Maegan Provan's Blog, page 15
February 1, 2015
Packing, moving, and far too much Gilmore Girls
My husband and I rented our first house in our tiny town recently. It’s still far too close to the mother in law, but it’s our own place and we’re both very excited. Brian has been hard at work programming for Squad (the makers of Kerbal Space Program.) I have been hard at work on making sure as much as moved as possible over the last few weeks and my writing has been stunted. I have the first few paragraphs of the prologue for Book Three done and I am quite excited about the direction I plan to take this new addition to the series.
Our new place has inspired me in so many ways. We’re backing the woods and we have a great view from our office. Any one that doesn’t believe writer’s block can be cured by a beautiful view is crazy. My characters are screaming at me to get to work, but I just haven’t had the opportunity to sit down and focus. Once we are fully in the house (internet connection and all) I will be back working semi-full force (there is still a lot of unpacking to do on top of everything else.) I want to get back to work on this blog. You know, get back to the original schedule and everything.
When I haven’t been packing or thinking about packing, I have been consumed with laundry and Gilmore Girls. It’s incredibly unrealistic in many ways but I love the dialogue and the character interactions and I’m hoping that it rubs off on me in the best ways. If you’ve read my books, you understand how much I enjoy whitty banter and sarcasm. I have yet to find a good idea for a realistic New Adult novel that would allow me to play more with real humans, but I promise it’s in the works.
Sorry if this post is a bit weird and disjointed, but I wanted to give a legitimate update in the form of a blog post. Thank you all so much for reading.
January 29, 2015
Why creating your own covers might not be a good idea
Some authors have other talents. Some can sing, some are artisan chefs, and others are artists. Those that are artists have the talent and the know how to create stunning covers for their books and present their works as the treasures that they truly are. Their high gloss, well polished��masterpieces add that certain je ne sais quoi��that sets them apart. These authors are fortunate.
Some authors aren’t so lucky. Writing is their one gift and they try very hard to share it with the world. They also might be lacking in funds to buy the prettiest covers on the internet so they are forced to create their own covers, even though they aren’t the best artists. They know little about Photoshop, GIMP, Depositphotos, and all of the other important parts of creating their own covers. However, they certainly do know how to use Google and MS Paint, so they assume that they’re golden. What could be so bad about using some image they found online and hastily pasted into a randomly sized window? There is a LOT that can be bad about that.
As an author, you want to be taken seriously. You want the world to look at your book and say ‘Hey, that cover looks interesting; ��I want to know more.’ We always hope that our readers will be drawn in by the summary, or the title, but everyone, and I do mean everyone, judges a book by its cover. In fact, many readers base a large part of their decision to read our books on what our covers look like.
Pre-made covers��start at $30 and you can find some decent ones out there. But the better the cover, the more expensive it will be. What if you can’t find a pre-made cover that you like? Well, custom covers can run upwards of $500 if the artist has a lot of clients and does quality work. If you truly want a quality cover, and your book is really that important to you, SAVE YOUR MONEY. It will be a lot more rewarding to save your pennies for a good cover, trust me.
The other problem with using images from Google is that you are potentially using copyrighted images. That opens you and any one that shares your book cover up to lawsuits, which can give you a black mark with bloggers because they don’t want to get mixed up in all of that. I mean, if you can’t afford a cover artist, do you really think that you can afford a lawyer? As someone that has lawyer friends, trust me, you can’t.
Below, I have shared some bad books covers. Below that are some��great book covers (with credits to the artists, of course.) I hope that this helps you.
And they just get worse from there. Of course, I assume that not all of these covers were made by the author them self, but you can see the issues. Now, something pretty to end the post:
(by Joleene Naylor)
(by Joleene Naylor)
(by Skylar Faith, truenotdreams Designs)
(by Skylar Faith, truenotdreams Designs)
The second set of images make use of stock images that were purchased and licensed correctly. They are so much cleaner and well structured. Those are the type of covers you want to use. They send the right message to your potential readers.
I hope that this post doesn’t come off as bitchy or rude. I am just trying to stress the importance of covers for authors. The “bad” covers were obtained from other websites that highlight bad book covers and were not at all a hunt and pick romp through Amazon for me.
January 26, 2015
January 18, 2015
The Unfortunate Backlash
A few days ago, I made a post about Raani York and her “wishlist” to reviewers. Her post became an instant career killer. This is a prime example of a situation I hate to be right about (not saying I’m right about everything, so let’s not get that twisted.) ��In fact, it’s kinda scary how predictable the self publishing world has become. Her post went up on January 13th, and within 2 days (2 days!?) her book was torn to shreds. I stand by what I said in the previous post (which you can read here, or just scroll down a bit) but I feel awful for her. Her book went from a 3.89 on Goodreads (which is amazing by GR standards) to a 1.78. The reviews have been mean, cruel, and really fucked up. The sad fact is that she isn’t the first, nor will she be the last author to get massacred for making a mistake.
Because self publishing is being publicized as “so easy,” everyone thinks they can do it. The market is flooded with half-assed, barely cohesive piles of junk. For a long time, reviewers had taken it upon themselves to regulate the market. They helped squash any poorly constructed piece of garbage��to��help make room for the authors that really gave it their all. This did help a lot for a long time and by the time self-publishing became the “in” thing to do, the reviewers that were trying to help became overwhelmed. Then, the delusional authors entered the scene. These were the authors that thought their book was better than every other book on the market, and they acted that way. They would respond to negative reviews with harsh, almost psychotic responses in an attempt to put the reviewer in their place. These authors helped form STGRB and other psuedo-justice driven websites. They claimed that people who didn’t like their book were either jealous or just mean. One bad review for someone could easily land the reviewer’s personal information out for all of the world to see. Because many reviewers are also authors themselves, that was fuel to the fire. STGRB was/is the leader in continuing to push the hatred, but that’s another topic all together. Because things began to get so out of hand, reviewers started to fight back. If an author started to gripe about negative reviews, or reviewers in general, the masses would descend and a book that was more or less decent would be shredded.��That is unfortunately what has happened to countless authors when they even make a peep. Granted, not all authors are innocent��(I’m looking at you, Kathleen Hale.) But those that are attempt to speak out about it and get��classified with the truly terrible authors. It sucks that it happens this way, but it seems to be the only way to keep the battle on even ground and to keep authors from getting big heads.
But, isn’t there another way? This is more of a rhetorical question than anything, but it’s out there. Shouldn’t authors be allowed to make observations about the community without fear of being ripped to shreds? I decided a long time ago that I was going to remain as neutral as possible, but I was going to say what I felt needed to be said. Of course, I also learned early on what to say and what not to say. I don’t think that I am free from being targeted, I mean, we all are, aren’t we? But, I really think that someone like Raani York, who (after a follow up look at her blog) really meant it as a joke, shouldn’t have been attacked like that. There are tons of authors that do, and their treatment of and behavior in the community are evident of that, someone who has not been known to make waves should be given peace. A wrong move like this from an other wise great author shouldn’t be a career killer. If Ms. York reads this, I truly hope that she continues writing, but she should perhaps stay away from any attempt at direct contact with reviewers in the future. Good luck, Ms. York.
January 14, 2015
If I could put a facepalming .gif as this title I would
I don’t know how many times I’ve talked about reactions to reviews, why you shouldn’t respond to reviews, and other issues regarding reviews in general. Nor do I know how many more times I will say something. I hadn’t read anything lately, and I had hope that people were starting to understand. Alas, here I am.
Yesterday,��during a lull of work, I stumbled across “How Authors would wish their books to be reviewed”��by Raani York.��This well written “wish list”of self published authors is probably the worst thing the author could have done for her career, simply because she dared to put herself and her frustration out there. Of course, I may be overreacting a bit, and Ms. York might be able to come out of this with minimal damage, but that depends on who sees the article and who chooses to take it with a grain of salt.
As a self published author, I understand the yearning for readers. I do. I understand the frustration of minimal purchases and minimal reviews. I know the pain of negative reviews. I would never tell a reviewer how much their review may or may not hurt because I’m sure they know.��99.9% of the time, their intent is not malicious, but they understand that some times words can hurt. I understand that when I give a bad review, I’m not making any new friends or getting invited to any parties, but I handing an author my honest opinion of their work. Our world revolves around the opinions of others, good and bad. I try to remain constructive in my reviews, and I know there are times I can’t honestly say that I did, but I, like a majority of other low staring reviews, are trying to help the author, not hinder them from becoming better. Hand holding, coddling, and lying will be the death of our community because it is open to everyone. Any person that can type a few words on a computer can publish a book now, and the only way for our community to survive, grow, and for all of us to improve our writing, is for reviewers to be honest.
In the aforementioned post, Ms. York��breaks down what it takes to write a book and get the book published.��She then goes on to stress the importance of reviews and how they help an author gain an audience. This is absolutely true. Reviews make the self-publishing world go round. Then the article opens up the flood gates and it was like a car crash. She lists her top 6 wishes she has for reviews, which is:
1.��If you aren���t convinced of our work, and you don���t feel it deserves a 4- or 5-Star review, please contact us in private and let us know why you are not the biggest fan of our book. When you find constructive criticisms we understand, but still have good words about our writing, we can decide together, whether or not a quite positive 3-Star review can be published.
2.��Make sure you REALLY read the entire book before reviewing it. I was given a review by a person who has clearly ���jumped��� half the book before telling me it was extremely bad(how can anyone judge a book who hasn���t actually read it?). Thank God that review was never published!
4.��Before criticizing my grammar and typos, please make sure your review is impeccable, otherwise you might not be taken seriously. Keep in mind that a self-published 1st edition still might have a few flaws. I don���t say that���s how it should be ��� but it happens. Every Author who is permanently working on getting better is going through it again to correct these mistakes in a second edition. So am I, together with my editor.
5.��Don���t rip us to shreds just because ���you can���! It seems there are a handful of Readers out there who like to read books and write reviews ��� but apparently not even one book is ���good enough��� for them to give it more than 1 or 2 stars and their reviews are written in a very rude way and a very poor grammar and spelling. Seriously: if books are so bad ��� you might want to consider finding another hobby?
6.��In your review we Authors don���t want to read what you ���would have done��� writing this book or changing the plot. Please don���t forget that this is OUR novel! Don���t re-write my book for me. I���m the Author. If I had wanted it to end differently or change the plot, I would have done so!
Everything she hit on are sensitive subjects in the community. They’ll either land you on a BBA list or shelved with the other books of authors who appeared to “whine” about negative reviews. I kept muttering ‘no, no no’ to myself as I read it. This could potentially ruin Ms. York’s career before it’s truly begun.
As I have said countless times, you need a thick skin to be in this business. You have every right to disagree with a reviewer, you also have every right to complain about them to a close friend. You do��not have the right to tell them what you “wish” they would do. It’s basically telling them that their opinion is wrong, and if you can’t convince them to change their mind, then they might as well f*ck off. Authors should accept the reviews they get with open arms because it means that people are reading their work. It doesn’t matter whether they liked it or not, it matters that they took the time to read it.
NOTE:
*After writing this article, I figured I might as well see what prompted��the post for Ms. York. Now, I��am beyond confused by her post.��Her book “Dragonbride (Dragon Chronicles Book 1)” has an overall ranking on Amazon of 5 stars (four 5 star reviews and one 4 star) and on Goodreads she has an overall rating of 3.89 Of the reviews I saw, there was one 1 star review and it was incredibly nice and constructive. What is she complaining about? Is she worried that someone will��trash the book out of existence or something, because I don’t see anything that would be detrimental to her career. I feel that her post was made to complain about a problem that didn’t even exist to begin with. That’s incredibly annoying on her part.
I won’t be reviewing this book if I read it because I understand if I say anything bad, it will be construed as bullying.*
December 27, 2014
Books I’ve Read, Reviewed, and Recommend
Tricia also featured Jeremy here. So wonderful
Originally posted on Tricia Drammeh:
Today, I���m being a bit of a copycat. Inspired by posts such as THIS ONE by Susan Toy, I���ve decided to list a few of the books I especially enjoyed this year. These are listed in no particular order, and by no means include every book I read and enjoyed. But these books stood out for me in a special way, and I would recommend each and every one of them.
For each book, I���ve included the genre, the blurb, and the link to my review on Authors to Watch. (Click the book covers to buy the book on Amazon)
And so we begin..
Island in the Clouds by Susan Toy
Genre: Murder mystery
Blurb:��The dead body in the pool is putting a serious dent in Geoff���s morning. An ex-pat property manager on the Caribbean island of Bequia, Geoff doesn���t want a spotlight shone on the secret past���
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Book Review: Jeremy (The Night Touched Chronicles Book 2)
Check out this amazing review of Jeremy by Tricia Drammeh. I honestly cried a little bit. She is so wonderful.
Originally posted on Authors to Watch:
Jeremy
(The Night Touched Chronicles: Book 2)
Maegan Provan
The search for another Night Touched leads Harper and the others to the Big Easy,where things become everything but. Tired, vengeful and ready to bring down the entire Slayer organization, Harper chooses to focus on her mission and forget about her heartbreak.
Silas���s mind is in the same place. With eyes already on the preacher, he makes it his goal to get to him before Harper does. He quickly learns that it���s hard to see a plan through in another state and has to hit the road with his lieutenant, John.
Jeremy has always had a strong belief in God. After being turned, he struggles to find his new place between being a man of God and a blood sucking fiend. After a chance meeting and a confrontation, Jeremy���s mind has never been more torn.
My Review: This mind-blowing sequel���
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December 25, 2014
Happy Holidays!!
This year has been the craziest thus far in my 25 years of life. My husband and I had to give up everything we knew to move to a small town in the middle of the Piney Woods in East Texas with his mother. While living with her has been nothing short of hell, we’ve grown a lot as a couple. I am in a job that I love, and it’s on the way to making itself a career. I FINALLY finished Jeremy, plus four short stories. My confidence in my writing is getting better each and every day. And, of course, I have all of you. You wonderful followers and readers that have been so patient and understanding with my writing, my hiatuses, and my drama. I am so appreciative for all of you. So, in short, thank you all for everything. I hope you have a great rest of your holiday.
December 22, 2014
The Night Touched Chronicles Book Two: Jeremy is coming out December 23rd!!
Just in time for Christmas, TNTC Book Two is being released. This sequel has taken almost two years but it was well worth the wait.
The search for another Night Touched leads Harper and the others to the Big Easy,where things become everything but. Tired, vengeful and ready to bring down the entire Slayer organization, Harper chooses to focus on her mission and forget about her heartbreak.
Silas���s mind is in the same place. With eyes already on the preacher, he makes it his goal to get to him before Harper does. He quickly learns that it���s hard to see a plan through in another state and has to hit the road with his lieutenant, John.
Jeremy has always had a strong belief in God. After being turned, he struggles to find his new place between being a man of God and a blood sucking fiend. After a chance meeting and a confrontation, Jeremy���s mind has never been more torn.
Available on Amazon and Smashwords��
December 18, 2014
HOW to get promotion for yourself and your book …
Originally posted on Books: Publishing, Reading, Writing:
Two days ago I wrote a blog post that proved to be the most popular, in terms of reach and reaction, of any I���ve ever written! Thanks to everyone who read, liked, shared, reblogged, followed my blog, and commented on it. I guess I hit a nerve with the topic of authors behaving badly and how to avoid becoming one. It seems this kind of behaviour is definitely prevalent and a problem on social media, because so many of you agreed with me and my guests who also offered quotes on experiences they���d had dealing with these self-centred authors.
I took a negative tact on that last post, because it���s a fun angle to come from with this kind of list, and I���ve had success with that approach in the past. It also allows me to write in a humorous and sarcastic voice ��� which I hope was the voice���
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