!
Where can we find your books?
- My children's books are available on many websites, Waterstones, Barnes and Noble, Booktopia, Amazon, etc.
Do you give out creative writing advice?
- My blog is riddled with advice, tips and experiences of creative writing. I will try most things to expand my creative writing abilities, so I'm happy to talk about them.
What's your top tip for an aspiring writer?
- Respect the reviews and feedback you get for your work - people put time aside to read what you put out there, so you should return the favour! It will only improve your work.
When will you be blogging again?
- I'm hoping to get a routine going where I have a few hours a week to write properly, and update my blog. I'm winging it, so it could be any time!
How can you be contacted in the meantime?- I'm going to be less active but I will try to check my Twitter/Instagram as often as I can - You can fill in the contact form on this blog if you're querying and I'll respond as soon as.

Indie April : Ups And Downs

Indie April has come to an end!
It's been an opportunity to meet other indie authors, promote my books, and have an input to what indies are struggling with. It has also had a few negatives!

UPS -
This month my highlights have been plugging my books without feeling guilty - there has been so many threads asking people to share their Amazon links, it is a chance to self-promote and find what other people have been working on.
I have also enjoyed interacting with other indies - I'm usually quite shy, but I have found so many people I'm comfortable talking to or reacting to their posts, which is a huge step for me!
I have started so many writing projects this month - I don't know if it's due to bouncing creativity off of one another, or just seeing the pride people have in their WIPS have driven me to write as much as I can.
I've found a pattern in what people look for in indie authors - I have written about this in a previous post. I am aware what is popular in the community, so I can either work with that, or decide to go against the grain of what people are doing.

DOWNS -
This month has also had a negative side, I have noticed that people don't look for children's books when requesting work from indie authors - it's not their go-to genre or something they want to read by choice. So this made me feel like I need to work on other things!
Also, I have had more rejection emails than ever before. I don't know if it's due to deadlines being at the beginning of April, and they've replied immediately, but there has been far too many for my confidence this month. It did knock me, I did want to get some of those projects. It's annoying now, and I will get over it.

Either way, there's more good than bad - Indie April is a success and a positive thing to happen to the writing community. I can't wait for next year - and hopefully, by then I'll have no negatives!

One last Amazon link plug for the road:

The Macroodelzig

Don't Eat Charlie Cheese

Charlie Cheese Travels The World

Charlie Cheese And The Food Dance

Novel Research : What Are Other Indies Up To?

I've only mentioned 'research' when I first started my novel - which is still nowhere near finished, please don't question it - and when I discovered you can use it as an excuse to take lots of trips and your husband has to be supportive...

Whilst being more involved with the Twitter's writing community, I've noticed a few patterns and themes within people's queries or pitches. Young Adult and Sci-Fi seems to be what people are looking for / writing themselves.

And I have no idea how to write YA fiction, and I worry too much about plot holes in Sci-Fi stories to even attempt - so as you can see it's off to a good start.
The second most popular genre I've found is Fantasy. I can't write that either.
I cannot for the life of me get into fantasy, books nor television, my brain just doesn't accept it.

BUT - if all of these other indie authors are writing YA, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, then why would mine stand out? Why shouldn't I jump on the band wagon? Shouldn't I be working on something else entirely to distance myself from already popular genres?
YES, I should.
Right, I'm almost out of options. Lots of indies are strong with Sci-Fi or Fantasy. So, the best thing I can do is play to my strengths. I can write comedy, so that's the direction I'll send my novels in. It's always good to stand out - especially if you'll be out of your depth if you attempt something you're not knowledgeable about.

Do your research! It's good to know what's popular with other indies, so you can decide if you're diving in with them, or stepping back to rethink.
The writing community is very friendly so making a query will not go unheard!

Contacting Big Bookstores

I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert at this, as I've only done it once.. Yesterday..

A NYC bookstore had liked a photo of mine on Instagram, and me being me, pushed my luck by messaging them something along the lines of 'if you liked that picture, maybe you'll like stocking my new book'. Ridiculous, but I expected an emoji response or little a back and forth - but no - they sent me to a link of how to get my work in their stores?!

I was baffled. This is an amazing opportunity, which was unexpected. In less than five minutes, I had followed their instructions and sent The Macroodelzig on it's merry way to New York. Sometimes light hearted actions can lead to a big deal. I'm crossing my fingers, but I understand it's a tricky business to break - so my hopes are not too high!

I don't think that I would contact a big bookstore off my own back, I'd feel far too vulnerable and inadequate, but the presence of social media made me put myself forward - although it was in a jokey way, they helped me. I would definitely encourage contacting bookshops if you feel confident enough, or if like me, you'd prefer to test the water, then do it through social media - the people running them are polite and helpful, so you can't go wrong.

Bite the bullet! Contact away - you never know how they'll respond, but they'll definitely be helpful.

The Macroodelzig - Where To Find One!

The Macroodelzig has been out for a while now, which means the book is available in more stores! Hooray!
Along with the fabulous online feedback, I've spoken with many people who really enjoyed the story, artwork and the message of the book. I'm so happy with the response I've had, and I am grateful that people are willing to set time aside to read my book and write up a little review. Please leave a review if you can, it really helps indie authors out.
The book is now out in the world, and you can grab a copy from all corners of the world. Here's a list of online websites and bookstores that stock the book:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Booktopia

Bokus

Foyles

If you spot a copy of the book in the wild, don't be shy, let me know so I can update this post!
Happy book hunting!

Indie Writer : Dealing With Imposter Syndrome

I've posted twice about experiencing imposter syndrome. There's genuinely a horrible feeling of playing pretend when you're trying to follow your dreams and getting nowhere fast.
I've seen a few people posting about it in the Twitter Writing Community, which is comforting to know I'm not the only one, but it's also awful knowing that so many talented people feel like this when it comes to writing.

It can come in different forms, feeling like you're not being taken seriously as a writer, looking at your own work and thinking it's absolute rubbish, thinking your work will be overlooked because you're 'a nobody', or even when looking for writing jobs and not applying because you're not a household name.

Writing is hard, it always has been and it always will be - and unfortunately, Imposter Syndrome seems to follow not far behind whenever you start a writing project.
Yet, it's not permanent. Whenever I get excited that work was accepted, or I run with a new idea, or when a project is finished, it goes. Know it's not forever, it never shows it's face when you're on an up - I know it's often a long time between good news, but point stands, enthusiasm seems to curb the idea you're an imposter.
Chin up, crack on, and understand it's temporary.

The Macroodelzig - Super Sneaky Snippet!

I just had to make a small, flick through video to promote my children's book, The Macroodelzig!

It's very short, but it shows the amazing artwork - by Tommings - and this is the first sneak preview video I've ever made, so I love it!

Please give it a view / share / like / comment etc! The book is coming soon, so let's hype it up!

> > The Macroodelzig Sneak Preview < <

How To Support Indies - FOR FREE!

Not a bad deal, is it?
Imagine having lots of means of supporting your friend's dream, without having to spend a penny!
Well, you can - and you should!

What you can do to help indie authors:
Review the books on Amazon / Like their Facebook page / Share news posts / Share images of their work / Like their posts / Invite your friends to their social media pages / Ask for the books to be stocked at your local library / Ask your local bookstores to stock the books / Talk about their work on your own social media / Tell your other friends about them.

What you can do to help indie illustrators:
Like their social media pages / Like the artwork that they post / Share and comment on images they share / Invite your friends to their social media pages / Talk about their work to your other friends / Recommend them to people looking for artists / Share and credit their work on your own social media platforms / Create fan art and tag the original artist / Attend exhibitions or shows they may put on.

All. For. Free!

Charlie Cheese : Facebook Milestone

I set up the CC facebook page a long time ago, and after four years, we've just hit 300 likes.

(Knowing my luck when I post this, it'll have gone back down!)

It's been difficult promoting the page on Facebook - you can invite your friends, but not all of them are interested and will decline, or you can create sponsored adverts, for robots and fake pages to give the page likes - which is a pointless exercise.
I don't over post on Facebook, so I'm not a bother, but I will update it fairly frequently when I need to.

Either way, hitting 300 likes is fabulous news!
I'm aiming to promote better, somehow, so we can reach 500 likes before the end of the year - without the help of fake pages and likes.

If you want to help out, give us a like, invite your friends, and share, share, share!
>> Charlie Cheese Books!

My First Writing Milestones

Being an indie writer means that you're starting from scratch, often with no financial backing at all, and you are more of a niche than mainstream.
You're winging it, basically.
There has been some milestones for me that don't seem like a big deal to others, but meant the world to me. Having no money to throw at your hard work is heartbreaking - but that doesn't mean you're not moving in the right direction.

I think the first milestone for me, was completing my first short story - Don't Eat Charlie Cheese.
I was elated when the story was done and dusted, I had been working on it whilst being full time employed in a pre-school, so I had limited time to figure out where the story was going.
But that was only the start, from there, I managed to save money to have the book illustrated by a unique artist TOMMINGS. When he sent me the first illustrations to look at, I could not cope. The character was better than I'd ever have dreamed of - I'd seen nothing like it in my life!
Charlie was alive!
I then got the first print of the book in the post - and I smiled all day and told everyone in the world (and their grandmother) that I had written a book, a real life, hold it in your hands, give it a flick through book!
Don't Eat Charlie Cheese was then discovered on Amazon! I think I cried at this point..
And from there I continued to write!

Everyone has different milestones in regards to achievements. Don't compare yourself to other writers, ever.
You did a thing - be proud!
The good thing about milestones is, they don't stop. There's loads of accomplishments you can gain - I get excited when this blog gets views! I'll be excited if my books ever win a prize, you never know, working hard pays off - even if it's a small win!

Trying To Write With 'Baby Brain'

For those who don't know, you do now.
I'm pregnant!

See, you couldn't even tell on my blog because my writing has been up to scratch, hasn't it?

Well, now my 'baby brain' is getting worse.
I forget words, I get distracted and I completely mess up what I'm saying - which is difficult when you're trying to be a full time writer.

I haven't lost any motivation as I try to write daily. I haven't ran out of ideas because my notes are bursting. I haven't put a pin in writing as this is my dream job and I need to continue.
I am just struggling to form a decent sentence and words don't look right anymore.

I thought my peak worst 'baby brain' moment was thinking someone was called 'Wolf Fingers', rather than 'William'. It's hard work.

I'm writing now in short bursts and taking longer breaks, it's not ideal, but I'm not stopping writing. My WIPS are still open and I'm attempting to be more productive. If you are a pregnant writer - you're doing amazing. It is hard when your brain is slowly melting. Writing will always be worth it. Keep your 'baby brain' busy.

Valentine's Day 2019

It's nearly Valentine's Day!
You still have plenty of time to grab some Charlie and Mouse merch - SHOP NOW.
Charlie Cheese loves his little mouse.
Mouse loves his slice of cheese.
Love is love.

Celebrate this year with everyone you love!

My Books.. So Far.

It's weird to think I have FIVE books knocking about! They're all completely different! I thought I'd put a post together where they can all be in one place at once.

For The Best was taken from notes my father made of his childhood growing up in Gipton, Leeds. I've not changed the order of the stories and memories, as that's not how you remember things, there's always tangents and finding something else to talk about. So it's written very organically - which means a lot of explicit language - not for little ones!
You can ONLY grab a copy here:
FOR THE BEST - MEMORIES OF A FIFTIES CHILD.

My poetry book is fairly angry, it's mainly politically focused and it's a collection of my first poems. I used my friend Jo's artwork for the cover (support indie!) - and again, the poems can contain explicit language - but not all of them do!
You can ONLY purchase a copy of my poetry here: MIND THE GAP.

The Charlie Cheese books series are cute, rhyming, indie books about a slice of brie! The illustrator is my friend Tommings - he is beyond talented! Give him a look up and check out his other work, too!
Where you'll find..
Don't Eat Charlie Cheese: Amazon / Waterstones / Barnes and Noble / Booktopia.

Charlie Cheese Travels The World: Amazon / Waterstones / Barnes and Noble / Booktopia.

Charlie Cheese And The Food Dance: Amazon / Barnes and Noble.

UPDATE MARCH 2019:
My brand new children's book, The Macroodelzig: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Sticky Note Haiku Procrastinator

I feel the title could be my superhero name / be on my headstone without it being questioned.

If you follow me on Instagram - my handle is @thebeffyparkin - you'll know I was supposed to be doing paperwork today, something I've been putting off since the dawn of time. Obviously, I shuffled three pieces of paper then began writing..

My brain has rewired itself. I used to enjoy organising paperwork.
Now, I'm happy writing all day and making a massive desk mess. Shocking.

I'm attempting to use this to my advantage, somehow. I am hoping to create rhymes and haikus WHILST ticking things off my to-do list - and when some jobs are done, "as a treat" I can begin making notes. What an exciting life!

It has to be sticky notes - or I'm just going to create more paperwork that I'll never finish. Smart.
Here's the result of this morning's procrastination:

Getting Into Storyboards

I've really enjoyed drawing up storyboards for my ideas lately, despite my lack of artistic talent..

Writing can burn you out, especially when you picture something in your mind, but your brain decides to freeze when it comes to writing it up - there's nothing worse than an idea that's stuck! If you can sketch it quickly, then the idea is out and in front of you - and therefore not stopping the writing process. You can go back to it when your brain wants to work!

The fun thing about creating storyboards is framing your work exactly how you expected it.
So, I've decided now, to mock one up for every short story or idea I write up - just in case I get the chance to film it, it can be perfect. It doesn't take anything away from the quality of writing, but it enhances and sets the scene in the event of filming.

Introvert, Writing.

If you've met me in person, (sober), you'll know I am very reserved and quiet. I tell people I'm just shy, but I can get socially anxious depending on the environment and circumstances. I would say I'm more introverted than anything, but this doesn't mean I won't be the most confident person in the world if I feel comfortable.

Anyway, I thought I'd make a post about this as I've been reading a lot about some of my favourite writers - who prefer not being in the limelight but this does not hold them back and they are respected writers. Thank goodness!
Because when I first started writing, close family and friends made a big deal of the possibility of becoming well-known, and moving onto bigger things - this freaked me out. If my writing ever did get recognised or taken on by producers etc, would I have to be interviewed a lot? Would I have to converse with strangers? Would I have to come out of my comfort zone? Terrifying.

I have spoken at primary schools and the children I have previously worked with, about my books, and I can just crack on and deal with this - talking to children is a lot easier than speaking to adults - even though they have the ability to ask any wild question going - I always seem to be prepared for that.

Luckily, after reading so many different publications, I can live happily in the knowledge that you can have your writing acknowledged and used - but not have to put on a show for people. I can let go of worrying about the chance of feeling uncomfy. Write, be introverted and be happy!

Poetry Plug

As you may know, I often dabble in poetry. It's either political or angry. There does not seem to be an inbetween. I haven't wrote anything lately, but I'll be working on it a lot more this year!

Last year I created a little book for my poems - Mind The Gap - and I used my friend Joanna's artwork for the cover. (Support indie, like I always say!)

I rarely plug the book as I'm one of those people who look/read at their work over and over and start to hate it - and this happens more often with my poetry, as I seem to get imposter syndrome when it comes to this kind of creative writing.

Anyway, if you are interested in the book, Mind The Gap is only available by link >> HERE <<

Writing Challenges Review

Of course I haven't completed them!

I discovered I can be one of those people who make a start, then put a pin in it. My brain looks like a pin cushion. I've made a start, though, and that's all that matters.
I did not get to film any of my sketches or comedy ideas, but this year my highlight was that I did speak to one of my new favourite comedy writers - he was very polite and even used a phrase I'd coined on his social media - which was unexpected but it made me feel like I'm going in the right direction!
Obviously, I'm not going to mention names, this is something I don't need to shout from the rooftops, but it's still a massive accomplishment!

I've put an effort towards things I wouldn't usually write and it made me feel amazing for exercising my creative writing skills.
Although, I did complete a few tasks on my list, I'm not upset that I didn't finish it - incomplete lists usually destroy me from the inside out - but this time, I've accepted some pieces of work can't have a deadline.
I love deadlines, but having unfinished work I'm happy with means I get to come back and improve it whenever I like - so the fun never stops.

I'll probably set a smaller list for 2019. I will get more work published. I will make more of an effort to write new media. I will always be proud of my work. I can do this - and so can you!

Have a happy new year, everyone!
See you in '19!