Auryn Hadley's Blog, page 14
March 2, 2016
Advertising Experiment
Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Tumblr, Instagram, Imgur…. the list goes on and on. Social media is often an author’s best means of exposure, but it’s impossible to hit them all. I think most of us just try to focus on a few. For me, that’s twitter and facebook – along with my blog here.
Why those? Well, I actually LIKE Twitter. Facebook gives me a larger method of communications. It’s literally about the characters in that instance. Granted, the familiarity with it for many users is pretty nice....
March 1, 2016
Nerdy, dirty, and down right in your face
What happens when the alpha male meets a girl so headstrong he’s left in her dust? Sure, it’s a story that’s been told before – if you get right down to it. Boy meets girl. Girl has a dream. But here’s where it gets tricky. What happens if dating the hot guy could ruin everything? What if the girl has plans that don’t include becoming someone’s bitch? What if,this girl doesn’t need anyone to come to her rescue?
This is real life, people. Women don’t have to fall down when terrified. Guys don’...
February 26, 2016
Why would you WANT to have a “normal” publishing deal?
Trade publishing. Traditional publishing. The big five (or however you want to count them). This is how most people measure an author’s level of successbut is it accurate? As I mentioned in the previous post, I did a whole lot of research before choosing my publication method. It was shocking! Just like the music industry underwent a revolution because of Napster in the early ’00s, I think literature is verging on that same renaissance.
As I mentioned in the previous post, I did a whole lot o...
February 25, 2016
The things “Real” authors do
A long, long time ago – ok, almost 3 years ago, now – I sat down at my computer with this idea in my head. Before that, I had never thought of writing a book. Oh sure, I had ideas on how to make stories better, but I wasn’t “born” to be an author. I didn’t have some inner desire to “do this” when I “grew up”. Instead, this story just popped into my head and forced me to let it out. Five novels later, I was able to take a breath.
It also kinda sucked.
No, wait. The STORY was amazing. The writi...
February 24, 2016
There are always characters that don’t cooperate
I pick up these pictures from all over the place as inspiration for characters. This oneis the Lieutenant from BloodLust. It just looks like I thought an officer should.
So, I was going through my inspiration folder, saw this, and started thinking about that book. Probably the hardest part was writing a character – who got POV chapters – who could see into the future. Oh, it’s a fickle talentand not one that can be relied upon. His visions come when they want and aren’t always about what he T...
February 23, 2016
One more off my list
Cover, editing, series, move to the next. THIS is the problem when you write about a novel a month for almost two years. The entire process gets all bottle-necked. Let me assure you, it’s an amazing problem to have.
You see, at first, I wanted to have my books published by one of those big places. You know the ones I mean. The problem is that I don’t write the stories they want. Vampires? Nah, that’s been done. I make genetically modified humanoids subjugated by population. Feudalistic Europe...
February 22, 2016
The road to success is paved with books
Every author wants to know how to make enough writing books to give up their day job. I’m no different. So, I’ve been tracking what works and what doesn’t.
First, let me assure you that the chances of you making it big with just one book is VERY slim. Oh sure, some do, but some people also win the lottery. If you wouldn’t bet your financial future on those kinds of odds, then you shouldn’t put it all on a single book. There are just too many factors to the market for that to be a safe bet.
An...
February 21, 2016
The glory of Kindle Unlimited
There are two significant downsides to deciding to go it alone as an independent author. First, is getting discovered. Second, is getting someone who knows you exist to spend their money on your basically unknown book.
Now, let’s be honest here. The vast majority of people are lazy. The problem is that we always assume that means THEM and not US. But, before you pushed the button to publish your book, how much effort did youreally put into it?
Did you spend money on a cover? More than $50? Di...
February 19, 2016
Where am I going to fit that other book?
So, I have books scheduled to release in March, April, June, August, October, December, and February. I’m still filling in the months in between, but if I want to keep it nice and consistent, that means When We Were Crowned should come out in July or September. Now, there’s a gap there in May… can I get my people moving and hit that? Hmm.
Next week, I get back to working on the Gladiators. One thing I can tell ya about When We Were Crowned is that there will be a whole lot more ladies weaving...
February 17, 2016
Growth as an Author
In 2013, I began writing. I was stressed out, flustered, and just needed to escape. What came out was a very dark story that somehow managed to portray hope. The plot has enough tropes to make the reader feel comfortable, yet enough novelty to keep interest. The world? Think Game of Thrones meets Star Wars.
Even now, I think the story is good. Keyword there is STORY. The writing?
Oh. My. God.
It wasn’t bad, or anything, but it certainly wasn’t good. The word choice, stylistic options, and ove...
