What Would You Like To See?
The faceless pic of me, or the real me, or the best pic I’ve got – which is also a few years old?
The question comes from the new icon I have in my Books page. See that little thing? The green spot in the middle of the screen which mentions coffee? That’s my Ko-fi link. What is it? A place where you can offer support even if you don’t want to buy my books – although I would definitely prefer people buy my books!
Why? Why do that? What about the other places, Patreon and stuff?
I don’t like to push this, truly I don’t, but I need to get some professional help with some aspects of my books. Cover art, for one – ever noticed just how much they could be improved? Well, I have. Mucho. And to do that, I need to get an income. And the books won’t do that if they have crappy covers.
And (I really hate to say this, but …) a developmental editor when I think I’ve finished – just to clarify, of course. I mean, I was an editor (technical, so not the same), and I’ve learned a TON of stuff since I started writing full-time (not like I had a choice in that). And finally, the whole point of this post – I might need an author photo that looks like me.
Which me, though?
I like the lighthouse; I like the one where my arms are wide to the world, absorbing the wind that almost blew us off the high cliffs. It was a moment I remember through the picture. Probably not the best photo to use for an author head-shot, maybe, but what else do I have?
Hmmm. Nothing recent. Nothing good enough for a head and shoulder shot – unless it’s from behind … maybe not appropriate.
To get a good author image, I may have to consult one of those professionals – a photographer (one who can ‘adjust’ images until … you get the picture).
On the Coffee page I’ve put a picture in the gallery. It’s me (the one that isn’t the furry critters – please don’t be confused!), but modified to be more like a painting (you know that type of software).
This one:
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You’ve seen it before – did you know it was me?
No, I wouldn’t either. It’s not how I see the me who is the writer/author me. It’s not the picture I want to use to represent myself to the readers of my stories. But is it truly about what I want?
So, tell me – which would you prefer? The wild, free moment at the lighthouse? The younger, pensive (okay, threatening the fosters) me, or a new one, a more honest representation of how I am now?
So, in looking at all these things and what they cost, I needed to find a way to get some of that stuff these services provide. I don’t like the ‘in your face’ huge banner things, or pop-up things, or begging things, so I went for the minimalist thing. For the cost of a coffee, you get to help me do all of the above while I write six novels this year. And in return for that, I will no longer be faceless.
The final stage of the journey with the coffee – if there’s money in September, and I’ve done all the other things, I’m doing some serious advertising (costs a whack apparently, but I’ll see what’s in the kitty) – and if all of the above is enough to generate a cash-flow, then I won’t need to beg with the coffee-cup anymore, and it will fade into the background.
Because one thing is for sure – it won’t be my stories fading into the background – there are too many of them to get done and out there (40, just waiting in the wings, yelling for me to get a wriggle on, to write faster, do more each day).
But I won’t be faceless no more.
Yeah, I know – you thought I was a bloke; you can still think that if you like, I don’t mind. I’ve certainly been called worse than a poor, old, ordinary bloke (who happens to be my researcher – unpaid, of course).
