Gamal Hennessy's Blog, page 8

Welcome to the Independent Publishing Page

In the spirit of full disclosure, this isn't a new website. 
I've just decided to focus this blog on the topics that have interested people most over the past year. We're going to talk about independent publishing from the perspectives of the business, the craft and the overall life that we as writers have to navigate. I'll try to share what happens to me as I build my publishing empire and I hope that some of it can be helpful and interesting to you.
As an introduction to the reimagined site, I've put together a list of past articles broken down by subject. Today's list includes the business articles. I'll try and post the craft and life articles later this week.
Keep in mind, I don't claim to be an expert in this industry. I'm just a guy going through the process, creating and learning as I go and sharing what I experience. If anyone has a different idea or opinion about the subjects I cover, please let me know. I'm willing to steal a good idea from anybody.
I've listed the most recent articles first and taken out all my shameless promotions. If there is a topic I've missed or that you'd like to see, please post a comment.
Independent Publishing Business Articles
Overnight Success in Ten Novels or Less
Marketing the Independent Novel
Judging a Book by Its Cover How Much Does it Cost to Publish a Novel Anyway?
How to Find an Editor Without Going Insane
The Future of Independent Publishing
The Modern Marketing Audience
Should E-Books Have Ads?
Selling Books Like a Drug Dealer
Is the Self Published Book Inherently Inferior to Traditionally Published Books?
Life, Death and Sock Puppets
Thanks for reading...and writing.

Have fun.
Gamal

Overnight Success in Ten Novels or Less

"Life's not a track meet. It's a marathon." Ice Cube
Recently I wrote a piece about marketing my first novel (See Marketing the Independent Novel). Many of the comments on that article fell into three camps; some thanked me for sharing my experience, others pointed out the vague and confusing path to marketing success and many encouraged me to just keep writing. I appreciated all the feedback, but it's the last concept that was the most important to me, because it reinforces a basic concept in independent publishing; success often comes from building your bibliography and your craft, rather than from a single bestseller
The Road to Mastery
Supporters of independent publishing stress the benefits of releasing several titles over time:Barry Eisler and J.A. Kornath talk about the cumulative effect of a growing library in their self-publishing discussion Be the Monkey Hugh Howey highlights the impact of treating publishing as a long term business and not a one of shot in the dark in his Salon articleStephen King refers to paying your dues through both publishing and being rejected in his book On Writing
These specific ideas about long-term, constant improvement go beyond publishing to almost every human occupation or skills set.Malcolm Gladwell said in his book Outliersthat it takes about 10,000 hours to perfect a skill.Robert Greene echoes this time frame in his book Mastery, claiming that competence takes about seven to ten years of diligent practice to achieve.
Measuring the Process
One of the problems with the multiple book/ mastery concept is measurement. Just how many books does one need to write? How do you count 10,000 hours of "publishing practice"? The answer is subjective, but I try to look at it by dividing the hours into books.
The basic question is 'How many hours does it take to imagine, plot, write, edit, format, market and release a novel including the website and social media content'? I haven't timed it, but 1,000 hours is about 42 full days. I wouldn't be surprised if publishing a book from first inspiration to marketing online took at least 2,000 hours. At that rate, you could reach 10,000 hours in five or six books. Because my calculations are broad generalizations and because I normally take twice as long to get anything done, I'm thinking that after my tenth book my writing and my publishing skills will be strong enough for me to be an overnight success.
The point is, whether you look at the phenomenon from the number of books or the time it takes to become a great publisher (and not just a great writer) there is very little support for the idea that you can release one book and achieve all of your creative and financial goals.
The Hidden Struggle
One difference between independent publishing and the traditional route is the public nature of your growth. If you spend years submitting work to agents and then more time struggling to secure a publisher, improving your craft all the while in relative obscurity, when you succeed it might appear as if you burst on the scene and took the world by storm. That might have even been the story that is used to market the book. But that's not how it happens for most people. Writers like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling and Anne Rice could have easily spent their 10,000 hours under the radar, but their success involved just as much work as it will take for you and me. We just didn't get to see it.
Of course, I'm not suggesting that everyone who releases ten books and spends 10,000 hours becoming an independent publisher will have success. There are a lot of writers with more skill than me who have put in their time and not seen the results they wanted. All I'm suggesting is that success after several releases is more viable and realistic than striking gold with your first book. It is also more fun and less stressful. Why fret over the sale of one book when you can take the long view of your publishing empire?

Have fun.
Gamal

So You Wrote a Novel...Now What?

“Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”Andy WarholWriters enjoy analogies and different ones have been used to describe the feeling that we get after our novel has gone out into the world. Depending on who you ask, it's like giving birth, running a marathon or climbing a mountain. However you describe it, there is a sense of accomplishment that is gratifying and frustrating at the same time. Once the book is out the door and your bank account is (hopefully) being flooded with royalties, what should you do next? I have a few ideas on both what to do and what not to do in the afterglow of your literary orgasm. These ideas are not in any order of importance. They’re just something to consider when taking your next step.
Things to Do After Your Novel is ReleasedKeep supporting the book with post launch marketing (See Marketing the Independent Novel)Get yourself a vacation, a drink, a massage originally some other indulgence to celebrate your achievement. Despite what self-publishing pessimists say, not everyone can write a book.Thank the people who helped you. Self-publishing isn't something that most people can do alone.Reconnect with your friends, lovers and anyone else you might have neglected while you were working on your novelIf you're the type who neglects or abuses themselves during the creative process, this is a good time to see a doctor, therapist, personal trainer or nutritionistFind out what happened in the world while you were away, as long as it has nothing to do with Miley Cyrus' dancingGo read some books that you didn't write instead of proofreading the same thing over and over. It doesn't matter if you stick to your genre or not. Reading is different after your book comes out.If it’s feasible, look for other avenues to exploit your intellectual property. It doesn't matter what medium and it doesn't matter how many sales you have. Not every book that crosses over has to be a best seller.Get inspiration for your next book (See How Much Inspiration Do You Need?)Look back at the process of releasing your last book. Figure out what went well and what could have been done better. Absorb what is useful, discard the rest as Bruce Lee used to say.Write another book. If you did it once, you can do it again. There is no point in being a one hit wonder from a business or creative perspective.
Things Not to Do After Your Book Comes OutGo on social media and ask people to buy your book every dayAgonize over the sales reports every hourCompare yourself to other writer's sales numbersResent your friends for not supporting you enoughBeat yourself up because you don't have a bestsellerIgnore what you've learned from writing your bookReject the entire industry out of frustrationGive up on your craft

The process of writing is cyclical. The triumph of releasing each book comes with the insecurity of a new blank page (See The Writer's Road). But the important thing for me is too keep writing. That's the only way I'll get better and the only way I'll increase my chances of success (See Defining the Successful Writer). The last novel is part of your past. To be a writer in the present and in the future, you need to keep writing. So go for it, right after that celebratory drink.
Have fun.
Gamal

Delta of Venus: A Book Review

Anais Nin brought an artistic elegance to her erotica. Delta of Venus is a fantastic example of her craft. Written in the 1940's for an anonymous collector, the short stories explore various aspects of sexual expression with a delicate sensibility that does not shy away from darker impulses.
The characters in Delta exist in a hedonistic fantasy. Nin's Paris is full of writers, artists, models and whores. They have enough money to spend on drinks, drugs, parties, hotels, prostitutes and cafes, but none of them seems to have jobs that interfere with their passions. Monogamy isn't an expectation in marriage and a single glance across a bar is enough to spark an anonymous liaison in a closet. Everyone seems both comfortable with their own bodies and willing to explore someone else's. In the hands of a lesser writer, these stories might come out no better than the artificial letters in Penthouse Forum. In Delta of Venus, Nin creates a vision of Paris that is decadent, sensual and stylish.
If you're not a fan of stream of consciousness writing, this book might be hard to follow. Characters in stories will often tell stories of their own that can become confusing, especially if you're listening to the audio book. Nin also has a tendency to float away on tangents about Parisian women or German occupation before WW II that accentuate the setting but diffuse the erotic tension. None of this takes away from the quality of the writing, but it does take some getting used to.
Anais Nin is one of my favorite writers and Delta of Venus is one of her best books. If I could create an intimacy in my writing that comes anywhere close to this, my journey as a writer will be completely. Maybe I just need to move to Paris...

Have fun.
Gamal

Marketing the Independent Novel: Lighting a Spark or Spitting in the Wind?

Marketing is one of the necessary evils of independent publishing. As a writer, I'd prefer to simply spend my days reading, writing, drinking, loving and sleeping. But if I don't tell people about my book, how can I get them to read it, even if it's free? At the same time, if I just run around begging people to buy my book, the only thing I'll accomplish is pissing people off. I don't have a marketing background, but I am willing to share the marketing I did for Smooth Operator and what I've learned in the process. Hopefully this information will help you reach Fifty Shades sales numbers, even though I'm really far from that right now.
Please note that these tactics came from three books on the subject of independent marketing as well as my own meandering experience in my previous jobs; (Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, Crush It With Kindle and Secret Amazon Hacks)
The Five Principles of Independent Book Marketing
Based on what I've read, people buy books based on five factors. In general:
They buy from authors they know and likeThey buy books they've heard about (often several times)They buy books that offer to do something for themThey buy books that other people buyThey buy books that are easy to buy
I tried to use these concepts to shape my marketing efforts. I broke the process down into five phases to maintain my sanity; social, preparation, announcement, pre-launch, launch and post launch.
Social is where I interact with the potential audience without talking about my book. The goal here is to establish yourself create rapport. I post essays about the business and craft of writing (like this one), book reviews and news articles about subjects related to my books. Hopefully this makes more people familiar with my name without a constant hard sell. At the same time, I've tried to create and increase friend’s lists on various sites and a mailing list that can be used to both keep in touch and spread the word about the book when the time comes. I did this stage for about nine months before the book launch.
In the Preparation phase, I try to set up the framework for the book marketing just prior to release. I found and sent ARC copies, determined the book's Amazon categories, and wrote the cover copy. I did all this about a month before the book launch.
The Announcement phase is two weeks before launch. This is when the cover image (See Judging a Book by its Cover) and promotion copy is posted (See the Smooth Operator Promo Post), the press release is written and mercenary mailing lists are recruited. The goal here is to let people know about the book, without pushing them to buy it. I imagine it works the same way as a movie trailer or a commercial for a new show.
In the Pre-Launch phase, I offer readers something in addition to the new book. I try to add incentives to the process, in the same way other companies offer extra features or gifts for people who buy first or take some other action. Since I didn't have money for an elaborate gift, I offered a prequel story called A Special Request to Smooth Operatorto anyone willing to write a review.
When I was ready for the Launch phase, I created launch post on my blog (, sent out a blast on my email list and a social media blast to about 300,000 people (I didn't take bots, duplicates or dead profiles because I have no way to weed that out) during the five day promotional period that comes with Amazon's KDP program. My goal was to get as many downloads as possible in an attempt to raise my ranking on Amazon's sales list.
In the Post Launch phase, I try and let people know how other readers reacted to the book. Reviews from critics, sales figures and list announcements are all used to show that the book has merit in the marketplace. I also purchased three days of ad time on Facebook ads to target about 2.8 million readers in the US, UK, Canada and Mexico. I wanted to try this to see if FB advertising was more effective than a social media blast so I can compare the two methods for my next book.
The Results
Here is what all this marketing did for Smooth Operator during the first two weeks of release:
The Good NewsThere were 900 downloads in the US and more than 300 internationally. And 200 actual salesSmooth Operator was reached #1 on the espionage new release list and #5 on the crime anthology listThe book got seven independent reviews with an average rating of 4.6 stars (See What the Critics are Saying about Smooth Operator)Amazon used Smooth Operator as its featured new espionage release email early last week

The Bad NewsThe sales of Smooth Operator dropped 95% after the promotional period was overSmooth Operator dropped off the espionage chart after the promo period and slipped down to #55 in the crime anthology listThe overall response rate from all marketing efforts came in at about .003%, or three downloads for every 1,000 people targeted.
Lessons Learned
The obvious takeaway from this exercise is that I am not a marketing genius. There are probably several steps I could have taken to improve my sales. I’m just not sure what those steps are at this point. Maybe I needed to reach three million people instead of three hundred thousand. Maybe I needed a Champion to lead people to Smooth Operator (See Champions, Tastemakers and True Fans). Maybe I shouldn't have squandered the Launch by offering the book for free. Maybe the long tail hasn't kicked in yet and I need to give it more time. I have seven novels planned after Smooth Operator. When it's time to market the new novel in January, I'll try to learn from this experience and create a better result.
What marketing tactics did you use? Were your results better, worse or the same? Leave a comment and let me know.

Have fun.
Gamal

What the Critics Are Saying About Smooth Operator

I am pleased to report that the critical and public response to my first novel has been very positive so far. Smooth Operator reached #1 on the Hot New Releases for Espionage (if only for a day) and remains in the top five at the time of this post.The average rating for the book is 4.5 out of five stars (although I get the feeling that two of the reviewers never actually read the book- See Life, Death and Sock Puppets).The reviews themselves are insightful and comprehensive (and I’m not just saying that because they are good reviews).Several months ago I offered my perspective on dealing with a bad review. This time I’d just like to post the good review that I received from E.P. Scott and let that speak for itself.
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This was an ARC given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Smooth Operator is a treasury of seven artfully written short stories, masterfully connected by a common thread: Warren Baker. The result is a thrilling, exotic novel packed with intrigue, action, deceit, sensuality and, in the words of the enigmatic Warren Baker - "relationships based on mutual exploitation."

Smooth Operator's first story (Of Mice and Men) is an interview, an introduction of sorts. The narrator in this first segment, a writer, is hoping to produce the next bestseller, and Warren Baker is his target for information, his muse of a fashion. As the conversation continues, Warren Baker begins the game, as he describes his methodology for acquiring his assets and operatives. Money, Ideology, Coercion, and Excitement (MICE)...Warren Baker's rules of engagement, so to speak. Find their motivator; dangle it in their face and the rest takes care of itself.

The next story (Asset Management), took me into the corporate offices of RSVP, a private intelligence firm. As Warren Baker takes his new boss, Rose Mendoza, who is just itching to fire him, along for the interviews that might result in the successful acquisition of a much sought after operative, I was plunged into the story of Ria Marlen; tormented, angry and ready to inflict her own variety of punishment on sexual predators. This dark, twisted story is exciting, quick, engaging and had a climactic ending that left me with a smile on my face and an `I sure didn't see that coming' as I closed out this second installment.

The third story (Family Affair) begins with a gang initiation that goes all wrong and ends with Harrison Trent, a freelance consultant with a unique skill set, ripping up New York's Lower East Side. A Family Affair is about manipulation, seduction, and exploitation, but it was also painfully gut wrenching, as I was swept along with Trent as he deals with his personal demons. The subject matter deals with gangs, misguided loyalty, what it means to be a family (blood or not) and the pain family can inflict (intentionally or not). The plot is fast but smooth; the characters are realistic, tough, resilient, and heartbreakingly lonely. The action is fantastic and the sex, highly erotic! And, for the second time, the ending is a head-shaking revelation that made me chuckle at the same time as I once again muttered to myself, "didn't see that coming...totally didn't see that coming". The writer effortlessly moves from one scene to the next, connecting the dots along the way, helping us learn as Trent and Baker learn. The planning of the insertion, execution and extraction were so believable, so captivating, I wouldn't be surprised if the author had personal experiences to draw from or, perhaps, has a military background. Harrison Trent is by far my favorite and Family Affair is my choice for best in show.

The fourth installment (Broken Glass) has a few interesting elements and plot twists: a corporate executive is passed over for a job, the slimy new boss is looking for his next piece of tail, a drunk woman is headed for serious trouble, and a man, driven by hatred and desire gets swept into the fallout by making the mistake of thinking that the events and people were mutually exclusive. At the end, just when you think it's the end, along comes another twist that was very well written. The underlying theme; it doesn't matter who gets screwed over, just as long as you get what you want.

As the rollercoaster comes out of the fourth loop-de-loop (Dead on Arrival) introduces us to Hamilton Chu; a resourceful, capable operative. Motivator: money. Unique Skill: "Executes" his missions with exact precision. A quick grab and deliver, that was all it was supposed to be and Chu would have some nice pocket change to spend on his boyfriend. He retrieves his target, delivers him, but in a twist of circumstances, the delivery isn't what anyone expected, especially Chu. He finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong. To delve further into this shorter of the group of stories would ruin it, but trust me when I say that Chu will impress you. The fight scenes were skillfully written and Warren Baker comes to his rescue, performs his magic and keeps his operative safe.

As a sidebar, at this point in the novel, I have to admit that I'm somewhat confused by my feelings towards the character of Warren Baker, as he tells his stories. I find my attraction for him reaching a level of tension that is pulling me in all directions. If he were real, he would be the type of man that an intelligent woman knows to stay away from and yet is unquestionably drawn to.

So, with that being said and my head spinning with all the intrigue and mystery I tried to catch my breath and slow my heartbeats to dull roar before plunging headlong into Ria Marlen's twisted world (Date with a Devil) only this time Warren Baker is meeting her face to face. This story was tense, contained close quarter's combat (of a fashion), a cat and mouse kind of introduction for the characters and a sensuality that had my heart thumping in my chest, again, and my imagination working overtime. Warren Baker is definitely a man that an intelligent woman should keep her distance from...*sigh*....anyhoo.

The seventh story (A Taste of Honey) is about Chris and Nikki. He's an operator and she's an asset. Theirs is a quirky relationship to say the least and Nikki's emotions may be blocking her common sense. Will she allow him to continue to exploit her, then make love to her and exploit her some more? This story and the novel, ends with one hell of a cliff-hanger that left me blinking at the screen wanting more.

In closing, Smooth Operator is an exploration of the lives of the operatives; present, future and questionable, of RSVP through the eyes of Warren Baker. The writing is superb, the plots and characters credible, the action and thrill intense and the sex and sensuality highly erotic without being pornographic. As I wrote my review, checked the stories to make sure my facts were straight, I found that each one sucked me back in for a pleasurable, second read. If a book is written in such a fashion that the stories become that engaging; to make me want to read it again, it automatically gets 5-stars. And truth be told? I'll probably read this novel a few more times.

Thank you, to the author, for giving me a glimpse into the intriguing lives of these wonderful characters.-----------------------------------Smooth Operator isn't a bestseller by any stretch of the imagination (See Great Expectations) but it is off to a good start. I only hope other readers feel as good about the book as Ms. Scott.
Have fun.Gamal

Smooth Operator Is Now Available for Free on Amazon.com!

TEXT OF THE OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE August 7, 2013,New York Nightlife Publishing has released a new anthology called Smooth Operator: The Life and Crimes of Warren Baker (ISBN-0615853579). It is a criminal espionage novel that explores human motivations and how those motivations shape our identity.

The stories in this collection follow a professional spy named Warren Baker as he attempts to manipulate the parade of criminals that cross his path in New York, Miami and Argentina. Playing on the anger, envy, greed and lust of his targets, Baker strives to fight against an army of criminal cartels invading America. If he succeeds, he'll be in a perfect position to stop them. If he fails, he'll wind up dead in the trunk of an abandoned car. Advanced reviews have described Smooth Operator as "a thrilling, exotic novel packed with intrigue, action, deceit and sensuality."

Gamal Hennessy, the president of Nightlife Publishing and author of Smooth Operator, sees the book as a blend of both the crime thriller and the spy novel. "I tried to create a style of story inspired by the best of both genres. Combining the cool professionalism of the spy mixed with the primal motivations of the criminal appeals to readers who are looking for a different type of spy story."

Smooth Operator will be part of the Kindle Direct Press program. The e-book will be free from Wednesday August 7th to Sunday, August 11. The retail price of the e-book will be $2.99. The paperback version has a retail price of $9.99.

As a bonus, Nightlife Publishing will offer a free prequel short story called A Special Request, to anyone who posts a review for Smooth Operator on Amazon. The retail price of the prequel is $.99 and will be provided regardless of the contents of the review.

For more information, please visit http://gamalhennessy.com

About Gamal Hennessy
Gamal Hennessy is an author, entertainment attorney and nightlife advocate in New York City. He is the author of fiction including Afraid of the Dark and Smooth Operator, the non-fiction title Seize the Night and he is also the President of Nightlife Publishing.

SOURCE Nightlife Publishing
Have fun.Gamal Hennessy 

Of Mice and Men: A Free Preview of Smooth Operator

Read the full preview here
An Interview with Warren BakerI met him at Norwood on a Tuesday night. I normally can’t get into a place like that on any night. It’s one of the few private clubs left in the city, and I’m not a member. I don’t have five thousand dollars to spend on a club membership, and even if I did, I don’t have the personal references to open up doors like that. Baker clearly had both of those resources. My name was on the list as his guest, so I went to the elevator quickly, before the frosty but polite hostess changed her mind about me and told the gigantic doorman to kick me out.Norwood isn’t really the type of place you think of when someone says “club.” There is no disco ball or smoke machine. There is no massive sound system that will make your ears bleed if you stand too close. Norwood feels much more like the British clubs that the characters in an Oscar Wilde story were always flitting in and out of. When I got out of the elevator, I had to move around small clusters of European artists flirting with each other over wine. I roamed over ornate carpets that swallowed the conversations around me and passed under low chandeliers that cast more shadows than light, before I found him sitting alone.He was nestled in a high-backed leather chair, cradling a neat glass of what looked like whiskey. He had both legs stuck out in front of him and crossed at the ankles. His dark wood cane rested at his elbow. He glanced out the window at the passing buses on Fourteenth Street as I approached. That’s when I knew he saw me come into the club. He probably saw me in the reflection of the glass as I entered the room. Warren Baker may have been relaxed, but he was still very much aware.“You’re late,” he observed as I sat down in a chair opposite his.“No, I’m not. You said meet you here at ten. Its nine fifty-five now. I’m early.”“Early for the masses, late for a professional” Baker looked at me with a mischievous grin as he went for a sip of his drink. “You got here just in time to meet me, but you don’t know anything about this place or the surrounding area. You have no idea where the viable exits are, and if something goes sideways tonight, you will be very properly fucked.”I shrugged. “True, but I’m not a professional spy. I’m a writer. All that tradecraft shit is your job, not mine.” A bright, cheery waitress with a practiced smile came to take my order, ignoring the empty chair opposite me.Baker admired the girl’s shape as she sauntered away. “They say writers should write about what they know. How are you going to write about people like me if you don’t know anything about the way we think or how we live?”“That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? You give me some insight into the shadows, and I’ll pay for the drinks. It seems like a pretty fair trade to me.”Baker snorted as he knocked back the last of the whiskey. “I’m glad you think so. This stuff is seventy-five dollars a glass, and I’m going to need a few of them to tell a proper story.”I felt my eyes roll in my head. “Then we better get started.” The waitress returned for a moment and then left me alone with my drink.“Fine,” he said, sitting back in the leather chair as if he planned to be there for a while. “What do you want to know?”
“Why don’t we start with you explaining what the fuck you’re up to?” Read the full preview here ------------------------The full version of Smooth Operator goes on sale August 7th in Kindle and paperback versions.
Amazon Prime members are eligible to download the book for free from August 7th to August 11th.
Until then,
Have fun. Gamal Hennessy

Judging a Book by Its Cover: The Mystery of Cover Design

I was very ambivalent about getting a cover for my new book. I know the cover has nothing to do with the quality of the writing, but I also know that a bad cover is a one way ticket to a very bad first impression. I wanted a cover that I would be proud of when I saw it on my shelf, but I couldn't afford to pay a small fortune for professional graphic design (See How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book Anyway?). In the end, I tried two methods of creating a cover, but only one of them created the look I wanted at a price I could handle.
The Basics
The popular wisdom floating around about e-book cover design involve three concepts:The cover, especially the title and the author's name, should be clearly understandable as a thumbnail, so potential buyers can see it in a list of books on Amazon, Smashwords or GoodReads.The cover should catch the eye of the potential reader.The cover should give the reader some clue as to the subject matter and tone of the book.I thought. 'OK, what's so hard about that?' Then I dove in head first. 
Worth a Thousand Words
Smooth Operator is a novel of crime and espionage that includes a lot of drinking, violence and sexual themes. I wanted the cover image to suggest all those qualities as well as project an overall sense of cool. Based on these ideas, I set out to look for an image for my cover. 
istockphoto.com is my site of choice for pictures. It has a lot of amazing royalty-free images on its site for $20 or less, and you don't have to pay anything extra to use the image until you sell 499,999 copies. (That's not a problem, because if I ever sell that many copies, I will be happy to pay for an exclusive license, right after I buy my new condo.) It took a few hours and a couple cocktails worth of searching, but in the end I came up with this image.

The gun hints at the violence. The martini covers the alcohol consumption. The suit and the passport represent cool. There isn't an overly sexual about the image and it's not as dark as I would like, but until a publisher can pay for his own photo shoot, they have to go with the next best option. Armed with the image in medium sized resolution, I poured another drink and tried to make my cover.



Leave It to the Professionals
My best attempt to make a cover turned out like this:

Can it be seen as a thumbnail? Sure. Does it convey the right tone? I think so. The image handles most of that. Does it catch the eye of the potential reader? Probably not. If anything it might scream self-published novel, which is a death blow for some buyers (See Are Self-Published Books Inherently Inferior?). I wasn't completely happy with it, and other authors I respect stressed the need for a professional looking cover (special thanks to Lance Charnesfor finally pushing me over the edge) so I set out in search of an affordable alternative.  


That's when I stumbled onto fiverr.com. It appears that the world of graphic design is going through economic competition that is just as bad, if not worse than independent publishing. That is a win for independent publishers because artists that once might have charged hundreds of dollars to design a cover are now doing gigs for $5 per cover. It's a little more for a paperback cover or quick delivery, but no cover is more than $30-$40.
I chose Angie, one of the top rated designers, submitted my payment (you have to pay first, but it's only $5) and my request along with the mock up I did. The cover at the top of this essay is what I got back:
Is this better?  That is a subjective question based on your aesthetics. Does it scream self-published? I don't think so. Considering what I paid for it, I think it is money well spent. Of course, I can't exactly articulate why the second cover is better, but then I'm not a graphic designer. I can say that I plan to use this artist for A Taste of Honey and the three other novels I have planned between now and 2016. At this point, I feel the cover design is the second most successful marketing project I've done so far.
So what process do you use to design your covers? Do you think this process makes sense for what you're trying to do? Let me know in the comments and as always. ..

Have fun.
Gamal

A Matter of Perspective: Managing Emotional Points of View

My recent essays about my writing method* have looked at the process from 30,000 feet, and dealt with broad construction of the narrative. I'd like to switch gears for a moment and talk about going waist deep into the writing of each beat in a chapter from the perspective of the characters in the story.
Sources of TechniqueAs always, my method is not original, but it is adapted to my temperament. The ideas I present here have mostly been molded from Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View, The Emotional Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression, and of course, Story
In the Driver's Seat
I try to write in a manner that places the reader in the position of a character. Instead of acting as an omniscient narrator, I try to cut out the middleman to create a more visceral response.  The best way I've found so far to do this is to follow six steps while developing each chapter:Decide at the beginning of the chapter whose perspective currently drives the story. Normally it’s the protagonist, but an antagonist or supporting character can drive a chapter if it is part of a subplot.Determine their emotional state, based on their circumstances. Then decide what they are feeling inside, what they are projecting into the world, what they attempt to hide and what they attempt to project. Determine the outside actions or situations that influence the protagonist and what reactions they get when they interact with the world.Determine what the protagonist can perceive from others (and from themselves) and how they interpret those perceptions, including their biases, mistakes and things they can’t know.Find out what the protagonist does based on this situation.Repeat steps 2-5 until the chapter is resolved

Example
I’m currently working on A Taste of Honey, which will be my second novel. In one of the early chapters, the protagonist, Nikki, sits in a cafe waiting for her lover Manuel. She is grappling with several problems at once. First, this isn't a random affair. She wants to seduce Manuel in order to spy on his business. Second, he was impotent the night before when they first made love. Third, Manuel’s wife saw their infidelity. Finally, the wife didn't lash out at them. In fact, she didn't try to stop the sexual liaison at all. She simply watched. Based on this turn of events, Nikki juggles confusion, embarrassment, sexual frustration, lust, doubt and anxiety all at the same time.
The impact of all those emotions come into play when the wife, and not Manuel, sits down at the table for lunch. How is Nikki’s shock affected by her current state of mind? What does she feel? What shows on her face or in her body language? Can she control herself in that moment? What signals does she get from the woman across the table and how is her perception tainted by her own emotional state? How will all of this impact her reaction? Most importantly, what happens next?

The Balancing Act
The art of writing involves creating a narrative that a reader can follow intellectually and connect with emotionally. There are dozens of physical responses to each emotion.  There are infinite ways for a person to interpret or misinterpret what other people say or do. The trick is to discard everything that doesn't help tell a good story and keep everything that will let the reader feel themselves in your character’s lives. Put in too much and you get a hot mess. Include too little and you get a wooden cliché. Art sits on the razor's edge.
When Characters Write Story
As I write each chapter, Nikki dictates more and more of what happens. What she sees and what she believes impacts what she does, which in turn creates a reaction in the world that she has to deal with. And it's not only what's going on outside. In her own head and heart there is a natural struggle between what she thinks and what she feels, between what she tries to do and what she does. Writing through the filter of her emotional point of view not only puts the readers in her shoes, it gives me the ability to see the world through her eyes too. I find that this kind of writing is much more honest and natural than trying to write from the outside looking in.
What do you think? Does any of this make sense? Let me know your perspective.
Have fun.
Gamal

* See The Building a Better Novel series
Part 1: The Foundation
Part 2: The Framework
Part 3: Plot Construction