My new book: Tommy Twice: This Is Your Life on Kindle

[boxingknockout]

Well done. Is it easy to self publish through amazon / kindle?

[jamesmcdonnell]

Being on low hours helps as does being in China, it clears your mind nice out here for writing. I don't think I could get much done back home in all honesty, I hope your mojo comes back soon, James.

You've always had a turn of phrase Carlos, I applaud the fact you've got your poo together enough to write.

Thanks mate The great thing is I have plenty of free time and I am in a good place mentally. All that helps a lot. I'm pretty sure you'll be back on track - your Charlie Magri autobiography was a great read!

My problem is time, I seem to have so little. I need to take a month off I think to go and get back in the writing groove.

[boxingknockout]

You've always had a turn of phrase Carlos, I applaud the fact you've got your poo together enough to write.

Thanks mate The great thing is I have plenty of free time and I am in a good place mentally. All that helps a lot. I'm pretty sure you'll be back on track - your Charlie Magri autobiography was a great read!

My problem is time, I seem to have so little. I need to take a month off I think to go and get back in the writing groove.

Block Xhamster on all your devices?

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MZ8FN5Z/ ... ommy+twice

I have written a book which is now out on kindle for 99p, it is about a fat, indolent, long term unemployed layabout and his journey into becoming an amateur super heavyweight boxer, it's called Tommy Twice: This Is Your Life and you can read the first four chapters for gratis and for nowt in the look inside section. I think if you are British and a fan of boxing, you'll like it - I hope! Check out the four chapters at least, you should get a laugh or two from there I reckon, and if you give it a try - thanks very much in advance!!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tommy-Twice-Th ... ommy+twice

If you don't have a kindle, then you can buy the paperback (which at 7.99 is a bit more expensive, I don't price the paperback version unfortunately) and though you can't use the 'look inside' feature for the paperback, you can in the kindle version!

Well done I shall give it a read. As a matter of interest how do you market your novels? I published on amazon almost three years ago but never really did any marketing past setting up a Facebook page, I still sell several copies a month (usually Kindle but sometimes paperback) but do feel it deserves a wider audience...

Thanks my man. With regards the marketing, I don't - what I am planning to do at the moment is write the best novels I can and make sure they are well edited, good cover design, good blurb etc and build up a body of work and then concentrate more on the marketing side when I have written five or so books, I have a theory that if the Beatles just had one song, doesn't matter which one - they would have struggled - I think it is the same with writing books, you need a body of work - this is just a theory, so for now, I am not concentrating on marketing for now as I only have the two books out but I will do one day - for now, I want to concentrate on writing good, funny books that people are able to read.

If you are selling several books a month, then you are doing better than most people, most people struggle to sell a handful - so you are doing pretty well, what is your book called and what is it about (if you would rather remain anonymous - then I understand...) I wish you well in the marketing of your book and getting it out there - hard though with so many books out there as it is.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Well done. Is it easy to self publish through amazon / kindle?

Thanks my man.

It's very easy, but because it is easy, a lot of people knock up a substandard product and put it up there, cluttering up precious space. Mind you, it is this democratic plane that has got my books in view so I can't really complain if others do the same.

What I have done is got professionals in to edit, clean up the MS and do a good cover design, if I did that all myself, it would look like a wedding cake baked, iced and designed by Stevie Wonder. I know what I can and can't do so got professionals to do the stuff I would make a dogs dinner of - that cost me a grand - well worth the money.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

You've always had a turn of phrase Carlos, I applaud the fact you've got your poo together enough to write.

Thanks mate The great thing is I have plenty of free time and I am in a good place mentally. All that helps a lot. I'm pretty sure you'll be back on track - your Charlie Magri autobiography was a great read!

My problem is time, I seem to have so little. I need to take a month off I think to go and get back in the writing groove.

It looks like you have a lot on your plate for now, I hope that one day you do and I look forward to reading more of your work!

[Boxerbeetle]

Thanks mate The great thing is I have plenty of free time and I am in a good place mentally. All that helps a lot. I'm pretty sure you'll be back on track - your Charlie Magri autobiography was a great read!

My problem is time, I seem to have so little. I need to take a month off I think to go and get back in the writing groove.

Block Xhamster on all your devices?

Let's not get crazy here.

[boxingknockout]

Well done. Is it easy to self publish through amazon / kindle?

Thanks my man.

It's very easy, but because it is easy, a lot of people knock up a substandard product and put it up there, cluttering up precious space. Mind you, it is this democratic plane that has got my books in view so I can't really complain if others do the same.

What I have done is got professionals in to edit, clean up the MS and do a good cover design, if I did that all myself, it would look like a wedding cake baked, iced and designed by Stevie Wonder. I know what I can and can't do so got professionals to do the stuff I would make a dogs dinner of - that cost me a grand - well worth the money.

Thanks for that info, very helpful....and best of luck with the publications.

Ps I am now of self publishing on kindle my book 'Masturbating and boxing - do they go hand in hand?'

It's a book about whether or not masturbating before a fight is good for performance. Conversely it tackles the question of whether boxing before masturbating is good for wanking.

There is a special intro by Eddie Hearn and Chris Eubanks Jnr; 2 of Boxing's biggest wankers....

[chinarich]

I think you are right on the marketing, those that do best on amazon self-publishing tend to be writers of fantasy/Sci-fi/procedural crime books where they quickly churn out a series based on the same world/character then promote by offering the early books at a discount or free.

I picked up White Monkey and will give it a read when I'm travelling in a couple of weeks, I taught English in China so am expecting to recognise the odd scenario. I'll pop a review on after, these things are important.

My book, since you ask, is The Story of Your Life So Far, it's about a coke-addled banker whose life is in free-fall and I like to think of it as darkly comic...

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

I think you are right on the marketing, those that do best on amazon self-publishing tend to be writers of fantasy/Sci-fi/procedural crime books where they quickly churn out a series based on the same world/character then promote by offering the early books at a discount or free.

I picked up White Monkey and will give it a read when I'm travelling in a couple of weeks, I taught English in China so am expecting to recognise the odd scenario. I'll pop a review on after, these things are important.

My book, since you ask, is The Story of Your Life So Far, it's about a coke-addled banker whose life is in free-fall and I like to think of it as darkly comic...

Thanks very much, Rich! Definitely give me some honest feedback! I look forward to reading your thoughts on it.

I have just bought a copy 'The Story of Your Life So Far' in paperback, I am in China (still...) and it won't let me download a kindle version but it looks a really good read from the sample chapters provided. I'll read the rest when I get home in June and upload a review for sure, like you say, they are important! Thanks again!

PS: Where were you in China? I am in Henan (for my sins!).

PPS: I've just looked up the goodreads page for 'The Story of Your Life So Far' and you know what I would do with it? Put it in for a 'goodreads giveaway' one copy will generate 1400 entries and that's a good way to generate interest and spread the word - do it over a month and that gets a fair few people buying a copy if they don't win the actual giveaway.

[chinarich]

I think you are right on the marketing, those that do best on amazon self-publishing tend to be writers of fantasy/Sci-fi/procedural crime books where they quickly churn out a series based on the same world/character then promote by offering the early books at a discount or free.

I picked up White Monkey and will give it a read when I'm travelling in a couple of weeks, I taught English in China so am expecting to recognise the odd scenario. I'll pop a review on after, these things are important.

My book, since you ask, is The Story of Your Life So Far, it's about a coke-addled banker whose life is in free-fall and I like to think of it as darkly comic...

Thanks very much, Rich! Definitely give me some honest feedback! I look forward to reading your thoughts on it.

I have just bought a copy 'The Story of Your Life So Far' in paperback, I am in China (still...) and it won't let me download a kindle version but it looks a really good read from the sample chapters provided. I'll read the rest when I get home in June and upload a review for sure, like you say, they are important! Thanks again!

PS: Where were you in China? I am in Henan (for my sins!).

You are in Henan? I was there - Zhengzhou - and will be there again in a couple of weeks time. My wife is from there and we will be visiting the family for a couple of months plus travelling around Asia.

Thanks for the purchase I hope that you will enjoy it

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

I think you are right on the marketing, those that do best on amazon self-publishing tend to be writers of fantasy/Sci-fi/procedural crime books where they quickly churn out a series based on the same world/character then promote by offering the early books at a discount or free.

I picked up White Monkey and will give it a read when I'm travelling in a couple of weeks, I taught English in China so am expecting to recognise the odd scenario. I'll pop a review on after, these things are important.

My book, since you ask, is The Story of Your Life So Far, it's about a coke-addled banker whose life is in free-fall and I like to think of it as darkly comic...

Thanks very much, Rich! Definitely give me some honest feedback! I look forward to reading your thoughts on it.

I have just bought a copy 'The Story of Your Life So Far' in paperback, I am in China (still...) and it won't let me download a kindle version but it looks a really good read from the sample chapters provided. I'll read the rest when I get home in June and upload a review for sure, like you say, they are important! Thanks again!

PS: Where were you in China? I am in Henan (for my sins!).

You are in Henan? I was there - Zhengzhou - and will be there again in a couple of weeks time. My wife is from there and we will be visiting the family for a couple of months plus travelling around Asia.

Thanks for the purchase I hope that you will enjoy it

Nice one! Just in time for CNY! You've missed the worst of the industrial fog, it has cleared up the back end of this week and it's a lovely today! (I live in Shangqiu though I have lived in Jiaozuo and Anyang) I hope you have a great and safe trip.

And I am looking forward to reading 'The Story of Your Life So Far' when I get home. thanks for giving 'White Monkey' a go, I think you'll recognise a lot of the scenarios once you start reading it.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

I have just finished reading this book.

It was a very good read.

Thank you very much for the kind words and I am glad that you gave it a go you enjoyed it! Thank you once again!

[chinarich]

Thanks for the Goodreads tip I have never really looked at the site much I will try the giveaway...

[Dixonian]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MZ8FN5Z/ ... ommy+twice

I have written a book which is now out on kindle for 99p, it is about a fat, indolent, long term unemployed layabout and his journey into becoming an amateur super heavyweight boxer, it's called Tommy Twice: This Is Your Life and you can read the first four chapters for gratis and for nowt in the look inside section. I think if you are British and a fan of boxing, you'll like it - I hope! Check out the four chapters at least, you should get a laugh or two from there I reckon, and if you give it a try - thanks very much in advance!!

Ill have a look at it fatgit,how do you get into the writing business mate? I was gonna write a kids book cause when my daughter was born nov 2015 i would talk in a funny voice and make characters up as i went along and my missus said "wow u can picture the characters your talking about" so i started to think about writing and just dont know were to start.

Hi Thechump,

I think the main thing is you have an idea for a story, so that's the most important thing is that you have a story written out in your head, I think the best thing to do for now - and this is what I did with my first book (which took a total of four years to write), is write it in the first person - write it as if you were writing a letter to a friend. I find writing in the first person the easiest way to get the story down - what happens with a lot of people is that they get stuck, get writers block or they hit a dead end with plot development (usually because they are a bit too ambitious with it) - so when that happens, just ease off and let the imagination take over. Write what you can and when you can - treat it as a long term project. If you write two pages a week, you will have written a book in two years - and definitely a children's book as they tend to be under 200 pages anyway.

The hardest part is starting, from then - a bit when you can and where you can and it builds up nicely, good luck with it and if I can be of any help, let me know, send me a PM.

Sound advice that... First drafts are a true horror! Kurt Vonnegut once said: "Writing a first draft is like having no arms, no legs and a pencil between your teeth." (Or something to that effect. Or is it affect. I can never remember. Better look it up. Guess this is why I've never finished a novel.)

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Thanks for the Goodreads tip I have never really looked at the site much I will try the giveaway...

Hi Rich, the giveaway is really effective, I did it for White Monkey and it generated a lot of interest with 1367 people entering the competition (for the one book available) with a few sales afterwards, some people have a continuous giveaway for their books on goodreads and it would add a lot of interested readers on to your page. Definitely give it a go, it works a charm!

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Ill have a look at it fatgit,how do you get into the writing business mate? I was gonna write a kids book cause when my daughter was born nov 2015 i would talk in a funny voice and make characters up as i went along and my missus said "wow u can picture the characters your talking about" so i started to think about writing and just dont know were to start.

Hi Thechump,

I think the main thing is you have an idea for a story, so that's the most important thing is that you have a story written out in your head, I think the best thing to do for now - and this is what I did with my first book (which took a total of four years to write), is write it in the first person - write it as if you were writing a letter to a friend. I find writing in the first person the easiest way to get the story down - what happens with a lot of people is that they get stuck, get writers block or they hit a dead end with plot development (usually because they are a bit too ambitious with it) - so when that happens, just ease off and let the imagination take over. Write what you can and when you can - treat it as a long term project. If you write two pages a week, you will have written a book in two years - and definitely a children's book as they tend to be under 200 pages anyway.

The hardest part is starting, from then - a bit when you can and where you can and it builds up nicely, good luck with it and if I can be of any help, let me know, send me a PM.

Sound advice that... First drafts are a true horror! Kurt Vonnegut once said: "Writing a first draft is like having no arms, no legs and a pencil between your teeth." (Or something to that effect. Or is it affect. I can never remember. Better look it up. Guess this is why I've never finished a novel.)

Keep going Dixonian! I want to read your novel when it comes out, so you have to keep going and keep going, you know the pack drill, art is always continuous and spontaneous but you gotta get it down!

It's tough, I think a lot of people have a timeframe in which to start and finish a novel whereas I never really have a timeframe for finishing a draft, I think that helps a lot when the pressure is off.

[Dixonian]

Hi Thechump,

I think the main thing is you have an idea for a story, so that's the most important thing is that you have a story written out in your head, I think the best thing to do for now - and this is what I did with my first book (which took a total of four years to write), is write it in the first person - write it as if you were writing a letter to a friend. I find writing in the first person the easiest way to get the story down - what happens with a lot of people is that they get stuck, get writers block or they hit a dead end with plot development (usually because they are a bit too ambitious with it) - so when that happens, just ease off and let the imagination take over. Write what you can and when you can - treat it as a long term project. If you write two pages a week, you will have written a book in two years - and definitely a children's book as they tend to be under 200 pages anyway.

The hardest part is starting, from then - a bit when you can and where you can and it builds up nicely, good luck with it and if I can be of any help, let me know, send me a PM.

Sound advice that... First drafts are a true horror! Kurt Vonnegut once said: "Writing a first draft is like having no arms, no legs and a pencil between your teeth." (Or something to that effect. Or is it affect. I can never remember. Better look it up. Guess this is why I've never finished a novel.)

Keep going Dixonian! I want to read your novel when it comes out, so you have to keep going and keep going, you know the pack drill, art is always continuous and spontaneous but you gotta get it down!

It's tough, I think a lot of people have a timeframe in which to start and finish a novel whereas I never really have a timeframe for finishing a draft, I think that helps a lot when the pressure is off.

I appreciate that... By the way, is your novel available on another format other than Kindle?

[squared circle]

I have just bought the paperback mate, looking forward to reading it in due course and happy to support.

May take me a while to get around to it though as just had my bday following on from Xmas and I now have a pile of about 25 books to work through this year!!

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Sound advice that... First drafts are a true horror! Kurt Vonnegut once said: "Writing a first draft is like having no arms, no legs and a pencil between your teeth." (Or something to that effect. Or is it affect. I can never remember. Better look it up. Guess this is why I've never finished a novel.)

Keep going Dixonian! I want to read your novel when it comes out, so you have to keep going and keep going, you know the pack drill, art is always continuous and spontaneous but you gotta get it down!

It's tough, I think a lot of people have a timeframe in which to start and finish a novel whereas I never really have a timeframe for finishing a draft, I think that helps a lot when the pressure is off.

I appreciate that... By the way, is your novel available on another format other than Kindle?

It is available in paperback as well as kindle, thank you for your interest.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tommy-Twice-Th ... ommy+twice

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

I have just bought the paperback mate, looking forward to reading it in due course and happy to support.

May take me a while to get around to it though as just had my bday following on from Xmas and I now have a pile of about 25 books to work through this year!!

Thank you very much, I appreciate your support! And happy birthday! Hope you are not feeling too old like I am feeling these days. I would be very interested with your feedback but thank you once again and hope you like it.

[Dixonian]

Keep going Dixonian! I want to read your novel when it comes out, so you have to keep going and keep going, you know the pack drill, art is always continuous and spontaneous but you gotta get it down!

It's tough, I think a lot of people have a timeframe in which to start and finish a novel whereas I never really have a timeframe for finishing a draft, I think that helps a lot when the pressure is off.

I appreciate that... By the way, is your novel available on another format other than Kindle?

It is available in paperback as well as kindle, thank you for your interest.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tommy-Twice-Th ... ommy+twice

I'll be sure to check it out...

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

I appreciate that... By the way, is your novel available on another format other than Kindle?

It is available in paperback as well as kindle, thank you for your interest.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tommy-Twice-Th ... ommy+twice

I'll be sure to check it out...

Thanks for having a look, the first four chapters are free in the 'look inside' section on the kindle version, so you will know if the writing or the style is your cup of tea. Thanks for your interest, I appreciate it.

[chinarich]

Thanks very much, Rich! Definitely give me some honest feedback! I look forward to reading your thoughts on it.

I have just bought a copy 'The Story of Your Life So Far' in paperback, I am in China (still...) and it won't let me download a kindle version but it looks a really good read from the sample chapters provided. I'll read the rest when I get home in June and upload a review for sure, like you say, they are important! Thanks again!

PS: Where were you in China? I am in Henan (for my sins!).

You are in Henan? I was there - Zhengzhou - and will be there again in a couple of weeks time. My wife is from there and we will be visiting the family for a couple of months plus travelling around Asia.

Thanks for the purchase I hope that you will enjoy it

Nice one! Just in time for CNY! You've missed the worst of the industrial fog, it has cleared up the back end of this week and it's a lovely today! (I live in Shangqiu though I have lived in Jiaozuo and Anyang) I hope you have a great and safe trip.

And I am looking forward to reading 'The Story of Your Life So Far' when I get home. thanks for giving 'White Monkey' a go, I think you'll recognise a lot of the scenarios once you start reading it.

I really enjoyed White Monkey, Carlos, it's an excellent and funny book. I posted an amazon review so hopefully that should be up there shortly. Well done!

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

You are in Henan? I was there - Zhengzhou - and will be there again in a couple of weeks time. My wife is from there and we will be visiting the family for a couple of months plus travelling around Asia.

Thanks for the purchase I hope that you will enjoy it

Nice one! Just in time for CNY! You've missed the worst of the industrial fog, it has cleared up the back end of this week and it's a lovely today! (I live in Shangqiu though I have lived in Jiaozuo and Anyang) I hope you have a great and safe trip.

And I am looking forward to reading 'The Story of Your Life So Far' when I get home. thanks for giving 'White Monkey' a go, I think you'll recognise a lot of the scenarios once you start reading it.

I really enjoyed White Monkey, Carlos, it's an excellent and funny book. I posted an amazon review so hopefully that should be up there shortly. Well done!

Thank you for giving it a go, Rich! I am really happy you enjoyed it and thank you for the review, I really appreciate it, as soon as I get home, I will read and review 'The Story of Your Life So Far' and I am looking forward to reading it when I return back home to England where it is waiting for me.

Hows life back in the Middle Kingdom? Are you glad to be back?