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Black Garden by Tom Warwick

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Black Garden is a sci-fi novella by Tom Warwick. For more information about the book, click on the Amazon link below.

Purchase on Amazon or read in KU

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About Me
About Me

I'm Hannah, an editor, author, and writing coach. I love helping writers like you polish their stories, enhance their craft, and chase their publishing dreams.

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Are you ever in the middle of a writing session an Are you ever in the middle of a writing session and you realize you have no idea how to introduce a new character? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Maybe your new character is essential to the plot, a new member of the main cast. Or maybe your new character is a cafe owner who helps build the world up for readers. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Regardless of the character’s role in a story, it can be hard to think of new ways to bring characters into a scene. Repeating the same introductory actions, like always having a friend introduce them, might be boring. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here are nine ideas to help you introduce a new character: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📚 Have one of your main characters save them. 📚 Introduce them first by a rumor, then in person. 📚 Force them into the same situation. 📚 They meet in a street fight or brawl. 📚 The new character is on the same quest as your main character. 📚 Introduce them at a social function or event. 📚 Introduce them through mutual friends. 📚 They meet during a drunken incident. 📚 An accident, like spilling a drink, forces them to meet. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Of course, these aren’t the only ways you can introduce a new character. Be creative, play with tension and your MC’s goals, and don’t be afraid to have fun with it. A little levity when introducing a new character is a great way break tension and give the readers a moment to breathe. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Do you have a favorite way for characters to meet, either from your own books or an example from another novel? I’ll comment mine below! ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #fantasywriter #instawrimo #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #selfpublished #indiepub #writersofig #authorsofig #authorpreneur #writeeveryday #writers_together #writersblock #commonmistakes #indieauthorlife #bookediting #authortips #writerstips #writingtipsandtricks #indieauthorsunited #authorchallenge #writerchallenge #writingsprints #instagramwriters #writeyourbook
📚FOUR TIPS FOR AUTHORPRENEURS📚  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📕 Hire out when you can. You know about editors, cover designers, and interior formatters, but what about virtual assistants and an accountant? While I don’t have a VA (yet!), I’ve worked with an accountant since I started my business. He helped me choose my business designation and helps me with my taxes. I could do this myself, but the peace of mind and pro guidance I get from him is priceless. Try to outsource a few tasks you find really stressful/confusing! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📘 Get creative with pre-orders. You may have noticed trad. authors & publishers offer pre-order incentives, like enamel pins, bookmarks, etc. I see indies offering signed copies, but have you considered a similar campaign? Stickers, bookmarks, book plates--anything related to your book that readers will love and help generate buzz around your pre-orders. You can even let Ingram or Amazon handle the pre-orders and simply mail out the incentives if readers send their proof of purchase to you. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📒 Upload your files early. As an indie author, you’ve got to upload your own book files. Give yourself plenty of time to do this before your book releases. You need time to order proof copies, send out ARCs, etc. As one client told me last week, “I never even noticed this on the PDF, but it jumped out at me on the proof copy.” Building time into your schedule to check the production quality will help you stress less and put out the quality book you want to. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📗 Promote your backlist in your new books. Your backlist is made up of the books you’ve already published. Consider including links to your backlist in the ebook and a URL in the paperback of your new books. Make it easy for readers to find your older books. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ QOTD: What’s your biggest challenge or question as an authorpreneur? 🤔 ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #publishingmentor #fantasywriter #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #selfpublished #indiepub #writersofig #authorsofig #authorpreneurship #authorpreneur
Authors have genres they love to write in, and edi Authors have genres they love to write in, and editors have genres they love to edit! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When you’re looking for an editor for your next book, take the editor’s specialization(s) into consideration. This is especially true if you’re looking for a story-level edit. An editor who specializes in your genre knows the nuances of your genre, reader expectations, and common tropes. When an editor knows those elements well, they can help you both meet and subvert those genre conventions in meaningful and nuanced ways. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I have a whole post about this from about 6 weeks ago! Check it out if you want to learn more 🙌 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ So, what genres (and subgenres) do I love to edit? 🤷 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📚 Young & new adult fantasy 📚 Romance, including paranormal romance 📚 Contemporary & urban fantasy 📚 Science fiction & alternate history ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I am absolutely NOT the editor for you if you’re writing a memoir, hardcore horror, non-con/dub-con, or kid lit. And that's okay--I encourage you to find an editor who adores your genre as much as you do! 🥰 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you need an editor for your next project, go to the link in my bio and fill out the form to get in touch & see if I’m the right editor for you! 📅 I only have a handful of editing spots for the remainder of 2020, then it’s on to 2021. 📅 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ QOTD: What genre do you love to write? ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #publishingmentor #fantasywriter #instawrimo #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #selfpublished #indiepub #writerssociety #commonmistakes #indieauthorlife #indieauthorsbeseen #indieauthorlove #bookediting #authortips #writingtipsandtricks #indieauthorsunited #instagramwriters #writeyourbook #finishyourbook #writinganovel
This morning, I was talking to two people about wr This morning, I was talking to two people about writing & burnout. It can be a tricky thing, really. If you want to be a career writer, you do have to treat writing like a job. But if you’re exhausted, do you really want to push yourself to write? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I don’t need to tell you that 2020 has been simultaneously strange, hard, and transformative. It’s not the year I was expecting. I had big plans: wedding, honeymoon, building our first home, prepping my novel for pub. (The house is still happening! Everything else got postponed.) ‘Growth’ was my word of the year. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And growth happened, just not in the way I expected. I wrote a novella. I started coaching more authors. I restructured my business. And I really embraced the whole ‘don’t push yourself past your breaking point’ mindset. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A few years ago, I would’ve said, “I really want to publish this novel, so I’m going to power through and work every single night even when my mind feels like sludge and I want to cry because I’m so tired.” Yes, that’s how I used to talk to myself. 🤦 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You CAN find a balance between your writing and not hitting your breaking point. I can’t tell you what that balance is in an Instagram caption because that line is different for everyone. Finding (or rediscovering) YOUR balance is absolutely a form of growth. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle, especially when you see other people doing the things you want to do. But please remember to take it easy when you need to. Take care of yourself the best you can. Take time away from IG or your book. Find some way to unwind. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Your writing process and your journey are your own. Embrace the ups and downs, and most importantly, do what’s right for you. ° ° ° ° #bookeditor #writingcoach #fantasywriter #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #selfpublished #indiepub #writercommunity #writersofig #authorpreneur #writeeveryday #writersblock #indieauthorlife #indieauthorsbeseen #writerstips #writingtipsandtricks #writingmindset #authormindset #indieauthorsunited #writeyourbook #finishyourbook #writinganovel #indiesareworthit
“How can I tell if my story idea is any good? Wh “How can I tell if my story idea is any good? What do you think?” This is a question/email I’ve been getting a lot in the last few weeks. Here’s the hard truth: nobody can tell you if your story is a ‘good’ idea or not. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ As people, we all have different tastes. But more than that, you can’t write a book with the goal of your idea simply being ‘good.’ That means so many different things, and what’s ‘good’ depends on who you ask.  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Certain things do help make a book more engaging for readers: themes and tropes, character-driven stories, a layered plot, etc. Those mechanics of writing--plot, char. arcs, worldbuilding--all feed into how engaging your story is. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But an engaging book does not necessarily mean a ‘good’ story. I know, that’s scary to hear. We want guarantees, but you have to trust the process and let go of ‘good.’ Stay true to your vision and be enthusiastic about your manuscript.  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you want to evaluate your story, take a step back and ask yourself: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📚 Does my character have a goal? Are the stakes clear? 📚 Have I told the story I wanted to tell? Did I cover important themes? 📚 If this is a novel, have I layered in multiple conflicts and story threads? 📚 Who is my audience? Do my characters, themes, etc. line up with what they generally like to read? 📚 Have I stayed true to my idea? Or have I let fear and ‘the market’ completely change my story? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stop worrying about sales strategy and reviews and ‘good’ from the minute you find the spark of a new idea. Instead, listen to your gut. Trust the process. If you put in the work to develop your idea as best you can, the rest will follow. 💜 ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #fantasywriter #instawrimo #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #selfpublished #writercommunity #writersofig #authorsofig #authorpreneur #writingcommunityofig #writers_together #writersblock #indieauthorlife #indieauthorlove #bookediting #authortips #writerstips #writingtipsandtricks #writingmindset #authormindset #indieauthorsunited #writingsprints #instagramwriters #finishyourbook #writinganovel
If you take one thing away from this post, let it If you take one thing away from this post, let it be that you need to order your proof copies early! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’m creating a hardcover version of my fiction writer’s notebook, The Write Plan. I was so excited to get an author copy so I could open pre-orders and launch the book. On delivery day, I was thrilled to finally be holding my gorgeous book in my hands. But when I opened the notebook to find...part of another book was printed inside 😢 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ My files were fine. Everything was as it should be except for that strange 20-page addition of another book. I’m sure if I placed another order, I would get a copy that’s correct, but it did open my eyes to the possibility of a major print error. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In the last few weeks, some of my coaching clients have received their proof copies only to realize they actually needed to tweak a few things before launch day. It’s always a little shocking when you see something on the physical copy that you didn’t spot in the eproof. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you’re planning to self-publish your book, leave plenty of time in your launch schedule for your proof copies. You may get a printer error and want to speak with the company before you launch, or you might realize you need to tweak your cover. It’s always better to build in a cushion for this sort of thing than be panicking at the last minute. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And if you’re printing with IngramSpark and you’re a US author, be aware that author copies are taking weeks to ship and the quality control team has a waitlist of 4 weeks for investigations into print errors 💁 COVID is causing delays. The safety of employees *always* comes first! Plan for a bigger cushion of pre-launch time if you’re going with Ingram. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Have you had any proof copy mishaps? ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #bookeditor #writingcoach #publishingmentor #instawrimo #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #selfpublished #writersofig #selfpub #authorpreneur #authorpreneurship #writingcommunityofig #writers_together #indieauthorsbeseen #bookediting #authortips #selfpublishing #writingtipsandtricks #indieauthorsunited #instagramwriters #writeyourbook #finishyourbook #writinganovel #writingmeme
Instagram: It’s fun, and there are some great me Instagram: It’s fun, and there are some great memes on here, but is the content you’re sharing limiting your author brand growth? 🤔 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Social media is an incredible tool for connecting with both your existing fans and potential new readers. But it’s not as easy as posting some cat pictures and saying, “Buy my book!” That would be nice, but that’s not reality. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here are nine potential mistakes you’re making on your author Instagram: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📚 Not knowing your ideal audience/reader 📚 Not using hashtags (or using the wrong ones) 📚 Creating content for other writers 📚 Creating low-quality, unrelated content 📚 Not engaging with the community 📚 Not engaging in a meaningful way 📚 Ignoring DMs and comments on your posts 📚 Solely trying to sell your book 📚 Not recognizing your audience as humans ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Those nine bullet points boil down to a few key concepts: authenticity, posts about your brand and books, and reaching out to the right segment of readers. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ All of those how-to-write posts you make? Informative maybe, but are they selling your fantasy novels? Or have they turned you into a writing tips account instead? Those follow-for-follow loops might get your numbers up, but are you getting engaged followers who want to read your stories? Those Caturday pics might be cute, but are you balancing that with other posts/info about your books? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ As I say in the slides, there are no absolutes in this. You know your brand, books, and audience. Examine your content strategy and see if you can make any small shifts to post what your readers are looking for! Small changes can yield big results. ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #bookeditor #writingcoach #publishingmentor #instawrimo #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #selfpublished #writersofig #authorsofig #authorpreneur #writeeveryday #writingcommunityofig #writers_together #indieauthorsbeseen #bookediting #authortips #writerstips #writingtipsandtricks #indieauthorsunited #instagramwriters #writeyourbook #finishyourbook #writinganovel #writingmeme
Looking to engage in a little creative writing thi Looking to engage in a little creative writing this weekend? Editorial Assistant Iggy has a writing exercise for you! 😼 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you’re signed up for my email list, you may know I send out writing prompts and exercises every other Friday. Want to join in the fun? DM me your email address and I’ll add you! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ On to the exercise ⬇️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When writing fiction, it’s good to establish your main character’s status quo as a contrast to the quest/stakes they face after the inciting incident. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What is their life like with no mystery, danger, or crime (or whatever your plot involves)? What is their life like before the inciting incident? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📚Instructions📚 Write a scene where you explore your main character’s daily routine. What do they see, hear, and smell? What’s so familiar about this routine to them that they’ve stopped taking notice? What do they take comfort in about this day-to-day life? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Write for 10 to 15 minutes and see where it takes you. You can always finish out the story or scene if you want to, or you can just use it as an exercise in character development. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Have a good weekend, friends! ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #publishingpro #fantasywriter #instawrimo #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #selfpublished #indiepub #writersofig #writersconnection #writeeveryday #writersblock #indieauthorlife #indieauthorsbeseen #authortips #writerstips #writingtipsandtricks #writerchallenge #writingsprints #instagramwriters #writeyourbook #finishyourbook #writinganovel #writingprompt #writingexercise
A few weeks ago, I posted about the importance of A few weeks ago, I posted about the importance of self-editing. It makes you a stronger writer, can save you money on professional editing, and allows your editor to dig deeper into your story and help you even more. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But when you’ve got 100,000 words staring at you, where do you start? How do you actually wade through everything and make changes? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Break self-editing down into four steps: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📚 Take a break. Seriously, it’s okay to step back from your manuscript for a little while. Whether that’s one week or five weeks is up to you, but give your brain at least a week to rest so you can approach the manuscript with clarity. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📚 Start with story-level changes. I know it’s hard not to rewrite sentences as you see them, but try to focus on your big picture change first. Your efforts to rewrite sentences for style may be wasted if you make large story changes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📚 Take another break period, then edit the language. This is where you can dig into your wording and clean up typos. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📚 Take yet another break, then go back and proofread. Proofreading your draft isn’t about making it ‘perfect’ but catching any errors you may have accidentally introduced while self-editing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Remember that self-editing isn’t about giving your editor a perfect draft. It’s about cleaning up your existing draft so your editor can dive deep into your work instead of cleaning up surface-level stuff. You’ll get SO much more value out of that editing and grow even more as a writer. ☑️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And perhaps most importantly, keep in mind that self-editing is a skill. You have to practice to grow your skill and become a more efficient self-editor. Be patient and kind with yourself. 😊 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What’s your biggest challenge with self-editing? ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #bookeditor #writingcoach #publishingmentor #instawrimo #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #selfpublished #writersofig #authorsofig #authorpreneur #writeeveryday #writingcommunityofig #writers_together #indieauthorsbeseen #bookediting #authortips #writerstips #writingtipsandtricks #indieauthorsunited #instagramwriters #writeyourbook #finishyourbook #writinganovel
GIVEAWAY CLOSED: Between the Lines Editorial is tu GIVEAWAY CLOSED: Between the Lines Editorial is turning three! 🎉 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This week marks the third anniversary of Between the Lines Editorial going from a writing blog to my full-time business. As scary as it was to make that transition, I’m so glad I did. 🥳 Things have changed a lot since those early days. I was going through some old paperwork yesterday and realized just how far BTLE has come. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fun fact: my fiance actually named my blog-turned-business! He likes to remind me of that fact. 😜 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But now, for the giveaway! In honor of my business anniversary, I’m giving away prizes to TWO winners: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ GRAND PRIZE: 📚 A copy of The Write Plan hardcover writer’s notebook 📚 A copy of Productivity for Creative Writers, paperback or ebook (your choice) 📚 An IGNITE YOUR NOVEL session -- critique on your first 5k + 30-min coaching call ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ SECOND WINNER: 📚 A copy of The Write Plan hardcover writer’s notebook 📚 A copy of Productivity for Creative Writers, paperback or ebook (your choice) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ TO ENTER: 📚 Like this post + comment your favorite novel 📚 Tag 2 author friends for 1 bonus entry 📚 Share to your story + tag me for 1 bonus entry 📚 Follow me (or already be following) for 1 bonus entry ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ That’s four total entries possible. Open worldwide, but please note: the notebook and critique session are designed for fiction authors. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Ends 8/31/2020. Winners will be announced 9/2/2020. Be sure to share with your author friends! 😉 ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #publishingmentor #publishingpro #fantasywriter #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #selfpublished #indiepub #authorsofig #writersconnection #authorpreneur #writeeveryday #writingcommunityofig #indieauthorlife #indieauthorsbeseen #indieauthorlove #bookediting #writeringtips #writingmindset #authormindset #indieauthorsunited #instagramwriters #finishyourbook #writinganovel
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