Amy’s Comments (group member since Jan 15, 2017)

Amy’s comments from the Navigating Indieworld Discussing All Things Indie group.

Well done everyone.

At the moment I'm happy writing. I have such a lot to put out, when I've done that and I'm happy with some output I'll sit back and work on some promo. Right now I feel like a one non-hit wonder.

In other good news I ran my first book through Grammarly last night (didn't know it existed when I first published) and I republished all three versions (ugh). I think I saw something that grammarly didn't pick up after I'd published, but anything missed now falls under the heading of "quirk" until someone else makes an issue of it. I have done my best with what I have and can afford.

Hello all people I haven't said hello to. *waves*, *spills coffee on keyboard*

So I recently downloaded the free version of Grammarly, because, well it's free, I'm broke and I can't afford professional services and some of what I learnt at school has left me since having a mini stroke, anyway...

In brief (cos I'm so good at brief!) the doctor is discussing access to someone's head wound. Apparently,

"If you'd just let me shave this part of your head" should be corrected to:
"If you'd just let me share this part of your head"

Now although I like the idea of sharing some stuff that must go on in some people's heads, like instant access to knowledge on how to make a huge amount of money, that's not really what I had in mind.

I need to find somewhere that deals with erotica. Or I need to switch genre.

Yay, definitely not a smurf. White hair and yellow hair are never things I aim for, unless it's just bleached. Blue hair colour does nothing on my natural hair colour, it needs to be bleached first.

Well done Alex, that's amazing.

Do smurfs have white hair? Awesome, never liked the idea of looking like a Smurf. No, it's blue hair. So relieved now! Not a Smurf.

Head painting day at the hairdressers tomorrow so I can get some reading done while I'm being painted like a smurf!

Nat wrote: "Amy wrote: "I couldn't reach out. Too scared of being told it's crap."

Never hurts to ask, and isn't it better your beta tells you things to fix rather than have people comment on it poorly? Find ..."

I may consider asking around for a beta for book 2. Although how many people would be willing to beta read erotica? It's hardly anybody's cup of tea, and I've been incredibly fortunate to have people here read the first book despite it not being their thing.

Is getting there...25% through...good so far...honest...reads at the pace of a snail...

I think the thing that set me against it is not the idea per se, but the way the "organiser" was naming and shaming an author online who had issue with the way the whole thing was conducted, to the point where authors have had to change their pen names and start again. Apparently the payment options may not be by the rules, using whatever PayPal Friends and Family is to pay the organiser to avoid PayPal charges when it's clearly not a friends and family thing, it's a business thing. Issuing payment for things in Amazon gift cards to avoid having to give refunds. Once you're in you're in and you can't get your money back-that kind of thing. In the UK that may fall foul of the distance selling act (not sure)

I stuck a short story in for the Spring Anthology here with a view that maybe someone somewhere would think it wasn't rubbish and want to read more of what I've written. Similar concept that did not thankfully involve me parting with money. I was absolutely doing it for exposure.

If I was in a better place financially and it was a dead cert, maybe I'd consider it, but right now it seems like another slap in the face-it's not ability that gets you seen-it's how much capital you have.

It does however make me feel a lot better about never making it onto anyone's list.

Alex wrote: "I've remembered the article I was going to write now, *claps hands excitedly* it's on the various elements you need for a crime book. I'll get on it in a bit."

Admit it, it was the mention of leather trousers that reminded you wasn't it?!?

I have one for summer in my head. I just need to remember Summer and leather trousers. How's that for a start?

No, not everyone would do it, that's for sure, but it makes you wonder how many have. Then, once you've done it you get to call yourself a best selling author for the rest of your career having basically bought your way in. It may be legal and it may be the done thing, but it's not my thing.

I have been swayed by authors who have been "best selling" and in the paper best sellers list. Then I've read their work and wondered how they managed it. It was ok but nothing special. Now I know. They basically could have bought a letter telling them they were best sellers. It's not talent that gets you there it's money.

That's very long lol. I read enough to see that some people get on best sellers lists because they've basically bought into a best sellers list. The figures are being fudged by people working the system rather than growing an organic following. Nice. No thanks.

I feel your pain. I put effort into that. Keep it for the next one. I can write another one for summer if you want. If you want I'll write the whole damn anthology!

Money does not goes as far as it used to that's for sure.

I believe it's slightly under that living wage level though. Might be wrong. I'm self employed so the living wage doesn't apply.

What's the exchange rate? I know people here trying to support a family of 4 on £25k a year that's in full time employment not trying to make it as a writer. Something online has just told me that £20k is $35.4k CAD. That is a living in the UK. It's not a huge one granted but it would be considered making a living.