Dwayne’s Comments (group member since Apr 01, 2017)

Dwayne’s comments from the Support for Indie Authors group.

Amazon seems to be making some changes, which often causes mild chaos for a few days. Right now my international reviews seem to be counting as two reviews instead of one. It'll settle down in a few days, I'm sure.

Gail wrote: "...and that seems to be the only way to sell books."

Not in my experience. I haven't spend a cent on advertising in at least three years and I get sales. What I have noticed is when I put out a free book now and then, sales follow. I don't even have to mention the free book anywhere. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. And often when I get a sale, I see another sale on the same book a few days later.

What do you conclude from this?

Esther wrote: "Hi there, I’m Esther,"

Esther. Please stop using our forum as a way of promoting yourself. I realize you've disguised it thinly as a thank you to the group, but it's still clear this is self-promotion. We also ask that you don't put links in your posts. Thanks.

I'd put it somewhere between exceedingly slim and absolutely none. If someone is out to plagiarize, they're more likely to target an author who is actually getting sales than a little known self-published author.

Copyright your work and if you do find yourself plagiarized, you can force them to unpublish their work.

Cendrine wrote: "Offering a freebie once in a blue moon is a good idea. The problem is that authors do it way too often, and end up driving the prices of ebooks dangerously low."

That's very generalized. Since this is really an individual game, I always think it's best for each author to try various things and see what works. Do a few freebies and see what happens. If nothing, hold off on it a while. If your books are selling at a "dangerously low" price, try upping your price a little and see what happens. One of the greatest lessons an Indie can learn is that very little advice applies to all of us. In the end, it's all about trial and error. Try what someone else is being successful with and see if it works for you.

Cendrine wrote: "Forget about freebies. People who download free books don't read them most of the time."

Quite often when I offer a freebie, I get a few sales the following day. I sometimes get a review or two, too. Maybe your experience has been different and I'm sorry for that.

Phillip wrote: "I'm going to start 2020 (four hours away) by purging myself of the self-doubt and negativity that has built up over the last few years."

This is great, Phillip. The only thing I'd change is - do not wait until a new decade or even a new year (even if they're only four hours away) to purge yourself of self-doubt and negativity. Do this daily, even hourly if you need. So, you had a bad day of writing. The words weren't flowing or you got to the end and realized everything you wrote that day was trash. Put it away and vow to do better the next day. So, you went a couple of weeks without a sale. Tell yourself they'll come and soon and then bask in the days when the sales are rolling in. So, you had a couple of negative reviews this week. Remind yourself that they're just the opinions of others and it's beyond your control. Remind yourself that you weren't writing for these people in the first place. Someone close said they'd read your book but never has. People get busy and while your book is full of your sweat, blood, and tears, it's just a book to them and easily put aside when something more important comes along (like that episode of Law & Order that they really liked is being rerun).

From the folder rules:

This folder includes helpful topics on the subject of book promotions. Posts may only be started by an SIA Moderator. Member-initiated posts will be deleted. Make sure to read the rules for each thread prior to posting.

You are not a moderator.

Not a problem, Eldon.

Rita wrote: "I'm looking for ..."

No links. No self promoting. You're off topic. Etc.

Started toying with what might be my third novel. I'll have a few short stories and a silly book or two, I'm sure. I'll publish whatever I am satisfied with, whether it's one work or many.

It happens. Writers shouldn't be afraid to write about what happens. It shouldn't matter if the reader accepts it or not. If the h and the h (?) fall in love, so what? It's your book.

I've closed and archived the original quotes thread as the first few posts were removed some time ago for reasons I don't recall, including specific rules about the thread by a moderator. It seemed a good idea to start this again, now with the rules for the thread at the top.

In this thread you may:
*Post a quote / excerpt from your book. The quote / excerpt can be one you find funny, inspirational, or you're just damned proud of. You may give us the title of the book and a brief set up to the scene if needed.
*Comment on other's posts with positive feedback.

In this thread you may NOT:
*Post links to your book (or anything else)
*Do anything else that feels like a bookwhack. Please refrain from adding the book cover, the blurb, a list of places it is sold, the price, and so on.
*No negative feedback. This is the Fun folder and it is not the place for criticism. If you see a post by someone else that you do not like for any reason, scroll on. Even if you feel tempted to correct a misspelled word or suggest a better wording, move on, unless the author of the post is asking for constructive criticism. Otherwise, positive feedback only.

I've had mine for at least six years. There are times I use it nearly every day, sometimes for hours. I've dropped it. I've left it in my car for days in sub-zero weather. I've pulled the back off to look inside. I abuse the hell out of it and it still works.

L.K. wrote: "I agree about first person present tense though - I don't find it particularly comfortable to read."

I don't either. I have read some books that were quite good written in first person present tense, though I couldn't help feeling they would have been better had they been written in past tense. I have written in first person present tense a time or three, only in short stories told from the point of view of a redneck, because that's pretty much how rednecks tell stories. "Me and Dub is ridin in his GMC, right? The one with the missing windshield? An we pull up to this light and we're tippin back with our beers and we see this police car roll up beside us. We look at each other and we both go, 'busted' right? Well, that cop looks right at us and he says, 'Hey where's mine?' So, Dub he throws that cop a beer and the cop tips his hat and goes, 'Thanks, pardner' and off he goes."*

I would like to say kudos to Gary and anyone else who writes in first person present tense for two reasons: 1) Many readers find it amateurish (for the record I don't agree) and 2) It's actually pretty tough to write that way and pull it off.

*EDITED TO ADD: This is not a part of any of my stories. It's based on my former brother-in-law telling everyone about a time a cop saw the two of us drinking in his truck while going down a highway.

John wrote: "Don't understand."

Is this a quote from something you wrote?

Gary wrote: "If you reflect on how you experience life - it is not a 3rd person past tense kind of experience. It is a 1st person present tense thing - so on a subconscious level when you read 1st person present tense it should feel more 'real'."

I have written in first person and have read books in first person. I don't find it any more real. First person often reads as if the main character is telling the story to someone. When you add present tense to the equation it feels artificial. Who, while they're in the middle of a critical moment in their life, stops to narrate it to some bystander? "I see the man pull a gun out of his holster. He points it at me and tells me to hand him all my money. I hesitate for I don't have a lot of money but what I have is all I have. I have no idea when I'm going to get more money. Giving all my money to this man who is threatening my life is going to leave me flat broke and I might as well be dead. I make a grab and try to get the gun from him. He fires and the bullet goes into my arm. It's painful, but I will live through it. I try again to wrench the gun from him. Again he fires and this bullet takes out my knee. I stumble to the ground. He kicks me in the ribs. I am defeated. Yet, I can't let him have my money. I have to find a way out of this." If anything, it is the least realistic way of writing.

My own personal thoughts as they are happening would make a terrible story. "It's crowded here today. Great. That lady is standing right in front of the cheese I want to buy. Oh, they're playing Billy Idol. Great song. Why do they have to interrupt the music to announce sales going on? It's better that they play this music than the muzak I grew up on, but I wish they didn't... will this lady move out of my way? She just coughed on the cheese I want. Well, it's in plastic so. Did I get grapes yet? I was going to get grapes. I know that guy. I'm going to reach for the cheese. Wow, she gave me a dirty look. Tough. I got my cheese. How do I know this guy? I wish they'd stop interrupting Billy Idol. I know that guy from somewhere. My shoe is coming untied and my feet itch. I hate the new packaging on that cereal. I miss the old picture on the old boxes. That guy nodded at me. How do I know him? Did I feed the dogs this morning? I meant to. I hope I did. Grapes. I still need grapes."

Gary wrote: "Third person and past tense is always an unreal POV."

Nah. Not buying it. I've never read a fictional story that felt completely real. Some feel more real than others I suppose, but the point of view and tense have nothing to do with it.

It's not bad, Heather. I read it when you first posted it and came back to read it again. The only part that keeps tripping me up is wondering why the king suddenly hates and fears Kamala after she saved his life. Am I missing something?

Gonna just delete this. I'm not fond of the tone where you accuse "anyone reading this" of a breach of copyright if they downloaded your book for free from a bogus site. If your book wound up on a bogus site, that fight is between you and that site, not the people who might have downloaded it. Also, you had a link to your book. We don't allow that.