M. Saylor Billings's Blog, page 8

Reviews

The reviews are not in.  So, if you're a fan of the show or the first book and feel like doing a good turn for the author please write a review on amazon or kindle or nook.  It would be a great help and I would truly appreciate the gesture.

Thanks in advance.
All my best.
Take care.
Best wishes.
Help, I can't stop writing.

Turds

I have SUCH a bone to pick with Mac computer nerdlings.  So I chose apple computers, specifically iweb, because it was (to risk insulting others who find it difficult) "Fischer Price for Website building".  As I was writing, directing, editing, sometimes acting, and producing the podcast, the last thing I needed to worry about was the website and uploading content.  So today I think hmm, I need to market the book, what's the best way to reach O Line's audience?  And my partner says, you should do a podcast - that's how they found you in the first place. Well, shoot, yes - she was right. So we take to recording a quick podcast letting our listeners know about what's upcoming and the books.
(Since beginning the podcast I have updated my computer with a shiny new Mac because I basically burned that last one down to it's last frayed little sprocket with the show, a tv series, a documentary and the daily web-surfing, tv watching and assorted other ne'r do well things I do with my computers.)

So I'm working with a new Mac and I load up the mp3 for the update and boom.  Crap.  New folders, new "arrangements" on the code for the i web.  I can't even write code for the new update and list it on the rss feed because the folders where everything is kept is completely facocked.  (Excuse my urban Yiddish.)  But really Mac?  So I  do some looking on the web, maybe there is something I can download from Mac to link the two codes. Nope.  All I find is some directions on how to replace java script, html, and the active x controls with the <embed> and <object> tags.  The WHOLE POINT of having this thing is so I don't have to worry about tags and coding.  It's supposed to be WYSIWYG website building.  But now it's a useless piece of crap.  Thank's Mac. Thanks for G*d *amned nothing!  Because now, when I go to Season 3 for the O Line.  I have to start all the hell over.   That's a lot, A LOT, of work. Which was exactly what I was trying to avoid.

Great workhorse computers, lazyass programs.

This is a link to Goodreads. An awesome website for readers and writers alike!

Check out my bookshelves on Goodreads - where you can see what your friends are reading.

https://www.goodreads.com/friend/i?i=LTM2MDEyNDI3Nzg6MzY2

Fail Better.

 Where have I been?  I was doing so well with keeping up with the blog.  Oh that's right I was publishing the first of the O Line series.  SO, that's done.  Almost.  Still waiting to get the green flag from Kindle and the proof from Create Space.  In the meantime, I thought I would write a blog about how to e-publish.  (And why not, everybody who publishes are doing it.)
Step 1:  Find a quiet cave and move you're files, sticky notes, coffee pot, generator and computer into it.  Chair and Desk are optional as you don't want to be too comfortable.
Step 2:  After you've written the book by hand.  Rewrite it a few more times.  Just throw away all that other garbage and research you've done. Wing it and see what magic flies from your fingertips.  Let the Fraggles that are now visiting you in the cave know you are friendly.  Then make sure you type it into an obscure word processing program.
Step 3:  Formatting. Well why not at least try it.  Format it again just the way you want to read it on the page.
Step 4:  Sign up for the e-publishing websites. 
Step 5:  a) Load the newly formatted book into the programs the e-publishers provide for you.  So now you have some real jacked up formatting.  Reformat it again inside their programs.  It is important that you have a professional looking book so you'll need to know coding; html, css, Russian. Whatever it takes.  b) Make another pot of coffee. Cry. Ask for forgiveness. Name your toes.
Step 6:  Call a help line.  Anyone will do.  I like the people at AAA auto.  Tell them Angelica sent you.
Step 7:  Now that you have it loaded up and formatted go ahead and look at the preview.  Is it exactly as you want it?  Then go ahead and publish.  It take 24 – 48 hours for them to get back to you so either repeat step 5 b) or take a long nap.  Don't bother eating because you're going to be too excited to do so and you may just vomit from lack of sleep and too much coffee.
Step 8: a) Realize those Fraggles you've been talking to are an angry mob of raccoons who don't want you in their cave and move out.  b) You'll have to go buy an e-reader to do so but why not, you deserve to treat yourself. Now, look at the final product.
Step 9:  Stop freaking out that the final product on the e-reader doesn't look exactly as you imagined it would.  Go back to your formatting and do it again.
The moral of this story is to fail. Fail again. Fail better.  I hope this helps.

forgive me for I have e-sinned

Sorry about that.  I unlocked the comments section if anyone feels the burning desire to comment.