My Journey with Inkitt 2018-2020

My Journey with Inkitt 2018-2020

Hello all,

It's been a while and hope you're all safe during this pandemic that has forced us indoors. Though I have more time in hands than before, work has also increased considerably in the past weeks and keeping me engaged all the time. The COVID situation hasn't improved here or nowhere near improving unless they found a solution. I hope the hardworking researchers find the medicine/vaccine to this deadly disease. I bow to all of the front-liners who are working hard and I pray for your health. Thank you for risking your health and lives to keep us safe. 

I was writing a chapter to post on Inkitt last week and a thought crossed my mind. It feels like yesterday I joined them, but it's already been over two years. Looking back, I think it was one of the best decisions I made. 

2 years ago in Feb 2018, I wrote a blog post about my experience with Inkitt. If you haven't read that post, you can read it here. I also posted FAQs on Inkitt earlier, you can read it here. 

A lot has changed since 2018. Though I joined Inkitt in mid-2017, I started actively using it only in 2018. 

What has changed during these two years? 

Well, I became their VIP author and Inkitt Icon :) So far, I've had only positive experiences with them. Sure there were a few ups and downs throughout the journey, but overall it is a good experience.

When I started the Inkitt app was still under development and had very minimal features compared to its competitors. However, they have been consistent with upgrading their platform to suit both the authors and the readers. We got to work participate in their regular survey and able to share our feedback on the platform. What made me happy was to see our suggestions being considered and they fulfilled all of our requests.

If you see the web platform, mobile app, or the writing app it's much more user friendly with advanced features. 

The next thing to talk about is my relationship with the staff. They're still reliable and very quick with their responses. I appreciate the effort they put into interacting with me or checking in on me when I go a hiatus. Lol. I do that sometimes when life gets hard. But it makes me feel warm when the staff check-in asking if everything is going well with me. 

Both the support team and the operations team are very professional, yet friendly. I've had a few calls with them in the past and it's great to see many of my suggestions are taken care of. One thing that makes Inkitt stand apart from the others is their level of communication. At least I don't have to get through multiple gatekeepers to contact the HQ. Having them in a close reach offers me great assurance in all aspects.

The next is the community. Many readers had followed me from Wattpad to Inkitt. First of all, thanks to you. It is because of you that I'm able to do what I love to do the most. The community has been great with a more mature audience. Their honest feedback helps me grow as an author.  

I know many authors aren't comfortable posting their drafts online. The authors who write online are often looked down upon. But things have changed a lot for me. I think writing online is what shaped me into who I am today. The readers act as my beta readers and always keen to catch my blind spots. One thing I love is that when I slack off they are always there to remind me that I have a story to write. 

This has helped me with maintaining my consistency in writing and complete stories faster. My publisher was initially wary of writing online, but now they understand. I've heard many authors saying that the traditional publishers turning down their submission because they posted it online. Well, that's not the case with me. Also, Editingle Indie House, a traditional indie publishing house I co-own with my best friend accepts stories that were shared on online platforms such as Inkitt. We have signed a couple of Inkitt authors to be published under our banner.

Inkitt has been a safe place to share my original drafts for the past two years and my opinion hasn't changed. I feel assured with their secure platform and haven't had a single instance where I had to pull my stories off because of plagiarism. As an author, this is the first priority to me and one of the main reasons I'm staying with the platform. 

Inkitt allows me to share my stories to my readers for free, it helps me to communicate with them while protecting my stories. I like their new interface better and wish them better luck for continued success. 

If you aren't following me on Inkitt already, here's a link to my profile. My stories are exclusive to Inkitt and I also post bonus chapters of my published stories here. 

Here's my new guide to Inkitt reading and writing app.

 

Do you have a dream?

Do you have a dream?

Every dream start somewhere. There's a moment that influences you deeply. There's a turning point in everyone's life. One such moment that influenced me was when I young and had no clue of what I wanted to become in the future. This person taught me to have my own dream, until then all I knew was to work hard to fulfill my parent's dream. 

I had a dream once. I'm living it now. 

Today, I want to share how and when it all started. 

Dr. A.P. J. Abdul Kalam. This great man influenced me the most. His book "Wings of Fire" gave me the inspiration to chase my dream. The educational section of the newspaper posted his articles frequently. 

I was thirteen and was greatly inspired by the scientist, who launched rockets. I had no interest in science, but was fascinated by his motivational speeches and positivity. Every time I read his words, I would feel that everything in this world was possible.

He always said, "You must have a dream." As a kid, I didn't know what it really meant to dream. 

“Dream is not that which you see while sleeping it is something that does not let you sleep.” – Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam 

I asked myself, what is my dream? What is the one thing that doesn't let me sleep? It was also the time I developed the habit of reading fiction. The first thing that came into the mind of that 8th grade kid was writing. I imagined creating my own stories and sharing it with the world. As fancy as it sounded, I dreamt of becoming a published author, a dream at that time I thought was impossible. 

Impossible because, I had no guidance. No one to point me to the right direction. Most of all, I was afraid to tell someone that I wanted to become an author some day. Because becoming an author was never considered as a profession. It still doesn't considered by many as a profession. Let's talk more about that in another post. Now, back to the topic.

There was no internet or any other sources to connect to the outside world. It was a time when owning a personal computer is considered as a luxury. The only thing I had was small bookstores with limited supply of books. 

As years passed, I had to bury the dream and work toward the other things. My responsibilities  swallowed my time. But at nights, when I was alone and thinking I would still dream. I'd tell myself that, "It's okay to dream even if I had no way to accomplish it." Because that dream offered some comfort when life got harder. 

Then came a night when I finally plucked the courage to pen my thoughts. When I finished writing the first chapter, I screamed with joy. The sense of accomplishment overwhelmed me. The satisfaction was something I never experienced before. Creating something from scratch was a pure joy. 

It was then I understood, why it was important to follow your heart. Writing had always been my passion. I wrote because it made me happy. 

The next step was to share my writing. I had no guidance on how things worked in the world of writing. Most of all, I lacked confidence. Self doubt and insecurities ruled me. I blindly posted it on an online writing site called Wattpad. I really didn't expect someone would even read it. But the encouraging comments came as a huge surprise. The number of readers increased day by day. 

I still don't clearly remember how it went from there. All I did was to constantly improve, seek help from fellow authors and readers. I would stay awake at nights and rewrote my first script at least nine times. It caused me to burnout several times. Yet, I did it with a smile because this was my dream. 

Three years, three published and twenty-five unpublished books later...I now understand the real meaning behind his words.

Always have a dream and work hard to achieve it. Nothing is impossible in this world if you put your heart into it.

Don't be afraid to dream. It might feel impossible now, but I'm sure if you worked hard enough, you'll live your dream some day. Never give up!

How reading books helped me with editing?

How reading books helped me with editing?

By Catherine Edward

Editing is a nightmare. We got that out and I told you how it affected me. In this post, I'm gonna talk about things that helped me while editing.

So, the huge mistake I ever did during edit was to stop reading. Yes, you heard that right. I was focused only on the story I was editing and I practically isolated myself from everything else. Eventually, this led to a situation where I felt like I was being drowned.

It's important to have friends and an active social life even if you're an author. Like I stress often, mental and physical health is very important if you want to have a healthy writing going on. You have to let your brain and body rejuvenate once in a while so writing doesn't feel like a burden.

What I was doing was the exact opposite. When I finally opened up to my friend, Rucha, she told me to take a break. I used to stay offline while editing, but when I do go online, she was always there poking me. She kinda kicked me out of my driver's seat and took charge when I wouldn't budge.

The catch, she's also an editor. And she snatched the script from me saying she'll take a look while I did all these things she said. I honestly had no clue why she was making me do all this.

It's funny when I think about that now. But it helped a lot. Rucha literally dragged me out of that hell hole. She banned me from touching my laptop. And at this point I was severely close to a break down. I was stuck with a scene, unable to move forward. I felt suffocated because the time was flying and I wasn't even past 5 chapters yet.

I took two days break, sleeping a lot and watching movies I liked. When I came back, she told me to read a title by my favorite author and come back. She said, she had a task for me. Grudgingly, I resorted to reading.

Cynthia Eden has always been my go to author. When I started reading her books again, I realized what I had been missing all along. My mind was suddenly at peace. On day two, I felt the ideas striking hard and I knew how to work through the scene I was stuck with.

I was literally screaming when I pinged Rucha, saying I know what to do. Her response was a simple smiley and words saying “I know you'll figure it out.”

From there my journey to polish the script became smoother. Every day I edit, this time I could easily navigate through the script, identifying the mistakes and correcting it. At night, I read.

In short, reading not only cleared my mind and but also provoked my thoughts. I'd let music play in the background so I don't feel isolated.

Also, it's important to have that one encouraging friend, who keeps shouting from the sidelines saying “You can do it.”

We all aren't same. But some of you could relate to my struggles. If you're struggling, open up with your friends. Don't be shy to ask for their help. You never know what wonders they could do until you asked.

Step out of your home every often. Live your life to the fullest. While you're writing or editing, it doesn't mean you have to isolate yourself. You can follow your passion while enjoying all good things in your life.

I figured that out in a hard way. Not anymore.

I'd like to know your experiences with editing. How did you overcome the struggle? What helps you better? Email me your experience at Catherine.edward@editingleindiehouse.com or authorcatherineedward@gmail.com for a chance to get featured in our blog.

Looking forward to connect with you all.

My experience with Limitless Publishing!

My experience with Limitless Publishing!

I get many messages on social media and emails asking about the process and my experience with Limitless Publishing. So, I thought I’ll share it here.

My publishing with them went extremely smooth.

I had a very understanding editor, Lori Whitwam. It was a great pleasure to work with her. She perfectly understood me and pointed out the major mistakes I was unconsciously making. She didn’t hesitate to teach me a few basic and important things with editing, which had helped me a great deal. All in all she was very patient during the editing stage. She was always available to clarify any doubts I had and is very sweet. (She also offers freelance editing services. Check her website.)

It was the same way with the other teams as well. Authors are given a detailed walk through about their process at the time of signing contract. I didn’t face any trouble during the entire process.  

Here, I have shared the submission and publishing process in general. There may be a slight variation depending on the genre you submit, but this should cover it all.

Submission:

This is a crucial step. It’s very important to follow the guidelines of the publishing house. The process is so simple, yet you have to follow the rules.

Before submitting your manuscript, read their guidelines carefully.

• Check if they accept the genre you write.
• Some publishing companies would have mentioned the word limit and so on. Check if your book fits their requirement.
• Prepare the sample as mentioned in the guidelines.
• The majority of the publishers will ask you to format the script in 12 pts. Times New Roman.
• Include Author Bio, Social media links, website, publishing history and your marketing plans.

If you go to the Limitless Publishing website, they have a set of clear instructions to follow. So, you won’t miss anything. Just follow it to the dot.

Review Time:

You’ll receive an email from them saying they received your manuscript. Usually they respond within two weeks. Wait till you get their response. Limitless has one of the fastest response times for emails. And they always respond J. No tension there.

Acceptance/Rejection:

They always email you, whether your script is accepted or rejected. And do not worry if it’s rejected. Their emails are purely professional and nice. They don’t take a dig on the author or the script. It’ll contain a reason on why they can’t accept your script this time with a message to submit your other scripts in the future.

Many authors who spoke to me are worried about the rejection. There’s nothing to worry. Really… They’re sweet.

Contract:

If your script is accepted, you’ll be expected to sign a contract. The term is usually 5 years. Read through carefully and don’t hesitate to ask for clarifications if you have a doubt. Like I said, Limitless team is very professional and sweet. Remember, you may consult with your lawyer or a family member, but shouldn’t share the contract with someone else.

Editing:

Once you have signed the contract with Limitless you’ll be assigned to an available editor. Once again, Limitless has the fastest editing process I have ever seen. So, buckle up and free your schedule during this time. And one good thing about the team is that, they’ll discuss the dates in advance and if the dates aren’t convenient do not hesitate to inform them. Communication is the key. They always understand.

Do not say yes and then falter on the dates because it’ll affect the entire publishing process.

Publishing:

You don’t have to do anything on this. But when you receive the manuscript for proofreading, make sure to read everything, since this is your last chance to correct the errors. Also, remember you can’t edit something because you think it will sound better. This round is only to spot errors. They accept suggested edits within reason, like plot jumps.

For example: There was a gap in one particular scene, I didn’t notice before. So, when I filled it, they accepted the explanation I gave them.

Marketing:

This is a sole responsibility of the author. However, the marketing team of Limitless will walk you through the process. They’ll guide you with any doubt you may have, but you have to do it on your own.

If you’re running a social media promo or Blog tour make sure to inform the marketing team in advance. You are free to get in touch with them for any doubts or clarification you may need.

Is editing really that hard? by Catherine Edward

Is editing really that hard?

By Catherine Edward

Editing is a nightmare. Don’t trust me? Ask your author friends.

Writing is way too easy until we are put up with the editing. Editing phase can be stressful that it can take a toll on your mental health. While I don’t have years of editing experience to show in my portfolio, I have worked with a few editors and would like to share my experience with up and coming authors.

Why is editing so stressful?

Simple. Because this is when you’re put face to face with your mistakes.

Yes, while editing an author see 99% of his or her mistakes. Many authors know how to effectively handle this, but newbie authors who’re going into editing for the first time often struggle a lot.

Our experience doesn’t have to be the same, but I’m assuming some of you will be able to relate with me. Especially, bilingual authors to whom English isn’t their mother tongue.

Authors usually have a love-hate relationship with editing. While the end result is something to look forward to, the entire process could be exhausting. Several things happen during the editing phase. This is the stage where you cleanse, revise, rewrite, add/remove scenes and polish your script for publishing.

 My struggle with insecurities:

The struggle is real. I rewrote my very first manuscript at least eight times. There were so many things to learn and in each round I kept finding mistakes.

First of all, when someone pointed out the mistakes I was eager to right it. So, I learned how to do it right and ended up rewriting the entire thing. Then when my script was accepted, I thought things would be easy. But no. The real struggle began there.

The professional editor I was assigned with, had a keen eye for plot holes and what not. She pointed out every single mistake on my script and while she was nice about it, I'd be honest to admit, the insecurity demon poked its head in.

Every time I sit before the computer, I saw only my mistakes. I kept thinking ‘I'm not good enough.’ I blamed myself for even wanting to write. I almost gave up. Called it quits.

It was my online author friends, who kept me going. They encouraged me and reminded me of things I have achieved so far.

For people who don't know about me, I started writing online on Wattpad and Inkitt. I was mostly praised for my writing style. Hardly anyone pointed out a mistake. So, the first thing I had to do was to understand and accept is that the world outside online platforms is different.

Editing initially took a toll on me. I kept procrastinating, wallowed in self pity. Played blaming games with myself. Cursed for becoming a writer. But then, stepped in my online author friend, Melissa, who heard me through and told me to believe in myself.

We went to Google docs, where she looked at every suggestion made by my editor. Melissa suggested another rewrite. She didn't stop there. She identified where I'm having trouble and showed me a few samples by rewriting a few scenes for me.

With the confidence she gave me, I set out to start fresh. Now, after 6 months of hard work, I look back and realize, it was all worth it. I should thank my publisher in all this. They had been really patient with me when I told them I want to rework on the script and allowed me to work on my own pace.

Believe in yourself:

Throughout my experience, one thing I learned is to believe in myself. If you don't love your story enough, nobody will.

Your story has to make you happy as a reader first. Does it make you laugh? Does it make you cry? Are you able to feel the emotions in your words? Those were the questions you want to ask yourself.

Anyone who talks to me about editing, I'd tell them to keep an open mind. You may think your script is perfect, but in reality, it's riddled with mistakes. You won't even realize it, until someone points it out. What you think as the best scene ever might poke the readers in the eye.

One can hone ones skills only when he or she accepts his or her mistakes and learn from it. Don't be afraid of your mistakes. See it as a means to learn.

Again, as an author you should know when to accept or reject suggestions. When the changes suggested are within reason, always try to do better.

I'll talk more about editing and other writing related stuff in my upcoming posts. Stay tuned.

Also, I'd like to know your experiences with editing. How did you overcome the struggle? What helps you better? Email me your experience at Catherine.edward@editingleindiehouse.com or authorcatherineedward@gmail.com for a chance to get featured in our blog.

Looking forward to connect with you all.