S.A. Mulraney's Blog, page 13

5 ways to utilize Goodreads

I recently updated my Goodreads author profile and it occurred to me how few authors (myself included) really take full advantage of being a Goodreads Author. Sure, maybe you’ve filled in the data for your author profile, but have you really explored the website? Check out these five tips for taking full advantage of Goodreads.

1. Be a reader who also happens to write, not vice versa. Go into Goodreads as a fan of writing. Go into the discussion groups as a reader. Is it ok to talk about yourself as a writer? Yes, but you can’t lead with it. Make good comments and have something to say as a reader first, and people will check out your profile. If they bring up writing, then feel free to interject. The temptation will be there to sell your books. You will more than likely anger folks if you do this in the wrong context. Find the groups that are talking about books like yours. Do you write young adult fantasy? You can bet there’s an active group talking about it. Also, be on the lookout for groups that allow you to post sales or freebies. This can be just as good as a paid advertisement. Be an active member first and a passive bookseller second and folks will eventually figure it out on their own.

2. Connect your blog. Remember that this is another venue through which potential readers may come. Get your voice out there. Maybe they won’t immediately click on your books, but connecting your blog gives them a little snippet of the kind of writing they can expect.

3. Fill out your Ask the Author interview questions. This is an opportunity to engage random readers. Be colorful. Be interesting. Show potential readers what’s in store for them if they read your books.

4. Use the self-serve advertising. While there’s no guarantee for success here, advertising on Goodreads is relatively inexpensive and gets you face time with your primary customer.

5. Host a giveaway for your paperbacks. Goodreads is filled with rabid readers who love nothing better than getting a free paperback. It can generate reviews and good karma and is well worth the relatively low cost of printing and shipping a handful of books.

Do you have a Goodreads good practice? Please share in the comments below!

OMG… the BookBub Gods Have Finally Smiled Upon Me

So, yeah… BookBub. If you haven’t heard of them, then you’re more than likely not a self-published author. If you have, then you know that running an ad with them can often be a marketing and financial boon. I might have set the record for submitting my book (Multiples of Six by Andy Rane) to them… and getting rejected every time. Well, apparently, they just never wanted me to make money off of it. Every time I submitted, I would offer to lower the price of my novel to $0.99. I submitted to them well over 15 times, perhaps 20. Each and every time, I got the standard rejection letter. So, when my next opportunity came to submit, I broke down and submitted the book as a freebie. And now I’m in. My scheduled day is September 2nd.

Mind you, this isn’t the first time Multiples has been free. It’s just the first time in a very long time. You see, back in the day, when the KDP Select  program was in its infancy, going free could be miraculous. My first free day was in February of 2012. I gave away 6700 copies in a single day (thanks to being picked up by Pixel of Ink and Ereader News Today). The next day, the book went back to being $2.99 and sold another 450 paid copies over the next month. It was awesome. A few months later, I ran another promo. This time, I gave away another 9000 copies, but the post-free bump was less than half of what it had been a few months before. Amazon had changed their algorithm. A free sale was no longer equivalent to a paid sale. I ran my last free promotion for that book during the summer of 2012. I gave away another 2500 copies, but saw no post-free bump at all.

I’ll admit, I really didn’t want to go free with that book again.  But, now I’m looking forward to it. I only have one other book in that series and maybe it’ll help generate sales and reviews for both.

If you’re looking to promote your book, take a good look at the options. BookBub can be a tough nut to crack into, but the results are well documented. Be sure to check out some of the other sites listed above as well.

Have you had success with BookBub or other marketing sites? Tell us about it in the comments below!

RIP Robin Williams

I, like many others, was saddened to hear word of Robin Williams death. Growing up, my first exposure to the comedian was probably in Popeye and Mork & Mindy reruns in the early and mid-80s. The next thing I remember was Good Morning Vietnam, a movie I wasn’t allowed to see (very conservative mother), but heard all of the lines repeated by buddies at school. And then who could forget Dead Poet’s Society and Awakenings. I still love Awakenings. For me, it was just an odd thing to see this normally manic comedian encapsulated in a role in which he couldn’t, or didn’t need to, be manic. I thought he was great and similar roles followed when he did Good Will Hunting and Patch Adams (though he did get to be a bit off-color in that).

“If you watch it backwards, it has a plot.” ~Robin Williams, about Popeye (1980)

I remember the first time I saw him do stand up, which was probably much later than everyone else. I remember loving it, but saw how the mania that had fueled his prerecorded film and TV moments had stemmed from a kind of mania that could be overwhelming in a live setting. Of course, it wasn’t until much later that the tales of drug abuse came out.

“Cocaine is God’s way of telling you you are making too much money.” ~Robin Williams

And, while some would write off an entire career because of that, it always occurred to me that, here was this frantic, manic, brilliant personality that could barely be contained. And, yet somehow, he was able to transform his mania into humor and dramatic poignance at times. I felt bad when I saw some of the movies come out later in his career. Some were pretty awful (RV anyone?). To me, it seemed like someone who was super talented being forced to take movies that sucked because no one was offering him the good stuff anymore.

“Comedy is acting out optimism.” ~Robin Williams

Whatever the case, Robin Williams’ suicide saddens me. He brought so much to so many. He was so talented, but as with a lot of artists, he was troubled by depression. That it came to suicide, is tragic. Depression is a serious illness that I think a lot of people misunderstand. Those who have never suffered prolonged periods of depression may think it’s just a matter of cheering up. It’s not that simple. To learn more about depression, read up on it at The National Library of Medicine. If you or someone you know suffers from depression, make sure you or they talk to a doctor about it.

RIP Robin. You have left us a world that is a lot less funny without you.

This is why I self publish

I was having a conversation with writing colleague, Nisha Sharma, the other night. Nisha and I met through our writers group and I’m happy to say that, despite our publishing differences (traditional and self sometimes seems like Montague and Capulet, right?), we see writing and creativity in much the same light. It’s always fun to find a writer compatriot and I’m happy to call Nisha a friend. Her first novel, My So-Called Bollywood Life, will be published in 2016 (too far away!) and I’m positive more will follow. She’s got a lot of energy, a great way with language, and she’s writing in a vein that has the potential to explode. Be sure to check out her awesome website.

Now, where was I? So, we started discussing a YA fantasy project she’s been working on. A project, by the way, that’s made it into the top 10 finalists for Simon & Shuster’s SIMON451 imprint contest. Winners get an advance, a publishing contract, and a trip to Comic Con in NYC for the launch of the imprint (as well as a seat on the panel). Cool, right? So, most of us would just be thrilled to say we were a finalist, right? Not Nisha. She’s worried about not winning. Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t about a sense of entitlement. It’s about self doubt and not believing that her work can stand up to the other contestants.

“It’s not fantasy enough.”

So, we started talking about her plot. It’s very cool, and I can see it doing very well. Young adult, strong female main character (MC), and mythology most Westerners are unfamiliar with. Yeah, it could be a gold mine. There’s plenty of fantasy elements, without the reader being beaten over the head with them. And, like a lot of stories of this ilk, it takes some time for the MC to discover what exactly is going on. An element of storytelling that I’ve used in my own YA fantasy.

Me: “So, when does the reader get their first taste of fantasy in the novel?”

Nisha: “Page 80.”

Me: “There’s not even a hint before that?”

Nisha: “Well, the prologue has gods and goddesses…”

Me: “But you just said there was nothing until page 80!”

Nisha: “And that thing (that’s totally fantastical and pretty darn awesome that I can’t reveal or she’d kill me) starts happening in chapter 1.”

Me: “Who told you this story wasn’t fantasy enough?”

Nisha: “Well, my agent. This book hasn’t sold anywhere. No one wants it. They don’t know what to do with it.”

**sighs**

In the end, a friend and I were able to talk Nisha down from the ledge. Yes, she could add some fantasy elements to make the story richer, but only if that was part of her vision. Otherwise, we felt that there was plenty of fantasy for a YA fantasy novel. I said to her, “Honestly, if it doesn’t win, you should really consider self publishing it.” I’m not sure she took me seriously. She has, after all, already sold two of her books and has a steady relationship with her agent. And I’m sure that agent would try and quickly talk her down off of the self-publishing ledge.

In all, this reminded me of why I self publish. Yes, I may get good input from outside parties. Heck, it might be great input that totally shifts the story into high gear. But, in the end, it’s my decision whether or not to change the story and no one else’s. And, I can click publish and put it into the hands of readers without having a self-appointed gatekeeper tell me no one will read it. If the story is well written and error free, it will find an audience. Don’t get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for what folks in traditional publishing are trying to accomplish. I believe that they are working to bring the best books to market, but the fact remains that good books will be held back by a preconceived notion about whether or not that book will make money. And that’s just a darn shame.

Important Kindle Request – A Letter from Amazon

If you’re a KDP author, you might have checked your email this morning and found a rather interesting letter from Kindle Direct Publishing. In it, there’s a brief history lesson on how paperback books were initially perceived by the publishing industry, an explanation of how traditional ebook pricing is hurting everyone involved, and a request to email bomb Hachette CEO, Michael Pietsch. If you’re not a KDP author, you can read the letter here: http://www.readersunited.com/.

My first reaction was, wow… it’s come to this. While Hachette has rallied its authors against Amazon during this dispute, Amazon has kept things fairly low key. Yes, they’ve posted letters to public forums, but this is taking the battle to a whole new level. A call to arms, so to say, to its KDP authors. And, to be honest, I’m not sure I’m OK with it.

We’re talking about a corporate battle between two giants and each side has, in turn, asked its minions to throw their weight into the mix. While Hachette has a cadre of well-known authors, Amazon must have contacted hundreds of thousands of authors with this single email. Even if only a percentage respond, you’re probably still looking at 10x the number of Hachette’s authors. But, what’s the point? Does Amazon really believe that overwhelming this poor schmuck’s email inbox with 100,000 letters from unknown authors will sway the tide? Or, is this just a symbolic gesture to say, “You say you’ve got author power? I’ll show you author power.”

In all, the letter leaves me with a bad taste. I hope the two sides can come to an agreement soon, as I’m losing my patience in the whole matter. I agree that low ebook pricing makes sense on many levels, but I don’t appreciate being made a pawn in a battle I’m not involved in.

I’m looking for reviewers!

 

Do you review books on your blog? Do you read YA fantasy? If so, we should chat. I’m looking for a few good reviewers. I have a novel coming out soon (go figure!) and I’d like to have some reviews ready to publish when the book releases. While I plan on reaching out to some sites, I’m also open to anyone who swings by the blog on a regular basis. I can provide you a free copy of my 63,000 word novel, Danny Dirks and the Heir of Pendragon, in exchange for an honest review that you’d be willing to post on Amazon when the time comes (in addition to whatever blog article you might want to publish). If this interests you, drop me a line at scott.mulraney (et) gmail.com. If you think this might interest someone else, I hope you’ll help me spread the word. Thanks!

 

Putting emotion into your writing

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” – Robert Frost

All joking aside, this is one of my favorite quotes when it comes to “how to write.” It’s a credo I try and hold true whenever I put words on a page. I was rereading/editing a passage from my upcoming YA novel the other day and found myself blinking away tears at the end of it. It’s about the main character having a moment with the ghost of his dead mother. It’s heart breaking, confusing, and brief incident for the main character. I’ve read the passage a hundred times and every time, I feel the emotion coming through. It’s the kind of thing I want to have happen in every chapter (though maybe not tears). It’s also the kind of writing that strikes at the very heart of what Frost is talking about.

So, how do you arrive at that point? How do you pour that physical emotion into words on the page? For me, a lot of that has to do with being able to empathize with my characters. I am able to place myself into their shoes and really tap into the emotions. In that moment, I am Danny and I’m sitting in a boat on the pond in the orchard and my mother, who’s been dead for several years now, has materialized out of the fog and is sitting across from me. And all I can think of is reaching out to touch her, which I can’t, and then asking every question that comes to mind. And then when she’s gone, I’m angry because the time was too short.

So, here’s the rub, my mother is alive… I’ve never sat in a boat in the middle of a pond. Heck, I don’t really believe in ghosts, having never seen one. But, that’s me. Danny is someone else, entirely made up from my own imagination. No one knows better how he feels than I do. And, that’s the magic of being a writer. Every ounce of your character comes from you. And you arrive at their reactions by putting yourself entirely in their shoes. It doesn’t mean that you forget who you are. You can only shape your character with what you have; emotions, experiences, etc. But, you do it through the filter of your character.

We’ve all had emotional experiences. The rush of adrenaline in a moment of excitement, the flush of embarassment, the feeling of the touch of a loved one, the sense of fear and loss that comes with death. It’s all fodder for the emotions of your characters. Use it. Channel those emotions into your characters and you’ll find them to be alive, vibrant, and believable.

We’re all just looking for our Guardians of the Galaxy teammates

I saw Guardians of the Galaxy on Sunday and I really enjoyed it. It was fun, unpretentious, and had some of the qualities that made the original Star Wars trilogy awesome. Go see it if you haven’t already. It’s totally worth it.

As I perused the interwebs yesterday morning, I found that there was almost a sense of giddiness about the movie. Like something special had touched a lot of people. I thought on it a bit and I think Star Lord’s line sums it up perfectly, “I look around me and I see a bunch of losers!”

Guardians is about a rag-tag bunch of beings who bond over a shared experience. What they eventaully realize is that they also share a sense of loss. And, to me, that says a lot about real life. We gravitate to folks like us, even people who may not seem, from the outside, to be on the same wavelength. We all have that one friend that we look at and say, “How the hell did we ever become friends?” But at the same time, you know exactly why… and you wouldn’t give them up for the world.

You’ve shared that common thread. You’ve gone into (figurative or literal) battle together. Whether it was school, a job, or basic training. You sat in the trenches together and laughed in the face of fate. It didn’t matter that he’s a tree and you’re a very literal-minded homicidal maniac (you saw the movie, right?!). I imagine it’s why we keep certain friends from childhood throughout our lives. You may not remain in the same circles, but you’ll always have that shared experience.

And, over the years, we gather our team of misfits around us. Some of them get along. Others would rather not be on the same team, but they rally around you as you rally around others. You have your team of guardians and you are part of someone else’s team. They are the team we want to stand next to in the final battle. And, you love them, warts, furry tails, and all.

Self publishing? Get an editor.

I’ve written about this in the past, but I’ll touch on it again, as I now have first-hand experience. I hired my first editor back in February. For me, part of getting to the point of hiring one was getting past a small ego trip. You see, I am an editor. Or, at least, I was for 12 years until a recent career move to copy writing. Anyway, a part of me was just too damn proud to hire one. The other part was too damn cheap. Together, it made for a convincing case against it. But, I witnessed firsthand what not getting an editor can expose you to. My suspense/thriller books have their share of errors and inconsistencies that an editor would have pointed out (before the readers did). So, when it came time to work on my newest pride and joy, I didn’t want to leave anything to chance. This was going to be a book I was proud of, through and through.

I reached out to an editor back in February. Right off the bat, she found several plot holes that needed filling in. In between those holes, she caught little inconsistencies and things that, as a writer, you pass over, but the reader would probably notice. For instance, how your characters magically shift rooms in the house mid conversation. Kitchen, dining room. Meh!

I’m now working through the second round of edits. We’re now to a point where the holes are well plugged and it’s just a matter of cleaning up the little stuff. I’m hoping to have ARCs available soon.

As self publishing gains momentum, we as authors have an amazing opportunity. But, we have to approach the production of our books in the same manner as a traditional publisher would. I believe this more and more as time goes on. Yes, there is a cost, but the flip side is that there is likely a cost for producing something that’s poorly finished.

I am very happy with my paid editorial results thus far. If you are in the market, I’m happy to recommend Kim from Another View Editing. She’s thorough and conscientious.

Have you hired an editor? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below.

First Day Free

I hate talking about me so much, so I’ll try and make this my last “Hey, look at me and my books!” post for a while. But, I have to post just a quick screen grab of my Amazon rank since going free with the first part of Liquid Blue yesterday. It’s so rare that I have something in one Top 100 category, so I’m pretty stoked that I’ve had a rash of sales in the last 24 hours that’s put my book into 3 Top 100 categories.

Sorry for the fuzzy screen grab.

Of course, going free will be all for naught if it doesn’t lead to sales of Parts II and, eventually, III. But, it gets my writing into the hands of potential readers and that’s really what it comes down to. Ok, end “me” talk. I promise. ;-)