Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Friday, March 16, 2018
52- Keeping a Series Fresh
D2D author pages
Audible author pages
What does it take to keep a long-running series fresh? How do you keep readers from losing interest after a few books?
As far as series go, my first thought was the Pendergast series by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. It's kept me hooked for more than twenty years. I'm trying to analyze what it is that has kept me coming back. Off the top of my head:
The plot is the main thing. What's the new mystery Pendergast will solve? How will he do it? What new places will I visit, what new things will I learn, what legends/mysteries/conspiracies will I learn about? And I get more out of it because I actually care about the cast of characters.
I'm fascinated by the protagonist, and the authors have done a good job of never revealing too much about him, his history, his family of origin... Thus, there are always new revelations about him along the way, new layers of the onion to peel back. Pendergast himself is like a mystery that's been slowly unraveling over the decades.
I never worry that the protag will die (even though I feel the same reading a stand-alone) but the authors aren't above offing an important secondary character along the way, even one who has played an important role in many previous stories.
The authors do a good job of carrying subplots from book to book, or across several books, making sure the important characters change as a result of previous books, that their personal lives move forward...
It's fun to see a familiar face from several books back pop up again and play an important role.
The authors also occasionally go back and pluck little bits out of previous books and make them important to the current story.
I will say that I've lost interest in lengthy series that tell what amounts to a single story stretched out over several volumes. I guess it's the Robert Jordan/George RR Martin effect. With fantasy, I currently prefer authors like Mark Lawrence, who write trilogies and actually put out books on a regular basis.
Those are my thoughts on keeping a series fresh. What are yours?
Thursday, December 14, 2017
47- Waiting for a Series to Be Completed
Listen to the companion podcast
Today I discuss lessons learned from re-publishing books after a rights reversion.
Then, a few thoughts inspired by this blog post:
Unfinished Series by Mark Lawrence
Why do so many readers refuse to start an unfinished series?
-Robert Jordan
-George RR Martin
-Patrick Rothfuss
-Scott Lynch
If readers won't try new series before they're finished, what are the implications for new or midlist authors?
What lessons can an indie take from this?
Today I discuss lessons learned from re-publishing books after a rights reversion.Then, a few thoughts inspired by this blog post:
Unfinished Series by Mark Lawrence
Why do so many readers refuse to start an unfinished series?
-Robert Jordan
-George RR Martin
-Patrick Rothfuss
-Scott Lynch
If readers won't try new series before they're finished, what are the implications for new or midlist authors?
What lessons can an indie take from this?
Thursday, November 30, 2017
45- The Benefits of Writing Longhand
Listen to the podcast episode
What role can handwriting play in your writing process? What are the potential benefits?
Benefits:
-Handwriting is linked to creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
-Handwriting engages not only cognitive processes, but motor skills and neurosensory experiences.
-Handwriting forces you to slow down and think.
-Handwriting tends to lead you to synthesize and distill information in a way that keyboarding and copy/pasting does not. Consequently, handwriting improves retention and recall of information.
-Handwriting makes it easy to create graphic organizers/mind maps.
-Handwriting can help you avoid the distractions available on a computer or other device.
I use handwriting for:
-Note-taking during research.
-Character creation.
-Brainstorming story ideas.
-Building my "level one" outline.
-Working my way past blocks/difficult plot knots.
Pitfalls:
-Composing by hand is much slower.
-Losing your notebook/pages.
-Can't read my own handwriting.
-Organizing/reorganizing can be problematic.
-Don't use handwriting as an excuse to waste a bunch of money on expensive pens and fancy moleskine notebooks.
What role can handwriting play in your writing process? What are the potential benefits?
Benefits:
-Handwriting is linked to creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
-Handwriting engages not only cognitive processes, but motor skills and neurosensory experiences.
-Handwriting forces you to slow down and think.
-Handwriting tends to lead you to synthesize and distill information in a way that keyboarding and copy/pasting does not. Consequently, handwriting improves retention and recall of information.
-Handwriting makes it easy to create graphic organizers/mind maps.-Handwriting can help you avoid the distractions available on a computer or other device.
I use handwriting for:
-Note-taking during research.
-Character creation.
-Brainstorming story ideas.
-Building my "level one" outline.
-Working my way past blocks/difficult plot knots.
Pitfalls:
-Composing by hand is much slower.
-Losing your notebook/pages.
-Can't read my own handwriting.
-Organizing/reorganizing can be problematic.
-Don't use handwriting as an excuse to waste a bunch of money on expensive pens and fancy moleskine notebooks.
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
41- Making Sense of Dan Brown
Listen to the podcast episode
Confession: I like Dan Brown's books. I don't love them. Sometimes I put them down and pick them back up over the course of a few months but I always make it to the end and enjoy each enough that I always read the next one.
It's easy to criticize Brown's work. Every time he puts out a new book the critics come out. His prose, in particular, is low-hanging fruit. It's objectively problematic in some areas. But that's not what I want to talk about today.
The fact of the matter is, Dan Brown sells a ton of books and has a ton of fans, and he was already popular before the Robert Langdon movies and the massive advertising dollars his publisher pumped out in the wake of the success of The DaVinci Code.
So, what is he doing right? Is there anything an author can learn from Brown's work? Today I'm going to touch on what I think are a few of the things he does that "hook" readers.
1. Controversy
Brown loves to poke the badger when it comes to religion. Secret lives of prominent Biblical figures. Secret paramilitary groups within Catholicism. Scientific discoveries that disprove tenets of the faith. The best example was, of course, The DaVinci Code, which springboarded Brown to superstardom.
Approximately 70% of Americans identify as some stripe of Christian, and controversy relating to Christianity tends to get attention (and a reaction.)
2. "I didn't know that!"
While Brown sometimes plays a little loose with the facts for the sake of the story (something I firmly believe in doing) he frequently presents the reader with lots of new concepts, theories, legends, historical anecdotes, and settings. Brown takes the reader to places of which they've never heard and makes them think about things they've never considered.
3. Don't tip your hand too soon.
One of the important aspects of a good thriller (at least the sort I like to read) is the underlying questions that keep us turning the pages. Some thriller authors don't make an effort to preserve any sense of mystery. Consequently, books are mostly a series of action sequences in which you know the hero is going to survive, and all the reader has left to wonder about is how the protagonist will get out of each situation. Brown spoons out details with tantalizing slowness and the complete answers don't come until the end.
4. The scavenger hunt
Brown's hero, Robert Langdon, is always trying to solve a mystery, but these books aren't really mystery stories. The clues aren't there for the clever reader to piece together. Instead, Brown takes us on a journey through exotic and interesting locales as Langdon follows the trail of bread crumbs that lead him to the place where the answers lie. Consequently, it's more like a scavenger hunt than a mystery, but it keeps the reader interested and serves as a device to include some of Brown's favorite plot elements: codes, ciphers, artwork, and architecture.
5. Who is the puppetmaster?
Langdon is typically being pursued by a dangerous killer who works for someone unknown, often with a code name. Brown intersperses Langdon's narrative with scenes from the POV of characters who might be bad guys, might be good guys, or might be neutral. Figuring out whose side everyone is on and who the real puppetmaster is keeps me reading. Angels and Demons is one of the better examples of this technique.
6. Sense of urgency.
This is typical thriller fare, but it merits mention. There always needs to be a reason why the protagonist takes action and doesn't just call the police and then go back to regular life. There also needs to be a sense that the protagonist is in danger. Brown does this well.
7. What's the twist?
Like the revelation of the puppetmaster, the reader can count on Brown delivering a surprising twist at the end that lets the reader see everything that has happened in an entirely different light. Inferno, for example was a slog for the first half or more of the book, but the final act picked up the pace and delivered a satisfying twist at the end.
In conclusion
In fairness, I think there are plenty of thriller writers who are doing some form of the above, and maybe even doing it better. But others are not. To me, the early "tipping of the hand," early revelation of the "puppetmaster," and the lack of a twist at the end are things I see all too often. Also, I've heard many authors say they're hesitant to revisit subject matter that other authors have covered before, thus, the Bible-related legends often go unexplored. It might be true that editors at "Big Five" publishing houses might not want another story about Atlantis or Noah's Ark, but lots of indie authors have enjoyed success crafting their own stories around popular subject matter. Overall, I think Brown's hooks can be useful, particularly to thriller writers.
 |
| Please check out Ten Open Graves! |
It's easy to criticize Brown's work. Every time he puts out a new book the critics come out. His prose, in particular, is low-hanging fruit. It's objectively problematic in some areas. But that's not what I want to talk about today.
The fact of the matter is, Dan Brown sells a ton of books and has a ton of fans, and he was already popular before the Robert Langdon movies and the massive advertising dollars his publisher pumped out in the wake of the success of The DaVinci Code.
So, what is he doing right? Is there anything an author can learn from Brown's work? Today I'm going to touch on what I think are a few of the things he does that "hook" readers.
1. Controversy
Brown loves to poke the badger when it comes to religion. Secret lives of prominent Biblical figures. Secret paramilitary groups within Catholicism. Scientific discoveries that disprove tenets of the faith. The best example was, of course, The DaVinci Code, which springboarded Brown to superstardom.
Approximately 70% of Americans identify as some stripe of Christian, and controversy relating to Christianity tends to get attention (and a reaction.)
2. "I didn't know that!"
While Brown sometimes plays a little loose with the facts for the sake of the story (something I firmly believe in doing) he frequently presents the reader with lots of new concepts, theories, legends, historical anecdotes, and settings. Brown takes the reader to places of which they've never heard and makes them think about things they've never considered.
3. Don't tip your hand too soon.
One of the important aspects of a good thriller (at least the sort I like to read) is the underlying questions that keep us turning the pages. Some thriller authors don't make an effort to preserve any sense of mystery. Consequently, books are mostly a series of action sequences in which you know the hero is going to survive, and all the reader has left to wonder about is how the protagonist will get out of each situation. Brown spoons out details with tantalizing slowness and the complete answers don't come until the end. 4. The scavenger hunt
Brown's hero, Robert Langdon, is always trying to solve a mystery, but these books aren't really mystery stories. The clues aren't there for the clever reader to piece together. Instead, Brown takes us on a journey through exotic and interesting locales as Langdon follows the trail of bread crumbs that lead him to the place where the answers lie. Consequently, it's more like a scavenger hunt than a mystery, but it keeps the reader interested and serves as a device to include some of Brown's favorite plot elements: codes, ciphers, artwork, and architecture.
5. Who is the puppetmaster?
Langdon is typically being pursued by a dangerous killer who works for someone unknown, often with a code name. Brown intersperses Langdon's narrative with scenes from the POV of characters who might be bad guys, might be good guys, or might be neutral. Figuring out whose side everyone is on and who the real puppetmaster is keeps me reading. Angels and Demons is one of the better examples of this technique.
6. Sense of urgency.
This is typical thriller fare, but it merits mention. There always needs to be a reason why the protagonist takes action and doesn't just call the police and then go back to regular life. There also needs to be a sense that the protagonist is in danger. Brown does this well.
7. What's the twist?
Like the revelation of the puppetmaster, the reader can count on Brown delivering a surprising twist at the end that lets the reader see everything that has happened in an entirely different light. Inferno, for example was a slog for the first half or more of the book, but the final act picked up the pace and delivered a satisfying twist at the end.
In conclusion
In fairness, I think there are plenty of thriller writers who are doing some form of the above, and maybe even doing it better. But others are not. To me, the early "tipping of the hand," early revelation of the "puppetmaster," and the lack of a twist at the end are things I see all too often. Also, I've heard many authors say they're hesitant to revisit subject matter that other authors have covered before, thus, the Bible-related legends often go unexplored. It might be true that editors at "Big Five" publishing houses might not want another story about Atlantis or Noah's Ark, but lots of indie authors have enjoyed success crafting their own stories around popular subject matter. Overall, I think Brown's hooks can be useful, particularly to thriller writers.
Thursday, October 26, 2017
40- Sensitivity and Trying to Please Everyone
Listen to the companion podcast
Sensitivity readers
-Provide manuscript evaluation and feedback with respect to characters from underrepresented or marginalized groups.
-Identify inaccuracies in respect to the person/group about whom you are writing
-Provide feedback on the character
-Call attention to bias or negatively charged language
-Have areas of specialization
Listen to this fantastic episode of Ditch Diggers for more on this topic!
The American Heart kerfuffle.
Preorder American Heart
Given enough reach, some people will invariably hate or be offended by your work
-The Law of Large Numbers
-330 million people on Twitter
-500 million tweets per day
What can a writer do?
-Read Writing the Other
-Avoid stereotypes.
-Don't simply write white people in masks, men with boobs, etc...
-Do your research. Don't assume what you "know" to be true is factual.
-Avoid the White Savior trope.
-Don't appropriate the stories of marginalized cultures.
-Get feedback.
-Do your best.
Sensitivity readers-Provide manuscript evaluation and feedback with respect to characters from underrepresented or marginalized groups.
-Identify inaccuracies in respect to the person/group about whom you are writing
-Provide feedback on the character
-Call attention to bias or negatively charged language
-Have areas of specialization
Listen to this fantastic episode of Ditch Diggers for more on this topic!
The American Heart kerfuffle.
Preorder American Heart
Given enough reach, some people will invariably hate or be offended by your work
-The Law of Large Numbers-330 million people on Twitter
-500 million tweets per day
What can a writer do?
-Read Writing the Other
-Avoid stereotypes.
-Don't simply write white people in masks, men with boobs, etc...
-Do your research. Don't assume what you "know" to be true is factual.
-Avoid the White Savior trope.
-Don't appropriate the stories of marginalized cultures.
-Get feedback.
-Do your best.
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Finish What You Start
Listen to the companion podcast
Today's post/episode was inspired by a meme I created and posted this morning. This particular stock image has been the subject of many different memes recently, so I thought I'd create one to reflect something I see often in the writing world.
What can I do?
Stop believing in the "muse."
Stop using the word "can't" when it comes to writing. (Unless your arms have been cut off and you don't own a dictation program.) Stop telling yourself that you have to "feel" a certain way in order to write. You're the same writer with the same tools at your disposal no matter how you feel that day or what your attitude is about your WIP.
Treat it like a relationship.
Writing a novel can be like entering into a relationship. It starts out new and exciting. There's an exploration process. At some point, familiarity sets in and the excitement wanes. Now comes a decision point- Do I stick with it, ride out the difficult parts, delve deeper, and make it work? Or do I walk away?
Stop walking away.
If you're someone who keeps abandoning your manuscripts, stop walking away. Ride it out. Finish it. You'll learn and grow from the experience. Occasionally there will be a valid reason to abandon a manuscript, but if you're a serial quitter, you don't yet have the requisite experience to make that call.
Get real about what's holding you back.
If you're a pantser who is always abandoning manuscripts, maybe you need to become an outliner until you've developed the instincts to write without one. If you're an emotional writer who only works on ideas while they're exciting, try making yourself work a little bit every day. Or, start with short stories, move up to novelettes, then novellas. Get the experience of finishing something as you work your way up to longer works.
But what about my great idea? I don't want to lose it.
I sometimes get an amazing new idea that sets my heart racing. Here's what I do:
That way I don't lose the idea. I might lose that overwhelming feeling of excitement that comes with a new idea, but that's actually a good thing, because that feeling never lasts. It won't get you all the way through a novel. It's critical that we detach our work habits from that feeling of euphoria.
I recommend everyone do the same thing. Don't be sucked in by the new idea. Write it down, save it for later, and see if you're still excited about it once you've finished your WIP.
Finish what you start!
Today's post/episode was inspired by a meme I created and posted this morning. This particular stock image has been the subject of many different memes recently, so I thought I'd create one to reflect something I see often in the writing world.
Does this remind you of anyone you know? We've all had those times when we're in the "mushy middle" of our work in progress when an amazing idea hits us. No matter what we do, we can't get that new idea out of our head. We might even abandon our WIP, telling ourselves we'll "get back to it" and jump into this new idea. More often than not, our excitement over the new idea only lasts until we get another new idea. And on and on...
Imagine taking your car in for new tires. The technician brings your car back to you with only one new tire. "Sorry. I got the first tire on, but I'm really excited about that new jaguar over there."
You hire a house painter. He finishes one wall. "Sorry, but I'm bored with this color, and frankly, your house is taking longer than I thought to finish. I'm going to stop here and hope the next house I paint is more exciting."
You wake up in the recovery room after surgery. The nurse says, "The doctor did remove your kidneys, but she didn't do the transplant. She just wasn't feeling it today."
You get the picture.
Too many aspiring writers treat their careers the same way.
This is a problem, because:
- If your goal is to sell your fiction, you might want to, you know, finish something.
- It's a bad habit. The more you quit, the easier it gets. What's more, you're training yourself to associate writing with that feeling of excitement we all get when we dive into a new novel. Inevitably, that feeling wears off and we incorrectly assume there's a problem with the WIP when that real problem is inside ourselves.
- If you're abandoning your novel for the sake of an exciting new idea, there's some underlying problem you need to identify and address. Maybe it's the excitement factor we discussed above. Maybe the story is broken and you need to fix it. Maybe its fear or insecurity. Maybe it's a lack of planning. Maybe it's simply a maturity issue. Whatever the reason, we'll never be successful if we don't learn to identify our problems and meet them head on.
- Finishing a novel is a process. It's hard work. It means working even on the days we don't "feel like it."
- Reality check: that new idea is almost never any better than the idea that inspired the book you're already working on. Wait six months and return to that idea that excited you so much. I'll bet it now seems no better or worse than all of your other ideas.
- Ideas are of little value. It's about the execution, and that's what we learn to do when we finish our novel.
- People might be relying on you. Collaborations, work for hire, contract writing all require that an author deliver a quality product on time. If you develop a reputation for not finishing, you're finished.
- Completing a novel, even a flawed one or one about which we're not all that excited, feels amazing. Best of all? You can fix that novel through subsequent drafts.
- Just like quitting tends to feed on itself, so does finishing. With each finished novel, our confidence level and our skill set grows and we find it easier to finish subsequent books.
- We can actually start selling fiction!
What can I do?
Stop believing in the "muse."
Stop using the word "can't" when it comes to writing. (Unless your arms have been cut off and you don't own a dictation program.) Stop telling yourself that you have to "feel" a certain way in order to write. You're the same writer with the same tools at your disposal no matter how you feel that day or what your attitude is about your WIP.
Treat it like a relationship.
Writing a novel can be like entering into a relationship. It starts out new and exciting. There's an exploration process. At some point, familiarity sets in and the excitement wanes. Now comes a decision point- Do I stick with it, ride out the difficult parts, delve deeper, and make it work? Or do I walk away?
Stop walking away.
If you're someone who keeps abandoning your manuscripts, stop walking away. Ride it out. Finish it. You'll learn and grow from the experience. Occasionally there will be a valid reason to abandon a manuscript, but if you're a serial quitter, you don't yet have the requisite experience to make that call.
Get real about what's holding you back.
If you're a pantser who is always abandoning manuscripts, maybe you need to become an outliner until you've developed the instincts to write without one. If you're an emotional writer who only works on ideas while they're exciting, try making yourself work a little bit every day. Or, start with short stories, move up to novelettes, then novellas. Get the experience of finishing something as you work your way up to longer works.
But what about my great idea? I don't want to lose it.
I sometimes get an amazing new idea that sets my heart racing. Here's what I do:
- Open a Google doc.
- Write down every single thing I can think of relating to that new idea: the concept, characters, plot, theme, setting, flashes of scenes that have already come to mind. Everything.
- Then I close the doc and get back to my work in progress.
That way I don't lose the idea. I might lose that overwhelming feeling of excitement that comes with a new idea, but that's actually a good thing, because that feeling never lasts. It won't get you all the way through a novel. It's critical that we detach our work habits from that feeling of euphoria.
I recommend everyone do the same thing. Don't be sucked in by the new idea. Write it down, save it for later, and see if you're still excited about it once you've finished your WIP.
Finish what you start!
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Indie Publishing Success- Best Practices
Listen to the companion podcast episode
This post is going to be very beginner-oriented, but hopefully vets will find something of value.
If you spend time on indie publishing forums or in author/publisher groups, you'll likely hear the term "best practices." While there's no hard-and-fast definition, "best practices" are the things indie authors can do that are generally a good idea, and have often proved effective for commercially successful authors. Obviously, there are no guarantees, but it's my belief that emulating the best practices of successful authors improves your odds of success greatly. Here are a few:
We covered this topic in detail here
*Attending to craft includes, but is not limited to things like:
*Writing Workshops
*Critique partners
*Reading widely
Identify and Study Your Genre/Subgenre
*Make sure your work fits the tropes
*Study the bestseller lists and learn from the successful indies.
*Figure out what's selling and what isn't. Mass market readers don't necessarily want "unique," "new and different," or subversion of tropes. Most of the time, they want "more of the same."
Have a Good Book Cover
This should go without saying, but it doesn't. Take a look at Lousy Book Covers.
*Emulate the bestselling indies in your subgenre.
*Remember, the book cover is a sales tool, not an artistic reflection of the contents of your book. The cover needs to entice the reader and capture the general spirit of your book and subgenre. Don't pass up an amazing book cover because the cover model's hair is too short, etc...
*Don't clutter your book with a bunch of images from your book.
*If you can't afford a custom book cover, look for premade book covers. Lots of professional designers are making high-quality covers for a very reasonable price, and the price is only going to get lower as more and more artists offer premades. (I won't list sites here. A simple Google search will turn up plenty of results.)
Product Description
Some people call this the "blurb," "synopsis," or "back cover copy." In short, this is the description/summary of your book that will appear on your book's Amazon (or Nook, iBooks, Kobo...). There are many things that could be said about this, but in general:
*It's an ad, not a summary.
*Open with a hook. A couple of examples:
-A lost world has been found again... and no one is getting out alive. (The Valley by William Meikle.)
-Sometimes, the legends are true.(Primordial by yours truly and Alan Baxter.)
*Keep the description snappy and not overlong.
*Focus on what the story is about and what the character will face.
*This is not the place to load up on back-story. Don't tell us the history of your fantasy world, your character's life-story, etc...
*Learn from bestselling indie books in your subgenre.
Proofreading and Editing
*There are many editors professional content editors and proofreaders doing freelance work nowadays. Many are working both freelance for indies and traditional publishers. If you can afford it, it's possible to get trad-pub quality editing for your work.
*If you can't afford the best editors and proofreaders (yet), take steps to make your manuscript as clean as possible:
*Before making your final pass over the manuscript, change the font and font size. Some authors find this helps put them in different headspace and helps them catch errors.
*Read the book aloud to yourself.
*Read the book page-by-page beginning with the back page. This prevents you from focusing on the plot.
*Use a text-to-speech program to read the manuscript back to you.
*Use a program like Grammarly to help check for errors. (Note- a program like Grammarly will identify possible errors, but you will still have to be the judge of whether or not what you've written is incorrect. It will be of little help if you don't understand the rules of grammar and punctuation.)
*Get as many eyes on your manuscript as you can. Perhaps you can find people among your street team who are skilled editors.
*Network with other indies to find affordable editors and proofreaders. Check the Kboards Yellow Pages.
None of the above is intended to suggest you shouldn't hire an editor or proofer. I simply recognize that, for some people, it might be years before they can afford those services. I believe that if your book is well-written and you make it as clean as possible, readers will forgive a few mistakes. My first books had many mistakes and I've had them re-edited and proofed. It's not ideal, and I might have lost a few readers along the way, but that's my journey and it's turned out all right. I do encourage you to engage the services of good editors and proofers as soon as you can afford them.
Models/Mentors
*Learn from the indie authors who are enjoying success in your subgenre. Look at how they go about their business. See if they've written blog posts or articles, or have given interviews in which they talk about their best practices. Understand and emulate those practices. (Please, do not contact authors and ask them to be your mentor. The successful authors are almost certainly too busy to take on a mentee and they'll feel guilty about saying "no.")
*Listen to podcasts like The Creative Penn, Self-Publishing Formula, and Sci-Fi Fantasy Marketing Podcast for info and advice on the business and shows like Writing Excuses or The Roundtable Podcast for advice on the craft.
Be Careful About the Advice You Take
*Give greater consideration to those who are where you want to be in terms of commercial success. especially those who are succeeding in your genre.
*Does the person giving advice share your goals? If your goal is commercial success, the person whose focus is elsewhere might not be the best person to offer guidance.
*When it comes to business decisions, take the advice of indies who have "made it on their own" rather than "name" authors whose brand identity can overcome their publisher's bad marketing decisions. Also, if an author whose small-to-midsize publisher has cultivated a solid niche audience, beware when that author tells you "I don't worry about branding or marketing." In short, look for apples-to-apples publishing circumstances.
*Before handing money over to advice-givers, check to see if they're actually making a living selling fiction, or if they're actually making their living selling advice to authors in the form of workshops, books, etc... (It's a red flag if they say- "I make all my fiction money through my super-secret pen names.)
*Don't believe every indie conspiracy theory you read, especially about Amazon/algorithms.
*It's not all about luck. This could open a can of worms, so I'll cut to the chase: the harder I work, and the smarter I work, the luckier I get. Focus on what's within your control. Using best practices and learning from successful indies is no guarantee of success, but it gives you your best chance.
Publishing/Writing Considerations
*Be productive! Producing regular content is essential
*The longer you go between new releases, the sharper the sales decline.
*Writing novellas is a great way to keep a series going and produce regular content. My novellas sell almost as well as my full-length books, and the occasional "this is too short" review doesn't hurt sales.
*Short stories have their uses, but aren't particularly effective as tools for generating new sales/keeping momentum in the sales rankings.
*Writing a series tends to be much more effective than writing a variety of disconnected works.
*Putting out a new book in a series tends to lift the sales rankings of previous books in the series.
*Don't believe the old publishing "truism" that an author's books compete with one another. The opposite is actually true. Some indies have even found they can put out a book a month without detrimental effects on their catalog.
Consider Your Own Consumer Behavior
*Before spending money (or time) on a given strategy, ask yourself: has this particular strategy ever led me to buy a book? If so, how often?
*Here are some things that have never persuaded me to buy a book:
-Bookmarks
-SWAG (stuff we all get) bags
-Book Trailers
-Author TV/Radio appearances
-A Facebook ad proclaiming a given author as "better than..." This is an automatic "no" for me.
*Here are some things that have often persuaded me to buy a book:
-Recommendation from a friend who shares my reading interests.
-A sharp-looking book cover
-Finding the book in the also-boughts of my favorite authors.
-Finding the book in the besteller lists of my favorite genres.
Whew! This was a lengthy post. If you've made it to the end, thanks for reading and I hope you've found something useful.
This post is going to be very beginner-oriented, but hopefully vets will find something of value.
If you spend time on indie publishing forums or in author/publisher groups, you'll likely hear the term "best practices." While there's no hard-and-fast definition, "best practices" are the things indie authors can do that are generally a good idea, and have often proved effective for commercially successful authors. Obviously, there are no guarantees, but it's my belief that emulating the best practices of successful authors improves your odds of success greatly. Here are a few:
Produce a Quality Product
Pay Attention to CraftWe covered this topic in detail here
*Attending to craft includes, but is not limited to things like:
*Writing Workshops
*Critique partners
*Reading widely
Identify and Study Your Genre/Subgenre
*Make sure your work fits the tropes
*Study the bestseller lists and learn from the successful indies.
*Figure out what's selling and what isn't. Mass market readers don't necessarily want "unique," "new and different," or subversion of tropes. Most of the time, they want "more of the same."
Have a Good Book Cover
This should go without saying, but it doesn't. Take a look at Lousy Book Covers.
*Emulate the bestselling indies in your subgenre.
*Remember, the book cover is a sales tool, not an artistic reflection of the contents of your book. The cover needs to entice the reader and capture the general spirit of your book and subgenre. Don't pass up an amazing book cover because the cover model's hair is too short, etc...
*Don't clutter your book with a bunch of images from your book.
*If you can't afford a custom book cover, look for premade book covers. Lots of professional designers are making high-quality covers for a very reasonable price, and the price is only going to get lower as more and more artists offer premades. (I won't list sites here. A simple Google search will turn up plenty of results.)
Product Description
Some people call this the "blurb," "synopsis," or "back cover copy." In short, this is the description/summary of your book that will appear on your book's Amazon (or Nook, iBooks, Kobo...). There are many things that could be said about this, but in general:
*It's an ad, not a summary.
*Open with a hook. A couple of examples:
-A lost world has been found again... and no one is getting out alive. (The Valley by William Meikle.)
-Sometimes, the legends are true.(Primordial by yours truly and Alan Baxter.)
*Keep the description snappy and not overlong.
*Focus on what the story is about and what the character will face.
*This is not the place to load up on back-story. Don't tell us the history of your fantasy world, your character's life-story, etc...
*Learn from bestselling indie books in your subgenre.
Proofreading and Editing
*There are many editors professional content editors and proofreaders doing freelance work nowadays. Many are working both freelance for indies and traditional publishers. If you can afford it, it's possible to get trad-pub quality editing for your work.
*If you can't afford the best editors and proofreaders (yet), take steps to make your manuscript as clean as possible:
*Before making your final pass over the manuscript, change the font and font size. Some authors find this helps put them in different headspace and helps them catch errors.
*Read the book aloud to yourself.
*Read the book page-by-page beginning with the back page. This prevents you from focusing on the plot.
*Use a text-to-speech program to read the manuscript back to you.
*Use a program like Grammarly to help check for errors. (Note- a program like Grammarly will identify possible errors, but you will still have to be the judge of whether or not what you've written is incorrect. It will be of little help if you don't understand the rules of grammar and punctuation.)
*Get as many eyes on your manuscript as you can. Perhaps you can find people among your street team who are skilled editors.
*Network with other indies to find affordable editors and proofreaders. Check the Kboards Yellow Pages.
None of the above is intended to suggest you shouldn't hire an editor or proofer. I simply recognize that, for some people, it might be years before they can afford those services. I believe that if your book is well-written and you make it as clean as possible, readers will forgive a few mistakes. My first books had many mistakes and I've had them re-edited and proofed. It's not ideal, and I might have lost a few readers along the way, but that's my journey and it's turned out all right. I do encourage you to engage the services of good editors and proofers as soon as you can afford them.
Models/Mentors
*Learn from the indie authors who are enjoying success in your subgenre. Look at how they go about their business. See if they've written blog posts or articles, or have given interviews in which they talk about their best practices. Understand and emulate those practices. (Please, do not contact authors and ask them to be your mentor. The successful authors are almost certainly too busy to take on a mentee and they'll feel guilty about saying "no.")
*Listen to podcasts like The Creative Penn, Self-Publishing Formula, and Sci-Fi Fantasy Marketing Podcast for info and advice on the business and shows like Writing Excuses or The Roundtable Podcast for advice on the craft.
Be Careful About the Advice You Take
*Give greater consideration to those who are where you want to be in terms of commercial success. especially those who are succeeding in your genre.
*Does the person giving advice share your goals? If your goal is commercial success, the person whose focus is elsewhere might not be the best person to offer guidance.
*When it comes to business decisions, take the advice of indies who have "made it on their own" rather than "name" authors whose brand identity can overcome their publisher's bad marketing decisions. Also, if an author whose small-to-midsize publisher has cultivated a solid niche audience, beware when that author tells you "I don't worry about branding or marketing." In short, look for apples-to-apples publishing circumstances.
*Before handing money over to advice-givers, check to see if they're actually making a living selling fiction, or if they're actually making their living selling advice to authors in the form of workshops, books, etc... (It's a red flag if they say- "I make all my fiction money through my super-secret pen names.)
*Don't believe every indie conspiracy theory you read, especially about Amazon/algorithms.
*It's not all about luck. This could open a can of worms, so I'll cut to the chase: the harder I work, and the smarter I work, the luckier I get. Focus on what's within your control. Using best practices and learning from successful indies is no guarantee of success, but it gives you your best chance.
Publishing/Writing Considerations
*Be productive! Producing regular content is essential
*The longer you go between new releases, the sharper the sales decline.
*Writing novellas is a great way to keep a series going and produce regular content. My novellas sell almost as well as my full-length books, and the occasional "this is too short" review doesn't hurt sales.
*Short stories have their uses, but aren't particularly effective as tools for generating new sales/keeping momentum in the sales rankings.
*Writing a series tends to be much more effective than writing a variety of disconnected works.
*Putting out a new book in a series tends to lift the sales rankings of previous books in the series.
*Don't believe the old publishing "truism" that an author's books compete with one another. The opposite is actually true. Some indies have even found they can put out a book a month without detrimental effects on their catalog.
Consider Your Own Consumer Behavior
*Before spending money (or time) on a given strategy, ask yourself: has this particular strategy ever led me to buy a book? If so, how often?
*Here are some things that have never persuaded me to buy a book:
-Bookmarks
-SWAG (stuff we all get) bags
-Book Trailers
-Author TV/Radio appearances
-A Facebook ad proclaiming a given author as "better than..." This is an automatic "no" for me.
*Here are some things that have often persuaded me to buy a book:
-Recommendation from a friend who shares my reading interests.
-A sharp-looking book cover
-Finding the book in the also-boughts of my favorite authors.
-Finding the book in the besteller lists of my favorite genres.
Whew! This was a lengthy post. If you've made it to the end, thanks for reading and I hope you've found something useful.
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Beware of the Bitter Author
Listen to the Companion Podcast Episode
One of the phenomena you'll encounter on your publishing journey is the Bitter Author. The Bitter Author will try to discourage you, give you bad advice, or make you feel badly about your publishing path. Don't let it happen. Keep your guard up, your eyes open, and focus on your goals.
The Bitter Author comes in many shapes and sizes. A few I've encountered include:
"Former Big 5" Author:
This author was once published by a major house, but no longer is. Maybe he still has an agent, but probably not. He might even have had a movie option once, but that didn't pan out. No one remembers his name or his debut novel. Maybe he had some short fiction sales back when people read things like magazines, but no one remembers those either. Now, he clings on, published by a variety of small houses. His books still don't sell enough for him to make a living because he's the same writer whom all the resources of a big publishing house couldn't turn into a commercial success.
Former Big 5 Author is an angry man. He thought he'd reached the summit of Everest when he signed his first deal, but soon discovered all he'd received were directions to the base of the mountain, and all his sherpas quit on him when they saw he wasn't that great a climber. Now, he wraps his disappointment in layers of condescension. He bemoans the "unedited crap" being churned out by "no talent" self-publishers. He won't hear a word otherwise, and mocks and belittles anyone who disagrees with him. Why does he do this? Maybe he believes he'd be selling books if only it weren't for all these cheap, crappy, self-pubbed titles. Mostly, though, he resents seeing others succeed where he failed.
How do we handle Former Big 5 Author? Don't engage. Nothing you say will ever change his mind. And even if you could, what would it gain you? Just smile as he flails away online, spewing his bile, and then get back to writing.
"The Gatekeeper Let Me In" Author:
This author hasn't made it to Big 5 publishing. Maybe she came close, but couldn't sell her manuscript. Maybe she never managed to secure an agent. Maybe she never even tried for one reason or another. This author is published by a small, perhaps tiny, digital/POD press. Like Former Big 5 Author, her books don't sell. She deals with this by clinging to the fact that an "editor" deemed her work worthy of publication. This, she claims, elevates her work above the flood of poor-quality books that are published only because digital publishing has made it possible to bypass the gatekeepers. Meanwhile, it never occurs to her that her "publisher" only exists because of digital publishing opening these gates, and were it not for digital publishing, she'd be unpublished.
The Gatekeeper Let Me In Author is another whom we can ignore. If she wants an editor of some stripe to affirm her work's worth, that's fine. We'll let the readers affirm our worth.
"Failed/Failing at Indie-Publishing" Author
This author generally comes in two flavors:
"Did Everything Wrong" Author
This author dipped his toe into the waters of self-publishing, but he didn't take the time to learn anything about the best practices. Maybe he tried publishing some short fiction. Maybe he published a few disconnected works. Maybe he didn't identify niches with the best sales potential. Perhaps he had a crappy book cover. You name it, he did it wrong. Why did he do it? Impatience? Arrogance? Maybe he's traditionally-published and is accustomed to being taken care of. In any case things on the indie side aren't working out for him.
Did Everything Wrong Author will get on your nerves. It might be mild comments like, "It might work for some, but it doesn't work for me." In his more annoying form, he'll visit self-publishing forums in search of a magic bullet to make his books sell. Whatever you do, don't suggest that he start from the ground up, utilizing best practices. He'll get indignant and accuse you of "lecturing" or "straying off-topic." If you want to give him a gentle nudge in the direction of resources that would be helpful to him, feel free. Just don't expect it to make a difference.
"Just Can't Write" Author
This is the toughest one of all. Some people are simply bad writers. I'm not talking about genre differences or subjective tastes. Some writing is objectively bad. Other authors can write clean, perhaps even quality prose, but can't tell a story. Some can't write engaging characters. Others write dialog so bland that you sometimes can't differentiate it from the narrative voice.
This author might have actually done everything "right" but when push came to shove, readers tried her work and didn't like it. It's not that she sells zero books. She probably has a handful of readers- just enough to convince her that it's not her writing that's the problem.
Just Can't Write Author is angry. She's followed all the publishing advice, and she's still not selling books. She's convinced the quality of her writing is not the problem, so the issue must be that all the publishing advice she followed is wrong. Why did some succeed where she didn't? Luck. That's all. She lurks on sites like Kboards, itching for a fight, contradicting the advice of commercially successful writers, giving bad advice, seconding bad ideas, and saying things like, "Don't let anyone tell you your (terrible) idea won't work!" Why does she do this? Because, deep down, she doesn't believe anything other than luck makes a difference, so what's the harm in trying out strategies that have failed again and again? Good luck will overcome bad practices, and all the best practices in the world won't overcome bad luck.
Just Can't Write Author shouldn't be ignored. There's no point in engaging her directly- her mind isn't going to change. What you can do is offer good advice to the people she's guiding down the wrong path. They might not know any better.
So who isn't a bitter author?
There are lots of "Positive Authors" out there at all stages of their careers. In fact, I've encountered very few bitter authors. The common denominator? On some level, they're happy with where they are. Maybe they're indie authors earning a nice living; perhaps they've got a nice career going with a traditional publisher; could be their work is being recognized for its literary merit; maybe they're just happy to be published and are having a great time; or, maybe they aren't anywhere near where they want to be, but they still have hope and have surrounded themselves with the right sorts of people to help them on their way.
"Positive Authors" are secure in the knowledge that they are responsible for their own careers and the opinions of the bitter among those they encounter don't matter in the long run.
Focus on the positive influences. Don't let the bitter authors into your life.
One of the phenomena you'll encounter on your publishing journey is the Bitter Author. The Bitter Author will try to discourage you, give you bad advice, or make you feel badly about your publishing path. Don't let it happen. Keep your guard up, your eyes open, and focus on your goals.
The Bitter Author comes in many shapes and sizes. A few I've encountered include:
"Former Big 5" Author:
This author was once published by a major house, but no longer is. Maybe he still has an agent, but probably not. He might even have had a movie option once, but that didn't pan out. No one remembers his name or his debut novel. Maybe he had some short fiction sales back when people read things like magazines, but no one remembers those either. Now, he clings on, published by a variety of small houses. His books still don't sell enough for him to make a living because he's the same writer whom all the resources of a big publishing house couldn't turn into a commercial success.
Former Big 5 Author is an angry man. He thought he'd reached the summit of Everest when he signed his first deal, but soon discovered all he'd received were directions to the base of the mountain, and all his sherpas quit on him when they saw he wasn't that great a climber. Now, he wraps his disappointment in layers of condescension. He bemoans the "unedited crap" being churned out by "no talent" self-publishers. He won't hear a word otherwise, and mocks and belittles anyone who disagrees with him. Why does he do this? Maybe he believes he'd be selling books if only it weren't for all these cheap, crappy, self-pubbed titles. Mostly, though, he resents seeing others succeed where he failed.
How do we handle Former Big 5 Author? Don't engage. Nothing you say will ever change his mind. And even if you could, what would it gain you? Just smile as he flails away online, spewing his bile, and then get back to writing.
"The Gatekeeper Let Me In" Author:
This author hasn't made it to Big 5 publishing. Maybe she came close, but couldn't sell her manuscript. Maybe she never managed to secure an agent. Maybe she never even tried for one reason or another. This author is published by a small, perhaps tiny, digital/POD press. Like Former Big 5 Author, her books don't sell. She deals with this by clinging to the fact that an "editor" deemed her work worthy of publication. This, she claims, elevates her work above the flood of poor-quality books that are published only because digital publishing has made it possible to bypass the gatekeepers. Meanwhile, it never occurs to her that her "publisher" only exists because of digital publishing opening these gates, and were it not for digital publishing, she'd be unpublished.
The Gatekeeper Let Me In Author is another whom we can ignore. If she wants an editor of some stripe to affirm her work's worth, that's fine. We'll let the readers affirm our worth.
"Failed/Failing at Indie-Publishing" Author
This author generally comes in two flavors:
"Did Everything Wrong" Author
This author dipped his toe into the waters of self-publishing, but he didn't take the time to learn anything about the best practices. Maybe he tried publishing some short fiction. Maybe he published a few disconnected works. Maybe he didn't identify niches with the best sales potential. Perhaps he had a crappy book cover. You name it, he did it wrong. Why did he do it? Impatience? Arrogance? Maybe he's traditionally-published and is accustomed to being taken care of. In any case things on the indie side aren't working out for him.
Did Everything Wrong Author will get on your nerves. It might be mild comments like, "It might work for some, but it doesn't work for me." In his more annoying form, he'll visit self-publishing forums in search of a magic bullet to make his books sell. Whatever you do, don't suggest that he start from the ground up, utilizing best practices. He'll get indignant and accuse you of "lecturing" or "straying off-topic." If you want to give him a gentle nudge in the direction of resources that would be helpful to him, feel free. Just don't expect it to make a difference.
"Just Can't Write" Author
This is the toughest one of all. Some people are simply bad writers. I'm not talking about genre differences or subjective tastes. Some writing is objectively bad. Other authors can write clean, perhaps even quality prose, but can't tell a story. Some can't write engaging characters. Others write dialog so bland that you sometimes can't differentiate it from the narrative voice.
This author might have actually done everything "right" but when push came to shove, readers tried her work and didn't like it. It's not that she sells zero books. She probably has a handful of readers- just enough to convince her that it's not her writing that's the problem.
Just Can't Write Author is angry. She's followed all the publishing advice, and she's still not selling books. She's convinced the quality of her writing is not the problem, so the issue must be that all the publishing advice she followed is wrong. Why did some succeed where she didn't? Luck. That's all. She lurks on sites like Kboards, itching for a fight, contradicting the advice of commercially successful writers, giving bad advice, seconding bad ideas, and saying things like, "Don't let anyone tell you your (terrible) idea won't work!" Why does she do this? Because, deep down, she doesn't believe anything other than luck makes a difference, so what's the harm in trying out strategies that have failed again and again? Good luck will overcome bad practices, and all the best practices in the world won't overcome bad luck.
Just Can't Write Author shouldn't be ignored. There's no point in engaging her directly- her mind isn't going to change. What you can do is offer good advice to the people she's guiding down the wrong path. They might not know any better.
So who isn't a bitter author?
There are lots of "Positive Authors" out there at all stages of their careers. In fact, I've encountered very few bitter authors. The common denominator? On some level, they're happy with where they are. Maybe they're indie authors earning a nice living; perhaps they've got a nice career going with a traditional publisher; could be their work is being recognized for its literary merit; maybe they're just happy to be published and are having a great time; or, maybe they aren't anywhere near where they want to be, but they still have hope and have surrounded themselves with the right sorts of people to help them on their way.
"Positive Authors" are secure in the knowledge that they are responsible for their own careers and the opinions of the bitter among those they encounter don't matter in the long run.
Focus on the positive influences. Don't let the bitter authors into your life.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Writing is Not a Job
Click here to listen to the companion podcast episode
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!
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.
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!
Monday, April 10, 2017
Encourage A Young Writer Day
Listen to the companion podcast episode.
Today is National Encourage a Young Writer Day (and I'm writing it out because NEYWD isn't much of an acronym; kind of a misspelling of NUDE.) As someone who gave writing a try as a kid and then stopped for decades before returning to it, I thought I'd take a moment to offer some
encouragement and advice to young writers:
Don't be shy or self-conscious. When I was in middle school, I decided to try my hand at writing a book. My mom saw the pages, picked them up, and read them. She didn't say anything about them, or do anything to make me feel embarrassed (in fact, my parents always praised my writing) but I was still mortified that someone had read my fiction. There was something about writing fiction that made me feel vulnerable in a way that writing essays or humorous pieces didn't. It was a long time before I wrote fiction again. I regret the years I wasted. I probably wouldn't have produced anything publishable during those years, but I've had gained experience and had fun in the process. And who knows? Maybe I would have produced something awesome.
On that note...
Don't focus on getting published. When I taught middle school, one of the most awkward positions I found myself in was when a young writer would tell me, "I wrote my book and had it checked for mistakes. Now, how do I get published?" I never wanted to say anything that would discourage a young writer, but I also didn't want to lead them into a situation where their writing would be dismissed (or worse) by editors (or readers, in the case of self-publishing.) The first books you write aren't going to be publishable, and certainly not a first draft that's been checked for typos. Take pride in what you've written, share it with people close to you, learn the writing and revision process, keep writing new books, and read. Don't be in such a hurry to publish, and don't feel like you haven't accomplished something just because you did not seek publication for a given book.
Learn a lot. You can find a wealth of information on writing and publishing for free on the web: blogs, websites, forums, podcasts, YouTube. Heck, Brandon Sanderson offers some of his graduate level writing courses in their entirety for free on YouTube. The writing life is a long journey, one you never complete, so learn all you can along the way.
Read a lot! Read books in genres you love. Read books in genres you're not sure you will enjoy. Read non-fiction (you'd be surprised how many story and character ideas you'll get from non-fiction.) Learn from "classic" books but read what's current, too. And don't read the same things over and over.
Write a lot! Write short stories, write books, write fan fiction. Practice, practice, practice.
Get honest feedback. As you grow as a writer, you'll want to get feedback on your stories so you can improve. This is where writing short stories can be great. It's one thing to ask someone to critique a short story. It's yet another thing to ask them to critique a book. But remember, when you're young job # 1 is...
Have fun! Enjoy creating characters and stories. There will be plenty of time later on for harsh criticism. While you're young, just create and have a blast doing it.
Today is National Encourage a Young Writer Day (and I'm writing it out because NEYWD isn't much of an acronym; kind of a misspelling of NUDE.) As someone who gave writing a try as a kid and then stopped for decades before returning to it, I thought I'd take a moment to offer some
Don't be shy or self-conscious. When I was in middle school, I decided to try my hand at writing a book. My mom saw the pages, picked them up, and read them. She didn't say anything about them, or do anything to make me feel embarrassed (in fact, my parents always praised my writing) but I was still mortified that someone had read my fiction. There was something about writing fiction that made me feel vulnerable in a way that writing essays or humorous pieces didn't. It was a long time before I wrote fiction again. I regret the years I wasted. I probably wouldn't have produced anything publishable during those years, but I've had gained experience and had fun in the process. And who knows? Maybe I would have produced something awesome.
On that note...
Don't focus on getting published. When I taught middle school, one of the most awkward positions I found myself in was when a young writer would tell me, "I wrote my book and had it checked for mistakes. Now, how do I get published?" I never wanted to say anything that would discourage a young writer, but I also didn't want to lead them into a situation where their writing would be dismissed (or worse) by editors (or readers, in the case of self-publishing.) The first books you write aren't going to be publishable, and certainly not a first draft that's been checked for typos. Take pride in what you've written, share it with people close to you, learn the writing and revision process, keep writing new books, and read. Don't be in such a hurry to publish, and don't feel like you haven't accomplished something just because you did not seek publication for a given book.
Learn a lot. You can find a wealth of information on writing and publishing for free on the web: blogs, websites, forums, podcasts, YouTube. Heck, Brandon Sanderson offers some of his graduate level writing courses in their entirety for free on YouTube. The writing life is a long journey, one you never complete, so learn all you can along the way.
Read a lot! Read books in genres you love. Read books in genres you're not sure you will enjoy. Read non-fiction (you'd be surprised how many story and character ideas you'll get from non-fiction.) Learn from "classic" books but read what's current, too. And don't read the same things over and over.
Write a lot! Write short stories, write books, write fan fiction. Practice, practice, practice.
Get honest feedback. As you grow as a writer, you'll want to get feedback on your stories so you can improve. This is where writing short stories can be great. It's one thing to ask someone to critique a short story. It's yet another thing to ask them to critique a book. But remember, when you're young job # 1 is...
Have fun! Enjoy creating characters and stories. There will be plenty of time later on for harsh criticism. While you're young, just create and have a blast doing it.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Writers and Self-Defeating Language
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE
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!
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!
Friday, September 9, 2016
Indie Publishing Success- Facebook Pages for Indie Authors
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE
Facebook author pages is a subject that is frequently discussed in author circles. Publishing houses
often push their authors to establish a dedicated author page, yet the author doesn't know how to best utilize it. Meanwhile, many indie authors are questioning the value of these pages due to decreased engagement with their posts. I believe these pages are still of great value for a few reasons:
Opportunities for genuine interaction with readers.
Comment threads can develop into conversations, which allows the author to build connections with her or his readership in a way that a newsletter, tweet, or blog post does not.
Easy sharing of information.
Word of mouth (yes, virtual/cyber word of mouth counts) is critical in book marketing. When a dedicated reader shares your post about your latest release, that implicit endorsement carries weight with her/his Facebook friends who are also readers, particularly if they read in your genre. If these readers are not familiar with your work, there's a good chance they'd never have heard about your book if your announcement was limited to your website and newsletter.
It's more active than a website.
Active marketing strategies are critical. It's the rare author who can rely exclusively on passive strategies, like putting up a post on her/his website and waiting for the sales to roll in. Yes, a non-sponsored Facebook post is still a passive post, but for people reading it, the opportunity is there to share it, thus putting it in front of new and different readers. That sharing of information makes it active, and it gets you and your work out in front of new people.
Building a support network.
Some of the nicest people I know are people I've met through my author presence on Facebook. Some are readers who love my work, seem to like me, and are always happy to go the extra mile to help me out in a variety of ways. Some became the core of my "street team" (which is a topic for another day). I've also developed friendships and professional relationships with authors, editors, cover designers, and audiobook narrators. I don't know where I'd be without those connections.
Facebook is huge.
Despite its shortcomings, Facebook is still the big dog in social media. (Or, at least 'a' big dog). Not having a presence there is a missed opportunity.
You can't, and shouldn't, keep up an active Facebook author presence if all you do is post new release announcements, "buy" links, and news of sales and giveaways. You need more, and it needs to be interesting. Some of the things I include:
-Snippets from my work in progress. (Preferably something funny. If a character makes me laugh while I'm writing him/her, there's a good chance my readers will get a chuckle out of it too.)
- Interesting things I learn during my research.
- Photographs from my research trips.
- Other interesting photos, for example, if I meet up with a fellow author or another industry professional.
- Cover reveals
- Updates on my writing progress.
- Celebrations
- Freebies
-Content to draw readers to my website
Remember it's "Social" Media
Try to be interactive. Reply to their comments. Be open to questions. Solicit their opinions and suggestions. Always remember to say thank-you. Without readers, we don't have a career.
Newsletter Signup and Other Features
Facebook's author page makes it easy to set up a newsletter signup form on your author page. Use it. Visitors to my page also see things like: "Author App", which provides cover images, synopses, and links to my books for sale; a link to Authorgraph, an app which allows authors to e-sign Kindle books; a link to my website, and info about me. All of it is very easy to set up.
Pay Attention to the "Insights" Tab
"Insights"will give you information on views and interactions with your posts, so you can see what is most interesting to your page visitors.
Facebook changed the way they handle news feeds, and now my post views are low. Can I do anything about it?
Yes, many of your posts will have low views, but not if they're interesting. For example, I have a little over 700 likes on my Facebook author page. Some only get 20% engagement, but some do very well. I posted a link to a free audio short story, and it has over 1,400 views. I did a cover reveal for a forthcoming book and it has about 1,300 views. So, it is possible to get solid engagement. Things to consider:
-Likes tend to snowball on Facebook. The more people who "like" your post right away, the more likely it is to turn up in other feeds. Thus, if there's something you really want people to see, you might want to post it at a time that most of your audience is likely to be on Facebook. For me, it's after 5:00 US Eastern time.
-Posts with a picture or video tend to get better engagement than a post without.
-Be interesting. Post things on your author page that are exclusive to that page.
I've tried that and I'm still getting a low percentage of engagement. Should I keep my author page?
-Yes. Stop thinking about who isn't viewing your posts and focus on who is. Every person who engages with you on your author page is someone you might not have reached otherwise. Consider them your foundation and look for ways to build up rather than excuses to tear down. Also, it's a good look to have a professional Facebook presence independent of your personal page, and, as mentioned above, it's something many prospective agents and publishers look for.
How can I get more "likes" on my Facebook page?
The most engaged segment of your audience will probably be the readers who like your books and then seek out your Facebook page. Be sure to put the Facebook link in a place on your website that's easy to find. Also, most mailing list templates have spots for quick links to social media. You can use your author bio (in your books and ebooks, on your Amazon page, on your website) to invite people to connect with you on Facebook. Finally, you can use a Facebook ad targeted at readers in your genre to bring new readers to your page.
How else can I use Facebook?
We'll elaborate in future podcasts, but Facebook ads, parties, and launch events can be effective ways to market your works and your brand.
As always, feel free to comment or contact me with question, thoughts, added info, or disagreements.
Facebook author pages is a subject that is frequently discussed in author circles. Publishing houses
The Value of Facebook to Authors
Opportunities for genuine interaction with readers.
Comment threads can develop into conversations, which allows the author to build connections with her or his readership in a way that a newsletter, tweet, or blog post does not.
Easy sharing of information.
Word of mouth (yes, virtual/cyber word of mouth counts) is critical in book marketing. When a dedicated reader shares your post about your latest release, that implicit endorsement carries weight with her/his Facebook friends who are also readers, particularly if they read in your genre. If these readers are not familiar with your work, there's a good chance they'd never have heard about your book if your announcement was limited to your website and newsletter.
It's more active than a website.
Active marketing strategies are critical. It's the rare author who can rely exclusively on passive strategies, like putting up a post on her/his website and waiting for the sales to roll in. Yes, a non-sponsored Facebook post is still a passive post, but for people reading it, the opportunity is there to share it, thus putting it in front of new and different readers. That sharing of information makes it active, and it gets you and your work out in front of new people.
Building a support network.
Some of the nicest people I know are people I've met through my author presence on Facebook. Some are readers who love my work, seem to like me, and are always happy to go the extra mile to help me out in a variety of ways. Some became the core of my "street team" (which is a topic for another day). I've also developed friendships and professional relationships with authors, editors, cover designers, and audiobook narrators. I don't know where I'd be without those connections.
Facebook is huge.
Despite its shortcomings, Facebook is still the big dog in social media. (Or, at least 'a' big dog). Not having a presence there is a missed opportunity.
How Should I Utilize My Author Page?
Don't just advertise your works for sale.You can't, and shouldn't, keep up an active Facebook author presence if all you do is post new release announcements, "buy" links, and news of sales and giveaways. You need more, and it needs to be interesting. Some of the things I include:
-Snippets from my work in progress. (Preferably something funny. If a character makes me laugh while I'm writing him/her, there's a good chance my readers will get a chuckle out of it too.)
- Interesting things I learn during my research.
- Photographs from my research trips.
- Other interesting photos, for example, if I meet up with a fellow author or another industry professional.
- Cover reveals
- Updates on my writing progress.
- Celebrations
- Freebies
-Content to draw readers to my website
Remember it's "Social" Media
Try to be interactive. Reply to their comments. Be open to questions. Solicit their opinions and suggestions. Always remember to say thank-you. Without readers, we don't have a career.
Newsletter Signup and Other Features
Facebook's author page makes it easy to set up a newsletter signup form on your author page. Use it. Visitors to my page also see things like: "Author App", which provides cover images, synopses, and links to my books for sale; a link to Authorgraph, an app which allows authors to e-sign Kindle books; a link to my website, and info about me. All of it is very easy to set up.
Pay Attention to the "Insights" Tab
"Insights"will give you information on views and interactions with your posts, so you can see what is most interesting to your page visitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Facebook changed the way they handle news feeds, and now my post views are low. Can I do anything about it?
Yes, many of your posts will have low views, but not if they're interesting. For example, I have a little over 700 likes on my Facebook author page. Some only get 20% engagement, but some do very well. I posted a link to a free audio short story, and it has over 1,400 views. I did a cover reveal for a forthcoming book and it has about 1,300 views. So, it is possible to get solid engagement. Things to consider:
-Likes tend to snowball on Facebook. The more people who "like" your post right away, the more likely it is to turn up in other feeds. Thus, if there's something you really want people to see, you might want to post it at a time that most of your audience is likely to be on Facebook. For me, it's after 5:00 US Eastern time.
-Posts with a picture or video tend to get better engagement than a post without.
-Be interesting. Post things on your author page that are exclusive to that page.
I've tried that and I'm still getting a low percentage of engagement. Should I keep my author page?
-Yes. Stop thinking about who isn't viewing your posts and focus on who is. Every person who engages with you on your author page is someone you might not have reached otherwise. Consider them your foundation and look for ways to build up rather than excuses to tear down. Also, it's a good look to have a professional Facebook presence independent of your personal page, and, as mentioned above, it's something many prospective agents and publishers look for.
How can I get more "likes" on my Facebook page?
The most engaged segment of your audience will probably be the readers who like your books and then seek out your Facebook page. Be sure to put the Facebook link in a place on your website that's easy to find. Also, most mailing list templates have spots for quick links to social media. You can use your author bio (in your books and ebooks, on your Amazon page, on your website) to invite people to connect with you on Facebook. Finally, you can use a Facebook ad targeted at readers in your genre to bring new readers to your page.
How else can I use Facebook?
We'll elaborate in future podcasts, but Facebook ads, parties, and launch events can be effective ways to market your works and your brand.
As always, feel free to comment or contact me with question, thoughts, added info, or disagreements.
Friday, August 26, 2016
Indie Publishing Success- Author Websites
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE
A web presence is an important tool for the successful indie author. It's one of the places readers can learn about our books, get news about our new releases, and sign up for our newsletter. But what should our website look like? What should it contain? A few helpful tips:
Think like a reader
Your website isn't for you (nor is your book cover, but we'll talk about that another time). It's not a place for creative self-expression. It's a tool for selling books, which means it should be consumer-focused.Your website should be designed with discovery and ease of purchase in mind.
Design
-Keep it clean and uncluttered. Don't make me work to find your catalog of books, news of new release, your newsletter opt-in, and a contact form.
-White space is your friend. The text sections on my site are black text on white background.
-Avoid light fonts on dark backgrounds. Horror writers, I'm looking at you. I don't want red text on a black background.
-Don't overload me with text. I want to find your books, in order, see the cover image, read a short synopsis, and click on a "buy" link.
-Make it easy to navigate. The modern consumer wants convenience. Reading is a leisure activity. If I have to work to find what I want on your site, I'll go elsewhere, and maybe even give my money to someone else.
- Avoid videos or music that automatically start playing, and things that make for slow loading. Many of us still live in areas where the only available internet service is slow. (Also, it's obnoxious.) Watch out for flash, as it's unsupported on some devices.
-How does it look in mobile? Lots of people browse and shop on their phone or tablet, so make sure your site is easy to navigate on a mobile device.
-Does overall "feel" of the website match the sorts of books you write? A science fiction writer's website should have a different vibe than a writer of cozy mystery. That doesn't mean you should go over the top with your design. Just consider the overall feel. If you write in a wide variety of genres, consider a simple, professional design that says "author" but doesn't necessarily imply a genre.
-Design with an eye to the future. Choose a look that won't need a massive overhaul every time you choose to branch out as a writer.
-Choose a url that identifies with you as a writer. If you also want to secure urls for your character or series names, and link them to your site, that's fine, but don't make them primary.
Content
-Start with the essentials: Complete catalog of books, grouped by series and listed in order; newsletter opt-in; a place for news of new releases.
-Individual books pages should be simple. This isn't the place for lengthy reflection on the work or your writing process. It needs a cover image, product description, and "Buy" links. When creating those links, be sure to select the "Open in another window" option so the reader isn't forced to leave your site. If you're publishing "wide" (on stores other than Amazon/Kindle), includes those links, too, at least to the major stores.
-Links that support your social media presence: Facebook author page, Twitter, and your Amazon author page are the most important. Some authors load up their business cards with urls for all the above. I don't like a cluttered business card, so I put only my website url on my card and make sure links to the other important sites are easy to find.
- Consider having an "About " section with a little bit about you. Your interests, particularly those which impact your writing, your favorite authors or books, a few photos of you. This isn't an essential, but it's good for self-revelation and building connections with the readers who are interested in learning a bit more about you. "Hey! He likes Neil Gaiman too!" "Whoa! She and I both prefer the Battlestar Galactica reboot to the original!" "Wow! We're both into..." If you've won awards, list them here, particularly if they're prestigious awards.
My Own Website
My site www.davidwoodweb.com isn't perfect and I'm in the process of streamlining it. (The indie author life is a perpetual treadmill of refining, adapting, revising, re-thinking...) My Catalog section, in particular, is problematic. The catalog page shows my various series in order, but when the reader places the cursor over the Catalog link in the main bar, it shows a drop-down menu of all my books. Thus, it isn't clear that the reader could click on the word "Catalog" and navigate to a catalog page. That's #1 on my "to correct" list.
My site includes:
Catalog of books
Blog- This is where I share news and notes.
A page for my lesser-known pen name
About Me
Contact Form
Translated Works
A separate page for audiobooks I'm on the fence about keeping this page. I've been told by successful indies that Audible, in particular, likes for audiobooks to be listed separately, though it's rare for an author to get much love from Audible unless you're a "big hitter." I do all right, and Audible hasn't featured me in a long time.
My newsletter opt-in is a small box in the sidebar of every page. It's small, unobtrusive, and easy to find. I also use a pop-up.
In addition to Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon author links, my links section includes my podcasts, YouTube channel, and a link to International Thriller Writers, the professional organization of which I'm a member. If you're a member of such an organization, there's no harm in including links as a subtle form of social proof. I also include a link to Indiebound. Many indie booksellers frown on authors who only link to Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hosting service should I use?
There are too many to list here. I use GoDaddy and Wordpress, but there are many options.
I'm broke. Do I need a hosted domain?
At minimum, you need a custom domain name, preferably not too complex. It looks more professional and makes for easy browsing.Others might disagree, but I think you can make use of a free service like Wix or Blogger and produce a professional-looking site that incorporates the essentials.
Do I need to maintain a separate blog?
No. If you see a successful author who's still maintaining a blog that's entirely separate from her/his website, it's probably because said blog has been around for a while, had lots of traffic, and the author doesn't want to lose the blog. If you're starting out, go with a site that has both. Give the reader the complete experience at one site.
But what about [insert author name here]? His/her website breaks all the rules. Why can't I?
Some authors succeed in spite of the choices they make. Some are so successful that it doesn't matter what their website looks like. Ultimately, your website isn't going to make or break you. Theoretically, you could have a successful career with no website at all. A website is simply another tool at your disposal that can potentially enhance your success, and following the practices that have worked for other authors probably gives you your best chance at success.
But..but... my [friend/partner/seven Twitter followers] says my website looks awesome, even though it breaks all the rules.
Did you ask the right questions?
Don't ask "How does this look?" "What do you think?" or "Does this look cool to you?"
Instead, ask things like, "When you go to my website, how long did it take you to find all my books in order?" or "How hard was it to sign up for my newsletter?" or "When you first look at my site, in what genre do you think I write?" (Hey, that rhymes!" or "Can you tell, at first glance, that this is the website of a professional author?"
Also, remember the limited value of small sample sizes, and of people who already know and like you and your work. If I get 100 of my dedicated readers to give me feedback on my site, that's of limited value. They only represent a tiny fraction of my core readership, and they already like my work, so they're likely to be biased. I'm better off looking at the websites of, and seeking advice from, a large number of successful authors and finding out what works.
Should I sell book off of my site?
There's no harm in setting up a digital site through a site like Selz or Gumroad, but I've found that I get little return for the amount of time I invest. The average consumer values convenience over price, and doesn't want to bother with side-loading a book or even emailing it to him/herself.
I hope this has been helpful. Feel free to ask questions, add thoughts and suggestion, or disagree in the comments or using the contact form!
A web presence is an important tool for the successful indie author. It's one of the places readers can learn about our books, get news about our new releases, and sign up for our newsletter. But what should our website look like? What should it contain? A few helpful tips:
Think like a reader
Your website isn't for you (nor is your book cover, but we'll talk about that another time). It's not a place for creative self-expression. It's a tool for selling books, which means it should be consumer-focused.Your website should be designed with discovery and ease of purchase in mind.
Design
-Keep it clean and uncluttered. Don't make me work to find your catalog of books, news of new release, your newsletter opt-in, and a contact form.
-White space is your friend. The text sections on my site are black text on white background.
-Avoid light fonts on dark backgrounds. Horror writers, I'm looking at you. I don't want red text on a black background.
-Don't overload me with text. I want to find your books, in order, see the cover image, read a short synopsis, and click on a "buy" link.
-Make it easy to navigate. The modern consumer wants convenience. Reading is a leisure activity. If I have to work to find what I want on your site, I'll go elsewhere, and maybe even give my money to someone else.
- Avoid videos or music that automatically start playing, and things that make for slow loading. Many of us still live in areas where the only available internet service is slow. (Also, it's obnoxious.) Watch out for flash, as it's unsupported on some devices.
-How does it look in mobile? Lots of people browse and shop on their phone or tablet, so make sure your site is easy to navigate on a mobile device.
-Does overall "feel" of the website match the sorts of books you write? A science fiction writer's website should have a different vibe than a writer of cozy mystery. That doesn't mean you should go over the top with your design. Just consider the overall feel. If you write in a wide variety of genres, consider a simple, professional design that says "author" but doesn't necessarily imply a genre.
-Design with an eye to the future. Choose a look that won't need a massive overhaul every time you choose to branch out as a writer.
-Choose a url that identifies with you as a writer. If you also want to secure urls for your character or series names, and link them to your site, that's fine, but don't make them primary.
Content
-Start with the essentials: Complete catalog of books, grouped by series and listed in order; newsletter opt-in; a place for news of new releases.
-Individual books pages should be simple. This isn't the place for lengthy reflection on the work or your writing process. It needs a cover image, product description, and "Buy" links. When creating those links, be sure to select the "Open in another window" option so the reader isn't forced to leave your site. If you're publishing "wide" (on stores other than Amazon/Kindle), includes those links, too, at least to the major stores.
-Links that support your social media presence: Facebook author page, Twitter, and your Amazon author page are the most important. Some authors load up their business cards with urls for all the above. I don't like a cluttered business card, so I put only my website url on my card and make sure links to the other important sites are easy to find.
- Consider having an "About " section with a little bit about you. Your interests, particularly those which impact your writing, your favorite authors or books, a few photos of you. This isn't an essential, but it's good for self-revelation and building connections with the readers who are interested in learning a bit more about you. "Hey! He likes Neil Gaiman too!" "Whoa! She and I both prefer the Battlestar Galactica reboot to the original!" "Wow! We're both into..." If you've won awards, list them here, particularly if they're prestigious awards.
My Own Website
My site www.davidwoodweb.com isn't perfect and I'm in the process of streamlining it. (The indie author life is a perpetual treadmill of refining, adapting, revising, re-thinking...) My Catalog section, in particular, is problematic. The catalog page shows my various series in order, but when the reader places the cursor over the Catalog link in the main bar, it shows a drop-down menu of all my books. Thus, it isn't clear that the reader could click on the word "Catalog" and navigate to a catalog page. That's #1 on my "to correct" list.
My site includes:
Catalog of books
Blog- This is where I share news and notes.
A page for my lesser-known pen name
About Me
Contact Form
Translated Works
A separate page for audiobooks I'm on the fence about keeping this page. I've been told by successful indies that Audible, in particular, likes for audiobooks to be listed separately, though it's rare for an author to get much love from Audible unless you're a "big hitter." I do all right, and Audible hasn't featured me in a long time.
My newsletter opt-in is a small box in the sidebar of every page. It's small, unobtrusive, and easy to find. I also use a pop-up.
In addition to Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon author links, my links section includes my podcasts, YouTube channel, and a link to International Thriller Writers, the professional organization of which I'm a member. If you're a member of such an organization, there's no harm in including links as a subtle form of social proof. I also include a link to Indiebound. Many indie booksellers frown on authors who only link to Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hosting service should I use?
There are too many to list here. I use GoDaddy and Wordpress, but there are many options.
I'm broke. Do I need a hosted domain?
At minimum, you need a custom domain name, preferably not too complex. It looks more professional and makes for easy browsing.Others might disagree, but I think you can make use of a free service like Wix or Blogger and produce a professional-looking site that incorporates the essentials.
Do I need to maintain a separate blog?
No. If you see a successful author who's still maintaining a blog that's entirely separate from her/his website, it's probably because said blog has been around for a while, had lots of traffic, and the author doesn't want to lose the blog. If you're starting out, go with a site that has both. Give the reader the complete experience at one site.
But what about [insert author name here]? His/her website breaks all the rules. Why can't I?
Some authors succeed in spite of the choices they make. Some are so successful that it doesn't matter what their website looks like. Ultimately, your website isn't going to make or break you. Theoretically, you could have a successful career with no website at all. A website is simply another tool at your disposal that can potentially enhance your success, and following the practices that have worked for other authors probably gives you your best chance at success.
But..but... my [friend/partner/seven Twitter followers] says my website looks awesome, even though it breaks all the rules.
Did you ask the right questions?
Don't ask "How does this look?" "What do you think?" or "Does this look cool to you?"
Instead, ask things like, "When you go to my website, how long did it take you to find all my books in order?" or "How hard was it to sign up for my newsletter?" or "When you first look at my site, in what genre do you think I write?" (Hey, that rhymes!" or "Can you tell, at first glance, that this is the website of a professional author?"
Also, remember the limited value of small sample sizes, and of people who already know and like you and your work. If I get 100 of my dedicated readers to give me feedback on my site, that's of limited value. They only represent a tiny fraction of my core readership, and they already like my work, so they're likely to be biased. I'm better off looking at the websites of, and seeking advice from, a large number of successful authors and finding out what works.
Should I sell book off of my site?
There's no harm in setting up a digital site through a site like Selz or Gumroad, but I've found that I get little return for the amount of time I invest. The average consumer values convenience over price, and doesn't want to bother with side-loading a book or even emailing it to him/herself.
I hope this has been helpful. Feel free to ask questions, add thoughts and suggestion, or disagree in the comments or using the contact form!
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
On Writing by Stephen King
One of my all time favorite books on writing is the fittingly-titled On Writing by Stephen King. It is subtitled A Memoir of the Craft, which is fitting, because the book is heavy on memoir and light on writing tips. That's not a bad thing, though.
King takes us on an autobiographical journey, beginning with his early childhood. We learn about life experiences that informed or impacted his development as a writer and his journey to publication.
Along the way, he shares his philosophies on writing, and there are lessons to be gleaned, both explicitly and inductively. Some of his perspectives, such as the notion that stories are "found objects" that the writer unearths from her/his subconscious, are not universally agreed-upon, and might not work for everyone, but they're interesting nonetheless. The actual "writing advice" section is more for beginners, but still useful for a writer at any level.
I'm a fan of the audiobook, which King narrates, but On Writing is available in print and ebook if you aren't an audio junkie like me.
Buy On Writing from the Google Bookstore.
King takes us on an autobiographical journey, beginning with his early childhood. We learn about life experiences that informed or impacted his development as a writer and his journey to publication.Along the way, he shares his philosophies on writing, and there are lessons to be gleaned, both explicitly and inductively. Some of his perspectives, such as the notion that stories are "found objects" that the writer unearths from her/his subconscious, are not universally agreed-upon, and might not work for everyone, but they're interesting nonetheless. The actual "writing advice" section is more for beginners, but still useful for a writer at any level.
I'm a fan of the audiobook, which King narrates, but On Writing is available in print and ebook if you aren't an audio junkie like me.
Buy On Writing from the Google Bookstore.
Monday, August 1, 2016
Depression and the Writing Life
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODELet 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!
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