Yesterday, a writer I follow on Twitter and here on Blogger released his first book: Heaven Can Wait by R. J. Davnall. I did what I could with a Facebook share and a retweet, but it occurred to me that it would be nice to have a place to go where I could read about all new indie releases.
So I went to my BFF, Google, and I asked it where I could find a list or schedule of new indie releases. I found Release Notes, but that wasn't exactly what I was looking for. (It's a good blog and I promptly started following it, though.) Goodreads has a self-promotion thread, but, again, not exactly what I was looking for. There's the Indie Book Collective. That looks like a great blog, too. I knew about the .99 Cent Network (which reminds me that I need to sign up; I knew I was forgetting something). I looked through several pages of results from Google, and I did not find what I wanted.
What I want is something like this: New Book Release Dates. Something like this in list form or this would also do, but indie (self-published and small publishers) books only. Nothing fancy. Just a cover image, title, author, summary, price, and link(s) to where the book is for sale.
So I created a new email address at indiereleaseparty@yahoo.com and I created a new blog and I put the initial feeler out on Twitter last night. I didn't receive much of a response, to be honest, but I don't think that means this is a failure. I want to give it a little more time.
In order for this to work, though, I need indie authors to submit their information. Like short press releases, I guess. You can email the address above, DM me on Twitter with a link to your book or webpage about the book, or leave a comment here or in last night's Plug Your Book post.
I think this could be really useful. If nothing else, it could be one more promo tool for indie authors, and, let's face it, we need all the help we can get.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Plug Your Book
That's it. That's the whole point of this post. I want you to leave a comment plugging your book. Give me the title, tell me what it's about, and link me to where you have it for sale.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
SitRep Saturday: The Cowboy Next Door, Interviews, and Other Projects
I am here to admit, sheepishly, that I have only edited the first two chapters and the first page of the third chapter of Cowboy. I hit kind of a slump this week. I did, however, start work on the "bonus" chapter. It's not part of the story, but I thought the characters deserved some fun.
Greta van der Rol has agreed to be interviewed for From the Writer's Desk very soon. I am very, very excited about this. I've had The Iron Admiral: Conspiracy on my to-read list for several weeks. I just started it last night and I am not disappointed. I love science fiction.
A friend of mine who is part of Marginalia Studios has also agreed to be interviewed. I'm stoked about this, too, because I've been wanting to feature her since the blog was new. She's a fantastic artist.
Yesterday's post on why self-publishing isn't career suicide got me thinking about the guide to self-publishing I've been wanting to work on. September may be the month for that.
Greta van der Rol has agreed to be interviewed for From the Writer's Desk very soon. I am very, very excited about this. I've had The Iron Admiral: Conspiracy on my to-read list for several weeks. I just started it last night and I am not disappointed. I love science fiction.
A friend of mine who is part of Marginalia Studios has also agreed to be interviewed. I'm stoked about this, too, because I've been wanting to feature her since the blog was new. She's a fantastic artist.
Yesterday's post on why self-publishing isn't career suicide got me thinking about the guide to self-publishing I've been wanting to work on. September may be the month for that.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Self-Publishing Isn't Career Suicide
When I offered a coupon code for Cass Gets Her Kicks on a local website used most often by military spouses, one person downloaded the book--and one person sent me an email that said no publisher was going to take me seriously now that I've self-published. I didn't respond privately to the email because I didn't see the point (I won't change her mind, regardless of the evidence) but it did make me think. I'm willing to bet that there are writers out there who want to self-publish but are unsure. I bet they think the same thing: that by self-publishing, traditional publishers won't take them seriously. They probably think that self-publishing means you've achieved less and they aren't sure they're willing to settle for less.
I don't think self-publishing is career suicide. I don't think it's right for everyone, but I don't think it's the worst idea, even if you haven't submitted manuscripts to a traditional publisher.
Self-publishing has been around since the invention of the printing press. Apparently, most publications in the early days were self-published. When most people hear "self-published" they assume that it means "vanity press." Sometimes, this is true; vanity presses still operate and you have to watch it if you go that route. The self-publishing I'm talking about is a growing industry. It's digital. It's print-on-demand. It's cheap. It's easy.
I think that self-publishing gets a bad rap for those last two things.
You can self-publish with no start-up cost even if you have no talent and no skill. I plan to do a post or a series of posts on this in the future, so I'll give you a brief overview. You don't have to pay for word processing software because there's a great free one. You don't have to pay for a website because you can use Blogger or WordPress or any other desktop publishing site. You don't have to pay for a cover photo because you can use free royalty-free stock photos. You don't have to pay for the photo editing software because there's a decent free alternative to PhotoShop, or you can use a free online book cover designer. You don't have to pay for an editor--a copyeditor or a content editor--because there's no real vetting process. The next person to read your work is the consumer, not a gatekeeper.
Because all of this is possible, work that would make it to the slush pile makes it out into the world. Writers who don't spell-check or edit make us all look bad. Recently, I've read a number of posts--on Twitter, in blogs, and on message boards--by people claiming they'll never try another self-published book again because they've been burned. I can't blame them. It makes me sad, but I honestly do not blame them. It doesn't matter if they only lost $0.99. That was their hard-earned money and they were hoping for some decent entertainment. Probably they even wanted to support the independent arts. And what did they get? Something that was less readable than a message board post. It isn't fair to the consumer and it isn't fair to other self-published authors.
So I understand that people are wary of self-publishing. There's a lot that can go very, very wrong. But it doesn't have to go wrong.
Back in March, I bought Amanda Hocking's Hollowland. I had no idea it was self-published. I only learned that when I did some Google searching on her to find out what else she had written (I was looking for more zombie books). Suddenly, the book seemed that much more impressive to me. Her cover design, her summary, her whole book was so professional. Sure, there were some minor errors, but so what? I've read traditionally-published books that had more errors. I did a little more research on her and read about her success. Copies sold. Revenue earned. Her deal with a traditional publisher.
Yep. Amanda Hocking got a deal with a traditional publisher. Self-publishing didn't kill her career.
She isn't the only one. John Locke did the same thing. Understand that these two authors represent the extreme success the rest of us only dream of. They were wildly successful on their own, and traditional publishers sat up and took notice.
Successful self-published authors develop a fan base. They sell. This is attractive to publishers. Self-publishing is a lot of work, but it's only slightly more work than traditional publishing.
You still have to write your very best work. It doesn't matter if you send your manuscript off to an agent, a publisher, or your grandmother. If you have any respect for yourself as a writer or your audience, you'll do your best. Writing is hard (I believe I've discussed this before) and writing well is even harder. Then, even if you get that book deal, you still have changes to make. (Or not, I guess.) And if you think your publisher will do all of your book promotion, you are mistaken.
What appealed to me the most about self-publishing was the complete control. I, as the writer, have total control over my work. I decide what to write. I decide how to edit it. I decide what the book cover looks like. I decide when it gets released. I succeed or fail by my own hand. I'm not at the mercy of anyone but the consumer. That was something I could live with. That is something I can live with.
Authors like Amanda Hocking and John Locke have proven that it is possible to succeed at self-publishing and land traditional publishing deals in the process. Even if you aren't as wildly successful as either of them, it's still possible to make a living as a self-published ebook author.
Just don't slack.
I don't think self-publishing is career suicide. I don't think it's right for everyone, but I don't think it's the worst idea, even if you haven't submitted manuscripts to a traditional publisher.
Self-publishing has been around since the invention of the printing press. Apparently, most publications in the early days were self-published. When most people hear "self-published" they assume that it means "vanity press." Sometimes, this is true; vanity presses still operate and you have to watch it if you go that route. The self-publishing I'm talking about is a growing industry. It's digital. It's print-on-demand. It's cheap. It's easy.
I think that self-publishing gets a bad rap for those last two things.
You can self-publish with no start-up cost even if you have no talent and no skill. I plan to do a post or a series of posts on this in the future, so I'll give you a brief overview. You don't have to pay for word processing software because there's a great free one. You don't have to pay for a website because you can use Blogger or WordPress or any other desktop publishing site. You don't have to pay for a cover photo because you can use free royalty-free stock photos. You don't have to pay for the photo editing software because there's a decent free alternative to PhotoShop, or you can use a free online book cover designer. You don't have to pay for an editor--a copyeditor or a content editor--because there's no real vetting process. The next person to read your work is the consumer, not a gatekeeper.
Because all of this is possible, work that would make it to the slush pile makes it out into the world. Writers who don't spell-check or edit make us all look bad. Recently, I've read a number of posts--on Twitter, in blogs, and on message boards--by people claiming they'll never try another self-published book again because they've been burned. I can't blame them. It makes me sad, but I honestly do not blame them. It doesn't matter if they only lost $0.99. That was their hard-earned money and they were hoping for some decent entertainment. Probably they even wanted to support the independent arts. And what did they get? Something that was less readable than a message board post. It isn't fair to the consumer and it isn't fair to other self-published authors.
So I understand that people are wary of self-publishing. There's a lot that can go very, very wrong. But it doesn't have to go wrong.
Back in March, I bought Amanda Hocking's Hollowland. I had no idea it was self-published. I only learned that when I did some Google searching on her to find out what else she had written (I was looking for more zombie books). Suddenly, the book seemed that much more impressive to me. Her cover design, her summary, her whole book was so professional. Sure, there were some minor errors, but so what? I've read traditionally-published books that had more errors. I did a little more research on her and read about her success. Copies sold. Revenue earned. Her deal with a traditional publisher.
Yep. Amanda Hocking got a deal with a traditional publisher. Self-publishing didn't kill her career.
She isn't the only one. John Locke did the same thing. Understand that these two authors represent the extreme success the rest of us only dream of. They were wildly successful on their own, and traditional publishers sat up and took notice.
Successful self-published authors develop a fan base. They sell. This is attractive to publishers. Self-publishing is a lot of work, but it's only slightly more work than traditional publishing.
You still have to write your very best work. It doesn't matter if you send your manuscript off to an agent, a publisher, or your grandmother. If you have any respect for yourself as a writer or your audience, you'll do your best. Writing is hard (I believe I've discussed this before) and writing well is even harder. Then, even if you get that book deal, you still have changes to make. (Or not, I guess.) And if you think your publisher will do all of your book promotion, you are mistaken.
What appealed to me the most about self-publishing was the complete control. I, as the writer, have total control over my work. I decide what to write. I decide how to edit it. I decide what the book cover looks like. I decide when it gets released. I succeed or fail by my own hand. I'm not at the mercy of anyone but the consumer. That was something I could live with. That is something I can live with.
Authors like Amanda Hocking and John Locke have proven that it is possible to succeed at self-publishing and land traditional publishing deals in the process. Even if you aren't as wildly successful as either of them, it's still possible to make a living as a self-published ebook author.
Just don't slack.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Book Review: Anathema (Cloud Prophet Trilogy: Book One) by Megg Jensen
Anathema by Megg Jensen is a prime example of what a good book cover can do for your sales. I bought this book purely on impulse because I liked the cover. It didn't matter to me (because it didn't occur to me, the cover really did that) that I have enjoyed only a handful of YA fantasy novels and almost all of them were written by Madeleine L'Engle. I wanted to read this book.
It wasn't bad. I was really interested in the Malborn/Serenian struggle, and I kind of hope that she has plans to write the initial Malborn takeover, because I'd really like to read that. Reychel, the main character, was quite compelling; I just do not like her name at all. (In all fairness, I just came off of several months examining baby names, so "unique" spellings make me cringe. It's a personal issue, not a book issue. Her name actually makes sense in light of some revelations at the end.) She's a good girl with a good heart. Her "gift" is pretty awesome, and her ignorance was, I thought, sensible. I feel like Ms. Jensen wrote a pretty solid character. Reychel made sense to me. The way she thought and felt about her position, the way she went about learning new things, and her transformation in the end seemed plausible.
There were so many twists at the end I felt like my head was spinning, but it was a good kind of spinning. It made me curious about the second book, which I think is the point of a well-done first book ending. The little love triangle even appealed to my inner teen girl.
I think my favorite thing, though, was the villain. I'm not going to give it away, but I really, really liked that particular twist.
If you're the sort of person who reads and likes young adult fantasy, this book is worth checking out. I'm really glad I read it.
It wasn't bad. I was really interested in the Malborn/Serenian struggle, and I kind of hope that she has plans to write the initial Malborn takeover, because I'd really like to read that. Reychel, the main character, was quite compelling; I just do not like her name at all. (In all fairness, I just came off of several months examining baby names, so "unique" spellings make me cringe. It's a personal issue, not a book issue. Her name actually makes sense in light of some revelations at the end.) She's a good girl with a good heart. Her "gift" is pretty awesome, and her ignorance was, I thought, sensible. I feel like Ms. Jensen wrote a pretty solid character. Reychel made sense to me. The way she thought and felt about her position, the way she went about learning new things, and her transformation in the end seemed plausible.
There were so many twists at the end I felt like my head was spinning, but it was a good kind of spinning. It made me curious about the second book, which I think is the point of a well-done first book ending. The little love triangle even appealed to my inner teen girl.
I think my favorite thing, though, was the villain. I'm not going to give it away, but I really, really liked that particular twist.
If you're the sort of person who reads and likes young adult fantasy, this book is worth checking out. I'm really glad I read it.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Cass Gets Her Kicks: What Was I Thinking?
"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." - Toni Morrison
That was basically the idea behind Cass Gets Her Kicks. I wanted something to read that wouldn't take me long, would be entirely self-contained, and wouldn't require any thought on my part. In fact, I specifically needed something I could read in half an hour on my Kindle.
Searching Amazon proved fruitless. I had a few titles by Delilah Devlin, but they were too long. (She is a fantastic smut writer, so I did stick it out several times for her work.)
On top of that, I had a story germinating in my head that featured a mechanic from Kansas, a crappy motel room, and Magic Fingers.
So I wrote.
I admit that I focused on the stories so intently partly to get that first release out of the way. It's kind of terrifying doing something big for the first time like that, and Cass was safe. I knew--I know--I can write smut. I've won peer-voted awards for it. I like it, I'm decent at it, I'm comfortable with it. Young adult paranormal fantasy is a bit out of my comfort zone, and while I'm all for pushing the boundaries of that comfort zone in my writing, I felt like I should do something I know I can do for my first time out.
It was something I wanted to read. If I wanted to read it, chances were that someone else wanted to read it, too.
Cass will be a recurring character for me. I already have ideas for her when she gets to California--that girl has a lot of experimenting to do. And I have a lot of new things to explore with her... and whoever else she encounters.
That was basically the idea behind Cass Gets Her Kicks. I wanted something to read that wouldn't take me long, would be entirely self-contained, and wouldn't require any thought on my part. In fact, I specifically needed something I could read in half an hour on my Kindle.
Searching Amazon proved fruitless. I had a few titles by Delilah Devlin, but they were too long. (She is a fantastic smut writer, so I did stick it out several times for her work.)
On top of that, I had a story germinating in my head that featured a mechanic from Kansas, a crappy motel room, and Magic Fingers.
So I wrote.
I admit that I focused on the stories so intently partly to get that first release out of the way. It's kind of terrifying doing something big for the first time like that, and Cass was safe. I knew--I know--I can write smut. I've won peer-voted awards for it. I like it, I'm decent at it, I'm comfortable with it. Young adult paranormal fantasy is a bit out of my comfort zone, and while I'm all for pushing the boundaries of that comfort zone in my writing, I felt like I should do something I know I can do for my first time out.
It was something I wanted to read. If I wanted to read it, chances were that someone else wanted to read it, too.
Cass will be a recurring character for me. I already have ideas for her when she gets to California--that girl has a lot of experimenting to do. And I have a lot of new things to explore with her... and whoever else she encounters.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
On Writing: Won't Someone Think Of The Letters?!
Language is constantly changing. Old words that are no longer useful or fashionable drop from the language, new ones are added, and then we make more up. Spoken language and informal language directly influence formal language. Still, there are some poor, abused letters that end up strung together to create not-words or, worse, to help people who don't pay attention misuse perfectly good words.
Alright
A bastardization of the phrase "all right," this one-word spelling is very common and, these days, seems to be widely accepted. It makes me cringe. Even an attractive, talented man can't make me like this word.
Alot
Hyperbole and a Half has a fantastic post on this word-as-a-thing. This is not a word. It is two words. I distinctly remember devoting an entire week of spelling lessons to this not-word. There aren't even any results for this at Dictionary.com!
Apart (as in, "apart of something great")
Like alot, this word is a commonly-mashed-together not-word. Apart is a real word. It just doesn't mean what people seem to think it means. "Apart" is separate and "a part" is a piece. When you speak, "a part of something great" sounds very much like "apart of something great," so it's pretty easy to see why it ends up written the way it is. This (and the next entry) wouldn't be a problem if the people who make this mistake would simply stop and think about what they're trying to say.
Of for Have (as in, "should of," "could of," "would of")
Yet another victim of spoken language, "of" used in place of the contracted "have" has become far too common. Should have, could have, would have. Should've, could've, would've. "I should of gone to the concert" makes absolutely no sense, but when you say, "I should've gone to the concert" aloud, they sound very much alike. Just looking at the first part of that last sentence makes my skin crawl.
Irregardless
Ir- and -less are both negative, which--according to the double negative rule of English--means that the prefix and the suffix cancel each other out. What this word essentially means is "in regards to" and I have not heard or read this word used in a context that implied "in regards to" was the intended meaning.
Alright
A bastardization of the phrase "all right," this one-word spelling is very common and, these days, seems to be widely accepted. It makes me cringe. Even an attractive, talented man can't make me like this word.
Alot
Hyperbole and a Half has a fantastic post on this word-as-a-thing. This is not a word. It is two words. I distinctly remember devoting an entire week of spelling lessons to this not-word. There aren't even any results for this at Dictionary.com!
Apart (as in, "apart of something great")
Like alot, this word is a commonly-mashed-together not-word. Apart is a real word. It just doesn't mean what people seem to think it means. "Apart" is separate and "a part" is a piece. When you speak, "a part of something great" sounds very much like "apart of something great," so it's pretty easy to see why it ends up written the way it is. This (and the next entry) wouldn't be a problem if the people who make this mistake would simply stop and think about what they're trying to say.
Of for Have (as in, "should of," "could of," "would of")
Yet another victim of spoken language, "of" used in place of the contracted "have" has become far too common. Should have, could have, would have. Should've, could've, would've. "I should of gone to the concert" makes absolutely no sense, but when you say, "I should've gone to the concert" aloud, they sound very much alike. Just looking at the first part of that last sentence makes my skin crawl.
Irregardless
Ir- and -less are both negative, which--according to the double negative rule of English--means that the prefix and the suffix cancel each other out. What this word essentially means is "in regards to" and I have not heard or read this word used in a context that implied "in regards to" was the intended meaning.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Monday Miscellany
It was 94 degrees here last week, and this week, it's hovering around the 60 degree mark. It's fabulous. The kid has so many cute pajamas and we took her shopping for new cooler-weather clothes this weekend. Another bonus of the colder weather: baking! I made two separate batches of cupcakes (I use this recipe for chocolate cupcakes, and I add about half a teaspoon of lemon extract to bring out the flavors of everything; you can also use lemon zest). Cold-weather food is also on the menu. We're having meatloaf for dinner tonight, and I think I'm making lemon-herb roast chicken for dinner tomorrow night.
If Facebook wasn't such a necessary social networking tool, I would get rid of my personal account and my author page. Every time they "improve" things, my privacy settings end up altered and I have to waste half an hour of my precious time fixing those settings. I am not one of those people with hundreds or thousands of friends. In fact, I have 42 friends--and 27 of them are my in-laws or friends of my husband. I use my personal account for keeping up with loved ones and sharing pictures of my daughter. If I believed my family and friends would check their email regularly, I would switch to a mailing list.
Late last week, I started reading Amelia James' blog. You should, too. She's clever and funny and she writes pretty sexy stuff. I enjoyed her post about balancing writing and family life. It made me think. Our kids are about the same age, it seems. I tend to write while the kid is asleep--she's napping right now, actually--but my little one likes her alone time, and several times a day, she deliberately separates herself from me to do something she likes. (Usually, she pretends to read a book or she plays with one of her larger interactive toys. Sometimes she just sits at the back door and watches the trees outside.) I use that time, too. If I'm all caught up on my housework, I write or cook or read. Things can get kind of tense if I feel like I'm on a deadline and she's being unusually needy, but for the most part, she and I work well together. It doesn't hurt that I keep my sense of humor about things ("Do you want to go to college? Then let Mom write!") and that I have no problem parking her butt in her swing, jumperoo, or in front of her favorite movie for half an hour while I get things done. I'm fortunate enough to be a stat-at-home-parent and part of the point of me staying home was to get my writing career off the ground. It's slow going, but then I knew it would be.
This week's blog posts are probably going to cover the subjects of words that are not words, what I was thinking when I wrote Cass, and why I don't think self-publishing is career suicide. Those are the posts I'm going to shoot for finishing, at least. That last one about self-publishing was inspired by an email I received from a local milspouse who claims that no publisher is going to take me seriously now that I've self-published. It was also sort of inspired by this post by Ciara Ballintyne.
I checked my Distribution Channel Manager over at Smashwords this weekend, and it looks like Cass Gets Her Kicks should be showing up at Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, and Diesel in the next couple of weeks. I'll keep you updated.
However, if you've made it all the way through this post and you're interested in reading my first release right now, drop me a comment here or send me an email at ldotleonadavisatgmaildotcom and I'll send you a coupon code to download a free copy from Smashwords.
If Facebook wasn't such a necessary social networking tool, I would get rid of my personal account and my author page. Every time they "improve" things, my privacy settings end up altered and I have to waste half an hour of my precious time fixing those settings. I am not one of those people with hundreds or thousands of friends. In fact, I have 42 friends--and 27 of them are my in-laws or friends of my husband. I use my personal account for keeping up with loved ones and sharing pictures of my daughter. If I believed my family and friends would check their email regularly, I would switch to a mailing list.
Late last week, I started reading Amelia James' blog. You should, too. She's clever and funny and she writes pretty sexy stuff. I enjoyed her post about balancing writing and family life. It made me think. Our kids are about the same age, it seems. I tend to write while the kid is asleep--she's napping right now, actually--but my little one likes her alone time, and several times a day, she deliberately separates herself from me to do something she likes. (Usually, she pretends to read a book or she plays with one of her larger interactive toys. Sometimes she just sits at the back door and watches the trees outside.) I use that time, too. If I'm all caught up on my housework, I write or cook or read. Things can get kind of tense if I feel like I'm on a deadline and she's being unusually needy, but for the most part, she and I work well together. It doesn't hurt that I keep my sense of humor about things ("Do you want to go to college? Then let Mom write!") and that I have no problem parking her butt in her swing, jumperoo, or in front of her favorite movie for half an hour while I get things done. I'm fortunate enough to be a stat-at-home-parent and part of the point of me staying home was to get my writing career off the ground. It's slow going, but then I knew it would be.
This week's blog posts are probably going to cover the subjects of words that are not words, what I was thinking when I wrote Cass, and why I don't think self-publishing is career suicide. Those are the posts I'm going to shoot for finishing, at least. That last one about self-publishing was inspired by an email I received from a local milspouse who claims that no publisher is going to take me seriously now that I've self-published. It was also sort of inspired by this post by Ciara Ballintyne.
I checked my Distribution Channel Manager over at Smashwords this weekend, and it looks like Cass Gets Her Kicks should be showing up at Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, and Diesel in the next couple of weeks. I'll keep you updated.
However, if you've made it all the way through this post and you're interested in reading my first release right now, drop me a comment here or send me an email at ldotleonadavisatgmaildotcom and I'll send you a coupon code to download a free copy from Smashwords.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Blog Roundup: August 22 - 28, 2011
Chuck Wendig made another "25 Things" post, this one about what writers should know about social media. Read it. Absorb it. Use what you need. (Especially relevant is this: "People want to follow other people." So, you know, be a person.) Also, he used the word "behooves."
Amanda Hocking made a good post about bullying. Let me say, first of all, that bullying as a pet cause annoys the hell out of me. I'm jaded by all of the anti-bullying chain status updates on Facebook, though. I do think that the Internet has revolutionized bullying and I think it's worth educating yourself, especially if you have kids. I also think it's important to take a personal stand against bullies, no matter how non-confrontational you are.
James Killick posted about rejection and why it has to hurt. The quote about writing being easy, just sit down and "open a vein" came to mind when I read it. In real life, I'm pretty stoic and reserved. This has come from a lifetime of extreme emotional ups and downs. When it comes to my writing, I'm broody, moody, emotional, and deathly afraid of rejection and negativity. None of that stops me. I guess I'm also stubborn and determined.
This week, I discovered a blog dedicated entirely to ideas for promoting your book for free. It has been a couple of weeks since the last update, but the ideas there seem like good ones. In any case, it certainly can't hurt to check it out and see if there are any ideas you can implement.
You should be reading Sirra's blog. This week's post was about voice in writing, but it's worth going back to read her post about douchesm in promotion, too--the comments exploded in a snarkfest of hilarity.
Stella Deleuze posted about conflict in a novel, which was helpful to me because it's something I struggle with. Remember how I mentioned I'm a non-confrontational person? And how I tend toward the stoic and reserved? I don't "get" confrontation and high emotion, so it's something I don't feel I write well. The other kinds of conflict she discusses, more internal conflict, make more sense to me, but those sorts of conflict are difficult to convey effectively. I think it's worth identifying them and working on them. She also posted about how to annoy your social network contacts. Especially if you're new to this game of self-promotion, check out the post. Read it in conjunction with Sirra's post above. Learn what not to do.
It looks like this was the week to learn about how to use social media for professional purposes.
Amanda Hocking made a good post about bullying. Let me say, first of all, that bullying as a pet cause annoys the hell out of me. I'm jaded by all of the anti-bullying chain status updates on Facebook, though. I do think that the Internet has revolutionized bullying and I think it's worth educating yourself, especially if you have kids. I also think it's important to take a personal stand against bullies, no matter how non-confrontational you are.
James Killick posted about rejection and why it has to hurt. The quote about writing being easy, just sit down and "open a vein" came to mind when I read it. In real life, I'm pretty stoic and reserved. This has come from a lifetime of extreme emotional ups and downs. When it comes to my writing, I'm broody, moody, emotional, and deathly afraid of rejection and negativity. None of that stops me. I guess I'm also stubborn and determined.
This week, I discovered a blog dedicated entirely to ideas for promoting your book for free. It has been a couple of weeks since the last update, but the ideas there seem like good ones. In any case, it certainly can't hurt to check it out and see if there are any ideas you can implement.
You should be reading Sirra's blog. This week's post was about voice in writing, but it's worth going back to read her post about douchesm in promotion, too--the comments exploded in a snarkfest of hilarity.
Stella Deleuze posted about conflict in a novel, which was helpful to me because it's something I struggle with. Remember how I mentioned I'm a non-confrontational person? And how I tend toward the stoic and reserved? I don't "get" confrontation and high emotion, so it's something I don't feel I write well. The other kinds of conflict she discusses, more internal conflict, make more sense to me, but those sorts of conflict are difficult to convey effectively. I think it's worth identifying them and working on them. She also posted about how to annoy your social network contacts. Especially if you're new to this game of self-promotion, check out the post. Read it in conjunction with Sirra's post above. Learn what not to do.
It looks like this was the week to learn about how to use social media for professional purposes.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
SitRep Saturday: The Cowboy Next Door
This week, I finished the first draft and started editing. At the end of the draft, it was 14,688 words. It currently sits at 14,693, but I'm only on the first page. Things can change.
I've decided to add a "bonus" chapter. The main relationship is so charged that I thought it could use some couple time. Plus, I really enjoy the hero and I'd like to see him get what he wants.
The layout of the book is basically designed, from chapter headings to summary to acknowledgments. I plan to include an excerpt of Cass Gets Her Kicks.
And, finally, last night, I designed the book cover. Weeks of searching Dreamstime finally paid off, and I found the perfect cover image.
Yes, that image is relevant. (It's my favorite scene, actually.) Does it make you laugh? It makes me laugh.
So! That's what I've been up to this week.
I've decided to add a "bonus" chapter. The main relationship is so charged that I thought it could use some couple time. Plus, I really enjoy the hero and I'd like to see him get what he wants.
The layout of the book is basically designed, from chapter headings to summary to acknowledgments. I plan to include an excerpt of Cass Gets Her Kicks.
And, finally, last night, I designed the book cover. Weeks of searching Dreamstime finally paid off, and I found the perfect cover image.
Yes, that image is relevant. (It's my favorite scene, actually.) Does it make you laugh? It makes me laugh.
So! That's what I've been up to this week.
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