A couple of random thoughts:

Something I've noticed of late, well more NOT noticed of late to be truthful? Advertising banners. Certainly when using my Facebook homepage or reading the 'wall' I have become oblivious to the flashing banners. OK, so apart from the fact that I apparently won't be seeing your ads if you use FB, it appears that the actual value of those ad's is questionable as an avenue to market. It's not just Facebook, it's pop up's, the surveys etc. This would indicate a shift in the marketing dynamics, it's like on-line adverts are so yesterday. Now, if someone could just tell me what will be the new marketing medium of tomorrow I'd be very happy.

There are a few Facebook sites that I am a member of from which I receive e-mail alerts when people post. My problem is that I am getting bored of individuals seriously over posting, announcing free downloads of the same book, over and over again. (Gary Starta!) Remembering I have an interest in  these sites and even I am at that point where I am cancelling memberships. If I feel like that imagine how those with only a passing interest must feel - again bringing onto question the value of such overkill. Obviously there are some organisations that charge for their services as 'Social Media Advertising Specialist', but all they do is cluster bomb FB sites that have the remotest Author/reader link. Again I would suggest that the value of such marketing campaigns should be considered before parting with your hard earned cash.

On a completely different thought process, I've started compiling  'Character Dossiers' to help me with character development. The funny thing is that I can almost hear someone saying "well that's what you're supposed to do ya Muppet". I can see the logic in that now but when I was writing Russian Redemption everything just flowed. That said, maybe that is why the character depth was picked up by far more learned people as a flaw. So anyway, onto these 'dossiers'; I've searched the net and there are lots of examples out there, but I just took a few ideas and built my own. I've also had to compile 'building dossiers', particularly the hospital and the Kremlin, just to ensure continuity should I require either building in a future book. Now I am convinced a few of you will be shaking your heads - how obvious can it be?! 

This being an 'informative' blogpost I'd just like to suggest that using these dossiers to develop characters can be very useful, or at the very least are great as a point of reference, good for continuity. From the off I have always vowed to be honest about my writing/Author development, hopefully others can learn from my mistakes - and this was just another one.

I've also decided to push back Russian Redemption2. Thirty thousand words into it, and based on the advice received, I am revisiting most of those thirty thousand words. I suspect that this could be fun. I think that very phrase encapsulates where my head is; a willingness to take criticism, a thirst for knowledge and a want to do the very best for my books (and ultimately any readers).