How I've Been Increasing My Writing Speed

This working week is nearly over for me. It's only Thursday but tomorrow I'm going to an all day Ayurvedic Cooking class. Should be interesting plus the food will be useful for helping me stay physically and mentally balanced.

But back to this week.

I have spent the whole week writing, plotting and planning.

I'm currently working on my next ebook for writers as well as all my other weekly writing projects.

As you know, the last few months I've been crazy-busy practising writing quickly or, to put it a better way, seeing how much more I can write in the same amount of time.

And so far the results have been much better than I expected.

Current Writing Competitions Free to Enter

Today I have compiled a list of current writing competitions that are all free to enter.

So if you have the time and the imagination, why not give them a go. One has a first prize of $20,000 for a 100-word story.

Mash Short Stories
Looking for short stories of no more than 500 words written from a 3-word prompt.
Competition runs every 3 months. Top prize of $100. Current competition closes on 15th October 2014.
http://mashstories.com/competition/

SpineTinglers Short Story Competition
Looking for short stories of under 5,000 words that make the spine tingle. Can contain ghosts, ghouls or poltergeist and even mild erotica. Top prize of 100GBP. Monthly competitions. Current competition closes in 2 days.
http://www.spinetinglers.co.uk

Writing News September 2014

July 2014 Author Earnings Report
http://authorearnings.com/report/july-2014-author-earnings-report/

Women dominate this year's BBC National Short Story Award shortlist
http://shelf-life.ew.com/2014/09/17/bbc-national-short-story-award-shortlist/

Amazing Roald Dahl cakes that Wonka himself would be proud of
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinkpicturegalleries/11101340/Amazing-Roald-Dahl-cakes-that-Wonka-himself-would-be-proud-of.html

Photo-Sharing Service Twitpic To Close Rather Than Fight Twitter Over Trademark
http://marketingland.com/twitpic-close-98740

Scarlett Johansson wins £2,000 compensation over 'hurtful and demeaning' book'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/10943323/Scarlett-Johansson-wins-2000-compensation-over-hurtful-and-demeaning-book.html

Want more visitors to your website? Become a Google News site
http://searchengineland.com/google-launches-google-news-publisher-center-198990

Amazon launches Kindle Kids' Book Creator
http://www.mywritingblog.com/2014/09/amazon-launches-kindle-kids-book-creator.html

'OITNB' writer divorces husband, dates 'Poussey'
http://entertainthis.usatoday.com/2014/09/14/orange-is-the-new-black-writer-poussey/

Know Thy Market

If you want to sell more books and make more money from your writing, then you need to know your market.

• Who are you writing for?


• What are you giving them?


• How will it help them?

Do you even know who you’re readers are?

Having a hungry market is more important than the work that you produce.

If you’re writing a book that no one wants to read, then you’ll never sell any copies, not matter what.

But if you write a book that you already know people want to read, then you’ll have a hungry market.