Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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Writing Questions for Josh
Kari wrote: "There's a workshop we need at one of these conferences -- tax & financial planning for writers. Ew but oh so necessary."When I was in art school, we had to do this as seniors. Ew, yes, but so important. And I can totally relate to the income v. tax bracket thing. It's amazing how me making just a little bit more a year can cost us more than I make. Fortunately, I've been unemployed for a while so I have more room to play with. See? Silver linings everywhere:)
Someone must do workshops about something like that....
Blaine D. wrote: "I'm not procrastinating, I'm not procrastinatig ... it's Saturday, it's my day off (as far as that concept actually exists)Anyway ... still writing related *nods*
After all the talk of business c..."
Blaine, I like it, especially your use of color.
You can buy pre-scored 8.5x11 sheets of card stock for business card printing, but I gave it up after one go when I was working for myself -- somehow the edge it gave the cards felt "homemade" to me.
On the other hand, no one ever sneered at my business card.
Megan wrote: "Blaine, I like it, especially your use of color.You can buy pre-scored 8.5x11 sheets of card stock for business card printing, but I gave it up after one go when I was working for myself -- somehow the edge it gave the cards felt "homemade" to me.
On the other hand, no one ever sneered at my business card. "
Thanks :)
I started out with one of those business card sites, but I didn't like the restrictions on where to put the text, so I made my own and used the colours I used on my sites.
And speaking of that, I'm glad you like my use of colour. I wanted something that represented me, so I went with the colour of my picture and and just mixed and matched and used it for every site I have (well, the Blaine ones, at least). I like this kind of recognisable uniformity :)
As for printing. I was thinking about just using a thick quality A4 and cutting it to size, but that depends on what the local copyshop is asking for making business cards.
Anne wrote: "It's amazing how me making just a little bit more a year can cost us more than I make. "Actually, this doesn't happen (at least in the U.S.). Your marginal rate on the increased income may be higher, but it doesn't raise the rate for the rest of your income.
Charming wrote: "Anne wrote: "It's amazing how me making just a little bit more a year can cost us more than I make. "Actually, this doesn't happen (at least in the U.S.). Your marginal rate on the increased inc..."
Yeah, but once I add in other expenses (gas, clothes, childcare) we start loosing money, and a fair chunk of it is tax-related.
Charming wrote: "Anne wrote: "It's amazing how me making just a little bit more a year can cost us more than I make. "Actually, this doesn't happen (at least in the U.S.). Your marginal rate on the increased inc..."
This being why we (meaning I, LOL) need the financial planning workshop. :D
So, in case anyone noticed and is wondering, I (the person formerly known as Megan) changed my Goodreads account to my pen name. I'm now Anne Tenino.
Here's an odd question about pen names. I decided on one a few years ago, but of course haven't used it yet. I decided recently to search to see if it was a duplicate. Well, I found an author who published one book in the last ten years and it's a one star that apparently bombed. It was a tribute to her husband. She is not likely to write another book, I think, since her subject matter was personal and the final product wasn't very well received. So ... should I abandon my preferred pen name? Throw in a middle initial (I much prefer it without)? Or just stay the course?
Beanbag wrote: "Here's an odd question about pen names. I decided on one a few years ago, but of course haven't used it yet. I decided recently to search to see if it was a duplicate. Well, I found an author wh..."My two cents: I thought it was worth coming up with a pen name that I really liked, and I'm not sure there are a lot of things that could have made me change it if I'd found out someone had already used it (but was a similar situation to yours).
I'm also one of those people who can't write about my characters until they have a name.
Can you figure out the circulation of this previous author's book? Probably doesn't really matter, but it would be nice to know how many people might associate you with her.
I'm not so sure this is a writing question -- more like a psychological question.I have this character I've been writing who has a hidden (from himself at least) well of anxiety. As he falls in love, the anxiety becomes a bigger and bigger issue, until it becomes too big a problem to ignore.
What's killing me is writing him. I get so involved in his anxiety that I get anxious. I'm only getting 1,000 words a day because I get so worked up I can't keep going.
I don't necessarily want suggestions for how to deal with this (although they are welcome), what I really want to know is if anyone else gets this freaked out by what they are writing. Or am I nuts?
Mod
In this case it's probably not going to matter much if you use the same pen name, though I like the idea of adding a middle initial.
Mod
You're not nuts. Well, no more nuts than any other writer. :-)
I'll creep myself out writing suspense or scary scenes, and I've occasionally (embarrassingly) shed tears over certain scenes.
I think it makes sense because when we're really in the "zone," it's like being in a waking dream or a trance state. We're *there*. We're in the story. So it's not unreasonable that we'd experience it emotionally as well as analytically,
I call it my waking dream-state. It hits me hardest when I'm in a first draft. People who called me then invariably asked if they woke me up. I don't blame them. I'm not awake then. I'm not real-world functional. (FWIW, I don't answer the phone any more. When I didn't have a day job, I tolerated the interruptions & could function on a shallow level, but now? My writing time is sacred. No phone.)The hardest scene I've ever written was Mitch's panic attack in Lovely Wicked. It isn't even that long of a scene, just a few pages, but oh my. I had to keep circling back to it because I couldn't do the whole thing in one go.
Anne wrote: "I don't necessarily want suggestions for how to deal with this (although they are welcome), what I really want to know is if anyone else gets this freaked out by what they are writing. Or am I nuts?"Josh wrote: You're not nuts. Well, no more nuts than any other writer. :-)
I'll creep myself out writing suspense or scary scenes, and I've occasionally (embarrassingly) shed tears over certain scenes.
I think it makes sense because when we're really in the "zone," it's like being in a waking dream or a trance state. We're *there*. We're in the story. So it's not unreasonable that we'd experience it emotionally as well as analytically, "
I think it's only logical our writing affects like that. I mean, if we don't feel the emotion we write, how can the reader?
Anne wrote: "I'm not so sure this is a writing question -- more like a psychological question.I have this character I've been writing who has a hidden (from himself at least) well of anxiety. As he falls in ..."
When I am in the "zone", I become the character I write, so yes, this is very understandable. Which is why I avoid writing dark fics. I don't think I can handle it.
It's weird, though. I think I never realized that I live it away from the book, too. Like, I think it was the first time I wrote a sex scene when I realized "Oh, they aren't in my head, I'm in theirs." But I guess I didn't realize I was carrying the emotions they have around with me, and not just their plotlines.It's just that his damn anxiety is living in my chest, now, and no matter what I write, it probably won't go away until he works his shit out.
I appreciate all of your comments, though. I like knowing I'm not alone.
Cleon wrote: "When I am in the "zone", I become the character I write, so yes, this is very understandable. Which is why I avoid writing dark fics. I don't think I can handle it."This is why I can't see writing a rape scene, either.
Josh wrote: "I'll creep myself out writing suspense or scary scenes, and I've occasionally (embarrassingly) shed tears over certain scenes. "I always kind of like it when I can make myself cry. I figure it increases my chances of making my readers cry. Which is maybe a strange goal, now that I think about it. Especially considering my writing style....
Once the laptop closes, I shake it off and move on. No matter what. If my husband can leave his job at work, I owe it to him and myself to do the same. I'm nutball enough as it is, the poor man. LOL.Writing the darker stuff...I've found it to be very cathartic. For example, I'm going back into Spoils 2 right now and Micah is pissed, LOL. So I can focus and funnel anger, because it's in his head. I can do the same with his sense of broken-ness and his bewilderment with his world. Doesn't mean I'm Micah. I'm not, nowhere near. But I can use those emotions. It's actually kind of liberating. The only time that hasn't been the case was a romantic suspense I tried in my early days, writing from the POV of a serial killer. That was effing disturbing. I could do it, but it didn't take me to a happy place. I didn't like what it was doing to me. I abandoned that book and to this day, don't regret it. That was too much like gutting myself.
Then again, I usually write about how characters deal with the aftermath of a traumatic event, not how they feel/act during the traumatic event. Big difference.
Mod
I have this character I've been writing who has a hidden (from himself at least) well of anxiety. As he falls in ..."
You write more than 1000 words a day normally? I commend you! 1000K is what I manage on a really good day.
But to your question. Feeling the emotions of a character is what I like to think of as the "acting" element of writing. In the one-man show that is fiction, the writer acts all the characters, you know? To get around transferring that emotional state to real life, just act a different character for a couple of minutes to diffuse the emotional resonance caused by acting the first one--I suggest trying the antagonist instead of the protagonist. (The mental exercise of acting the antagonist for a while will enrich the story anyway, since understanding the antagonist better will naturally lead to more complex and nuanced conflict.)
Nicole wrote: "Feeling the emotions of a character is what I like to think of as the "acting" element of writing. In the one-man show that is fiction, the writer acts all the characters, you know? To get around transferring that emotional state to real life, just act a different character for a couple of minutes to diffuse the emotional resonance caused by acting the first one--I suggest trying the antagonist instead of the protagonist. (The mental exercise of acting the antagonist for a while will enrich the story anyway, since understanding the antagonist better will naturally lead to more complex and nuanced conflict.) "I've often thought of it that way -- as acting. I really relate to the analogy. As far as my antagonist goes (or protag B), I can't seem to let go of protag A for very long. I get sucked into B when I write him, but then A takes over again.
I think the reality is that I have a lot of anxiety right now, and I'm trying to blame it on my writing....
Mod
Yeah, it's tough when that happens. If we lend a character too much of our own present emotion it can feel like the characters are in charge of us instead of the other way around. They're not. They never were, and never will be. But it can feel that way.
To my mind that's just one more reason to focus on a character who isn't having anxiety for a while--just to give yourself a break from experiencing that feeling and short-circuit the emotional feedback loop so you can take pleasure in writing instead of writing being an activity that amplifies existing anxiety.
That's just what I think, though, from having had the experience of getting into a negative feedback loop with writing before. It is, as you pointed out, kinda hard on the word count. :)
Nicole wrote: "Anne wrote: I think the reality is that I have a lot of anxiety right now, and I'm trying to blame it on my writing... Yeah, it's tough when that happens. If we lend a character too much of our o..."
Okay, I took today off (more by accident than design), and I think I'm going to focus on something else for the weekend at least.
Thanks :)
Mod
I would LOVE a financial planning workshop/seminar for writers. That's EXACTLY what I need! I suck at math, and financial stuff. I hate having to think about it, but because I love writing sooooo much I would do it, because otherwise, I'll be like a fish out of water, and I'll probably drown. lol. Probably not, but still.
I'm sooo not a FaceBook person. When I get a chance, I'm going to get my own website, whether I buy the domain name or not, and I've got Twitter, but I just don't want to have another site to update and keep track of. I've never been a fan of FB, even when I had one nearly ten years ago. But, if it's my penname, I might be more OK with it eventually. Future employers won't know to look me up under Jordan S. lol.
One of my friends told me there are websites out there where you can link multiple social media together so one post will get broadcasted on your Twitter, FB, and everything else. Of course, I've forgotten the name of it.
However, here's something that Twitter is good for. As I run the National Novel Editing Month Twitter feed, I like to follow lots of publishers, writers, and things like that. They tend to tweet about interesting articles, or good book buying deals, or author interviews, which I can then retweet to people who are following me. Following Writer's Digest was how I found out about the Author Website Webinar at the last minute and was able to sign up for it. So, yeah, it's worth it.
Also, I finally got to take that webinar and last night I copied all my notes. I have an RTF file (6-7 pages)with my notes and a PDF file with the rest of the Q+A session (2-3 pages) that was given out as an attachment. This was a FANTASTIC webinar! I learned a lot, and it's just too much for me to put into a comment box here. I was thinking I would post it to the files section of our mmcrits Yahoo Group. But if there are others who want it, I guess you can message me here with your email address and I can send them as attachments. Does that sound like a good idea?
Josh, is there a better way to get this out?
Mod
Josh, you mentioned a site where you can get cards for free?! Doesn't make sense to me, but can you tell us where?
Blaine, I LOVE your card! And I agree, the colors are fantabulous! That picture is amazing. Whoever took it did a great job!
I'm just curious, because not everyone uses the same picture on their cards. Blaine, you used a beautiful headshot, while other authors in the genre have used things that act more as symbols. One author (not one I've read yet, so I've forgotten her name) actually used a rolled up, dripping hose with the tagline "come get wet". It's actually a biz card sized magnet. (I can't wait to try to explain that one to my mother when she sees it on my fridge next time she visits.) Basically, I'm wondering which is essentially better for promotion, or does it really matter?
I have a thing for skeleton keys, so my first thought was to put an awesome skeleton key on mine, since keys always have romantic conotations. Thoughts on this?
I'm also wondering about a tagline. If you put it on a biz card that's more about you, then the line shouldn't be directed at just one book, right? Or does that matter? I hadn't even thought about putting one on my card, but now that I see some people have, I'm kind of liking the idea. It makes sense, and helps to promote you better, if all someone has is your card. It does more for you than just telling people what genre you write in.
Mod
Mod
Mm Crits is closed to anyone who isn't an actual member, so I don't know if anyone but members will be able to access?
I'm certainly open to ideas -- I think sharing that kind of information is one of the best things about groups like ours.
Mod
Mod
The purpose of a business card is to forge contacts. Its purpose is not to sell a particular book. It's not a sales tool. Sometimes that gets lost along the way.
A bookmark, a postcard, a pen, a mug, a tee shirt...these are sales promo items.
So the business card needs to contain information that another writer, potential publisher, etc. would need to know as they're shuffling through that stack of cards after a conference and everything and everyone is starting to blur together.
As I look through the cards I've collected through the years...I have a lot of book packagers, bookstores, agents, poison expert, forensic expert, etc. There are some friends and my publishers stapled right to Rolodex cards but those are regular contacts.
Jordan S. wrote: "Blaine, I LOVE your card! And I agree, the colors are fantabulous! That picture is amazing. Whoever took it did a great job! "Thank you *blush*
The picture is anything but professional, though. Either I took it using the timer function, or I forced hubby into taking it. At that point I just wanted a new avatar pic. It's at least a year old, but hair and face haven't changed much (yes, I admit, I did spruce up the colour a bit. My hair's still purple, though)
Jordan S. wrote: "Basically, I'm wondering which is essentially better for promotion, or does it really matter?"
I read somewhere that a picture isn't necessary, but might make it easier for people to remember you. I went with the picture because I had space left. I liked how it turned out.
The card is supposed to represent who you are. If you feel skeleton keys represent you, than that's what you go with. Of course, I only started reading about the business card thing when it was mentioned here, so I'm not actually an expert.
And, yes, I'd be very interested in the webinar :)
Josh wrote: "http://bit.ly/fMfAtJ I know Vista Print does all kinds of freebies, but I'm guessing others here will have better sources."The only snag with Vistaprint is the delivery costs.
If I compare prices of a personalised design (I found the free option a little to restrictive in the end...) to a local copy shop (they make my diary/journal every year) and Vista Print, there is a 2Euro difference. In essence the local shop is more expensive, but Vista Print's delivery cost almost negates that fact.
Jordan S. wrote: "Future employers won't know to look me up under Jordan S. lol. "Huge consideration -- People forget their net presence is so easy to track, and anyone who can google your name can do it.
Mod
Josh, I'll certainly give VistaPrint a try and see what they're like.
Jordan S. wrote: "Yup, and that's why if you look up my real name online, you won't find anything except a few things from college that got posted to my college's website (not by me) and perhaps a few newer things r..."I wasn´t warned about that until I was fully emerged in my online life. I had a brief moment of panic, but I soon learned to let it go. It was out there anyway and I'm not ashamed of where I hang out :)
Most of what they'll stumble on will be my poetry and my slashfic. So, these days, I´m not really bothered by it.
Of course, I don't think I'll ever have a future employer to worry about ...
Mod
Blaine, send me your email address, if you want me to send it to one not on your biz card. Otherwise I'm going to send it there.
I used to work as a school counselor for junior high and high school students, and there is a possibility that I might return to that profession if my online business isn't working out. I definitely have to be careful of my reputation online. And even I don't plan on impressing potential employers in the future, I need to be careful of what my impressionable students might find about me. In fact, most of my Facebook "friends" are my former students. lol.
Blaine D. wrote: "Jordan S. wrote: "Yup, and that's why if you look up my real name online, you won't find anything except a few things from college that got posted to my college's website (not by me) and perhaps a ..."I worry about it too much (wait, I'm sensing a trend, here). When I got a publishing contract, I promised the Husband I'd try to keep my identity on the down-low, since it could cause problems for him. We both think it sucks, but since he's the bread-winner....
Jordan S. wrote: "lol, not having future employers to worry about sounds perfect! I hope to someday get there! Blaine, send me your email address, if you want me to send it to one not on your biz card. Otherwise..."
Actually, I forgot to mention that that was meant in a 'hubby has a great job and I want to spend the rest of my life making money writing, even though I'm not published ... yet' way
the email on my biz card is fine :)
Mod
For those who are a part of the mmcrits Yahoo group, I posted both files loosely in the files section.
For those not in the crit group, message me with your email address and I'll email them as attachments.
Jordan S. wrote: "lol, never mind Blaine, I temporarily forgot you're part of the crit group. For those who are a part of the mmcrits Yahoo group, I posted both files loosely in the files section.
For those ..."
I guess that's my cue that I should be more active in that group.
I was actually planning some critiquing ... but I'm travelling and visiting friends and mother in law all weekend.
I just said goodbye to my youngest who's having a sleepover tonight, and won't be home before I leave tomorrow ... strange feeling
then again ... I'll have time to write/critique in the train ...
Mod
Thanks for the pen name advice everyone! I really didn't like the flow of the name with an initial in the middle and I couldn't think of a third name to add. I've decided on an initial at the beginning. Yay! It works well. I keep the flow of the actual name and it doesn't come up on any searches. I'm glad I remembered that option.Now to actually finish a project so I can use it! :D
Mod
Mod
Clever idea!
Josh you have probably answered this a lot before but,do you write under any other pen names?
ETA or have you in the past published under a dif pen name?
Josh,I am working on a series and was wondering if it would be a good idea to self-publish a short story with one on my characters (sort of a prequel) in order to promote my work a little before I get a contract. Is that something you would recommend? Would it help or affect my chances with publishers in the long run?
If the rest of you have an opinion on this please feel free to share :-)
Taylor
Taylor V. wrote: "Josh,I am working on a series and was wondering if it would be a good idea to self-publish a short story with one on my characters (sort of a prequel) in order to promote my work a little before ..."
Caution: I'm not Josh. But..., have you thought about offering the story free somewhere? Not a site like CRVboy, because they sort of frown on using their site as a promotional tool, but do you have a website? Or you can even post it on Goodreads under your profile and then spread the word that it's there.
You could preface the story with a note saying it's a short featuring characters from a book you're trying to publish. FYI, I wrote a story for just this purpose, but ended up getting a contract before I ever got a chance to post it anywhere.
Mod
This is Nicole Kimberling, editor of Blind Eye Books. I can only speak for myself, but I would very much encourage you not to self-publish any tangential material related to a story that you are trying to sell to a publisher. Here's why--one of the things you will almost certainly have to do, should you acquire a contract, is submit a marketing plan. If you have a short story that you have written as a prequel, you can use this as part of your marketing plan, but saying something like, "I have a short prequel that I plan to offer as a free download on my site...yada yada yada." If your publisher is a small independent like us they might actually be wanting to work with you to arrange the download from their site. But if your story is already online and has been for some time, it will have no value as an extra. More than that, if your story is a romance and it contains only one of the characters, readers could get the wrong impression of the story.
And as a personal note. I never acquire any MS that has been placed in whole or part online already. To me, the prequel online would be a dealbreaker, even if I wanted to acquire your story. I mean, what if I wanted to contract you to work that prequel into a novel? I couldn't because its already online and no one buys what they're already had for free. What if I wanted to ask you to change some minor detail about the main character? I couldn't, because the prequel would have already been read online and therefore can't be changed without annoying fans. You see where I'm going with this?
So my advice is: HOLD OFF.
I know you probably want to get something out there, but don't give away something that could be of value to you later.
Mod
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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Josh wrote: "And if the card is about you the author versus a particular book, they won't be out of date by the next conference."
I see your point. Truly, I do, but I'm never going to be a regular conference attendee. I'll probably go to RWA when it comes back to NYC in 2015, but...Unless something is closeby, exceedingly doubtful. 1)I'm severely phobic about air travel. 2)My driving sucks too. 3)Conference is exhausting, just not the way it is for most people. Only way to explain it is by example: elevators. There is one in my county, but I've never seen much less used it. While I don't have a shy bone in my body and I'm not going to freeze in abject terror at an elevator bank (more than one elevator in one spot? oh lord), being so far outside my ken is highly stressful & wearing. Very much akin to visiting another country or even a different planet. While I adore conference when I'm there (new adventures - YAY!), I enjoy my status as a living anachronism more. It's highly unlikely I'll venture into civilization more often than every 3-5 years. At which time the contact info & background image I thought was so nifty in 2011 will undoubtedly need updating.
Besides, to avoid the additional burden of a higher tax bracket, I need my income to fall inside a specific range. I screwed that up for our 2010 return and the extra bite is still smarting. So every dollar I can deduct in business expense in 2011 is golden. Until my boss retires & I along with him, unless my writing income jumps significantly higher, my earnings can hurt rather than help us. Depending on how well new books do this year...I need to offset. Weird, but there ya go.
There's a workshop we need at one of these conferences -- tax & financial planning for writers. Ew but oh so necessary.