Shiloh Walker's Blog, page 173

My foray into self-publishing

I've gotten asked…a lot…on why I decided to go it alone with Beg Me.

I've posted it before, but here ya go… 

I was curious. I only had one story out there and it was a story that had been released before.  It was also not a long story.  Basically, not the ideal 'experiment'.
I had an idea for a book that I really wanted to write, and if I'd sent it to Samhain, it would have been a year before I could have gotten into the hands of readers–my publication schedule at Samhain got thrown off and I don't feel like waiting a year.  This way–I didn't have to, you didn't have to.
I was at a point to where I needed to have a little more control over things.  Despite what a lot of people outside publishing think-and even those who seem to think they have insider knowledge, writers don't have all that much control.  Generally, I'm good with this–giving up control isn't my favorite thing, but giving up that control also means I have somebody who is helping me with promo, marketing, covers, editing, etc.  But over the past few months, there was just too much that was out of my control.  So I decided, this time…I'd control things.  Everything about the story.

That's pretty much it.

There's not really a big secret, no big drama, no big fiasco.  I don't plan abandoning the publishing world for the self-publishing world.  Self-publishing is a lot of work.

Now you've got people out there who will tell you that it's the way to riches…they'll tell you that's the best thing to ever happen to a writer.  And I imagine there isn't always complete disclosure, either. Perhaps in terms of all the time spent doing promotion.  Perhaps in terms of the money that is spent up front.

Money spent up front?  On digital self pub?

What?

Um.  Yes.  If you want a professional product, you need to be willing to spend money.

Where?

Well, sometimes on promo and other various expenses, like research, etc.

And I'd say always on covers and on edits….

Because most writers don't make great editors.  If you've got a self-published book that appears to be professionally edited but they didn't hire a freelance editor, either that writer is one of the select few who can edit, or I'd have to wonder if other arrangements were made and they just aren't discussing them. (And if that's the case, is it really self-published?  Or is it just masquerading as self-published…???)

People…again…in general, writers just don't make good editors.  We don't.  So if they want a decent product out there, the smart ones are going to hire a freelance editor.

I used not one editor, but two.

Jen B, who charged $.005 a word.

34,879 words @ $.005/wd = $174.40

Then there was Elle C, also know as Limecello, who did editorial work and consulting, for a flat fee of $50.

There was also a professionally rendered cover.  You want to go the self-pubbed route and have a chance at really doing well?  Unless you really know what you're doing?  And by really knowing what you're doing, I mean trained in the field, don't do the cover yourself.  Go to a pro.

I went to Angela Waters, of Angela Waters Art.  Her standard fee for cover art is $150, and that can go up depending on the stockart used. But you want a professional cover, because that cover will grab the eye and it will also make or break you as far as things like the premium catalog goes with places like Smashwords.  Crappy, do-it-yourself covers don't make it into that premium catalog at Smashwords as easy and that premium catalog gets the books out to the Nook, Apples iBookstore, the Sony store, Kobo, etc…all without me doing anything but placing it on Smashwords.

I've spent about $350 on this book in all.  I've already made more than I've spent so hey, I'm cool.  It's not a lot more.  But I'm not greedy.  I've actually already sold about as many on Smashwords & Kindle as I would have sold in the first few days on Samhain, I suspect, and I'm pocketing more of the profit.

One downfall is that if I do go to print with the book, and I don't know if I will, I won't be able to hit as big of a market, because there just isn't one for selfpublished works and I'm not investing the time in it.  I'm sorry, but I'm not.  Readers who want it in print, if I decide to try it, will have to be willing to order it from wherever I'm able to do it, which will probably someplace like Lulu.

Why?  Well, for one, I'm not investing the money it takes to do the selfpublishing thing-that can be anywhere from a couple of hundred, right up to the sky.  And if that's not reason enough…um, well, that's going to have to be.  I hope you understand.

Another downfall…I'm not making out like the bandit some people will try to make it out like.  I won't get rich this way.  Granted, digital publishing and traditional publishing haven't made me rich, either.

I can't go into details about many I've sold…well, I could, but I won't.  There's nothing, though, that will prevent me from doing this again at this point.

I liked that I could do it at my pace and not worry about anybody's schedule but mine.

I liked that I could do it and control everything-the cover, the blurb, the price, etc.

I do want to warn newbies, though…one of the main reasons I was probably able to make money…I've been doing this since 2003.  I've built a reader base, I've got some contacts who were willing to post advance reviews and help me generate some pre-release promo.  I've also got a newsletter mailing list that I'll be hitting next week-I've got the contacts for editing/consults/cover art, etc.

If I hadn't had all of those things…I wouldn't have done quite so well, I don't think.  Digital self-publishing is great if you just want to get the story out there in case somebody is interested.  But if you're really looking to make money?  Then you're not going to stand as much of a chance unless you've already built a platform, IMO.  That platform is essential.

UTA: Another downer… getting the books out to other venues is slow.  I know I could speed it up by doing it myself, but as I'm working this in around all my other projects, that's time I really don't have-so just letting it go through Smashwords, while slower, works best because it doesn't time time away from the books I've got to get done-deadlines and all.

And a clarification…all of this is in regards to true self publishing.  None of the vanity crap where you have to pay bunches of bucks-a real, serious freelance editor isn't going to charge you an arm and a leg. You can find awesome cover art for less than the cost of your right kidney.  Don't buy into all the 'stars in your eyes' crap you'll see on the vanity press sites & 'assisted self publishing' sites.

Want to win an ARC of Hunter's Fall?

Jackie at Literary Escapism is helping out some kids…and if you help her help them, you can win an ARC of Hunter's Fall, along with a slew of other prizes.

Details here…

Maybe it's just me

But when you've actually sat there and watched somebody actually die…as in held their hand, watched the life fade from their eyes, watched the monitor go still as their heartbeat stops some things don't seem quite as important.

It's things like politics.  It's like the differences all humans are going to have.  It's even things like their shallow and petty nastiness, because one thing you see that you hadn't expected…?  Their family.  They suffer.  They hadn't necessarily done anything wrong, and they suffer.  They grieve and they hurt and they mourn.

And regardless…people screw up.  We all do it.  And we also all die.

These are two things we all have in common-we will all make mistakes in this life…and we will all die.

Yes…I've watched it.  When I did the nursing home circuit and held the hands of people, it never once occurred to me to wonder… what are their politics…what is their religion….how did they vote…what do they think right now, what do they feel….

What mattered was that they were a person… who was dying–leaving this world, and passing to the next.

What matters to me, about life, is that -life is precious.

Yes.  I'm a nurse. And yes, I've watched people suffer.  Yes, I've seen more people die than some.

But you know what?  That shouldn't matter.  We've all lost people in life, right?  That should tell you one simple thing-that person mattered…to us.  Basic empathy should tell us this…most people matter to somebody.

So… don't hand out some empty piece of shit-and I don't care who it's for–Obama, Palin, Beck (and I'm so disconnected, I don't even know who in the hell he (beck) is nor do I care) even that idiot Ph*lps who runs that church in Kansas….talking about striking people dead, or what-not.  You do it, then be prepared for me to call it ugly-because that's what it is.  Wishing death on people is ugly.

PERIOD.  Yes, this is my opinion, but hey, it's my blog, and I'm allowed to my opinion.

Am I maybe oversensitive to this?

Possibly.  I'll take into consideration that I've lost about four friends recently.  Yes, four… I hadn't gone into detail about the deaths of a few others online, because frankly, it depresses me.

Since I consider life to be precious-let's examine why…I've seen…oh, well, not examining the patients I've lost, because I can't go into detail about that without breaking down-but the numbers there…it's in the dozens just over a few years.  We won't take into consideration the fact that I did pediatrics for the latter half of my career before I quit to focus on writing. Although, hey… I did office work–pediatrics.  We don't tend to see a lot of deaths.

So lets talk friends.  Just in the past 18 months, I've buried about six friends-people I've known since I was in grade school, and it's brutal.  Two of the ladies were like grandmothers …and had been ever since mine died when I was grade school.  About a month ago, I had to bury a guy who was like a grandfather, which, I guess, in the end, it was a blessing in disguise-I never had a real one that I can recall-not one I could on, by blood, at least–it's nice to look back and connect memories to this guy.  Two weeks after he died, his daughter died… and that almost gutted me.  I can't even begin to tell you what that is doing to me.

And do you really think I care what her politics are?

Do I know their politics?  Nope.  Do I care?  Nope.  Why?  Well… they were people.

In the end, that's what matters.

They were people.  Naturally, these people mattered to me because I knew them.  Loved them… I'm still grieving over them, and yes, I'm still mourning and probably more sensitive than I normally would be.

But whether I was mourning or not?  Flippant remarks over a person's life or lack of have always pissed me off.  Yeah.  People are entitled to make them.  And I'm entitled to be irritated about them.

Even the people who run their mouths and annoy the snot out of me?

You know what?

They are still people.

I won't wish death on them.

It doesn't matter I believe somebody is up there to deliver, not in my opinion.

Why…?

Because, in the end, if I'm wishing death…it doesn't matter what I do or don't believe…if I'm wishing death, I'm already doing something unspeakable, because the way I see it…wishing death on anybody is something unspeakable.

Life is precious.

Whether you like a person or not, that person probably matters to somebody.  Even if it's just their own family.  If they disappeared–they'd leave a mark.  A scar.  Regardless of their politics, there would be wounds.

I've watched people die.  I've comforted those left behind.  I've held their hands.  More times than I care to count.  Yes, I made that choice when I went into the medical field.  But you know what? I did that because I consider life to be precious-and because I consider life to precious, I'll say this…

I don't care what the hell your politics, your rationale, your reason, your whatever the hell is–unless you've watched people die and comforted those left behind?

Do me a favor.  Don't give me some trite, empty, bull-shit excuse when you say crap-all shit about striking anybody dead.  And fyi… this has nothing to do with politics. And everything to do with life.

And before you try to tell me that you're entitled to wish whatever in the hell you want… here's an exchange-you watch somebody die.  Sit there and watch it, be there for those left behind and then come talk to me.

After that?  Maybe we can talk.

And because I'm not in the mood to discuss this kind of ugliness?  Comments closed.

**Anybody wondering why I'm so combative… yes, this was inspired by an offhand comment made-perhaps it was casual, perhaps it wasn't meant to be "i wish this person was dead…" but I've seen too many people die, and I've had too much death in my life lately to take that kind of nastiness lightly-I don't care who it's regarding-it doesn't matter if I like the person or not.  Hell, I don't even care if I know the person or not.

Pretty pretty…

I have a new pretty for my Fun Stuff page…

If you click on the image, it will (SHOULD) open in a new window, in a larger size and then you can right click and save it to your computer…either hit save image or set as desktop background.

You can also view the other sizes as my photobucket account here.  People are welcome to use these, but if you post them anywhere, please do credit the artist, Syd Gill.

Beg Me Updates… and a Coupon

Sorry folks, it's still not showing @ Nook, Kobo or Borders.  I think it should go to the Apple store, too.

I'm checking and it's due to show up whenever these vendors do their updates, but it's in their hands now.

But I do have a treat…how about a 50% off coupon to Smashwords?  Hey, I like the coupon thing-I've never had any control over the pricing before and now I do.  It's kind of cool.  So this coupon makes the book $1.50…only for this weekend, though, and I don't know when I'll end it.  Just sometime this weekend. Just enter this code- RF76Y when you go to check out.

All you need to buy the book is a paypal account and a free Smashwords account.  Find the book here…   Not sure what format or how to load it to your reader?  It's not hard, I promise-just check out Smashwords' FAQs.

Also… an interview/behind the lines about BEG ME over at Read, React, Review.

And another review at Stacy's Place.

Winners & Updates

How's that for compacting things?

First things first…

winner of the Nook for the Grimm giveaway…

Kristie E from Columbia MO.  Email starts with lovesbooksalot@  I need Kristie to email me!  shilohwalker(at)gmail.com

Winner of the Hunter's Fall cover tease…

Hockeyvampiress…email starting with hockeyvampiress@. … Need you to email me!  Your prize is a GC to Amazon or Mybookandmore…

Both winners were chosen via Randomizer because I luvz all things random.

Update on the FAQ page…

Mostly the update is just a few random things-is there another book after The Missing *yes*, are there more Grimm books coming *yes*…but there are two fairly moderate to major changes added.  One, I addressed the other day when I introduced Nicole.

The second addresses reviews.

I'm a reviewer and would like to review your books.  Can I contact you?

Aside from occasional contests for ARCs on my blog or the occasional blogger/review site that I will contact directly, I no longer handle sending out books for reviews.  Review requests must go through my publishers.

Ellora's Cave | Samhain Publishing | Berkley

Alternatively, you can also contact my promotional slave AKA my promoter Dorine at Millennium Promotions at promote(AT)millenniumpromotion.com.

Please note, due to the number of emails I receive and the fact that my publishers handle reviews, I'm unable to respond to review requests personally.  Any such request received by me will be deleted unread, without response.  All questions must be directed through my promoter.  Thanks for understanding.

Okay…here's the deal. I've got over 60 titles out. I routinely release about 5 titles a year-generally 2-3 titles through my traditional publishers and 2-4 titles through ebook publishers. With each title, I can get up to twenty different review requests. At minimum. Sometimes more. That's 120 requests. Review sites change all the time.  And I'm sorry, but I'm not sending books out without knowing something about the site.  And I can't keep up with them as often as they change.  And as often as I have titles out.

So…I no longer do it.  This isn't a new thing.  At all.  I haven't personally handled review requests in several years.  My publishers have handled these matters for at least two years, yet I still do tend to get a lot of requests.  I've tried to be nice and still consider them, but it's getting to the point that I just can't.

So I'm stopping.  As of now, all review requests must go through my publishers.  Yes, I'm aware that I have a few indie titles now, but anybody interested in those? You must contact my promoter.  She is very familiar with all reviewing sites.  Anybody who skips those steps?  Well, your emails aren't going to get read.  Sorry.  I'm not trying to be mean, but I can only juggle so much and lately, I'm juggling too much.  Something's got to give and this is one of them.

In the end-I have to write the books-that's what I'm paid to do.  My publishers have people who handle review copies-those who want to review can contact them.  For the indie projects, then you can contact my promoter and we'll go on from there.

UTA: Please note, while this should go without saying, this doesn't include when I personally contact people for reviews.  That hasn't changed.  And please do not ask how to get on a 'list'.  I don't have a list per se-there are some select bloggers that I contact on occasion and I'll still continue to have contests for ARCs as I have in the past.  Again thanks in advance for understanding.

Sultry McSteamy

A rant… or perhaps an essay.  Or perhaps a PSA for authors.

I suppose in a perfect world, we'd like our pen name to convey exactly what we write.  Yes?

Like… P.I. McThompson… sounds like maybe a mystery type thing.  Might sound clever to the writer.  But I bet the editor or agent who looks at the email has seen a hundred variations.  So your first strike?  You don't sound original.

Same with romance and erotica and erotic romance.  I'm going to get a little overboard here, but sometimes overboard is what conveys the message best.  Hypothetically speaking…

We have a newby erotic romance writer.  She's picked what she thinks is a divine pen name.  Sultry McSteamy.

FYI, I picked that name out of the air, and I haven't googled it for the sake of my sanity.  If there is one, I don't want to know-just picture me at my desk, banging my head and mumbling, over and over… why…why…why…

If there is a Sultry McSteamy?  I'm trying to decide if I should apologize or just feel sorry for her.  Anyway.

So Sultry picked this name because she thinks it conveys a message.  She thinks it conveys what she writes.

Well, she's sort of right.  And very wrong.

It does convey a message.  It conveys the message that Sultry doesn't really understand the business that she's getting into… namely that it is a business.

So Sultry has her shiny pen name that oddly enough looks more like it belongs on a p*rn star's movie than a book and she sends her book off to the editor.  Are you aware of the first thing the editor is going to see?

It's her pen name.  And her email.  And they make an impression.  That name that Sultry thought conveyed sexy and sultry romance is the first thing they see, and just because Sultry thinks it's sexy and sultry…doesn't mean the editor will.  Sultry wants the impression to be a good one.  That means–professional pen name.  And while we are at it-Sultry might also want to drop any cutesy email addies like Snookiewoogums@gmail.com.

Don't give them any reason to breeze past your submission, Sultry!.  If you've gone the p*rn star name route over a professional name route?  You might have just given them their first reason.  You might think that sounds petty.  But it's not.  By not picking a good, serious name, it's saying something and trust me, that sexy name you thought you picked out?  It's not screaming things like… I'm passionate about romance!  Or… My books are sexy!

That may have been the intention, but very often that's not the message others get.  Editors see that sort of thing all the time, and you're really not standing out, so again, there's another fail. Does this mean you won't get published?  Of course not.  I've seen variations on Sultry in various places… namely epubs/digital pubs/self pubs.

By all means, go for pretty if that's your desire, go for elegant if you want.  But if you're shooting for sensuous, be aware, it's very, very easy to fall off the mark.  And when you do, you might end up leaving people rolling their eyes, or snickering…and I'm sorry, unless you've got some killer artwork, I'm bypassing a book that's got a name like Sultry McSteamy on the cover.

So the killer artwork had better be right on the mark, and the blurb had better be top notch, and that's not even touching the story itself.  If everything isn't right on cue?  You've lost me, all because of a lousy choice on names.  (And again…why should my opinion matter?  Because I'm not the only reader who makes her buying choices like this…)

Also!  Review up for BEG ME @ Read, React, Review

Thursday Thirteen…

Do they still do the thursday thirteen?  I dunno… but it's been a rough couple of months and I need the brain to focus on the good stuff now.  So let's do that…

13 things I'm thankful for…not necessarily in any particular order, although the top 4 are number 1…with the top 2 being…well, above number 1.  Yeah, make sense of that… O.o

My faith. Always.
My family.  Always.
My friends. Always.
My job.  Always.
My husband's job-if it goes away? Mine might go away.
My readers.
My agent.
My editors.
Date Night.
Pretty corsets & clothes
Losing 60 lbs in a year
Margaritas.
Books

Okay…that wasn't hard…barely touched the tip of the iceberg.  What about you…what have you got?

Quick Note…

For those of you who have signed up to get my feed burner/daily blog emailed to you? You'll get emailed daily that read something like "SHILOH WALKER" or maybe "SHILOH WALKER BLOG FEED" (I tired to change it to that, we'll see if it work).

Those are JUST my daily blogs…and that's what this is, just a blog post, so when they show up? They look like this.

Oh… Bad

So there was an internet kerfuffle/twitternet/Goodreads.

I'm not going into detail about the mess, because it was ugly, it was pointless…it's also been deleted, and FYI, don't bothering linking to any run-downs, should they exist, because I'll just delete them-some things just don't need to be rehashed.

This isn't about the mess itself-and it's also not not another one of those endless 'mean girls/nice girls' debates.

FYI, I've got no use for nice.  People will be nice to your face and then stab you in the back.  I've also got no use for outright mean people.

Just give me honest and fair.  So it's not about the mess, and it's not about mean versus nice.

It's about a lack of professionalism…how a couple of industry peoples decided to join in.

Authors…wanna know good way to screw yourself?  Join in on a pile-on a fellow author.

Here's the deal–you're an author, you're a professional, you're expected to act like one.  When you don't and it's seen?  It gets remembered.  It doesn't matter if you like the author in question-you don't have to like or dislike, love or hate to have courtesy.

It's about professionalism.  When you don't show it?  It's seen…it matters, it's remembered.

Oh, and I guess, just in case, I should probably state… in case you're new here…?  Howdy.  Welcome.  Got a different opinion?  You're welcome to post it.  But be advised…I work hard to keep this a friendly place for my visitors.  So if you want to state a different point of view, have at it.  But do it with courtesy, regardless of what your point of view is.  Comments that get mean or nasty?  I delete…and I do it with a smile.  If you want to get nasty, you can do so on your turf.  FYI-there's a difference between nasty and having a different view point. The deletion thing goes across the board-I don't tolerate nastiness from anybody here.