Well, I did it. I'm sitting in Barnes and Noble, waiting for my car to be repaired. I've played with one of the Nook devices, and there it is: "Days of Reckoning," by Chris Stout (that's Deacon's alter-ego!). Curious to see if Amazon has caught up, I've used my laptop to go to the Kindle store. Holy crap, there it is: "Days of Reckoning: Kindle Edition." At $2.99, what a deal! The iBooks version should also be available shortly. I will post the link as soon as it is live.Suddenly the new starter I need for my car doesn't hurt so much (that will come when the credit card bill comes due). My book is published. Yup, it's self-published. But it's out there, nonetheless, which is more that can be said for it during the last five-going-on-six years since it was submitted as my thesis at Seton Hill University.
Right now I'm going to bask in the glow of having succeeded in bringing this novel online. It's a pretty righteous feeling. When I make my first sale, I'm pretty sure that will be righteous too.
Later, I will post some lessons I learned as I went through the process of uploading to each of the three outlets. I will probably do a post for each one (Kindle, PubIt and iBooks) so that the posts are manageable and unified. If I branch out into any other retailers, I will keep you updated. In the meantime, thank you to everyone who helped this novel along: critique partners, mentors and especially my sister, who was my first and coolest reader. Also, thank you to Michelle Hess for the awesome cover art.
Oh yeah, and PLEASE go buy my book! It's a fun ride.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Lessons From the Thickets of NaNoWriMo
I know it's a bit a a departure from what I've been posting about. So sorry if I'm disappointing anyone. For those who are interested, the book cover for "Days of Reckoning" is done and looks awesome. I have about 10,000 words left to edit, and then it will be ready for launch. So stay tuned. In the meantime, I figured I'd throw down some thoughts on my NaNoWriMo experience this year.
So we're entering the last 10 days of National Novel Writing Month. It was probably a huge mistake for me to try and take it on. I have my full-time job, the school semester is wrapping up in 20 days and I have a paper to write by the end of the term, and - you know - there's that whole book thingie that I want to finish editing so I can get it to market. But I had this story idea that I just HAD to write, because it's been gnawing at me since September. And what can I say? Apparently I'm a glutton for punishment. I'm almost a thousand words behind according to the word-count tracker (not counting the total due for today, since my day is just starting), and "Days of Reckoning" isn't finished yet (but it's close). So yeah, maybe starting a new novel wasn't the best way to allocate my time resources. But I'm pretty sure I'm learning some important lessons here. So I figured I'd share them with you, in no particular order.
1) There are some haters out there who think NaNoWriMo is a huge waste of everyone's time (if I can find some of the links I'll post them). Obviously I'm going to disagree. I will agree that it is a waste of time if you are expecting a perfect novel have developed at the end of 30 days. If you follow the NaNo guidelines, at the end of the month you will have a draft of what could be a novel. 50,000 words is about 15-20,000 words shy of what most publishers want for word counts. If e-books continue to become popular, that may change. We may start seeing more novella-length material on the market, the idea being that it is easier to digest on a computer screen than something that would be 300-400 pages in print. We'll see. Bottom line: have reasonable expectations, and if you are serious about writing, know that you will have a lot of editing to do after November.
2) NaNoWriMo is a perfect time to see just how efficient you can be. To illustrate: I have an hour commute to my job each way, give or take. So five days a week, I lose 10 1/2 hours a day that could be spent writing. Now, I was smart enough to read ahead for one of my classes, so I didn't have to worry about that this month. But I still had a 30-page story to critique, 2 critical analyses to post, and responses to other analyses to come up with and post. And don't forget "Reckoning." 72,000 words to be edited. I'm through about 60,000. And of course life continues to happen. But with all that, I've still written just shy of 31,000 words of a completely new novel. Granted, I'm tired every day, and I doubt I could keep this pace up for more than a month, but when push comes to shove, writing is important to me. And it's amazing how we can find time for the things that really matter.
3) Given the above, I have spent a lot of time wondering how much I'd be able to write if I didn't have that pesky job. If my book starts making money, I suppose I could find out. But would I really be able to write full-time, or is it the fact that I have so little time to write that makes it that much more appealing? I don't really know.
4) It's fun to write without worrying about something being good. When I first started working on "Reckoning" the only thing I cared about was it being "good." From word one page one, it had to be "good." That is a very self-defeating way to write, at least in my experience. There is always the possibility of making something better. But you can't improve something that hasn't been finished. So I would suggest that you let yourself play. Explore tangents, make your characters do outlandish things. Anything that keeps the words flowing, put it in there. You can always fix it later.
5) And you will have to fix it later. Whether you play and enjoy yourself during your first draft, or you torture yourself with every word, I can almost 100% guarantee you that you will have to fix things later. So you may as well have the most fun possible while you can.
And hey, if you're one of those folks who loves to edit, just imagine how much fun you're going to have come December.
So we're entering the last 10 days of National Novel Writing Month. It was probably a huge mistake for me to try and take it on. I have my full-time job, the school semester is wrapping up in 20 days and I have a paper to write by the end of the term, and - you know - there's that whole book thingie that I want to finish editing so I can get it to market. But I had this story idea that I just HAD to write, because it's been gnawing at me since September. And what can I say? Apparently I'm a glutton for punishment. I'm almost a thousand words behind according to the word-count tracker (not counting the total due for today, since my day is just starting), and "Days of Reckoning" isn't finished yet (but it's close). So yeah, maybe starting a new novel wasn't the best way to allocate my time resources. But I'm pretty sure I'm learning some important lessons here. So I figured I'd share them with you, in no particular order.
1) There are some haters out there who think NaNoWriMo is a huge waste of everyone's time (if I can find some of the links I'll post them). Obviously I'm going to disagree. I will agree that it is a waste of time if you are expecting a perfect novel have developed at the end of 30 days. If you follow the NaNo guidelines, at the end of the month you will have a draft of what could be a novel. 50,000 words is about 15-20,000 words shy of what most publishers want for word counts. If e-books continue to become popular, that may change. We may start seeing more novella-length material on the market, the idea being that it is easier to digest on a computer screen than something that would be 300-400 pages in print. We'll see. Bottom line: have reasonable expectations, and if you are serious about writing, know that you will have a lot of editing to do after November.
2) NaNoWriMo is a perfect time to see just how efficient you can be. To illustrate: I have an hour commute to my job each way, give or take. So five days a week, I lose 10 1/2 hours a day that could be spent writing. Now, I was smart enough to read ahead for one of my classes, so I didn't have to worry about that this month. But I still had a 30-page story to critique, 2 critical analyses to post, and responses to other analyses to come up with and post. And don't forget "Reckoning." 72,000 words to be edited. I'm through about 60,000. And of course life continues to happen. But with all that, I've still written just shy of 31,000 words of a completely new novel. Granted, I'm tired every day, and I doubt I could keep this pace up for more than a month, but when push comes to shove, writing is important to me. And it's amazing how we can find time for the things that really matter.
3) Given the above, I have spent a lot of time wondering how much I'd be able to write if I didn't have that pesky job. If my book starts making money, I suppose I could find out. But would I really be able to write full-time, or is it the fact that I have so little time to write that makes it that much more appealing? I don't really know.
4) It's fun to write without worrying about something being good. When I first started working on "Reckoning" the only thing I cared about was it being "good." From word one page one, it had to be "good." That is a very self-defeating way to write, at least in my experience. There is always the possibility of making something better. But you can't improve something that hasn't been finished. So I would suggest that you let yourself play. Explore tangents, make your characters do outlandish things. Anything that keeps the words flowing, put it in there. You can always fix it later.
5) And you will have to fix it later. Whether you play and enjoy yourself during your first draft, or you torture yourself with every word, I can almost 100% guarantee you that you will have to fix things later. So you may as well have the most fun possible while you can.
And hey, if you're one of those folks who loves to edit, just imagine how much fun you're going to have come December.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Daily Grind
Since today is the start of NaNoWriMo I'm going to keep this short and sweet.
1) I purchased ISBN numbers for "Days of Reckoning." I got the 10-pack for $250. I figure that should cover me for the various online retailers I want to post to, as well as a print edition if I ever go that route. I probably should have purchased more, but my credit card is already screaming at me. You can get a hundred for $575, currently. If this project is even remotely successful, I'll be going that route. For now, 10 will have to do.
2) Editing the final draft is taking longer than I wanted it to. That's to be expected, though.
3) My cover artist is still on board, despite having just had a baby. I'm very excited to see what she comes up with, as my pathetic efforts at creating back-up covers are, well, pathetic.
4) I'm still in a holding pattern on my other novels. I think I will wait and see what the next few months hold before I decide which way to jump with them. Besides, I need the extra time to clean them up, as they are both still in the early drafts stage.
5) Yup, even though I'm busy as hell with work and school and this publishing endeavor, I am going to give NaNoWriMo another go. I must be a glutton for punishment, and I may very well fail this time around (to date I'm 2-3), but I have some ideas bouncing around in my head, and I'd like to see how they come together. So if I don't post for a bit, my apologies. In the meantime, if you're a NaNoer, good luck and happy writing!
1) I purchased ISBN numbers for "Days of Reckoning." I got the 10-pack for $250. I figure that should cover me for the various online retailers I want to post to, as well as a print edition if I ever go that route. I probably should have purchased more, but my credit card is already screaming at me. You can get a hundred for $575, currently. If this project is even remotely successful, I'll be going that route. For now, 10 will have to do.
2) Editing the final draft is taking longer than I wanted it to. That's to be expected, though.
3) My cover artist is still on board, despite having just had a baby. I'm very excited to see what she comes up with, as my pathetic efforts at creating back-up covers are, well, pathetic.
4) I'm still in a holding pattern on my other novels. I think I will wait and see what the next few months hold before I decide which way to jump with them. Besides, I need the extra time to clean them up, as they are both still in the early drafts stage.
5) Yup, even though I'm busy as hell with work and school and this publishing endeavor, I am going to give NaNoWriMo another go. I must be a glutton for punishment, and I may very well fail this time around (to date I'm 2-3), but I have some ideas bouncing around in my head, and I'd like to see how they come together. So if I don't post for a bit, my apologies. In the meantime, if you're a NaNoer, good luck and happy writing!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The View from Outside the Print Box
It's a jungle out here.
There is so much to learn and be aware of. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and completely incapable of finding my way. My old maps - specifically formatting guidelines for print submissions - are pretty useless in the realm of e-publishing. So I've had to leave them back at base camp. And it's kind of unnerving to be wandering around out here, wondering which way to turn next.
There are others who have gone before me, so I'm trying to use the paths they blazed as a guide. JA Konrath's blog has been a gold-mine of advice and encouragement. The big difference is that Mr. Konrath already has a reputation forged in the fires of print, and I don't. That will mean I have to find my own way when it comes to marketing my book (and myself, for that matter).
For technical advice, Smashwords has a pretty cool style guide available for free download. I don't know if this is the Bible for formatting, but most of what it says makes sense, so at least it's a good jumping off point. Amazon's Kindle and PubIt from Barnes and Noble have formatting info on their websites, but I haven't really found nuts-and-bolts guidelines regarding spacing, paragraph formatting, etc. I'm working on it, though. What I will probably do is format as if I were uploading to Smashwords, and see how it looks once I've submitted it to Amazon and B&N. Then I'll go from there.
I'm still undecided as to what other vendors to sell through. iBooks would be great, but I'm hearing mixed reactions as to how successful people are at selling through them, mainly because of complaints with how hard it is for users to navigate their selection. I happen to agree with these complaints, which is why I have the Kindle and Nook apps on my iPad. What I may do is upload to Smashwords as well and shoot for their premium catalog, which does the hard work for me and makes my book available on multiple vendor sites. It means taking another cut out of my royalties, but it might be worth the convenience. Apple doesn't sound like the easiest vendor to go through, so a third party might be best for them. We'll see. I have a Mac desktop, so I might do it myself once I've uploaded to Kindle and Nook.
Then there are the details like ISBN numbers and cover art. Most places don't require you to get your own ISBN number (iBooks being a notable exception). But it is usually strongly recommended. So that should be fun times. I don't know if I need different ISBN's for all the different platforms or not. I do know that if I use my own ISBN for Smashwords, they want it to be different from any other platform. But if I go Premium with them, they'll issue one for me.
So many choices! I think this probably sounds more like a rant than anything useful. Hopefully it gives you an idea of all the considerations you have to make after the writing is done and you're ready to sell on your own. In the meantime, I've put my agent search on hold. This stuff takes a lot of time, and work and school take even more. And I have a lot of editing to do before I will have a manuscript that I feel comfortable sending out, in the event an agent requests a full read.
Speaking of cover art, which I mentioned in passing a while back, I highly recommend either learning how to do you own, or commissioning someone to design cover art for you, if you know someone who has that talent. I tried designing my own book cover. It's okay... no, actually it's pretty lame. But I know some very talented graphic artists, and I commissioned one on Friday, which was very exciting for me as I've never commissioned art before. As luck would have it, my artist then had a baby on Monday, so I'm not really sure where I stand at the moment. But baby trumps book, so congrats to Michelle and her husband Kyle, and welcome to the world, Elliot!
There is so much to learn and be aware of. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and completely incapable of finding my way. My old maps - specifically formatting guidelines for print submissions - are pretty useless in the realm of e-publishing. So I've had to leave them back at base camp. And it's kind of unnerving to be wandering around out here, wondering which way to turn next.
There are others who have gone before me, so I'm trying to use the paths they blazed as a guide. JA Konrath's blog has been a gold-mine of advice and encouragement. The big difference is that Mr. Konrath already has a reputation forged in the fires of print, and I don't. That will mean I have to find my own way when it comes to marketing my book (and myself, for that matter).
For technical advice, Smashwords has a pretty cool style guide available for free download. I don't know if this is the Bible for formatting, but most of what it says makes sense, so at least it's a good jumping off point. Amazon's Kindle and PubIt from Barnes and Noble have formatting info on their websites, but I haven't really found nuts-and-bolts guidelines regarding spacing, paragraph formatting, etc. I'm working on it, though. What I will probably do is format as if I were uploading to Smashwords, and see how it looks once I've submitted it to Amazon and B&N. Then I'll go from there.
I'm still undecided as to what other vendors to sell through. iBooks would be great, but I'm hearing mixed reactions as to how successful people are at selling through them, mainly because of complaints with how hard it is for users to navigate their selection. I happen to agree with these complaints, which is why I have the Kindle and Nook apps on my iPad. What I may do is upload to Smashwords as well and shoot for their premium catalog, which does the hard work for me and makes my book available on multiple vendor sites. It means taking another cut out of my royalties, but it might be worth the convenience. Apple doesn't sound like the easiest vendor to go through, so a third party might be best for them. We'll see. I have a Mac desktop, so I might do it myself once I've uploaded to Kindle and Nook.
Then there are the details like ISBN numbers and cover art. Most places don't require you to get your own ISBN number (iBooks being a notable exception). But it is usually strongly recommended. So that should be fun times. I don't know if I need different ISBN's for all the different platforms or not. I do know that if I use my own ISBN for Smashwords, they want it to be different from any other platform. But if I go Premium with them, they'll issue one for me.
So many choices! I think this probably sounds more like a rant than anything useful. Hopefully it gives you an idea of all the considerations you have to make after the writing is done and you're ready to sell on your own. In the meantime, I've put my agent search on hold. This stuff takes a lot of time, and work and school take even more. And I have a lot of editing to do before I will have a manuscript that I feel comfortable sending out, in the event an agent requests a full read.
Speaking of cover art, which I mentioned in passing a while back, I highly recommend either learning how to do you own, or commissioning someone to design cover art for you, if you know someone who has that talent. I tried designing my own book cover. It's okay... no, actually it's pretty lame. But I know some very talented graphic artists, and I commissioned one on Friday, which was very exciting for me as I've never commissioned art before. As luck would have it, my artist then had a baby on Monday, so I'm not really sure where I stand at the moment. But baby trumps book, so congrats to Michelle and her husband Kyle, and welcome to the world, Elliot!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Why Am I Doing This?
It's a question that goes through my head at least once a day: Why am I doing this? It's probably just the insecurities and self-doubt of a introvert creeping in. But it can be asked on several different levels, a few of which are even practical. For instance, it's a very practical question to ask when it comes to self-publishing. Because as exciting as modern technology is, and as accessible as applications like the Kindle store, iBooks and PubIt are, it's still self-publishing if I as an author put my work on those sites without the backing of a publishing house. I have a couple of reasons for exploring this route. Hopefully they'll make sense.
The novel I am planning to sell electronically is called "Days of Reckoning." It's a thriller. If you picture the character Mack Bolan (from "The Executioner" series) as a hot female police officer, you've got a basic idea of who my main character is. "Days of Reckoning" and I have had a rocky relationship. For a few years, we didn't even speak to one another. But I still love this book of mine, and I think it's worth offering to the public. "Days" served as my thesis novel at Seton Hill University. Without it, I wouldn't have my MA, or be in a program working towards an MFA. One of my writing friends was aghast when I suggested I might try publishing it myself, suggesting that it deserved another chance at being sent to agents. In theory, I agree. I'd love it if this book were picked up by an agent and a publishing house. But I've already tried that route.
I realize I am violating a cardinal rule of writing: "If at first you don't succeed, suck it up and send it out again, dammit!" So everything I say here will probably sound like an excuse. But indulge me and hear me out, please. First, I have a practical problem. As I said, I've already sent "Days" out to several agents. The problem is, the list of agents queried is one document that I didn't have backed up, and was lost when my old computer was wiped out. I remember a few of the agents I've queried, but not all of them. So I don't want to revisit old ground. Second, I think this could be an instructive exercise. I've taught a writing class, and it sure would be nice the next time around if I could give a first-hand account of what the e-book world is like, from an author's standpoint. I'd love to try the same type of path that writers like JA Konrath and David Morrell are exploring. Third, while I have regained my love for my book, I also want to be able to move on. I have two other novels that I've written since I finished "Days," and I want to be able to give them the attention they deserve as I look to market them. And right now, both of them are slated to make the rounds with traditional agents and publishers.
So those are my reasons for testing the waters of ebooks with "Days of Reckoning." Why am I doing this? Honestly, because it's exciting, it will be a valuable learning experience, and because I think my book is worth it.
The novel I am planning to sell electronically is called "Days of Reckoning." It's a thriller. If you picture the character Mack Bolan (from "The Executioner" series) as a hot female police officer, you've got a basic idea of who my main character is. "Days of Reckoning" and I have had a rocky relationship. For a few years, we didn't even speak to one another. But I still love this book of mine, and I think it's worth offering to the public. "Days" served as my thesis novel at Seton Hill University. Without it, I wouldn't have my MA, or be in a program working towards an MFA. One of my writing friends was aghast when I suggested I might try publishing it myself, suggesting that it deserved another chance at being sent to agents. In theory, I agree. I'd love it if this book were picked up by an agent and a publishing house. But I've already tried that route.
I realize I am violating a cardinal rule of writing: "If at first you don't succeed, suck it up and send it out again, dammit!" So everything I say here will probably sound like an excuse. But indulge me and hear me out, please. First, I have a practical problem. As I said, I've already sent "Days" out to several agents. The problem is, the list of agents queried is one document that I didn't have backed up, and was lost when my old computer was wiped out. I remember a few of the agents I've queried, but not all of them. So I don't want to revisit old ground. Second, I think this could be an instructive exercise. I've taught a writing class, and it sure would be nice the next time around if I could give a first-hand account of what the e-book world is like, from an author's standpoint. I'd love to try the same type of path that writers like JA Konrath and David Morrell are exploring. Third, while I have regained my love for my book, I also want to be able to move on. I have two other novels that I've written since I finished "Days," and I want to be able to give them the attention they deserve as I look to market them. And right now, both of them are slated to make the rounds with traditional agents and publishers.
So those are my reasons for testing the waters of ebooks with "Days of Reckoning." Why am I doing this? Honestly, because it's exciting, it will be a valuable learning experience, and because I think my book is worth it.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Entering the Publishing Fray
Rejection sucks. I don't think it's something to which one ever gets desensitized. At least I haven't. And I've been through it plenty of times, especially as a writer. In fact, I've been so disillusioned by it that I haven't submitted anything in three years. But here I am, back at it again, some masochistic glutton for punishment, I guess. Either that, or maybe deep down I actually do believe in myself and my work.
Whatever the case, I've decided to make this round a little bit more interesting, at least for me. I have three novels completed which I feel are - or soon will be - publication-worthy. One of them I am going to send out the traditional way, querying agents and hoping to here the magic words "I'd be happy to represent you." Followed by the even more magical phrase "We've sold it to..." The other novel has already been through numerous agents. So I'm going to access the marvels of modern technology and make it available through Kindle, possibly iBooks, and Barnes and Nobles PubIt, if it ever launches. I'll go into more detail about my thoughts re: self-publishing - and how it is changing - later. But for now, I'm just putting a general battle plan on the table.
My goal with this blog, and with my Twitter feed, will be to track how each one is doing. Maybe give a running tally. X-number of rejections vs. online sales, or something like that. I'm not sure. I'm still new to this whole blogoshpere / social media thing. But maybe this way, I'll be able to look at things like rejection and acceptance a little bit more objectively, regardless of whether it comes from an agent or the reading community at large.
As for that third novel, it is still undergoing some heavy revising. Right now I have a list of agents to whom I'd like to send it. But maybe my mind will change during the course of this adventure.
Whatever the case, I've decided to make this round a little bit more interesting, at least for me. I have three novels completed which I feel are - or soon will be - publication-worthy. One of them I am going to send out the traditional way, querying agents and hoping to here the magic words "I'd be happy to represent you." Followed by the even more magical phrase "We've sold it to..." The other novel has already been through numerous agents. So I'm going to access the marvels of modern technology and make it available through Kindle, possibly iBooks, and Barnes and Nobles PubIt, if it ever launches. I'll go into more detail about my thoughts re: self-publishing - and how it is changing - later. But for now, I'm just putting a general battle plan on the table.
My goal with this blog, and with my Twitter feed, will be to track how each one is doing. Maybe give a running tally. X-number of rejections vs. online sales, or something like that. I'm not sure. I'm still new to this whole blogoshpere / social media thing. But maybe this way, I'll be able to look at things like rejection and acceptance a little bit more objectively, regardless of whether it comes from an agent or the reading community at large.
As for that third novel, it is still undergoing some heavy revising. Right now I have a list of agents to whom I'd like to send it. But maybe my mind will change during the course of this adventure.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Diving In
So I've finally joined the world of online society. Facebook, Twitter, a blog... it was a simple plan, really: get a presence out there so people can find my work if / when it ever gets published. I've even been knocking around the idea of putting some work online myself, now that forums like Kindle and iBooks are available to individuals who want to sell their work themselves. But along the way to networking, I've taken a lot of side trips down memory lane. EVERYONE is on Facebook, it seems. Most are people I'm glad to see, and I can't believe I haven't done more to keep those relationships active. So I feel guilty. And there are some who I haven't talked to in years for a reason.
So will see how this goes. For now, I am feeling blessed to have so many friends, and glad that I can find them all in one place. And I am hoping that I can keep in better touch with everyone, and that I won't catch too much flack when I start promoting myself more. And I'm really hoping I can avoid all those annoying Farmville updates!
So will see how this goes. For now, I am feeling blessed to have so many friends, and glad that I can find them all in one place. And I am hoping that I can keep in better touch with everyone, and that I won't catch too much flack when I start promoting myself more. And I'm really hoping I can avoid all those annoying Farmville updates!
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