Australian Women Writers Challenge discussion

Don't forget to enter your review link in the Linky at:

http://www.australianwomenwriters.com...

Need help? View this tutorial https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6iQ...

Browse the links to find some great recommendations as well

I did the first one wrong Shelleyrae, but figured it out for the second!

Brenda I fixed your first entry. You have a third one there now, don't you? (Bella Streeet Myster) But it's again showing as "Brenda" rath than Title by Author (Rev by Brenda). It's. pity Mr Linky's boxes can't be customised! If you'd like to reenter, I can delete the old one for you.

I wondered how the titles of the books got there Elizabeth....do I put the title where my name is? Thanks for doing that..you must have fixed the second one too...the first was linked to my thread here instead of the actual review. You can fix the Bella St mystery if you like...if you could just tell me if the title goes in the name section, I'll be set for next time. Sorry (it doesn't seem clear to the poor uninitiated;p )

Yes, Put all the "title, author and reviewed by" information where it asks for your name. Glad I can return some help for all yours here at GoodReads! :)

Thanks Elizabeth, I'll try next time;D And you're very welcome:)

I think I posted by review in the 'completed' section on the page o_O... I am being such a noob with this challenge. And I can't comment on the website page as I don't seem to have an account that it will accept as profile.

So just to let you know I have read and reviewed by first book :)

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

thanks for reviewing that one Kate, I'm going to add it to my list for the challenge too

Kate wrote: "I think I posted by review in the 'completed' section on the page o_O... I am being such a noob with this challenge. And I can't comment on the website page as I don't seem to have an account that..."

Don't worry. Mr Linky is temperamental and sometimes doubles up on the entries (just check before pressing enter). I deleted the extra link. You'll get the hang of it.

Thank you so much for fixing this on a Sunday afternoon- I felt my foolishness was there for the whole interwebs to see :)

I'll definately keep practicing!

I'm still confused about how to put up links to my reviews. The first one seemed to appear magically - no idea how I did it! So now I can't work out how to put up my second review. Help please!!!
thanks, Maree

Maree, go to the 2nd Linky box, type the name of the book, the author, genre (if you know it), and (rev by Maree) on the top line. Then in the line underneath, paste the link from your review, which you have copied from when you posted it. Hope that helps...it took me awhile to figure it out! (I had help too!)

I'm not getting any traffic to my review. 6 views on the first day and then all is quiet. It's a shame because I think a lot of people would enjoy the book. So we have to read the reviews as well as write them.

Phillipa wrote: "I'm not getting any traffic to my review. 6 views on the first day and then all is quiet. It's a shame because I think a lot of people would enjoy the book. So we have to read the reviews as well a..."

Hence the message I sent Phillipa - I have commented on every review linked so far (except on one blog that won't let me comment) and usually my comment is the only one.

I strongly encourage all participants to visit a few links each day and leave a comment. It makes the challenge interactive and fun.

Blog etiquette also encourages you to return visits to those bloggers that have commented on yours.

Have just added my first link - this year, to reduce my stress levels, I am not writing huge reviews - I am just doing a quick summery of the books I read each week

@Maree That magic was probably me, fixing up the links and giving people an idea of the format.

@Phillipa, I haven't managed to get round to many of the reviews yet, but I did notice that you put a link to your website in the 2nd Mr Linky box, rather than to your actual review: http://www.phillipafioretti.com.au/?p...

Apart from sharing on the AWW Facebook page, another thing that would make it easy to spread the word would be if people on Twitter could ping @auswomenwriters with the link to their reviews. This would make it easy to retweet.

Last week I also suggested a "Read a review" Wednesday which we could try to do each week. Anyone think that's a good idea? If a few did it, wee might create a buzz.

By the way, did you all see the article in the online Sydney Morning Herald and The Age about literary sexism?

I'm not going to commit to doing any particular thing on any particular day this year as my work schedule and home life is a bit crazy at present. But this morning I wrote a quick post linking to the reviews/posts that have caught my eye during the first couple of weeks of the challenge and I will aim to do this every couple of weeks - or whenever I can Dabbling in writing by Australian Women #1

Oh and I will reiterate Elizabeth's excellent point - when linking to your review at the AWW Mr Linky page you need to link to your actual review post not just your home page - at least you do if you want me to read our post as I' afraid I don't go looking if I just hit your home page

Sorry about that - not putting the right link up that is - my oversight as usual. Can that be fixed?

I think it's a good idea to have a day for reading reviews and leaving comments. I'm always on the lookout for good books to read so getting around the reviews is a good way of finding something I want.

I'm not on Twitter anymore but I have linked the review to FB

Phillipa wrote: "Sorry about that - not putting the right link up that is - my oversight as usual. Can that be fixed?"

Hi Phillipa and others, It's no trouble to correct mistakes.

If you've entered something by a mistake, just re-enter it correctly. That way, all I have to do is delete the mistaken one, not re-enter everything manually.

I've been busy reading and writing a review on Geraldine Brooks' Caleb's Crossing, so I'm behind with tidying things up on the website, but I'll get there!! :)

Bernadette wrote: "I'm not going to commit to doing any particular thing on any particular day this year as my work schedule and home life is a bit crazy at present. But this morning I wrote a quick post linking to t..."

A great idea Bernadette

Elizabeth, do you have a link for your review? I looked in your challenge section, and couldn't see it...Would love to hear your thoughts, as I've been wondering about this one for awhile.

Brenda wrote: "Elizabeth, do you have a link for your review? I looked in your challenge section, and couldn't see it...Would love to hear your thoughts, as I've been wondering about this one for awhile."

Hi Brenda - Would love to compare notes. Just finished and posted it to my review site: Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

Went to your link on the AWW site, and when I clicked on 'Calebs Crossing' I got 'ReviewInk'..is that right?

No! Thanks for alerting me. I've been tidying up the mistaken links... :) But the link above should work. :)

Thanks:)

Oops, i accidently posted a review in the 'completed' section. I've copied it over to the 'reviewed' section too. Can someone delete it from the completed section please??

The review is "asenath by anna patricio"

Jayne wrote: "Oops, i accidently posted a review in the 'completed' section. I've copied it over to the 'reviewed' section too. Can someone delete it from the completed section please??

The review is "asenath b..."

No problem, Jayne.

Elizabeth wrote: "Jayne wrote: "Oops, i accidently posted a review in the 'completed' section. I've copied it over to the 'reviewed' section too. Can someone delete it from the completed section please??

The review..."

Thanks!

Sorry Elizabeth, are you able to delete post #95 from the reviewed section. I posted my review for Little People by Jane Sullivan twice. Thankyou

Mish wrote: "Sorry Elizabeth, are you able to delete post #95 from the reviewed section. I posted my review for Little People by Jane Sullivan twice. Thankyou"

Done! I'm hoping to get around to reading some reviews for AWW Wednesday (when participants are encourage to read & comment on other participants' reviews).

I have just returned from a week away where I read no less than 5 books by Aussie Women Writers
Boomerang Bride: Fiona Lowe
Introducing the Honourable Phryne Fisher (the first 3 Phryne books) Kerry Greenwood
Bride by Mistake: Anne Gracie
The Forgotten Garden: Kate Morton

Also started: The HOuse of Women by Anne Whitfield/Brear

For my reviews go to http://alisonstuart.blogspot.com/2012...

Great Alison!

Alison wrote: "I have just returned from a week away where I read no less than 5 books by Aussie Women Writers
Boomerang Bride: Fiona Lowe
Introducing the Honourable Phryne Fisher (the first 3 Phryne books) Kerr..."

Great to see your reviews bundled in one post, Alison. You describe what to me would be a perfect holiday! Wonderful that your dh enjoyed Anne Gracie's book, too. February is "Laugh" month for #nyr12 (National Year of Reading). Sounds like Anne's book is a contender.

My local library is offering gift book-packs for people who contribute 600-word reviews according to the #nyr12 theme. Readers in the Mist. How long are your reviews?

Boomerang Bride
Cocaine Blues
Flying Too High
Murder on the Ballarat Train
Bride by Mistake
The Forgotten Garden
The House of Women

Just so everyone can check the books out Alison:)

Thanks for doing that, Brenda. My reviews are only short!

I'm not sure Anne's book is intentionally funny (in fact the theme of war and redemption is quite black) but she writes with a lightness of tone and injects enough humour to stop the reader being bogged down by the dark side!

While I'm here I am pleased to announce my next book GATHER THE BONES (NOT an English Civil War story)will be published by Lyrical Press in August. Set in 1923 against a background of the Great War, paralled by a story line with its roots in the Napoleonic Wars, it encompasses mystery, history, romance and ghosts! (or as I have been known to describe it...Downton Abbey with ghosts).

Regards
Alison Stuart
www.alisonstuart.com

Cheers
Alison
www.alisonstuart.com

You're welcome Alison:) Your new book sounds exciting! Make sure you let everyone know when it comes out:)

Alison, if you do write a longer review on a book other than a historical, would you consider it for the AWW blog to be scheduled some time in the week(s) leading up to your book release?

I'll be publishing the first guest-author review on the blog by Katherine Howell this week. Her book Silent Fear is out on Wednesday.

Silent Fear sounds awesome Elizabeth...I've added it to my TBR list:)

Just wrote a (brief) review of PM Newton's The Old School: here.

Shelleyrae wrote: "Don't forget to enter your review link in the Linky at:

http://www.australianwomenwriters.com...

Browse the links to find some great recommendat..."

Hi Shelleyrae,
I'm floundering through trying to start off my link to The Australian Womens Writers Challenge! Went to the website to sign up first, finally worked it out, or thought I did! Now, I click on my name and it just comes up with an advertisement.....weird! Can't work it out to delete it either. Do you have to have a blog for this? Have not got as far as putting a reveiw in yet! Any help would be much appreciated!

Hi Pandora,
You entered your web address without the . between www.myspace so it is being hijacked. I will notify Elizabeth to fix it.

I just put together a step by step tutorial on how to use the linky. View it here and hopefully it will help!
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6iQ...

Woops! Those pesky .'s....get me all the time!!!
Thanks for that Shelleyrae!

Pandora wrote:"I'm floundering through trying to start off my link to The Australian Womens Writers Challenge"

Hi Pandora

I deleted that link, but I'm not sure I put the right link in. Did you want it to go to your GoodReads profile?

Yes, I've decided against starting a blog for this....I think it would be easier for me. How do I do that....It takes me a few times to understand all this computer stuff!
Thanks Elizabeth!

You're welcome!

How I did it: I went to your profile page and cut and pasted the URL: www.goodreads.com/user/show/4096583-pandora into the Mr Linky box.

When you write a review here on GoodReads, you can do the same: cut & paste the link and enter it into the 2nd Mr Linky box. You'll get it next time, I'm sure, and if you don't I can fix it - just let me know! (Are you on Twitter, by the way? I get confused with everyone's different handles.)

Yes, thanks, Elizabeth! The Penny's dropped! I'm sure I will be able to do it next time! (Yes, I'm on Twitter....but haven't been there for a while...too many websites to keep up!!)

Great, it took me a while, too, so I know what it's like.

I think I entered everything wrong on the Aussie Readers challenge page when I first learned about challenges late last year. But that's where I got the idea of using Mr Linky for this challenge, so it was a learning step - not a mistake!

Same went for progress here, with very patient old hands such as Brenda to encourage me along. Now it's - almost - easy, though I think I miss out on half the threads still - I keep discovering old posts from people that I haven't see before. :)

Elizabeth, you are doing extremely well with it all now:) (And I had to learn too when I first joined!)