Karen GoatKeeper's Blog, page 23
May 24, 2017
It's So Simple - Why Did It Take So Long?
The advice for an author is to have a website. So I started a website and try to put posts on it every week.
Of course the purpose of the website is to sell books. In order to do this there must be book information on the website and a way to purchase these books.
The next rule of thumb is to have no more than three clicks of the mouse between looking at a book and purchasing the book. I fail miserably.
The objective is to have book ads on the Home and other pages that link to the sample pages from the book that link to where to purchase the book. The crux of this is to create linked buttons.
Simple? So I was told. Nothing to it!
I looked up the directions. They didn't work.
I looked up more directions. They didn't work.
Notice a pattern?
Maybe I need to take a course in online searching. Maybe I need to check my lucky days and only search on those days.
I finally found simple directions, step by step directions. Where? On the website creator site I tried first but didn't find the right page.
So, my website now has book ads linked to their sample pages. And the 'click on the address' addresses on three books now have clickable buttons that open the pdf's.
There are six more book buttons to create. The sidebar book ads aren't buttons yet. I do have directions. Maybe they work.
Of course the purpose of the website is to sell books. In order to do this there must be book information on the website and a way to purchase these books.
The next rule of thumb is to have no more than three clicks of the mouse between looking at a book and purchasing the book. I fail miserably.
The objective is to have book ads on the Home and other pages that link to the sample pages from the book that link to where to purchase the book. The crux of this is to create linked buttons.
Simple? So I was told. Nothing to it!
I looked up the directions. They didn't work.
I looked up more directions. They didn't work.
Notice a pattern?
Maybe I need to take a course in online searching. Maybe I need to check my lucky days and only search on those days.
I finally found simple directions, step by step directions. Where? On the website creator site I tried first but didn't find the right page.
So, my website now has book ads linked to their sample pages. And the 'click on the address' addresses on three books now have clickable buttons that open the pdf's.
There are six more book buttons to create. The sidebar book ads aren't buttons yet. I do have directions. Maybe they work.
May 17, 2017
Habit Changing Week
When I write a book, I have generally thought about the book in a general way for months. I have a plot point list to keep me on track and keep the book from sagging too much in the middle. I start on page one and write until I can type "The End."
This has worked for me for six novels. It is comfortable. And flawed.
Mistaken Promises, the third in the Hazel Whitmore series, will not write this way. Every few chapters I come to a stop wondering where to go next. There is a plot point list. I have thought about the book and know the general idea of the book. And I come to a stop wondering where I go next.
It is on bullying. The person doing the bullying has a reason and is desperate to hurt Hazel for this reason. One scheme after another falls apart. And I ran out of schemes before running out of book.
Dead stop. Blank mind. Frustration.
So I tried something new, something I never do. I knew what the climax of the book was going to be. I wrote the climax scene.
Now I know the next scheme. I can fill in the time from the former dead stop to the climax.
Then I can finish the climax, the denouement and type "The End."
This has worked for me for six novels. It is comfortable. And flawed.
Mistaken Promises, the third in the Hazel Whitmore series, will not write this way. Every few chapters I come to a stop wondering where to go next. There is a plot point list. I have thought about the book and know the general idea of the book. And I come to a stop wondering where I go next.
It is on bullying. The person doing the bullying has a reason and is desperate to hurt Hazel for this reason. One scheme after another falls apart. And I ran out of schemes before running out of book.
Dead stop. Blank mind. Frustration.
So I tried something new, something I never do. I knew what the climax of the book was going to be. I wrote the climax scene.
Now I know the next scheme. I can fill in the time from the former dead stop to the climax.
Then I can finish the climax, the denouement and type "The End."
May 10, 2017
Natural Disasters
A book on a rainy day. That sounds like a good prescription and I took it. And I missed the developing disaster.
It was a rainy day following some other rainy days. The sky was gray. Rain fell steadily. Thunder rumbled making the computer off limits and turned off. The chores were done. I was almost done with the latest mystery book.
I settled in and opened the book. It was a good way to pass the time. For those interested, the book was Double Booked for Death by Ali Brandon. I finished it.
That was when my companion came in to tell me about the rain. I knew about the rain. At least I thought I did.
It seems my companion had watched the rain pour down to the tune of 5 inches in two hours, the creek rise three feet and take out the bridge, the road turn into a river course digging deep ditches across the road and along the side. The water was rising across the yard but stopped twenty feet away. The roof sprang a leak.
Across the road the creek was up to the rise before my garden. Water stretched across the pastures. Chickens huddled with drenched feathers under any shelter they could find. Goats gave up on the idea of grass and devoured their hay.
The creek is back in its banks. The pastures are no longer wading pools. The road is rough but driveable.
Now the clean up is ongoing. Lives are getting put back in order. My blog here at GR will get back on schedule. At least until the next natural disaster.
It was a rainy day following some other rainy days. The sky was gray. Rain fell steadily. Thunder rumbled making the computer off limits and turned off. The chores were done. I was almost done with the latest mystery book.
I settled in and opened the book. It was a good way to pass the time. For those interested, the book was Double Booked for Death by Ali Brandon. I finished it.
That was when my companion came in to tell me about the rain. I knew about the rain. At least I thought I did.
It seems my companion had watched the rain pour down to the tune of 5 inches in two hours, the creek rise three feet and take out the bridge, the road turn into a river course digging deep ditches across the road and along the side. The water was rising across the yard but stopped twenty feet away. The roof sprang a leak.
Across the road the creek was up to the rise before my garden. Water stretched across the pastures. Chickens huddled with drenched feathers under any shelter they could find. Goats gave up on the idea of grass and devoured their hay.
The creek is back in its banks. The pastures are no longer wading pools. The road is rough but driveable.
Now the clean up is ongoing. Lives are getting put back in order. My blog here at GR will get back on schedule. At least until the next natural disaster.
April 19, 2017
Reading Books
This week I seem to be getting several notices about a World Reading Day. Designating a day for some project might be fine, I don't know much about how such a designation influences people. The cause is important as so many people don't read, if they can avoid it.
The local schools do something called Accelerated Reading where students must read a number of books off a list and take comprehension tests about them. The purpose is to encourage students to read. The result is often the opposite making them resent reading.
How do you get a young person to enjoy reading? I don't know exactly. Perhaps it must be done on an individual basis.
What I do know is that students read books they enjoy reading on topics they are interested in. Too often book lists are too limited in scope.
A history class long ago had a book list. The class went into shock when the list was passed out. It was six or seven pages long.
Then the directions were given. We were to choose a half dozen books from the list, read them and turn in simple book reports. What helped was the range of books on the list which included nonfiction history on many events and machines and fictional historical novels. Some were short. Others were long. The long ones gained more points but the choices were ours and we could read more, if we wanted to.
I don't remember exactly what happened way back then but the idea has appeal. It let students find what interested them at a level they were comfortable reading. Of course, there would need to be more oversight now with the internet book reviews.
The slogan now is: Make America Great Again. Trade policy won't do it. Jobs won't do it. Education, and love of reading is an important part of this, can.
Let's read to it.
The local schools do something called Accelerated Reading where students must read a number of books off a list and take comprehension tests about them. The purpose is to encourage students to read. The result is often the opposite making them resent reading.
How do you get a young person to enjoy reading? I don't know exactly. Perhaps it must be done on an individual basis.
What I do know is that students read books they enjoy reading on topics they are interested in. Too often book lists are too limited in scope.
A history class long ago had a book list. The class went into shock when the list was passed out. It was six or seven pages long.
Then the directions were given. We were to choose a half dozen books from the list, read them and turn in simple book reports. What helped was the range of books on the list which included nonfiction history on many events and machines and fictional historical novels. Some were short. Others were long. The long ones gained more points but the choices were ours and we could read more, if we wanted to.
I don't remember exactly what happened way back then but the idea has appeal. It let students find what interested them at a level they were comfortable reading. Of course, there would need to be more oversight now with the internet book reviews.
The slogan now is: Make America Great Again. Trade policy won't do it. Jobs won't do it. Education, and love of reading is an important part of this, can.
Let's read to it.
April 5, 2017
Creating Worlds
Camp NaNo is busy accumulating words this month. Another part of all NaNo events are the various pep talk and tips emails. Often they are thought provoking and the latest by Tilia Klebenov Jacobs is no exception.
World building has always been something sciefi and fantasy writers do. It's a necessary prerequisite to such books as the imaginary world must remain consistent throughout the book or series.
Jacobs brought up a different take on world building. It is an important part of any fiction book. Even a modern day book is based on imaginary characters operating in a place they inhabit. That world must remain consistent throughout the story.
Sounds familiar?
I would even extend this to nonfiction as even these narratives must stay true to their settings throughout the book.
Before a setting is real on the printed page, it must be real to the author. Of course, the writer can visualize the setting, outline the main points of the setting, even sketch the setting. That doesn't make it real.
Jacobs brought up an interesting way to make the setting real. She suggests pretending to sit in the main character's room and describe ten things about this room: smells, sounds, objects. This can be extended to plot development by having one of the objects being a secret. Why is this thing a secret? Where is it hidden?
A person's room says so much about a person. Think about your own room. What pictures are on the wall? What color are the walls? Is it neat or messy? What does your room say about you?
Character is so important in a book. This simple exercise may be a way to make a setting real, but it also makes the character real. And that improves the book, any book, regardless of genre.
World building has always been something sciefi and fantasy writers do. It's a necessary prerequisite to such books as the imaginary world must remain consistent throughout the book or series.
Jacobs brought up a different take on world building. It is an important part of any fiction book. Even a modern day book is based on imaginary characters operating in a place they inhabit. That world must remain consistent throughout the story.
Sounds familiar?
I would even extend this to nonfiction as even these narratives must stay true to their settings throughout the book.
Before a setting is real on the printed page, it must be real to the author. Of course, the writer can visualize the setting, outline the main points of the setting, even sketch the setting. That doesn't make it real.
Jacobs brought up an interesting way to make the setting real. She suggests pretending to sit in the main character's room and describe ten things about this room: smells, sounds, objects. This can be extended to plot development by having one of the objects being a secret. Why is this thing a secret? Where is it hidden?
A person's room says so much about a person. Think about your own room. What pictures are on the wall? What color are the walls? Is it neat or messy? What does your room say about you?
Character is so important in a book. This simple exercise may be a way to make a setting real, but it also makes the character real. And that improves the book, any book, regardless of genre.
March 15, 2017
Catching Readers
Lately I've been reading several books and found they are very different in how well they catch me as a reader.
Jane Austin deserves her reputation as a good writer. Her story Emma is well written, paced well for the genre and brings the times and people to life.
I struggled through the 465 pages determined to finish the book. Why? I did not like the characters.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is over 800 pages long. The first day had me up 200 pages. I regretted finishing the final page.
Why the difference? I like the main characters in the Harry Potter series. The action plot line does influence this but I have read books with lots of action I struggled through.
As a writer, one goal is to entice a reader to not only pick up a book and start reading it, but to keep the reader willingly, gladly reading to the end. What I notice as a reader can help me improve my writing.
Between these two well written books, the difference for me, as a reader, is the characterizations. Both books have well rounded characters. But one set I could relate to and the other I couldn't, even resented a little.
My next novel draft awaits my attention. Now I will rethink my characters. How can I make them more appealing to my readers? How can I make them more real?
Jane Austin deserves her reputation as a good writer. Her story Emma is well written, paced well for the genre and brings the times and people to life.
I struggled through the 465 pages determined to finish the book. Why? I did not like the characters.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is over 800 pages long. The first day had me up 200 pages. I regretted finishing the final page.
Why the difference? I like the main characters in the Harry Potter series. The action plot line does influence this but I have read books with lots of action I struggled through.
As a writer, one goal is to entice a reader to not only pick up a book and start reading it, but to keep the reader willingly, gladly reading to the end. What I notice as a reader can help me improve my writing.
Between these two well written books, the difference for me, as a reader, is the characterizations. Both books have well rounded characters. But one set I could relate to and the other I couldn't, even resented a little.
My next novel draft awaits my attention. Now I will rethink my characters. How can I make them more appealing to my readers? How can I make them more real?
March 8, 2017
New Old Projects
The exciting feeling I get starting a new writing project provides so much momentum. It helps power me through the plot problems, the story line doldrums. It keeps me plodding along until that rough draft is done.
My new two books were powered along by this momentum making it so much easier to keep working on draft after draft. Having the two did provide some help as I could work on one for a new draft. Then I would shift to the other one to do a new draft. By the time I was ready to shift back to the first one again, it felt fresher, easier to work on.
Now the two are done. And an old partial draft sits waiting for attention. That momentum is long gone. The draft isn't.
This is no fault of the draft. It is the third in my series and needs to close out the second book. I know the characters. I now know the complete, more or less, plot. Any writer knows plots can take surprise twists.
What's missing is the magic.
I'm in the middle section, the doldrums. This is the place where the draft suddenly feels like a stupid waste of time. It isn't really.
Writing will now be work. Each page will take outlines. Each word will take effort.
Maybe, if I keep slogging, some of the magic will return. I hope so. Slogging is no fun and writing is supposed to be fun.
My new two books were powered along by this momentum making it so much easier to keep working on draft after draft. Having the two did provide some help as I could work on one for a new draft. Then I would shift to the other one to do a new draft. By the time I was ready to shift back to the first one again, it felt fresher, easier to work on.
Now the two are done. And an old partial draft sits waiting for attention. That momentum is long gone. The draft isn't.
This is no fault of the draft. It is the third in my series and needs to close out the second book. I know the characters. I now know the complete, more or less, plot. Any writer knows plots can take surprise twists.
What's missing is the magic.
I'm in the middle section, the doldrums. This is the place where the draft suddenly feels like a stupid waste of time. It isn't really.
Writing will now be work. Each page will take outlines. Each word will take effort.
Maybe, if I keep slogging, some of the magic will return. I hope so. Slogging is no fun and writing is supposed to be fun.
March 1, 2017
Time to Relax?
The two books are written, edited, covers done. It's time to relax for a few days before starting the next project.
That only happens if a writer puts that book in the drawer. Indie authors have more to do.
Self publishing is popular. The royalties are better. The control is better. The headaches are better.
Each online publisher has a set of rules. Those rules are published and usually easy to understand and follow. Why don't they work?
In order to keep costs down and volume up, these publishers are highly automated. Anyone who uses a computer knows this is asking for problems.
I have trouble with right and left. My online publisher tends to move copy right. I tried to compensate by moving my copy the wrong way.
That was the first reformatting.
Then there is the cover. The dimensions given on the site sound fine but don't work. They are too big.
Second reformatting.
On one cover I'm up to the third reformat.
At least the interior was approved after the last reformat.
Next I get to tackle the ebook formats.
Time to relax?
My next draft is already up on my computer.
That only happens if a writer puts that book in the drawer. Indie authors have more to do.
Self publishing is popular. The royalties are better. The control is better. The headaches are better.
Each online publisher has a set of rules. Those rules are published and usually easy to understand and follow. Why don't they work?
In order to keep costs down and volume up, these publishers are highly automated. Anyone who uses a computer knows this is asking for problems.
I have trouble with right and left. My online publisher tends to move copy right. I tried to compensate by moving my copy the wrong way.
That was the first reformatting.
Then there is the cover. The dimensions given on the site sound fine but don't work. They are too big.
Second reformatting.
On one cover I'm up to the third reformat.
At least the interior was approved after the last reformat.
Next I get to tackle the ebook formats.
Time to relax?
My next draft is already up on my computer.
February 22, 2017
Book Add Ons
The book is written. The author can sit back and relax.
Big joke.
The text may be done but the book isn't. The author better keep the computer up and running. It is add on time.
When a reader opens a book, there is a title page. This page doesn't appear by magic. It takes planning. What font fits the story? How big? Is there a graphic to add? How does the title fit along with the author's name on the page?
Turn the page over and all this information is there about the book. Copyright dates, ISBN numbers, publishing rights and other author information like website address.
Is there a dedication? What about a Table of Contents? Ebooks definitely need this along with internal links so the reader can move around in the book easily. Print books need the page numbers.
Then come sections for acknowledgements, author's notes and biography. Each of these must be for this particular book. Even the biography should be gone over and adjusted for the book.
The people in the acknowledgements may want to read this over before it appears in print. Be sure to spell all the names correctly.
One other add on is popular with readers. There should be a list of other books written by the author. If the reader likes this book, another one may appear on the reading list. Should this just list the titles? Perhaps each book should have a short description. Are the titles of a series in order?
Sometimes I think writing the novel is the easy part.
Big joke.
The text may be done but the book isn't. The author better keep the computer up and running. It is add on time.
When a reader opens a book, there is a title page. This page doesn't appear by magic. It takes planning. What font fits the story? How big? Is there a graphic to add? How does the title fit along with the author's name on the page?
Turn the page over and all this information is there about the book. Copyright dates, ISBN numbers, publishing rights and other author information like website address.
Is there a dedication? What about a Table of Contents? Ebooks definitely need this along with internal links so the reader can move around in the book easily. Print books need the page numbers.
Then come sections for acknowledgements, author's notes and biography. Each of these must be for this particular book. Even the biography should be gone over and adjusted for the book.
The people in the acknowledgements may want to read this over before it appears in print. Be sure to spell all the names correctly.
One other add on is popular with readers. There should be a list of other books written by the author. If the reader likes this book, another one may appear on the reading list. Should this just list the titles? Perhaps each book should have a short description. Are the titles of a series in order?
Sometimes I think writing the novel is the easy part.
February 15, 2017
Fantasy Creatures
I'm normally pretty rooted in reality. Fantasy is not a favorite genre. It's not that I like gritty true-to-life stories, I choose nonfiction for that. I like storybook endings.
Yet somehow I ended up drifting away into fantasy with Edwina. It was rather fun.
Aleta needed someone to push her out of herself and her "Pity me" attitude. Adults do that but young readers don't like having parents or other adults telling them what to do. The adults are often at the root of the problem as they are for Aleta.
Friends are good for analyzing ad infinitum what is wrong with you. Their suggestions, if they are also young, either sound like adult speech or wishful thinking.
I had a main character. She had a problem. I needed someone to push her minus these obstacles. Enter the invisible friend.
Except Aleta is too old for an invisible friend. And an invisible friend would only be a friend, not one to push her outside of her defeatism.
So Aleta's invisible friend became a fairy of sorts. But forget the fairy godmother routine. This fairy had to stir things up, get Aleta to take action. So Edwina became a pooka with my own additions.
This makes my Edwina character wound like so much logical deduction. In truth she just appeared in the story because she belonged there. She added fun, adventure, daring and pushed Aleta while she was at it.
Perhaps that is why so many people enjoy writing about fantasy creatures. I find it pushed me out of my comfort zone a little, made me stretch my writing a little. It makes me want to push a little further and see what else is out there.
Yet somehow I ended up drifting away into fantasy with Edwina. It was rather fun.
Aleta needed someone to push her out of herself and her "Pity me" attitude. Adults do that but young readers don't like having parents or other adults telling them what to do. The adults are often at the root of the problem as they are for Aleta.
Friends are good for analyzing ad infinitum what is wrong with you. Their suggestions, if they are also young, either sound like adult speech or wishful thinking.
I had a main character. She had a problem. I needed someone to push her minus these obstacles. Enter the invisible friend.
Except Aleta is too old for an invisible friend. And an invisible friend would only be a friend, not one to push her outside of her defeatism.
So Aleta's invisible friend became a fairy of sorts. But forget the fairy godmother routine. This fairy had to stir things up, get Aleta to take action. So Edwina became a pooka with my own additions.
This makes my Edwina character wound like so much logical deduction. In truth she just appeared in the story because she belonged there. She added fun, adventure, daring and pushed Aleta while she was at it.
Perhaps that is why so many people enjoy writing about fantasy creatures. I find it pushed me out of my comfort zone a little, made me stretch my writing a little. It makes me want to push a little further and see what else is out there.
