Indie authors united!

SilverWood Books Open Day

With Debbie Young of Off the Shelf Book Promotions/The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi)

Foyles Bristol was the venue for joining up with around thirty other SilverWood Books authors, plus a crowd of writers eager to learn about getting their books to publication.

The writing and publishing open day was brilliantly organised by Helen Hart and her SilverWood team and run jointly with Rob Norton events supervisor at Foyles.

The mood was informative, professional and above all fun. I talked to so many people that I needed regular injections of caffeine from the Foyles coffee shop.

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Historical author Helen Hollick (left) with other SilverWood authors

 

 

SilverWood Books Open Day: Panel

Panel session Q&A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Topics covered an enormous range. The writing and editing process, of course. Nothing happens without a well-written story.

Next, we heard about book design – covers and interiors – and how important this was to demonstrate quality and make your finished book stand out in an increasingly crowded market.

Then onto many authors’ unfavourite topic – book marketing and promotion which covered author platform, getting your book into bookshops, audiobooks and crowd-funding.

SilverWood Books Open Day: Reading from PERFIDITAS

Reading from PERFIDITAS!

 

 

Authors read from their own books (including moi). The big challenges were talking into the microphone without making the sound blurred and harsh and (more importantly!) not overdoing the drama queen act!

(I’m not entirely sure I succeeded in avoiding both of those!)

But I had spoken at many professional events before I turned to writing. Still, it’s somewhat unnerving spouting stuff you made up from your imagination in front of other creatives.

 

SilverWood Books Open Day: Authors

Historical authors Anna Belgrage and David Ebsworth discussing a serious point.

 

 

 

Some authors using SilverWood Book services had only ever met each other and the SilverWood team virtually. They lost no time swapping notes about writing, research and promotion! And many of us enjoyed talking to their fans who came along as well as to the SilverWood Books team.

SilverWood Books Open Day: talking

Publishing assistant Joanna Zefron from SilverWood Books and historical author Lucienne Boyce

 

 

 

Self-published/independent authors can sometimes feel isolated, but this was very much the meeting of a community which regularly interacts virtually but on Saturday took enormous pleasure in meeting in ‘real life’.  And I loved chatting with fans (yes, there were some Roma Nova ones!) and talking to new and potential authors just starting on their publishing path.

 

 

 

Updated February 2023 Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers –  INCEPTIO, CARINA (novella), PERFIDITAS, SUCCESSIO,  AURELIA, NEXUS (novella), INSURRECTIO  and RETALIO,  and ROMA NOVA EXTRA, a collection of short stories.  Audiobooks are available for four of the series.Double Identity, a contemporary conspiracy, starts a new series of thrillers. JULIA PRIMA, a new Roma Nova story set in the late 4th century, is now out.

Find out more about Roma Nova, its origins, stories and heroines and taste world the latest contemporary thriller Double Identity… Download ‘Welcome to Alison Morton’s Thriller Worlds’, a FREE eBook, as a thank you gift when you sign up to Alison’s monthly email update. You’ll also be among the first to know about news and book progress before everybody else, and take part in giveaways.

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