C.B.’s Comments (group member since May 01, 2015)

C.B.’s comments from the Support for Indie Authors group.

I am from the camp of 'My outlines are almost looser than my characters'.
I write outlines, but with the big novels I immediately abandon them! It is nice to have them, as it is fun to see where the stories end up.

However, for my short stories I outline them, and they almost stick to it. Which is amazing. It is probably because they are shorter and easier to keep on track word count wise! If a great idea happens though, that outline is getting ditched.

I do outlining plot points style. Each one ends up being about 500 words on average. This lets me plan out how many words there are in the story beforehand, and keep right to that goal, and then immediately go on a tangent and add 2000 words just for one joke I think is funny.

A note that I think I should mention. Not stepping on any toes or anything.

Some people quite like having 'A Novel' on their cover. Other people don't. It is a personal preference.

It really can be however you like. :)

Jordan wrote: "I think making your font larger and and the coloring lighter will go a long way, too. At first glance I couldn't tell they were flowers she was holding, and it looked slightly creepy - like they we..."

They do sort of look like bees! I see it now as well.

Red and blue together are the worst combination for computer screen legibility of text. They don't interact well inside the monitor and it is advisable to not use them together. :)

Red and black can have terrible contrast, but I think here with just 'Blood' in black it works. I would not change any other text to black. The smaller stuff will get lost.

Also, maybe adjust the kerning (spacing) of your name just slightly so that it lines up with 'HOLY WATER'. The just slightly not bang on is through the cover off a bit.

Otherwise, I really like the red one. On the blue one, your fonts get lost in the burst effect and an outer multiple effect would help!

I am in the 'all fonts need to be bigger' camp on this one.
The cover is interesting, but it is already hard to read the text at this size!

I see no problem at all with using that! :)

G.G. wrote: "So what is an author to do? "

Nothing! :D
That pretty much sums it up, and I agree.

Especially here. If you have sent books out to get reviews, they are out of your hands, now and forever. Do not dwell on them, least they destroy you

Alex wrote: "Christina wrote: "Alex wrote: "That can cause more problems than it solves though. I had a character called Rose that I decided to change to Lucy, I did it with the Global Find & Replace and ended ..."

I have yet to learn my lesson! :D
However, with fantasy names there is less problems when it comes to changing them quickly.

For example, I don't know of any other words that have D'halaxak in them.

But yes, for a Rose, or a Will I would be much more careful. Spaces do make it a lot easier to carefully replace.

That is why keyboards have a Crtl + F Global replace feature!

I can't believe that Christina.

Of course Allen, it is yours to do with what you will! :D

Nat wrote: "Oh really? What is it your characters are getting off on? "

No comment.

Grammar check keeps insisting that my characters are getting off the clock, but I know it is wrong.

I am all for Twitter. It is only a mass of horrible graves of spam if you let it be! I have met more crazy people on there than anywhere else (except perhaps here) and they are all great fun. They are not all writers, they are not even all readers, but hey, it isn't a book contest, it is for fun.

Have fun with it and it is fun, not a chore or an obligation or a spam'o'whackery.

Fan Art for Shannon Reber for her book Friends and Foes! (It isn;t out yet to link to on Goodreads)

But sure to make sure any fonts you get from there are free for commercial use! :D

Here are some fun first lines from my novels!

- Zing!
- Zing!
- Zing!

And the shorts!

- Pop!
- Pop!
- Pop!
- Pop!
- Pop!
- Pop!
- Pop!
- Pop!

I love this game! :D

As for endings, all little ones end with a variation on this line:

"... and (he/they/she) would never tell anyone else about it. Ever."

Sam wrote: "I began the thread. Not sure what folder I should be I'm."

I put you in the correct folder. Also, a quick search for this in the group reveals at least three topics already started about Kindle Paperback, perhaps someone in one of them has already answered your question?

:)

M.J. wrote: "Wow that's lacking a lot of context lol. Fun thread!"

Context is for the weak! :D

The thread is more fun not knowing!

Allan wrote: "Hi C.B. I'm only recently self published and have not received any fan art as yet. Being a bit of an artist myself, I would love it if people liked my work enough to provide fan art. If it ever hap..."

You know the rules of my thread. (If not, you do now.) No one says that they have never had fan art before without getting some fan art made!

Here is Corporal Jackson scared that the Russians will find the machine in Darkness In Shadows by Allan Walsh. He used a good hiding spot though, so I am sure it will be fine.