Writing retreat with Courtney C. Stevens & mini interview

   Hey guys!
   I'm calling out to all the writers! The wonderful Courtney C. Stevens, author of Faking Normal and The Lies about the Truth (Out November 3rd) has reached out to me and a bunch of other bloggers to raise your attention toward a writers retreat she is holding. She

wrote a wonderful post about it, which you guys should most definitely check out, over on her blog which made me really want to go, but as non US resident that's a bit tricky which is why I'm telling you guys about. I'm sure there are others like me out there, aspiring authors who could benefit from attending such a retreat. The MadCap Retreat will also be featuring guest writers such as Victoria Schwab (Vicious, A Darker Shade of Magic and many more), Tessa Gratton, and Natalie C. Parker. How much better can it get?

   Head on over to the MadCap Retreat website and have a look around. If you're worried about financing there is an amazing opportunity waiting for you! Help us spread the word about the retreat and then enter this contest (which runs from June 15th-June 20th) to win a $300 coupon for the retreat! There are three of them in total which is amazing. There are also a couple other awesome prizes up for grabs as well! Check it out:

   1- 50 page manuscript critique by Courtney C. Stevens
   3- signed copies of Faking Normal (U.S./Canada Only)
   1- ARC of The Lies About Truth (U.S./Canada Only)
   5 - electronic copies of The Blue Haired Boy

   Furthermore, Courtney has taken a bit of her time to answer three writer and marketing related questions for you guys. Isn't she amazing?

   1) What do you think is the most important part in the process of creating a story?
   In my opinion, the idea itself. It must be worth pursuing. Good writing and great characters cannot rescue a bad idea. The idea is the lid of the whole project and every other part of the story exists beneath it.

   2) What tip could you give others who might be facing a dry season, so to speak, during their writing process? Taking a break or pushing through? Something entirely different?
   I have several pieces of advice for this, because a dry season isn't one-size-fits-all.
   a) Check your story intake. Are you seeing art? Watching great t.v.? Reading amazing books. Eavesdropping on conversations at the mall? I firmly believe that output relies on intake. The creative well isn't spring fed; it's transported one bucket at a time.
   b) Change the instrument. If you write on a computer, pick up a notebook. If you write on Microsoft Word, download Scrivener. If you write with a notebook, try a laptop. If you usually write in a nook in your house, take your phone and transcribe story into the notes section. I've found that change is the reset button for me.
   c) Take a life analysis. Sometimes a writing problem isn't a writing problem; it's a life problem. I find that I often put down in words something I'm struggling with, and then I get stuck in my writing, because I'm actually stuck in my life. I don't know how to write the end, because I haven't lived it yet. So I advise doing a quick evaluation to see where the actual problem lies.

   3) What are the key elements of a good book marketing campaign? Is there something like a secret recipe or does it all depend and vary from book to book?
   The key element of any great marketing campaign is making champions of either your work or yourself, and I advise the latter.
   There is no secret recipe. The closest thing I've discovered is adopting this mantra: no one is more invest in selling my book than me. What will I do today to make that happen?

   This is an amazing opportunity for all writers out there so take a chance who knows, you might win more then just a coupon but loads of wonderful insights from amazing authors. And, while you're at it, don't forget to check out Courtney's books. I've read Faking Normal last year and adored it.