[Robyn Welsh]

Gulp!  It’s one thing writing up other people’s stories as a journo,  but creating your own stories and then actually fronting them up on Amazon … goodness, I had to sit with that idea for a while.  Thanks to my tutor Tina Shaw for such valuable constructive criticism and guidance and Kathy Swailes for your excellent help and communication as my proof-reader (hyphen/no hyphen?).  Special thanks to Liza Pujji for gently nudging me out of my hiding place to publish this thing.  And to Brian and Carol Morris too for being such an enthusiastic part of my first steps into this new venture, when I started “Writing Fiction for Beginners” quite a few months ago.  To everyone else on this Student Forum, thank you for your part in keeping us all connected. You keep me inspired.

So here we have it.  95 Bushels to the Acre – set in the grain fields of Irwell, South Canterbury in 1928 with inspiration from my family’s historical connections down there.   I need some honest feedback on this one too.

Cheers everyone!

Here’s the link:  https://www.amazon.com/95-Bushels-Acre-shilling-sixpence-ebook/dp/B071G4YD6S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496987432&sr=8-1&keywords=95+bushels+to+the+acre

[Dr Liza Pujji]

Excellent work, Robyn! Congratulations 🙂

[Robyn Welsh]

Thank you Liza.

 

[Contact NZIBS]

Whoohoo – way to go Robyn! I’ve just bought a copy of your book (love the cover design by the way) and I’ll write a glowing review (it will show up as a review from Kas). I enjoyed your story when I proofread it for you — it will be interesting to see it in its book format. I’m very proud of you. Perhaps that sounds silly since I’ve never met you, but having exchanged numerous emails I definitely feel a connection. Well done.

By the way, I’m just finishing off my website for my fledgling freelance business, and I’ve inserted your testimonial. Thanks for that too.

Kind regards,

Kathy

[Tina Shaw]

Well done, Robyn, fantastic to see your work on Amazon!

[Robyn Welsh]

Hi Tina,

Thank for this, and thanks too for all of your input,  from the first assignment to the last.  Funny, I was leafing through tutorials yesterday and I came upon my first brief summary of my story idea.  It is quite different to what I finished up creating and it told me just how far I had come in shaping up and idea and the flurry of ideas which followed.

I was shy about publishing it, but I’m now so thrilled that I did.  It has given me the boost I needed to develop some more short stories.  I am loving it all.

[Tina Shaw]

One thing I find amazing about creative writing is exactly what you have experienced – that the initial idea can actually grow and transform into something else. It reminds me once again that we are creative not only in our original ideas, but also in reworking our ideas!

I hope to see many more of your stories, Robyn 🙂

[Robyn Welsh]

Thank you for that big vote of confidence, Tina.  It is really appreciated.  I’ve joined the graduates’ club and I’m working on a couple of ideas that have come out of our course assignments.  So I’ll be back in touch as per how we’re allowed to tap into your expertise as graduates.  Exciting times.  First up I need to buy some tape to fix the spine of my thick notebook that is filling up with ideas – and falling to bits!

[Tina Shaw]

That’s great news you have joined the Grad Club – especially as I’ll get to see some more of your work!

[Mandy Edwards]

I have purchased your book and am looking forward to reading it. I shall write a review. I have a book on Amazon called Mystery  at Dead Man’s Ridge if you are interested.

[Robyn Welsh]

Hi Mandy,  Lovely to hear from you and thank you.  I’m delighted you’ve mentioned your own book on Amazon too.  You had referenced it in a previous post of two  and I had made a note to follow it up.  I promise I will.  I’ve got a couple ahead of yours on my list, but it is now on my list.  I clearly need to ramp up my reading rate too.  Well done, looking forward to it.

[Robyn Welsh]

Thanks to those who spotted the couple of proofreader’s notations that were accidentally left  in my Amazon copy (by me)  and which have since been deleted in new, uploaded copy.   I was alerted to this, had a big, wee panic and then, with a little advice and a cup of very strong tea, worked out how to go into Kindle Direct Publishing and upload new copy.  Phew!

I’m new to all of this and it was a bit freaky; I was worried I’d lose my story altogether.    In working through the proofreader’s suggestions/corrections and accepting them etc, I had unwittingly not deleted the associated comments.  I had certainly not thought to scroll through my final copy and check that my copy was clean.  Note to myself – IN CAPS – to do this every time from now on. Perhaps this might be of interest to other new writers and to proofreaders as they coax new writers like myself through this process.

[Janice Marriott]

This shows the importance of NOT hurrying when you write and when you publish.  Always pause  before editing, then pause again before re-reading and re-writing. Pause for the longest time before uploading any work to Amazon ( or anywhere.) You have only the one name and the one reputation.  Always make sure that what you upload is a credit to you and is your very best, most polished, work.

[Mandy Edwards]

I have a re-edited version of Mystery at Dead Man’s Ridge that I still have not managed to get up on Amazon … I made an attempt a while back and panicked half way through. Left it dangling. Must try again. Any tips, Robyn?

[Mandy Edwards]

Just been back to my Amazon publishing site. My ebook is currently Live with ‘unpublished changes.’ I have attempted to unload a new edited version of my book … but when looking through the previewer there are numerous problems including pictures not aligning with their captions and text not aligned properly on some pages. I find this so difficult to fix. I really want the pictures … BUT if I can’t have them, then at least have the text aligning properly. Anyone out there able to help me with this? I am willing to pay someone for their time!!