Krys Fenner's Blog, page 5

Self-Inflicted

[image error]A couple of weeks ago in one of my classes, we had to create a discussion post analyzing everyday text using the literary theory we had just learned about. One of my classmates chose to address the Netflix series Thirteen Reasons Why. Now, I haven’t seen the series yet, but I’ve read the book so I understand the premise for the Netflix series. I’m also aware there are some things that were changed, for example, the way Hannah commits suicide is different. I’ve also seen and read some of the articles that have been published since the series released. The show has drawn both negative and positive comments, much like the topic itself.

About a week before this I read a string of comments on Facebook and some of the things people said irked me to my core. I generally don’t comment on strings like that, but I felt it absolutely necessary to say something. [image error]It isn’t just because I’m passionate about suicide, it’s because I’ve been there. I’ve been on that ledge.

When I was 19, I locked myself in the bathroom of the two bedroom apartment I shared with my roommate. I dug a blade out of my razor and cut along a vein in my left arm.

Two things saved my life that day. One, I didn’t know much about what I was doing. Two, my roommate knocked on the door before I had a chance to cut my right arm.

For many years, my family knew nothing of what happened. I didn’t get the help I desperately needed. Instead, I found another way to destroy myself. A way to numb the pain until there was practically nothing left of ME.

[image error]I speak up for Thirteen Reasons Why because I understand the pain Hannah was going through. I understand the choice she made. I understand because I could’ve been her. I almost was.

Now, I get that people are afraid the series romanticizes suicide, but I think they’re missing the point. It isn’t just about getting people to talk about the topic of suicide. And it isn’t about making money as my classmate suggested. And it isn’t trying to say suicide is okay.

It’s about seeing the warning signs. It’s about understanding what they are and how to address them. It’s also about letting teenagers who are contemplating or have attempted suicide that help is possible. That they are not alone in how they feel. Most importantly it’s about helping outsiders understand what that person is going through.

Too many times people call suicide “selfish,” but it’s not. When you are truly thinking about suicide, all you think about is the people around you. It was all I thought about. [image error]I thought I’d no longer be a burden on my family. I thought my friends didn’t really need me and that they’d be better off if I wasn’t around.

I know now that none of that is true. My family would’ve missed me. And if I had committed suicide, I wouldn’t have been there to support my friends the way I have. I also wouldn’t be here today to share my story.

And that is something I’m grateful for. It gives me hope that stories like mine and Hannah’s can save someone’s life.

This is why authors write books like Thirteen Reasons Why. All we want to do is make a difference.

 

 

 

 

Let Your Voice Be Heard

[image error]Light has been shed on the rising problems with social issues among young adults. Suicide, drug addiction, depression, and sexual assault are just a few that are in the media. These aren’t topics that are new, they are just becoming less taboo at the dinner table. Something that we can openly discuss. At least that’s the hope.

Unfortunately, rape and sexual abuse are still under-reported. Suicide and suicide attempts are on the rise. And bullying has become anonymous causing more teens to deal with an invisible disease. This is why it’s so important our voices come together to be heard.

More and more YA novels are coming out to bring attention to these topics. Novels like Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why [image error]and Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak not only let teenagers know they aren’t alone, but offer insight. Though there has been some conflict recently over Thirteen Reasons Why since it was turned into a Netflix series. It’s been suggested it romanticizes suicide. Now, I can’t speak on the series because I have yet to watch it, but I can say the book does just the opposite. As do most YA novels addressing these social issues.

[image error]Authors who write these novels do so to initiate conversations, to bring necessary attention and to show support. It’s imperative that we keep speaking up. If we continue to come together, then we might just make a difference.

Lives can be saved and impacted teens can get the help they need if we let our voices be heard.

If you have a story to share, feel free to post it here. You can post anonymously or leave your name.

[image error]It can be freeing and cathartic just by talking about it. And it may help someone else too.

You are not alone.

You are not broken.

Someone will listen.

Always More to Learn

[image error]Last weekend, I had the pleasure of joining so many authors, editors, and publishers at the Florida Writer’s Association Annual Conference. Sounds like a mouthful doesn’t it? Yeah, it’s a lot to say, but the great thing is I learned so much from it. It was only my second year attending and yet I took away a lot of information.

That’s the thing about this industry. Whether you’re an author, editor, or publisher or you wear all three hats there is always more to learn. For example, one of things that I got to talk about one morning over breakfast with a couple of YA authors was about traditional vs indie publishing. Twenty years ago if you self-published, you weren’t viewed as a “real” author. Today, indie publishing is taking traditional publishing by storm.

In case you don’t know what these two types of publishing are, I’ll break it down. Authors like Stephen King or David Morrell (FWA celebrity guest) are traditionally published. [image error]What this means is they got an agent and that agent sold their book to a publication company. (That is a very simplistic explanation. There’s so much more that goes into it.) Authors like Colleen Hoover are indie or self-published. Basically she loaded her book up on a website, for example, kdp.amazon.com, and 24-72 hours later that book is available for sale. (Again, very simplistic explanation.)

Anyway, so we’re (the authors) talking about the control these two different types of publishing have over various genres. How genres like romance don’t really need traditional publishers any longer. Indie publishing has taken the genre by the horns. Also how traditional publishers are straying from taking on brand new authors. We also talked about the difference between indie publishing and self-publishing.

I know, you’re thinking it’s the same thing, right? Yeah, that’s what I thought too. Until I heard her point. This YA author suggested they are in fact different. And here’s why.

[image error]Anybody can write a book, slap a cover on it, and load it to amazon or a multitude of other e-book sites (Nook, IBook, Kobo, etc.) for free. Yes, I said FREE.

Now I didn’t say it had to be good. The cover can suck, the writing can be atrocious, and that person can still publish it. They may not even do any marketing or branding or anything to get their name out there. This YA author called this self-publishing.

An indie or independently published author kind of does the same thing. Except there’s one difference. She told me they understand that writing is a business. [image error]It isn’t just that the cover and writing matter, but that they take into account any marketing and publicity.

It made so much sense to me. I got what she was saying.

Of course, it got me thinking about myself, having just released my first book. Was I self-published or indie published?

Well, I went to the conference to learn. I know that if I fail, it isn’t because of what someone else did or didn’t do, it’s because I didn’t work hard enough to make it work.

Then it got me thinking about the question my friends posed. At the conference, my friends called me superwoman because I not only had one book finished, but two, with a third in the works. Plus I’m finishing school and I have a daytime job. They asked me how I do it.

Honestly, I don’t think I knew the answer until I spoke to that YA author. Writing is a business. One that never stops evolving. So we must never stop learning.

Let’s Get Real

[image error]The other day I was going through my Facebook posts and I came across one that had a generator for self-publishing. I took the quiz just to see if it would even come close to what I had spent. It wasn’t entirely accurate, but it wasn’t too far off either. Later that day I’m reading some of the comments and I read this one where the author (and I use the term lightly) stated the lowest amount he came up with was $1800. He went on to say he doesn’t pay for editing, he just puts it out there.

I had to stop because the # 1 rule for writers is you NEVER forego editing. And there are a multitude of reasons why. [image error]In fact, if you’ve ever ready Fifty Shades of Grey you know what I’m talking about. Now, I’m not saying I’m perfect. No writer is and no writer will ever claim to be perfect. Perfect does not exist in the world of writing. The closest any of us can get is “just right.” That means it is “just right” in the eyes of the author. No offense to E.L. James, but the writing was atrocious. I read the book once and it was enough to make me question if an editor even glanced at the novel before it was published.

That’s a major difference between self published authors and traditionally published authors. There is almost a guarantee that traditionally published authors have gone through the editing process. Self published authors don’t have to pay an editor to look at the work. Some, like our aforementioned “author” prefer to do their own editing. [image error]Here’s the thing, writers can only look at their work so many times before their eyes begin to cross. It’s the reason a break is often suggested after the first draft. Then again after the second and third and so on. This is also one of the many reasons why an editor is NECESSARY. An editor can find things the writer can’t. They can correct grammar, take out unnecessary prattle, and strengthen the work.

The reason why some authors refuse to use an editor is cost. On average an editor charges anywhere between $0.015 and $0.035 per word. That may not seem like much, until you realize the typical novel runs between 70,000 to 100,000 words. This means an author can spend anywhere from $1,050 to $3500 for the edit of one book. Seems like a lot, huh? Yeah, it can cost a pretty penny, but if the editor is awesome (like mine), then the money is well spent. And this is only if the author self publishes.

Editing isn’t the only thing to think about. A self published author also has to consider their novel’s cover. There are a number of ways to handle this. One, the author may be someone who can put together a good cover, but let’s say for arguments sake they aren’t. The next option is to use a generic cover provided by some of these free sites an author uses for publication. [image error]For example, http://www.createspace.com or http://www.draft2digital.com. Both sites offer a walk-thru cover set-up. The last and final option is to pay for it. Now, depending on who the author uses, this can range anywhere from $50 to $200. This is on top of the editing cost. And let’s face it, readers do judge a book by its cover.

There’s also the interior design, but that’s limited to two choices. Either the author learns how to configure their novel or they pay someone to do it. If an author chooses to pay for the interior design, it could run another $400 in cost. So if the self published author has decided to pay for everything, then they have spent anywhere from $1100 to $4100 to publish one book.

And that is just getting the book out there. You’re probably thinking, what’s left? They’ve done everything right? Wrong.

There’s still advertisement, which is always optional. Creating ads isn’t necessary, but it helps get the information about an author’s book out there. This doesn’t include free advertisement, like friends sharing information about the author’s book or readers who leave reviews. [image error]Or if an author gets blogs to review their book in exchange for a free copy. There are a number of ways to advertise and not all of them are expensive, some are even free. But if an author chooses to pay for ads, this cost could range from $150 to $500 or more.

Let’s review.

Editing: $1050 to $3500, Cover Design: $50 to $200, Interior Design: up to $400, Ads: $150 to $500.

In total, a self published author can spend between $1250 to $4600 to publish one book.

Suddenly it makes sense why a self published author might chose to cut corners.

 

Rating Success

[image error]How do you rate success? There is no easy way to answer that. It all depends on the person. Everybody looks at success differently. Depending on what is most important to a particular individual. If you’re someone who rates motherhood higher than a job, then you might consider yourself successful if you raise happy and healthy children. Or if you’re a person who focuses on their career, then the further along you get, you might consider yourself successful.

So what about writers? How do writers consider themselves successful? Again, that depends on the writer. The general consensus is a writer is successful when they are either renowned or make enough money to pay their bills. This isn’t always the case. In fact, some writers don’t do it for recognition or the money. They do it because they have something to say, a story to tell. And others do it because they want to make a difference.

For me, it’s when I get my readers to feel something. I want my characters to have meaning. I want my readers to connect to my characters. And believe it or not, but I’ve managed to accomplish it with a book that hasn’t even been released yet. [image error]Damaged, Book 2 in my Dark Road series, releases next month.  Currently it’s in review. My editor called me earlier today and she told me I made her cry last night. You can imagine I was a bit surprised, until she told me about the scene that broke her heart. Then it all made sense. It happens to be a scene that makes me tear up myself. Now, I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say this, it’s a gut-wrenching moment between Bella and Jeremiah. When I reveal the cover on the 18th, I think it’ll all make more sense. Though I think the title is a bit of a giveaway.[image error]Though I think the title is a bit of a giveaway.

In the meantime, if you want to see how Bella and Jeremiah’s story begins, the first book, Addicted is now available for a $1.99.

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0767N2TTB/

Barnes & Noble, I-Books, & More: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0767N2TTB/

Being successful makes me feel like I AM GROOT!

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All About the Climb

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Most writers don’t wait for inspiration. They make it happen. Doesn’t mean a story happens overnight. It takes time and hard work. 

I just got off the phone with my editor and we were talking about time. She had given me an initial deadline of this evening for the first half of Addicted. Hurricane Irma kind of had other ideas. And you know what, I’m okay with it taking a couple of days longer. Because I know it’s going to get done right.  [image error]After I got off the phone with her, I sent an e-mail to my cover artist. She’s been working hard on the second cover. Doing all kinds of research to make sure she gets it right. I told her I just wanted to check in. She told me she was still working on it and that she was embarrassed at how long it was taking her. My response: No worries. I would rather she take her time and do it right than overlook something and have to do it again. 

All of this got me thinking about my own journey. I started working on this story in 2009. And it has come a LONG way. As have I. My writing has developed a lot over the last few years. My imagination has expanded. My ability to tell a story and pull readers in has grown.

[image error]Miley Cyrus had it right when she said, “Life’s a climb.” 

The last few years of my writing career have been a journey. One that may have been different if I had made other choices. I’m not going to say better because I don’t know where the road would’ve taken me if I had decided to do this instead of that. But it hasn’t been about the goal, it’s been all about what I’ve learned. Here’s what I’ve learned.

– Take your time. Don’t rush the process. The fast-track does not exist.

– Give yourself breaks. It’s the only way to keep your mind fresh.

– Don’t forget to live your life. What happens around you is the best inspiration you can ask for.

– No one knows everything. As writers, the industry is always changing. Follow those who have made it. You can imitate them, just don’t lose yourself in the process.

Eventually you will reach the finish line. I’m close to mine and I feel the best about it than I ever have in the past.[image error]

Perseverance is the Key

[image error]A couple weeks ago I was hanging out with a friend of mine and we were watching one of my favorite movies, “Remember the Titans.” I never really gave it much thought about why it I like the movie so much. The movie is a great representation of how people can come together, regardless of skin color. I thought this was the reason I loved it so much because it’s something I believe in. Until today. I was going through my Facebook feed and I came across a video of the last scene of “The Pursuit of Happiness.” And it hit me. I love movies like “Gridiron Gang,” “We Are Marshall,” and “The Blind Side” because in all of these movies the protagonist never gave up. [image error]They persevered through all the roadblocks they faced and in the end they overcome every obstacle put in their way. These protagonists didn’t just win a battle, they survived a war. These movies are some of the best examples of inspiration we could ask for. THAT is what I love about them. Each of these movies inspires people to NEVER give up. Although each movie tells their own story, they have this one theme in common.

Marshall loses an entire football team when the plane crashes killing all on board. The town is football. It takes a lot of heart for the town to come together and say, “We want to try.”

[image error]Juvenile offenders are given a chance to be something more because one man refuses to give up on them. One man stood up and said, “We have to try.”

Are you seeing the same thing I am? They didn’t just try, they didn’t give up, they didn’t quit, no matter how hard it got. And because of their perseverance they succeeded. They made a difference. Something we all have the opportunity to do; we just have to try.

These movies, they teach and they inspire.

Never stop chasing your dreams.

Don’t be afraid to go after what you want out of life.

By working hard, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

The key is to never stop trying.

Something I never plan to do. I will never give up. I will work for however long I need to accomplish my goals and become the writer, the person I know I can.

I will persevere. You can too.

 

Lions and Tigers and Bears! Oh my!

Have you ever heard of the term “deep point of view”? Neither had I until about a year ago. I was about as surprised of its existence as Dorothy was about not being in Kansas. (Even if she never really left.) Though, if we think about it really hard, this is probably what all of our English teachers meant when they said, “Show, don’t tell.” Like this terminology has always been in our vocabulary. Just like lions and tigers and bears.

So you can imagine how shocked I was to find out it has been around for at least 40 years. I mean holy shista!!! I’m an English major and with all we learned, I had never heard this term: Deep POV. Turns out, I’m not the only one who had never heard of this. I’ve been asked about it on Twitter and in my writing group. My response: 1st person POV + 3rd person limited omniscience = baby (Deep POV). I know this sounds weird, but I promise to make you understand as easily as possible.

Spring 2014 I took a senior seminar class with Allen Weir. He taught us four points of view (POV): 1st person, objective, limited omniscience and omniscience. Every book you have ever read using “I” or “we” is in 1st person POV. Objective, limited omniscience and omniscience are typically told in 3rd person (“he,” “she,” or “it”). With objective everything is told from an outside view. Kind of like the way we would describe people we watch through a one-way mirror. Limited omniscience tells the story from the view of one or two characters. Omniscience tells the story from every character you meet (two or more).

What then is Deep POV? Jill Elizabeth Nelson described it as remaining “firmly inside the POVC’s (point of view character’s) head, nothing in a scene can be presented for reader consideration that is outside that character’s head.” Is your mind blown? Mine was and still it made so much sense. Deep POV takes away all the telling and forces an author to show. Take for example the following two sentences. Which do you think is Deep POV?

He had to think hard about what to do next.
What should he do next?

If you guessed #2, you’re right. A lot more happens in Deep POV. Since I can’t cover it all, I’ll give you a couple more examples. In Jill’s book she includes a worksheet. I’m going to take one sentence from there and change it to Deep POV and I’ll take one from my own current project – Addicted (previously titled Destroyed).

(Jill’s WS)

Shallow: He wondered whether she would show up for his birthday party.
Deep: Would she even bother to show up for his birthday party?


(Mine)

Shallow: He stared at Gervasio and wondered when they finished how much of his family would remain intact.
Deep: He stared at Gervasio. What would be left of his family when everything was said and done?

Hopefully by now you get the general idea. If you’re a new author or trying to break into the business, Deep POV is what readers want. Challenge yourself and find all of those telling words and throw them out the window. Make your book strong. For more information check out Jill’s book Rivet Your Readers With Deep Point of View.

 

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“Seasons”

 

“Seasons”

Things have changed;

My life is no longer the same.

Once, I walked strong;

But now, those days are gone.

I don’t know how to let go;

 The smile I wear, is  all for show.

 A nightmare, I’d like to escape;

Hopefully it’s not too late.

Brand New Look

If you read my last blog, you know I’ve had a little bit of a journey to get here today. That is the reason I’m proud to share with you the new cover for my first novel.

Even the story has gotten a little bit of a makeover. The timeline has changed a bit, but the story remains the same. And I’ve love to share some of it with you. First, let me give you the new description for the back of the book. Then I’ll talk some about the changes and even give you a sneak peek. I don’t want to give too much away. Especially since the book will be available for purchase this coming October.

New description:

For two years, Bella Kynaston quietly walked through high school. All she had planned was to make it without any incidents. Junior year, everything changed. New responsibilities. Standing up to a bully. First love. And a rape victim.

Now, everybody knows who she is, including her attacker, who doesn’t stop going after her. Survival is more than a goal. It’s her life.

Will she find a way to climb out of the rabbit hole? Will someone offer her a helping hand? Or has she already fallen too deep?

Before I introduce the sneak peek, let me tell you the novel is full of suspense, romance, and a small amount of action. There are characters you’ll love, hate and some you’ll love to hate. And you get to see more of them and get more from the antagonist point of view. Several subplots that will play out in later novels. But I don’t want to tell you everything.

If you think you’re ready to check out the first chapter, click the link below.

Addicted Preview