Shea R. Oliver's Blog, page 12

Editing Round One Complete

My novel took a big step forward recently, as my editor returned the final pages of the book. Her first read of the book is now complete. She included a “report” on the book that started with this:

“I finished your book today, and I’ve been delightfully surprised, moved, and entertained.”

That made my day!

She only had two very small story line issues with with whole book. I completely agreed with both of them. With a few hundred words, I should be able to smooth both issues out.

She also gave me two ideas around one of my characters. She felt that this leading female character might be just a little too perfect. Well, she’s not perfect. She’s down right self-consumed and evil, but everything seems to be going exactly her way. I liked one of the ideas quite a bit, and I will add it to the story.

A few people have suggested that I skip the professional editor step in getting my book on the shelves. After working with Nancy, I am completely convinced that skipping this step would have been a mistake.

She worked diligently through the novel doing some great work. She significantly reduced a number of words and phrases that I didn’t even realize were repeated too many times. She added some great little suggestions on word choice and phrasing that will make the whole novel more readable. Having already worked through about a third of the book, her changes, suggestions, and comments, are going to make this novel so much more readable and enjoyable… Not to mention that she’s significantly better at grammar than me!

Don’t skip or skimp on the editor!

About the Cover Image

Occasionally, as I watch the clouds and weather, I realize we have a good chance of a beautiful sunset. This was one of those evenings last year. I quickly loaded my canoe and headed to Lagerman Reservoir, which fairly near my home.

Beautiful reflection of the clouds on the water at Lagerman Reservoir in Longmont, Colorado

Please help support the publication of The Betrayal of Ka

by visiting my Indiegogo Campaign at
http://igg.me/at/TheBetrayalOfKa

Launched My First Crowdfunding Campaign!!!

I did it! I launched an Indiegogo campaign as part of my book’s pre-launch marketing plan. I spent about a week and a half working on, and was pleasantly surprised with how easy and fun it was! You can check it out at http://igg.me/at/TheBetrayalOfKa/.

The tools provided by Indiegogo made it very easy to logically think through your campaign, develop the content, and take the campaign live. I’ll blog more about some of the specific steps in the process later. If you are thinking about doing an Indiegogo campaign, I would recommend signing up for an account and starting your first campaign. You can work on the campaign for as long as you like without it being live. You can even send a link to other to preview the campaign before it goes live.

It’s been a little while since I’ve had a chance to play around in Adobe Premier Pro. I’m no professional video editing expert, but I was able to craft a fun video to be featured with the campaign. Of course, if you watch it, you’ll see that it gave me another excuse to go hiking. As if I really needed one!!! Of course, hauling a heavier tripod and a bit more equipment to Sandbeach Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park made for a good workout.

Please come visit my Indiegogo campaign at http://igg.me/at/TheBetrayalOfKa/. Of course, I appreciate any contributions, and would be very grateful if you would share my campaign with others.

Launching An Indiegogo Campaign

In my last post, I laid out the infrastructure elements that I need to get my Pre-Launch Book Marketing Plan underway. However, getting all those pieces together will be helpful, but wouldn’t get me very far toward my plan’s goal. So, on July 15th, I am launching an Indiegogo Campaign!!!

As a budget-constrained, new author, simply announcing that I have a book coming won’t provide much bang. I really needed to develop some type of campaign that does more than announce that a new author will have a book released soon. Of course, there is the more traditional way of proceeding – lots of reviews by big authors and popular bloggers.

That’s a great strategy, if you have the time, the money, and the reach. In the Indie Publishing world, getting to the big name authors is tough; it is more in the domain of the bigger publishing houses. There are a number of strategies for getting reviewed before launching, but I am of the mindset that if my book is ready, I want to take it to market. As I launch and refine my ongoing marketing, I will work on getting book reviews.

Why Run A Crowdfunding Campaign?

It might be easy to assume that the only reason to run a crowdfunding campaign is because of the money!$!$! There’s no denying that money is part of it. Writing a book is only one part of the equation. It takes more money than you might think to professionally bring a book to market. Beyond the money, I choose a crowdfunding campaign for a number of reasons.

It’s about the book, but it’s not about the book – Yes, the campaign is about helping me fund the process of getting my novel into the market. However, with crowdfunding, there’s more than just the book. If all I have to talk about in my pre-launch marketing is the book, that will get old for everyone very quickly. With crowdfunding, I get to talk some about the book, a little about me, and share this crowdfunding process as I step through the process of becoming an Indie Publisher. This gives me a chance to leverage my existing network, and gives others a chance to give me hand, not just with the sale of the book, but also with my dream of becoming a successful Indie Writer & Publisher.
General Buzz – No Buzz Lightyear has not been promoted. Crowdfunding still has an aura of fascination about it. It’s still new. It’s still interesting. People are still curious about the ins and outs, what works and what doesn’t. I know that many of the people that I know will be interested in watching me go through this process of my first crowdfunding campaign.
Global Reach – I could generate a number of pre-sales for my book through my own personal and professional network, but beyond that, I would have trouble getting traction without something more than the book. A crowdfunding campaign give me that. I’ll have to create a video and offer rewards for contributors. There’s built-in mechanism and incentives for my network to share the campaign, for people that I don’t know to participate in it, and for others to share it.
It’s Fun! Like many people, I’ve been watching this crowdfunding phenomenon, and honestly wanted to give it a try. I am excited about learning how the process works. I am excited to share how it works. I have no doubt that there is some work involved, but when you are doing something that you enjoy… is it really work?

If you’re interested in following along as I run a crowdfunding campaign and become an Indie Publisher, please follow my blog at SheaOliver.com, friend me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter.

 

The Cover Image for this blog post was taken at Worlds of Fun amusement park in Kansas City. My crazy little Brandon hopped on the gorilla and prepared to charge into battle. That kid’s a goofball!!!

Brandon Leading the Charge

Building A Pre-Launch Book Marketing Plan

I Need to Build What?

Now that my editor has my book and is working on her first run-through, I’m left with a little time to contemplate my publishing plans. Like most people who head down the path of becoming an Indie Publisher, where to start can be a really big question!

I’ve been browsing blogs, websites, and forums about how to get my book launched, and one thing has become really clear… I should have started yesterday. Marketing a novel doesn’t start when the book is ready for purchase, it starts way before that.

In some ways, I have been doing some unofficial pre-launch marketing. I’ve been talking to people about the book. I’ve been blogging and posting some stuff on social media. So, it’s not like I am at absolute zero, but I want this to be a successful start to a long-term obsession, and I needed to get organized. I certainly don’t want to be one of those annoying authors who release their book in one place and then constantly whine because it’s not selling.

Pre-Launch Marketing Goals

First, I needed to specifically state what it is that I want to accomplish with my pre-launch marketing. Being more focused on the mechanics of getting the book complete, I really needed to identify some tangible items that I could accomplish before I launch. In a total Homer Simpson “D’oh!” moment, I realized my first goal, and quickly settled on two more.

1. Create some pre-launch SALES!

2. Grow my social media presence as an author

3. Create some buzz around The Betrayal of Ka

For some experienced Indie Publishers, one thing might seem to be missing… pre-launch reviews. I have decided to trim the time from the completion of editing/revisions to the actual launch date. I will try to get a few very early reviews, but they are likely to happen in tandem or shortly after the launch.

Getting Down to the Nitty Gritty Prep Work

I hopped in Evernote, and began listing all the tasks that needed to be accomplished to execute any pre-launch marketing activities. They ended up breaking down into four categories. Below are the categories and some of the specific tasks.

Product Preparation

There were a number of things that I need to have completed so that I could actually begin to do some pre-launch marketing activities.

Get a Book Cover designed ASAP!!!!!
Build the “About Shea” statement
Rework the “Blurb” once again
Decide on the actual launch date – September 1st – 15th?

Sales Channel Preparation

I’ve already decided that I am starting with selling eBooks via KDP Select and paperbacks via CreateSpace. Using KDP Select means that I am exclusively on Amazon for 90-days for ebooks. It will be both a test and honestly, there are only so many hours in the day. This makes it easy. CreateSpace seemed an easy decision, until I started digging. I’ll need an Amazon Advantage account to do presales of paperback. My research also led me to decide that I need another distributor for outside of the Amazon ecosphere.

Purchase my ISBNs from Brokker
Register for KDP Select
Register with Amazon’s CreateSpace

Do not use Expanded Distribution
Plan to use my own ISBN


Register for an Amazon Advantage Account – Allows me to do presales of paperback
Register for an IngramSpark Account – Non-Amazon, paperback distribution

Social Media Preparation

Geez, I am about to have a published book, shouldn’t I say that I am an author on my social media profiles? There are also a few sites where I need to be…

Setup my Goodreads Author Page
Setup as an author on LibraryThing
Add Goodreads link to “Get Connected” page on SheaOliver.com
Update Facebook Profile / Create The Transprophetics FB Page
Update LinkedIn Profile
Update Twitter Profile
Update Instagram Profile
Update Google+ Profile

Website Modification

I’m a little ahead of the curve, because I already have a website. It’s a little daunting to think about breaking off with a website specifically for the book series, but I may eventually. For now, I’ll be using my current website as my “home.” I may build a mini-site to house a little bit of info for the books, but for now, it’s all about leveraging what I already have in place.

Create a project page on SheaOliver.com for The Betrayal of Ka
Get a sample page setup with the first couple of chapters of the book.
Setup email address capture forms on both pages

Action Plan!

Over the next week, I’ll roll in earnest on getting all these infrastructure items into place. By themselves, they might create a tiny bit of buzz, more likely a fleeting flutter.

So what EXACTLY are the activities that I need to do, once my infrastructure is in place, to start driving toward my goals?

I know that I don’t want to just flap my arms and announce, “I have a book coming!!!” That’ll garish me a great big, “Oh boy, congrats!” and that’s about it. I need to have something that enables me to “talk” and “interact” with people online and offline without being a totally annoying twit… It has to be something fun, interesting, something that people will want to know about, and something that has the potential to go beyond just me and my efforts.

I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO DO!

In my next blog post, I’ll be sharing what my pre-launch marketing plan is actually coalescing around…

 

 

 

Please follow my blog on SheaOliver.com as I share my journey of becoming an Indie Publisher. Please feel free to comment below or Contact Me directly.

Finally Paddling a Little

Mike Snapping a Pic on Lake Macintosh

It’s almost July. While i have spent some great time hiking in the mountains, I had yet to get my canoe out for a little pleasure paddling. This weekend, I finally did. My friend Mike and I headed to Macintosh Lake, here in Longmont, Colorado. We just want to get a little time on the water, and maybe get a decent picture or two. We paddled all the way around the lake, getting a little work out and just enjoying doing something different.

We were hoping to see the bald eagle that lives nearby. More than once, this beautiful bird has been in a tree, right on the water’s edge when Mike or I have walked around the lake. We didn’t have such luck on this trip, but we’ll be back to try again. Of course, we did get to see a number of other birds, including ducks, pelicans, and this heron. We tried to drift closer to get some better pictures, but he was having none of it.

Heron on Lake Macintosh

We’d gone later in the day, in hopes of catching one of the magnificent Colorado sunsets. I always try to get to the east end of the lake as the day winds down, so that I can capture the water, the mountains, the clouds, and all of the amazing colors. It really is awesome to be on Macintosh when the sun sets, especially this time of year, as it sets directly behind Meeker and Longs Peak. While we didn’t get a “stunning” Colorado sunset, I can’t say that I have any complaints!

Sunset at Mac Lake

The Sun About to Set at Macintosh Lake

Hired An Editor for My First Novel

Hopping into the Indie publishing world is about like learning to swim. You can easily pay for some lessons, learn some theory, start in the shallow end of the pool, have someone hold you while you practice strokes, and slowly make your way to becoming a swimmer. That’s a great way to learn, and it has many advantages. Of course, there’s that other way too – DIVE IN!

I laid out of the plan of how I am going to take my first novel to publication, in a previous post.  My next big step was to hire a professional editor. There are many editing companies that you can hire online, but I wanted to find someone that I could make a connection with. I began shifting through the profiles of many freelancers on Elance, and found many that I thought would be great. Elance has the tools in place to create a job posting specifically for “Editing and Proofreading.”  This allows you to identify a few of the skills you are looking for, such as English Proofreading, Fiction Writing, etc.

One of the toughest parts is writing the “Job Description.” You can poke around on eLance and see how others have posted jobs in the category of “Editing and Proofreading.” While the postings cover a vast amount of needs, you can easily figure out which ones were for editing novels. It becomes apparent quickly that the range of quality of posted jobs and proposals for those jobs was vast. I didn’t want to write a huge job description that no freelancer would completely read, but at the same time, I didn’t want to be so brief that it received an overflowing of proposals that weren’t for what I needed.

I wrote the description, and posted the job.  I decided to include a copy of the first three chapters for a number of reason. First, I want to see if anyone would give me some sample edits in their proposals. Second, I did want potential editors to look through it so that they would have an idea of  my style, and how much work might be required from their perspective.

My Elance “Job Description”

I am looking for a professional editor who enjoys working with first-time, fiction authors, and also enjoys science fiction with a small paranormal twist. This project is for my first book, “The Transprophetics: Book One – The Betrayal of Ka. The book is completed and contains approximately 96,500 words. It has been reviewed/edited by a few people already, and I am now looking for a professional final round of edits, review, and polishing before publication.

I have attached the first three chapters as an introduction and to help you decide if you are a good fit for this project. A quick overview of the book is below. If you have any questions, please message me on eLance, and I will reply.

+++ Book Overview+++

The Donovackia Corporation on the planet Koranth acquires the license to invade and exploit Earth. An exploratory mission is sent to ascertain whether Earth has developed the global infrastructure necessary to maximize the potential profits of an invasion. The mission’s twin objective is to find and kill Transprophetics – people with telekinetic or paranormal abilities.

Kadamba Vorhoor, a teenager on the planet Koranth, is recruited by a powerful drug lord. Against his better judgment, Kadamba sells to a young boy who dies from the drug. Branded a monster, brutalized in prison, and demonized by society, a twist of fate sends Kadamba to the Donovackia Corporation’s military on the exploratory mission to Earth. Teamed with a Transprophetic hunter and racked with the guilt of his past, Kadamba must decide who is, and who he will become.

Total word count: 96,500

I did not set a budget, as I didn’t know exactly what to expect. Proposals came back ranging from $315 to over $2,500. The levels of service that was offered varied also. Some simply proposed to read it, edit it, and send it back. Others pitched a more comprehensive approach, akin to what one might experience with a contact editor for a publishing house. These proposals tended to offer an initial edit, with some including a report of the strengths and weakness of the novel, along with suggestions to strengthen the story.  A second round of editing was also included for after you made any adjustments in response to the first round.

The proposals came in very fast.  Within a few days, I had 40 proposals. Some completely missed the mark, but a few quickly rose to the top. I narrowed it down to two, and began a dialogue with each. Ultimately, either would have been fantastic, but I had to choose one.

My editor has the book now, and her process includes breaking it down into smaller chunks around 20,000 words. She’ll edit a chunk, and then send it to me. This allows me to make changes without having to wait for her to edit the entire book.

The process has started and I am excited to be underway!!!