A.D. Trosper's Blog, page 38
July 5, 2012
Feature and Interview with Jennifer Donohoe
This week I am featuring Jennifer Donohoe and her wonderful book, The Legend Of The Travelers: Willow’s Journey.
Willow is left without a memory after being brutally attacked, but this is not the worst thing that will happen to her. Her mother is missing and Willow is the last traveler who can find the Four Jewels of legend. Surrounded by Celtic gods, Japanese legends, Native American folklore, and a guardian fairy that does more harm than good, Willow learns everyone she meets has a stake in...
July 4, 2012
New blog
Today I started a new blog here on Word Press. I seem to have a hard time getting blogger to work the way I want it too. I am not the most computer savvy person out there. Okay, those who know me, know just how much of an understatement that is. Learning new computer things takes me forever. After almost two months, I am just now starting to finally figure out Twitter. Hopefully this blog will be easier to work with.
June 14, 2012
Why you shouldn’t be a writer?
There is a recent article on Forbes about why you shouldn’t be a writer. Now, after reading this article, I have to blog about it. It seems to me, the lady either didn’t succeed as a writer and is jealous of those who did, or she did succeed and doesn’t want any competition.
So I am going to go toe to toe with her and address each of her points.
#1 You’re not good at it
Why, because she says so? How can one make such a blanket statement? Some writers are absolutely great, some are abysmal, and m...
Why you shouldn't be a writer?
There is a recent article on Forbes about why you shouldn't be a writer. Now, after reading this article, I have to blog about it. It seems to me, the lady either didn't succeed as a writer and is jealous of those who did, or she did succeed and doesn't want any competition.
So I am going to go toe to toe with her and address each of her points.
#1 You're not good at it
Why, because she says so? How can one make such a blanket statement? Some writers are absolutely great, some are abysmal, and many are somewhere in-between, but until you embark on the journey, you won't know. Some writers in the latter category can gain experience, hone their craft, and become better as they go. True, some aren't ever able to climb out of that category, but again, until they try and work at it, how will they know? Why would anyone try to shoot down another's dream in such a way? What insecurity lies behind such a statement?
#2 It's too hard
Excuse me? Writing is too hard? Why, because it takes some work and dedication? I'm a mother as well as a writer. I can tell you right now motherhood is much harder than writing. My characters don't need to me to referee arguments over which show to watch, who is sitting too close to who, who took who's toy, who said something they shouldn't have, who gets what bowl/cup/plate, etc. My characters never wake up in the middle of the night vomiting, or with a fever. The don't fall off the swing set and hurt themselves. I don't have to pick up after them or fix meals for them. Being a mother is extremely hard work that you are on call for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. And yet, it is completely worth it. Like most things that require work and dedication.
I also raise dairy goats. Milking everyday is work. Trimming hooves, wrangling them to get wormer and copper down them is hard. Sitting in a cold barn all day and half the night waiting on a doe to kid is hard. But like anything else that requires hard work, it is worth it.
In comparison, writing is easy. Yes, you have to write a first draft. Then you have a two or three (sometimes more) rewrites. Then it needs to go through a bunch of editing. Then a crit process. Then more editing and rewriting and editing again. Then it needs to go through a more thorough editing. Then there is cover art, blurbs, formatting and all kinds of things, but I would never say it is harder or more work than anything else in life you expect to turn out well.
If this lady thinks writing is hard, then she must also think getting out of bed is hard, turning on a light switch or coffee pot is hard. Maybe she struggles with tying her shoes, or flushing the toilet. I don't know.
She also says that other things like digging ditches is easier because you know when you've come to an end. Really? Maybe that is the source of her sour attitude. As a writer, you need to know where the end is on the story you are writing. If she can't figure that out, then maybe she is the one who shouldn't be a writer. If she means because there is always another story so in effect, you writing is never at an end, well I hate to tell her this, but the work of life never ends. Laundry never goes away, the dishes always need done at the end of the day, there is always another ditch somewhere that needs dug. Life and the work in it don't end until you die. So if her argument is that, then it is a false argument.
She also says writing is thankless work What exactly is thankless work? As a mother, I don't get profuse thanks from my children everyday for bringing them into the world. Does that mean it's thankless work? No. Because I am thankful. I don't need the thanks of anyone else. I am thankful I am a writer. I am thankful I am a mother. I am thankful I am alive. Those are the only thanks I need. If the writer of the article needs something else, she is looking in the wrong spots and in the wrong way.
#3 It's too hard to monetize
Really? In today's world? I don't think so. And I guess it is what you expect out of it too and what you are writing for. The majority of writers are not writing to become a millionaire. They are writing because they love to and because they have stories in them that need to come out. Many, many writers are doing quite well these days. From the tone of this lady's comment, I get the feeling she wanted to become a millionaire and didn't succeed and is now bitter over it. Either that or she did and is deeply afraid of any competition that might knock her off her self constructed pedestal of greatness from which she feels she has the right to pass judgement on those lesser unwashed masses of writers.
So I am going to go toe to toe with her and address each of her points.
#1 You're not good at it
Why, because she says so? How can one make such a blanket statement? Some writers are absolutely great, some are abysmal, and many are somewhere in-between, but until you embark on the journey, you won't know. Some writers in the latter category can gain experience, hone their craft, and become better as they go. True, some aren't ever able to climb out of that category, but again, until they try and work at it, how will they know? Why would anyone try to shoot down another's dream in such a way? What insecurity lies behind such a statement?
#2 It's too hard
Excuse me? Writing is too hard? Why, because it takes some work and dedication? I'm a mother as well as a writer. I can tell you right now motherhood is much harder than writing. My characters don't need to me to referee arguments over which show to watch, who is sitting too close to who, who took who's toy, who said something they shouldn't have, who gets what bowl/cup/plate, etc. My characters never wake up in the middle of the night vomiting, or with a fever. The don't fall off the swing set and hurt themselves. I don't have to pick up after them or fix meals for them. Being a mother is extremely hard work that you are on call for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. And yet, it is completely worth it. Like most things that require work and dedication.
I also raise dairy goats. Milking everyday is work. Trimming hooves, wrangling them to get wormer and copper down them is hard. Sitting in a cold barn all day and half the night waiting on a doe to kid is hard. But like anything else that requires hard work, it is worth it.
In comparison, writing is easy. Yes, you have to write a first draft. Then you have a two or three (sometimes more) rewrites. Then it needs to go through a bunch of editing. Then a crit process. Then more editing and rewriting and editing again. Then it needs to go through a more thorough editing. Then there is cover art, blurbs, formatting and all kinds of things, but I would never say it is harder or more work than anything else in life you expect to turn out well.
If this lady thinks writing is hard, then she must also think getting out of bed is hard, turning on a light switch or coffee pot is hard. Maybe she struggles with tying her shoes, or flushing the toilet. I don't know.
She also says that other things like digging ditches is easier because you know when you've come to an end. Really? Maybe that is the source of her sour attitude. As a writer, you need to know where the end is on the story you are writing. If she can't figure that out, then maybe she is the one who shouldn't be a writer. If she means because there is always another story so in effect, you writing is never at an end, well I hate to tell her this, but the work of life never ends. Laundry never goes away, the dishes always need done at the end of the day, there is always another ditch somewhere that needs dug. Life and the work in it don't end until you die. So if her argument is that, then it is a false argument.
She also says writing is thankless work What exactly is thankless work? As a mother, I don't get profuse thanks from my children everyday for bringing them into the world. Does that mean it's thankless work? No. Because I am thankful. I don't need the thanks of anyone else. I am thankful I am a writer. I am thankful I am a mother. I am thankful I am alive. Those are the only thanks I need. If the writer of the article needs something else, she is looking in the wrong spots and in the wrong way.
#3 It's too hard to monetize
Really? In today's world? I don't think so. And I guess it is what you expect out of it too and what you are writing for. The majority of writers are not writing to become a millionaire. They are writing because they love to and because they have stories in them that need to come out. Many, many writers are doing quite well these days. From the tone of this lady's comment, I get the feeling she wanted to become a millionaire and didn't succeed and is now bitter over it. Either that or she did and is deeply afraid of any competition that might knock her off her self constructed pedestal of greatness from which she feels she has the right to pass judgement on those lesser unwashed masses of writers.
June 7, 2012
Promotion for Embers at Galdrilene
For the next couple of weeks, I will be offering Embers at Galdrilene at 2.99 on Kindle as a promotion. It is selling okay at its current price point, but I would like to pull in more readers who want to spend a little less on a new author.
So if you've been considering Embers as your next fantasy book, but were unsure of the price, here is your chance to pick it up at lower price.
Feel free to leave a review on Amazon if you have the time. Happy reading.
Click here to buy Embers at Galdrilene Now
So if you've been considering Embers as your next fantasy book, but were unsure of the price, here is your chance to pick it up at lower price.
Feel free to leave a review on Amazon if you have the time. Happy reading.
Click here to buy Embers at Galdrilene Now
June 4, 2012
Wow, coffee and books in a new way
I saw a blog post about this today and went looking for more information. What a neat and creative idea. Anything that puts more reading material in front of people is a good thing. First, it was the Kindle, followed by other e-readers. Now, for all of those still longing for a 'real' book they can hold in their hands, there is the Espresso Machine. (article: http://whattheythink.com/articles/52102-espresso-machine-nycs-soho-brews-coffee-print-demand-books/)
No, not a coffee machine. You won't find your coffee being made inside this. Instead, while you wait for your coffee, you will be able to browse through thousands of titles, pick the one you want, select it, and hit print. In just a few short minutes you will have a quality paperback in your hand ready for reading. There is a video in the link showing how the machine works. Now, paperbacks can be bought almost as conveniently as e-books.
It is already in use worldwide (you can find the list here: http://www.ondemandbooks.com/ebm_hardware.php) and experiencing quite a bit of success. It isn't just for big publishers either. Indie Authors can print their books there too.
Of course, as always, there is some opposition, but it appears those that oppose are softening.
And so the world of publishing, reading, and books changes and moves forward some more. I wonder how long it will be before we get one in my neck of the woods. Sure would beat Wal-Mart's poor excuse for a book section. Out here in the middle of no where, we have no book stores. Wal-Mart moved in, the book stores moved away, leaving us with only thin, washed out version, that WM offers.
So what do you think? Would you use a machine like this to get a paperback?
No, not a coffee machine. You won't find your coffee being made inside this. Instead, while you wait for your coffee, you will be able to browse through thousands of titles, pick the one you want, select it, and hit print. In just a few short minutes you will have a quality paperback in your hand ready for reading. There is a video in the link showing how the machine works. Now, paperbacks can be bought almost as conveniently as e-books.
It is already in use worldwide (you can find the list here: http://www.ondemandbooks.com/ebm_hardware.php) and experiencing quite a bit of success. It isn't just for big publishers either. Indie Authors can print their books there too.
Of course, as always, there is some opposition, but it appears those that oppose are softening.
From the first link: She acknowledges, though, that to some publishers, the tipping point may look more like the edge of a cliff to back away from.
Fearing Fear Itself?
Their reluctance, she says, stems from two concerns. One is data security: the fear of what might happen to book files as they move about the EBM network. (On Demand Books says that the network uses industry-standard cryptography to provide secure communications. The EspressNet software is said to track content movement and order processing with "fine-grained visibility" at every stage.)
Publishers also worry, according to McNally, that booksellers will find in-store printing such an economically attractive proposition that they'll order and stock fewer copies from traditional channels. But the idea that booksellers can get superior profit margins from printing in-copyright books on the EBM is "patently not true," she says.
Their misgivings may be fading. McNally says that two of the largest publishing houses have "theoretically agreed" to open their backlists to printing on her EBM. When they do, and if other publishers follow suit, "it would raise our sales enormously."
And so the world of publishing, reading, and books changes and moves forward some more. I wonder how long it will be before we get one in my neck of the woods. Sure would beat Wal-Mart's poor excuse for a book section. Out here in the middle of no where, we have no book stores. Wal-Mart moved in, the book stores moved away, leaving us with only thin, washed out version, that WM offers.
So what do you think? Would you use a machine like this to get a paperback?
May 27, 2012
Tears of War
Cover art for Tears of War(cover art created by A.D.Trosper and copyrighted by MyFreeCopyright.com)
I am currently working on Tears of War. If all goes well it should be released in the spring of 2014. A long wait, I know, but the characters have lots to do.
I am currently working on Tears of War. If all goes well it should be released in the spring of 2014. A long wait, I know, but the characters have lots to do.
May 25, 2012
Free for promotion? No.
A lot of writers these days are offering their books for free as part of a promotional tool. What I see from this is a lot of books flying out the door, each one a lost sale. Yes, people have your book in their hands, but you may not even want your book in certain peoples hands.
A lot of people snap up whatever books are free, regardless if they are actually interested in the genre. This can lead to bad reviews on your book, even when it isn't bad, just not that reader's cup of tea.
For the people who do like it and love it, well, they are no longer possible sales because they have it now, for free.
I liken it to the tortoise and the hare. With freebies, you are the hare, shooting out of the gate, gaining in rank and putting your book into possibly thousands of hands. Thousands of hands that no longer have to pay if they want to read your work. Eventually, the furor over the free book wanes and the sales afterward do too. Then you are left working to get your book into readers hands again, only this time you are down several hundred (or several thousand) readers.
I also think it raises a certain expectation among readers. Your stuff has gone free once. New readers may have heard that yes this is a great book, and the person they heard that from got it free. Instead of rushing out to buy your book, they may decide to sit and wait you out, hoping for another free promo. After all, they already have a ton of books to read on their Kindle, they aren't hurting for new things to read.
On the flip side, the author who doesn't offer the free promo, is the tortoise. Your book will gain fewer sales in the beginning. It will take longer for it to get in the hands of many readers, longer for word to spread. But, every step the tortoise makes, he (or she) is getting paid.
I would rather it take two, three, or even four years, to get into the hands of thousands if that means each book was a sale. Now, of course, I am a newbie author. My tortoise is newly hatched and still damp from the shell. My tortoise is not striding slow but purposefully forward. My little tortoise is taking trembling baby steps on the path of book sales. So we will see how all of this goes.
Personally, I would rather sit for a week with no sales than hand my hard work (and getting to the point of publishing is very hard work) over to hundreds or thousands of readers for free. I spend a lot of my free time writing, rewriting, editing, cover art, etc. Time my family has to step back an leave me alone for. My work, my time, my sacrifices, are worth more than free.
A lot of people snap up whatever books are free, regardless if they are actually interested in the genre. This can lead to bad reviews on your book, even when it isn't bad, just not that reader's cup of tea.
For the people who do like it and love it, well, they are no longer possible sales because they have it now, for free.
I liken it to the tortoise and the hare. With freebies, you are the hare, shooting out of the gate, gaining in rank and putting your book into possibly thousands of hands. Thousands of hands that no longer have to pay if they want to read your work. Eventually, the furor over the free book wanes and the sales afterward do too. Then you are left working to get your book into readers hands again, only this time you are down several hundred (or several thousand) readers.
I also think it raises a certain expectation among readers. Your stuff has gone free once. New readers may have heard that yes this is a great book, and the person they heard that from got it free. Instead of rushing out to buy your book, they may decide to sit and wait you out, hoping for another free promo. After all, they already have a ton of books to read on their Kindle, they aren't hurting for new things to read.
On the flip side, the author who doesn't offer the free promo, is the tortoise. Your book will gain fewer sales in the beginning. It will take longer for it to get in the hands of many readers, longer for word to spread. But, every step the tortoise makes, he (or she) is getting paid.
I would rather it take two, three, or even four years, to get into the hands of thousands if that means each book was a sale. Now, of course, I am a newbie author. My tortoise is newly hatched and still damp from the shell. My tortoise is not striding slow but purposefully forward. My little tortoise is taking trembling baby steps on the path of book sales. So we will see how all of this goes.
Personally, I would rather sit for a week with no sales than hand my hard work (and getting to the point of publishing is very hard work) over to hundreds or thousands of readers for free. I spend a lot of my free time writing, rewriting, editing, cover art, etc. Time my family has to step back an leave me alone for. My work, my time, my sacrifices, are worth more than free.
May 2, 2012
Beware of ‘that’
On the subject of evil writing gremlins, beware of the word ‘that’. Now, sometimes, this word is needed in a sentence, most of the time, it is not.
But this sneaky little gremlin isn’t happy only being used where its needed. So, it tries to insinuate itself into your writing, sneaking in when you aren’t looking and wedging itself where it isn’t welcome. When you go back over your work, there it is, laughing at you.
Of course, as you write and learn more, ‘that’ has a harder time getting past yo...
Beware of 'that'
On the subject of evil writing gremlins, beware of the word 'that'. Now, sometimes, this word is needed in a sentence, most of the time, it is not.
But this sneaky little gremlin isn't happy only being used where its needed. So, it tries to insinuate itself into your writing, sneaking in when you aren't looking and wedging itself where it isn't welcome. When you go back over your work, there it is, laughing at you.
Of course, as you write and learn more, 'that' has a harder time getting past your carefully built writing defenses. Keep writing, keep learning, keep improving your craft and eventually (not sure when, I'm not there yet), this little gremlin will be forced to behave and only appear in your manuscript when you want it to.
But this sneaky little gremlin isn't happy only being used where its needed. So, it tries to insinuate itself into your writing, sneaking in when you aren't looking and wedging itself where it isn't welcome. When you go back over your work, there it is, laughing at you.
Of course, as you write and learn more, 'that' has a harder time getting past your carefully built writing defenses. Keep writing, keep learning, keep improving your craft and eventually (not sure when, I'm not there yet), this little gremlin will be forced to behave and only appear in your manuscript when you want it to.
