Why Indies Are Killing Professional Writers

I hate reading.

And that statement is to me as profound as saying I hate breathing. But that is what has happened.

Then...a revelation. 

I hadn’t changed. It was the material. And I came to a conclusion:

Publishing is too easy for some people. 

Writing is hard. Time consuming. Heartrending. Getting published though is not the crucible it once was, that fire through which we must pass to arrive at Author-ville. CreateSpace and quickie e-books are killing us. It is drowning the public in horrible writing and lame storylines.

The authors are too quick to publish and doing so without proper research and grammar. Without studying. Thinking it’s a get-rich-quick scheme.

Our society believes in instant gratification, the need for acknowledgement. Hey, we all have it, thinking that widdle baby is soooo special, that everyone will love it, all 200,000 plus words. Waking dreams of New York Times Bestseller list, talk shows, and movie scripts appear. 





Rejection hurts. Criticism stings. But it is part of the journey. 





Unfortunately, too many want to bypass this most important rite.

This week, it’s about first sentences, first paragraphs. Because Authors/Writers, if you want to gain an audience, you must get this part right. Get it wrong and you might make a few bucks but no one outside of family and close friends will know your name.

An Exercise in Writing Professionally

• Pick a favorite book. 
• Copy or highlight the first two pages. 
• Note the exact moment when it caught your interest. 
• Why? Be specific.

Use this example on your first page.

Later this week, story killers and how to avoid them.

Dear Late-Blooming Writer

I got the idea for this one after many people commented on Dear Young Writer and said they started writing later in life. This one is for all late-blooming writers.

Dear Late-Blooming Writer,

Whether you’re young or old, age doesn’t matter when it comes to chasing a dream. Let me quote C.S. Lewis real quick: “You’re never too old set another goal or dream a new dream.”

Image from Pinterest

There is nothing truer than that statement. No one should ever let their age stop them from doing something they really want to do. If you want to be a writer, don’t second guess yourself. Don’t say you’re too old to begin a new career or, God forbid, that you’re too old to get published. While writing, editing and publishing a book does take time, it is possible to do at any age. There have been authors to get published at eighteen and eighty, and all the ages in between.

So if you want to be a writer, and this revelation is coming to you at an older age, don’t hesitate but march onto that path with your head held high. Don’t let anyone make you feel as though you’re being silly or unrealistic. There is nothing silly about following a dream. And if you think reasonably about your responsibilities, and don’t quit your job on a whim, then you’re not being unrealistic.

Here are a few things to remember:

• It won’t happen overnight.

Writing a book usually takes about a year (less if you’re quick), editing adds on another possible 3-6 months. If you self-publish, you’ll see your book in print sooner, but getting an agent and then a publisher could take years. Don’t let this deter you, though. Be patient!

• It won’t be easy.

Not only does creating a good book take time but effort. Keep that in mind when you struggle, but remember that everything is surmountable.

• It won’t be impossible.

Nothing ever is. People write all the time and a good chuck of them get published, so it’s not unthinkable that you can do it too. Say instead, “I’m possible!”

Image from Pixabay

5 Things You Can Do Now:

1. Take writing courses or workshops to brush up on the rules and techniques you may have forgotten and will need to write your book.

TIP #1: Check your local library for classes.

2. Join a writer’s organization to build connections.

3. Find a critique group in your area to help you perfect your story and brainstorm with other writers.

TIP #2: Run an online search for writing critique groups in your area. Many meet once or twice a month. You may have to travel if you can’t find one close by.

4. Start a blog to build even more useful connections with authors and writers from all over the world.

TIP #3: An easy way to do this is to join the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. We post every first Wednesday of the month and we have a long Linky List.

5. Decide which route you want to take: traditional publishing or self-publishing.

For more advice on what you should do to get published, and so I don’t have to repeat myself, check out: Dear Aspiring Author.

And before I end this, let me say how fabulous late blooming writers are. It takes courage to choose a new journey when you thought you already knew what you wanted to do. I started writing at twelve. My mom started writing in her thirties, but stopped after having kids. Now in her late sixties she is back to writing and pushing for publication. I admire her and everyone like her.

Let’s raise a glass to late blooming writer’s everywhere!

QUESTIONS: If you have a job/career on top of writing, what do you do? If you weren’t a writer or pursing writing, what career would you want?

I would be pursing photography. 

See Also:

Dear Withdrawn Writer

Dear Time-Strapped Writer

Dear Un-inspired Writer

Dear Blocked Writer

Dear Degree-less Writer

Dear Young Writer

Dear Aspiring Author

Dear Confused Facebook Author

Dear Scrambling Writer

Dear Writer Not Writing

Dear Distracted Writer

Writer Dear PMSing Writer

Dear Goal Writer
Dear Debbie-Downer Writer

Author of Hurricane Crimes, 30 Seconds, Ghost of Death, and Witch of Death. Blogger. Reader. Auntie. Vegetarian. Cat Lover.

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'Twas the Night Before the Deadline

I've got a fun post for you today. I'm reblogging this from my blog Write with Fey.

Enjoy!



‘Twas the Night Before the Deadline

By

Chrys Fey

‘Twas the night before the deadline when all through my writing room,

not a pencil was scribbling, not even a pen.

The books were all put away with regret,

while I hoped my writer’s block would soon end.

The notebooks were all stacked neatly on my desk,

with my next creation invisible on their pages.

My cat Rosie and I behind my computer,

had just clonked out after a long writing attempt.         

When out on the road there arose such a commotion,

I rocketed off my swivel chair to see what was occurring.

Away to the front door I ran like a jock,

yanked off the chain and jerked the lock.

The moon on the leaves of the tall palm trees;

gave witness to the blowing wind from sea.

When what to my drowsy green eyes should hover,

but a giant bookcase and eight cherished novels.                

With a beautiful fairy as lively as a lit fuse.

I knew in an instant she must be my muse.

More quick than agents her directions they flew,

And she hummed and sang their titles on cue.

Now MacBeth, now Moby Dick, now Jane Eyre, and Huckleberry Finn.

On David Copperfield, on Frankenstein, on Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde:

To the top of the shelf, to the top of the bestsellers list.

Now inspire, inspire, inspire all writers!

As dry pine needles before the happy parade swayed,

When they met with the writer’s block in my brain,

So up to the rooftop the path they hurried,

with a bookcase full of books and the writing fairy too.

And then in a second I heard in my thoughts,

The whispering and musing of a new story plot.

I was pondering my idea and thinking with all my might,

when the writing fairy materialized before my very eyes.

She was dressed in lace and silk from ears to toes,

And her dress glittered with diamonds and pearls.

A pile of books she held in her hands

and she looked like a goddess with a deep love of literature.

Her eyes how they glowed, her skin was like gold.

Her cheeks were like roses, her nose was elegant.

Her lips were shaped into a kiss,

And the hair on her head was as soft as mist.

The scent of peppermint lingered on her skin,

it circled me and awakened all of my senses.

She had a lovely face and two sparkling wings,

that fluttered when she walked so gracefully.

She was tall and slim, a fabulous imagine,

and I smiled when I saw her in spite of my writing trouble.

A skip of her feet and a twirl of her dress,

soon put my worries to rest.

She hummed as she danced to my writing room,

and laid the books where my cat snoozed.

Then twirling around she shook glitter off her wings

and vanished from her place in front of me.

She popped into her bookcase, to the novels gave a deserved, “Well done!”

And away they flew to spread more writing love.

But I heard her sing as she returned to her realm of creativity:

“Happy imagination to all, may you never stop writing!” ©

Dear Debbie-Downer Writer,

I know a few writers who complain about a lack of readers and sales but then shoot down every marketing strategy. Most of the time it’s because they heard certain techniques have downsides or aren’t as effective as some hoped. Well, I have a few things to say to these authors/writers….

Dear Debbie-Downer Writer,

How do you know you’ll have the same experience as these other authors?

How do you know it won’t produce good results for you?

The truth is, you don’t know.

Don’t let what others say dissuade you from trying something new. Don’t decide it won’t benefit you until you give it a fair shot and look at the results.

Image from QuickMeme.com

1. Blog Tours

A blog tour is the #1 way I know to get the word out about a new book.

Debbie-Downers will say: Blog tours don’t result in sales.

I say: You’ll get some sales, not tons. How many you get depends on whether you target your readers and share unique posts to entice them. The main purpose of a blog tour is to get your name and your book’s title/blurb in front of dozens, even hundreds of people. It’s the best virtual exposure you can get and if you want readers and sales, exposure is what you need.

Debbie-Downers will say: People only congratulate you. They don’t buy your book.

I say: So? Getting “Congrats!” should make you feel good. You can’t expect everyone who comments to buy your book. And not everyone who does give you a nice comment actually reads the type of book you’re promoting. They’re being friendly. You should be happy about that!

Debbie-Downers will say: The same people go to the same blogs. I want to find new readers.

I say: Then you need to find new blogs. Step out of your blogging circle and look for bloggers you’re not acquainted with. Search blog directories and book blog listings. Build a relationship with them and see if they host guests.

Point is, it’s great exposure and you really can find new readers. The most sales I’ve received for a new book came as a result of a blog tour. I actually don’t know any better of a way to connect to potential readers than with a blog tour.

Image from Flickr

2. Free eBooks

A free eBook can be a nice way for new authors to get their eBook into the Kindles of avid readers. It’s also an awesome strategy for authors with a series. By putting a prequel and the first book in a series free for a few days (or even permafree), you are opening the door for many readers to order the next book and become a fan.

Debbie-Downers will say: People only download free eBooks because they’re free, and they don’t read them.

I say: When Hurricane Crimes was free for 5 days, it received over 2,000 downloads. I don’t have 2,000 reviews, but my eBook is in 2,000+ Kindles and that’s awesome! Someday these people may come across it and read it. You never know. Plus, many readers who get free books do want to read them and will.

Debbie-Downers will say: You’ll get a lot of bad reviews because your book isn’t what they’d normally read.

I say: This can happen. And it’s not your fault. It’s the reader’s fault for not reading the blurb and not looking at the genre and page count. I got one bad review from a reader who said she hadn’t realized Hurricane Crimes was a short story. Well, there’s a note at the beginning of the blurb stating it’s a short story. Plus, a page count. I’m not sure if this reader got my story when it was free because the review came over a year later, but that was just one review…and there were over 2,000 downloads.

Point is, if your eBook gets a lot of downloads, it’ll reach the top of Amazon lists. That’s awesome exposure. You may also get sales after your free days end. And although you won’t get a bunch of reviews right away, after some time you may get some, especially if you tell the people you know on social media about your free eBook.

Image from Wikimedia

By eliminating blog tours and free eBooks from your marketing, you’re losing out on many potentially good things. By being a Debbie-downer, you’re only bringing yourself down. And if you don’t take advice and try new strategies then how do you expect to change anything or get anywhere?

So…TRY!

See Also:

Dear Withdrawn Writer

Dear Time-Strapped Writer

Dear Un-inspired Writer

Dear Blocked Writer

Dear Degree-less Writer

Dear Young Writer

Dear Aspiring Author

Dear Confused Facebook Author

Dear Scrambling Writer

Dear Writer Not Writing

Dear Distracted Writer

Writer Dear PMSing Writer

Dear Goal Writer

Author of Hurricane Crimes, 30 Seconds, Ghost of Death, and Witch of Death. Blogger. Reader. Auntie. Vegetarian. Cat Lover.

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Choosing a Reputable Publisher

I've been doing a lot of research regarding small to medium sized publishers. I'm mostly looking for those who accept YA, so if you are an author of adult novels, this list may not benefit you as much. But as always, do your research before submitting to ANY publisher. Each publisher has specific submission requirements and you don't want them to disregard your novel because you didn't take the time to read their guidelines.

Like I said before, I'm a sucker for a great book cover, so one of my requirements when looking for a publisher is to check out their book covers. The cover of your book is the first impression you leave on your reader. How many times have you been in a bookstore and picked up a book simply because of the cover? To me, the cover is a refection of the book itself. So for those of you looking for a publisher who accepts unagented manuscripts, here is a list of my favorites with a sample cover so you can see their work.

1) Month9: This is a very reputable publishing company that specializes in speculative fiction for teens and tweens.

2) Entangled Teen: All submissions must have a strong romantic element.

3) Evernight Teen: "Evernight is seeking fresh teen fiction that is raw, gritty, and real. We want teen romance, coming of age stories, and cutting edge fiction that today's young adults can relate to. The stories should have real issues, a strong emotional punch, and a plot to keep the reader turning the pages."

4) Clean Teen: They are looking for "well-written YA (young adult) or NA (new adult) novels that are between 50,000 and 110,000 words."

5) Bloomsbury Spark: "Bloomsbury Spark is a one-of-a-kind, global, digital imprint from Bloomsbury dedicated to publishing a wide array of exciting fiction eBooks to YA, new adult, and romance readers. We're looking for fun, genre-driven stories with fresh voices and great hooks. We accept upper YA, NA, and Adult Romance submissions."

6) WiDo Publishing:  "We are currently accepting manuscripts for submission and are especially in the market for science fiction and fantasy, memoirs, and mystery/suspense. In nonfiction, we will consider essay collections and imaginative and outstanding memoirs with a strong platform."

7) Cedar Fort Publishing:  "We want to publish uplifting and edifying books that help people recognize what is important in their lives, books people enjoy reading to relax and feel better about themselves, and books to help improve lives."

8) Harper Impulse: A division of Harper Collins. This is a digital first imprint accepting adult and new adult manuscripts in the romance genre.

9) Shadow Mountain:  "In general, Shadow Mountain is interested in fiction and nonfiction suitable for a national market. We publish a limited number of manuscripts in specialized genres such as children’s picture books, family and parenting, and self-help."

10) Bookfish Books: Publishers of middle grade, young adult, and new adult.

11) Scarlet Voyage: "Scarlet Voyage is a young adult fiction imprint dedicated to providing original stories with a strong voice and an independent spirit. From literary to contemporary romance to crime thriller—across all genres—our books embody our passion for authentic and compelling stories that reflect and explore the lives of young adults. Our mission is to create books that take readers on a voyage and will leave them burning for more."

Obviously, this is not an all inclusive list. Publishers Archive has a complete list of publishers so be sure to check out their website HERE. Hope this helps you find the right publisher for you!

Choosing an Unforgettable Book Cover

I'm a sucker for a great book cover. In fact, I've spent hours researching different designers who provide both premade book covers and custom book covers. And lucky for you, I've decided to share what I've found! So here are some great websites that provide some unforgettable book covers.

1) The Book Cover Designer—They have one of the largest selection of book cover designs online with several different designers displayed on their website. You can choose from premade covers starting at $30 as well as custom book covers for a higher price. Here are a couple of my favorite premade covers from their site.

2) Damonza—Designers of eBook and print covers. They are a little bit pricier but their covers are incredibly professional looking. Here's a sample of some of their covers found in their portfolio.

3) eBook Launch: This website has a Premade Gallery for $99, a Dynamic Gallery for $249, and a Premium Gallery for $379.

4) Paper & Sage Design: This online book designer features book covers, bookmarks, business cards, web badges, and more. They also have premade designs for a reasonable price. Here are a couple of my favorites.

5) Creative Paramita: This designer has both premade and custom covers with premade ones running from $40 to $130. 

6) Najla Qamber Designs: I absolutely LOVE Najla Qamber Designs. I've seen some of the custom covers they've done for a friend of mine and they are gorgeous! I love that they have premade covers but you can also work with Najla to create a cover that will directly reflect your novel. 

Obviously, there are many, many more book cover designers out there, but hopefully this gives you a starting point. If you have a book cover designer you love, please share in the comments—we'd love to add to our list! Happy hunting! And Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Choosing an Unforgettable Book Title

One might think that choosing a title for a book is easy, comes naturally. And maybe that's true for some people, but for me? Not so much.

I'd say a novel goes through several different titles before I settle on one. There's the title I come up with off the top of my head so I can save my latest manuscript and not call it "Book 1." Then there's the title I extract from my beta readers or critique partners when they're finished reading my novel. Then there's the "moment of inspiration" title that eventually becomes THE title that I query the book with.

Are you like me, or do you find coming up with a title an easy thing to do?

Guess what, guys? THERE'S AN EASIER WAY TO DO THIS!

I recently read THIS post by Pub Crawl that has changed the way I choose a title for a novel. And not just any title, but a beautiful title you can be proud of. And the crazy thing, is that it WORKS! So, to give you some highlights in my own words, here are some tips to choosing an unforgettable title:

1) The Eyes Have It: Chances are your manuscript is riddled with amazing titles and you don't even realize it yet. Have a beta reader or friend comb through your manuscript and pick out favorite phrases. Your own beautiful writing may contain that perfect title you're looking for!


2) Phrase It: Come up with different phrases you might use to describe your novel. If you're writing a middle grade novel about a pirate ship, your phrases might look something like this:

A Boy and His Ship
Pirates at Midnight
A Pirate's Journey
A Pirate's Life for Me
Journey of the Neverland Pirates
The Ghost Ship's Lost Treasure

*I'm sure you can come up with something better! :)


3) Word Game: Make a list of words that describe your novel. Is it a fun, flirty novel that takes place in the summertime? Your list may look a little like this:

Summer
Fun
Flirting
Kisses
Sun
Tan
Sun-kissed
Lazy
Beach
Pool
Days
Happy

From this list, you can combine words:

Summer Kisses
Flirting with Summer
Sun-kissed Beaches
100 Days of Summer
Under the Summer Sun
The Happiest Days of Summer
The Summer of You (ooh, I LIKE that one! I may have to save it for a future book title! I call dibs.) :)

Who knows, you may just have a title in there somewhere! :)


4) The Beauty of Poetry: Sometimes the most beautiful titles can be found amongst lines of poetry. If you're writing a book and stars play a major role, try doing a Google search for poems about stars. Or maybe you're writing a YA contemporary romance and need something about love. Check out poems about love or the heart.


5) More Than Music: Be sure to check out titles of songs too. Your favorite band may just have the perfect song title that would translate well to some or all of your book title.


6) Research It: Now that you've chosen your title, it would be wise to do a Google search and make sure there aren't too many other works out there with the same title. You certainly want your work to stand out, so chances are, if a best-selling novel with that title already exists or the market is flooded with other works with similar titles, then you may want to think about choosing a different one. The last thing you want is someone to look up your book and then end up buying someone else's instead.

Hope this helps you the next time you're faced with choosing an unforgettable book title! Good luck!

The hardest questions

Finally, there’s these, which will really make you (and me!) think:

1. Can we create a situation where our character is unprepared? In over his head?
2. In the beginning, what distinguishes this character from other people?
3. What external situation will require the protagonist's participation throughout the course of the book? 
4. What is the character's goal for the time the book covers?
5. How does this connect with the external situation? Or does the external situation divert the character from his goal? Why does the protagonist SAY he/she wants the goal? Is there a deeper motivation as yet unknown to him/her?
6. What do you want to happen at the end of the book?
7. What will have to happen to the protagonist against his will to make your ending come about?

My answers:

1. I'm sure I can but I haven't yet.
2. There is something, but I'm going to keep that to myself for now.
3. The murder investigation.
4. Solving the murder - but there may be some other goals that arise over the course of the book.
5. There is a deeper motivation behind the reason Beck wants to solve the case but again, I'm going to hold that back.
6. Ditto.
7. Here's another hard question I don't have the answer to. Then again, does something HAVE to happen? Ooh, wait...I think I just thought of something!!! See? Isn't this fun?

Okay. Your turn now, though I'll understand if you don't want to give full answers to some of these questions! I also hope this was helpful and if anyone wants my full list of character development questions et al, email me (marcy@tidewater.net) and I'll be happy to share :)

The harder questions

 As promised, I’ve got more questions to make you think about what you’re writing. This is all stuff I found elsewhere, either in books, on people’s blogs, or websites. They all make me think about what exactly I’m writing, and who my characters are. But, some of them are hard…

 

 

1. How is this character viewed by others?
2. What does he/she care most about in this world?
3. Ways to annoy this person?
4. Pets?
5. Contradictions?
6. How would this character describe himself?
7. Morality level?

 

My answers:

 

1. They respect him but no one likes working with him; he makes them uncomfortable
2. His sister and his niece first, then his job - although sometimes the latter takes precedence over the former.
3. Lie.
4. He has a cat named Oscar that mostly lives outside.
5. Ah, now here's a hard one. I'm going to have to think about this one.
6. That depends on who he was talking to. If he was talking to someone else he would highlight the positive aspects of his life: he likes his job and he's very good at it, but the truth is there's a lot of sorrow in Beck's life he hasn't gotten over - yet.
7. Beck is basically an honest person, if he were a D&D character his alignment would be lawfully good.

Now it's your turn...

Let's talk about characters

A while back I shared with you all some questions I ask about my characters in order to bring them more fully to life. You can read that post here along with my answers about one of my characters. It was a fun exercise and I thought we’d try it again.

In the comments, tell us what you’re working on:

1. Working Title if it has one
2. Genre
3. Intended Age group
4. The main character, or if multiple, the one you thought of first. Tell us something about him/her in one short paragraph.
5. Current word count
6. Where are your characters right now? What are they doing?
7. Do you know how it all ends?
8. Plotter? Pantser? Somewhere in between?

My Answers:

1. Bell, Black, & Briar
2. Fantasy
3. Adult
4. Inspector Ian Beck, who works for the Arcane Crime Unit, or ACU for short.
5. 10K
6. Inspector Beck just arrived home after a long day, having been assigned the case of Lena Errett, Tarot Reader Extraordinaire, who was stabbed multiple times and found in Gravesend Cemetery.
7. Yes, although interestingly, I first thought the end was the beginning.
8. I've done a bit more plotting with this project. I've also deviated from the original outline while still including all the original information.

I look forward to seeing your answers in the comments and I'll be back on Wednesday with some new and harder questions :)