Rob Parnell's Writing Academy Blog

Want to be the next millionaire Amazon author? Click on the pic!     The Power of Expectation Rob Parnell Isn't it funny how, if you expect everything to go badly, it usually does? But what if you always expected everything to go well? Does that make you a Pollyanna - or a resourceful creative artist? Fact is, we all take risks in our lives at some point or another. We might decide to start a new business - or write a novel, or marry someone! All risks entail the possibility of failure. But if we always thought that risk would lead to disaster, we'd never leave our beds in the morning! You don't need to be some new age airhead to understand that if you believe that things will turn out for the best, you're giving yourself a fighting chance at success. We often get what we focus on. You know that's true. If you focus on how little ...

The Essene Heresy: If you want to receive my latest thrill ride of a serialized novel - totally free - go here . And if you need to find out how to become a wealthy bestselling Amazon author yourself - go here . STOP PRESS: My latest course, Write to the Top has become so sought after that there are now bootleg copies of the lessons flying around the net! I'm trying to find out who's responsible - but in a way it's flattering that the information is so valuable that some people feel compelled to steal it! Get your official copy HERE. Keep Writing! Rob@easywaytowrite.com Your Success is My Concern http://easywaytowrite.com Want to be a millionaire Amazon author? Click on the pic!   THIS WEEK'S ARTICLE: Imagine Your Way To Success Rob Parnell There's little doubt that writing gets easier the more you do it. The more practice you end...

They call us the millennials. We have the attention span of a fish. No sooner are we fascinated by something, a newer, shinier thing catches our eye - and we're off, surfing there, linking to that, getting swamped by info and ads. But is this true? Do we enjoy being treated like guppies? I don't know about you but I hate trying to read through a sea of other links and distractions - and online newspapers are the worst. And don't you just seethe when you're looking for a download to fix a computer problem - and the link you need is hidden amongst half a dozen ads that look exactly like download links? And those awful sites that look like they're about your search term - but all they've done is repeat your search term back at you? Don't get me started... Keep Writing! Rob@easywaytowrite.com Your Success is My Concern http://easywaytowrite.com Want to be a millionaire Amazon author? Click on the pic below. THIS WEEK...

News, Views & Clues... to Writing Success     Dear Fellow Writer, They say you shouldn't look back. Living in the past prevents you from grasping the future and enjoying its possibilities. Dwelling on past events, mistakes and memories, even the good ones, is usually a sign that you're not fulfilling your potential. But this last week it occurred to me that 12 years ago I had a completely different outlook on life. One that was largely shaped by the publishing industry. A lifetime of trying to get published had made me feel crushed, inferior and like I was somehow wasting my time... In 2001, I had a literary agent who told me that my fiction wasn't commercial and that seriously, Rob, who needs another writer's self help book? I got rid of that agent as soon as the contract expired! Since then I've sold over a million books, ebooks and courses.  A million! That could have made some publisher and agent very rich, could have bou...

Dear Fellow Writer, This week I've just updated my novel description on Amazon: I read somewhere recently that having a longer blurb on your Amazon book page can help. The rationale is that more words means more 'keywords' that help Amazon's algorithm robots place your book alongside others that are in the same genre (and are already selling well). Plus, of course, the longer the blurb, the more chance people may feel compelled to read your book! Check it out for me . The Easy Way to Write: Survey Results Rob Parnell   Running a survey is always an interesting exercise. I don't do them very often. I think I've done three in the last ten years. I guess it's easier to bury your head in the sand sometimes than find out what's really going on! The first question was "Do you think the Easy Way to Write is a good resource for...

Dear Fellow Writer,   I think I finally understand. Remember I said I was at a publishing conference recently where all the major publishers said that crime fiction was the next big thing? All the big publishing houses were saying (with uncanny confidence) they predicted the demand for fantasy would subside in favor of a upswing in interest in crime thrillers. At the time I just took this curious stance at face value.  Didn't really question the logic. Just assumed these publishers had their finger on the pulse. But now that JK Rowling has just been outed as the true author of the Robert Galbraith crime novel,   The Cuckoo's Calling , it all makes sense... Who else but Joanne could possibly start a tsunami of interest in the crime fiction genre? For many years, publishers have tried to tap into what is known in the trade as "The Emergent Reader" - a nice way of referring to people who don...

Do you look at all the other bloggers, writers and artists online and wonder, how on earth can I compete? It's hard not to. It seems every other writer is so much further ahead. They have over a 100 products. Or they have some mega bestseller under their belt. Or they already have legions of fans. And then there are the others - the ones that your pretty sure aren't doing so well but they've got the whole self promotion thing sussed. They spam people every day. They offer free samples of their books, or they're actively seeking out opportunities, they get interviewed, they blog - the whole caboodle. And then there's you and me - sitting at home, writing - wondering where the bus left from - and why were we late getting on it? I was listening to the radio this morning and the DJ asked a musician how his band could possibly top their last album. How do you go about that, the DJ wanted to know. "You don't," said the m...