Heather R. Acquistapace's Blog, page 3
September 15, 2017
Why Self-Published Authors CAN BE Credible
Not too long ago, I had a conversation about self-published authors verses traditionally published authors. My friend, Will, is a film producer, poet, and fellow writer. He is currently working on a film called Bill that, like him, is uniquely thought provoking.Anyway, he does not think highly of self-published authors. In his opinion, self-pub authors can be anyone who uses Microsoft Word, who most likely do not have writing skill, and are not credible. My published books mean less to him because they were self-published, not the traditional rout. Our conversation debated the differences between self and traditional publishing and I thought I would share it here.
First of all, Will has always been supportive of my writing. He is a good friend whose opinion I value, even if we have different ideas. So, no, he's not a jerk.
I agree with a lot of his ideas concerning self-published authors. I also think we are not as credible. I also think traditionally published books are typically of higher quality. However, that does not mean self-published authors cannot make New York best seller quality books.
The beauty of self-publishing is anyone can do it. The downfall of self-publishing is anyone can do it. It doesn't matter if you studied writing, literature, proper syntax, story arch, plot design, so forth for years or just sat down on WordPad and punched out a story a toddler could come up with. ANYONE can publish, thus a great majority of self-published work is, respectfully speaking, garbage. Just because someone can think of a story and find time to write it does NOT make them author material. With music, it is easy to identify a talented player within a short amount of time. Writing is the same way. By a page or two you know when someone can and cannot write. Also, many self-published authors neglect to properly edit their work, let a team of editors look it over, learn how to properly format the layout of their paragraphs, or design a professional cover. All these unprofessional, trashy books give self-published books a horribly bad reputation.
The reason traditionally published books are more credible is because writers must prove they are with the publishing house’s time. They must find an agent, submit their documents to dozens of publishing companies, their work must be edited and worthy to be read. The wannabes are weeded out until the true writers are found. That is why traditionally published books are far more respected then self-published.
However.
Those of us who self-publish and want our books to be professional, I have far more respect for then traditionally published authors. Why? I am the agent going from publishing house to publishing house, finding the best sales rout, the best royalties for my book, and the most efficient publishing source for my book. I am the chief editor who recruits an editing team, makes sure they edit in a timely manner, delegating who gets to edit what, compiles all their critiques, and modifying the document to its perfection. I am the interior formatter, making sure the correct font is used, because there are good and bad fonts, I make sure each chapter starts three and a quarter in chest from the page's top, I check and recheck the text body so that it is easy to read and one page dose not spill out onto another. I am the cover designer, researching the covers of my genre, brainstorming the best, eye catching cover, yet keeping it simple and to the point. I am the marketing team, planning out each marketing strategy after researching, learning for experienced authors and techniques, and finding a way to execute the plan. I am the treasurer, calculating the best budget for book signings and marketing plans, tallying GROS and NET, paying the editing, cover design, book ordering, and marketing bills while all the while figuring out where more money will come from when I need it. I am the salesman, telling people about my books, giving out information on where to find my books. Oh, and, of course, I'm the writer, the artist working hours on end on a story I carefully crafted with emotion and zeal.
If my books don't sell, it's on me to fix it. If there's a typo, it's my responsibility to eradicate it. If all my efforts are in vein, I'm the one who suffers. The flip side is true too. If my books succeed, I get all the benefits because I own my books. There is a lot of responsibility, learning, and hat wearing.
I know traditionally published books are usually the best, bit if Twilight can become a best seller, anyone can. At the end of the day, an author needs to discover what truly matters to them: do they want to have total control, do everything themselves, constantly learning how to market, network, sell, thus keeping all the rights to their book? Or, do they want to sell their story to a company, let them make all the decisions, unable to do anything if the books aren't selling, and, on the flip side, if the books are selling can sit back and reap the benefits.
After explaining this to my friend Will, his perspective of self-published authors changed. I know there are a lot of horribly written, marketed, cover designed self-published books, but those who take the time to learn their trade and want to be professional, they will deliver the golden books, the quality, the heartfelt beauty.
You think what you like and publish how you want to publish.
I'll stick with self-publishing until proven otherwise.
Speaking of publishing, the first book in The Wizard’s Legacy will be available on Amazon November 7th! Click on the links below to follow on your favorite sites and be the first to know when “Shattered Lives” is available for you to own!
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May 4, 2017
When I asked God for an Editor. . . .
In church, we hear a lot about putting our faith in God and not worrying about tomorrow. We are told pure faith is what God is after and are given examples of the hero's in the Bible. All the while, us confused, frustrated people crammed into the pews doubt we have enough faith God will help us with the Mt. Everest stack of bills.
Good thing we don't need very big faith, something as small as a mustard seed is all God needs.
There has been several times during my publishing, book signing adventure I had to trust God knew what he was doing because I sure didn't. I thought it be fun to share the times God blew my socks off and used my tinny faith to make something great.
Let me start by saying I have never been to college and creative writing classes were not offered at my high school. No one else in my family is a writer. Therefore, I have not officially been trained how to market, write, or edit, but that's half the fun. ;)
My first book was published when I was seventeen. It was awesome, my childhood dream fulfilled of publishing a book before graduating high school. Then what? I had no idea. I knew I had to market, but didn't know where. I knew it would be expensive and, as a seventeen year old, I didn't have much. And I knew I knew nothing.
Panic ensued.
Then, amid the fear and worry, God whispered, "you write and I'll market it for you".
I had no idea what that meant or where God was leading me. I knew he still had marketing work for me, but only market how and when he said to.
Not long after publishing, the manager at the bank I deposited into had a bright idea. She offered the bank's lobby for my first book signing. She said I can come at the busiest time in Friday, let me barrow a table, and vuala! God planned out my first book signing and dropped it in my lap.
For the first years of publishing, I rarely planned my own book signings. Pastors, a writing professor, and random people approached me with their book signing ideas, location, time, and everything I needed before hand.
God prompted so many people to help me it was astounding! Even today, my radio and online TV show interviews were not my doing. People from both establishments randomly approached me and set up the interviews!
Later, when the first cover of "Shattered Lives" was being designed, I needed a medieval gown. Halloween was still months away and, because of my remote, little, hick town's inability to modernize, the closest mall is two hours away driving on a highway the entire time. Thus, a medieval gown would be impossible to find. But not for God.
I told him what I needed and he waved a casual hand with a grin. "Don't worry about it," he said, "I got this." A week later, I was at a local second hand store on fifty cent day. Guess what I found? A perfect medieval-looking witch dress with, after a few modification, was the gown I needed. And low and behold! The dress fit my model perfectly even before I knew who would be modeling. And it only cost me fifty sense.
Recently, I needed more editors. I am insecure about my grammar and spelling skills, so I like lots and lots of editors. One night, I was frantically looking for the contact information given by a friend willing to edit. God told me calm down and knock it off, he's got it figured out. "Ok, well," I said, "I'd like another editor so please send me one". He didn't answer, like he usually does, but I knew he was up to something. The following day, while at work (I work at a hardware store, how glamorous is that!), a regular customer came in. He had seen my online TV interview and learned I'm an author. We talked about books and such and he shared how his wife loves to read. "Would she be willing to edit?" I asked. "I'm sure she would!"So, within twelve hours of asking for another editor, a woman I have never met before offered her editorial services. Boom. God comes through again.
There's been so many.other times I've freaked out, not knowing how to fix a problem, and God calmly says he's got it handled. From not knowing how to pay for my mortgage or asking him where's my lost earring, he's bailed me out with supreme style.
The next time you have a freak out moment and can't figure out what to do, just ask him for help. Even if it's a stupid problem, he cares about the little things and wants to help.
Give it a shot, you only have to have faith as big as a grain of sand, or mustard seed, or eye sleeper.
Good thing we don't need very big faith, something as small as a mustard seed is all God needs.
There has been several times during my publishing, book signing adventure I had to trust God knew what he was doing because I sure didn't. I thought it be fun to share the times God blew my socks off and used my tinny faith to make something great.
Let me start by saying I have never been to college and creative writing classes were not offered at my high school. No one else in my family is a writer. Therefore, I have not officially been trained how to market, write, or edit, but that's half the fun. ;)
My first book was published when I was seventeen. It was awesome, my childhood dream fulfilled of publishing a book before graduating high school. Then what? I had no idea. I knew I had to market, but didn't know where. I knew it would be expensive and, as a seventeen year old, I didn't have much. And I knew I knew nothing.Panic ensued.
Then, amid the fear and worry, God whispered, "you write and I'll market it for you".
I had no idea what that meant or where God was leading me. I knew he still had marketing work for me, but only market how and when he said to.
Not long after publishing, the manager at the bank I deposited into had a bright idea. She offered the bank's lobby for my first book signing. She said I can come at the busiest time in Friday, let me barrow a table, and vuala! God planned out my first book signing and dropped it in my lap.
For the first years of publishing, I rarely planned my own book signings. Pastors, a writing professor, and random people approached me with their book signing ideas, location, time, and everything I needed before hand.
God prompted so many people to help me it was astounding! Even today, my radio and online TV show interviews were not my doing. People from both establishments randomly approached me and set up the interviews!
Later, when the first cover of "Shattered Lives" was being designed, I needed a medieval gown. Halloween was still months away and, because of my remote, little, hick town's inability to modernize, the closest mall is two hours away driving on a highway the entire time. Thus, a medieval gown would be impossible to find. But not for God.
I told him what I needed and he waved a casual hand with a grin. "Don't worry about it," he said, "I got this." A week later, I was at a local second hand store on fifty cent day. Guess what I found? A perfect medieval-looking witch dress with, after a few modification, was the gown I needed. And low and behold! The dress fit my model perfectly even before I knew who would be modeling. And it only cost me fifty sense.
Recently, I needed more editors. I am insecure about my grammar and spelling skills, so I like lots and lots of editors. One night, I was frantically looking for the contact information given by a friend willing to edit. God told me calm down and knock it off, he's got it figured out. "Ok, well," I said, "I'd like another editor so please send me one". He didn't answer, like he usually does, but I knew he was up to something. The following day, while at work (I work at a hardware store, how glamorous is that!), a regular customer came in. He had seen my online TV interview and learned I'm an author. We talked about books and such and he shared how his wife loves to read. "Would she be willing to edit?" I asked. "I'm sure she would!"So, within twelve hours of asking for another editor, a woman I have never met before offered her editorial services. Boom. God comes through again.
There's been so many.other times I've freaked out, not knowing how to fix a problem, and God calmly says he's got it handled. From not knowing how to pay for my mortgage or asking him where's my lost earring, he's bailed me out with supreme style.
The next time you have a freak out moment and can't figure out what to do, just ask him for help. Even if it's a stupid problem, he cares about the little things and wants to help.
Give it a shot, you only have to have faith as big as a grain of sand, or mustard seed, or eye sleeper.
February 11, 2017
Redesigned Book Cover!!!
It is always good, and terrifying, for an artist to seek advice from others. What may seem amazing to me may actually be crap to the rest of the world. Thus, I sucked it up, posted my books on a Facebook page saturated with successful authors, and asked what they thought of my books and website. Needless to say, they nicely and bluntly told my I needed to change EVERYTHING in order to be professional.
So!
After licking my wounds and fighting down my pride, I decided to begin to long and detailed process of changing my book covers. One of several things I am changing, but its a good start.
Now, I would like your opinion of my new and improved cover.
"Shattered Lives" is a medieval fantasy with magic and adventure, daring knights, and fearful ladies learning to be strong.
What do you think of it? Does it pop out at you? Are you drawn to it? Does it make you curious and want to leaf through the pages?
If not, that's cool, just let me know so it can be changed accordingly.
Thank you!!!
Old Book Cover
Newly Refurbished Book Cover
So!
After licking my wounds and fighting down my pride, I decided to begin to long and detailed process of changing my book covers. One of several things I am changing, but its a good start.
Now, I would like your opinion of my new and improved cover.
"Shattered Lives" is a medieval fantasy with magic and adventure, daring knights, and fearful ladies learning to be strong.
What do you think of it? Does it pop out at you? Are you drawn to it? Does it make you curious and want to leaf through the pages?
If not, that's cool, just let me know so it can be changed accordingly.
Thank you!!!
Old Book Cover
Newly Refurbished Book Cover
December 25, 2016
"Rogue Shadows" Sneak-Peak
The she-elf fell silent and looked away. She did not pry further as Theron watched the distant smoke, eyes narrowed and jaw set.To keep reading, click here!
