Sandra Madera's Blog, page 12
April 15, 2012
Q/A Dealing with Criticism
Q: How do you handle critics?
"A critic is someone who never actually goes to the battle, yet who afterwards comes out shooting the wounded." - Tyne Daly
A: Todays topic is one that I have experienced in my first year of being published... Criticism. Some can be positive... Some can be negative, but both can have affects on the creative person's ego.
For someone who is creative, we envision things in our mind before we bring it to life through our chosen art form: painting, drawing, writing, music, etc. Sometimes our art can work out as we envisioned or better. Sometimes it can fall short. However, no one would publicize there work unless they felt it was good. You took a chance which is more than most people have done in order to reach their dreams. Ralph Waldo Emmerson said, "All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."
When someone out there in cyberspace shares your view of how great your work is, it can be amazing. You feel validated. However, when someone tears your work apart, it can be devastating! You may question your abilities, and this may stifle your creativity.
Positive and negative criticism is found everywhere and in every profession. You will always find people that both love and hate your work. What is important is that you love what you are doing. As long as the work resonates with you, odds are it will find its way to the hands of someone who will appreciate it as well. Never give up, and never give in to critics.
History has been filled with countless success stories, and you know what all of them had in common... Those that succeeded never gave up. They didn't pay too much attention to the naysayers. They believed in their own abilities and success followed. Mark Twain wrote, "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
While I read both negative and positive reviews, I don't let it stop me. While some negative criticism can be constructive, I am talking about the ones that take personal jabs at your craft and character. The truth is that you will always have people that don't get it. It is their right not to like your work, but things get personal is when there is name calling. NEVER write a response to those critics. You may want to jab back, but it shows that you have more class if you keep your mouth shut! Always conduct yourself with class! Smile and bear it as they say. Your time to shine will come despite what they say.
You will have those that don't want to get it and will do everything possible to pick apart your writing. There will be a time when you receive the worst review ever. Then the next day you may have three awesome reviews. Peoples opinions vary, and you shouldn't give up on a dream because someone may not like your work.
Some of these extra negative reviewers may write something about you that seems to like overkill. They may write comments that go below the belt. Ignore them and push forward. You have to think why someone would say something like that... Perhaps, some of these reviewers are writers themselves. I usually find that those people feel the need to downgrade really great work to make their own skills seem superior. Their motive is to eliminate the competition. I have always been supportive of other authors, and I love following Indie authors on Twitter. Most are wonderful and supportive. Seek out those. I think that variety is fun as a reader. As a writer, I know that no one has my writing style, because everyone's style is as different as a fingerprint. So, I don't mind new writers in the field. I enjoy them and, obviously, have no problem dishing advice.
I have had some hostile critics. I have had people write that I chose the wrong POV for a story, that I lacked skill, that my writing is flat, that my characters had no depth, that my writing is vulgar, that my stories are bloody and heartless. Someone even blogged that they doubted they would hear more about my work in the future. Someone wrote that they wanted the time they spent reading my work back. I am not writing this to acknowledge these comments, but to show that everyone has a critic. The point is that there are always people who see the glass as half empty and are use to being negative. There will always be people who are stuck on the traditional way of publishing and don't want to read anything from an indie author. What matters is that you do what you love and have fun doing it.
"A critic is someone who never actually goes to the battle, yet who afterwards comes out shooting the wounded." - Tyne Daly
A: Todays topic is one that I have experienced in my first year of being published... Criticism. Some can be positive... Some can be negative, but both can have affects on the creative person's ego.
For someone who is creative, we envision things in our mind before we bring it to life through our chosen art form: painting, drawing, writing, music, etc. Sometimes our art can work out as we envisioned or better. Sometimes it can fall short. However, no one would publicize there work unless they felt it was good. You took a chance which is more than most people have done in order to reach their dreams. Ralph Waldo Emmerson said, "All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."
When someone out there in cyberspace shares your view of how great your work is, it can be amazing. You feel validated. However, when someone tears your work apart, it can be devastating! You may question your abilities, and this may stifle your creativity.
Positive and negative criticism is found everywhere and in every profession. You will always find people that both love and hate your work. What is important is that you love what you are doing. As long as the work resonates with you, odds are it will find its way to the hands of someone who will appreciate it as well. Never give up, and never give in to critics.
History has been filled with countless success stories, and you know what all of them had in common... Those that succeeded never gave up. They didn't pay too much attention to the naysayers. They believed in their own abilities and success followed. Mark Twain wrote, "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
While I read both negative and positive reviews, I don't let it stop me. While some negative criticism can be constructive, I am talking about the ones that take personal jabs at your craft and character. The truth is that you will always have people that don't get it. It is their right not to like your work, but things get personal is when there is name calling. NEVER write a response to those critics. You may want to jab back, but it shows that you have more class if you keep your mouth shut! Always conduct yourself with class! Smile and bear it as they say. Your time to shine will come despite what they say.
You will have those that don't want to get it and will do everything possible to pick apart your writing. There will be a time when you receive the worst review ever. Then the next day you may have three awesome reviews. Peoples opinions vary, and you shouldn't give up on a dream because someone may not like your work.
Some of these extra negative reviewers may write something about you that seems to like overkill. They may write comments that go below the belt. Ignore them and push forward. You have to think why someone would say something like that... Perhaps, some of these reviewers are writers themselves. I usually find that those people feel the need to downgrade really great work to make their own skills seem superior. Their motive is to eliminate the competition. I have always been supportive of other authors, and I love following Indie authors on Twitter. Most are wonderful and supportive. Seek out those. I think that variety is fun as a reader. As a writer, I know that no one has my writing style, because everyone's style is as different as a fingerprint. So, I don't mind new writers in the field. I enjoy them and, obviously, have no problem dishing advice.
I have had some hostile critics. I have had people write that I chose the wrong POV for a story, that I lacked skill, that my writing is flat, that my characters had no depth, that my writing is vulgar, that my stories are bloody and heartless. Someone even blogged that they doubted they would hear more about my work in the future. Someone wrote that they wanted the time they spent reading my work back. I am not writing this to acknowledge these comments, but to show that everyone has a critic. The point is that there are always people who see the glass as half empty and are use to being negative. There will always be people who are stuck on the traditional way of publishing and don't want to read anything from an indie author. What matters is that you do what you love and have fun doing it.
April 14, 2012
Reformatting
Right now, I am hard at work reformatting Restraint and Lament for soft cover distribution. I have been getting some inquiries as to whether I was going to release any of my titles in other formats... Especially, from those that don't have e-readers or like to read things on the computer.
I have wanted to, but I didn't know what it entailed, and well, the amount of work involved. So, I did my research... I chose to go ahead and create an actual book using CREATESPACE.com.
As always, I like to do everything myself. So, I put together this book cover and formatted my book into a 6x9 book. However, the process takes many steps so I hope to have Restraint and Lament out in two weeks or so.
When I am done with Wicked Magic , I will publish in both formats; however, the soft cover will include both shorts so that reader doesn't miss reading complete story, because Wicked Magic begins where the shorts left off.
Eventually, I will add to my list of short stories. When I have enough to compile, then I will make a soft cover book entitled Series (as in series of shorts). Some of which, I will reserve only for the actual book. But right now this is only an idea. So, when I make this dream into an actuality, I will be sure to let everyone know.
Just wanted to give everyone who prefers an actual book a heads up. Stay tuned!
Malcontent Bookmark & Wallpapers
So, I have been working on the Malcontent bookmark which is available free on my website as an image that can be copied. I have made actual bookmarks in the past and gave them out at local libraries as promotional tools. It was a success. Eventually, I will print more and have them available for purchase at my online store, but I am not ready to do that yet. Maybe soon.
I have also been working on wallpapers for Malcontent. Above is one that I created with a quote from the ebook which is due out in December 2012. I am going to make another. I will probably get started on that tomorrow. Then I will get started on the book trailer. As soon as that is done, I will post that to my site and blog.
April 12, 2012
Malcontent Blurb
Malcontent is the third and final extension of the Restraint Trilogy. This will be about Louise May Reynolds and her family. It will also showcase how she fell in love with William Carter, bringing the story around full circle. I just finished writing the blurb and added it to my website. I will be adding the video trailer soon. As well as the bookmark and wallpaper images. I hope to have this novel out by December 2012. I am hoping for earlier, but one never knows what life will throw at them.
Raised in a world where the first born are often sacrificed, Louise May Reynolds believes it is her destiny to appease her family by entering into an arranged marriage. However, Louise May struggles as she finds marrying Bryan Froster, a powerful and ruthless vampire prince, revolting.
In her discontent, she tries to devise a way out of the union, fearing the only way to truly be free of Bryan Froster is death. Scared of turning her back on her family and the clan, Louise May struggles inwardly between what others expect of her and what she wants for herself. Until, she rebels against everything she has been raised to believe. Secretly vowing to escape a life of servitude, she risks disturbing the balance between vampire and servant which can cost her more than she can even imagine.
Can Louise May turn her back on her family in order to follow her heart?
Raised in a world where the first born are often sacrificed, Louise May Reynolds believes it is her destiny to appease her family by entering into an arranged marriage. However, Louise May struggles as she finds marrying Bryan Froster, a powerful and ruthless vampire prince, revolting.
In her discontent, she tries to devise a way out of the union, fearing the only way to truly be free of Bryan Froster is death. Scared of turning her back on her family and the clan, Louise May struggles inwardly between what others expect of her and what she wants for herself. Until, she rebels against everything she has been raised to believe. Secretly vowing to escape a life of servitude, she risks disturbing the balance between vampire and servant which can cost her more than she can even imagine.
Can Louise May turn her back on her family in order to follow her heart?
Q/A Behavior Within Social Networks
Q: What is appropriate for an author to talk about on twitter/facebook?
A: I am writing this post, because I was disgusted by the way certain authors acted on social media websites. While these types are a minority, I felt it necessary to discuss this topic.
Like many of you, I follow various authors on Twitter and Facebook. I tend to add anyone who is aspiring to be a published author like myself. Most indie author's fall into that category.
When I was on one of these websites, I witness authors asking followers for money, ranting about how miserable their life is, and begging followers to purchase their ebooks while threatening to quit writing.
It could be my pride, but I would never beg my twitter followers to donate money. I don't think it is appropriate. If they donate that money, they don't know if it is really going to your writing business or anything else you may want to spend it on. I don't ever ask for money! If one wants to buy my book, that is fine. That is why I write, but to ask for handouts seems wrong to me. Don't do it! And don't get angry when people aren't willing to donate either!
I want to be clear about this. While it is okay to post a friendly reminder that your book is available, it is important to conduct yourself with class. I don't expect to be bombarded with a hundred messages to download your ebook. Nor do I want to follow someone that only tweets that. Tweet about your life. Be positive and inspirational. Let the fans get to know you. No one would read a book without either sampling the author's work, hearing rave reviews, or getting to know them as a person of authority within the field.
For authors, your books are your business, and you are the image of your business. There is never a time when cursing is acceptable! Cursing at fellow authors and fans who are trying to help you is contradictory to your focus. One is never truly an expert in your chosen field. The point is we keep learning as we go on, and the best way to learn is from someone who has been there. Listen to your fellow authors!
Now in the case where a fan is asking for your work for free, it is not correct to unfollow them or write unsavory things. Just remind them that your work is available at all online outlets for the price which is set. If you have shorts available online, remind them of those. Unless someone is nasty, there is never a time when threatening to unfollow people is appropriate!
Remember that once something is on the web, it is there forever. Conduct yourself with some decorum.
A: I am writing this post, because I was disgusted by the way certain authors acted on social media websites. While these types are a minority, I felt it necessary to discuss this topic.
Like many of you, I follow various authors on Twitter and Facebook. I tend to add anyone who is aspiring to be a published author like myself. Most indie author's fall into that category.
When I was on one of these websites, I witness authors asking followers for money, ranting about how miserable their life is, and begging followers to purchase their ebooks while threatening to quit writing.
It could be my pride, but I would never beg my twitter followers to donate money. I don't think it is appropriate. If they donate that money, they don't know if it is really going to your writing business or anything else you may want to spend it on. I don't ever ask for money! If one wants to buy my book, that is fine. That is why I write, but to ask for handouts seems wrong to me. Don't do it! And don't get angry when people aren't willing to donate either!
I want to be clear about this. While it is okay to post a friendly reminder that your book is available, it is important to conduct yourself with class. I don't expect to be bombarded with a hundred messages to download your ebook. Nor do I want to follow someone that only tweets that. Tweet about your life. Be positive and inspirational. Let the fans get to know you. No one would read a book without either sampling the author's work, hearing rave reviews, or getting to know them as a person of authority within the field.
For authors, your books are your business, and you are the image of your business. There is never a time when cursing is acceptable! Cursing at fellow authors and fans who are trying to help you is contradictory to your focus. One is never truly an expert in your chosen field. The point is we keep learning as we go on, and the best way to learn is from someone who has been there. Listen to your fellow authors!
Now in the case where a fan is asking for your work for free, it is not correct to unfollow them or write unsavory things. Just remind them that your work is available at all online outlets for the price which is set. If you have shorts available online, remind them of those. Unless someone is nasty, there is never a time when threatening to unfollow people is appropriate!
Remember that once something is on the web, it is there forever. Conduct yourself with some decorum.
Wicked Magic Update
I have been hard at work writing
Wicked Magic: A Weeping Willow Novel
.
The story is based on a dream I had that stood with me, haunting me. So, I decided to write about it. However, there have been a few hold ups. After I started writing, my pacing seemed wrong. With the short stories, something happened every minute, because I had to fit a lot of information in a small amount of words. Remember that Weeping Willow Shorts were only intended to showcase my writing style to potential readers. I never intended to make a novel.
So, when I started writing the novel, something was off. I had to give over a few chapters to my editor, Susan, for review so that she could explain what was off. I had to put my writing on hold for a short while, but she didn't find anything wrong with the flow.
The pacing of the short is really fast, but then again it was a short story. Not a novel. Anyway, I got used to that frantic pace of the short. It basically became the signature of the shorts. With the novel, the passing is longer, but the tricky thing is not to lose the feel of the original shorts. It has been tricky, but now, I am developing a flow.
This novel is darker than the shorts, because it is based upon a nightmare I had. Without giving too much away, there will be creatures from other realms that make their presence known. I was inspired by Dante's Inferno and the idea of combining it with my dream. This book will take off where the other one left off so the shorts must be read before attempting to read this novel.
I am really excited to get this one out. I hope everyone like it. I don't know if anymore Willow novels will be in my future, but I am sure all of my readers will get back to me with input about that.
So, I am back on track with my schedule. I am hoping to release it by Late May/Early June. Then I will begin work of, Malcontent: A Restraint Novel , the last of the Restraint Trilogy.
One chapter of WICKED MAGIC can be read at FEEDBOOKS where I have posted a chapter preview.
The story is based on a dream I had that stood with me, haunting me. So, I decided to write about it. However, there have been a few hold ups. After I started writing, my pacing seemed wrong. With the short stories, something happened every minute, because I had to fit a lot of information in a small amount of words. Remember that Weeping Willow Shorts were only intended to showcase my writing style to potential readers. I never intended to make a novel.
So, when I started writing the novel, something was off. I had to give over a few chapters to my editor, Susan, for review so that she could explain what was off. I had to put my writing on hold for a short while, but she didn't find anything wrong with the flow.
The pacing of the short is really fast, but then again it was a short story. Not a novel. Anyway, I got used to that frantic pace of the short. It basically became the signature of the shorts. With the novel, the passing is longer, but the tricky thing is not to lose the feel of the original shorts. It has been tricky, but now, I am developing a flow.
This novel is darker than the shorts, because it is based upon a nightmare I had. Without giving too much away, there will be creatures from other realms that make their presence known. I was inspired by Dante's Inferno and the idea of combining it with my dream. This book will take off where the other one left off so the shorts must be read before attempting to read this novel.
I am really excited to get this one out. I hope everyone like it. I don't know if anymore Willow novels will be in my future, but I am sure all of my readers will get back to me with input about that.
So, I am back on track with my schedule. I am hoping to release it by Late May/Early June. Then I will begin work of, Malcontent: A Restraint Novel , the last of the Restraint Trilogy.
One chapter of WICKED MAGIC can be read at FEEDBOOKS where I have posted a chapter preview.
March 27, 2012
Q/A Marketing
Hello, everyone!
So, I just got an email question about how to market a book. This is something that I am still trying to figure out. I have tried somethings, and I have not tried others. But one thing is for sure, marketing is very, very important. It is the only way you can reach your audience. The problem is there is no one marketing tool that works for everyone, and marketing campaigns can be costly. I prefer to do as much as I can for free. However, at first, there will be a gain in the audience, but not in funds. That is to be expected. I can only share what has worked for me, and what I hope to try in the future. Let me know if you want me to talk about anything else. Hope this helps!
WEBSITE vs BLOG If you can have both, why not? A blog is basically an online journal, and a website is where all your work can be found. Because I have artistic abilities, both manually and digitally, I was able to put together my website without the use of ugly templates. I used Intuit Website Services (www.intuit.com) which is about $7.00/month for a basic package. However if you have no artistic ability, you will have to settle for one of the templates they offer. It doesn't make the website personal, but I learned how to use Intuit in a few days so it is one of the easier programs to use.
If this is something you can't afford, then just do the blog. Blogs are FREE!!! Blogs are easier to put together with many templates to choose from, and you can advertise on them. However, blogs do not have the layout that traditional websites have, because they were never meant to replace websites. They were meant to be writing tools.
FREE vs $0.99-S1.99 EBOOKS vs $2.99 AND UP EBOOKS There is a general rule for how to price your books. Some people don't listen... They start off high, and wonder why they don't sell books. HELLO! PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE AS AN AUTHOR!!!
So, here is what I did. I wrote my novel, and before I finished editing it, I put it on a shelf. I then wrote a few short stories. I made sure that although they weren't novel quality, they were good. Then I gave them away for FREE which were basically my way of giving away writing samples. Then people can decide whether they like your work enough to buy your novel.
I would NEVER give away a novel that I spent a year writing for free. You worked to hard. If your work is always free, no one will pay for any of your work. However, you MUST sell it for cheap. Therefore, your first novel should be priced between $0.99-$1.99. This is the price brackets in which debut novels succeed. Now, don't expect to make millions of dollars. You only get a little less than half of book sales. So, if your book is $0.99, you stand to make about $0.47/book. Remember that you are laying the ground work to building your audience. That takes time! So, hang on.
After you have sold a few hundred books, put out your next book. Price that one a bit higher. However, honor the fact that people buy indie books because they are cheaper than traditional books. You will sell more by keeping the price low. Stay below $4.99.
COVERART and BOOK TRAILERS People are ultimately visual. So, book covers and trailers are important. Because I am able to create my own cover art, I can make that vision that is in my head a reality. Not everyone has that ability. For those, there are places where you can buy stock images from various websites.
It only works to your advantage to make a book trailer. Don't you watch a movie trailer before you watch a movie? So, make a book trailer! There is an easy program to use on Windows called Windows Movie Maker. It is as simple as dropping the image into the slot and picking an effect. You can narrate or download some royalty free music.
BLOGGERS vs PAID REVIEWS Reviews are important! When someone reads your book and leaves a review, it can sway the mind of any prospective reader. Now, sometimes a review is so bad that some people are curious and read it anyway. So, in that any review is a good review.
However, when good things are said about you, word of mouth spreads. So, it is important to get reviews from people who are considered the authority in the field. Indie Book Bloggers are everyday readers. The only difference is that they have a following. So, if they like your book, they will tell their audience. The con is their backlog. They have a certain amount of books that they have agreed to read, and it can take a year for them to get to yours so be prepared to wait.
Paid reviews are good, because they are better respected. There are some reviewers that are just not questions. If Kirkus says you wrote a great book, then your books is sure to be a best seller. The only con is the price. To get a review, one has to pay upwards of $500.00.
INDIE AWARDS If you have the money, then go for it. If you believe in your work, why wouldn't you? It takes about $50-$75 to enter for some of the Indie Awards available. Your work is going to be read, and it stands a chance of being chosen for an award. However, there is no guarantee that your book will be chosen. But if it is, you can use that in your product description. Your readers will see that, and they will think that your book must be great.
OTHER TOOLS I am a believer in other marketing tools such as flyers, bookmarks, postcards, etc. However, I am able to customize my image as an artistic person. If you can't do this, grab a few stock images and make a bookmark that in nice looking. People will not use something that looks like junk. If they do, they are not constantly looking at how nice the cover looks... How interesting the premise is... They are just using it without looking at it, and that is not what you want.
Plus, you have to know your market. If you are marketing to kids, give away bookmarks at a school or library or after school center. Know your market! Know your audience! Eventually, you can give away some of these items on your webpage to your fans. So, consider a small order at first. When you have a sizable fan base, then you can do one large order.
So, I just got an email question about how to market a book. This is something that I am still trying to figure out. I have tried somethings, and I have not tried others. But one thing is for sure, marketing is very, very important. It is the only way you can reach your audience. The problem is there is no one marketing tool that works for everyone, and marketing campaigns can be costly. I prefer to do as much as I can for free. However, at first, there will be a gain in the audience, but not in funds. That is to be expected. I can only share what has worked for me, and what I hope to try in the future. Let me know if you want me to talk about anything else. Hope this helps!
WEBSITE vs BLOG If you can have both, why not? A blog is basically an online journal, and a website is where all your work can be found. Because I have artistic abilities, both manually and digitally, I was able to put together my website without the use of ugly templates. I used Intuit Website Services (www.intuit.com) which is about $7.00/month for a basic package. However if you have no artistic ability, you will have to settle for one of the templates they offer. It doesn't make the website personal, but I learned how to use Intuit in a few days so it is one of the easier programs to use.
If this is something you can't afford, then just do the blog. Blogs are FREE!!! Blogs are easier to put together with many templates to choose from, and you can advertise on them. However, blogs do not have the layout that traditional websites have, because they were never meant to replace websites. They were meant to be writing tools.
FREE vs $0.99-S1.99 EBOOKS vs $2.99 AND UP EBOOKS There is a general rule for how to price your books. Some people don't listen... They start off high, and wonder why they don't sell books. HELLO! PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE AS AN AUTHOR!!!
So, here is what I did. I wrote my novel, and before I finished editing it, I put it on a shelf. I then wrote a few short stories. I made sure that although they weren't novel quality, they were good. Then I gave them away for FREE which were basically my way of giving away writing samples. Then people can decide whether they like your work enough to buy your novel.
I would NEVER give away a novel that I spent a year writing for free. You worked to hard. If your work is always free, no one will pay for any of your work. However, you MUST sell it for cheap. Therefore, your first novel should be priced between $0.99-$1.99. This is the price brackets in which debut novels succeed. Now, don't expect to make millions of dollars. You only get a little less than half of book sales. So, if your book is $0.99, you stand to make about $0.47/book. Remember that you are laying the ground work to building your audience. That takes time! So, hang on.
After you have sold a few hundred books, put out your next book. Price that one a bit higher. However, honor the fact that people buy indie books because they are cheaper than traditional books. You will sell more by keeping the price low. Stay below $4.99.
COVERART and BOOK TRAILERS People are ultimately visual. So, book covers and trailers are important. Because I am able to create my own cover art, I can make that vision that is in my head a reality. Not everyone has that ability. For those, there are places where you can buy stock images from various websites.
It only works to your advantage to make a book trailer. Don't you watch a movie trailer before you watch a movie? So, make a book trailer! There is an easy program to use on Windows called Windows Movie Maker. It is as simple as dropping the image into the slot and picking an effect. You can narrate or download some royalty free music.
BLOGGERS vs PAID REVIEWS Reviews are important! When someone reads your book and leaves a review, it can sway the mind of any prospective reader. Now, sometimes a review is so bad that some people are curious and read it anyway. So, in that any review is a good review.
However, when good things are said about you, word of mouth spreads. So, it is important to get reviews from people who are considered the authority in the field. Indie Book Bloggers are everyday readers. The only difference is that they have a following. So, if they like your book, they will tell their audience. The con is their backlog. They have a certain amount of books that they have agreed to read, and it can take a year for them to get to yours so be prepared to wait.
Paid reviews are good, because they are better respected. There are some reviewers that are just not questions. If Kirkus says you wrote a great book, then your books is sure to be a best seller. The only con is the price. To get a review, one has to pay upwards of $500.00.
INDIE AWARDS If you have the money, then go for it. If you believe in your work, why wouldn't you? It takes about $50-$75 to enter for some of the Indie Awards available. Your work is going to be read, and it stands a chance of being chosen for an award. However, there is no guarantee that your book will be chosen. But if it is, you can use that in your product description. Your readers will see that, and they will think that your book must be great.
OTHER TOOLS I am a believer in other marketing tools such as flyers, bookmarks, postcards, etc. However, I am able to customize my image as an artistic person. If you can't do this, grab a few stock images and make a bookmark that in nice looking. People will not use something that looks like junk. If they do, they are not constantly looking at how nice the cover looks... How interesting the premise is... They are just using it without looking at it, and that is not what you want.
Plus, you have to know your market. If you are marketing to kids, give away bookmarks at a school or library or after school center. Know your market! Know your audience! Eventually, you can give away some of these items on your webpage to your fans. So, consider a small order at first. When you have a sizable fan base, then you can do one large order.
March 25, 2012
Q/A Tips for Creative Writing
I sometimes get asked questions about tips for creative writing. People want to know how I start a story from concept to the point where I begin to write. So, I am going to write tips here and there to help people with their personal writings.
Q: So, what is the first thing you do when you write a story? A: Come up with an idea! For me, it is easy, because my brain just pumps out idea after idea. But for most people that are just starting out, ideas just don't flow like that. So for ideas, watch movies, read books, and search myths/legends on the internet. Sometimes doing these things can spark your imagination and get the wheels turning. So, get the initial inspiration from these sources and add your own twist. Look up my post entitled Just Published WW2.
Q: Do you brain storm or use outlines before you write? A: I have done both, but it doesn't really work for me to make rigid outlines. By rigid, I mean detailed to the point where all you have to do is write dialogue and there is no room for spontaneity. I like to use loose outlines, meaning I know how I want to begin. I have some ideas for the middle, and I know where I want to end up. I write every idea down. When I start writing, the process is spontaneous. I know the general idea of the chapter, but I am able to come up with new ideas at the same time and integrate them into the chapter.
Q: How do you come up with characters? A: Characters can look a number of ways like having many different eye and hair color. Look at your friends. They come in all shapes and sizes. Personality is what is important. For me, each character is like an exaggerated facet of my own personality. So if the character is supposed to be crazy, I know how crazy I can be, and write like I was 10x more insane than normal. You can also use those around you as inspiration. So if you have a superficial friend that only wears brand name clothes, and there is a place in your story for a character like that then write about them. Stay away from sterotypical or stock characters!!! No dumb, popular cheerleaders. No class clowns or school bullies. Make up a character that is all your own. There are plenty of articles about this online so if you have questions about this, you can Google some great articles with examples.
Q: What is the key to writing an entertaining story? A: You! Never write something that you wouldn't read yourself. Odds are if you wouldn't read it, no one else will either! Write stories that are you. For example, when I was younger, I tried to write a romance novel. The problem was I couldn't finish it! It wasn't me. I don't read romance novels! I like the paranormal. So, I added vampires to this story, and suddenly, the book came to life. It was easier to write, and the story was 10x better. So, don't write anything that you wouldn't read yourself.
Hope this helps. If you have any more questions out there, send them to me. I may answer them on future posts. Thanks!
Q: So, what is the first thing you do when you write a story? A: Come up with an idea! For me, it is easy, because my brain just pumps out idea after idea. But for most people that are just starting out, ideas just don't flow like that. So for ideas, watch movies, read books, and search myths/legends on the internet. Sometimes doing these things can spark your imagination and get the wheels turning. So, get the initial inspiration from these sources and add your own twist. Look up my post entitled Just Published WW2.
Q: Do you brain storm or use outlines before you write? A: I have done both, but it doesn't really work for me to make rigid outlines. By rigid, I mean detailed to the point where all you have to do is write dialogue and there is no room for spontaneity. I like to use loose outlines, meaning I know how I want to begin. I have some ideas for the middle, and I know where I want to end up. I write every idea down. When I start writing, the process is spontaneous. I know the general idea of the chapter, but I am able to come up with new ideas at the same time and integrate them into the chapter.
Q: How do you come up with characters? A: Characters can look a number of ways like having many different eye and hair color. Look at your friends. They come in all shapes and sizes. Personality is what is important. For me, each character is like an exaggerated facet of my own personality. So if the character is supposed to be crazy, I know how crazy I can be, and write like I was 10x more insane than normal. You can also use those around you as inspiration. So if you have a superficial friend that only wears brand name clothes, and there is a place in your story for a character like that then write about them. Stay away from sterotypical or stock characters!!! No dumb, popular cheerleaders. No class clowns or school bullies. Make up a character that is all your own. There are plenty of articles about this online so if you have questions about this, you can Google some great articles with examples.
Q: What is the key to writing an entertaining story? A: You! Never write something that you wouldn't read yourself. Odds are if you wouldn't read it, no one else will either! Write stories that are you. For example, when I was younger, I tried to write a romance novel. The problem was I couldn't finish it! It wasn't me. I don't read romance novels! I like the paranormal. So, I added vampires to this story, and suddenly, the book came to life. It was easier to write, and the story was 10x better. So, don't write anything that you wouldn't read yourself.
Hope this helps. If you have any more questions out there, send them to me. I may answer them on future posts. Thanks!
March 11, 2012
Inspiration
So, I have read posts from a lot of Indie authors about how to write a short story or a novel. These tips are pretty interesting, but I think it is better to write organically. This means to have a general outline and fill in the details as you write spontaneously. This allows you to come up with new ideas as you write and the ability to integrate them into the story without ruining your precise plans.
So, with the way I write, I know people may wonder what inspires me. Many writers draw inspiration from the world around them. This is true for me, but there is also another gold mine for inspiration... Your dreams.
When I was thirteen years old, I dreamed of two sisters, one blonde and one brunette, in love with the same man. So, I decided to write about these characters and for a while I wrote a few chapters of a love story. The name of the main character was Laura. Her sister was named Linda. With my limited thirteen year old mind, I envisioned these characters, but was unable to developed them enough to finish the story.
Fast forward about thirteen years, and my mind still knew these characters. Choosing to change up the story to a genre that was more my style, I added vampires, rewriting my old concept into my novel entitled Restraint. And Laura remained the same rebellious girl I had thought up years ago.
Dreams are a wonderful source of inspiration if they make sense. The best dreams are the ones that leave you thinking about them way into the morning hours. So, dream on my fellow writers. There are many stories waiting to be told and many characters waiting to be thought up.
March 3, 2012
Setbacks
I have wanted nothing but to continue to work hard at completing Wicked Magic. Yet, I have been hit with one problem after another. First, I had a severe cold that would not go away. Now, I have a stomach virus that my nephew passed to everyone in the family. So, I have been sick for almost three weeks straight!
Still, I am pushing forward with writing my new novel, and I have to say that I like the way it is turning out. It is a struggle to write while sick. I would have wanted to be further along than where I am, but at least, I am not rewriting. I actually like what I am writing although it has a darker theme than the original short stories.
As for the bookmarks I printed, I gave them out at libraries and schools in the New York City area which was a success as I gained more readers. I plan to eventually print more and also print postcards to sell them on my website for a few cents, but that is for the future. Until then, I may print more for promotional purposes.
Stay posted!
Still, I am pushing forward with writing my new novel, and I have to say that I like the way it is turning out. It is a struggle to write while sick. I would have wanted to be further along than where I am, but at least, I am not rewriting. I actually like what I am writing although it has a darker theme than the original short stories.
As for the bookmarks I printed, I gave them out at libraries and schools in the New York City area which was a success as I gained more readers. I plan to eventually print more and also print postcards to sell them on my website for a few cents, but that is for the future. Until then, I may print more for promotional purposes.
Stay posted!
