Rod Raglin's Blog, page 35

Author services sites thrive on the newly naive and eternally hopeful

The byzantine behavior of author services sites continues to intrigue and repulse.

Intrigue because of creative ways they come up with to be disingenuous; repluse because they take advantage, both emotionally and financially, of the newly naive and eternally hopeful.

These services can provide manuscript assessment, developmental editing (?) formatting, design, distribution book launch, marketing, PR, social media management – in other words they can do everything for a price except guarantee the success they insinuate or imply.

What’s disconcerting is many of these services are unnecessary and those that are necessary can be accomplished by the author at no charge except in time and patience.

I suppose when you’re chasing a dream, time and patience are not something you’re considering and that’s too bad, because that’s what these services are counting on.

I recently investigated one such service to see what they could offer by way of book distribution.

Not surprising it was less than what I have achieved through my own initiatives and with the considerable assistance of Amazon, Smashwords and Google.

For their distribution service they were asking a ninety-nine dollar membership fee and fifteen percent of royalties from sales generated from Amazon and any other sites. This for something any author can plug into free.

I can understand why these services might intrigue a new, self-published author. Why not to let someone else do the publishing and distribution while they focus on writing best sellers. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely the new author will sell enough books to recover his costs, which to me has always been like adding insult to injury.

Giveaways generate little meaningful response

While we’re on the topic – that being insult to injury, let’s revisit Goodreads http://goodreads.com/the site that claims 40,000 of their members enter giveaway contests everyday.

For the month of April I ran a giveaway for one paperback edition of my novels Abandoned Dreams, The Big Picture and Forest. Here’s the results

Abandoned Dreams: 422 requests, 160 added it “to read”

The Big Picture: 381 requests, 129 added it “to read”

Forest: 437 requests, 171 added it “to read”

At the time of writing this, 923 people “want to read” at least one of the six books I have on Goodreads and yet I’m still stuck at twenty-four reviews since March 2016. These people are awfully slow readers. I’m still hopeful that at least the people who won the books will review them.

I gave away forty-six e-books of Forest on LibraryThing http://librarything.com/this month as well but at least it didn’t cost me anything.

New multiple query site draws a blank

Despite claiming to be “the easiest, smartest and most rewarding way for writers, agents and publishers to connect” Authors.me has yet to make a connection for my books after being on their site a month now.

Inkitt’s offer so simple it’s suspicious

Inkitt http://inkitt.com/appeared in my in-box asking if I was “Interested in having your novel in the spotlight.”

The email went on to say, “We’re featuring six of your novels in upcoming editions of Inkitt’s newsletter to help promote your work and recommend some great summer reads!”

All I have to do is “Send a 200-character catchy teaser and the link to your story”.

The loglines have been sent and I’ll let you know what happens since I’ve only uploaded one of my novels to their site.

The Local Rag up next

My new novel, The Local Rag, a story about what it’s like to be the publisher and editor of a community newspaper in these changing times, of which I know a fair bit, was completed April 9 and is now resting. I plan to resurrect it mid-July for rewrites, beta readers and formatting. The plot also includes infidelity, murder and drug smuggling for good measure.

WIP East Van Saturday Night – anthology of short storys plus a novella

I’m currently doing a rewrite of Hitchhike, a 30,000 word novella and part of a book that includes an additional five short stories. The stories all have the same main character and are a chronological accounting of major life events from the age of five to nineteen. The title of this compilation is East Van Saturday Night, taken from one of the stories.

Stay Calm, Be Brave, Watch for the Signs

30

 

 

New streamlined process for multiple submissions – but it won’t improve your writing

The creators of https://www.authors.me say they have designed a site “for the writer who wants to get read and get published.”

Hey, that’s me. Just a second, isn’t that every writer?

What they say they’ve done “is hone the submission process” with a questionnaire that is not unlike preparing your manuscript to be self published.

Anyhow, you answer the questions and the people at Authors.me plug it into a template and make it available to agents and publishers who have also registered on the site.

The benefits for the writer are you don’t have to research and prepare multiple submissions, a process that makes writing a novel seem easy.

The benefit for the agent or publisher is they have a standardized and thorough submission, which they can review within minutes and accept, reject or refer as easy as forwarding an email.

So, what’s the catch?

Well, until July 15, 2016, there isn’t one because until then you can submit your completed manuscript, the first thirty pages or even a non-fiction book proposal free.

After that, well, the creators of Authors.me aren’t saying.

Once a price is attached to your submission the question will be how many agents and publishers have signed on, are they using the site and will it make any difference?

Sure the submission process is a pain but if you’ve persevered and done the research, meticulously followed instructions as to what to submit and what not to submit, incurred the expense, and still haven’t got a publisher or agent then is a new, streamlined submission process going to change that?

Put another way, an improved submission process won’t improve your writing.

So until July 15th why not submit your completed or even partially completed manuscripts since there’s no downside (I’ve upload three of my books).

After July 15th you might want to reconsider and if you’ve already gone the traditional submission route to no avail perhaps the money Authors.me will no doubt be charging might be better spent on a writing course, a how to book or membership to writers’ club.

Stay Calm, Be Brave, Watch for the Signs

30

Book Giveaway Win a copy of

FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend

Enter at

https://www.librarything.com/er/giveaway/list

 

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

 

Cover Art of books by self-published authors at

https://www.pinterest.com/rod_raglin/rod-raglins-reviews-cover-art/

 

My novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend, The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic and Abandoned Dreams are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

 

The ECO-WARRIORS series:

Book 1, Saving Spirit Bear – What Price Success?

Book 2, Loving the Terrorist – Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs

Book 3, Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients

are available as e-books an paperbacks at

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

 

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

 

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

 

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

 

 

 

SELF-e connecting indie books, libraries and readers

Out of the blue came an email inviting me to participate in the third Thursday Self-e Twitter chat focused on international authors in indie and self-publishing.

How come I wasn’t invited to the first two? Never mind, I wouldn’t have participated anyway just as I’m not planning to participate in this one, but I am interested in indie and self-publishing and who and what is SELF-e ?

SELF-e is a discovery platform powered by Library Journal designed to expose self-published ebooks to more readers via the public library, locally or nationwide (that means the US).

Authors whose ebooks are selected by Library Journal for inclusion in SELF-e modules can use a digital badge promoting their inclusion to potential readers who may choose to purchase a copy of the title and/or to purchase other books by that author via retail channels. Ebooks that are not selected by Library Journal will still be accessible to local library patrons via state-specific modules.

Okay, what’s the catch, as in how much are they going to charge?

But wait, there is no cost to participate, and distribution via the SELF-e platform is royalty-free.

What they do ask is if your book is selected you give them a non-exclusive license to make your ebook available to public library patrons via subscribing institutions in the public library market, including subscribing public libraries in your state.

My local library is currently carrying my six novels, which they actually purchased (a thousand thank you’s), but I would have gladly donated them.

Authors and their publishing service providers/future publishers are not restricted in any manner from promoting and selling their ebooks to any market (including the public library market via other vendors).

This information comes off their website which has yet to be updated to let authors know they are now also accepting international titles.

So why is Library Journal doing this?

Forgive me if I’m skeptical but there’s an entire industry of sycophants who’s sole purpose is to rip off vulnerable, delusional, hopeful and yes, stupid new indie authors. Is LJ the exception?

Apparently.

They claim their primary directive is connecting indie books, libraries and readers.

“Libraries are driving a new era of ebook discovery for indie authors and small presses. SELF-e helps develop robust local writing communities and keeps libraries at the center of the indie book movement.”

Well, all can say to that is “hurrah!”, and what took you so long.

Visit their blog http://self-e.libraryjournal.com/blog/to see the latest SELF-e news and events.

Submit your books at self-e.libraryjournal.com

Stay Calm, Be Brave, Watch for the Signs

30

 

Book Giveaway Win a copy of

THE BIG PICTURE, FOREST or ABANDONED DREAMS

Enter at

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway

 

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

 

Cover Art of books by self-published authors at

https://www.pinterest.com/rod_raglin/rod-raglins-reviews-cover-art/

 

My novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend, The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic and Abandoned Dreams are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

 

The ECO-WARRIORS series:

Book 1, Saving Spirit Bear – What Price Success?

Book 2, Loving the Terrorist – Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs

Book 3, Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients

are available as e-books an paperbacks at

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

 

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

 

View my Flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

 

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

 

 

 

 

 

Indie author bookstore wants to rent you shelf space

I recently received an email from an indie author bookstore that wants to stock my books.

My response is not elation or gratitude, it’s suspicion.

I think this industry is making me a cynic.

Anyhow…

P.J. Boox  http://pjboox.com/  was started by “award-winning”(?) author and illustrator, Patti Brassard Jefferson in the summer of 2015. Brassard describes herself as a self-published author who released her first book with an indie publisher (how does that work?) and so on and so forth to the end that apparently she can “relate”.

Her store only accepts self-published and indie authors (are these not one and the same?), “as well, micro, small press, vanity and subsidy publishers may submit books. Traditionally published large publishing houses and imprints may not.”

Already I’m having difficulty with the pitch and wondering if Brassard wrote this how she became an award-winning author? I mean is there a difference between micro and small press? Aren’t vanity and subsidy publishers the same thing? Is a traditionally published large publishing house the same as a large publishing house or a traditional publisher? Does the writer know that saying the same thing only using different words is still being redundant?

Anyhow, let’s cut to the chase.

Brassard doesn’t want to stock my books she wants to rent me shelf space in her store.

For $80.00 and a one time set up fee of $18.00, I can rent a shelf that will fit six books max for four months. If they sell your books in the store you get 98 percent royalty. If you want them to sell them online you ante up another $15.00 set up fee and they take twenty percent.

You send them your books and every month they send you the money you earned that month.

So lets crunch some numbers, shall we?

My novel Abandoned Dreams sells for $9.99. I order six to fill the shelf and have CreateSpace ship them to PJ Boox. It costs $26.57

I add the set up charge and the shelf rental of $98.00 plus the cost of the books for a total of 124.57. If I sell all six books at $10.00 = $60.00, less 2%@ $1.20 = $58.80 net. I’m in the hole $65.77.

What about if I sell more than double that, say 13 books at $10.00 = $130.00, less 2% @$2.40 = $127.60, but printing and shipping has just jumped to $49.07, so I’m still in the red $46.04.

My brain’s getting tired but suffice to say I would need to sell about 20 books in four months to break even and just a few less in the next four month cycle to pay the shelf rental considering the setup fee is waived. I fare even worse with books sold online by PJ Boox.

Will a bookstore in a strip mall in Fort Myers, Florida sell more books (a lot more) for me than Amazon considering they have my books available in all major English speaking countries in the world.

So let’s sum up shall we? Taking advantage of the offer presented by PJ Boox means more hassle and less profit plus grinding my teeth every time I have to think, say or write that ridiculous name.

Sure I want to see my books in a bookstore, but I’m waiting until they pay me rather then the other way around.

Stay Calm, Be Brave, Watch for the Signs

 

30

Book Giveaway Win a copy of

THE BIG PICTURE, FOREST or ABANDONED DREAMS

Enter at

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway

 

 

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

 

Cover Art of books by self-published authors at

https://www.pinterest.com/rod_raglin/rod-raglins-reviews-cover-art/

 

My novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend, The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic and Abandoned Dreams are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

 

The ECO-WARRIORS series:

Book 1, Saving Spirit Bear – What Price Success?

Book 2, Loving the Terrorist – Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs

Book 3, Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients

are available as e-books an paperbacks at

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

 

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

 

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

 

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

 

 

 

Chasing the elusive book review

My first novel was published six years ago followed by five more with the most current one, Abandoned Dreams, released in March, 2016.

Over that period of time I’ve had a total of about thirty reviews – that’s for all books combined, non-duplicated. They’ve appeared and can actually be read on:

Amazon    http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

Goodreads   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4603345.Rod_Raglin

LibraryThing  https://www.librarything.com/search.php?search=rod+raglin 

I’ve had a few other reviews on personal blogs, and there may even be more out there I’m not aware of.

I confess I actually paid for three, but never again. Despite the assurances from paid for review sites that the fee does not guarantee a positive review I can’t reconcile this practice with my own conscience.

So how does an indie author get honest reviews since reviews apparently sell books?

I say apparently because I don’t know otherwise. My experience has been a few reviews equal a few sales. Would a whole bunch of reviews translate into a whole bunch of sales? I can’t say for sure because…well, you figure it out.

As a journalist I was trained to not to assume anything and take nothing for granted. I strongly urge other indie authors to do the same. As far as unsubstantiated and exaggerated claims the charlatans in the writing/publishing industry rank right up there with those affiliated with miracle cures and get rich internet scams.

But I digress. How does an indie author get honest reviews?

I’ve tried book giveaways on sites like Booklikes http://booklikes.com/  LibraryThing, Goodreads and StoryCartel. I’ve sent hundreds of free e-books attached to personalized e-mails. I keep an up-to-date website, tweet everyday and even blog, as you are no doubt aware, though I have yet to establish any link between the last three “soft sells” and book sales, unless after reading this you decide to buy one of my books and post a review (let me know if you do).

Media reviews or other established review outlets like Publisher’s Weekly and Library Journal seem reluctant to review your book unless it’s successful(?) or at least traditionally published.

In desperation I checked out a site called The Indie View http://www.theindieview.com/indie-reviewers/

If you’re inclined to read and subsequently write reviews of the work of independent authors you’re invited to add your name to their list, which is quite substantial.

If you’re an author and fishing for reviews the site provides you with the name of the reviewer, their website, their preferences, guidelines, where they post their reviews and the date this information was last refreshed.

Keeping all this in mind I sent about a dozen review requests with an e-book of Abandoned Dreams a little over two weeks ago. So far nothing.

However, here are some interesting things I discovered.

A least twenty-five percent of the reviewers listed are closed for reviews due to a backlog. I take that as not a good sign.

Quite a few reviewers state they will not post a review of a work they cannot rate as at least three stars. I imagine they do this out of consideration, however misguided, thinking a bad review can pull down an author’s average rating.

Depending on why you write, you may be of the opinion, as I am, there is no such thing as a bad review. First and foremost I want to become a better writer – money and fame, well, I’ll accept those too – if you insist. Critical reviews, especially those that are specific, point out where I’ve let the reader down and allow me to consider how to improve in those areas.

If you’re in this game for ego, if you some how think you can fool all the readers all the time than I can understand that a bad review really sucks.

But not for me.

If someone hated my book, well, that’s okay. I’m just glad they read it and took the time to review it.

Stay Calm, Be Brave, Watch for the Signs.

30

 

 

Book Giveaway Win a copy of

THE BIG PICTURE, FOREST or ABANDONED DREAMS

Enter at

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

Cover Art of books by self-published authors at

https://www.pinterest.com/rod_raglin/rod-raglins-reviews-cover-art/

My novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend, The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic and Abandoned Dreams are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

 

The ECO-WARRIORS series:

Book 1, Saving Spirit Bear – What Price Success?

Book 2, Loving the Terrorist – Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs

Book 3, Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients

are available as e-books an paperbacks at

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

 

 

 

 

Seventh novel reaffirms why I write

I’ve finished the first draft of The Local Rag.

It’s now resting for about three months or until I’ve got it out of my system. Then I’ll do another rewrite and send it to my beta readers. They’ll come back to me in about six weeks with lots of errors and some incites.

This is my seventh novel. Why, you might ask, did I write this book when the previous six have cost me more in postage and delivery than I’ve made in royalties?

So more for myself than for you, let me review the reasons I write:

• I write because it’s fun. If you need me to explain fun, well, I’m sorry for you.

• I write because I learn stuff. All my novels are about something I want to learn more about. As the story unfolds I’m doing research and learning right along with my characters.

• I write because I hope to share my views about issues that are important to me – I’m still hoping to.

The Local Rag is about journalism, the media, publishing, and the truth.

My career in journalism, mostly as publisher and editor of my own community newspapers, has spanned nearly forty years. I’ve seen lots of changes but none so disconcerting as what I see today. I set out to learn more about the concentration of media ownership, the decline of print and the rise of online news outlets, and the role of citizen journalism (also known as public, participatory, democratic, guerrilla or street journalism) and how it affects the legitimacy of our news.

I learned a lot.

I’m sharing what I learned in the context of a novel that also includes friendship, small business, politics, murder, crime and corruption.

Have I missed anything?

Why don’t you tell me? There are never enough beta readers.

Three months from now I’ll be sending out the manuscript to beta readers. At that time the manuscript will be quite polished, but by my eyes only. I’m looking for my beta readers to find plot glitches, inconsistencies, typos, spelling mistakes – anything and everything that will make The Local Rag a better read and error free.

All beta readers are acknowledged in the front matter of the book and get a paperback edition free.

Interested? E-mail me at rod_raglin@yahoo.com

Stay calm, be brave, watch for the signs.

30

Book Giveaway – Win a copy of

THE BIG PICTURE, FOREST or ABANDONED DREAMS

Enter at

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway

 

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at

Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

 

Cover Art of books by self-published authors at

https://www.pinterest.com/rod_raglin/rod-raglins-reviews-cover-art/

 

My novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend, The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic and Abandoned Dreams are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

 

The ECO-WARRIORS series:

Book 1, Saving Spirit Bear – What Price Success?

Book 2, Loving the Terrorist – Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs

Book 3, Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients

are available as e-books an paperbacks at

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

 

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

 

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

 

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

 

 

 

Novel (paperback) giveaways

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Forest – Love, Loss, Legend
by Rod Raglin

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27669765

Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.

See the giveaway details

Goodreads Book Giveaway


The Big Picture
by Rod Raglin

Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24456462

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Abandoned Dreams
by Rod Raglin

Giveaway ends April 30, 2016.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29616205

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

“Indie” or Inkitt? Is going it alone better than providing free “content”

I continue to learn and it seems to get easier.

I have to confess this surprises me considering my brain has been, according to most scientific studies, in cognitive decline for nearly seven years now.

Why is learning getting easier or am I just imagining it?

No, it’s true. I actually figured out how to properly number my new novel Abandoned Dreams in a Word Document. And further still, I realized I could line up the front matter on facing pages by opening the menu “Layout” and pulling down “line numbers” and aligning the type by corresponding line numbers.

I think it’s because I’ve more time, which allows me to be more patient, which allows me to make mistakes, and yes, actually learn from them.

There was a time, and not so long ago, that I would be running behind as soon as I woke up. I had no time for mistakes, nor the patience it takes to learn complex new things. Okay, page numbering is maybe not that complex but you get what I’m saying.

This is a round about way of announcing that my new novel, Abandoned Dreams is now available as a paperback as well as e-book at

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

It actually is better formatted than my previous five novels and has the least errors. I’d like to say no errors, but I know at some later date I’ll be looking at it and for sure I’ll find one – or more.

And if you see any be sure to let me know.

Here’s another thing I’ve learned. On social media nothing is more important than content.

I learned this while trying to find something interesting to tweet to my twenty-seven followers (some are real people). My themes are the environment, writing including literacy programs, author readings, and writing projects, community affairs and events, and photography (mine). If I come up with something original I get more response, which is gratifying but, you guessed it, doesn’t translate into book sales.

So is there a way to get more content than setting up a sight that publishes creative writing? I don’t think so. Writer’s upload their work in hopes of what I’m not sure -some feedback, a connection and it becomes a self-perpetuating thing. Just imagine the numbers of hits, members, whatever, the site’s owners can show advertisers.

The best thing is it’s all free.

Throw in a contest with a small cash prize, a publishing deal (like that’s worth anything in this day of fast and easy self-publishing) and the site lights up.

What I’ve just been describing is Inkitt. These are the people who claim they have a system using “data analysis to determine and predict the success of a novel.” They claim they “are also working together with some of the world’s biggest publishing houses to publish any potential best-sellers we find.”

Considering Inkitt’s claims and after reading a few chapters of some of the stories posted on the site I was more than a bit suspect. What is actually going on here?

Recently they hosted Swoon, a contest for romance novels. Since there was no down side (fee) I entered my novel Loving the Terrorist – Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs as an experiment more than anything else.

The submission deadline was February 23rd. The voting deadline was February 29th.

There were 160 submissions. A novel, Trying to Behave got the most votes at 312. Loving the Terrorist got one vote. I wonder, does this mean I won’t win?

It is now March 22nd and the judges: agent Rebecca Friedman and romance authors Laurelin Paige and Melody Grace have yet to announce the winner.

What happened to the formula, the data analysis that could determine and predict the success of a novel? Why are we waiting for mere mortals to read all these submissions (a task I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy) to come up with a winner?

Meanwhile, Inkitt has launched another contest. The Grand Novel contest deadline is June 7th and already there are 198 entries.

Talk about content.

 

Author rankings, sales ratings and other publishing enigmas

Have you ever tried to make sense out of the author rankings and sales ratings on Amazon?

For example, on March 4, 2016 my Author Ranking on Amazon was 1,189,814.

On March 5 Abandoned Dreams was released as an e-book after being available for about three months as a pre-order.

There was one sale and my Author Ranking rose to 791,455, a jump of 398,359 points. My ranking as of this writing is 833,996 and dropping, but still significantly higher than in previous months and all on the strength of one sale.

On February 14th Abandoned Dreams entered Amazon’s system with a sales ranking of 167,189, that’s without a sale. On March 5 with one sale under my belt my ranking had dropped to 1,431,617.

Does any of this make sense to you?

Of course it makes less sense that I care what my ranking is considering there are hundreds of thousands of authors listed on Amazon apparently doing better than me.

While we’re on the subject of making sense, which I seldom do, here’s another enigma.

After giving two books away on Goodreads I noticed 193 people had added Loving the Terrorist (one of the books I gave away) as “want to read”, and 259 people had added Saving Spirit Bear as “want to read”.

That was two months ago and those numbers haven’t changed. Apparently, not one person has read either of my books despite “want(ing) to read” them.

I’m thinking clicking the “want to read” button is equivalent to “friending” and “following”, it signifies nothing.

And despite 1,195 people entering the contest and four actually winning books the number of reviews I’ve received on Goodreads hasn’t increased either.

To add insult to injury this month their Author Newsletter is pitching “one very simple thing you can do on Goodreads that will boost your visibility, engage your followers, and raise awareness of your book.”

The simple thing is to share your favourite books by adding them to your shelf. This will evidently “Give new readers a better understanding of where you came from by sharing what you enjoy.” It will also generate a “news feed update to your followers”.

It seems like a tremendous stretch to think a follower would read one of my books because they were interested in the books, other than my own, I recommend – and that’s not just because I have no followers.

And yet the folks at Goodreads are adamant that this works just as well as “claiming your author profile, running a giveaway, and enabling Ask the Author.”

Since I’ve tried (am currently trying) the other three suggestions and haven’t had any significant results whatsoever forgive me if I take a pass on this latest one.

I’ll be releasing Abandoned Dreams in paperback likely by the end of the month.

I’ll do it without fanfare.

I mean really, what’s the point.

 

Stay calm, be brave, watch for the signs.

 

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Video book reviews of self-published authors now at Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ

Cover Art of books by self-published authors at

https://www.pinterest.com/rod_raglin/rod-raglins-reviews-cover-art/

My novels, FOREST – Love, Loss, Legend and The BIG PICTURE – A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic are available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU and as e-books at https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/raglin

The ECO-WARRIORS series:

Book 1, Saving Spirit Bear – What Price Success?

Book 2, Loving the Terrorist – Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs

Book 3, Not Wonder More – Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients

are available as e-books an paperbacks at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003DS6LEU

 

More of my original photographs can be viewed, purchased, and shipped to you as GREETING CARDS; matted, laminated, mounted, framed, or canvas PRINTS; and POSTERS. Go to: http://www.redbubble.com/people/rodraglin

View my flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/78791029@N04/

Or, My YouTube channel if you prefer photo videos accompanied by classical music

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQVBxJZ7eXkvZmxCm2wRYA

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I’m learning from rewriting my first novel

I wrote my first novel, The Local Rag, in 2003.

Like most first novels it was a masterpiece.

I sent it out and as the response came in I decided maybe I didn’t want to be a novelist after all.

I hid the manuscript in the back of my filing cabinet.

Four months ago I dug it out. It hadn’t improved with age, but at least I could now read it without weeping and gnashing my teeth. To my surprise I discovered if you could overlook the very bad writing (which I admit was difficult, even painful) there was indeed a story buried in there, one even more in need of telling today than it was thirteen years ago.

I review quite a number of books by independent authors (see link below to my video book review blog Not Your Friend, Not Your Family book reviews) and most of them are making the same mistakes I made in my first novel. This means if you continue writing for ten more years you should at least achieve my level of skill, which, come to think of it might make you want to rethink your career path, especially if you consider the lack of success I’ve attained.

But I digress.

What the rewriting of The Local Rag (yes, I’m rewriting it) has done for me is affirm my criticism of the work of new writers – at least in my mind.

To put that another way, I am now rewriting The Local Rag in accordance to what I’ve suggested many new authors do to improve their work.

And what are those suggestions:

Begin with Goal, Motivation and Conflict: what does my protagonist want, why do they want it, and what is preventing them from getting it? Write your GMC down and refer to it each time you begin to write. It will keep your story focused.
Don’t over explain – especially simple actions and the description of characters. Leave it to the reader’s imagination
Use adverbs sparingly. Especially don’t use them to explain your dialogue.
Leave out everything (and I mean everything) you can’t attribute to developing character or advancing the plot.

In 2003 the word count for The Local Rag was about 82,000. The 2016 version will likely be about 60,000.

Of course, a significant number of the words deleted are “that” (used 910 times) and “just” (used 279 times) in the original manuscript.

However, I hope the new version supports the theory that less is best when it comes to writing.

Herewith is blurb for The Local Rag. I find writing the blurb before you actually begin writing the novel is another good way to keep focused.

 

Do you believe everything you read in the newspapers?

Jim Mitchell doesn’t.

He’s a journalist and the publisher and editor of a community newspaper, The Sentinel.

He gave up a career with big media because he couldn’t justify their choice of what to cover, couldn’t tolerate the way they edited his stories and would not be implicit in misleading the public to benefit some hidden corporate agenda.

When he bought The Sentinel he thought all that would end. Being owner of “the local rag” he could select the stories, edit the copy and make sure the interests of the community were served.

He would print the truth – no slant, no bias, no spin, and he’d make a living doing it.

He was wrong.

Right from the beginning Jim’s brand of reportage rankles some powerful people, people who pay his bills. Then there’s the new competitor, a multinational media conglomerate that’s expanding its generic community newspaper format into The Sentinel’s market area.

Soon it’s a struggle for The Sentinel to make a profit and for Jim to keep true to his uncompromising ethic.

When his best friend, Anthony Bravaro decides to run for mayor Jim’s hopeful for the first time he’ll see an honest politician.

Hope turns to dismay as Jim watches the quest for power turn a good man bad.

Tony’s campaign tests Jim’s professional objectivity and personal integrity. When Jim confronts him with damaging information that could end his run for public office he finds out how far Tony’s prepared to go to win the mayor’s seat – farther than he ever could have imagined.

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Book Giveaway. 100 e-books of ABANDONED DREAMS ’til March 1

LibraryThing:

https://www.librarything.com/er/giveaway/list

BookLikes:

http://booklikes.com/giveaways/show/2196/abandoned-dreams-rod-raglin

 

ABANDONED DREAMS

Special Preorder Price 99¢ ’til March 6, 2016

After March 6, $3.99

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0191B3XDE?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Video book reviews of self-published authors now at Not Your Family, Not Your Friend Video Book Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH45n8K4BVmT248LBTpfARQ