Ceara Comeau's Blog: Lessons From A Struggling Writer, page 7
April 28, 2018
New Opportunities
I’ve traveled to different worlds, solved family mysteries, and even met a few companions along the way. Sounds like the start of a great adventure novel, right? Well, that’s actually what best describes my crazy month…sort of. See, I’ve taken on a lot of challenges this April and have learned so much! My month began with another author’s expo, but this one was massive, at least compared to what I’m used to. I met new friends and established better relationships with ones I already made. This event also solidified an important concept that was just budding in my mind. Writers need to stick together. I don’t just mean as friends, but also as colleagues. I received valuable information about how to promote and market my work and even after the event, I was still given advice! I may not have sold a lot of books at this event, but that didn’t matter to me, what mattered the most was the connections that I made.
As for the rest of my crazy month, I started adding book reviews to my YouTube channel…oh did I forget that I started one of those two? 😉 A while ago, I found book reviews in general to be a real help to an author, but for an author to do book reviews of their peer’s work, well that’s a double blessing right there! I found ways of making the videos creative by making my wardrobe and background scene match the setting of the book! Although I take my time reading books, I find the end result is so rewarding! Speaking of rewards, I decided to take up another project with my latest book and turn it into an audiobook (from the wonderful advice from another writer)! I put together an audition script and a young lady put in her audition a week later! That was the coolest thing ever, she did a great job and she is wonderful to work with. The release date for that will be in September of this year.
And in other unrelated writing news, I’ve been taking up my old hobby of researching family trees, for myself and for other people. But I find doing this type of research helps me with creating characters for future books, and it has certainly been helpful in the writing of my prequel to “Memories of Chronosalis” …which is now in the hands of my beta readers and I’m hoping to be released in January of 2019.
So, all this to say, yes, it has been a crazy April, but I look forward to what adventures May has in store!
As for the rest of my crazy month, I started adding book reviews to my YouTube channel…oh did I forget that I started one of those two? 😉 A while ago, I found book reviews in general to be a real help to an author, but for an author to do book reviews of their peer’s work, well that’s a double blessing right there! I found ways of making the videos creative by making my wardrobe and background scene match the setting of the book! Although I take my time reading books, I find the end result is so rewarding! Speaking of rewards, I decided to take up another project with my latest book and turn it into an audiobook (from the wonderful advice from another writer)! I put together an audition script and a young lady put in her audition a week later! That was the coolest thing ever, she did a great job and she is wonderful to work with. The release date for that will be in September of this year.
And in other unrelated writing news, I’ve been taking up my old hobby of researching family trees, for myself and for other people. But I find doing this type of research helps me with creating characters for future books, and it has certainly been helpful in the writing of my prequel to “Memories of Chronosalis” …which is now in the hands of my beta readers and I’m hoping to be released in January of 2019.
So, all this to say, yes, it has been a crazy April, but I look forward to what adventures May has in store!
March 18, 2018
Power of Positivity
Over the last few weeks, almost every conversation with friends and family has started with variations of this one phrase, “Man, you’re really getting out there with your books!”
I find a lot of humor in this comment because the truth is. I’m not. At least, I don’t see it that way. Sure, I’ve been keeping people updated on the latest news and such and I sound like I’m really successful. But the truth of the matter is that over the past month I have faced trial after trial. Between marketing strategies falling apart, events not going as planned, and book sales not being where they should be, I find some days are really hard to keep going. I often find myself wondering, is this really the path I should be following? Should I just write as a hobby? Some days I honestly find these trials are debilitating and my motivation for writing is just non-existent.
With my confession out of the way, I’m sure you have a lot of questions. For example, why am I only posting positive things? Why not express my downfalls and struggles? Am I just telling the good parts of my writing career to sound like I’m successful?
Simple answer. No. By no means am I trying to deceive anyone. As writers, we are almost all in the same boat. We are screaming for our voices to be heard because we truly believe our work is worth everyone’s time. I am part of many online writing groups and have noticed that many writers use these groups to vent about their struggles. Yes, it’s nice to get advice from seasoned authors about the best way to resolve issues, but the more posts I read, the more I saw people wanting to give up on their work.
That’s why you’ll never see me complain about my struggles. There’s enough negativity in the world than for me to add more to the mix about my own problems. I want to encourage people, whether it be other writers, or people trying to pursue their dreams to find the positivity in every situation they face. Sometimes the problems we face are so bad that it does take a while to find that ‘silver lining’, but by focusing on the things that went right, it changes our minds to focus on what’s good. And sometimes when we see the positivity, it can actually help us see how we can still make a situation work. Truly, the power of positivity is the closest thing I can imagine to magic.
I find a lot of humor in this comment because the truth is. I’m not. At least, I don’t see it that way. Sure, I’ve been keeping people updated on the latest news and such and I sound like I’m really successful. But the truth of the matter is that over the past month I have faced trial after trial. Between marketing strategies falling apart, events not going as planned, and book sales not being where they should be, I find some days are really hard to keep going. I often find myself wondering, is this really the path I should be following? Should I just write as a hobby? Some days I honestly find these trials are debilitating and my motivation for writing is just non-existent.
With my confession out of the way, I’m sure you have a lot of questions. For example, why am I only posting positive things? Why not express my downfalls and struggles? Am I just telling the good parts of my writing career to sound like I’m successful?
Simple answer. No. By no means am I trying to deceive anyone. As writers, we are almost all in the same boat. We are screaming for our voices to be heard because we truly believe our work is worth everyone’s time. I am part of many online writing groups and have noticed that many writers use these groups to vent about their struggles. Yes, it’s nice to get advice from seasoned authors about the best way to resolve issues, but the more posts I read, the more I saw people wanting to give up on their work.
That’s why you’ll never see me complain about my struggles. There’s enough negativity in the world than for me to add more to the mix about my own problems. I want to encourage people, whether it be other writers, or people trying to pursue their dreams to find the positivity in every situation they face. Sometimes the problems we face are so bad that it does take a while to find that ‘silver lining’, but by focusing on the things that went right, it changes our minds to focus on what’s good. And sometimes when we see the positivity, it can actually help us see how we can still make a situation work. Truly, the power of positivity is the closest thing I can imagine to magic.
February 28, 2018
Game of Marketing
So, I have a confession to make. I’m a gamer. Not an avid gamer, mind you. But I do enjoy playing puzzle related games whenever I’m stuck on a section in my writing. And I’ve noticed a lot of comparisons between book marketing and gaming.
I have this one mystery/paranormal game that is so much fun to play, but like life, it won’t hold your hand. You have to figure out what you’re supposed to do in each section by yourself. Sometimes I mess up and have to start at the beginning of my last autosave. Other times, I realize I forgot that I didn’t look for my last clue. But at the end of each puzzle scene, I get a hint as to where I’m supposed to go next.
That’s how I see book marketing. You start out with the “tutorial” trying to get a feel for your new surroundings. You research everything you can about the market you’re trying to reach. Then when you feel confident, you go on to your first “puzzle”; advertising through various forms of social media. And by taking that next step, solving something so simple, you get a clue as to how you can move on to another bigger puzzle. That may come in the form of blogs, author websites, bookstores, libraries, schools, you name it. Each puzzle; each step takes you to something bigger and by the time you are half-way through the “Game of Marketing” you can look back and see where you’ve come and the picture of your future becomes just a little clearer.
I have this one mystery/paranormal game that is so much fun to play, but like life, it won’t hold your hand. You have to figure out what you’re supposed to do in each section by yourself. Sometimes I mess up and have to start at the beginning of my last autosave. Other times, I realize I forgot that I didn’t look for my last clue. But at the end of each puzzle scene, I get a hint as to where I’m supposed to go next.
That’s how I see book marketing. You start out with the “tutorial” trying to get a feel for your new surroundings. You research everything you can about the market you’re trying to reach. Then when you feel confident, you go on to your first “puzzle”; advertising through various forms of social media. And by taking that next step, solving something so simple, you get a clue as to how you can move on to another bigger puzzle. That may come in the form of blogs, author websites, bookstores, libraries, schools, you name it. Each puzzle; each step takes you to something bigger and by the time you are half-way through the “Game of Marketing” you can look back and see where you’ve come and the picture of your future becomes just a little clearer.
February 9, 2018
Don't Settle
“Don’t take yourself so seriously!” I’ve heard this phrase more times in my life than I can count. And, it’s quite a true statement of life in general. But when you have a goal that you’re absolutely passionate about, well, that’s an entirely different story.
See I recently took part in a book fair where about twenty self-published or indie published authors, spent six hours representing their work and learning from each other. It was a fantastic time, I met new friends, and it was nice to know that I wasn’t alone in the struggle for my voice to be heard. But during this time, I received words of wisdom from a seasoned author whose writing wasn’t just a hobby, it was her life.
We spoke a lot about how she began her writing career and then she started giving me advice seeing that I was relatively new to the marketing side of the business. At one point in our conversations, she whispered to me seriously, “Don’t settle!” I know it doesn’t seem very profound. But, I’ll never forget those two powerful words. It brought me back to that idea of taking myself seriously. There’s nothing wrong with being serious because it will keep my eyes on my ultimate goal. And that really goes for any kind of art form. I mean, if I don’t take myself seriously, then how do I expect others to?
Now, I’m not saying that if I’m serious about my work it makes me a perfect writer or marketer. I still have so much learning to do on my crazy writing adventure and I’ll probably never stop. There are always ways to improve!
See I recently took part in a book fair where about twenty self-published or indie published authors, spent six hours representing their work and learning from each other. It was a fantastic time, I met new friends, and it was nice to know that I wasn’t alone in the struggle for my voice to be heard. But during this time, I received words of wisdom from a seasoned author whose writing wasn’t just a hobby, it was her life.
We spoke a lot about how she began her writing career and then she started giving me advice seeing that I was relatively new to the marketing side of the business. At one point in our conversations, she whispered to me seriously, “Don’t settle!” I know it doesn’t seem very profound. But, I’ll never forget those two powerful words. It brought me back to that idea of taking myself seriously. There’s nothing wrong with being serious because it will keep my eyes on my ultimate goal. And that really goes for any kind of art form. I mean, if I don’t take myself seriously, then how do I expect others to?
Now, I’m not saying that if I’m serious about my work it makes me a perfect writer or marketer. I still have so much learning to do on my crazy writing adventure and I’ll probably never stop. There are always ways to improve!
January 28, 2018
Snowstorm
I had the most amazing revelation a few weeks ago and it all began with a goofy sugar-high conversation with my best friend.
Let me start at the beginning…
It was a frigid winter night and I found myself watching a television show where the character development was phenomenal. It was inspiring yet at the same time, it got me really down in the dumps. See, I’m always striving to make my characters and plot come alive, but sometimes I don’t feel like I’m improving. At this point, I stopped watching television and immediately video chatted with my best friend who is also an exceptional writer. She is one of the few people in my life who truly understand the many writer blocks and anxieties of writing that hit me hard.
We caught each other up on life updates and talked about a show that we mutually enjoyed. But then the conversation got serious. I expressed to her that I had no motivation for continuing writing my next book. It wasn’t that I had a writer’s block, I knew exactly what I wanted to write, but I was just in a slump. I felt horrible and the anxiety attached to the situation was just debilitating. She told me that the lack of motivation was a normal thing as it happened to her too on occasion, but I didn’t want this to be normal for me. I wanted to write.
Then my friend got this look on her face, one that was always followed by some kind of profound statement. She used the example of building a snowman. You have in your mind exactly how the snowman should look and you even have the carrot nose, button eyes, and sticks for arms. But, you just don’t have the snow yet. You need to wait for the weather to send the right kind of snow. We can’t know what the weather will be like. Sure, we have apps, farmer’s almanac, and the weather channel. But all that can do is predict what the weather could bring. As a writer, it’s the same principle, we might have the ideas in our head, but the timing may not be right.
After she gave me this wonderful pep talk, she was officially deemed as my writing guru! But, she taught me a really valuable lesson. It’s okay to be in a slump. That doesn’t make me a bad writer, far from it! In fact, slumps can be a good thing. They can teach you to slow down, focus in on a specific scene, or they can simply teach you something about yourself that you needed to know. So, if you’re a writer in the same predicament, don’t be ashamed of your slump or block. It is temporary, your snowstorm will come and it won’t be when you expect it either, you just need to be ready for when it arrives.
Let me start at the beginning…
It was a frigid winter night and I found myself watching a television show where the character development was phenomenal. It was inspiring yet at the same time, it got me really down in the dumps. See, I’m always striving to make my characters and plot come alive, but sometimes I don’t feel like I’m improving. At this point, I stopped watching television and immediately video chatted with my best friend who is also an exceptional writer. She is one of the few people in my life who truly understand the many writer blocks and anxieties of writing that hit me hard.
We caught each other up on life updates and talked about a show that we mutually enjoyed. But then the conversation got serious. I expressed to her that I had no motivation for continuing writing my next book. It wasn’t that I had a writer’s block, I knew exactly what I wanted to write, but I was just in a slump. I felt horrible and the anxiety attached to the situation was just debilitating. She told me that the lack of motivation was a normal thing as it happened to her too on occasion, but I didn’t want this to be normal for me. I wanted to write.
Then my friend got this look on her face, one that was always followed by some kind of profound statement. She used the example of building a snowman. You have in your mind exactly how the snowman should look and you even have the carrot nose, button eyes, and sticks for arms. But, you just don’t have the snow yet. You need to wait for the weather to send the right kind of snow. We can’t know what the weather will be like. Sure, we have apps, farmer’s almanac, and the weather channel. But all that can do is predict what the weather could bring. As a writer, it’s the same principle, we might have the ideas in our head, but the timing may not be right.
After she gave me this wonderful pep talk, she was officially deemed as my writing guru! But, she taught me a really valuable lesson. It’s okay to be in a slump. That doesn’t make me a bad writer, far from it! In fact, slumps can be a good thing. They can teach you to slow down, focus in on a specific scene, or they can simply teach you something about yourself that you needed to know. So, if you’re a writer in the same predicament, don’t be ashamed of your slump or block. It is temporary, your snowstorm will come and it won’t be when you expect it either, you just need to be ready for when it arrives.
January 2, 2018
Resolution
Well, it’s that time of year again. The time of year where we all make new year’s resolutions that we accidentally forget about within a month. I started my resolution a little over a month ago and fell into that ‘forgetful’ category. I had it in my mind that I would work really hard to get my new book out to the world and everything was going great. That is, until reality started banging on the door. I was running out of ideas on how to freely advertise my book. Word of mouth was slowing down, social media seemed to be going around in circles, and everywhere I turned, something had a hidden fee. I was so discouraged that I began searching for a normal 9-5 job, just in hopes that the extra money would help me get my book farther along.
But the job search was consuming, to say the least. I spent more time either searching for a job or worrying about not having one that I lost sight of my real goal. My book. I came to the point where I had a heart to heart talk with my mom who has always been my cheerleader when it comes to my writing. She said, “Don’t give up hope! Your book has only been out for a few weeks. Keep going for it and worry about that 9-5 at a later time.” As the old saying goes, “Mom’s are always right.” And the more I thought about what she said, the more I realized…she was right. I had given up hope too quickly. And so, I had to ask myself that famous question, “What is my dream worth to me?” My answer? Everything. There are going to be obstacles as it is that way with any goal, but I believe that this book can change someone’s life.
So, I gotta ask you as we start this brand new year of 2018; “What is your new year’s resolution worth to you?”
But the job search was consuming, to say the least. I spent more time either searching for a job or worrying about not having one that I lost sight of my real goal. My book. I came to the point where I had a heart to heart talk with my mom who has always been my cheerleader when it comes to my writing. She said, “Don’t give up hope! Your book has only been out for a few weeks. Keep going for it and worry about that 9-5 at a later time.” As the old saying goes, “Mom’s are always right.” And the more I thought about what she said, the more I realized…she was right. I had given up hope too quickly. And so, I had to ask myself that famous question, “What is my dream worth to me?” My answer? Everything. There are going to be obstacles as it is that way with any goal, but I believe that this book can change someone’s life.
So, I gotta ask you as we start this brand new year of 2018; “What is your new year’s resolution worth to you?”
December 11, 2017
Little Victories
Writing a book is quite simple actually, but marketing one is a completely different challenge (as I've mentioned many times before).
Over the last few weeks, I've been learning a very important lesson. about anyone who, like me, is struggling with telling the world about their artwork. I feel as artists we have it in our mindset that all of the people we know are going to quickly jump in and buy our art and we'll be instantly huge. But that's furthest from the truth. You see, our friends and family are just like anyone else.
Yes, they want to support you and want you to know that they're rooting for you which is awesome! But it's hard for anyone to buy books, music, paintings, (etc.) without understanding why it's so important to the artist. That's where the artist comes in. We need to show and tell people what our work means to us and why they need it. No, that's not going to instantly give us sales or fame, but it will at least help us get on the same level of understanding as our friends and family.
You see, every little thing we do, whether it is talking to a total stranger, connecting with the surrounding community, or even blasting social media. It all adds up in the end. The little victories are what will lead to our ultimate goal.
Over the last few weeks, I've been learning a very important lesson. about anyone who, like me, is struggling with telling the world about their artwork. I feel as artists we have it in our mindset that all of the people we know are going to quickly jump in and buy our art and we'll be instantly huge. But that's furthest from the truth. You see, our friends and family are just like anyone else.
Yes, they want to support you and want you to know that they're rooting for you which is awesome! But it's hard for anyone to buy books, music, paintings, (etc.) without understanding why it's so important to the artist. That's where the artist comes in. We need to show and tell people what our work means to us and why they need it. No, that's not going to instantly give us sales or fame, but it will at least help us get on the same level of understanding as our friends and family.
You see, every little thing we do, whether it is talking to a total stranger, connecting with the surrounding community, or even blasting social media. It all adds up in the end. The little victories are what will lead to our ultimate goal.
November 29, 2017
The Maze
Picture this...you're in a massive maze trying to reach the end where a reward beyond your imagination awaits you. The walls constantly move at random and sometimes you're boxed in until an opening appears. Sometimes...you even have to go back to the starting line...if you can find it.
Sounds like something magical from Harry Potter, right? Well, yes and no. I'm talking, not about a literal maze, but the maze of life. Or rather, a life of one who's trying to make a living off writing or any other type of art.
Like in the maze, the walls are constantly turning in an artist's life. These walls, I like to think, are the blockades that prevent the artist from moving forward toward their goal. But some of these walls give the artist a way through. Then there are times, which is the most difficult to handle when the walls block the artist in and they are forced to sit and wait. Sometimes we want to scream and yell at these blockades, but in ways, they are good for us. We can sit down, reflect on where we have been and where we intend to go.
Not going to lie, when I first start to seriously market and advertise my work, I kept running into those full-blocks where the walls seemed to suffocate me. But I'm grateful for those moments because it not only allowed me to reflect and focus on my goal, but it gave me a break, one that I needed.
See, the maze of life, as much as we feel it's against us, is actually for us. There are times to stop, times to go, and times to relax and reflect.
Sounds like something magical from Harry Potter, right? Well, yes and no. I'm talking, not about a literal maze, but the maze of life. Or rather, a life of one who's trying to make a living off writing or any other type of art.
Like in the maze, the walls are constantly turning in an artist's life. These walls, I like to think, are the blockades that prevent the artist from moving forward toward their goal. But some of these walls give the artist a way through. Then there are times, which is the most difficult to handle when the walls block the artist in and they are forced to sit and wait. Sometimes we want to scream and yell at these blockades, but in ways, they are good for us. We can sit down, reflect on where we have been and where we intend to go.
Not going to lie, when I first start to seriously market and advertise my work, I kept running into those full-blocks where the walls seemed to suffocate me. But I'm grateful for those moments because it not only allowed me to reflect and focus on my goal, but it gave me a break, one that I needed.
See, the maze of life, as much as we feel it's against us, is actually for us. There are times to stop, times to go, and times to relax and reflect.
November 16, 2017
The Fans
Yesterday was an amazing day for me. I got the chance to give a talk at a local charter school. One of the teachers, who I knew in high school, invited me to come and talk to the students about writing.
Not going to lie, I was very nervous as I haven't given a talk in a couple years. But the students were absolutely amazing and made me feel so welcome! But before the talk even began one girl came up to me and asked, "Did you write the Amber Oak Mysteries?" A huge smile lit up my face. Apparently, she attended another talk that I gave at a library a few years back. The fact that she remembered a one-time talk made my day!
I continued with the talk I was going to give and it was with a small group of teenagers. But my attention kept going back to that one girl who was just so giddy that I had come. I spoke most of the time during the talk, but there were times when the students asked me some really great questions--some I had to take a moment to think about and it wasn't just about writing, but about how I saw the world.
I found their awareness of life, inspiring. These students were very intelligent and gave me hope for the future of our world.
When the talk ended and the parents came for pick-up. That one fan of mine, her mom came and was so excited to see me. She told me that the talk I gave all those years ago inspired her daughter to write books and she hasn't given up. To say that sent chills up my spine is a huge understatement. I felt so honored to have such an impact on the girl's life, even if it was only one meeting.
I started thinking about my fans, old or young, and I reflected on how celebrities react to their fans. A lot of them don't have the time to interact with the fans or even respond to a positive comment. But you know, those fans are the reason those celebrities are in business. I don't want to be so busy that I forget my fans. I may not be on the New York Times Best Selling Author List, but I still have fans and I wouldn't be where I am without their support!
Not going to lie, I was very nervous as I haven't given a talk in a couple years. But the students were absolutely amazing and made me feel so welcome! But before the talk even began one girl came up to me and asked, "Did you write the Amber Oak Mysteries?" A huge smile lit up my face. Apparently, she attended another talk that I gave at a library a few years back. The fact that she remembered a one-time talk made my day!
I continued with the talk I was going to give and it was with a small group of teenagers. But my attention kept going back to that one girl who was just so giddy that I had come. I spoke most of the time during the talk, but there were times when the students asked me some really great questions--some I had to take a moment to think about and it wasn't just about writing, but about how I saw the world.
I found their awareness of life, inspiring. These students were very intelligent and gave me hope for the future of our world.
When the talk ended and the parents came for pick-up. That one fan of mine, her mom came and was so excited to see me. She told me that the talk I gave all those years ago inspired her daughter to write books and she hasn't given up. To say that sent chills up my spine is a huge understatement. I felt so honored to have such an impact on the girl's life, even if it was only one meeting.
I started thinking about my fans, old or young, and I reflected on how celebrities react to their fans. A lot of them don't have the time to interact with the fans or even respond to a positive comment. But you know, those fans are the reason those celebrities are in business. I don't want to be so busy that I forget my fans. I may not be on the New York Times Best Selling Author List, but I still have fans and I wouldn't be where I am without their support!
November 7, 2017
Lesson Learned
The other day, I hired someone to do a book trailer for my upcoming book. I was a bit nervous about it because I wasn't sure how it would turn out. When I got the trailer back, it was done well, but it wasn't what I wanted. This was definitely not the other person's fault. They just did what I asked.
But you know, I learned something from this situation. Sure, I lost some money from this project, but I gained new insight about myself. I discovered that I had the creativeness in me to make a book trailer on my own! I am still working on it, but I find it is much more rewarding to be able to do the work myself.
That's not to say I'll never hire someone again, but if there are ways that I can do it, why not try it?
I want to make a correction to a very common quote. "If you want something done the way you want it do it yourself!"
But you know, I learned something from this situation. Sure, I lost some money from this project, but I gained new insight about myself. I discovered that I had the creativeness in me to make a book trailer on my own! I am still working on it, but I find it is much more rewarding to be able to do the work myself.
That's not to say I'll never hire someone again, but if there are ways that I can do it, why not try it?
I want to make a correction to a very common quote. "If you want something done the way you want it do it yourself!"
