Q. Kelly's Blog, page 20
January 12, 2012
Quality vs. Quantity
Tomorrow (probably) I will put aside "Third" for a few days to a few weeks so I can do a final read-through with fresh eyes. "Third" has been otherwise edited and is ready to go. "Third" has come a long way since the first draft that I've been posting in parts. As far as first drafts go, this is a good one. However, I doubt I'll repeat this work-in-progress experiment unless "Third" meets with tremendous sales. I'm just uneasy putting out work that hasn't been publication-polished.
Anyway, a bit daunting tomorrow ;-) And exciting. Why? All the works I've put out the past few months were already done in some form or the other. Even "Third" is based in part on a 10,000-word short story from a year or so ago. (It would've found its way into "The Old Woman" collection if I wasn't working on expanding it for publication.) "Third" came together extremely quickly, probably because I had the short story and had the novel plotted out in my head. "Switch" will be entirely from scratch. It will be great fun and interesting to see how long it takes me to write a book from scratch (writing-working full time). I am hoping six months or less because I'd like to put out two books a year. I think two books is enough to keep steady income coming in. (I hope I'm right.) But, I value quality over quantity. (I actually prefer a balance ;-) )
I'm not one of these people who labors for years over a word or a paragraph (some authors really do this, yes). I'm a practical person, a "time to move on" person.
Anyway, quality vs. quantity is an important balance for indie writers who are using their books as their sole income source. If you don't write enough, you might stop making enough money to keep you afloat. But if you write crappy stories, people will stop buying your work. I can make my readers this promise: I will never put out work that is not the best it could be. At the same time, I know how to write well and economically. I also have the advantage of writing full time, and my writing experience has helped me learn how to write faster without sacrificing quality.
Thank goodness! :)
I hope to unveil the "Switch" cover in a few weeks. Should be an awesome one.
Anyway, a bit daunting tomorrow ;-) And exciting. Why? All the works I've put out the past few months were already done in some form or the other. Even "Third" is based in part on a 10,000-word short story from a year or so ago. (It would've found its way into "The Old Woman" collection if I wasn't working on expanding it for publication.) "Third" came together extremely quickly, probably because I had the short story and had the novel plotted out in my head. "Switch" will be entirely from scratch. It will be great fun and interesting to see how long it takes me to write a book from scratch (writing-working full time). I am hoping six months or less because I'd like to put out two books a year. I think two books is enough to keep steady income coming in. (I hope I'm right.) But, I value quality over quantity. (I actually prefer a balance ;-) )
I'm not one of these people who labors for years over a word or a paragraph (some authors really do this, yes). I'm a practical person, a "time to move on" person.
Anyway, quality vs. quantity is an important balance for indie writers who are using their books as their sole income source. If you don't write enough, you might stop making enough money to keep you afloat. But if you write crappy stories, people will stop buying your work. I can make my readers this promise: I will never put out work that is not the best it could be. At the same time, I know how to write well and economically. I also have the advantage of writing full time, and my writing experience has helped me learn how to write faster without sacrificing quality.
Thank goodness! :)
I hope to unveil the "Switch" cover in a few weeks. Should be an awesome one.
January 11, 2012
Indie Update #2
I blogged here about why I decided to go indie, and I had an update here on how I was doing. Time for another update, with the New Year and all.
My indie situation is, in a word, fab. Ooh, not even a full word! ;-) Fab may be a weee optimistic, but I don't think so.
Why fab?
-- My work's begun to win awards and might win more yet in 2012 (for the 2011 publication year) or be finalists. Awards are important to me in one way because of the stigma some people attach to being indie. The awards I won show my work is just as good as the publishers' work. I hope this quiets some people who wouldn't read my stuff.
-- The tangible greens. As of this writing, I am able to support myself entirely on my indie writing income. If need be, I could support my wife as well. I took a risk last week and passed on a teaching job. The pay actually would have been lower, and I have a M.S. in deaf education. I am getting paid to write, to do what I love. Writing clicks for me on all cylinders.
-- The little perks (or not so little perks). To wit: sleeping in, taking breaks whenever, eating lunch whenever, exercising whenever, no commute. And the little surprises: One big publisher said "Waiting" was not marketable, and it's my huge seller. I love these kinds of surprises.
It amazes me every day how little I made in three years with a regular publisher and how I make enough now to write full time. I never thought it was possible, especially in the lesbian fiction niche. It IS possible. I'm not the only lesfic indie writing full time. Publishers really are taking authors for granted by offering such low royalties. You would've seen that one reason I bypassed a publishing contract was because the publisher would not go beyond 30 percent NET on ebook royalties. (Net means after everyone else has had their cut.) I wanted to go up to 50 percent net, but even at 50 percent net, I wouldn't be able to support myself like I am doing now.
Going indie is a viable, viable choice. I've had a few authors contact me, some big-name authors, and ask me for tips and advice. Authors with publishers, if you're hesitant about signing your next contract, then don't. Chances are, your contract has a provision that says you can sign elsewhere if you find a better deal. Indie automatically gives you a better deal. You can do indie and still keep your day (or night) job. It will just take longer to publish than if you did it full time, but even working part time, you'd probably get your work out months before the publisher would have. You'll start making money on it sooner. Also, the rights to your works are yours. You keep making money on them until you die. And you get much more in the way of royalties. I think established authors are the perfect candidates to do well indie because they already have the fanbase. (I'll put my usual disclaimer here and say going indie is not for everyone. I can definitely see situations where it wouldn't work. But, as I said, it's a viable choice and becoming viablerererer by the day. Doing mixed publisher/indie is another viable choice.)
Wow, I got off track.
Back on track ;-) I'm not deluded enough to think this will last forever. It might. Ideally, it would. If it doesn't, I am glad I had this window out of a "normal" work life. I wouldn't trade what I'm doing now for the world. I want to take this opportunity to thank my readers and others who have helped me along this path. Thank you for giving me a chance, and I promise to do my best to keep putting out high-quality, intricate stories.
But first, my frappy run! :-)
My indie situation is, in a word, fab. Ooh, not even a full word! ;-) Fab may be a weee optimistic, but I don't think so.
Why fab?
-- My work's begun to win awards and might win more yet in 2012 (for the 2011 publication year) or be finalists. Awards are important to me in one way because of the stigma some people attach to being indie. The awards I won show my work is just as good as the publishers' work. I hope this quiets some people who wouldn't read my stuff.
-- The tangible greens. As of this writing, I am able to support myself entirely on my indie writing income. If need be, I could support my wife as well. I took a risk last week and passed on a teaching job. The pay actually would have been lower, and I have a M.S. in deaf education. I am getting paid to write, to do what I love. Writing clicks for me on all cylinders.
-- The little perks (or not so little perks). To wit: sleeping in, taking breaks whenever, eating lunch whenever, exercising whenever, no commute. And the little surprises: One big publisher said "Waiting" was not marketable, and it's my huge seller. I love these kinds of surprises.
It amazes me every day how little I made in three years with a regular publisher and how I make enough now to write full time. I never thought it was possible, especially in the lesbian fiction niche. It IS possible. I'm not the only lesfic indie writing full time. Publishers really are taking authors for granted by offering such low royalties. You would've seen that one reason I bypassed a publishing contract was because the publisher would not go beyond 30 percent NET on ebook royalties. (Net means after everyone else has had their cut.) I wanted to go up to 50 percent net, but even at 50 percent net, I wouldn't be able to support myself like I am doing now.
Going indie is a viable, viable choice. I've had a few authors contact me, some big-name authors, and ask me for tips and advice. Authors with publishers, if you're hesitant about signing your next contract, then don't. Chances are, your contract has a provision that says you can sign elsewhere if you find a better deal. Indie automatically gives you a better deal. You can do indie and still keep your day (or night) job. It will just take longer to publish than if you did it full time, but even working part time, you'd probably get your work out months before the publisher would have. You'll start making money on it sooner. Also, the rights to your works are yours. You keep making money on them until you die. And you get much more in the way of royalties. I think established authors are the perfect candidates to do well indie because they already have the fanbase. (I'll put my usual disclaimer here and say going indie is not for everyone. I can definitely see situations where it wouldn't work. But, as I said, it's a viable choice and becoming viablerererer by the day. Doing mixed publisher/indie is another viable choice.)
Wow, I got off track.
Back on track ;-) I'm not deluded enough to think this will last forever. It might. Ideally, it would. If it doesn't, I am glad I had this window out of a "normal" work life. I wouldn't trade what I'm doing now for the world. I want to take this opportunity to thank my readers and others who have helped me along this path. Thank you for giving me a chance, and I promise to do my best to keep putting out high-quality, intricate stories.
But first, my frappy run! :-)
January 10, 2012
Piracy Chatter
The lesfic world has been especially abuzz lately with piracy chatter. Authors are sending takedown notices left and right and beating their chests. Here's my take on the matter.
I noticed maybe a month ago that one of my works was being pirated. Another author I am fairly close with had a work being pirated on the same site, too. I informed her, and we had an interesting chat.
Bottom line: it is doubtful that sending takedown notices does any good. All it does is sap energy you would otherwise spend writing and promoting. I am basically looking at the matter like this: as a compliment that people think my work is good enough to be pirated. Has sending takedown notices and legal threats ever cut down on piracy? Not to my knowledge but maybe I am wrong. Pirates just shift their operations and get more sneaky.
In the meantime, I will keep writing and putting out good stuff. My sales are great, and so are the majority of my readers. People who pirate and who read pirated stuff are always gonna find ways to do what they do. I am not going to waste my writing energy on them. In this day and age, piracy is a natural side effect of being an author. Just have to deal with it. I'm a practical person, and I choose to use my time to do what I want to do: write novels, not write futile takedown notices.
Maybe I'm being naive. Maybe these notices really do work.
I noticed maybe a month ago that one of my works was being pirated. Another author I am fairly close with had a work being pirated on the same site, too. I informed her, and we had an interesting chat.
Bottom line: it is doubtful that sending takedown notices does any good. All it does is sap energy you would otherwise spend writing and promoting. I am basically looking at the matter like this: as a compliment that people think my work is good enough to be pirated. Has sending takedown notices and legal threats ever cut down on piracy? Not to my knowledge but maybe I am wrong. Pirates just shift their operations and get more sneaky.
In the meantime, I will keep writing and putting out good stuff. My sales are great, and so are the majority of my readers. People who pirate and who read pirated stuff are always gonna find ways to do what they do. I am not going to waste my writing energy on them. In this day and age, piracy is a natural side effect of being an author. Just have to deal with it. I'm a practical person, and I choose to use my time to do what I want to do: write novels, not write futile takedown notices.
Maybe I'm being naive. Maybe these notices really do work.
January 9, 2012
How To Start Indie Right -- Because I'm Selfish
I am selfish. Yep. I'm selfish. There ya have it. Selllllfish. I sell fish. Trout, bass, salmon.
No. I'm selfish. I don't like fish, don't care to sell it. Not even shellfish ;-)
And I cringe when I see an indie author put out inadequate work. Oh heck, let me pull out my French translation book: I cringe when I see an indie author put out sh****tty work. My French is eloquent, eh? Anyway, how people perceive that author affects how people perceive me. For better or for worse, many people lump indies together. However, that lumping is beginning to change, thank goodness.
In any case, this blog post is for indie authors, new and established, so people perceive you better. And thus, perceive selfish ol' fish-seller me better. Win-win situation, right? :)
1. That book you wrote and you think is great? The work agents and/or publishers rejected, telling you that you need to improve your writing? Yeah, that work. Guess what? There's a reason it was rejected with such a specific explanation.
Get busting. Read at least five writing books. I could be mean and say ten, but five will do for starters. Take writing classes if you can.
But what if you never submitted to agents or publishers? How do you know your work is good? Simple. Use the checklist below.
Checklist:
- I have never read a writing book, never taken a writing class, etc.
- This is my first book.
If you meet the above two criteria, 99.999999999999 percent chances are your work is a fine, fetid foaming craptastic gooey ball of fish. If you think you're in the 0.000000000001 percent, take your work to a critique group. Or a writing professor at a nearby college. You don't need the whole thing, just the first few pages. Heck, try Evil Editor's New Beginnings here. Wait times are minimal, and you only need the first few paragraphs of your work. It astounds me that people think they can write without training. You would not want someone with no experience cutting your hair, right? Or cutting your liver out. Same concept. Believe me, I used to be like you. I decided one day to write and gave no thought to needing writing books or any of that. I sure could have used my handy ol' two-point checklist back then. Woulda saved me lots of cussin' at publishers.
Don't argue if/when that writing professor, your critique group and Evil Editor and his minions tell you that your work is awesome, as in awesomely craptastic. Push yourself to improve. Then (most likely) put that first book away. Write book #2. You'll need considerable skill to revise book #1, and that skill won't come until later, maybe not until book #5 even. Also, there is no shame in starting short by writing short stories first.
**** Now, if your work was rejected because it wasn't marketable, or some reason along these lines, your work is especially suited for the indie world. (If you haven't read five books on writing, though, get busting.)
2. Your covers. Dearie me, presentation is important. You got your work the best it could be, so why make the outside amateurish or unprofessional? You want your cover to be the best it can be, too. If paying a cover designer $100 is absolutely not doable for you, fork over $25 or $35 for a premade cover. Heck, use the Amazon Kindle black and green "stand-in" cover if you have to. And once you have the $100, you know what to do with it. That's right, send it my way! Thank you very much :-D
**** Tip: If your book isn't selling, look at the cover. Ask for brutally honest opinions. Also look at your blurb. Is it clear? Is the grammar correct? Is the conflict there?
No. I'm selfish. I don't like fish, don't care to sell it. Not even shellfish ;-)
And I cringe when I see an indie author put out inadequate work. Oh heck, let me pull out my French translation book: I cringe when I see an indie author put out sh****tty work. My French is eloquent, eh? Anyway, how people perceive that author affects how people perceive me. For better or for worse, many people lump indies together. However, that lumping is beginning to change, thank goodness.
In any case, this blog post is for indie authors, new and established, so people perceive you better. And thus, perceive selfish ol' fish-seller me better. Win-win situation, right? :)
1. That book you wrote and you think is great? The work agents and/or publishers rejected, telling you that you need to improve your writing? Yeah, that work. Guess what? There's a reason it was rejected with such a specific explanation.
Get busting. Read at least five writing books. I could be mean and say ten, but five will do for starters. Take writing classes if you can.
But what if you never submitted to agents or publishers? How do you know your work is good? Simple. Use the checklist below.
Checklist:
- I have never read a writing book, never taken a writing class, etc.
- This is my first book.
If you meet the above two criteria, 99.999999999999 percent chances are your work is a fine, fetid foaming craptastic gooey ball of fish. If you think you're in the 0.000000000001 percent, take your work to a critique group. Or a writing professor at a nearby college. You don't need the whole thing, just the first few pages. Heck, try Evil Editor's New Beginnings here. Wait times are minimal, and you only need the first few paragraphs of your work. It astounds me that people think they can write without training. You would not want someone with no experience cutting your hair, right? Or cutting your liver out. Same concept. Believe me, I used to be like you. I decided one day to write and gave no thought to needing writing books or any of that. I sure could have used my handy ol' two-point checklist back then. Woulda saved me lots of cussin' at publishers.
Don't argue if/when that writing professor, your critique group and Evil Editor and his minions tell you that your work is awesome, as in awesomely craptastic. Push yourself to improve. Then (most likely) put that first book away. Write book #2. You'll need considerable skill to revise book #1, and that skill won't come until later, maybe not until book #5 even. Also, there is no shame in starting short by writing short stories first.
**** Now, if your work was rejected because it wasn't marketable, or some reason along these lines, your work is especially suited for the indie world. (If you haven't read five books on writing, though, get busting.)
2. Your covers. Dearie me, presentation is important. You got your work the best it could be, so why make the outside amateurish or unprofessional? You want your cover to be the best it can be, too. If paying a cover designer $100 is absolutely not doable for you, fork over $25 or $35 for a premade cover. Heck, use the Amazon Kindle black and green "stand-in" cover if you have to. And once you have the $100, you know what to do with it. That's right, send it my way! Thank you very much :-D
**** Tip: If your book isn't selling, look at the cover. Ask for brutally honest opinions. Also look at your blurb. Is it clear? Is the grammar correct? Is the conflict there?
January 8, 2012
Why I Am Not Reading Reviews Anymore
A few weeks ago, some authors on one of my lesfic Yahoo groups said they do not read reviews of their own works. I was astonished, not because they did not read the reviews (I can think of many good reasons authors don't), but that in today's age of information at your fingertips and inadvertent slippage, that they were able to avoid this.
Now I think it can be done, and I'm joining their ranks. It was not a decision I made lightly, and my thought process might be of interest to you.
It basically started with my "Miss Lucy Parker" collection. This collection elicited strong, negative feelings in a vocal minority of people. I got a couple of horrid attack emails. Then an anonymous review popped up at BN. It said: "
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?Ii hate this book. Dont make another one."
Now, if people hate my work, that's fine. But good reviews explain why, all that jazz. Readers are discerning enough to know a good review from a bad one, but this so-called review really sent me into a funk. It was the only "MLP" review on BN, too. I reported the review and a few other people did, too. But it's still there. I actually considered pulling some (or all) of my works from BN because of its review policy. My BN sales are a tiny part of my overall sales, so the hit would have been minimal. Anyone anonymous can post reviews, and they don't even need to put text. Reviews can be starred and nothing else. This is an issue I've had with some other BN reviews of my works. Goodreads allows this system too, but at least a name has to be with the review. Amazon also has pennames, but the reviews are linked. BN's system leaves much to be desired. Anyway, in the end, I decided to give readers credit for their own brains and kept my works on BN.
Anyway, then there were a few other review issues with the same work and other works, other sites. I got to the point where I decided reading my reviews was not worth it. I would get all angsty and depressed when I should be focusing on my WRITING.
So this is my plan of action. I can see sales numbers without having to look at reviews, which is cool. But not sales ranks. If I want to know a book's sales rank on Amazon or BN, I'll ask my wife to look it up for me. I'll uncheck the Smashwords notification option that lets me know my work has been reviewed. If one gets through, I just won't read the review. Now, I WILL ask my wife to make the rounds once a in a while and read reviews. If she finds a good one (including ones that have constructive feedback--I'm not fragile enough that I can't handle constructive feedback) I will ask her to send them my way. I DO want to know what readers think about my work and what might have been a weak spot(s). Along these lines, I still love getting reader emails (other than the attack emails). Some of the emails have pointed out what they thought were weaknesses, and that's fine. As long as it's constructive and justified, ya know?
Anyway, I think I can do it, even in this day and age. :-)
**** I really do appreciate readers who take the time to post thoughtful and constructive reviews. Please keep it up! Chances are I will see these reviews eventually through my wife :)
Now I think it can be done, and I'm joining their ranks. It was not a decision I made lightly, and my thought process might be of interest to you.
It basically started with my "Miss Lucy Parker" collection. This collection elicited strong, negative feelings in a vocal minority of people. I got a couple of horrid attack emails. Then an anonymous review popped up at BN. It said: "
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?Ii hate this book. Dont make another one."
Now, if people hate my work, that's fine. But good reviews explain why, all that jazz. Readers are discerning enough to know a good review from a bad one, but this so-called review really sent me into a funk. It was the only "MLP" review on BN, too. I reported the review and a few other people did, too. But it's still there. I actually considered pulling some (or all) of my works from BN because of its review policy. My BN sales are a tiny part of my overall sales, so the hit would have been minimal. Anyone anonymous can post reviews, and they don't even need to put text. Reviews can be starred and nothing else. This is an issue I've had with some other BN reviews of my works. Goodreads allows this system too, but at least a name has to be with the review. Amazon also has pennames, but the reviews are linked. BN's system leaves much to be desired. Anyway, in the end, I decided to give readers credit for their own brains and kept my works on BN.
Anyway, then there were a few other review issues with the same work and other works, other sites. I got to the point where I decided reading my reviews was not worth it. I would get all angsty and depressed when I should be focusing on my WRITING.
So this is my plan of action. I can see sales numbers without having to look at reviews, which is cool. But not sales ranks. If I want to know a book's sales rank on Amazon or BN, I'll ask my wife to look it up for me. I'll uncheck the Smashwords notification option that lets me know my work has been reviewed. If one gets through, I just won't read the review. Now, I WILL ask my wife to make the rounds once a in a while and read reviews. If she finds a good one (including ones that have constructive feedback--I'm not fragile enough that I can't handle constructive feedback) I will ask her to send them my way. I DO want to know what readers think about my work and what might have been a weak spot(s). Along these lines, I still love getting reader emails (other than the attack emails). Some of the emails have pointed out what they thought were weaknesses, and that's fine. As long as it's constructive and justified, ya know?
Anyway, I think I can do it, even in this day and age. :-)
**** I really do appreciate readers who take the time to post thoughtful and constructive reviews. Please keep it up! Chances are I will see these reviews eventually through my wife :)
January 4, 2012
Next Bit of "Third"
Here's a bit more on "Third." Here is the .pdf. No download required. For more info on what I am doing, go here.
This is a work in progress, and the most obvious change I have made (one that isn't in the rough draft versions online) is a switch of Chapters 1 and 2, and corresponding chronological changes. I will probably explain why I did this after the "Third" ebook/final draft is published.
For part two, click here. Part one is here in case you missed it.
January 2, 2012
Defying Genre
Someone in one of the lesfic Yahoo groups I am in recently said that there are not enough lesfic books that address alcoholism. Bridget Bufford in her novel, Minus One: A Twelve-Step Journey, breaks from the crowd in this respect (and in lots other respects). That's Bridget in the picture below.
She is also big on writing workshops. I write solitary and don't think I'd do as well in a group. I don't feel the need for that sort of motivation, so it was interesting for me to hear about how workshops benefit her and how she runs them. One thing I really liked is that diversity in her workshops is important to her. I could not agree more!
I'm thrilled to have her here for a bit! :)
So, introduce yourself and your books.
I am Bridget Bufford, a writer and creative workshop facilitator in Columbia, Missouri . Much of my life has been spent in the Midwest , which influences my settings and characters. Both of my books to date have Missourians as protagonists.
My first book, Minus One: A Twelve-Step Journey (Haworth Press), chronicles a lesbian woman's first year of sobriety. Terry Manescu is a self-absorbed, sometimes violent drunk who manipulates women through her charm and physicality, but once the drinking erodes her self-control, she seeks help through AA. Her journey toward recovery is sexually charged and filled with both despair and hope. Minus One was a Lambda Literary Awards finalist and will soon be released as an ebook by Untreed Reads.
Cemetery Bird (Casperian Books) alternates between Midwest and Southwest as Jay Aubuchon, a US Forest Service Hotshot, reconnects with the family she fled in her teens. Upon her return, she helps to care for her brother's son Brandon, a minimally verbal teen with autism. Recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize, Cemetery Bird is available through the publisher and online outlets.
I love the sound of your books! I write on gritty topics as well, and some people have given me flak for it. Do you get any criticism for the tough topics you tackle?
What some people find harsh, others find brave. For Minus One, I won a Catalyst Award from an LGBT group at the University of Missouri. The presenter's speech ran thus:
"I'm a very big fan of giving voice to the voiceless, of facing down our demons – both personal and on a larger level, of breaking silences, and this next Catalyst recipient has done just that. In her latest artistic endeavor she has fearlessly addressed lesbian drug and alcohol addiction and same-sex domestic violence, and the intimate glimpses into addiction and recovery can serve as both tools and inspirations for all of us. She says that this work was created as a love letter to 12-step programs, but I say it is more than that – it is also a light for any who feel lost in the darkness. There are those that would say that our community silently endorses and encourages hiding our problems, out of fear that we will only be known for our pain and struggles, and not our strengths and victories. I say that we are sick to death of being silent, on all levels, including our problems, and that addressing them is both strength and victory. I feel that she would agree with me, and it is my honor and privilege to award Lambda Literary Award finalist, author of Minus One, Bridget Bufford, with a 2005 Catalyst Award."
John Doerflinger, 2005 Catalyst Awards (used by permission)
That's great. So what kind of writer would you say you are?
Primarily a novelist, and if I had to pick just one descriptor, I'd call my writing literary. My hope is that my books defy genre. The characters of Minus One are largely lesbian, but at heart it's a book about addiction and recovery. The characters of Cemetery Bird are largely heterosexual, but it's a book about finding common experience in the face of cultural difference, mental illness, disability. The protagonist of Rough Guidelines, the manuscript I'm currently pitching, is a lesbian social worker, and the story line revolves around her interaction with clients in her therapy group.
I put three to five years into writing a novel, and I can only do that when the story explores a compelling issue. My work in progress is a adaptation of Pinocchio, recasting the Blue Fairy as a drag queen and Geppetto as a gay man who can't have kids in the conventional way, so he carves one. The central question there is "What is a real boy?"
Minus One asks: what happens when a woman becomes abusive? Do you shun her, or give her another chance? Do you stop caring about someone when they act like that? Though the book is about recovery, those are the questions that kept me invested.
With Cemetery Bird, the question became one of estrangement—once someone becomes so profoundly isolated from her own sense of family and community, what will it take for her to reconnect with her own life?
Three to five years is certainly a substantial investment. No doubt it shines through in the finished product. Do you write full time?
I hope the final quality reflects the number of drafts each piece goes through, which is at least three and more often five or six.
I work as a landscaper, and during the growing season I don't get much writing done outside of workshops. For the past twelve years I have been leading weekly workshops in the Amherst Writers & Artist's Method, so I do much of my first draft during our sessions. In the winter I'm laid off, so I type up those scenes, develop transitions and refine the story arc.
I really like writing in a workshop, for the same reason that I love working out in a gym. The energy in a group is higher and more sustaining than writing alone, and workshop writing tends to be more inspired than solitary writing.
So how is your ideal workshop set up? For example, are the writers all in the same room when they write?
A good workshop can offer the best possible writing experience. Unlike an academic setting, where efforts are immediately judged, in a workshop the writings are supported and encouraged. In my workshop we do that by using the AWA Method, which creates an environment of support and safety.(http://www.amherstwriters.com/workshops/the-awa-method.html) I began leading groups in 1996 and took the AWA training in 1999.
We meet in the lower level of my home, which has a separate entrance into a small room with the coat rack and coffee/tea setup. The next room resembles a family room, with plenty of seating plus tables and desks for those who prefer to withdraw from the group to write.
I give a prompt; we all write for twenty minutes, then reconvene to read and respond. By focusing our responses upon the strengths of the work, the group gives each participant a chance to build upon those assets and cultivate his or her unique writing voice.
Something I really prize in a group is diversity—in experience, education, age, genre, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, culture. We can all learn from each other. Diversity can be hard to achieve in this Midwestern college town, but when we do it makes a difference.
If a writer can't do a workshop, particularly an in-person workshop, for whatever reason, what are some possible alternatives?
AWA workshops have been a godsend to me in terms of my own writing process and also in acquiring a local writing community, but obviously they don't work for everyone. Other options include online critique groups and classes, or online writers' groups like Golden Crown Literary Society and Virtual Living Room. With the advent of the internet, even the most isolated writer needn't lack a sense of community.
My website, with links to both books:
http://www.bridgetbufford.com/index
Cemetery Bird press kit:
http://bridgetbufford.com/CBpresskit-Print.pdf
She is also big on writing workshops. I write solitary and don't think I'd do as well in a group. I don't feel the need for that sort of motivation, so it was interesting for me to hear about how workshops benefit her and how she runs them. One thing I really liked is that diversity in her workshops is important to her. I could not agree more! I'm thrilled to have her here for a bit! :)
So, introduce yourself and your books.
I am Bridget Bufford, a writer and creative workshop facilitator in Columbia, Missouri . Much of my life has been spent in the Midwest , which influences my settings and characters. Both of my books to date have Missourians as protagonists.
My first book, Minus One: A Twelve-Step Journey (Haworth Press), chronicles a lesbian woman's first year of sobriety. Terry Manescu is a self-absorbed, sometimes violent drunk who manipulates women through her charm and physicality, but once the drinking erodes her self-control, she seeks help through AA. Her journey toward recovery is sexually charged and filled with both despair and hope. Minus One was a Lambda Literary Awards finalist and will soon be released as an ebook by Untreed Reads.
Cemetery Bird (Casperian Books) alternates between Midwest and Southwest as Jay Aubuchon, a US Forest Service Hotshot, reconnects with the family she fled in her teens. Upon her return, she helps to care for her brother's son Brandon, a minimally verbal teen with autism. Recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize, Cemetery Bird is available through the publisher and online outlets.
I love the sound of your books! I write on gritty topics as well, and some people have given me flak for it. Do you get any criticism for the tough topics you tackle?
What some people find harsh, others find brave. For Minus One, I won a Catalyst Award from an LGBT group at the University of Missouri. The presenter's speech ran thus:
"I'm a very big fan of giving voice to the voiceless, of facing down our demons – both personal and on a larger level, of breaking silences, and this next Catalyst recipient has done just that. In her latest artistic endeavor she has fearlessly addressed lesbian drug and alcohol addiction and same-sex domestic violence, and the intimate glimpses into addiction and recovery can serve as both tools and inspirations for all of us. She says that this work was created as a love letter to 12-step programs, but I say it is more than that – it is also a light for any who feel lost in the darkness. There are those that would say that our community silently endorses and encourages hiding our problems, out of fear that we will only be known for our pain and struggles, and not our strengths and victories. I say that we are sick to death of being silent, on all levels, including our problems, and that addressing them is both strength and victory. I feel that she would agree with me, and it is my honor and privilege to award Lambda Literary Award finalist, author of Minus One, Bridget Bufford, with a 2005 Catalyst Award."
John Doerflinger, 2005 Catalyst Awards (used by permission)
That's great. So what kind of writer would you say you are?
Primarily a novelist, and if I had to pick just one descriptor, I'd call my writing literary. My hope is that my books defy genre. The characters of Minus One are largely lesbian, but at heart it's a book about addiction and recovery. The characters of Cemetery Bird are largely heterosexual, but it's a book about finding common experience in the face of cultural difference, mental illness, disability. The protagonist of Rough Guidelines, the manuscript I'm currently pitching, is a lesbian social worker, and the story line revolves around her interaction with clients in her therapy group.
I put three to five years into writing a novel, and I can only do that when the story explores a compelling issue. My work in progress is a adaptation of Pinocchio, recasting the Blue Fairy as a drag queen and Geppetto as a gay man who can't have kids in the conventional way, so he carves one. The central question there is "What is a real boy?"
Minus One asks: what happens when a woman becomes abusive? Do you shun her, or give her another chance? Do you stop caring about someone when they act like that? Though the book is about recovery, those are the questions that kept me invested.
With Cemetery Bird, the question became one of estrangement—once someone becomes so profoundly isolated from her own sense of family and community, what will it take for her to reconnect with her own life?
Three to five years is certainly a substantial investment. No doubt it shines through in the finished product. Do you write full time?
I hope the final quality reflects the number of drafts each piece goes through, which is at least three and more often five or six.
I work as a landscaper, and during the growing season I don't get much writing done outside of workshops. For the past twelve years I have been leading weekly workshops in the Amherst Writers & Artist's Method, so I do much of my first draft during our sessions. In the winter I'm laid off, so I type up those scenes, develop transitions and refine the story arc.
I really like writing in a workshop, for the same reason that I love working out in a gym. The energy in a group is higher and more sustaining than writing alone, and workshop writing tends to be more inspired than solitary writing.
So how is your ideal workshop set up? For example, are the writers all in the same room when they write?
A good workshop can offer the best possible writing experience. Unlike an academic setting, where efforts are immediately judged, in a workshop the writings are supported and encouraged. In my workshop we do that by using the AWA Method, which creates an environment of support and safety.(http://www.amherstwriters.com/workshops/the-awa-method.html) I began leading groups in 1996 and took the AWA training in 1999.
We meet in the lower level of my home, which has a separate entrance into a small room with the coat rack and coffee/tea setup. The next room resembles a family room, with plenty of seating plus tables and desks for those who prefer to withdraw from the group to write.
I give a prompt; we all write for twenty minutes, then reconvene to read and respond. By focusing our responses upon the strengths of the work, the group gives each participant a chance to build upon those assets and cultivate his or her unique writing voice.
Something I really prize in a group is diversity—in experience, education, age, genre, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, culture. We can all learn from each other. Diversity can be hard to achieve in this Midwestern college town, but when we do it makes a difference.
If a writer can't do a workshop, particularly an in-person workshop, for whatever reason, what are some possible alternatives?
AWA workshops have been a godsend to me in terms of my own writing process and also in acquiring a local writing community, but obviously they don't work for everyone. Other options include online critique groups and classes, or online writers' groups like Golden Crown Literary Society and Virtual Living Room. With the advent of the internet, even the most isolated writer needn't lack a sense of community.My website, with links to both books:
http://www.bridgetbufford.com/index
Cemetery Bird press kit:
http://bridgetbufford.com/CBpresskit-Print.pdf
January 1, 2012
"All in the Family" Is Available in Ebook and Print (Updated with Nook and Print Info)
The big day is here!"All in the Family" in ebook is available at Amazon, Smashwords and Barnes and Noble.
You can also get "All in the Family" in print here OR here or contact me for an autographed copy (or an unautographed copy). It will be available in print at Amazon in about five days (will update with the link here too).
You can read the first four chapters here.
Here's the blurb: Allison Albrecht and Samantha Cannizarro are thrown together when their parents become engaged. Sam is deaf, so Allison begins to learn sign language. Allison is eager to please Sam and to make a good impression on her. Sam does not care about good impressions. She is a loner, always has been. She resents her new instant family, especially her stepmother-to-be. Sam is also reluctant to bond with three-year-old Allen. However, Allison and Allen gradually crack Sam's facade, and the two girls fall in love.
But life in a stepfamily is rarely easy. Throw in romance between two stepsiblings, and the ride is going to be bumpy.
**** For "All in the Family" and Goodreads people: I see "All in the Family" has made its way into the Goodreads database.
One favor: when/if you add it, please add the 2012 edition. I sent an email to the librarians asking for the two to be combined. I emailed Amazon yesterday asking for the 2011 publication date to be changed. This is frustrating because I purposefully waited until 2012 to publish because of yearly awards seasons. I also purposefully waited until well into the morning (10 or so) Jan. 1 EST before beginning the publishing process. This way, there would be no confusion with PST and other time zones. Other sites list a Jan. 1 publication date. Amazon doesn't, and I'm baffled as to why. Really hope this error is fixable and/or that the awards committees won't disqualify it. Anyway, enjoy! Or I hope you do ;-)
"All in the Family" Is Available in Ebook and Print (Updated with Note at Bottom)
The big day is here!"All in the Family" is available at Amazon and Smashwords. It should be available at BN in a day or so (BN tends to take a bit longer to process uploads. I'll update this post when it's available at BN). You can also get "All in the Family" in print here or contact me for an autographed copy (or an unautographed copy). It will be available in print at Amazon in about five days (will update with the link here too).
You can read the first four chapters here.
Here's the blurb: Allison Albrecht and Samantha Cannizarro are thrown together when their parents become engaged. Sam is deaf, so Allison begins to learn sign language. Allison is eager to please Sam and to make a good impression on her. Sam does not care about good impressions. She is a loner, always has been. She resents her new instant family, especially her stepmother-to-be. Sam is also reluctant to bond with three-year-old Allen. However, Allison and Allen gradually crack Sam's facade, and the two girls fall in love.
But life in a stepfamily is rarely easy. Throw in romance between two stepsiblings, and the ride is going to be bumpy.
**** For "All in the Family" and Goodreads people: I see "All in the Family" has made its way into the Goodreads database.
One favor: when/if you add it, please add the 2012 edition. I sent an email to the librarians asking for the two to be combined. I emailed Amazon yesterday asking for the 2011 publication date to be changed. This is frustrating because I purposefully waited until 2012 to publish because of yearly awards seasons. I also purposefully waited until well into the morning (10 or so) Jan. 1 EST before beginning the publishing process. This way, there would be no confusion with PST and other time zones. Other sites list a Jan. 1 publication date. Amazon doesn't, and I'm baffled as to why. Really hope this error is fixable and/or that the awards committees won't disqualify it. Anyway, enjoy! Or I hope you do ;-)
"All in the Family" Is Available in Ebook and Print
The big day is here!"All in the Family" is available at Amazon and Smashwords. It should be available at BN in a day or so (BN tends to take a bit longer to process uploads. I'll update this post when it's available at BN). You can also get "All in the Family" in print here or contact me for an autographed copy (or an unautographed copy). It will be available in print at Amazon in about five days (will update with the link here too).
You can read the first four chapters here.
Here's the blurb: Allison Albrecht and Samantha Cannizarro are thrown together when their parents become engaged. Sam is deaf, so Allison begins to learn sign language. Allison is eager to please Sam and to make a good impression on her. Sam does not care about good impressions. She is a loner, always has been. She resents her new instant family, especially her stepmother-to-be. Sam is also reluctant to bond with three-year-old Allen. However, Allison and Allen gradually crack Sam's facade, and the two girls fall in love.
But life in a stepfamily is rarely easy. Throw in romance between two stepsiblings, and the ride is going to be bumpy.
