Valerie Ihsan, Aligned Action

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First Lines, Openings, and Hooks

Valerie Ihsan

Announcements:

Author Update:

Erick:

  • building landing pages for ads (for testing)

  • Dead Still presale price 99 cents

  • Revision of Book Two in new series finished (this weekend)

  • Pikes Peak Writing Conference in Colorado Springs, CO

    • using content from conferences for social media clips

  • Valerie:

  • new printer (printed out all the things)

  • published a permafree book (first in series)

  • Book two is half written from repurposed content

I'm reading:

  • beta read manuscript

  • Thunder Song by Sasha taqŵšeblu LaPointe

Erick:

The Institute Stephen King

Notes:

First Lines--book, chapters, scenes; sets the stage, POV, entice the reader away from other distractions, vary the opening lines within a book to prevent boredom; repetitive, stylistic elements only sometimes work.

Openings--protag's needs and wants

Hooks-- into the story, seducing; narrative voice; themes; settings; odd or curious, "First lines are invitations." - Stephen King; what kind of party is your book?

Find Us:

Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan

Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor

Writer Craft Facebook Group

Valerie’s Services: https://valerieihsan.com

Valerie’s Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com

Valerie’s Facebook Page and Instagram account

Erick’s Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com

Erick’s free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n

Erick’s Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com

Erick’s Facebook Page and Instagram account

Patreons: 

https://patreon.com/valerieihsan   

https://patreon.com/strangeairmysteries

Tools:

Passion Planner: https://passionplanner.rfrl.co/e86j8 (affiliate link) Discount Code: VALERIE150

ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

Resources:

"How to write an eavesdropping scene" on Erick's blog

Reading Critique Group for Writers FB Group (Jennie Komp's group)

3 Bird View FB page (Jennie Komp's business page)

Author XP (marketing for authors) (bi-monthly promotions)

Raven Publicity (publicity for authors)

The Shades of Orange (Rachel, Book Blogger on YouTube) for book recommendations SF/Fantasy/Horror

Contact Erick for business-starting advice or building a website.

Contact Valerie for author coaching.

Thomas Umstattd Jr, at Novel Marketing Podcast. Ep255: How to Create an Email Onboarding Drip Campaign

Russell P. Nohelty and Monica Leonelle's book, Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter.

Balance meditation app.

Book Recs for writing/creativity/business:

Thinking in Pictures by John Sayles

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