Tony Walker's Blog, page 7
April 11, 2014
Beats
I've heard of beats before, mainly from 'Write, Publish, Repeat' by +Sean Platt and +Johnny B. Truant which I would very heartily recommend.
I'm also familiar with story arcs etc, but kinda pantsed most things. I quite enjoyed the feeling that things would just emerge from your characters and the situations you were in. However, with the story I'm writing at the moment, I got stuck. I must admit I did take on the criticisms of my one star review (have I mentioned that before?) that the story lacked direction.
So I found Save the Cat by the late Blake Snyder.
I have gone back through my current story and revised it in line with Blake Synder's suggestions and I think it has improved it. There is a lot of discussion of beats out there. I have enjoyed +Jami Gold 's blog and she usefully discusses whether beats lead to formulaic writing. That's here. Massively useful to me as someone who barely understands, but loves what he knows of Excel spreadsheets - are the spreadsheets she uses to give your story its shape and length. Maybe not for you, but I like 'em. They are here
More good words on Blake Snyder's beats by +Tim Stout here and by Pitr here
On a personal level, I have had some lovely emails and some great reviews for the Haunting which made me feel a whole lot better.
I also messed with the cover for the Exorcist which I think is now a whole lot better, though it isn't showing up yet on Amazon unless you buy the story.
Anyway, it's sunnyish here now and I am going to get my slumbering teenagers up and make them walk up a a hill. I am prepared for defeat.
I'm also familiar with story arcs etc, but kinda pantsed most things. I quite enjoyed the feeling that things would just emerge from your characters and the situations you were in. However, with the story I'm writing at the moment, I got stuck. I must admit I did take on the criticisms of my one star review (have I mentioned that before?) that the story lacked direction.
So I found Save the Cat by the late Blake Snyder.
I have gone back through my current story and revised it in line with Blake Synder's suggestions and I think it has improved it. There is a lot of discussion of beats out there. I have enjoyed +Jami Gold 's blog and she usefully discusses whether beats lead to formulaic writing. That's here. Massively useful to me as someone who barely understands, but loves what he knows of Excel spreadsheets - are the spreadsheets she uses to give your story its shape and length. Maybe not for you, but I like 'em. They are here
More good words on Blake Snyder's beats by +Tim Stout here and by Pitr here
On a personal level, I have had some lovely emails and some great reviews for the Haunting which made me feel a whole lot better.
I also messed with the cover for the Exorcist which I think is now a whole lot better, though it isn't showing up yet on Amazon unless you buy the story.
Anyway, it's sunnyish here now and I am going to get my slumbering teenagers up and make them walk up a a hill. I am prepared for defeat.
April 5, 2014
Mysteriouser
Well I continue to struggle and travail (not sure if you can use that as a verb in English) with reviews and writing. One of my books is doing enormously well - 1375 (free) copies out since 1st April. We'll see if it continues to sell after it goes to 99 cents.
Regarding the Haunting - I have had 2 positive reviews on US Amazon. One looks like it's a put up because it's so good, but it wasn't. On Goodreads the ratings have been pretty ok 5stars, 4stars, 1 3 star. But on UK Amazon I got a 1 star (I think I mentioned this) and that gutted. Then yesterday I got a really awful 1 star. The book has now gone free even though it's not free anywhere else - because someone ratted on me that I had a free promotion on Smashwords. Idc about that. So this woman (I suspect it might be the same woman...) wrote a terribly horrible review. Given it's free she couldn't even say "don't waste your money" but resorted to "don't waste your time". The review is entitled Don't Bother! I don't think I deserve that.
This is a hard game to play. If anyone loves me I'd be grateful for a positive review on UK Amazon for the Haunting; that is if you feel you can. If you can't, just email me and break it to me how bad it really is.
Weirdly I look at the good reviews, am pleased, but they don't go in. I say "it's just because the people are nice" - I only believe the bad reviews, though I think the people are nasty! I wouldn't just trash someone. I've read some bad stuff, but I just leave it and move on.
Anyway, yous all have a great day.
Tony
Regarding the Haunting - I have had 2 positive reviews on US Amazon. One looks like it's a put up because it's so good, but it wasn't. On Goodreads the ratings have been pretty ok 5stars, 4stars, 1 3 star. But on UK Amazon I got a 1 star (I think I mentioned this) and that gutted. Then yesterday I got a really awful 1 star. The book has now gone free even though it's not free anywhere else - because someone ratted on me that I had a free promotion on Smashwords. Idc about that. So this woman (I suspect it might be the same woman...) wrote a terribly horrible review. Given it's free she couldn't even say "don't waste your money" but resorted to "don't waste your time". The review is entitled Don't Bother! I don't think I deserve that.
This is a hard game to play. If anyone loves me I'd be grateful for a positive review on UK Amazon for the Haunting; that is if you feel you can. If you can't, just email me and break it to me how bad it really is.
Weirdly I look at the good reviews, am pleased, but they don't go in. I say "it's just because the people are nice" - I only believe the bad reviews, though I think the people are nasty! I wouldn't just trash someone. I've read some bad stuff, but I just leave it and move on.
Anyway, yous all have a great day.
Tony
March 31, 2014
Sales this month
So, we're nearly at the end of March.
Before the Kybosh was put on sales of The Haunting in the UK (and bizarrely Australia) it was selling well. The total figures for March are
Paid:
USA - 262
UK - 194
Free
UK 197
Australia ! 5
In total - 656 copies gone out this month and about 200 last month. That's quite good.
I got a one star rating as you know, but I've had two people email me to say it was fantastic. Who knows, I'm just glad they liked it.
Before the Kybosh was put on sales of The Haunting in the UK (and bizarrely Australia) it was selling well. The total figures for March are
Paid:
USA - 262
UK - 194
Free
UK 197
Australia ! 5
In total - 656 copies gone out this month and about 200 last month. That's quite good.
I got a one star rating as you know, but I've had two people email me to say it was fantastic. Who knows, I'm just glad they liked it.
March 28, 2014
Zventibold! Complete!
Here learn the tribulations of the boy-child Zventibold - how he rose from the grimy rags of his bastard birth to fight against injustice but how he was thrown down. How he turned to sorcery and raised the dead; how eventually he led an army of hamster men and kangaroo boxers to wreak vengeance upon his enemies. But there is more inside. Much more.
Father murdered
Step father murdered
Himself exiled
Only love ravished by his sworn enemy
Can he win her back?
Can right prevail?
Download this tale now. Every download helps good defeat evil.
Father murdered
Step father murdered
Himself exiled
Only love ravished by his sworn enemy
Can he win her back?
Can right prevail?
Download this tale now. Every download helps good defeat evil.
March 24, 2014
Healthy Times - Hard Times
Went for a walk yesterday - here's some pictures:
I wanted to post these to say how much better I feel when I'm getting some fresh air. That and being Mindful. When I'm doing both of those things, the world is good. I learn to let go of things that bother me - like the 1 Star Review. In fact that's hardly on my mind at all now.
Funnily enough, I was reminded of it yesterday when I came home from my walk. After The Haunting
Stopped selling in the UK, I decided to make it free. This is what I'd always intended for this story anyway but when it started selling well, I thought I'd postpone the freeness thing. So I changed the price on Smashwords to free. Now, you should have to let Amazon know there's a cheaper price, but someone did it for me...Does Amazon have a set of robots that search this stuff out, or as the helpful person who gave me my 1 star review done it to try and scupper me further.Paranoid? Hmmm.But since it became free about 16 hours ago it's shipped 60 copies so it's getting into peoples' hands and my hope is that someone will write a better review. Of course they might write more shit ones then I'll have to jump off the ridge featured above.Not really. I'll not be ground down like pepper.
I wanted to post these to say how much better I feel when I'm getting some fresh air. That and being Mindful. When I'm doing both of those things, the world is good. I learn to let go of things that bother me - like the 1 Star Review. In fact that's hardly on my mind at all now.
Funnily enough, I was reminded of it yesterday when I came home from my walk. After The Haunting
Stopped selling in the UK, I decided to make it free. This is what I'd always intended for this story anyway but when it started selling well, I thought I'd postpone the freeness thing. So I changed the price on Smashwords to free. Now, you should have to let Amazon know there's a cheaper price, but someone did it for me...Does Amazon have a set of robots that search this stuff out, or as the helpful person who gave me my 1 star review done it to try and scupper me further.Paranoid? Hmmm.But since it became free about 16 hours ago it's shipped 60 copies so it's getting into peoples' hands and my hope is that someone will write a better review. Of course they might write more shit ones then I'll have to jump off the ridge featured above.Not really. I'll not be ground down like pepper.
March 22, 2014
The Exorcist - My New Story
Here it is. Fresh meat.
Laurent Binet: HHHH
Loved this book. It reads like a blog about someone writing a historical novel about the assassination of Heydrich in Prague. As such we have the writer's musings about what he should put in and some hints at his personal life - the mysterious Natacha for example. I enjoyed that "meta-novel" but I quite like quirky post-modern stuff. Binet calls it an Infranovel (in the Eng. translation anyway). The best bits are about the story of the heroic Czech resistance and the gut wrenching vileness of the Nazis. I will admit that I wept.
And guess what? He's got some 1 star reviews.
March 21, 2014
Moaning isn't attractive at all
Whining, moaning, complaining - that's not me.
Did I say about the one star review? It has totally killed sales in the UK. And, it's unfair. I mean - "no direction" and "predictable" - you either don't know where you're going or you do.
I'm listening to Hawkwind so that makes me feel better. Also I think I have a bone in my mouth. This is probably good you're thinking - otherwise my mouth would be floppy and I couldn't eat. I had my tooth extracted the other day and they had to drill into the jaw. I think a fleck of bone is working its way out. They had to file the jaw bone smooth too so that maybe did it. Anyway the surgeon said I had a high pain threshold. I wish I'd taken that career as a bare knuckle fighter up now.
My daughter says I should get a tattoo 'cause I'd obviously laugh the needle off. But what kind of tattoo?
I know - I'll get that f****** one star review tattooed on my arse.
Did I say about the one star review? It has totally killed sales in the UK. And, it's unfair. I mean - "no direction" and "predictable" - you either don't know where you're going or you do.
I'm listening to Hawkwind so that makes me feel better. Also I think I have a bone in my mouth. This is probably good you're thinking - otherwise my mouth would be floppy and I couldn't eat. I had my tooth extracted the other day and they had to drill into the jaw. I think a fleck of bone is working its way out. They had to file the jaw bone smooth too so that maybe did it. Anyway the surgeon said I had a high pain threshold. I wish I'd taken that career as a bare knuckle fighter up now.
My daughter says I should get a tattoo 'cause I'd obviously laugh the needle off. But what kind of tattoo?
I know - I'll get that f****** one star review tattooed on my arse.
March 20, 2014
Falling like a stone...
So, this month up until the 1 star review (hiss, boo) The Haunting Sold 350 copies, and then after that, nothing. Dead in the water. I weep. I cry, but what can I do but write a better story?
So I am.
But that isn't why I wanted to blog tonight. I was discussing how our house would be quite good against a zombie apocalypse. It is part of a courtyard. At the top end there is a door onto the main street that you wouldn't know was there from the other side. Good. Zombies are unobservant and stupid. The other side there is a gateway for cars which is locked with iron gates and a car. My daughter said we could park the car against it and we'd keep them out for ages. We also have a secret room. Nuff said about that.
But then she said, "and we're close to the river and zombies can't swim...."
Bingo! Of course they can't. Stupid, slow things that move with a total lack of coordination. How are they going to cross a river? How come no zombie series has thought of this before? How come the Walking Dead heroes didn't just blow the bridges???
The relief I am feeling now, is enormous. Just need to figure out how to keep the werewolves out and I will sleep easily for the first time in years.
So I am.
But that isn't why I wanted to blog tonight. I was discussing how our house would be quite good against a zombie apocalypse. It is part of a courtyard. At the top end there is a door onto the main street that you wouldn't know was there from the other side. Good. Zombies are unobservant and stupid. The other side there is a gateway for cars which is locked with iron gates and a car. My daughter said we could park the car against it and we'd keep them out for ages. We also have a secret room. Nuff said about that.
But then she said, "and we're close to the river and zombies can't swim...."
Bingo! Of course they can't. Stupid, slow things that move with a total lack of coordination. How are they going to cross a river? How come no zombie series has thought of this before? How come the Walking Dead heroes didn't just blow the bridges???
The relief I am feeling now, is enormous. Just need to figure out how to keep the werewolves out and I will sleep easily for the first time in years.
1 Star Review
Just got my first one star review for The Haunting. Ouch. I even dreamed I was before a committee of wise old men who agreed to write me some positive reviews to balance it. Let's see if they keep their dream word.
What's worse is that it's the first review it's had. It starts off: "The story was well written, but..." I don't agree with what she says (naturally), but what do you do about this? I guess you just have to move on. Maybe she's right? I should say that on Goodreads the same story got 4 stars. So there.
Ghost stories are tropes - the ones that do well such as the Blair Witch and Amityville get their buzz from claiming to be true, which they aren't.
The classics use the same themes over and over. I watched the Tractate Middoth at Christmas which was really beautifully done, but still full of tropes - ancient manuscript, wicked necromancer, etc. I also read 3 Winter Ghosts by Gary Sargent recently and that was very well written but again, supernatural murderer etc.
(can't resist a plug)
But that isn't the issue here, it's my insecurity and wondering whether they are really shit...Now when I write something truly original such as Zventibold! no one buys it!
Here's that link again....
:)
God loves a trier they say.
What's worse is that it's the first review it's had. It starts off: "The story was well written, but..." I don't agree with what she says (naturally), but what do you do about this? I guess you just have to move on. Maybe she's right? I should say that on Goodreads the same story got 4 stars. So there.
Ghost stories are tropes - the ones that do well such as the Blair Witch and Amityville get their buzz from claiming to be true, which they aren't.
The classics use the same themes over and over. I watched the Tractate Middoth at Christmas which was really beautifully done, but still full of tropes - ancient manuscript, wicked necromancer, etc. I also read 3 Winter Ghosts by Gary Sargent recently and that was very well written but again, supernatural murderer etc.
(can't resist a plug)
But that isn't the issue here, it's my insecurity and wondering whether they are really shit...Now when I write something truly original such as Zventibold! no one buys it!
Here's that link again....
:)
God loves a trier they say.
