Karen GoatKeeper's Blog - Posts Tagged "capri-capers"
How a Map Changes a Novel
The bad guys zipped into a state forest and into a maze of roads followed by the deputies. The roads twist and turn. And i got lost.
If the author gets lost, what will the poor readers do?
And so I drew a map. I pored through Capri Capers for every mention of the state forest and its roads. Finally I devised a map that almost worked for every mention.
Notice that almost. Obviously my mental road map had some defects in it. No wonder I got lost.
Now that I have a map, I get to work my way through Capri Capers again matching each adventure involving the state forest roads to the map.
A right turn became a left turn. Several turns became two. A cabin turned to face another direction.
Next is the problem of cell phone service in the forest. If there is no service in an area, there must be a reason. Otherwise the whole story in that section changes.
I am glad to have the map. I don't want my readers lost among the trees. But matching the story with the map takes a lot of careful reading and many changes.
If the author gets lost, what will the poor readers do?
And so I drew a map. I pored through Capri Capers for every mention of the state forest and its roads. Finally I devised a map that almost worked for every mention.
Notice that almost. Obviously my mental road map had some defects in it. No wonder I got lost.
Now that I have a map, I get to work my way through Capri Capers again matching each adventure involving the state forest roads to the map.
A right turn became a left turn. Several turns became two. A cabin turned to face another direction.
Next is the problem of cell phone service in the forest. If there is no service in an area, there must be a reason. Otherwise the whole story in that section changes.
I am glad to have the map. I don't want my readers lost among the trees. But matching the story with the map takes a lot of careful reading and many changes.
Preorder Listings
One of my writing goals for this year is to get serious about marketing my books. I love writing books. It's exciting to offer them on Amazon, Smashwords and elsewhere. It is so disappointing to have no one look at them.
Capri Capers is supposed to be out in March. According to all I've read, publicity begins even before now. I should be setting up preorders, telling people about it.
I decided I would find out about preorders and set at least one up this week.
I finished the rewrite adjusting the novel to the map. There were numerous direction and description changes but I'm not lost in the state forest anymore.
The novel is on track. Set up that preorder.
Except Capri Capers has another problem. I've messed up the timeline again. And there is this farmhand Jack Handy. What does a farmhand do? I can't afford one so I'm at a loss here.
Panic sets in. Cancel the preordeer set up.
My timeline is again in order. I've come up with a list of chores for Jack Handy. Yes, it means yet another rewrite.
The preorder is on the list again.
Maybe I can procrastinate some more agonizing over the cover. No, I know what the cover will be. It isn't drawn yet but I know what it is.
All right. I am just looking for an excuse to not do the pre-release marketing. It is so much easier to slide back off the radar, to not try to get noticed. Someone may not like my book. Even with improved marketing no one may notice my book.
That would mean putting in all that time and effort for nothing. Why bother? I can use that time to write.
But Capri Capers might get noticed if I put out that time and effort. If I don't try, I'll always wonder.
Now, where do I find out how to do a preorder?
Capri Capers is supposed to be out in March. According to all I've read, publicity begins even before now. I should be setting up preorders, telling people about it.
I decided I would find out about preorders and set at least one up this week.
I finished the rewrite adjusting the novel to the map. There were numerous direction and description changes but I'm not lost in the state forest anymore.
The novel is on track. Set up that preorder.
Except Capri Capers has another problem. I've messed up the timeline again. And there is this farmhand Jack Handy. What does a farmhand do? I can't afford one so I'm at a loss here.
Panic sets in. Cancel the preordeer set up.
My timeline is again in order. I've come up with a list of chores for Jack Handy. Yes, it means yet another rewrite.
The preorder is on the list again.
Maybe I can procrastinate some more agonizing over the cover. No, I know what the cover will be. It isn't drawn yet but I know what it is.
All right. I am just looking for an excuse to not do the pre-release marketing. It is so much easier to slide back off the radar, to not try to get noticed. Someone may not like my book. Even with improved marketing no one may notice my book.
That would mean putting in all that time and effort for nothing. Why bother? I can use that time to write.
But Capri Capers might get noticed if I put out that time and effort. If I don't try, I'll always wonder.
Now, where do I find out how to do a preorder?
Writing Book Descriptions
There are two things a writer must have before trying to set up a preorder. One is a novel nearing completion. The other is a book description.
When a reader goes looking for a book, the title or the cover may catch an eye. The reader will pick up the book and flip it over to read the book description.
This 150 words or less description of the book is what the reader will use to either take the book home or put it back on the shelf.
Capri Capers needed a book description. The way I thought about the book would not make a good description. I remembered how I started the novel as a cross between a 1930's movie serial and melodrama. The novel has morphed several times since then.
As the advice recommends, I went browsing down the book shelves reading book descriptions. Then I sat down and tried to write one for Capri Capers. No dice. They stunk.
A good book description is written like a publisher trying to sell a book. This is a different mindset from an author immersed in writing the book, sifting through subplots, correcting mistakes, bringing characters to life. None of this fits in 150 words.
I would like to say sitting at my computer all the elements came together and a great book description appeared. No, I tried and tried and got nowhere. Instead I slept on it and flew to my computer in the morning.
Book Description for Capri Capers:
Harriet Zeigenhirt should be living her dream life. After all, she won millions in the lottery, bought her perfect property and her long desired goats.
Instead Harriet's life lurches from crisis to crisis. Even her favorite kid Capri ends up in the thick of thins.
Leroy Rogue and Roscoe Rascal want their share of those millions and will do almost anything to get it.
Dan Janus loves fine restaurants and clothes. This takes money. Harriet needs a husband and he wants it to be him by fair means or foul.
Harriet's friend Deputy Arthur Carlson tries to lead Harriet through this maze of perils in this wild race reminiscent of an old time movie serial.
When a reader goes looking for a book, the title or the cover may catch an eye. The reader will pick up the book and flip it over to read the book description.
This 150 words or less description of the book is what the reader will use to either take the book home or put it back on the shelf.
Capri Capers needed a book description. The way I thought about the book would not make a good description. I remembered how I started the novel as a cross between a 1930's movie serial and melodrama. The novel has morphed several times since then.
As the advice recommends, I went browsing down the book shelves reading book descriptions. Then I sat down and tried to write one for Capri Capers. No dice. They stunk.
A good book description is written like a publisher trying to sell a book. This is a different mindset from an author immersed in writing the book, sifting through subplots, correcting mistakes, bringing characters to life. None of this fits in 150 words.
I would like to say sitting at my computer all the elements came together and a great book description appeared. No, I tried and tried and got nowhere. Instead I slept on it and flew to my computer in the morning.
Book Description for Capri Capers:
Harriet Zeigenhirt should be living her dream life. After all, she won millions in the lottery, bought her perfect property and her long desired goats.
Instead Harriet's life lurches from crisis to crisis. Even her favorite kid Capri ends up in the thick of thins.
Leroy Rogue and Roscoe Rascal want their share of those millions and will do almost anything to get it.
Dan Janus loves fine restaurants and clothes. This takes money. Harriet needs a husband and he wants it to be him by fair means or foul.
Harriet's friend Deputy Arthur Carlson tries to lead Harriet through this maze of perils in this wild race reminiscent of an old time movie serial.
