Recently, we here at LitWorldInterviews.com conducted a survey, “Why do you put a book down?” and through the assistance of the writing community we had a very nice response of over 100 participants (I stopped counting.). Now it’s time to share what we found.

First, I want to say why the survey was conducted. We wanted to help writers by giving them the information they most need. If a reader takes the time to check out your book and don’t like it, they are unlikely to give you a second chance with your next work. First impressions mean a lot.

86.30% of those responding were Female, thus leaving the remaining 13.70% Male. Considering the majority of those reading novels are Female, although not quite this extreme, I’m comfortable with sharing what we found.

There were 34 sub-categories as a result of the survey. Those results were then placed into 5…

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A thought provoking and compelling dystopian world that will change the way you view justice…

A man fights for life—and redemption—in D. M. Cain’s riveting new novel, The Phoenix Project.

Today I’d like to welcome Pam Elise Harris,  editor extraordinaire and author of Oblivion.

Can you give us your quickest description of your book?

Oblivion is the story of six acting students trying to achieve greatness despite the obstacles in their paths.

What genre would you say Oblivion fits into?

Contemporary fiction.

What are you working on currently?

Mostly, I’m working on my freelance editing projects.  I edit for Booktrope among other clients.  One of my clients is actually a real estate attorney.  He’s doing continuing education courses that I am editing.

On the writing side, I just won my fourth National Novel Writing Month this past November.  I am a hardcore NaNoer, having completed every NaNo and Camp NaNo since Oblivion in 2012.  I am currently developing my second novel The Truth Will Set Me Free, which I normally describe as “Woman running for her life meets man…

Last week I went to my alma mater twice to talk about writing and Sci-Fi/Fantasy.  I also did an audio interview for a friend’s website.  So, since I did all this talking about writing, I had a lot of notes and points I naturally forgot.  Here’s the gist of everything I’ve been thinking about writing lately.

A sum-up of my writer’s journey:

I self-published my first book, The Kota, my senior year of college.  I had no idea what I was doing, really, I just had this story in my head that I’d been working on since I was 9 and I wanted it in book form.  That was 2004, before eBooks had really taken off and certainly before Kindle Direct Publishing was even a thing.  I didn’t care about being traditionally published, and I knew I’d want to get a lot better before the public read my stuff…

Stand out Against Thousands of Books

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Added June 23, 2013:

Dear Reader:  This list of websites, which we compiled in March 2012, grew in the meantime to almost 100.  Please visit our two new blog posts with even more possibilities to announce your work for free:

http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/50-web-links-to-let-your-book-go-viral/

http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/part-2-45-more-websites-to-promote-your-book/

All three blog posts are officially copyright registered.  To link to our blog posts, and let your own readers know about these websites, please use the RE-BLOGGING link on top of this page.  Thanks!  Please learn about re-blogging here:
http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/re-blogging-vs-copyright-infringement/

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Original Article from March 11, 2012:

1. Goodreads
Use your free membership to promote yourself and your books. Reviews are essential and reviews on Goodreads site help your book to really stand out to millions of visitors.

2. Wattpad
Wattpad has experienced explosive growth since its inception and has become the world’s most popular destination to publish and…

1. It makes you HAPPY!

If you began writing because you love reading and have a desire to write stories then it no doubt brings a hell of a lot of happiness into your life! You should always write for yourself first and foremost. If you get to a stage where you can make money off of your writing then that’s amazing! But it should be seen as an added bonus not a given. Continue to write because of all the times your characters have made you laugh out loud, cry with sadness or simply forget the world for a while…

2. It soothes the SOUL

Writing is a healthy hobby that is the ultimate stress reliever. Writing a story or simply writing your thoughts down will relieve any worry or anxiety currently on your mind. You may find yourself writing hundreds or thousands of words and when you finally pause for…

Please welcome D.M. Cain to my blog. She’s the author of psychological thriller “The Phoenix Project” and she’s here today to talk about her editing process.

Guest Post

My editing process is a long and tiring one, but strangely I wholeheartedly enjoy parts of it (especially the early stages.)

I initially write my books using two methods. I spend a few hours a week sitting in cafes or restaurants with my trusty notebook, where I will hand-write sections of my story. It’s a bit old-school, I know, but there’s something special about cutting off from technology and getting back to basics with good old pen and paper. I often find that this is when my creativity truly blossoms. The other way that I write large sections of my novels is through #Writestorm sessions. These are amazing short power bursts of writing that I complete with other author friends, during which…

I am very pleased to welcome D.M. Cain to Fiction Favorites. She is on her The Phoenix Project tour with 4Wills Publishing. You can go HERE to see other stops on the tour.  I present D.M. Cain

Why I’m proud of my 1-star review

To an author, a negative review can be soul-destroying. You have poured your heart into hours and hours of writing and editing something that, at times, feels like your baby – you treasure it and love it, and want to hold it high and shout your pride from the highest mountain. So when a reader dismisses it as ‘rubbish’ or slates your use of language, it can be hard to take.

Recently my debut novel ‘The Phoenix Project’ got its first 1* review:

Did I sulk and cry and decide to never write another word? No, I smiled and heaved a sigh of relief.

This little…

The brand new edition of dystopian, psychological thriller The Phoenix Project by D.M. Cain was re-released on December 11th. Originally published in May 2014, this new Booktrope edition has had a complete editing overhaul plus a stunning new cover design.

5 interesting facts about The Phoenix Project by D.M. Cain

As part of the re-release of my psychological, dystopian thriller The Phoenix Project, I decided to let my readers in on some of the secrets behind its conception.

Most of The Phoenix Project was written by hand, whilst listening to music. I have shelves full of handwritten notebooks containing the first draft of The Phoenix Project. I always listen to epic, instrumental music when writing such as Two steps from Hell and Immediate Music.

The protagonist of The Phoenix Project, Raven Kennedy, is on a glorified death row within Salverford prison for the terrible crime he committed. In the original…