Stephen B. Fraser's Blog, page 2
June 22, 2013
Frustrations as an Indie Author
I enjoy writing (usually) and I can honestly say that if I didn't I certainly wouldn't have written a book at all. But the process of trying to get published traditionally killed me. It was a long list of thanks but no thanks letters and even one that came back with just a note that said "Are you serious?". So I jumped at the Self Publish route and have to say that I didn't expect the learning curve to be that great. Or the fact that when you mess up there is no lack of people to remind you of that fact. I have learned valuable lessons, and made many mistakes and miss judgments along the way. And I know that there are still many more to make.
I don't dilute myself into thinking that someday I will become a famous author. If it does happen by chance than so be it. I don't have delusions of receiving Thousand dollar royalty checks in the mail either. When I complete a book though unfortunately I do fall into the thinking of why is it not selling? Its the best damn book out there.
When I tell people that I'm an author they make comments like "oh anyone can do that." Well in theory that true but not everyone can tell a story. It takes months of research and writing to get a first draft. Then more months of re-writing to pull it all together. Then you send it out to a editor who marks it up. and sends it back to you for a third re-write. What you end up with is a publishable book.
Then the real work begins. you have to design a cover. Figure out who you are going to have print it. Where or who to sell your eBook versions. And you have to have three or four different outputs of eBook versions because there is no standard across all the types of ereaders out there.
When your done if you don't have grey hair then you have probably pulled it all out. Then you sit and wait to see if anybody will buy it. Then you do some marketing, and maybe you make a few sales. So you do more marketing and you quickly realize why marketing could be a full time job. Then you see more sales.
Congrats you are an author. Sooner or later you realize that you have the urge to write another book, and the process starts all over again.
I don't dilute myself into thinking that someday I will become a famous author. If it does happen by chance than so be it. I don't have delusions of receiving Thousand dollar royalty checks in the mail either. When I complete a book though unfortunately I do fall into the thinking of why is it not selling? Its the best damn book out there.
When I tell people that I'm an author they make comments like "oh anyone can do that." Well in theory that true but not everyone can tell a story. It takes months of research and writing to get a first draft. Then more months of re-writing to pull it all together. Then you send it out to a editor who marks it up. and sends it back to you for a third re-write. What you end up with is a publishable book.
Then the real work begins. you have to design a cover. Figure out who you are going to have print it. Where or who to sell your eBook versions. And you have to have three or four different outputs of eBook versions because there is no standard across all the types of ereaders out there.
When your done if you don't have grey hair then you have probably pulled it all out. Then you sit and wait to see if anybody will buy it. Then you do some marketing, and maybe you make a few sales. So you do more marketing and you quickly realize why marketing could be a full time job. Then you see more sales.
Congrats you are an author. Sooner or later you realize that you have the urge to write another book, and the process starts all over again.
May 14, 2013
Frustration and my Phone
OK so I love my phone I like that it keeps me contacted to people in my life. However today I'm sitting in front of my computer and I'm on a roll. I've burned out three pages and I'm just cranking. I haven't had a writing session like this in at least a month. Then it happens my phone rings instead of looking at it to see the number I just instinctively answer it. That is when it happens the person on the other end of the phone was a solicitor and was calling for someone other than me. (Wrong Number call) I tell him he got the wrong number and hang up. I turn back to my computer and poof, it's gone all my creativity and fire is lost. I stare at the screen and try to write a few lines and nothing comes from it. I write a few more lines and then give up. Nothing is flowing together, it suddenly turns into "See Dick Run". I save my work and turn off because I just can't find my groove again. I'm frustrated that I can loose it so easily, my concentration is broke with so much as a phone call. I just want to scream. Yet I hold out hope that tomorrow I will find that groove again and bang out ten pages.
April 26, 2013
Creative overload
I have had to take a break recently from writing. "Gasp" I have had so many new ideas popping into my head that I now have 10+ chapters written. The Good news is that is 10+ new projects on my In-progress shelf . The downside is that this has kept me away from finishing the projects that are in the finishing stages of completion. While my time for writing is hampered by the fact that I have to go to work at the job that pays my bills. When I find time to write I need to be able to focus on the projects that are close to completion. When I have these creative idea though it overrides my thoughts till I write it out. Oh well I guess I just need to accept how my creative mind works.
Happy Writing!
Happy Writing!
December 29, 2012
Happy New Year!
Yes, I know it is still a couple days early but I'm sitting here with a case of writers block so I decided to take a break. Not that I think anyone really cares but I have decided that I would list the projects that i have on task for the coming year. My hope is that I get some feed back and maybe even generate some interest.
First off let me state that my goal for this year is to Write and publish 3 to 4 books. I am currently working on a general survival book that is more a preparedness book than a general "what to do" book. Second I hope to increase my sales and my marketing skills. My third goal is to finish my children's book this year.
So now the list of my projects some of these are just in idea stage and others are in other stages of development.
1. Cowboy Up! Ten short stories of Cowboy and Rodeo life. These are stories I picked up from my personal short lived career as a bull rider and ranch hand. Mostly fictional but based on some true facts and experiences.
2. He Who has the Gold, Makes the Rules. How money rules the world. This is just a play around title that pretty much speaks for it self.
3. Behind the Club Door. This is an interview book about Exotic dancers/Strippers. Basically what made them get into the job, why they enjoy it and what they could do with out.
4. Down Range. An action adventure novel about a discharged special forces soldier that finds himself in the middle of a third world terrorist plot.
5. The Disaster Handbook. How to survive the inevitable. Another title that speaks for it self.
This is just a short list of my projects that I have on tap. Since I am not really locked into any one genera I can really write just about anything. I do know for sure I am gonna release something fictional this coming year.
First off let me state that my goal for this year is to Write and publish 3 to 4 books. I am currently working on a general survival book that is more a preparedness book than a general "what to do" book. Second I hope to increase my sales and my marketing skills. My third goal is to finish my children's book this year.
So now the list of my projects some of these are just in idea stage and others are in other stages of development.
1. Cowboy Up! Ten short stories of Cowboy and Rodeo life. These are stories I picked up from my personal short lived career as a bull rider and ranch hand. Mostly fictional but based on some true facts and experiences.
2. He Who has the Gold, Makes the Rules. How money rules the world. This is just a play around title that pretty much speaks for it self.
3. Behind the Club Door. This is an interview book about Exotic dancers/Strippers. Basically what made them get into the job, why they enjoy it and what they could do with out.
4. Down Range. An action adventure novel about a discharged special forces soldier that finds himself in the middle of a third world terrorist plot.
5. The Disaster Handbook. How to survive the inevitable. Another title that speaks for it self.
This is just a short list of my projects that I have on tap. Since I am not really locked into any one genera I can really write just about anything. I do know for sure I am gonna release something fictional this coming year.
December 8, 2012
Free Weekend Promotion
I will doing a free promotion this weekend Dec. 8th & 9th Amazon.com. Both of my books will be available. Men: the Handbook and Politics 101.
http://www.amazon.com/Men-The-Handboo...
http://www.amazon.com/Politics-101-eb...
http://www.amazon.com/Men-The-Handboo...
http://www.amazon.com/Politics-101-eb...
December 4, 2012
Men: The Handbook, Free Dec 8 - 9
I will be doing a free promotion for my most recent book "Men: The Handbook" on Amazon.com Saturday Dec 8th through Sunday Dec 9th. If you pick it up, I would love to get reviews on Goodreads and on amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Men-The-Handboo...
http://www.amazon.com/Men-The-Handboo...
November 30, 2012
Why is it creativity comes at the most inopportune time...
It never seems to fail that my most creative ideas and best paragraphs seem to be written in my head. While this is not necessarily a bad thing. It always seems to happen when I am the furthest away from my computer or a paper and pen. It drives me insane mostly because I think to myself that I will be able to recall it when I get to my computer. However when I get there it is gone, often to never materialize again. I have resigned to carrying a digital recorder with me so that I can start talking these little bits of gems out when they come. I'm sure you can imagine the looks I get when people drive by me and see me talking to myself.
