Jade Varden's Blog, page 29

July 30, 2014

Writing 101: A Support System

Loneliness. Stress. Fatigue. Insecurity. Insomnia. I'm not describing the symptoms of a terrible disease...I'm listing adjectives that describe the life of an indie author. This isn't me trying to make things seem dark and grim. If anything, I'm making it sound good. It's hard, probably harder than I could even describe. That's why you need a support system if you're going to write. 

Crazy
Writers, artists and musicians are generally chalked up to being creative types, and therefore somewhat eccentric. Some even seem to cross the line into craziness (Van Gogh, the ear, you know what I'm taking about). But I maintain that it takes at least a small dose of crazy to even want to become a writer. Even the sanest writers, however, can find themselves going a little crazy because it's such a tough task.



In a word, it's tedious. It gets uncomfortable. If you're writing and you're into it and the story is just flowing out of you and you're barely even thinking about it, time begins to really fly by. You may get hungry, or need to go to the restroom, and still you're just typing because you can't break the spell because the moment you do this moment will be lost and the next four thousand words are going to be an epic struggle.
Writing is both physical and emotional, and don't let anyone tell you different. Your muscles are going to cramp up and stiffen up while you sit there in another world. And as you pour your experiences and emotions into every page, you're going to become exhausted. I had trouble walking after writing a particularly intense death scene in the Novel Which Shall Not Be Named. But I think I did go a bit insane during the writing of that book; I worked 10 hours a day, sometimes, barely eating or sleeping. Some projects, or maybe just one project, will threaten to drive you to the brink. It's happened to plenty of writers in the past. 
And all of that, by the way, happens before you publish the book. Publish the book and see if you don't start losing sleep then. You'll agonize over reviews, even when you don't want to, and self-doubt will creep into even the most confident minds. That's the nature of the business. If you put yourself out there and expose your creation to the world, you're going to second-guess and question and double-check and feel nervous and, if you're me, freak out a little (and sometimes more than a little). 
So that's why you need a support system. Because no matter how hard you try, you're not going to get through all that stuff all alone. 
Your Own Design
Don't anybody go running off; I'm not about to tell you to find Jesus or get yourself a strong mate, or anything like that. It's not necessary that you have a BFF or a bunch of loving family members or even a friendly neighbor. 
If you do have that, fine. But if you don't,  no need to panic. There are other ways to find support:
Forums: I'm not the biggest fan of the forums, but they can be helpful. No one understands being an author like another author.Escape: I've made no secret of the fact that I play games in my spare time. What I haven't mentioned is that a game helped me get over a nasty bout of writer's block. I once spent a lot of time chatting on a particular platform, and got into story-based roleplay. It got my creativity flowing again, and I wrote the Deck of Lies. Learn how to escape from being an author. Relax. Good things will happen.Journal: Keeping a journal sounds like trite advice, bit it works. Try writing an email to yourself, or sit down with a pen and write down your dark thoughts the old-fashioned way. Someone once gave me a notebook with black pages, and a gel pen, to write down my darkest thoughts. It helped! In-between rants and raves, I created a lot of short stories.Share: Put your work out there. Share chapters, short stories, poetry, whatever you've got that's extremely well-polished. Publish your stuff online to get feedback from readers. When other people like your work, it will bolster you. Thousands of words become easier to write when you have just one fan. 
All writers need a support system. Talk to your family and friends about what you need. Build your own network of support when you need more. Give yourself a strong foundation, and it's much easier to build great writing on top of it.
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Published on July 30, 2014 05:30

July 29, 2014

Indie News: Society of Authors Denounces Traditional Publishing as Unfair

UK's Society of Authors have crunched the numbers, and they've reached a conclusion: traditional publishing is "no longer fair or sustainable."

Looking at the Numbers
The Society of Authors has about 9,000 members. New figures released recently showed a marked drop in median income for professional authors. They're now earning less than $20,000 annually, wages that aren't "fair or sustainable," according to the chief executive for the Society.
The statement comes on the heels of a survey released recently, in which 2,500 writers answered questions about their earnings. Author income is down about 29 percent since 2005 -- a number that is truly frightening. Now, only 11.5 percent of professional authors in England earn their main income from writing. In 2005, that number was 40 percent.

Meanwhile, publishers' profits are getting bigger. Isn't that funny. Now the Society is taking a stand, asking for "fair remuneration" for their work. Publisher production cost is down, but authors are still asked to do much of their own marketing and their profits are not getting any bigger.
The Society of Authors does allow self-published authors who have sold more than 300 copies of a print book or 500 copies of an ebook in calendar year.
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Published on July 29, 2014 11:30

Writing 101: Can You Over-Edit?

Authors have to be detail-oriented. They're misplaced comma hunters, grammar Nazis, word warriors. But that ongoing quest to write a perfect book is exhausting, time-consuming...and impossible.

Perfect

My quest for perfection has been going on for about two weeks, ever since I finished the first draft of my newest book. Almost the minute I was done, I started re-reading and editing. I finished the first read (after I corrected about forty thousand mistakes) and immediately uploaded the book to my Kindle so I could read it in a different way.
I used this to give myself about 40 more notes, some of them perhaps added in a weird insomniatic stupor. I'm saying that because some of it doesn't make any sense. I have certain words highlighted and I seriously don't even know why.

It took me a few days to realize that I was needlessly making myself crazy. I'm picking over every little comma and obsessing over Microsoft Word suggestions and re-writing scenes only to discover I already addressed this problem in the very next scene. I'm running myself all 'round the pages of my book and tearing it all to shreds, and I'm only doing it because I have an insane need to make it perfect
But it can't be. I know, because I've personally read more than one perfect book. There is no true perfect in books, no one novel that can be all things at all times to everyone. There are days when Gone With the Wind might be perfect, but then there are days when it's too damn sad (that's a tribute to Mitchell herself). There are days when Anne of Green Gables is just the perfect book, and then days when I can't deal with her cheerfulness. 
There is no perfect. It's possible to eradicate most of your punctuation errors. It's possible to get almost all of those 60,000 words spelled correctly. It's possible to research well and fact-check it all and be certain that yes, olives do grow in the wild in this part of Spain. It's not possible to write a book that's perfect. You will always go back and you will always have new thoughts and you will always wonder what might have happened if you'd done something else instead. 
So stop making yourself crazy. Take a deep breath, take a break from that book and keep in mind that you've got to finish the book at some point. Edit out the errors. Edit the readability. Make sure you've done everything you had hoped to do. And then let go. Because yes, you can over-edit. Leonardo DaVinci carried around the Mona Lisa for about two decades, because he wasn't done painting it yet. To his dying day, he thought that painting was unfinished. We have been celebrating it and staring at it ever since, but he never thought it was perfect.
You will never think your books are perfect, either...and you've got to learn how to live with that. You've got to set real editing standards for your book. Otherwise, your words will never make it to my Kindle.
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Published on July 29, 2014 05:30

July 28, 2014

Indie News: Self-Published Author Nabs Real Job, Sparks Controversy

Pat McCrory, the Governor of North Carolina, has named a self-published poet as the poet laureate for the state. This immediately created a firestorm of controversy...though not for all the wrong reasons, at least.


Is North Carolina's Governor More Progressive Than You?
Valerie Macon has been appointed the poet laureate of the state of North Carolina, and the state's Governor is in hot water over it. 
Usually, this type of appointment involves a ton of red tape. There are submissions and an application process, letters of recommendation. And of course, a full review by the North Carolina Arts Council. Gov. McCrory decided to bypass all of that, however, and appointed Macon on his own.

The Governor also skipped the usual ceremony and events that surround such an appointment, opting instead for a simple press release. This has angered some North Carolina residents, and the story has made national news as a result. But to be honest, the story only has legs for one reason: it involves self-publishing, and those who says indies aren't real writers.
New laureate Macon has only self-published two volumes of poetry, which has drawn a lot of flak from critics. But despite their moans and bellyaching, the die has been cast and Macon is North Carolina's poet laureate. She'll hold the post for two years, receiving a stipend ranging from $5000 to $15,000.
The Governor is not required to use the selection committee or the process -- this according to a statement from the North Carolina Arts Council itself. Their spokesperson says that they are "looking forward" to working with Macon. 
Macon says she will "do my very best to promote poetry" in her term and she'll "work hard to be the best poet laureate I possibly can."
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Published on July 28, 2014 11:30

Writing 101: Time Tables, Schedules and Losing Sleep

In researching this post (that's a euphemism for checking to see if I've already written a topic), I learned that I've written a lot about time. I'm qualified to write about time, because I've gone to war with it so very often. But here's the end of the story: I always lose. As an indie author, you're going to face your own troubles when it comes to time tables, schedules...and losing sleep. Battle if you will...but like me, you'll lose.

Up All Night
I come across a lot of writing tips where authors say don't do this and don't do that. If you're independently wealthy, it's all well and good to say write when you're inspired and comfortable and well-rested. But if you're like me, that isn't going to happen often.

I wake up and exercise every day, and not just a little either -- a lot. It's at least an hour a day, and usually 90 minutes. But I only do that after I've made up the bed, folded and put away the laundry and had my breakfast. After I work out I've got to bathe, and after I've done that I have to dress and get myself ready the day. I clean up a bit, because I am not fortunate enough to have my own maid, and then eat lunch. By the time I get down to work every afternoon, I've already had a full day. I'm already tired. Then I work all afternoon and through the night.
Then, maybe, I'll have some time to write. So yes, wouldn't it be lovely if we could all be firing on all cylinders when we're writing? But that's not going to be the case most of the time. You may have kids yelling in your ear or aching feet from another hard shift at the hospital. You may be hungry, because the only time you have to write is before dinner and you're always starving before dinner.
It's always going to be something. And you're always going to have to find a way to work around it, and work with what you've got, so that you can write anyway. Being an indie author isn't about writing the right way all the time, or on the right schedule. It's about writing anyway. As in, I'm exhausted because I've been exercising and cleaning and working all day, but I'm writing anyway
You're going to battle with time tables and schedules. You're going to be losing sleep, because that's what it's like to be an indie author. But if you get the book done anyway and even one person says they like it, then you've won the war. You'll feel like you lose every battle...but you can still have those big victories along the way.
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Published on July 28, 2014 05:30

July 27, 2014

Indie News: Money Talks in Self-Publishing

Public opinion isn't wholly on your side yet if you're an indie author, but the tide is slowly turning in our favor...because money talks. More and more indie authors are making 6- and 7-figure paydays from their self-published efforts. That makes it much harder for others to scoff at the idea of indie authors.

The Upper Hand
Numbers don't lie, and some of them show what's really happening in the book industry. Some self-published authors are now earning more than authors who have taken a more traditional publishing route. 

It is hard to verify these findings because Amazon does not release detailed sales figures. However, there is no question that self-published authors earn more in royalties than their traditional counterparts. This means that indie authors earn more per book, so they don't have to sell as many as traditional authors who need to convince millions of readers to try them out.
One self-published author rocketed up the Amazon bestseller list after publishing his book. He began receiving calls from agents and publishers in the industry. One offered him a $5,000 advance. The author earned that much from his book in one day after he got that call.
Money talks in any industry...and that goes for books, too.
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Published on July 27, 2014 11:30

Self-Publising, Why Sex Sells, and Do You Fit In?

Instead of the traditional news update this Sunday, I've decided to rant. A lot has been happening in the world of ebooks lately, and it's raising a lot of questions. Is erotica the genre of choice for all indies...and will these books eventually overrun all the rest?

That's Sexy
Amanda Hocking is yesterday's news, and the big name in indie books lately is E. L. James. The little erotica book that could has become a pop culture question until probably the end of time, and erotica has become the driving force behind the ebook craze.

Erotica and romance titles are the biggest-selling indie books on Amazon. In fact, self-published titles are currently dominating these genres in the sales figures.
For those of us who don't write erotica, this can be seen in a scary sort of way. If the people who buy indie books are buying erotica and I don't write erotica, that means I'm screwed (and I hope you'll pardon the pun, but we are talking erotica here). And by some standards, the presence of so much erotica in the self-published market can feel a little seedy. Aren't all self-published books now painted with the same, somewhat smutty brush?
They're both good points, to play a bit of Devil's advocate. My books are largely intended for youths, so being associated with erotica isn't really the best thing for me. And when my author photo is just a picture of me smiling and a bestselling erotica author's photo is a sexy, bikini-clad woman on the beach...well, it doesn't do a lot to promote the message of professionalism I'm always touting.
But on the other side of the coin, what's good for self-published books is good for self-published books. Erotica may be the "in" genre right now, but trends tend to change. If this one doesn't, fine. There's still more than enough room for all those books of other genres. And while I don't write erotica, I find that some people still do buy my books so I'm sure they'd be willing to buy yours, too.
Sex sells. I don't know what else to tell you, but it does. Beer commercials have half-naked women in them and half-naked women don't sit around swilling beer all that often so clearly these commercials are about the women and not the drink. Sex sells in books, too, and it always has. But other stuff also sells in books. There is no sex in Harry Potter and sex has never been in an Agatha Christie book. So you don't need to add sex to sell books...but in today's market, it definitely can't hurt. 
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Published on July 27, 2014 05:30

July 24, 2014

Forget DRM, and Give Yourself a Better Chance

Self-published books are beginning to rise to dominance in ebook sales. Authors published through the Big 5 companies make up only 16 percent of the titles on Amazon's bestseller list. Self-published books have a 25 percent chunk of the list.

How DRM Hurts

eBooks that are self-published on Amazon get 31 percent of daily sales across all book genres. Indie authors as a group have the biggest market share. But the authors that are making the biggest bucks aren't using DRM.



According to data, almost 100 percent of Big 5 books exercise the DRM option. Just half of self-publish authors use DRM. Books that don't have DRM protection, however, get 64 percent of the total sales. Self-published books without DRM protection sell around twice as many copies as the indie books that do.
Forget about using DRM. Anything that can hurt your sales can only hurt you as a self-published author. So protect yourself with copyrights, not electronic safeguards, and sell more books.
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Published on July 24, 2014 11:30

Writing 101: Turn Yourself into a Brand

If I say the name J.K. Rowling to you, what do you think of? I'll bet you don't think of a British mum who lives in the country, though that's who she is as a person. You probably think of Harry Potter right away. J.K. Rowling is a brand name to us readers; she's only a person to her family members. And if you want to make it in the literary game, you've got to learn how to turn yourself into a brand, too. 

The Professional Mask
That's right. I'm about to tell you to stop being a person, and start being a commodity. You can be a person when you're with your friends and family members. You're a person when you're sitting on your couch. But when you're on social media and when you're self-publishing books, you're a brand. From now on, the pen name you use is your brand name. And you'd better start building it.
Turn yourself into a brand name through what you do online...and what you don't do
Recognition: First and foremost, you need to be recognizable. Give yourself a profile picture across all your social media profiles and your author pages on sites like Amazon. I advise using the same image. You want to be immediately recognizable to your audience, and the best way to do that is to avoid confusing them. Professionalism: Be careful about how you're presenting yourself on social media and your website. If you want to appeal to the widest possible base of readers, keep your personal political and religious affiliations to yourself. The exception to this is, of course, if you write political or religious books. Always be professional, with your readers and with other authors. Respond to comments, even the negative ones, but always do so in a professional way.Stay visible: Be everywhere that you can be online. Create profiles on Goodreads, start writing a blog, jump at the chance to do interviews. The more you get your name out there, the more you brand yourself as an author to pay attention to.Turn yourself into a brand, and your books will have more name recognition among readers. You can't build a fan base if you don't first establish your name and make yourself recognizable. So brand yourself, and sell more books.
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Published on July 24, 2014 05:30

July 23, 2014

Tightrope

Being a full-time writer and a self-published author is a balancing act, and today I feel a little like I'm walking on a tightrope. 

Walk the Line

Freelance writers already have a lot of tasks to juggle, because it's common for them to work several gigs at a time. That means that multiple projects have to be completed in a single day; multiple editors and overseers must be appeased. And, if those writers are anything like me, multiple email accounts must be checked.
I check four different email accounts every single day for three different names. And here's the rub: they're all my inboxes. The only way I can manage it all is to compartmentalize. But when you're juggling all sorts of daily writing tasks and you're an indie author, too, things can get a little hectic in spite of your best efforts.
Suddenly you're a performer at the circus, practicing some death-defying feat. Walking a tightrope between lots of different jobs and many different responsibilities is something that most indie authors can relate to (I hope). Today I feel like I'm going to fall off the tightrope, something I've done before. I fall behind and I screw up and I forget stuff, sometimes. 
But when I do, I have to do what all performers do. I take a deep breath, make amends where I can, and try again. When you walk a tightrope for a living, every single step isn't always going to be perfect.
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Published on July 23, 2014 15:30