Freebies for Writers

[Deleted]

I wonder if we shouldn't have a sticky for freebies for writers.

E.g. Digital Book Editing: How To Edit And Format For e-Book Creation is now free on Amazon com (also from Europe)

[Daniel]

Thanks, Andrew! I picked up a copy to check it out.

I like the idea of a sticky thread for writer freebies. This offer might also work in our new formatting advice section.

[Pru Freda]

Yes, thanks, Andrew. I've picked it up in the UK.

[Suzy]

Okay! Sticky it is!

[Deleted]

Good idea! Just downloaded a copy from Amazon UK.

[Deleted]

Thanks Andrew! Just downloaded it.

[Deleted]

The A to Zen of Writing (112 p.) by Katrin Lake is free today on Amazon.

"A marvelous book that will help any writer or aspiring author." The A to Zen of Writing includes gives (sic) a daily motivator to write. It includes inspiring reflections on writing, quotes from famous authors, and challenging brainstorm questions for the reader to answer about themselves and their writing. There are no wrong answers. From author, Kathrin Lake (Writing with Cold Feet)
Combining the inspiration of books like Walking on Alligators with the basic child's alphabet book, The A to Zen of Writing is simple, poetic, and yet as challenging as it is inspiring. A fun, must-have book for any writer."

[Daniel]

Thanks for the tip, Andrew! I'm going to check it out.

[Deleted]

WorkFlowy

WorkFlowy is a free online outlining tool.

This may be of interest to those of us who like outlining, or who want to take organized notes for an as yet projected WIP. Or just to dump plot bunnies in.

You need to take an account, but it's free. Since it's online you can access it wherever you are, provided you have the use of a device with a browser.

How does it work? Easy-peasy, death-simple.

This is the blank start screen:



Just the one bullet. You start putting in ideas and organizing them from there. Like this:



We now have two sections. Let's fill them up.



You can add more details in as many levels as you want or need.



Hover over a bullet and you get a menu with several options



The other sub-section



Overview of both sections



Forgot to divide the Time Line into chapters? No problem. Just add them, and drag the other items where you want them by "grabbing" their bullets




Want more room to really work on Chapter 1. Just click the item and you get this. On top you get so-called breadcrumbs to navigate back.



It's easy to collapse all or part of the outline




In the same way you can add "Locations," "Notes," and whatever you want.

WorkFlowy is really easy to use once you get the hang of it. There's a good help section with short videos to get you started.

I hope some of you find it useful.

[Pru Freda]

Thanks, Andrew. Just playing with this now. It looks like it could be very useful.

Now, could you find me a free prog to do my thinking for me, please? I need to brainstorm, but I only have brainfade.

[Suzy]

That looks fantastic, Andrew. Thank you for posting this. I'm very tempted to try it,as I have just started a new book.

[Deleted]

Sorry, Lynda.

Hope it works for you, Suzy.

And here's a new freebie:

Reader Magnets: Build Your Author Platform and Sell more Books on Kindle (Book Marketing for Authors 1) by Nick Stephenson is free today on Amazon.

Also by the same author: Free video training for authors - get the step-by-step system I use to make a six-figure income with self-publishing

Reader Magnets are what bring readers to YOU.

They're an irresistible force that draw readers in to your author platform - the promise of getting great value content and building a valuable connection. That's what it's all about, after all - making meaningful relationships with your audience and having a direct line to your readers.

I started using Reader Magnets a little over six months ago. I didn't even have a term for it back then. Since I put these measures in place, over 15,000 readers have signed up to hear from me about new releases and promotions - all in just a few months.

My readers trust me with their contact details for good reason. I give them good content. In return, they buy my books. These guys are my fans. I appreciate every last one of them - and they're the reason I get to write for a living.

What Reader Magnets Have Done for Me:

- My last email - I made $547 in book sales.
- I launch every new book into the top #900 or better.
- I don't need to rely on Amazon for an income.
- I don't need to pay advertisers to get sales.
- I saw my first 1,000 subscribers after just a couple of weeks.
- My click-rate is five times higher than the industry average
- My open-rate is more than double

How?

It's all about getting readers to commit. Get their email addresses. Follow up. Build value. Build your brand.

Let me repeat the headline again: I picked up 15,000 new reader email addresses in less time than it takes for most people to write a new book. I got my first 1,000 readers signed up in just a couple of weeks. My click-rates are through the roof. I do this with Reader Magnets - and you can too.

[Deleted]

It's not free in Continental Europe (not even on Amazon com ), but it may be free in the US:

Story Alchemy: The Search for the Philosopher's Stone of Storytelling (Author's Craft Book 2)

Screenwriter? Novelist? Playwright? Write short stories? Story Alchemy presents a powerful new technique for establishing story structure and gaining insight into the entire creative process. If you thought Novelsmithing was good, you'll be blown away by Story Alchemy.

From the Back Cover

David Sheppard's Novelsmithing saved my last novel; his Story Alchemy may well save my work-in-progress. This is the most unusual book on craft I have ever read. My head is popping with new insights on the nature of storytelling, dream and memory, and the blurred line between everyday life and the world of myth. Story Alchemy gives you tools for bringing the stories up from your own psyche. This involves forays through the Iris of Time to meet your narrator, the invasion of your dreams by your characters, and the mental construction of something called a Memory Palace. For all this, the book is surprisingly practical, containing helpful templates for building a theme-based plot, step-by-step meditation techniques designed to deepen understanding of characters, and methods for visualizing scenes while writing them. However, Story Alchemy is not for the faint of heart. It will take you to the threshold of your secret self and challenge you to cross. Only you can decide whether this is a good idea. I have to say: my mind is blown.
Katherine Grace Bond, author, The Summer of No Regrets
Director, TeenWrite workshops
Writing Instructor, Sky Valley Education Center

As usual, AYOR & YMMV.

[lindymoone]

It is free today in the US. Just got a copy. Thanks, Andrew. 

[Pru Freda]

Following on from the thesaurus thread in the Snug, I Googled Angela Ackerman (I already have her Emotional Thesaurus) and discovered that Emotion Amplifiers is free at the moment. I've snagged it in the UK.

Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/Emotion-Amplifiers-Angela-Ackerman-ebook/dp/B00QMLW34M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Emotion-Amplifiers-Angela-Ackerman-ebook/dp/B00QMLW34M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

[Daniel]

Thanks for the tip! I prefer print editions for non-fiction, but I'll give Emotion Amplifiers a try in digital form first.

[Deleted]

Feb 14, 2015 12:49:11 GMT -5 Pru Freda said:

Following on from the thesaurus thread in the Snug, I Googled Angela Ackerman (I already have her Emotional Thesaurus) and discovered that Emotion Amplifiers is free at the moment. I've snagged it in the UK.

Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/Emotion-Amplifiers-Angela-Ackerman-ebook/dp/B00QMLW34M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Emotion-Amplifiers-Angela-Ackerman-ebook/dp/B00QMLW34M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Thanks, Lynda. Grabbed a copy.

[lindymoone]

Feb 14, 2015 12:49:11 GMT -5 Pru Freda said:

Following on from the thesaurus thread in the Snug, I Googled Angela Ackerman (I already have her Emotional Thesaurus) and discovered that Emotion Amplifiers is free at the moment. I've snagged it in the UK.

Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/Emotion-Amplifiers-Angela-Ackerman-ebook/dp/B00QMLW34M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Emotion-Amplifiers-Angela-Ackerman-ebook/dp/B00QMLW34M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Still free today! Thanks, Lynda; I didn't have this one.

Angela is a great source. She is also one of the outstanding critters over at Critique Circle. I assume she's still over there being her helpful self... I haven't been active there lately.

[Deleted]

Free today on Amazon

How To Write A Novel The Easy Way Using The Pulp Fiction Method To Write Better Novels [Kindle Edition]

Have you ever wanted to write a book, but could never get started? Maybe you gave up after getting bogged down in silly plot problems?
You are NOT ALONE. Most people who try and write a novel give up or fail miserably. If you need help writing your novel, you need look no further.
Publisher, editor and writer, Jim Driver, reveals many of the secrets the experts use to write bestselling novels.
He says: "Taking inspiration from the Pulp Fiction writers of the 1940s and 1950s, showed me how to banish writers' block forever. I also discovered the easiest way to create and plot commercial novels."

[lindymoone]

Thanks, Andrew. I grabbed it!