Frances Pauli's Blog, page 17
April 28, 2012
Yes! Indulge in at least one.
We hear a lot of "no" in this business. Let me tall ya. Some days they come from all sides, and the little buggers can really wear you down. You get less if you take the self publishing route, but odds are, if you submit anywhere over the course of your career, you will here: le no.
Ouch.
Some days it makes you want to give up. Some days you start to believe that you suck eggs. So maybe submitting isn't such a good idea, right? So maybe I should just do it all solo and avoid the whole mess. It's not a bad idea. I'm a big fan of self-publishing, in particular considering the current trends and numbers. But I wonder if totally blowing off the whole subbing process might be robbing yourself of something really great.
The wonderful, Yes.
As bad as no no no feels, one YES! can make it all go away in a flash. Yes means someone else thinks you can do this too, someone who doesn't even know you. Yes is a very, very good feeling. It's butterflies and dancing for joy, and even a hundred no's before it won't diminish it one tiny bit. In other words, it's worth the wait.
So I got thinking about the self-publishing path and it occurred to me that that was the one thing it was missing. I mean, yes, reader love is the best love. But once, just once in every author's life, I think feeling that yes is important. Not even for validation, because I get that we shouldn't need that. Just for the experience of it. For the butterflies. Maybe, if you do plan to totally self-publish, it would be worth it to send out a couple of short stories, to keep sending them, and if necessary to send to one of the easier markets. They're not too hard to find, the ones that accept a bit more than some of the others. Maybe it's worth it to do a little time and snag that yes. . . just once.
Because once you have it, nothing can take it away.
~Frances
Ouch.
Some days it makes you want to give up. Some days you start to believe that you suck eggs. So maybe submitting isn't such a good idea, right? So maybe I should just do it all solo and avoid the whole mess. It's not a bad idea. I'm a big fan of self-publishing, in particular considering the current trends and numbers. But I wonder if totally blowing off the whole subbing process might be robbing yourself of something really great.
The wonderful, Yes.
As bad as no no no feels, one YES! can make it all go away in a flash. Yes means someone else thinks you can do this too, someone who doesn't even know you. Yes is a very, very good feeling. It's butterflies and dancing for joy, and even a hundred no's before it won't diminish it one tiny bit. In other words, it's worth the wait.
So I got thinking about the self-publishing path and it occurred to me that that was the one thing it was missing. I mean, yes, reader love is the best love. But once, just once in every author's life, I think feeling that yes is important. Not even for validation, because I get that we shouldn't need that. Just for the experience of it. For the butterflies. Maybe, if you do plan to totally self-publish, it would be worth it to send out a couple of short stories, to keep sending them, and if necessary to send to one of the easier markets. They're not too hard to find, the ones that accept a bit more than some of the others. Maybe it's worth it to do a little time and snag that yes. . . just once.
Because once you have it, nothing can take it away.
~Frances
April 27, 2012
The Big, Red X!
Have you ever heard the phrase, "kill your darlings?" It's a dirty, no good, rotten phrase, and unfortunately, it also happens to be the right advice about eighty percent of the time. I hate it when that happens.
Sadly, if you are editing along in your manuscript and there is something that you find particularly clever, your best bet (usually) is to take that red pen and put a big ol' nasty red X across it. Does the very idea of cutting that part, that lovely sentence or delicious description make you balk? Do you want to dig your heels in and refuse? Well, the more strongly you resist the idea, most likely, the more you need to kill it... x. X. X!
Ridiculous, isn't it?
Okay, let's take a step back. Breathe, relax. Maybe this isn't ALWAYS the case. I mean, honestly, it's okay to be proud of your writing and it's important to be able to recognize the strong bits. So, x-ing out anything you like willy-nilly is probably not the answer either. But there is more than a little chunk of truth to the darling killing advice, and I think the answer to the dilemma lies in the world "darlings."
You see there is a big difference between recognizing a strong passage or unique twist of words, in noting that you've hit a strong stretch or done something right and feeling almost obsessively, possessively like it MUST REMAIN IN THE BOOK. I've seen darlings in action, mostly in crit groups, and I have to say, the part that seems so absolutely vital, that you just can't even imagine the book existing without, is usually a real weak spot.
Because that much emotion will almost always block us from seeing clearly, and if we honestly feel like the book will falter without something, some one thing, then maybe the book needs to be worked on, but that single passage, or sentence or clever name will not make or break it. What it will do is cloud our judgement. It might even lead us to believe it has singlehandedly solved a bigger problem that it is only hiding, like a thin bandage.
You put a lovely sticker over a big scratch and the scratch will not go away. Better to remove the sticker, (you can always save it aside somewhere) fix the scratch and then see if you really need that shiny cover after all.
So next time you see a flash of delightful brilliance, don't rush in with that big red X, but possibly take a good hard look and consider if you should. Just in case. ;)
Happy X-ing.
~Frances
Sadly, if you are editing along in your manuscript and there is something that you find particularly clever, your best bet (usually) is to take that red pen and put a big ol' nasty red X across it. Does the very idea of cutting that part, that lovely sentence or delicious description make you balk? Do you want to dig your heels in and refuse? Well, the more strongly you resist the idea, most likely, the more you need to kill it... x. X. X!
Ridiculous, isn't it?
Okay, let's take a step back. Breathe, relax. Maybe this isn't ALWAYS the case. I mean, honestly, it's okay to be proud of your writing and it's important to be able to recognize the strong bits. So, x-ing out anything you like willy-nilly is probably not the answer either. But there is more than a little chunk of truth to the darling killing advice, and I think the answer to the dilemma lies in the world "darlings."
You see there is a big difference between recognizing a strong passage or unique twist of words, in noting that you've hit a strong stretch or done something right and feeling almost obsessively, possessively like it MUST REMAIN IN THE BOOK. I've seen darlings in action, mostly in crit groups, and I have to say, the part that seems so absolutely vital, that you just can't even imagine the book existing without, is usually a real weak spot.
Because that much emotion will almost always block us from seeing clearly, and if we honestly feel like the book will falter without something, some one thing, then maybe the book needs to be worked on, but that single passage, or sentence or clever name will not make or break it. What it will do is cloud our judgement. It might even lead us to believe it has singlehandedly solved a bigger problem that it is only hiding, like a thin bandage.
You put a lovely sticker over a big scratch and the scratch will not go away. Better to remove the sticker, (you can always save it aside somewhere) fix the scratch and then see if you really need that shiny cover after all.
So next time you see a flash of delightful brilliance, don't rush in with that big red X, but possibly take a good hard look and consider if you should. Just in case. ;)
Happy X-ing.
~Frances
April 26, 2012
Webfiction! Serial Addiction
I tell a lot of people to start webserials. It's possibly my favorite piece of advice. I'm not sure of more than one or two folks who have actually taken that nugget and ran with it, but I keep telling them just the same. I am writing two concurrently, and while my day to day writing tends to take precedence over filling my webserials with regular content, I have never regretted them. Not for a second.
Webserials are fun. Sometimes when we get to the point where writing is our business, we forget to inject a little fun into the equation. I say, you must never lose it. Webserials also provide free content to your readers, supposedly regular free content, but the reality of that, as in my case, may waver. The also give you a practice ground, a story line to run absolutely amok in. You can experiment here, you can try things out and see what happens. In a never ending (or almost so) story, you can really go wild. I mean, you have all the time in the world to fix it if you find you've gone astray, right? Don't forget the skill involved in keeping a story interesting, keeping it twisting and growing and still hooking the reader over and over.
A webserial can be your training ground on all fronts. They keep you writing regularly. They may build you a few followers or fans. They can teach you to meet a deadline, keep you learning and growing your craft, and show you things about yourself and your writing you might have missed otherwise. A webserial can be a first introduction to both praise and criticism. They are your words made public, but are fluid enough to allow for some forgiveness and flexible enough to be changed in process. Let's face it, once a book is in print, you're not going to be able to fix something the readers don't care for. You cannot respond to feedback or revise an error at that point. And if you're worried about giving away one of your ideas to the world, well, pick a new one that you're not so invested in. Make it one that you don't see winning you that Hugo. Even so, if it goes well, you can always turn it into an ebook or POD later.
Serialized fiction has been around for so long. The Pulps did it. Magazines and Newspapers have ran them over the years. Now the internet has just picked up the long-standing tradition.
Why not give one a try?~Frances
Webserials are fun. Sometimes when we get to the point where writing is our business, we forget to inject a little fun into the equation. I say, you must never lose it. Webserials also provide free content to your readers, supposedly regular free content, but the reality of that, as in my case, may waver. The also give you a practice ground, a story line to run absolutely amok in. You can experiment here, you can try things out and see what happens. In a never ending (or almost so) story, you can really go wild. I mean, you have all the time in the world to fix it if you find you've gone astray, right? Don't forget the skill involved in keeping a story interesting, keeping it twisting and growing and still hooking the reader over and over.
A webserial can be your training ground on all fronts. They keep you writing regularly. They may build you a few followers or fans. They can teach you to meet a deadline, keep you learning and growing your craft, and show you things about yourself and your writing you might have missed otherwise. A webserial can be a first introduction to both praise and criticism. They are your words made public, but are fluid enough to allow for some forgiveness and flexible enough to be changed in process. Let's face it, once a book is in print, you're not going to be able to fix something the readers don't care for. You cannot respond to feedback or revise an error at that point. And if you're worried about giving away one of your ideas to the world, well, pick a new one that you're not so invested in. Make it one that you don't see winning you that Hugo. Even so, if it goes well, you can always turn it into an ebook or POD later.
Serialized fiction has been around for so long. The Pulps did it. Magazines and Newspapers have ran them over the years. Now the internet has just picked up the long-standing tradition.
Why not give one a try?~Frances
April 25, 2012
Videos! Trailer Made
Book trailers get a lot of bad press. I understand that. There are a lot of terrible ones out there, maybe even more than good ones. People like to imagine the book without pre-impressed visuals, yes, agreed. A lot of them tell too much, don't make sense, or are so hokey they make certain no one will ever, ever, buy the book. Yup.
But I love them still.
Maybe not so much what they are now, maybe what I love is what they could become. Either way, if I get into a loop watching book trailers, I end up watching more and more. Youtube is like a bottomless pit I have to drag myself away from. Blazing Trailers can kill a good hour in a heartbeat. I love trailers. I analyze them, critique them, imagine what they could have done, or mine them for ideas and effects I want to use in my own.
They are getting a lot better too. Despite an abundance of anti-trailer opinion that often borders on hostility, big publishers have latched onto the idea. They're putting money behind production and creating some great little trailers. . . and they've put out more than a few stinkers too. The book trailer, you see, is still finding itself. It hasn't decided what it wants to be or what formulas it will adopt. No one knows what works or if anything works, and so for now, anything goes. There's beauty in that. It's perfect chaos.
I do love chaos.
I think the hang up about them comes from the way books are changing. We like recognizable, familiar things, and our books have nothing, should have nothing, to do with this ridiculous multi-media revolution. Right? Except, there's always been the movie adaptations, the comic books, the animated versions, graphic novels, action figures...etc. Still, that's not a commercial, and at its core a book trailer is that exactly. It's a commercial for a book. The horror.
But wait. Movie previews rule, right? I mean, how many of us claim the previews are the best part? I always have. The suspense, the drama of that little montage of movies to come, of releases yet to be. How else would we plan our summer movie viewing experience if not for the blessed trailers? So then is it just that this little book except, this preview, is in a different media than the finished product? I actually think this may be the real seed of contention. I hate when someone reveals what a character looks like and it diverges a great deal from my mental image. I'd go so far as to say imagining the people in a book in our mind's eye is a huge part of our reading enjoyment. It's also much more difficult to insert ourselves into a book when we've already seen a picture of the protagonist--in particular if its a stupid, stock photo image that makes our aesthetic want to barf.
Aha. Thinking about this, my favorite book trailers, the ones I consider to be very well done, never show the characters at all. I honestly think putting pictures of real people in your trailer is a huge mistake. (okay, in particular if you're stealing celebrity photos so we know exactly WHO you based your hero on--just saying) Really though, the ones with simple images, powerful text, and great music trailers are my favorites. They just seem classier than a bunch of folks form the local re-enactment group acting out scenes from your book in the city park. . . . I can't imagine why.
:)
I like to see the cover, hear some of the author's words, and get an idea of the book's mood. Show me you can do that artfully in a trailer, and for me, it's a winner.
But I shall expect a great deal of disagreement on this one. Fire away. ~ Frances
But I love them still.
Maybe not so much what they are now, maybe what I love is what they could become. Either way, if I get into a loop watching book trailers, I end up watching more and more. Youtube is like a bottomless pit I have to drag myself away from. Blazing Trailers can kill a good hour in a heartbeat. I love trailers. I analyze them, critique them, imagine what they could have done, or mine them for ideas and effects I want to use in my own.
They are getting a lot better too. Despite an abundance of anti-trailer opinion that often borders on hostility, big publishers have latched onto the idea. They're putting money behind production and creating some great little trailers. . . and they've put out more than a few stinkers too. The book trailer, you see, is still finding itself. It hasn't decided what it wants to be or what formulas it will adopt. No one knows what works or if anything works, and so for now, anything goes. There's beauty in that. It's perfect chaos.
I do love chaos.
I think the hang up about them comes from the way books are changing. We like recognizable, familiar things, and our books have nothing, should have nothing, to do with this ridiculous multi-media revolution. Right? Except, there's always been the movie adaptations, the comic books, the animated versions, graphic novels, action figures...etc. Still, that's not a commercial, and at its core a book trailer is that exactly. It's a commercial for a book. The horror.
But wait. Movie previews rule, right? I mean, how many of us claim the previews are the best part? I always have. The suspense, the drama of that little montage of movies to come, of releases yet to be. How else would we plan our summer movie viewing experience if not for the blessed trailers? So then is it just that this little book except, this preview, is in a different media than the finished product? I actually think this may be the real seed of contention. I hate when someone reveals what a character looks like and it diverges a great deal from my mental image. I'd go so far as to say imagining the people in a book in our mind's eye is a huge part of our reading enjoyment. It's also much more difficult to insert ourselves into a book when we've already seen a picture of the protagonist--in particular if its a stupid, stock photo image that makes our aesthetic want to barf.
Aha. Thinking about this, my favorite book trailers, the ones I consider to be very well done, never show the characters at all. I honestly think putting pictures of real people in your trailer is a huge mistake. (okay, in particular if you're stealing celebrity photos so we know exactly WHO you based your hero on--just saying) Really though, the ones with simple images, powerful text, and great music trailers are my favorites. They just seem classier than a bunch of folks form the local re-enactment group acting out scenes from your book in the city park. . . . I can't imagine why.
:)
I like to see the cover, hear some of the author's words, and get an idea of the book's mood. Show me you can do that artfully in a trailer, and for me, it's a winner.
But I shall expect a great deal of disagreement on this one. Fire away. ~ Frances
April 24, 2012
Uplift! Keep your spirits from working against you.
I talk a lot about how hard this business can be on the ego. You have to build up a tough skin, face rejections, reviews, criticism from all sides. I like to point out scams, pitfalls, common mistakes to avoid, and I'm starting to think that the picture I'm painting here is looking a little too grim with not enough glitter.
Really, maybe its time to point out the sparkly bits? I mean, I consider writing the best job in the universe. Granted, when I say that I add the mental "for me" in there. I think you have to find your passion in this world, and once you have cling to it like a barnacle with a bad case of agoraphobia. Writing is my passion and I love it. I love everything about it, even the rougher bits. I get to stay home with my kids. I get to attend science fiction cons and call it work. I get to make up whatever I want and get paid for it. How great is that?
So, there's my sparkle, but even I have moments when it feels like the grim is getting to me. You know what I mean. The weeks when the no's come in in bunches and you find that one nasty review that you'd missed before and your sales come in so low they barely register. It's easy to get discouraged. It's easy to feel like this whole thing is not only impossible, but also too painful to really continue.
Not to worry! I'm going to whip up a list of things we can do to combat the drearies. We'll call it the Uplifting List and my secret recipe to forging ahead when the pathway might look too full of brambles to pass safely. Let's hope this works. I'm just making it up on the fly here.
UPLIFTING LIST (things to do to combat the author blues)
#1 read rejections received by famous authors, in particular those you are fond of or admire.
#2 keep something on hand that you've written that you are particularly proud of, something you KNOW is fantastic, and read it when you feel like you can't write for crap.
#3 surround yourself with other authors and make a pact to boost each other's egos at least once a month (or week, or as needed)
#4 Design a gorgeous cover for a book you haven't written yet. (you may love it so much it forces you to get that book done)
#5 Offer to do some critique/betas for newbie writers. (you will feel better by comparison and also be giving back/helping others. Remember your gentle feedback rules)
#6 Take a break and get a massage. While you're relaxed, work on your Pulitzer (or award of your choice) acceptance speech. Imagine what you'd wear to the awards.
#7 Read a really bad NY bestseller. You can do better than that and you know it.
#8 Visit the one person who always gives you glowing feedback. You know you can't trust Mom's opinion, but indulge in a little praise anyway.
#9 Encourage someone else who's spirits are flagging.
#10 Write a phony review of all your books as if they are perfectly brilliant. Show this to no one. Not even Mom, but read it to yourself and believe every single word.
Have fun guys. Keep those fingers moving and keep smiling!
~ Frances
Really, maybe its time to point out the sparkly bits? I mean, I consider writing the best job in the universe. Granted, when I say that I add the mental "for me" in there. I think you have to find your passion in this world, and once you have cling to it like a barnacle with a bad case of agoraphobia. Writing is my passion and I love it. I love everything about it, even the rougher bits. I get to stay home with my kids. I get to attend science fiction cons and call it work. I get to make up whatever I want and get paid for it. How great is that?
So, there's my sparkle, but even I have moments when it feels like the grim is getting to me. You know what I mean. The weeks when the no's come in in bunches and you find that one nasty review that you'd missed before and your sales come in so low they barely register. It's easy to get discouraged. It's easy to feel like this whole thing is not only impossible, but also too painful to really continue.
Not to worry! I'm going to whip up a list of things we can do to combat the drearies. We'll call it the Uplifting List and my secret recipe to forging ahead when the pathway might look too full of brambles to pass safely. Let's hope this works. I'm just making it up on the fly here.
UPLIFTING LIST (things to do to combat the author blues)
#1 read rejections received by famous authors, in particular those you are fond of or admire.
#2 keep something on hand that you've written that you are particularly proud of, something you KNOW is fantastic, and read it when you feel like you can't write for crap.
#3 surround yourself with other authors and make a pact to boost each other's egos at least once a month (or week, or as needed)
#4 Design a gorgeous cover for a book you haven't written yet. (you may love it so much it forces you to get that book done)
#5 Offer to do some critique/betas for newbie writers. (you will feel better by comparison and also be giving back/helping others. Remember your gentle feedback rules)
#6 Take a break and get a massage. While you're relaxed, work on your Pulitzer (or award of your choice) acceptance speech. Imagine what you'd wear to the awards.
#7 Read a really bad NY bestseller. You can do better than that and you know it.
#8 Visit the one person who always gives you glowing feedback. You know you can't trust Mom's opinion, but indulge in a little praise anyway.
#9 Encourage someone else who's spirits are flagging.
#10 Write a phony review of all your books as if they are perfectly brilliant. Show this to no one. Not even Mom, but read it to yourself and believe every single word.
Have fun guys. Keep those fingers moving and keep smiling!
~ Frances
April 23, 2012
Trading Cards! My Favorite Promo
Sometimes it feels like the promotion game is about a bunch of authors sitting in a circle. All of us have a cookie, and we all want to sell our cookie to the rest of the circle. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, and I've tried to focus on efforts that might have at least a slight chance of filtering out to readers more than to other authors who are just as focused on promoting their own cookie.
I'm not implying that authors are not readers. We are. We must read. We are told read, read, read as often as we are told promote, promote, promote. The problem is that while most of us start as voracious readers, if we want to write, write, write and all of its associated tasks, our time is severely limited. Besides, once you network with enough fellow writers, most of your reading is done exchanging betas and critiques of friends' stories.
So we're back to looking for the non-writer readers. As Vonnie Davis posts in her recent blog on the topic, they are not so easy to find. If the comments are any indication, her feeling of frustration is widely shared if not universal. I've posted about it before also, and if you read regularly you'll know that I think over-promotion is far worse than under and that authors who work too hard at it can, and have, created a difficult environment for us all when it comes to reader relations. Still, we write stories in the hopes that they will be read, and so, our conundrum continues. What can we do to get the word to readers without alienating them?
The simple answers are to write excellent books, to be visible but not vocal, to tread gently and patiently--of course. But there is a great pressure to be doing something about this promotion thing, and so far my favorite is the give-away trading card. (you see, we've wandered around to T eventually)
A great reader friend of mine decided years ago that e-books were missing something concrete and physical to be collected, shelved, savored and signed. She suggested trading cards, and as a long-time collector of various cards, I loved the idea. Neither of us did a thing about it, however, until I stumbled upon a group of better motivated ladies with the same brilliant idea. You can find them here: Romance Trading Cards.
Now, I approached this idea like a long-term card collector, which may or may not be a good idea. I print series of cards and each run is a bit different in design. I only print a limited number of each card, and decided from the get-go that when they run out they run out and that card is gone. I can't promise that will never change, but I like the idea of making this item "collectible" to an extent. I like the idea that readers seem to love them, and I think as a hand out they are much less likely to be tossed in the trash.
You can pack a lot of good material on a trading card, blurb, tag line, author, cover artist, genre, publishing house, publishing date, YOUR WEBSITE, and other details. Some authors are doing cards for each character in a book, for settings and for special releases. Really, the options are endless. The cool thing, and the one my friend and I didn't think of that the Romance Trading Cards folks are doing, is making a list of available cards public. This has spurred collecting of them, and I have been contacted repeatedly out of the blue by folks who are trying to gather as many cards as possible.
I suspect that the cards are not translating into sales, and I'll tell you a secret. I don't care. Sales are something that happen when readers love your stories and pass them through word of mouth onto their friends, and their friends, etc. Promotions and give-aways are about two things in my book: name recognition and giving back. I like having a freebie for readers--even more so if they love the item. If they aren't my readers, well, maybe someday they will see my book and recognize the cover from one of their cards and feel inclined. If not, at least these little inexpensive bits of artistry are flying around with my name on them, and I hope, not landing in too many dumpsters.
They even sell books to collect them in, so long as you keep to the 3.5 x2.5 standard size, and yes, I keep a few pages full of my own cards in a book too. I never could resist a pretty card. ;)
~ Frances
I'm not implying that authors are not readers. We are. We must read. We are told read, read, read as often as we are told promote, promote, promote. The problem is that while most of us start as voracious readers, if we want to write, write, write and all of its associated tasks, our time is severely limited. Besides, once you network with enough fellow writers, most of your reading is done exchanging betas and critiques of friends' stories.
So we're back to looking for the non-writer readers. As Vonnie Davis posts in her recent blog on the topic, they are not so easy to find. If the comments are any indication, her feeling of frustration is widely shared if not universal. I've posted about it before also, and if you read regularly you'll know that I think over-promotion is far worse than under and that authors who work too hard at it can, and have, created a difficult environment for us all when it comes to reader relations. Still, we write stories in the hopes that they will be read, and so, our conundrum continues. What can we do to get the word to readers without alienating them?
The simple answers are to write excellent books, to be visible but not vocal, to tread gently and patiently--of course. But there is a great pressure to be doing something about this promotion thing, and so far my favorite is the give-away trading card. (you see, we've wandered around to T eventually)
A great reader friend of mine decided years ago that e-books were missing something concrete and physical to be collected, shelved, savored and signed. She suggested trading cards, and as a long-time collector of various cards, I loved the idea. Neither of us did a thing about it, however, until I stumbled upon a group of better motivated ladies with the same brilliant idea. You can find them here: Romance Trading Cards.
Now, I approached this idea like a long-term card collector, which may or may not be a good idea. I print series of cards and each run is a bit different in design. I only print a limited number of each card, and decided from the get-go that when they run out they run out and that card is gone. I can't promise that will never change, but I like the idea of making this item "collectible" to an extent. I like the idea that readers seem to love them, and I think as a hand out they are much less likely to be tossed in the trash.
You can pack a lot of good material on a trading card, blurb, tag line, author, cover artist, genre, publishing house, publishing date, YOUR WEBSITE, and other details. Some authors are doing cards for each character in a book, for settings and for special releases. Really, the options are endless. The cool thing, and the one my friend and I didn't think of that the Romance Trading Cards folks are doing, is making a list of available cards public. This has spurred collecting of them, and I have been contacted repeatedly out of the blue by folks who are trying to gather as many cards as possible.
I suspect that the cards are not translating into sales, and I'll tell you a secret. I don't care. Sales are something that happen when readers love your stories and pass them through word of mouth onto their friends, and their friends, etc. Promotions and give-aways are about two things in my book: name recognition and giving back. I like having a freebie for readers--even more so if they love the item. If they aren't my readers, well, maybe someday they will see my book and recognize the cover from one of their cards and feel inclined. If not, at least these little inexpensive bits of artistry are flying around with my name on them, and I hope, not landing in too many dumpsters.
They even sell books to collect them in, so long as you keep to the 3.5 x2.5 standard size, and yes, I keep a few pages full of my own cards in a book too. I never could resist a pretty card. ;)
~ Frances
April 21, 2012
Structure! Not optional at all
I used to be a very proud supporter of the Chaos movement. I still like a little crazy in my life, but I have learned, usually the hard way, that order makes my anxiety spike far less often. Structure, it seems, has a purpose. Who would have guessed, right?
So when I approached writing my first few books, I naturally pantsed them...as in, I just made it up as I went along. It seemed like a great plan at the time, and in truth, I still love the books that came out the other side of that process. I credit Nanowrimo a lot for teaching me how to actually finish something I'd started. While my first novel didn't grow from that process, the subsequent ones did, and I learned to write fast and crazy and get the words down "nano style."
I might have continued that way forever, or who knows how long, but I happened to experiment on a method (at the strong urging of a friend) that involved a little more organization. I grudgingly outlined a teeny teeny bit. I filled out a form or two, growling the entire time.
Then I wrote the best book I had ever written.
Not just a little bit better either. I mean, I like to think that each book improves on the last simply by experience and practice. But this was something else. This book stood out, at least to me, as being on a whole new level. It had more depth, more character, more pages, just so much....more. I had to stand humbly corrected. Structure, planning, whatever you like to label it, works.
At that point, I became a little bit obsessed with the phenomenon. I went a tiny bit organizational crazy, which didn't last, thankfully. I learned a lot though. I delved into the five plot points and the three act dramatic structure. I experimented with some outlining software. I made more copies of those forms, let me tell you. Structure is important. I still don't sit well with over planning. It's just not in my nature. I don't do extensive outlines, but the thing is, I understand the bones of a story a great deal better.
There is a reason we have dramatic structure, plot points, correct pacing. Not only does strong structure enrich the story, deepen it and add more twists and subplots and meaning, it also improves our box of tools for communicating to the reader. Because that's our real job, isn't it? Communicating an idea to readers. Readers have learned for years and years what a story's shape is supposed to look like, how it's supposed to feel. Diverge too far from that universally understood structure and they will notice. They will.
Of course, since we are all readers too, we have some innate instinct for structure. Most pantsers who write successful books employ the bones of structure one way or another even if they aren't entirely intending to. A story will "feel right" when it has the right pieces. But I think a full understanding, consciously, of what structure does and how to deliver it makes a huge difference on the page.
So while I would never suggest a panster stop pansting. In particular because I still do it from time to time as well. I would recommend a study of structure and order--even if just to build a foundation on which to lay your chaos.
In the end, the two work quite nicely together.
~ Frances
So when I approached writing my first few books, I naturally pantsed them...as in, I just made it up as I went along. It seemed like a great plan at the time, and in truth, I still love the books that came out the other side of that process. I credit Nanowrimo a lot for teaching me how to actually finish something I'd started. While my first novel didn't grow from that process, the subsequent ones did, and I learned to write fast and crazy and get the words down "nano style."
I might have continued that way forever, or who knows how long, but I happened to experiment on a method (at the strong urging of a friend) that involved a little more organization. I grudgingly outlined a teeny teeny bit. I filled out a form or two, growling the entire time.
Then I wrote the best book I had ever written.
Not just a little bit better either. I mean, I like to think that each book improves on the last simply by experience and practice. But this was something else. This book stood out, at least to me, as being on a whole new level. It had more depth, more character, more pages, just so much....more. I had to stand humbly corrected. Structure, planning, whatever you like to label it, works.
At that point, I became a little bit obsessed with the phenomenon. I went a tiny bit organizational crazy, which didn't last, thankfully. I learned a lot though. I delved into the five plot points and the three act dramatic structure. I experimented with some outlining software. I made more copies of those forms, let me tell you. Structure is important. I still don't sit well with over planning. It's just not in my nature. I don't do extensive outlines, but the thing is, I understand the bones of a story a great deal better.
There is a reason we have dramatic structure, plot points, correct pacing. Not only does strong structure enrich the story, deepen it and add more twists and subplots and meaning, it also improves our box of tools for communicating to the reader. Because that's our real job, isn't it? Communicating an idea to readers. Readers have learned for years and years what a story's shape is supposed to look like, how it's supposed to feel. Diverge too far from that universally understood structure and they will notice. They will.
Of course, since we are all readers too, we have some innate instinct for structure. Most pantsers who write successful books employ the bones of structure one way or another even if they aren't entirely intending to. A story will "feel right" when it has the right pieces. But I think a full understanding, consciously, of what structure does and how to deliver it makes a huge difference on the page.
So while I would never suggest a panster stop pansting. In particular because I still do it from time to time as well. I would recommend a study of structure and order--even if just to build a foundation on which to lay your chaos.
In the end, the two work quite nicely together.
~ Frances
April 20, 2012
Review! The good, the bad, and the ugly.
That may be the most over-used reference in history. You can hardly find a mention of reviews from the author perspective without hearing that certain, twanging Eastwood theme. At the risk of being cliche, however, I'm going to reuse the title here because I believe it fits incredibly well with the subject of reviews, and because it's my blog--I'll cliche if I want to.
First and foremost let me say that I fully believe reviews are meant for readers, not for the author. I also think the new influx of book bloggers and reviewers will step up and take the reins on the quality control issue that NY is bemoaning so loudly in this e-volution of publishing. Reviews will serve that purpose nicely, and that is their primary function. In fact, an author gets a lot of advice along the lines of "just don't read them," which of course, is impossible.
They are out there, and you know it. I dare you not to peek at least once.
So despite the fact that they aren't really meant for us, we should still probably be prepared to handle them in all their shapes and forms. Enter: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. I'd bet good money any author who sticks with the business long enough will get at least one of each. I also think each of the three has both benefits and challenges to offer.
The Good:
This is the glowing review, the one that makes you crow for joy. It touts the wonder of your book almost reverently and offers almost everything your ego could ask for. I say almost because most good reviewers will try to point out at least a few of any book's weaknesses, so even in The Good, an author might discover a tiny sting.
Benefits: The Good is great for confidence boosting. It can inspire a flagging motivation and add a nice dose of validation to low spirits. It's also great for sharing, loudly and frequently.
Challenges: The Good can lull an author into a false sense of security. It can boost the ego to unrealistic proportions and weaken the resistance to bad and ugly reviews in the future. A really glowing review can also make other perfectly nice ones pale and seem to criticize.
The Bad:
This is the not so glowing feedback that seems to see right through all the glorious bits of your book and shine a nasty light on every flaw and indiscretion.
Benefits: The Bad usually points out things that we need to work on. It is a great opportunity to have an honest look at where your craft could be improved. Sometimes, a bad review will spark some good discussion in the comments, enough to get people (not you...NOT) talking about your book.
Challenges: The Bad can be a real blow to the ego...but really, ego can get in the way, right? Bad reviews can unfortunately also slow down an author's motivation, force them to question their own ability and bring on minor bouts of depression--or depending on the author, heavy drinking. :)
The Ugly: This is thankfully a fairly rare animal. You get the reviewer who has a reputation to uphold, you know, Simon Cowell's first cousin. While many times the literary shredding comes from a strong, honest dislike of your book, often enough, a little poking about will reveal that a particular reviewer's style is "a la Cuisinart." This review doesn't just point out the issues with your manuscript, it gets personal--and nasty.
Benefits: While a truly Ugly review can be blown out of proportion (often) it can still offer hints at your book's weaknesses if you are sturdy enough to read between the lines. Depending on the author, a good thrashing might build up a thicker skin, but even if you are not that sort, don't fret. Take what you can from the experience and move along. There really is nothing you're going to do to change the reviewer's mind, and they have every right to think you thoroughly suck eggs. Of course, you're welcome to return the feeling--just do so silently.
Challenges: This is an obvious one. A solid Ugly review can shake the strongest of constitutions. It's a confidence killer, but identify it for what it is, and you might just come out taller and prouder for it.
They say any review is a good review. Your name on reader's lips, etc. Still, that's a hard line to swallow in the wake of a full-blown Ugly. My advice is to do your best to find a seed of helpful criticism in there, work at keeping your mindset positive, and don't go back and reread it any more than you absolutely have to.
Let's hope we all have many review's on the horizon regardless of type.
~ Frances
First and foremost let me say that I fully believe reviews are meant for readers, not for the author. I also think the new influx of book bloggers and reviewers will step up and take the reins on the quality control issue that NY is bemoaning so loudly in this e-volution of publishing. Reviews will serve that purpose nicely, and that is their primary function. In fact, an author gets a lot of advice along the lines of "just don't read them," which of course, is impossible.
They are out there, and you know it. I dare you not to peek at least once.
So despite the fact that they aren't really meant for us, we should still probably be prepared to handle them in all their shapes and forms. Enter: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. I'd bet good money any author who sticks with the business long enough will get at least one of each. I also think each of the three has both benefits and challenges to offer.
The Good:
This is the glowing review, the one that makes you crow for joy. It touts the wonder of your book almost reverently and offers almost everything your ego could ask for. I say almost because most good reviewers will try to point out at least a few of any book's weaknesses, so even in The Good, an author might discover a tiny sting.
Benefits: The Good is great for confidence boosting. It can inspire a flagging motivation and add a nice dose of validation to low spirits. It's also great for sharing, loudly and frequently.
Challenges: The Good can lull an author into a false sense of security. It can boost the ego to unrealistic proportions and weaken the resistance to bad and ugly reviews in the future. A really glowing review can also make other perfectly nice ones pale and seem to criticize.
The Bad:
This is the not so glowing feedback that seems to see right through all the glorious bits of your book and shine a nasty light on every flaw and indiscretion.
Benefits: The Bad usually points out things that we need to work on. It is a great opportunity to have an honest look at where your craft could be improved. Sometimes, a bad review will spark some good discussion in the comments, enough to get people (not you...NOT) talking about your book.
Challenges: The Bad can be a real blow to the ego...but really, ego can get in the way, right? Bad reviews can unfortunately also slow down an author's motivation, force them to question their own ability and bring on minor bouts of depression--or depending on the author, heavy drinking. :)
The Ugly: This is thankfully a fairly rare animal. You get the reviewer who has a reputation to uphold, you know, Simon Cowell's first cousin. While many times the literary shredding comes from a strong, honest dislike of your book, often enough, a little poking about will reveal that a particular reviewer's style is "a la Cuisinart." This review doesn't just point out the issues with your manuscript, it gets personal--and nasty.
Benefits: While a truly Ugly review can be blown out of proportion (often) it can still offer hints at your book's weaknesses if you are sturdy enough to read between the lines. Depending on the author, a good thrashing might build up a thicker skin, but even if you are not that sort, don't fret. Take what you can from the experience and move along. There really is nothing you're going to do to change the reviewer's mind, and they have every right to think you thoroughly suck eggs. Of course, you're welcome to return the feeling--just do so silently.
Challenges: This is an obvious one. A solid Ugly review can shake the strongest of constitutions. It's a confidence killer, but identify it for what it is, and you might just come out taller and prouder for it.
They say any review is a good review. Your name on reader's lips, etc. Still, that's a hard line to swallow in the wake of a full-blown Ugly. My advice is to do your best to find a seed of helpful criticism in there, work at keeping your mindset positive, and don't go back and reread it any more than you absolutely have to.
Let's hope we all have many review's on the horizon regardless of type.
~ Frances
April 19, 2012
Quark! Rules of Acquisition for Authors
"Welcome to my home. Please leave your entry fees and insurance waiver in the box provided, and remember, my house is my house as are its contents."
According to the Ferengi rule of acquisition number 284, "deep down, everyone is a Ferengi." It's always been my favorite rule. While I break most of the societal restrictions by wearing clothes, talking to strangers, and refusing to chew my children's food, I do enjoy Ferengi culture. I own a copy of the Rules, and I know a few of them by heart. I even had a drink once at Quark's in Vegas. It was heavenly.
So today I thought we'd have a fun topic, in honor of Quark, and talk about a few of the rules of acquisition that might apply to authors, either as they stand, or with a small tweak. We'll just cover my favorites, but if you're interested, a very good, nearly complete list of the "rules" can be found here.
#3 Never pay more for an acquisition than you have to.
This one is pretty self explanatory, but I'd add for authors: never pay more for a service than you have to and never pay for someone else to do what you can do yourself for free.
#7 Keep your ears open.
#8 Small print leads to large risk
#13 Anything worth doing is worth doing for money.
#19 Satisfaction is not guaranteed. (on your part or your readers'!)
#44 Never confuse wisdom with luck.
#45 Expand or die
#48 The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife
#57 Good customers are as rare as latinum -- treasure them. (substitute loyal readers for good customers--though they may be the same thing in the end)
#82 The flimsier the product, the higher the price
#162 Even in the worst of times someone turns a profit. ( for the "doomed industry" folks)
#194 It's always good business to know about new customers before they walk in the door.
#236 You can't buy fate.
#284 Deep down, everyone is a Ferengi (my favorite)
So. Thats a fair sample. I left out the real gems like "always sleep with the boss" and "females and profit don't mix" for obvious reasons. Though, I do like, "dignity and an empty sack is worth the sack," quite a lot. I hope they made you chuckle, and if you can stand the company of Ferengi, I'll see you at Quarks for a Samarian Sunset.
~ Frances
According to the Ferengi rule of acquisition number 284, "deep down, everyone is a Ferengi." It's always been my favorite rule. While I break most of the societal restrictions by wearing clothes, talking to strangers, and refusing to chew my children's food, I do enjoy Ferengi culture. I own a copy of the Rules, and I know a few of them by heart. I even had a drink once at Quark's in Vegas. It was heavenly.
So today I thought we'd have a fun topic, in honor of Quark, and talk about a few of the rules of acquisition that might apply to authors, either as they stand, or with a small tweak. We'll just cover my favorites, but if you're interested, a very good, nearly complete list of the "rules" can be found here.
#3 Never pay more for an acquisition than you have to.
This one is pretty self explanatory, but I'd add for authors: never pay more for a service than you have to and never pay for someone else to do what you can do yourself for free.
#7 Keep your ears open.
#8 Small print leads to large risk
#13 Anything worth doing is worth doing for money.
#19 Satisfaction is not guaranteed. (on your part or your readers'!)
#44 Never confuse wisdom with luck.
#45 Expand or die
#48 The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife
#57 Good customers are as rare as latinum -- treasure them. (substitute loyal readers for good customers--though they may be the same thing in the end)
#82 The flimsier the product, the higher the price
#162 Even in the worst of times someone turns a profit. ( for the "doomed industry" folks)
#194 It's always good business to know about new customers before they walk in the door.
#236 You can't buy fate.
#284 Deep down, everyone is a Ferengi (my favorite)
So. Thats a fair sample. I left out the real gems like "always sleep with the boss" and "females and profit don't mix" for obvious reasons. Though, I do like, "dignity and an empty sack is worth the sack," quite a lot. I hope they made you chuckle, and if you can stand the company of Ferengi, I'll see you at Quarks for a Samarian Sunset.
~ Frances
April 18, 2012
Pantser! To plan or not to plan.
I can't believe we're to P already. This blog month has totally flown by. I hope everyone else is having fun with this, and I wonder how many of you approached this a-z event a little bit you'd approach a manuscript. You know what I mean. Did you plot or pants your way through it?
I love this topic.
So I know a few people that chose to participate, and I think (suspect) that the way they took on the A to Z is a great deal like the way they choose to novel. One of them plotted. He not only picked his topics prior to the first kick-off, he also wrote the blog posts, pre-posted them and had everything set to go ahead of time. Since April first, his blog articles have been spewing out on time and in formation all on their own.
My other friend had absolutely no idea what he intended to write. He didn't want to. He preferred to let the whim take him. He has posted every day--hasn't missed a letter--but he mulls each letter over the day of, chews on it, and then spews out whatever strikes him that day--sometimes he gets them off early, and sometimes they post in the wee hours sneaking up on the deadline.
Both of them seem to be having a blast. They've both posted fantastic content, and though their styles differ completely, both have gathered a little crowd of commenters and blog followers. In short, they've both found an audience. Aha!
I didn't think it mattered.
You see, whatever your style, the people you want to attract are those who like it. So, unless you want to be stuck doing things against your grain forever, you'd better be true to yourself from the get go so that the right people can find you. The people who appreciate the way YOU choose to do things. Your audience.
See where I'm going here?
Anyway, this event has taught me a little bit about my own method as well. I'm pretty sure I fall, and am very happy, somewhere right in the middle. How did I do the A to Z?
I made a few quick notes of possible topics for each letter. I waited. A few days before the start, I wrote one and set it to go live on the first. I waited. On the first I got excited and wrote a few ahead of time, set them to post and took a few days off. In the meantime, I tweaked my list of topics as new ideas popped into my head that I liked better. I kept up the forward momentum enough to get a few days ahead and then I took a few days off. Then I wrote on spot for a few days. Then I got inspired, rewrote my topic list and posted one ahead.
In short, I employed the same odd mix of planning and seat of your pants surprises that I use when writing a book. I have a little order. I like a little chaos too. I go with the flow without letting it wash me away completely. That's my style. It's what works for me. It probably would drive both of my friends crazy.
But I did find it very interesting that our style of writing pretty much mirrors how we organized this event as well--maybe even how we organize everything.
And I'd be interested in knowing if there were any pantsers out there, who blogged this thing more like a plotter, or vice versa.
Curiouser and curiouser
~ Frances
I love this topic.
So I know a few people that chose to participate, and I think (suspect) that the way they took on the A to Z is a great deal like the way they choose to novel. One of them plotted. He not only picked his topics prior to the first kick-off, he also wrote the blog posts, pre-posted them and had everything set to go ahead of time. Since April first, his blog articles have been spewing out on time and in formation all on their own.
My other friend had absolutely no idea what he intended to write. He didn't want to. He preferred to let the whim take him. He has posted every day--hasn't missed a letter--but he mulls each letter over the day of, chews on it, and then spews out whatever strikes him that day--sometimes he gets them off early, and sometimes they post in the wee hours sneaking up on the deadline.
Both of them seem to be having a blast. They've both posted fantastic content, and though their styles differ completely, both have gathered a little crowd of commenters and blog followers. In short, they've both found an audience. Aha!
I didn't think it mattered.
You see, whatever your style, the people you want to attract are those who like it. So, unless you want to be stuck doing things against your grain forever, you'd better be true to yourself from the get go so that the right people can find you. The people who appreciate the way YOU choose to do things. Your audience.
See where I'm going here?
Anyway, this event has taught me a little bit about my own method as well. I'm pretty sure I fall, and am very happy, somewhere right in the middle. How did I do the A to Z?
I made a few quick notes of possible topics for each letter. I waited. A few days before the start, I wrote one and set it to go live on the first. I waited. On the first I got excited and wrote a few ahead of time, set them to post and took a few days off. In the meantime, I tweaked my list of topics as new ideas popped into my head that I liked better. I kept up the forward momentum enough to get a few days ahead and then I took a few days off. Then I wrote on spot for a few days. Then I got inspired, rewrote my topic list and posted one ahead.
In short, I employed the same odd mix of planning and seat of your pants surprises that I use when writing a book. I have a little order. I like a little chaos too. I go with the flow without letting it wash me away completely. That's my style. It's what works for me. It probably would drive both of my friends crazy.
But I did find it very interesting that our style of writing pretty much mirrors how we organized this event as well--maybe even how we organize everything.
And I'd be interested in knowing if there were any pantsers out there, who blogged this thing more like a plotter, or vice versa.
Curiouser and curiouser
~ Frances
