Greedy Authors?

In my circle of authors, we sometimes discuss the negative emails and comments we receive from readers. Again and again, no matter how low we price our books, how many we make permanently
free, how often we offer special discounts, we are accused of  "being greedy."

One of the oddities of today's publishing world is an author has a choice:

Your books can be available on all the various ebook platforms, and you get to enjoy nasty emails from readers who accuse you of being "greedy" because they can't borrow your books via the Kindle Unlimited program.

or

You can have content that's exclusive to Amazon (Kindle Unlimited, Kindle Worlds, Amazon publishing imprints) and enjoy nasty emails from readers who accuse you of being "greedy' for making the business decisions that will best support you and your family.

or

You can split the difference, have some exclusive content and some non-exclusive, and enjoy complaints from both sides.

Maybe the problem isn't with "greedy authors," but with readers who will drop $4 on a fast food meal or a cup of coffee, but balk at paying the same for an ebook?

Writing is Not a Job

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Writing is not a job.
No, really, hear me out.
It's not a job, at least, not in the way most people think of jobs, and in the way most writers talk about them.

First, let's get a couple of things out of the way:
-As always, I'm addressing writers whose goal it is to earn a full-time living writing commercial fiction.
-When I say writing isn't a job, I'm talking about the idea that writing is an endeavor for which you should expect a living wage merely by showing up and putting forth effort, as you might in many vocations. 

     

Let's take a look at some of the definitions of "job:"

job: a piece of work, especially a specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation or for an agreed price:

As an author, a work-for hire agreement, in which the writer is paid an agreed-upon price for a specific task, is sort of a job, but it's a contract arrangement; you're not an employee, and you don't necessarily expect a living wage from that specific task. The traditional "Here's your advance; let's see if this book sells enough to earn it back" is not a "job" in the traditional, "full-time job" sense.

job: a post of employment; full-time or part-time position.

You are not an employee. You're an independent contractor producing a product that the people who have -jobs- at the publishing house will attempt to sell.

job: anything a person is expected or obliged to do; duty; responsibility.

This doesn't really fit either. My daughter washing the dishes fits this definition of "job." And even though writing a book is something we're obliged to do, the obligation is a contractual agreement between parties, not an employer/employee relationship.

What I'm getting at is, when you have a "full-time job" in the traditional sense, you almost always know how much you'll be paid, either per hour or year, or at least what your baseline pay will be. As long as you show up when you're expected, put forth something that approximates reasonable effort in the eyes of your superiors, and don't screw up, you'll get paid your agreed-upon wage. Furthermore, employees doing the same job will generally make about the same living wage  (although, certainly with some variation.) The author life bears little resemblance to that arrangement, and it's folly to discuss author compensation in those terms.

At this point, you';re probably wondering why I'm wasting our collective time on this topic. Here's why (and again, I'm talking about commercial fiction, not literary):

-I'm discouraged by authors complaining about how little their writing "job" pays them.
-I frequently roll my eyes at writers who produce one book a year (or maybe not even that) complaining that they're underpaid at their "job."
-I'm discouraged by writers who make the choice to surrender 50%-90% of their potential income to publishers and agents complaining their "job" doesn't pay them enough. If you're an author for whom indie publishing just doesn't fit, there's nothing wrong with that, but don't be surprised when you're making the same sort of income as others in your genre.
-I'm weary of writers bemoaning the low average and median incomes of authors, when we all know those incomes include unproductive authors, authors who dip their toes into self-publishing and fail...
-I'm weary of authors who think it's impossible to produce multiple quality books a year. (That's another post entirely, but it's been thoroughly debunked.)
-I'm puzzled by "full-time" writers who act like 500 words a day is a Herculean task, and then wonder why they aren't earning a living wage.
-I'm tired of hearing about muses, or hearing the word "can't" applied in silly ways to so many aspects of the act of putting words on the page.
-I'm worried for writers who quit their actual jobs (you know, the ones that pay the bills) because they believe unemployment is a magic pill that will turn them into writing machines, churning out loads of commercially-appealing prose.
-I'm baffled by writers who ignore all the readily-available data on what traditional publishing pays, quit their day job, and are surprised when they aren't  the exception to the rule.
-I'm frustrated at seeing writers who can't make a living at traditional publishing make a half-hearted effort at indie publishing (publishing a short story collection, a novella disconnected from the interests of their established audience, not taking the time to learn best practices of indie pub), predictably failing, declaring "indie publishing might work for some, but it doesn't for me," and then putting their hand out for donations.
-I'm tired of people who think they should be paid a living wage simply because they engage in the act of writing for a few hours, most days of the week, most weeks of the year.


So, if writing isn't a "job" in the traditional sense, what is it?

An author produces a product for sale. That's it. As I said in a previous post, we're paid for the product, not the process.

Also as previously discussed, an author's compensation will therefore be determined by:
-Commercial appeal of the product.
-Effective pricing and marketing strategies
-Work ethic (more products=more income)
-How much of an author's potential income is surrendered to agents and publishers (or, in the case of indies, investment in the production process, cuts taken by distributors...)

So, what's the point of all this?

I believe it's in our best interests to change the way we think about writing. Instead of thinking about ourselves as employees slaving away at a job that pays poorly, let's start recognizing ourselves for what we are: producers.

When we accept that our compensation hinges on quality and quantity of our products, and the wisdom and effectiveness of our business decisions, we begin to see writing in a different way, and we begin to focus on what really matters:

-Work on our craft
-Strive to be more productive and efficient
-Stay on top of the business aspects, best practices, and realities of the publishing industry.

Let's stop sapping our time and creative energy fretting about what everyone else is being paid, and figure out how we can make our own careers work for us. On that note, I'm going to get back to work.

Good luck on your writing and publishing journey!

Writers and Self-Defeating Language

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Words are powerful. I know, that sounds trite when you're talking with writes, but it's true. I'm not
talking about the power of the word on the page, though. I'm talking about the words we say about our writing lives and the impact our word choices have on our productivity, our outlook, and our work ethics.

Behavioral scientists have established the effects, both long-term and short-term, of the words we say and hear. Certain words elicit powerful, immediate responses on a subconscious level. Others, over the long term, actually do impact our cognitive processes, resulting in changes in mood, attitude, and behavior (for better or worse). That's why things like positive affirmations (which I scoffed at the first time I sought counseling for depression) actually work.

Feeling better about yourself and your writing will absolutely help you along in your career, and speaking positively about both is a great habit, but that's not what I want to focus on. This website and companion podcast are primarily aimed at writers who want to make a living at writing, and the full-time writer doesn't have the luxury of only writing when (s)he feels [insert appropriate word or phrase here]. Full-time writers know that we have the same skills in our toolboxes no matter our mental state on a given day, and we know that we have to work or we don't get paid. So, let's talk terms.

"I have not yet..."
Years ago, a counselor encouraged me to be careful about saying "I haven't..." or "I never did..." or "I wish I had..." when talking about things I wanted to do. (Writing, for example.) Instead, he encouraged me to say "I have not yet..." The former phrases have an "over and done with" connotation, while the latter conveys a sense of intention, even expectation.

This can be a powerful tool for a writer. Suppose it's almost bedtime and someone in your network asks, "How did everyone do with their writing today?" You've put no words on the page today. You could respond with:

1-"I didn't do any writing today." This is a surrender phrase. The day is over, I did no writing. Maybe tomorrow.  It's also an insidious phrase, Do it enough and it becomes a habit so thoroughly ingrained in our cognitive processes that we don't even recognize it. Or we could try:

2- "I have not yet written today." This phrase recognizes that the day isn't over, there's still time on the clock, and I am in control of my choices. It might be almost bedtime, but there is nothing stopping me from opening up Word (or Scrivener, or whatever) and embarking on a "damn the torpedoes" ten-minute writing sprint.

This also goes for your particular spot on your writing/publishing journey. Suppose you meet another author at a conference, and (s)he asks you if you're published. Do you, with downcast eyes, say, "I'm not published," or do you smile and say "I'm not yet published?" One is the language of failure, the other is the language of optimist, intention, and commitment.

This also goes for things like:
I've never finished a manuscript/I haven't yet finished a manuscript.
I don't have an agent/I don't yet have an agent.
I haven't hit the bestseller list/I have not yet hit the bestseller list.
I'm not a full-time writer/I'm not yet a full-time writer.

I'm sure at least some readers are rolling their eyes at me right now, thinking I don't understand. I won't pretend I've walked in the shoes of everyone out there, but odds are, I've experienced most of the challenges common to writers: Writing while working two jobs, going to college, raising children, running a household, living paycheck-to-paycheck, mental illness, physical illness, the decline and death of someone close to me, writer's block, rejections...

You get the picture. For several years I managed to write a book a year while dealing with all the above and more. It meant a lot of late nights, lots of discouragement, but I did it. I recognized that, despite the stresses in my life, there was always available time to write, and what to do with that time was my choice. I don't say this to make anyone feel bad for making different choices, but to encourage everyone to recognize that, ultimately, we are in control. On that note, let's talk about:

"I chose not to..."
This one might raise some eyebrows because, at first glance, it seems contrary to the talk about positive thinking. On a superficial level, that might be true, but on a deeper level, it's the language of empowerment.

Some of you might have read a recent article titled “I Published My Debut Novel to Critical Acclaim—and Then I Promptly Went Broke." Subtitle "On the Dark Side of Literary Fame." The short version is, the author's debut novel, like many, many novels, received some positive reviews, won/was nominated for a couple of awards, but didn't earn out. After that, she stopped writing. The phrase that leaped out at me was:  "I haven't been able to write since the moment I started thinking I could or should be making money as a writer"

Writers have a bad habit of using words like can't, couldn't, and unable to describe our choices not to spare even a few minutes to put words on the page. [Note: if you recently lost your hands in a bizarre swimming accident, and you can't use voice-to text because you were born without a mouth, you're excused, though I have to wonder how you managed to navigate to this site.] Here are some of the self-defeating statements authors often make:

I can't write unless (I have the right kind of music, I have quiet, I have the house to myself, I have my laptop, I'm at home at my desk...)

I've been unable to write because (I've been depressed, I've had a busy day, a new video game came out, I just didn't feel like it, I didn't know what to write, I didn't get enough sleep, I couldn't turn off my inner editor, I grew bored with my manuscript...) 

These are all lies we tell ourselves, and the more we repeat them, the more we train our minds to believe they're true. They're easy lies, because they remove the responsibility from our own shoulders and place it elsewhere.

Let's rephrase some of these passive/surrender phrases to recognize that we are in control:

-I chose not to write today because I had the house to myself, so I chose to do a Harry Potter movie marathon instead.
-I was excited about the new video game I bought and I chose not to do a little writing before playing the game.
-I've been pantsing my book, wrote myself into a corner, and chose not to continue.
-I had a ridiculously busy day today and was exhausted, so I chose to use the little time I had at the end of the day to unwind instead of writing. 
-I'm feeling depressed, anxious, insecure, or discouraged so I chose not to write.
-I have chosen to believe there's a magical fairy called a "muse" who flips the switch inside my head that turns on the language/cognition centers of my brain and makes my fingers move along a keyboard. I've also chosen to believe that there are switches in my brain.
-I have chosen not to write because right now I need to give priority to other aspects of my life.
-I have chosen not to write because, deep down, I fear failure.
-I have chosen not to write because coyotes gnawed my fingers off and I have chosen not to purchase Dragon Naturally Speaking.

The above represents a variety of reason, some obviously more valid than the others. And yes, it's possible that making some of the above statements will potentially lead a person to feel bad, but there's a deeper, positive impact. All of these statements:

-recognize possibility and potential.
-give us a real picture of our impediments to writing.
-remind us that we are in charge of our choices.
-tell us that we CAN do it.

Scratching beneath the surface, looking beyond our superficial excuses, might hurt at first, but I've found that it's healthy in the long run. Over time, using language that is honest about the choices I make, choices which impact the things I have not yet done, reminds me that I'm not a victim of forces beyond my control. I can do this. I will do this. And when I accomplish something, even if it's just a brief writing session, it's time to celebrate.

"I wrote today!"
Too many times, we say, "I only wrote___ words today" or "I planned on writing every day this week but I only got on one session" or "I've only written short stories" or "I've only published one book" or "I've only sold_____ copies."

Screw that line of thinking. What we do adds up. Maybe I "only" wrote for ten minutes and got 200 words. Do that every day for a year, and suddenly I'm closing in on the end of that novel I've "not yet written." And how did I get there, because I made choices. Every day I recognized that writing is a hard, awesome job, and most days I chose to at least put a few words on the page. I chose to get in a short writing sprint on days my time was limited. I chose to make the new video game a reward for a productive writing session instead of an impediment. I chose to take the time to learn story structure and really think through my book so I didn't write myself into a corner. I chose to believe that I could make quality words despite how I was feeling on a given day. And on the days I fell short, I chose to recognize why it happened, forgive myself, and then keep moving toward accomplishing that which I have not yet done.

This isn't easy, and it won't happen overnight, but a long-term commitment to the language of optimist, of possibility, and personal responsibility can help carry the working writer past the obstacles that will inevitably stand in our way. Good luck!

Depression and the Writing Life

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Let me first say that I've suffered from depression and I struggle at times to do the things I'm going to suggest below, so this is a subject that's important to me. Creative writing, both as a hobby and a profession, seems to hold a great deal of appeal for people in my shoes. Perhaps it’s the appeal of setting one’s own schedule, staying home when you don’t feel you can face the world, and losing yourself inside your fictitious worlds. I know that for much of my life, although I usually enjoyed my jobs, I always fantasized about the day when I could sit in a chair and make up stories for a living. I viewed it as an escape and a solution.

I frequently hear tell of other writers for whom the dragon has proven too powerful to slay. Many of them find themselves unable to keep up with their professional obligations, or even put words on the page on a regular basis. Some have let their productivity wane to the point they turn to crowdfunding just to cover their living expenses. Others have even found that the nature of full-time writing led to more severe mental illnesses. It all makes me wonder if a writing career is, in fact, a bad choice for people who struggle with serious depression. Here are a few thoughts as to why full-time writing might not be the best fit:

Writing is a solitary endeavor.

The full-time writer has to make an effort to get out and interact with other people. For a person struggling with depression, this isn't easy. It's especially difficult for a writer who lives alone.

Writing is sedentary.

I know some writers take long walks and dictate their books into a recorder, and others who experiment with things like treadmill desks, but most of us are sitting in a chair for long hours at a time. Exercise is a great way to combat depression and the average writer tends to get a lot less than other people.

Writing tends to happen indoors.

Yes, you can take your laptop or notebook outside and work, but I find that the glare on my screen or the wind blowing my pages around makes it not worth the effort. Sunshine and fresh air make a big difference in combating depression, but most of us stay inside and tap away at the keyboards.

A full-time writer must be self-motivated.

Your editor or your readers will harass, or politely encourage you to finish your next book, but unless they're showing up at your door, hauling you out of bed, and standing behind you while you work, they won't have much impact on your productivity. I am fortunate that, although I do battle depression, I'm also cursed/blessed with a solid work ethic. This too has its downsides, but I always manage to roll out of bed and get to work. Some of my days are more productive than others, but I never completely shut down. Getting up and going about your daily routine is critical in the fight against depression.

If you're battling depression and want to be a full-time writer, be sure to put systems in place to make sure you take care of yourself: medication, counseling, regular exercise, interaction with others, and the ability to stick to a writing schedule no matter how high or low you feel on a given day. You can do it, but you have to be the one to make it happen. A few suggestions:

Go to bed at a reasonable hour and wake up fairly early. (This one is my biggest challenges.)  Staying up into the wee hours of the night, and either waking up sleep-deprived or sleeping late into the day fuels depression, saps productivity, and carries negative consequences for your health. I've recently asked my wife to help me out with this. 

Start your day with some kind of exercise. I find that even a short walk at the beginning of the day improves my mood, makes me feel better about myself and my writing, and actually enhances productivity. If I tell myself, "I'll finish my writing first and then take my walk" there's a good chance I won't do it.

Get out of the house. If you're already writing full-time, schedule some time away, preferably where you'll interact with other people. Take a class, volunteer, get active in a religious or service group, take up a sport. I've coaches sports, volunteered in my daughter's school and gymnastics academy, and at my local Ren Faire. I like to work in my favorite coffeehouse on a regular basis. I've gotten to know the staff a bit, it's a nice environment, and the change of scenery is good for me.

Set small, attainable writing goals. I find that I'm better off telling myself I'm going to write a minimum of 250 or 500 words a day than if I set a goal of 1,500-3,000 a day. Reaching my minimum goal gives me a sense of accomplishment and fuels me to keep writing. I typically write a lot more, but on busy days, I can knock out 250 and feel okay about myself.

Develop consistent writing habits before you go full-time. If you're not able to meet small, manageable writing goals on a regular basis, going full-time won't solve your problem.

None of this is intended to discourage anyone who is in the situation I was a few years ago. It's absolutely possible to be an author while also dealing with depression, but don't build it up in your mind as a magical solution to all of your problems. If you want to write, go ahead and do it. Some writers find they are actually happier and more productive in their writing when they have a day job that takes them out of the house and affords them interaction with others, and gives them a finite, established window of writing time. They spend their day thinking about writing and reward themselves at the end of the day with a writing session. And please, don't buy into the myth that mental illness fuels creativity. Writing is work, it's a craft, and you have all the same tools at your disposal whether you are up or down, medicated or unmedicated.

The full-time writing career is neither a magical world nor a magic pill. It's a job, but it can be the greatest job in the world. Good luck!

Choosing Your Path to Publication

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One of the first steps on the road to publication is choosing your path. Writers today have more options than ever before. Our options generally fall into three categories: Corporate Publishing, Small Press, and Independent Publishing.

Corporate Publishing 

Some call this "traditional publishing" or "The Big Five". These are the major publishing houses.


Advantages

• Corporate publishing is the avenue that is most likely to place paperback/hardcover books in bookstores,  "big box" retailers (WalMart, Target), grocery stores, airports...
• On average, the best editing, proofreading, cover art, marketing, and widest distribution.
• Potential to reach the most readers, especially in print.
• Largest advances.
• Fewer barriers of entry for awards, professional memberships, public appearances, and reviews. 
• Greatest potential to sell foreign language rights and media rights.
• Greatest prestige.
• Bucket list/external validation.

Disadvantages

• Barriers to entry- In most instances, you must be represented by an agent in order for your manuscript to be given serious consideration. It is possible for your manuscript to make it through the "slush pile" at a given publisher, but the odds are slim.
• There are no guarantees. Bookstore shelf space is limited and stores devote significant space to established, bestselling authors. A new author's book is likely to be on the shelves for a very short time (if at all) and will disappear just as quickly if it doesn't sell right out of the gate.
• Publishers invest most of their marketing income into the bestselling authors who generate the revenue that supports everyone else. A new author isn't likely to receive much promo, though it will almost certainly be more than what a small press will offer.
• While editorial support is frequently top-notch, more and more corporate houses are turning to freelance editors of varying quality.
• Very low royalties per copy sold, especially compared to independently published authors.
• Higher retail prices on your books.
• Payments are few and far between for most authors. You'll typically receive a portion of your advance some time after you've signed your contract, another installment once the editor approves your manuscript, and the remainder upon publication. After that, you won't receive any money until your book has "earned out" (your royalties earned exceed your advance.) You also don't receive royalties on all books sold, at least not right away. Because bookstores may return books to the publisher, the publisher will hold back a portion of royalties against the possibility of future returns.
• Most corporately published authors do not make a living from their published works, and either have a day job, a working spouse/partner, or supplement their income through independent publishing or crowdfunding. (Some do all of the above.) Also, if you are represented by an agent (s)he also receives a cut of your royalties.
• Infrequent, inscrutable royalty reports.
• Contract terms: Many publishing contracts still contain onerous terms, such as lifetime ownership of an author's work, vague "in print" clauses that prevent reversion of rights, and non-compete clauses that restrict an author's ability to make a living by working harder and faster. Some houses will negotiate on these points; others will not.
• Compared to the other publishing options, corporate publishing moves at a glacial pace. Books must be worked into the existing schedule and publication dates are typically (though not always) spaced far apart.

Small Press 

Publishing houses come in all shapes and sizes. Some are only small in comparison to the corporate publishing houses and will give you almost as much prestige and distribution as the largest houses. At the other end of the range are tiny 'micropresses', with plenty in between.

Advantages

• Fewer barriers to entry- Only the top echelon of small presses require agented submissions, and even those houses tend to offer open submission periods.
• Every stage of the publication process typically moves faster than in corporate publishing.
• Royalties are higher per copy sold with a small press than with corporate publishing.
• Like a corporate publisher, a legitimate small press will cover the cost of professional editing, formatting, cover design, and associated publishing costs. Ideally, the publisher will also offer some sort of marketing.
• Access to an established audience- Some small presses have cultivated an existing audience to whom they will market your book.
• Brand identity- Some publishing houses have developed a 'brand', usually relating to quality and subject matter. Being published by one of these houses can afford you a degree of that brand identity.

Disadvantages

• Most small presses don't offer much, if anything, you can't do for yourself if you have the inclination, aptitude, and money to invest. 
• Royalties per copy sold are lower than they would be if you independently publish your book.
• Small presses frequently fail. Look for one that's been around for a while.
• Many small presses are scams, fronts for high-priced vanity presses, or ebook mills that don't offer much in the way of added value. Check 'Writer Beware' and do lots of research before working with a small press.
• Outside of the top echelon, most small presses aren't held in high regard by most professional organizations, reviewers, or awards-related organizations.

Independent Publishing

For the purposes of this article, "independent" or "indie" publishing refers to self-publishing.


Advantages

• You're in complete control.
• You receive the largest cut of royalties. 
• You can set a much lower price for your book than would a publishing house, yet still receive a much larger royalty.
• Flexibility- You can change virtually anything about your book at any time: price, product description, cover... You can even rewrite and republish.
• You can move as fast as you like. No one is slowing you down. You can publish at a rapid clip, adapt to changes in the market, and seize opportunities in a way you can't when someone else is publishing your work. 
• Daily sales reports and monthly royalty payments.
• Some professional organizations or reviewers will accept indie authors, and many venues are happy to have an indie author as a guest.
  

Disadvantages

• You're in complete control. Some people have no business being in charge of their own publishing careers. You'd better know what you're doing, learn fast, or surround yourself with people who can help you.
• Meno's Paradox- "We don't know what we don't know." Many indie authors have no idea that their writing sucks, their manuscript is riddled with errors, their book cover is ugly, or that their overall practices won't help them sell books.
• The financial burden is all on you. 
• Indie publishing is hard work, and it isn't limited to writing and publishing. In addition to trying to be the best writer (s)he can be, a successful indie must strive to be the best at every stage of publishing, marketing, audience engagement, and all the other facets of publishing. This path requires a solid work ethic, an independent spirit, a high degree of self-awareness, and a reasonable standard of emotional/psychological well-being in order to thrive.

Finally, I'd like to note that one path does not exclude the other. Many authors are "hybrids" who publish both independently and with a publishing house. Others aim for corporate publishing and keep small press or indie as fall-backs. Fortunately for us, all of these options are valid and offer great potential. Good luck choosing the path that's right for you!

On the Writing of Primitive

I briefly reflect on the writing of Primitive, a Bones Bonebrake Adventure.

Essential Traits for Indie Publishing Success

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What are the keys to success in independent publishing? There are many important elements, all of which we'll cover in this series. Things like: good writing and editing, quality formatting, good book covers, proper pricing strategies, advertising, reader engagement, and more.

Today, let's drill down to the fundamentals, and look at two basic traits that are essential to indie success:

Patience and Determination.

Without these qualities, I'd still be teaching grammar to thirteen year-olds (not a bad job at all, but being a full time author is even better!) In fact, I'd probably have given up on writing altogether.


Patience

We've all heard stories about "overnight" publishing successes. There were the days of the "Kindle Gold Rush", the "99 Cent All Stars", the "Kindle Unlimited Serial Scammers", and the "Fan Fiction Writers Make Good" authors. We've also heard, just as loudly, these eras proclaimed dead.

Is it possible to enjoy a breakout success with your first independently published book? Yes, but it's also possible that Anne Hathaway will show up at my house, offer me a shoulder rub, and my wife won't object.

Translation: It's highly improbable.

The good news is, that doesn't mean you won't eventually enjoy success. Most indie authors don't even begin approaching their goals until they've published multiple, quality titles (three in a series seems to be the frequent takeoff point), cultivated an audience, and honed their engagement and marketing skills.

I self-published (we didn't call it "indie" back then) in 2004. For the first year, I could take my family out to dinner once a quarter with my royalties. After a while, I was able to pay the electric bill, then the car note, then the mortgage. It took more than six years, and a lot of learning, for me to reach the point at which I earned as much from indie publishing as I did from my day job, and seven years before I felt comfortable devoting myself to full-time writing.

It won't necessarily be that slow for you. Prior to Kindle, the potential income wasn't really there for indies hawking overpriced trade paperbacks, and marketing opportunities were limited. We live in a different world now, and that's a great thing, but it still can take time.

It takes time to learn the craft.
It takes time  (for most of us) to save money for things like editing and cover art.
It takes time to build an audience.
And the list goes on.

Let's not forget, though. Being patient does not mean being complacent. We should always be learning, growing, honing our skills, and, let's not forget the big one: working. That's why our next quality is so important.

Persistence

We're going to fail. Often. It's going to suck. We're going to feel discouraged, experience doubt, want to give up... Don't.

Just because our first book doesn't sell out of the gate doesn't mean we're doomed to failure. Neither does:
A brief dip in sales.
A slow launch on a new book.
A poorly-performing ad.
A few bad reviews.
A bad writing day.
(You get the picture.)

Most writers will give up at some point along the way. Most will dream about writing but never put fingers to keyboard. Some will start writing a book but never finish. Some will seek representation or publication, fail, and give up. Some will indie publish without learning the essentials, fail, and give up. Some will try to do everything write, meet with challenges, and give up. Don't be one of those writers.

Don't give up. You will struggle at times. You will fail. Learn from it. Adapt and attack. Always strive to be your best.

Be persistent. You'll get there!

Six Things a Writer Can Learn from Snow White and the Huntsman

Let me start by saying I didn't hate Snow White and the Huntsman. It was exactly what I expect from most movies nowadays- a light, fun film with cool special effects, entertaining fight scenes, some funny lines, and a predictable story with some obvious flaws. The bar is clearly lower for movies than books, and I think writers can learn from some of Snow White's shortcomings. I should note that problems in a movie's story line are not always the fault of the writers. You never know what wound up on the cutting room floor that could have addressed these concerns. With that in mind, here we go.

Warning! Spoilers ahead!

1- If a character is going to make a stupid decision, give us a reason, even a lame one.

This movie could not have happened if the queen had just killed Snow White like she did the king and pretty much everyone else. A couple of potential excuses spring to mind here:

-"Royal blood is especially powerful but the magic won't work unless I wait until she comes of age to suck the beauty/life out of her..."

-"She reminds me of myself at that age and I can't bring myself to kill her."

(I think there's something to the latter one, but it's never spelled out clearly, it doesn't match with the queen's other actions, and we don't get a flashback to her "origin story" until late in the movie. By then, I've spent over an hour thinking how dumb the queen is.)


2- Time frames should make sense and events should fit together properly.

Snow White escapes into the forest and must reach the duke's castle which, we later discover, is about a two day trek. The bad guys try to catch her, fail (partly because their horses can't cross the swamp at the edge of the forest, come back with the huntsman, fail again, and head back into town. Meanwhile, word has somehow reached the duke that Snow White is alive. He passes this information along to his son who immediately takes off and manages to get to the town outside the evil queen's castle ahead of the bad guys (or at least in time to join them on their hunt- it's early on the same day).

Snow White and the huntsman journey all day and are boated across a lake to a village. A few hours later, the bad guys attack. This is weird, because Snow White, guided by the huntsman, took off as soon as the bad guys failed to capture her the second time. Yet the bad guys managed to: go back to town; get a couple new recruits; get their horses through the previously impenetrable swamp; track Snow White through the forest without the aid of the huntsman, whom they supposedly needed only hours before; either get their horses across the lake or ride all the way around it; and still arrive shortly after Snow White.

Snow White escapes and makes it to the duke's castle. She immediately rallies the troops who (riding horses burdened by barding and armored men) make it to the queen's castle in a few hours. It might be that the duke's castle is only a few hours ride around the outskirts of the forest from the queen's castle, but that leads us to another issue:


3- If a character has awesome powers, yet does not use them to their full or logical extent, we need to know why.

It's established very early in the movie that the queen can't be killed (at least, not by anyone not named Snow White). She can also make warriors made out of... I don't know... shards of mirrored glass, which our heroes can't manage to take down until Snow White kills the queen. She also has a regular army. Considering all this, why has she let the duke sit there in his castle only a few hours away and oppose her? Why not march over, let the mirror warriors do their thing, and wipe out all the men and ugly women (she needs the young, beautiful ones for her magic), knowing you can't be harmed?

Along those same lines, we have a scene late in the movie where the queen is straddling Snow White, knife raised, ready to cut out her heart, when the huntsman and the duke's son arrive. Does our invincible queen who can't be killed by anyone but Snow White spare a few moments to finish the job? No, she turns into a flock of ravens and flies away, leaving her only threat alive.

This leads us to...


4. Magic should make sense.

Can the queen be killed by a "regular guy" or not? At the end of this scene we see her back at her castle, clearly weakened. Shortly thereafter, she's all juiced up again, standing among bodies of young women. The implication is that she was vulnerable in her weakened state, and thus needed to flee the huntsman and duke's son. But wait a minute! That would mean Snow White isn't the only one who can kill her. Deny her a supply of beautiful young women and wait for her to weaken, then take her down. So... is Snow White the only one with the power to kill her or not? The average moviegoer probably didn't give this any thought, but I think the average reader would call you on it in a book.

Other magical issues-
-Why did the huntsman's kiss wake her up but not that of the duke's son? Is it because he shed a tear, or is it simply because he's Thor?

-Snow White can kill the queen because of her pure blood, so why don't we need a little bit of Snow White's blood on the blade before she stabs the Queen? Blood magic is pivotal in the movie and it would be easy to accomplish in the climactic scene. (Or did they do just that and I missed it?)

Speaking of the climactic scene...


5. Fight/Battle scenes should make sense.

I need to attack a well-defended castle. Do I make a plan of attack? Build siege engines? Nope. A cute girl makes a speech, we ride off in a frenzy, arrive at the castle, pull up short, and all together give a collective, "Hmmmm..."

I'm defending a castle and I've got plenty of boiling pitch to dump down onto the attackers. Do I do it while they are milling around waiting for the portcullis to be raised? No, I wait til it's open and the invaders are charging in, then I dump it onto a few of the stragglers.

I'm Snow White and I'm the only one who can kill the queen. Everyone else is a diversion. Do I disguise myself, join the dwarves, and sneak in through the sewers while my army draws the attention of the defenders? No, I plant myself right in the middle of the vanguard and right through fireballs, arrows, and pitch, knowing all the while the dwarves might not manage to even get the portcullis raised, thus leaving me outside where I can't get through to the queen. When I finally get inside, I fight my way right through the middle of the defenders to get to her.

And while we're discussing fighting, the sewer, the portcullis, and all that good stuff...


6. Details matter

The final battle calls attention to one of the strangest details of the queen's castle. We know from Snow White's initial escape through the sewers that the courtyard is a good forty or more feet above water level. Yet, when the attackers get through the portcullis, which is down on the beach, they immediately pour into the courtyard. It apparently exists simultaneously on two planes. Also, if your portcullis and courtyard are down at beach level, what happens when the tide comes in? This would have been an easy fix- just show the troops charging up a ramp to a portcullis that sits high above water level. End of problem.

Speaking of easy fixes, there's a scene in which a dwarf is shot and the duke's son returns fire. His arrow strikes the big bad guy high on the left shoulder at his collarbone. The wound is instantly fatal (he's no Boromir). How hard would it have been to have the arrow strike him in the heart? Meanwhile, the dwarf who has been skewered (and I mean in one side, through the heart, and out the other) lives long enough to speak words of encouragement and put one of those very Bella expressions on Snow White's face.

While we're on the subject of Snow White, how is it that she's been imprisoned for a decade and believed dead, but some random guard immediately recognizes her when she escapes? How does anyone know what she looks like now? And how is it that a girl who's been locked in a small cell for all these years has the strength and stamina to make a two-day journey through the forest, then strap on armor, grab a sword, and give as good as she gets in battle?

And why didn't the bad guys put bars across the sewer mouth after Snow White escaped through it? We know from the dwarves' trek through it that some sections of it were barred. Why not that one?


I could go on, but you get the picture. Overall, these issues probably did not bother the average moviegoer at all, and maybe I'm off-base with a few of them. That doesn't change the fact that they were all things that distracted me. A writer doesn't want to jolt her or his readers out of the narrative by making mistakes such as these. If the reader stops thinking about the story and starts thinking, "This doesn't make sense," then we haven't done our jobs well.

Good and Bad Writing Days

Back when I had a day job, my writing days were mostly the same: come home from work, attend to 'real life,' and once the kids were in bed, settle in and do a little writing. A good writing day meant that I got in 250-500 words. A bad writing day meant I struggled and usually failed to accomplish much of anything. Now that I write for a living, I've gained added perspective on what constitutes a good or bad writing day.

My good days look something like this:

-Get up early.

-Have a quick workout while my coffee is brewing.

-Turn on some upbeat music and start writing.

-Take a break every hour, spend a little time online, get back to work.

-Meet or exceed my daily minimum. Feel awesome!

-Work on something promo/marketing related.

-Enjoy the rest of my day. Get in bed early and enjoy some guilt-free reading time because I've met my daily word count and I feel good! I'm going to own the publishing world some day.

A bad writing day looks like this:

-Sleep in.

-Get online while I have my first cup of coffee. I don't have time to work out because I slept late, and I'm already off-schedule, so what's the big deal if I spend a little time on the web?

-Check email. Check Facebook, check Twitter, follow the interesting links, check Facebook again. Check my eamil again.

-Get another cup of coffee because my mind is now muddled and I can't seem to get focused on writing.

-Check my sales rankings while I'm having my second cup of coffee. Agonize over the lowest-ranking title while taking for granted the higher-ranking titles.

-Obsess over the poor quality of my work-in-progress while letting my mind drift to all the great ideas I could be putting to paper if I wasn't stuck in the middle of this mediocre project.

-Check Facebook again. Maybe there's someone out there who's having a worse day than me.

-Someone is having a worse day than me. Now I feel bad for sort-of wishing it on him or her.

-Remind myself I can always go back to teaching, which finally motivates me to get writing.

-Turn on YouTube and find something slow and meditative to listen to because I'm so stressed.

-Grind slowly through 250 words because I'm sluggish from no workout and the relaxing music.

-Obsess over all the errands I have to run, and remind myself I should already be done with them, but I slept late and didn't get started on my writing.

-Contemplate carving "FML" into my forehead.

-Go ahead and run my errands, vowing to write tonight, just like I used to.

-Sit in my chair with my laptop, watch reruns of The Office, visit all the sites I visited this morning while reminding myself that I really should have gotten up early and had a regular writing day today.

-Either give up and go to bed early, or stay up late, trying to make myself write.

I've heard many writers say the biggest decision regarding productivity is whether or not to get online. I agree that time spent online is, for me, the biggest time waster, but I've found the decision about what time to go to bed is the most critical to my writing success. I don't know if I'm a night owl by nature, or if I just got into that habit in seven years of doing my writing at night. What I have discovered, however, is that if I can make myself go to bed at a reasonable hour, I make better decisions the next day. If I wake up well-rested, I'm in a better frame of mind, and not inclined to procrastinate online or in any other way. My writing day is more productive, and I tend to enjoy the rest of my day without beating myself up over the writing I didn't do.

What's the biggest decision you make in a day?

Why I (and most other authors) Won't Read Your Book

No, I won't read your book. Does that sound harsh? I don't intend to come across that way but sometimes it's best to keep it simple. Occasionally someone asks me to read her or his manuscript and give feedback, and I have to decline. Most of my life I fantasized about writing for a living and part of that fantasy included all the awesome books I'd get to read in the form of authors who wanted my feedback or endorsement. Now that I'm fortunate enough to make writing my career, I can't do it. Here's why:
 

1. I already have a lot of reading to do and a limited amount of time in which to do it Like everyone else, I have favorite authors whose new books I want to read and that list is always growing. I also read non-fiction both for research and for pleasure. Finally, I periodically read manuscripts for some of my peers with whom I already have a working relationship and they do the same for me. My plate is full and my virtual "to be read" pile never seems to shrink. (Also, I mostly consume books in audio format, so there's that.) 

 2. Things can get awkward Those who read widely in the action-adventure genre have probably noticed a great deal of overlap between their favorite authors in terms of subject matter and settings. New authors don't always understand this. I have a massive list of story ideas, settings, and ancient mysteries I hope to use in future novels. If you're writing action-adventure, odds are there's something in your book that's on my list. I don't need someone accusing me of stealing ideas from a manuscript I was kind enough to read.  

3. Manuscript critique is a professional service and it takes time If you ask me to read an average-length book, that's going to take me about fifteen hours. (I read faster when reading purely for pleasure but reading and analyzing what does and doesn't work slows me down.) Then it's going to take time for me to reflect on and write up my critique. You're essentially asking me to give you two work days of professional services for nothing. If you don't think that's an issue, call an accountant and ask her to do your taxes in her spare time or call a teacher and ask him to give your child fifteen hours of free tutoring. I'm betting they'll decline.    

So what can you do? If you're a writer seeking feedback on your work, I encourage you to seek out online critique groups. I was a member of sff.onlinewritingworkshop. com and got a great deal out of it, but I know there are other excellent ones out there. You can also look for opportunities to cultivate relationships with other writers, either in local writers' groups or online groups and forums. You can also hire professionals who are experts at manuscript critique (just make sure to vet them thoroughly before you hire them). I hope some of this post has been helpful. Now get back to writing! David         Save

What Gordon Ramsay Can Teach Us about Writing

A while back I stumbled across Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Though I'm not particularly interested in the culinary arts, I was immediately hooked. I'll admit to getting a kick out of his rants, over-the-top reactions, and the juxtaposition between his clean-cut image and his foul mouth. That's what started me watching; what kept me watching was something entirely different.

 

I soon came to recognize patterns in the show, in which Chef Ramsay visits a struggling restaurant in each episode and tries to help them turn things around. The failings Ramsay identified, and the solutions he proposed, were quite consistent from episode-to-episode. In looking at these patterns I realized writers can glean valuable lessons from Gordon Ramsey.

 

Always use fresh ingredients:

It seems like every struggling restaurant Ramsay visits is either serving reheated leftovers or using ingredients that have lain around in the cooler much longer than necessary. It might not be obvious at first glance, but it's evident at the first bite.

Likewise, our writing should always be fresh. In action-adventure, it can be tough to come up with settings and MacGuffins that haven't been done before, but I try to come up with new places, stories, or historical mysteries to incorporate in my stories whenever possible. This doesn't necessarily mean we have to come up with something that's never been done before. It might be that we simply put a new twist on an old story. I do this any time I include Biblical figures or artifacts, for example, in my novels. This sometimes offends people, but at least there's a surprise in store.

 

Simplify:

One of the hallmarks of the Ramsey rescue program is simplifying the menu. Invariably, the struggling restaurants are trying to do too much. Offering a huge menu is detrimental in a variety of ways I won't outline here.

What are the parallels for a writer? It could be many things: too many point-of-view characters (or too many characters, period); too many plot threads or subplots; too many unnecessary or redundant scenes; too much description; or simply, too many words. Obviously, you can point to plenty of examples of skilled authors who can handle all of the above, but without judicious pruning, the typical author will produce a flabby, self-indulgent book.

 

Appearance matters:

Ramsay always gives the restaurant in question a facelift, typically: new tables and chairs, new decorations, fresh paint, and a motif that captures the restaurant's theme, history, or offerings.

The most obvious way this applies to authors, particularly those publishing independently, is book cover design. A book's cover should be pleasing to the eye and, at a glance, tell the reader what sort of book this is (adventure, fantasy, paranormal, science fiction, thriller...) The biggest mistake I see authors make is the idea that the book's cover should "represent the contents of the book." Often, this results in a cover that's little more than a disjointed collage of seemingly disparate elements (and sometimes these elements are mini-spoilers). I try to choose a single, iconic image that ties in to my book. For example, the cover of Buccaneer is a pirate ship. Pirates make up only a small part of the story, but it's a clean, striking cover. Would I truly have been better off with a mish-mash of [spoiler warning] Oak Island, pirate symbology, a Templar cross, dragons, Excalibur, the Holy Lance, and the Holy Grail? Not only would such a cover be a mess, it would ruin several surprises in the story.

Another missed opportunity is series branding. If you have several books in a series, they should be tied together by some design elements. In my case, each cover has a single, central image; my name at the bottom, in white, all in the same typeface, and the title at the top center in large letters, with the subtitle directly beneath the title and set slightly to the left. Also, inn the main "Dane Maddock Adventures" series, all the books have a one-word title. Thus, when a reader browses a site like Amazon, it's immediately evident that the book is part of a series and that there are more books available.

 

Recapture your enthusiasm:

In just about every case, most of the restaurant staff is going through the motions. Ramsay can come across as a jerk, no question about it, but he reminds me of some of my favorite football coaches. He berates you when you screw up, teaches you how to do it right, and praises you when you do well. Where he truly shines is the one-on-one talks he has with discouraged employees, particularly chefs. He helps people recapture their passion for cooking and reminds them of why they started cooking in the first place.

This is critical for a writer. Don't misunderstand me- writing is work, and you're not likely to be successful if you sit around waiting for a visit from your muse before you begin writing. That said, it's essential to hold on to your love of the written word. Where's your passion? What are your favorite genres and types of stories? Who are your favorite authors and what is it about their writing that fires your imagination? What new challenges excite you and stir your creative pot? Why did you want to be a writer in the first place? Every writer has bad days and gets discouraged, but if you don't love writing, don't do it.

I hope this reflection helps. Happy writing!

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