Alyssa Hubbard's Blog, page 19

Self Publishing (Indie) versus Traditional Publishing

I have so far only self published, and I haven’t delved into even querying as far as novels go, just because self publishing just seemed the best option for my own needs. Now, self publishing isn’t for everyone, and I debated over the two options for some time before I made my decision, which I only decided after making a detailed list for both options. I would like to think I am non-biased in this matter, but as of today, I can’t say for sure either way. Hopefully, my view will be fairly equal on both ends. Regardless, onward to the list.

SELF-PUBLISHING

COMPLETE CREATIVE CONTROL

This was the number one reason for my choosing self publishing. I didn’t want to have to change my story lines for the sake of genre or popularity. But at the same time, this could also be seen as a negative depending on who you ask. Creative control is great as far the creating goes, but this can harm the ability to see developmental edit problems. Not always the case, but it  has been a major worry of mine. Easily fixed with an editor (easily fixed as far as the extra set of eyes is concerned, takes work to edit), but we’ll get into editing later.
CONTROL PROFITS/PRICES

You get to price things, set up discounts or sales, and how much you want to earn for every book sold (all of these are dependent on what avenue you go through to publish your book). There are no big publishing companies eating up your profits. Another big reason to consider self publishing, but at the same time, it doesn’t mean your going to sell enough books to make a huge profit. Just another facet to consider.
MORE PUBLISHING OPTIONS

What size paperback do you want? Do you want some hardback copies? Do you want to do an ebook? Do you want to go through CreateSpace? Kobo? iTunes? It’s all up to you. It can be overwhelming, but you get complete control over all of it.
YOU STILL NEED AN EDITOR/TEAM

Despite having complete control, you do still need the team a traditional publisher would provide, and unless you are able to raise money in some fundraiser-fashion, you’ll be paying for your team out of your own pocket. You’ll have to pay for an editor, maybe multiple editors depending on the type of edits you’re looking for, you’ll have to pay for a cover design(er), you have to pay for your own copyright, you may have to pay for extra things during the publishing process (hardback costs, extra avenues to sell, etc.). You need the funds, and some can say they don’t need all of these things, but a professional eye may be necessary. Keep all of this in mind.
FIGHTING THE STIGMAS

Though you’re probably a wonderful writer, not everyone can tell that, and with the rise in self publishing, you will constantly be fighting the stigma of, “all indie is of bad quality.” This is one of the most untrue statements I’ve ever seen, and that’s not just because I myself am a self published author, but I digress. This belief stands with many people, and you’ll be fighting it constantly.
PROMOTION

Though traditional publishers don’t promote as often as people would like to think, they do help and tend to send authors in a certain direction, but as an indie, you have to promote yourself. There has to be a balance between writing and promoting, constantly. Finding that balance can be tough, but self-promo isn’t all bad. You get to control the rate at which your books are promoted, which books are promoted, where they are promoted, and how they are promoted. It’s just another facet of your control as an author.

TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING

NOT MUCH FUNDING NECESSARY

NOTE: I’m not discussing vanity publishing, which is not the same thing as traditional publishing, though they are unfortunately intertwined. Vanity publishing, as I see it, is a scam. It’s traditional publishing, but with the the required funds of self publishing. Be careful, be wary.

Regardless, the most money you should spend on attempting to publish traditionally is in the envelope and the stamp. If they pick you up, they take the necessary funds out of your projected royalties. Less stress than self publishing, but also less control.
LESS CREATIVE CONTROL

This is not to say that you lose total control of your work, but publishers, once you’ve signed the contract, have the right to tweak or change some things in order to fit a certain genre better or to attract more readers. Not really a bad thing depending on what you think, and its something these publishers are trained and knowledgeable in. They’re not always right, though. They’re human just like the rest of us, but their input is helpful.
VARYING WAIT FOR PUBLISHING/EDITOR STILL REQUIRED

You don’t control your publishing time, but that’s not necessarily bad either. It gives you time to write more books, with much less stress. There is also no guarantee that you will be picked up by the publisher, and you may still need an editor just to polish your manuscript.’
AGENTS

Most publishers won’t give the time of day to a manuscript not represented by an agent, but once you land an agent, they handle the publishers, which takes care of that. You will have to pay them eventually, but they’re there to help you. They want to get you the best deal possible so they can get paid. Agents are a major asset.
STILL NEED TO PROMOTE

You will still need to promote yourself. You’ll still need to be on Twitter, FaceBook, G+, etc. but the publishers will probably direct you as to what needs to be on your social media sites, and they may even have the ability to control what is posted. Not always, but it can happen. Once again, depending on your opinions when it comes to control and promoting, this may be good, may be bad. Promotion is a lot less on the traditional publishing side, mainly because they will be helping you along.

I’m not an expert on either side of the publishing lines, but I do know one thing. No matter which route you as a write decide to take, you are an author. Neither is better than the other, and I refuse to take part in the bipartisan battle between the two. If you write, you’re a writer. Whether you agree or not, that’s up to you. Now, for questions. Which have you chosen? Have you chosen? Did my list help you decide? Did I miss something? What are your opinions on either option? Are you both? Let me know, and comment below!

Thanks for reading.

-Lissy

Have a request for a blog post topic? Just wanna ask a question? Go to my About and Contact page, fill out the contact sheet, and shoot me an email! I look forward to hearing from you.

Filed under: Writing and Marketing Tips

How to handle bad reviews

I’ve never met a writer who wasn’t protective over their writing, myself included. When you toil day-in and day-out on a draft, writing, re-writing, editing, then preparing it for publication/submission, it’s hard to not become protective over what you’ve written. Once the book is out there for the prying eyes of readers, your book is subject to the opinions of loving readers, critical readers, and snarky readers, all of who might, and probably will, give your well-groomed work a negative review. It is bound to happen. No author is impervious to the dreaded negative reviews, and the worry shouldn’t be placed on getting the negative review. The worry should be how you react to the negative reviews, and today I have made up a list of how to go about handling the reviews. Onward we go!

IT’S OKAY TO BE UPSET

Like I’ve already said, your work becomes your baby. It’s hard to hear people don’t like it or that they think you did such-and-such wrong. It’s alright to be upset about it.
AVOID RESPONDING

Don’t respond to negative reviews. There is nothing worse for a writer’s image than to respond to the negative reviews, especially while in the throes of anger or sadness. Don’t respond, just turn off the phone/computer and leave it be. Let yourself be sad or angry for awhile, then you can think on things clearer.
TAKE NOTE OF ANY THEMES

If you receive similar reviews with similar comments, then maybe there truly is something that needs to be worked on. Every negative review should be taken seriously. Read through them, take notes. Pick out things that may need major overhauls in your work and craft. Reviews are there to help you, and even the snarky ones have some underlying advice in them.
REVIEWS ARE YOUR LIFE BLOOD, ENCOURAGE THEM

Reviews are what tell other readers what to expect in your book, and whether or not they should purchase it. You should encourage reviews, even if they may be bad reviews. It can only help you. Learn from your mistakes and move on.
KEEP WRITING

One negative review isn’t the end of the world. Several aren’t either. Learn from your mistakes, be more careful in your next projects. Don’t punish yourself. To stop writing is to punish yourself, and it only hurts you. Keep writing and never stop.

It’s okay to be afraid. We all are, especially when it seems people are attacking us, though the reviews are toward our books. Remember, you aren’t your book. You and your writing are ever-changing, and any review that does attack you personally, isn’t a review. They’re not even worth your time. Regardless, time for questions. How do you handle negative reviews? Has the fear crippled your ability to keep writing? Do you read every review you receive? Let me know, and comment below!

Thanks for reading.

-Lissy

Have a request for a blog post topic? Just wanna ask a question? Go to my About and Contact page, fill out the contact sheet, and shoot me an email! I look forward to hearing from you.

Filed under: Writing and Marketing Tips

How To Keep Up and Set Up A Blog

My last blog post was on why an author should have a blog, and now that we have a blog, it’s time to talk about how to keep up with it. I’m no expert, but I do know that when you have a blog it becomes your home base. It’s a constant representation of who you are both as a person and as a writer. Some would argue a blog’s importance, but in the end, if you have one, you might as well make it as representative of you as possible.

As always, I have a list ready. Onward we go!

PICK A THEME

Most blogs already have pre-made themes, other times, you can do a quick google search and find some themes, but. If you have the money or the ability, go ahead and get a custom theme. There will never be a chance of someone else having the same theme as you, and you can customize it to the point where it is all you, all the time, but if you can’t, then just pick your favorite thing. Roll with it.
PICK A SET TOPIC

My passion has always been writing. I’m always learning something new, just by doing, and I always have something to share. Thus, my blog topic came about. I’ve also started delving into reviewing, but for the most part, I stick around the realm of writing in one way or another. You should have a set topic. While you can jump around a bit, it’s hard to establish a following when they only want to hear about certain topics. If you just can’t bring yourself to write about one topic, then keep a running theme. Do tips. Do reviews. Do something, but keep them tied together.  Just like your book/stories should flow, so should your blog.
PICK AN UPDATE SCHEDULE

My blog posts come out every Tuesday and Friday, excluding any special announcements or my monthly book reviews. I always post on those days, so people know when to expect my posts. It keeps people coming back, and also prevents me from overloading their inboxes with chunks of random posts. It’s to keep a consistent following, a consistent amount of posts per week/month, and to discipline yourself. Pick a schedule, and stick to it.
WRITE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

Always have more posts than are necessary for your schedule. It gives you time to come up with more posts, and it will help you stay on schedule. I always have five posts ahead of schedule. I don’t post them until the next scheduled day, but I have them ready. It is helpful for your own sanity and for your blog’s schedule. This will also give you multiple chances to go back and edit something in. Inspiration for a post strikes me at random, and I will usually subconsciously work on it days afterward, which makes for even more content to add. Schedule ahead so you can put in all the content you want.
KEEP THE FORMAT SIMPLISTIC

Have pages for your posts, for your products (books or what-have-you), other helpful information, for your other profiles, and YOU MUST HAVE AN ABOUT PAGE. A contact form is optional, but you must make an about page. It’s up to you what you want to put on there, but you should always have one. It’s your chance to tell people what they should know about you.  As for your posts, they should be simplistic in format. For example, my posts. I have an opening paragraph, which segues into my bullet-pointed lists, then I have closing paragraphs, which ask questions because I love discussion. It’s up to you what content you want to put in, but this is a format that works.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, HAVE THE FOLLOW BUTTON NEARBY

If you don’t put anything else on your blog, put a follow button nearby. Not everyone has a blog they can follow you from, so having a “Follow by Email,” button is beyond important. Just do it.

Once again, I’m not an expert. I’m not a marketing expert, I’m not a web designer, but I am a blogger, and I am a writer. I’ve done things that work, others that didn’t, and in the end, these are what I’ve found to work. Have something to add? What do you post on your blog? What design do you use? Anything you utilize that you don’t see on this list? Let me know, and comment below!

Thanks for reading.

-Lissy

Have a request for a blog post topic? Just wanna ask a question? Go to my About and Contact page, fill out the contact sheet, and shoot me an email! I look forward to hearing from you.

Filed under: Writing and Marketing Tips

The reason every writer should have a blog

Everyone says you should have a blog. If you’re a writer you need a blog. EVERY. WRITER. NEEDS. A. BLOG. But why? I haven’t seen many lists detailing the reasons why, just stating that writers should. So, here I have for you all, as always, a list. Go onward, if you dare.

HOME BASE

A blog is an independent page. It doesn’t rely on Twitter, FaceBook, or Google+. Using something like Twitter, FB, or G+ as a home base is hard to spread out. You isolate people who may dislike Twitter, or who don’t use G+, or people who hate FB. Your home base should be independent, but also a place that you can link and advertise to your other networks.
THE ABILITY TO CUSTOMIZE

Depending on what blog platform you end up using, you can have complete creative control. Make it your own and let everyone know who you are both as a person and a writer. Pick themes, make themes, edit themes, make pages, edit your blog, and build a platform.
SELF-PROMO IS OKAY

It’s your page. You can self-advertise all day long, but be warned. It should be done in moderation, just like with any other site. Otherwise, you’ll just be considered a bot, and no one will feel your worth following. At the same time, self-promo can be done subtle-y and optionally. Create content that you want to share, content that will help others. Then, you can create pages dedicated to your books and products. If people like your content, then they’ll check out your products. That’s how it should be. Let people DECIDE if they want to check out your products. Don’t shove it down their throat. I can’t stress that enough.
SHARING ORIGINAL CONTENT

That should always be the main point of any blog. There is no better way to share and create original content than to start a blog. Make content, share it, and enjoy the ability to do so.
PRACTICE

You have to write to have a blog, and to keep up with a blog, you have to write lots of content and keep it going up consistently. It’s a perfect opportunity to test out your writing ability.
IT’S REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR WRITING

With consistent posts, people are able to get glimpses at how you write. It may not be fiction, it may not be what you usually write, but it still says a lot about your voice. Your voice as a writer is ever-present on the blog and within the posts.

Now then, time for questions. Do you have a blog? What do you blog about? What kind of content do you share? What’s your favorite part of having a blog? Let me know, and comment below.

Thanks for reading.

-Lissy

Have a request for a blog post topic? Just wanna ask a question? Go to my About and Contact page, fill out the contact sheet, and shoot me an email! I look forward to hearing from you.

Filed under: Writing and Marketing Tips

How to start back on a novel after a hiatus

About two years ago, I started the novel APOCALYPTIA, and 8 months in, I quit writing to focus on finishing high school and starting college. Approximately four months ago, I picked the unfinished MS back up and started on it again. Now, the MS will be published in December, after I thought it would just fade away to never be worked on again. It was, and still is a tough process to reorient myself with characters I haven’t traveled with in a long time. So, after finally completing the journey, bumps, flubs, and all, I have created my ever-present list. Grab your dusty pitchforks, raise them to the sky, and scream HUZZAH! as we go on another writerly journey. Onward to the list.

NEVER THROW AWAY AN OLD MS

This is rule numero uno, even if you think you’ll never pick up and restart the MS. Keep it! Use it as a reference later on. Your writing will always change, grow, and evolve, so keep those old MSs to look back on. See what you did wrong. See what you did right. Maybe you lost something that you once liked in your old style, or maybe you’re seeing mistakes that you still make today. Fix, integrate, and move on. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find a way to salvage that half-crafted tale.
REREAD WHAT YOU WROTE

This is common sense, and it doesn’t count toward the old rule to, “not edit before you finish the MS.” Reread it, get reacquainted with the characters and the plot, fix small mistakes, but try to save most of the developmental edits until the end. You haven’t finished the first draft, so the plot line is far from complete. Save all your big rewrites for the end.
START WHERE YOU LEFT OFF

Go. Just go. I don’t think I need to explain this anymore than that.
YOU MUST REWRITE THE FIRST DRAFT

A lot of people say they can get away with writing the first draft, then just do simple and developmental edits without rewriting the draft. Good for them, but most of those people have been working on one MS for months without stop. They could probably still do with some rewriting, honestly. The reason for this? Like I said before,  your writing is constantly evolving, and with that big of a gap in between,  there will probably be huge amounts of inconsistencies. Rewrite it from beginning to end, and be proud of all the progress you’ve made! Congratulations.
IF YOU CAN’T SEEM TO FINISH IT, THEN IT MIGHT NOT BE MEANT TO BE

Some stories just may not want to come out, but that’s okay. Don’t be discouraged, just don’t waste your time on an MS you know you’re not going to fall in love with. If it doesn’t make you happy, then it probably won’t make anyone else happy. Put it away. You’ve got plenty of other stories to share. One left unfinished  won’t kill you. But don’t throw it away. Don’t forget that first bullet point.

There comes a time in life where you either forge forward and bow out. There connotations placed on both of those, negative and positive, while I believe both to be positive when it comes to writing.

Forging ahead? You’re getting a story out. You’re finishing those characters’ path. You’re taking the time to show love and dedication to a long-term project. Congratulations.

Bowing out? You’re letting a story go. It’s not the story for you, though it might have been at one point in your life. You got what words you wanted out, and that is an accomplishment. You’re willing to let go and start on something new. Congratulations.

Thanks for reading.

-Lissy

Have a request for a blog post topic? Just wanna ask a question? Go to my About and Contact page, fill out the contact sheet, and shoot me an email! I look forward to hearing from you.

Filed under: Writing and Marketing Tips

What the games Ico and Shadow of the Colossus taught me about writing

BACK STORY

The back story is completely optional to this post. If you’d like to skip ahead to the writing-listy portion, go on. I have it marked accordingly, but I must warn you. You’re missing a magical tale of love, nostalgia, and the renewal of my inner-child. You have been warned.

Not too far back I went out with my boyfriend and we went out to check the used game hoard at our favorite GameStop. It’s a regular outing for us, as both of our usual off days are on Monday. It’s become a major staple in my life, and I tend to never spend a dime. I go just to look, to reminisce over games of my childhood that sometimes pass by on the shelves, because I gave up games for my writing. I play every once in awhile, but nothing like I used to. I would’ve classified myself as a “hardcore gamer,” two years ago. Now? I’m more of a casual, passer-by in the gaming scene.

Well, on this particular outing, I was checking out the Playstation 2 unit, segregated from the rest of the games in a tiny bin at the corner of the room. Most games run from $10.00 to under a penny, and most of them already make up a core of my dusty gaming collection at the top of closet. But it’s always fun to check out a few older one, or some that I might have missed along my path to professional writer-dom.

Digging through the stacks, I came across a familiar cover. Beyond familiar. It was the first game I ever played on my Playstation 2, which came with the Playstation my dad brought home the day the system came out. I was beyond excited, having exhausted my Nintendo 64, Playstation, and Gameboy Advance while I awaited its arrival, and I drooled over the never-ending possibilities this new toy had built up in my mind.

The game I found, and played for hours upon hours, sum fourteen years ago, was Ico.

While the game itself already had me rolling on the dirty carpet of that Gamestop with a piercing shrill of fangirl giggles, the price tag had me beyond shocked.

The game is beyond a classic: it is a work of art. But that game was $39.99, used. I still had my copy, so I wasn’t shelling any money out for it, but it had me wishing. I wished I could play the game again, but my PS2 had conked out not long after I picked up the PS3, so my game was basically unplayable no matter the disc’s state.

In my fit of fangirly-ness, I had called the attention of my boyfriend, his stack of first-person shooters abandoned back over near the wracks of “New Releases.” He came over without a word, plucking the game out of my hands and studying the name and case with interest. His eyes glanced up at the price, bugged for only an instant, then shifted back to the title. He had bought games brand new at $60, but a used, outdated game for a little over half that was still a shocker.

He never said a word during his scan, and eventually did hand it back with a half-hearted discussion on the artistic integrity of the game, which I can sum up as a snarky, “The graphics were shitty.” I begged to differ, but that’s another tale for another day. Then, he drifted back to his ever-growing stack of games, plucking one more off and adding it to the pile before lifting and cradling them to his chest to then dutifully carry them over to the checkout counter. I never bought anything, so I never brought my wallet. He would usually check out, then come see what I had scavenged or found interesting. He’d talk to me for awhile, about it all, then we’d carry our conversation, plus his gaming loot, back to the car and debate back and forth all the way home.

He used to ask me if I wanted him to buy me something, but I would always tell him no. If I didn’t have the money to get it myself, then I didn’t need it at all. At least, that was my usual answer, but as we left the store, I found myself drifting back the Ico game in that used gaming bin. It fouled my mood enough to keep me from speaking most of the way home.

Finally home, we went back to our bedroom and went to sorting the games out. It’s a beautiful thing. I love making lists, spreadsheets, and organized stacks. It’s all like a puzzle, which is much of the reason I fell in the love with the game Ico. It was a never-ending, beautiful puzzle. We would each take half the stack, and I would start marking them down. My boyfriend dreams of one day writing game reviews, which I encourage whole-heartedly. He is just as much dedicated to writing and organizing as I am. I usually passed out the stacks, but he made sure to purposefully half and pass me my stack. It was odd, but we are an odd couple, so I didn’t put too much thought in it.

I went through my stack fairly quickly, taking down every title and making sure to ask whether or not it had a Game of The Year/Platinum edition coming out anytime soon. I wasn’t as much into the gaming world anymore, so I wasn’t as aware of things as I usually was. He would nod or shake his head accordingly, and I would mark it down accordingly. My lack of current gaming information was probably why I was so surprised to find the game at the bottom of my stack. I had already started to ask,

“Is this going to have a Platinum release?”

When I stopped and reread the title.

The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection. It was a PS3, remastered, re-release of Ico, plus its unofficial “spiritual sequel.” Needless to say, I was beyond ecstatic, and when my boyfriend told me he had bought it for me, you can only imagine the love and happiness I was emitting towards him, and though he only smiled and told me not to thank him, I knew he was just as happy as I was.

THE WRITERLY PORTION – ONWARD TO THE LIST

After the large, huge, ginormous amount of back story happened, I played the game. It is simple in mechanics, which allows for thought, patience, and immersion to completely take hold of the player. It tells a story without dialog, but I’ll explain more of that in my bullet pointed explanations. Enjoy!

YOU DON’T NEED DIALOG TO TELL A STORY

In Ico, there is probably ten lines, total, of dialog. All of which is in an entirely different language, with subtitles that consist of symbols, reminiscent of the Word font Wingdings. The game relies on the gameplay and setting to progress the story, just as writers can/should use constant action and detailed setting to push along the mood and story. The game made me cry, and I never understood a single word said, if any words were said at all. There’s a reason this game is hailed as an art form, a classic, and will probably be remastered time and time again *fingers crossed.*
AN ACTION CAN EVOKE JUST AS MUCH EMOTION

In Ico, there is a simple hand-holding mechanic, which you use to guide Yorda, Ico’s charge, to move her from area to area because she will run off or get lost, otherwise. Every time Ico must turn back to grip Yorda’s hand and pull her up what seems to be a never-ending spiral of staircases, or when he must fight off shadows to reach Yorda before she is sucked into a large, dark shadow and her only hope is Ico’s out-reaching hand, that creates a bond. It creates an emotion. Sure, the added intensity of the fighting mechanic adds its own part, but even the simple holding her hand to cross a rickety bridge, or lifting her into his arms because she’s growing weaker as time passes creates this beautiful relationship. And not a word passes between either of them. Simple actions and interactions between characters is enough to evoke the emotion you want. You just have to find the action.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF SURROUNDINGS AND OTHER CHARACTERS CAN HELP EVOKE EMOTION OR FURTHER PLOT

Like I’ve said before, Ico relies heavily on its surroundings, especially where the puzzles are concerned. When you have to look out for Yorda, who is frail, weak, and unable to perform most of the tasks Ico can, sometimes the path isn’t always clear. A dark shadow may hide something. An unlit torch may be the key to finding the hidden path. A misplaced brick may lead to blocked door. Or an overly-ornate chandelier in a dim, destroyed ballroom, may indicate an action is required before being able to continue on through the doors, which are locked, at the other side of the room. Create places that will either help or hinder your characters. Put shadows where mystery may hide. Make your main character’s shadow resemble something from his nightmare, or, in Ico’s case, his reality. A well-placed detail can create a whole new flow or progression in your work. Create a puzzle and see if your characters can solve it.

While I would love to talk more about the wonderful world of Ico and SOTC, this blog post is running much longer than my usual go-around, so I’ll be cutting it off here. Now, for my favorite part, questions. Have you played either of these games? Do you agree with my points? Do you use them? Need help with any of them? Wanna know more about my nostalgic gaming collection? Let me know, and comment below!

Thanks for reading.

-Lissy

Have a request for a blog post topic? Just wanna ask a question? Go to my About and Contact page, fill out the contact sheet, and shoot me an email! I look forward to hearing from you.

Filed under: Personal Posts, Writing and Marketing Tips

What I read this month – July 2013, The Society of S by Susan Hubbard

These posts are for book discussion and to express my overly-fangirly nature over certain books and series. Though I already have an extensive library with plenty of reading material, I’m always looking out for new or interesting titles. Not only is this for me, but for other writers! Often times, writers forget they started off as readers. Support your fellow authors, and read!

WARNING: SELF-PROMO IS NOT ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS

It will be considered spam and deleted immediately. However, if you would like me to buy and read your book, I’ll gladly take recommendations on this page. Fill out the contact sheet with a link to your book, and I will get to reading! While I will read most recommendations, I won’t review them all. If the book in question would probably get less than three stars, I’ll simply keep the review to myself, and either email the author directly (if they themselves sent me a contact sheet), or just hide the book from prying eyes. I want to recommend books that I will read, and that I think others will enjoy. No need to embarrass or completely wreck a book’s reputation in the name of reviewing.

Now, with all of the “rules” and “disclaimers” out of the way, on to the books!

This month I read the first book of the Ethical Vampire series, The Society of S by Susan Hubbard.

Genre: YA/Paranormal

Rating: 3/5

Let me start out by saying, there is no doubt that Mrs. Hubbard knows her craft. She’s a master at it, but, in saying that, she spends far too much time showing it off and not enough time on showing me what the book is about. To be honest, most of the book could’ve been summed up in about 100-150 pages, but Mrs. Hubbard spread it out to a nice 304.

But, like I said, she is a master at her craft. The gothic descriptions reminded me so much of Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire, and they had me enthralled from beginning to end, but I also said that drug out the plot. Thankfully, I did eventually figure out what the book was about.

Ariella, nicknamed Ari, is an intelligent thirteen year old, whose days are spent reading about the world she has never experienced and having her fill of a poorly prepared vegetarian diet.  Her mother left her and her father the very day Ari was born, and though she has never met her, Ari feels a strange connection with her mother.  In an attempt at discovering more about herself, her father, and the answer as to why her mother left, Ari finds herself face-to-face with the realization that she’s not quite the human she had always assumed.

She’s a vampire. The series is called the Ethical Vampire series. She’s a vampire. I couldn’t help, but laugh at all the obvious references to her being vampire, but without her blatantly saying so.

Her father’s basement kitchen had a very “gamey” odor to it. She is lucky that she has “strong teeth.” They’re vamps, my darlings! Vamps!

But I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t question myself at some points. It’s obvious that she’s a vampire, but my paranoia had me wondering if she was actually another creature. It would be my luck that she actually was just a human,  or a werewolf. Thankfully, the paranoia didn’t last long, and I was reassured in my assumption.

The book has plenty of drugs, teen-drinking, and other things young kids do while trying to find out who they are, and I’d be lying if I said that my friends and I didn’t also want to dye our hair black and become pagans, but we certainly didn’t party as much as these kids did at their age. Regardless, when I finally made it to the plot, I felt as hazed and nauseous as the MC. Mrs. Hubbard is fantastic with weaving descriptions and feelings together. It was realistic and interesting. Love, love, loved it.

At this point, the book probably would have gotten a whopping 4/5, but as quickly as I had gotten to the plot, more descriptions were dumped on me. It messed up the wonderful pacing that had been built up, and also left me hanging as far as where the next book was going to go. There was no hint or even indication of a sequel. If I hadn’t already bought the entire series, I might not have even checked for another.

This book teased me, pleased me, confused me, then hurt me, but I loved every second of it, or at least I loved most of it. I would recommend this book in a heart beat.

Purchase Status: Purchased

Thanks for reading!

-Lissy

Filed under: Monthly Reads

How to Find the Time to Write

Life can be busy, busy, busy, and finding time between social networking, real life, and possibly a job/school, can make it hard to do the one thing you need to be doing constantly:

WRITING

If you want to be a writer, all you have to do is write, but as much as we would like to think that we can just sit and write all day everyday, it’s usually not possible. So, I have made up a detailed list of things you can do to utilize every available second you have free to continue doing what we all love most: writing.

Now, get your spears ready, and onward to the list!

CARRY A SMALL NOTEBOOK WITH YOU

Even if you have a laptop, I have found that I’m less likely to pull it out in public than to just take out a notebook. It’s strange, but it seems like too much work. Regardless, I always have a tiny notebook with me, so when there’s a slow moment or I have to wait on something, then I can just whip that baby out and get to writing. Every second counts, and even if you can’t write anything, but a single sentence, write that sentence down with complete abandon. It will be better than writing nothing at all.
GET YOURSELF AN EGG TIMER

If you have some time at home, but have to divide your time between activities, get yourself an egg timer. My last semester of college, I had reading assignments. So, I would set an egg timer, read for 30 minutes, then write for 30 minutes, and go back and forth until it was time to do something else. BUT. If you don’t have an egg timer, nor do you have college work to do, wash clothes. Pop a load of laundry into the washing machine or dryer, then write until the timers go off. Then, fold and transfer the laundry around. When you’re done, get back to writing. This can also be done with a dish washer and an oven (if you’re cooking). It’s the small parts of life that are the easiest to utilize.
LOCK YOURSELF UP

Sometimes, it’s not that we don’t have enough time to write, it’s that we’re distracted by other things. Find a room, turn off the cell phone, lock the door and get to writing. A quiet room with no distractions is a blessing to any writer, so take advantage of it.

Like I said before, a writer is just someone who writes. These are small everyday tasks and routines that can be easily implemented into most lifestyles, which will help you become a better and more consistent writer. Now, for my favorite part of any blog post, questions! What do you do to keep writing? Do you use these techniques? Do you have any other techniques not on this list? Have a question? Let me know, and comment below!

Thanks for reading.

-Lissy

Have a request for a blog post topic? Just wanna ask a question? Go to my About and Contact page, fill out the contact sheet, and shoot me an email! I look forward to hearing from you.

Filed under: Writing and Marketing Tips

Why I hand write versus type my first drafts

Call me old-fashioned, but even at my age, I prefer the written word over typing up something. I still write letters, notes, and thank-you cards, mainly because it just seems more fun that way. Why? Not exactly sure. My friends say I was born an 80-year-old woman, and I have to agree with them in a few instances, but there is a method to my madness.

Maybe you’ll agree, but maybe you won’t. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

IT PREVENTS ME FROM PRE-EDITING

Writing in a notebook makes it that much harder to go back and edit extensively. Not saying it can’t be done, but it’s much harder to flip back and mark things out than to just scroll up and start butchering left and right. There’s nothing wrong with fixing minor errors, mind you. But large, developmental edits should be saved until the very end when there is a final product in your hands.
IT HELPS ME CONCENTRATE

Less distraction = more writing. With the internet and my tiny brain, I am constantly fighting with myself to stay focused. Sure, they have meds for that, but I prefer the non-medicated Lissy when I write (Just by-the-by, I don’t condone any form of drug or substance abuse. Drugs are bad, so don’t go pilfering through your grandma’s medicine cabinet for those little orange heart pills. They’re bad, too). Notebooks tend to be less distracting, so onward I go.
I GET TO FEED MY NOTEBOOK HABIT

It’s a disease, I admit it. I love nice notebooks, the Cambridge Mead brand in particular. They’re just lovely to have, and I love putting them on shelves once they’re filled to the brim with my words. There’s just something so satisfying about filling up a notebook. It’s like a mini-job-well-done. Can’t beat that.
EASY TO SCRIBBLE IN NOTES

My brain is constantly spitting out new little details to be added, whether it’s later or earlier on in the manuscript – doesn’t matter. I’ll scribble that puppy in and once I’m done with the first draft, I’ll fill them in during the rewrite. This is definitely a point that I’m going to have people argue with me over, but, in my case, I find it easier to use margins for my notes rather than the note feature in Scrivener. *shrug*
NO WORD COUNT

Word counts shouldn’t matter. They just shouldn’t. You need to focus on the first draft and get that baby done – word count, or not. Write until you finish. Handwriting allows me to avoid the constant pressure of checking for that word count. I focus on the story, and check the word count later.
IT HELPS WITH MY EDITING PROCESS

I’ve already written an extensive post on my editing process, and I don’t plan on going through it all over again, but I do hop from notebook, to typewriter, then to computer so I can get thorough readings and edits done before any major developmental work. It’s just a part of my preferences I suppose.

It’s long, drawn out, and old-fashioned, but it’s how I do it. Now, for my favorite part of any blog post: The Discussion. So, I shall ask you all a couple of questions. What are your preferences as far as writing goes? Do you have notebooks dedicated to first drafts? Do you only use computers? Do you take advantage of typewriters? Let me know, and comment below!

Thanks for reading.

-Lissy

Have a request for a blog post topic? Just wanna ask a question? Go to my About and Contact page, fill out the contact sheet, and shoot me an email! I look forward to hearing from you.

Filed under: Personal Posts, Writing and Marketing Tips

How I went from writing fanfiction to original work, and how Kindle Worlds hasn’t changed my perspective

Ever since the release of Amazon’s Kindle Worlds was announced, I’ve begun to notice a strange shift in the way writers view other writers. Namely, how writers of original fiction see fanfiction writers “cheat,” and by that I assume they mean that they use other people’s characters and worlds rather than starting from scratch like original fiction writers do. I, personally, love fanfiction.

I started writing it in middle school when the anime Naruto first came out in the U.S. I was a huge anime nerd, mainly because I thought the characters were always so unique, interesting, and adult, though they were in a cartoon-style. Thus, I discovered fanfiction. I wrote over 135 fanfiction pieces, all of which have long since been taken down and buried somewhere – its whereabouts only known to me, and I’ll take that information to the grave.

I have had a few stints of it every once in a while, but none as obsessive as that (We can all thank Iron Man 3 for bringing me back to the fanfiction side of things). Regardless, I can say that writing fanfic has helped in ways, nearly impossible to put down on paper, but I’m stubborn. So, I will try.

TAUGHT ME CHARACTERIZATION

Many people would probably argue with me on this point, but with writing fanfic, the writer is given set characters, with set thoughts, opinions, and feelings on things. Tony Stark is snappy, witty, and blunt. Pepper is witty, though much more sensitive compared to Stark. To write them, I had to learn how to incorporate their voice in my style of writing. I learned how to define multiple characters’ voices and how to set them apart from the others. The only time a fanfic writer might “cheat,” here is if they blatantly alter a character’s personality to fit their plot. Unless, of course, something traumatic and life-changing occurs. Then, I could see a possible voice change.
TAUGHT ME HOW TO WRITE CREATIVELY

While all authors and writers are creative in one way or another, writing fanfic pushed me to find more creativity. The world has already been established, and there are plenty of people who write fanfic for the same characters and will play off of the same canon situations, so I had to be creative. I had to find a way to differentiate myself from the masses, which is not to say I was successful. It was always trial-and-error. Some things would work, some would fall flat, but I did learn what worked, and that made it all worth it in the end.
TAUGHT ME HOW TO MARKET

Like I have stated previously, when writing fanfic I was writing in a pre-set world with pre-set characters, and with so many other people writing about the same characters in that same world, I was often swept away in the sea of new fanfic being published 24/7. I had to differentiate myself, then I had to let people know that, “Hey! I’m different! Look at me, look at me!” though in a much less annoying manner. I joined forums, learned how to attractively post links, share information without sounding condescending or rude, and I made friends in the process who read and helped me with my work. Yes. You have a step as far as marketing goes because everyone already knows the world and its characters, but with so many people flooding in with the same content, it takes a bit of leg work to be noticed.
FANFIC IS PRACTICE

I started on fanfic. I know a lot of writers that started off on fanfic. Fanfic helped me learn to craft and use words in a tasteful and clear way, and with the amount of fanfic I was pushing out, I got plenty of practice with it.

Writers are writers, no matter the content they put out. I remember not too long ago there was forum up bashing erotica writers because it was, “Porn, not actual writing.” I disagreed then, too, and I’m seeing the same arguments coming up with fanfiction. Writers are worried that the fanfiction market will make it that much harder to stand out with original fiction. In my opinion, people who want to read fanfiction, are going to hunt specifically for fanfiction. People who want to read original fiction are going to hunt specifically new, original fiction, plus, there are plenty of sites where there are FREE fanfics. Why would people start paying for it, when they could just get it for free somewhere else? They each have their own separate markets and fanbases, and I doubt we’ll be seeing any shift in sales when it comes to Original Fiction versus FanFiction, but I guess we’ll have to wait in see.

In the meantime, what are your thoughts on fanfiction? Do you like it? Hate it? Do you read it? Do you write? Let me know, and comment below!

Thanks for reading.

-Lissy

Filed under: Personal Posts