Writers Websites Wednesday - Ebook Revolution

Into Ebooks?  Reading them, writing to publish in digital format?  

Em Craven has an excellent blog The E-Book Revolution to help the independent writer along.   

It's this week's check it out site.

Writers working with Editors - or Not

Writers and Editors many times have a love/hate relationship. It can be terribly trying or wonderfully fulfilling.  And it can be both.  However it works, its a relationship few writers avoid.  So, writers – don't shoot the editors - you'll thank them later; I think.

This relationship can be a very tricky one. Writers create their masterpieces – Editors rip them up.

Right?

Wrong.

It's true there are some very bad editors out there, but equally true is there are many very good ones.  It behooves the writer to assume the editor he/she is working with is one of the good ones unless/until proven differently.  And, even then, it might not be that the editor is necessarily bad, but that it simply isn't a good match between that editor and that writer. If that is the case, a request to change editors is a very good idea.
 
That said, you're working with an editor.  I dig deep into my treasure trove of experience for this example of an editor/writer clash: A writer, published with a major publishing house more than once, has an offer on another manuscript. Problem is, the manuscript is over length by about one third – by the editor's estimate. But wait, that isn't the worst of it. The offer to publish the manuscript  was based on the writer agreeing to cut the book by one third AND eliminate a minor character the editor deemed superfluous.

The writer reading this scenario no doubt will gasp at the mere thought of slashing work by a third. But wait, when it comes to cutting, condensing and compacting, pretty much anything is possible. Take a deep breath.  Here's the formula for coping.
 
First the writer is entitled to scream and throw something across the room. Then maybe utter a few curse words, kick the desk leg and finally get down to work. With focus and ruthlessness a lot of words can be eliminated. In fact, if the writer will just step back she/he may well even come to agree with the editor that the cutting does a lot of good. Condensing can make the manuscript tighter, snappier, more taut with suspense. All of those good things. So the wise writer, when faced with the dreaded chopping block will check the impulse to harass the editor, cultivate a yes-I-can attitude and get to work.

So, the moral so far?

Publishing is not only an art, but a business. Cooperation will get the writer (hopefully YOU) much further than a stubborn, or cavalier, take-it-or-leave-it attitude. A good editor will not only make requests or demands, but will frequently be of assistance. Writers need to open up and discuss changes and cuts when unsure as to where the editor intends to lead.

Communicate!

That doesn’t mean the editor has all day to dally with every one of his or her stable of writers, but reasonable questions will be addressed. And if a bad response is the result, give it a day or two and try again. After all, editors are as human as writers are. Perhaps the editor in question was having a bad day. If nothing improves a request for a new editor isn't out of line and failing that a new publisher could be a good idea next go-round.

On to the other request/demand in the scenario: the removal of a character. Okay, permission granted to writer to scream again. Plainly that character was not being viewed from the same perspective.

The character the editor saw as unnecessary was perhaps minor, yet pivotal. What if in the writer's eye most of the action did not include him, but turned on him or was triggered by him. Besides, the 'bit character' could well be a lot of the comic relief. Okay, so a cover-to-cover rewrite would remove the editor's unwanted character, but what, then, would be the catalyst for the action; where would the comic relief come from?

Moments like that are cause for thought, a lot of it, once the private screaming has abated.

If the writer is dealing with such an issue and finds she can't frankly discuss it with her editor, there's a problem.  It might be solved by doing the rest of the work, cutting the manuscript as desired, tweaking the minor character, even removing him from a few scenes where his presence had little or no impact, but mostly leave him alone. The combination of the work could have the desired effect. In fact it did since the story is a true one – and the book was published a year later.

So, the moral to that part of the story? Well, editors are people too. That was mentioned earlier. Did the editor just not notice the minor character wasn't removed? Possibly. Perhaps the editor was having a bad day when it was strongly suggested the writer kill off a character or be killed instead (publishing wise for that one book).
 
Or, and this is more likely, perhaps once the real work was done, once the manuscript was greatly shortened, the impact of this minor character was more readily apparent and the need to keep him in the book more obvious.

The overall moral for the writer is, throw your fit, preferably not at the editor, in fact, definitely not at the editor. Then think, consider, be true to yourself, and cooperate to the greatest extent possible.

On that path lay the greatest possibilities and the most reward.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Creativity Portal

Feel like your creativity is waning?  Need a little boost?  Creativity Portal is great fun. It offers special sections for writers and more general opportunities to improve your brain and creativity generally.  Explore this site when you have a bit of time to uncover a lot of its goodies.

Authors and Book Promotion

You've written a book, you've found an agent, gotten your book published  (or published yourself).  Now you kick back and wait for sales, right? 

Wrong.

Now the real work begins - promoting your book while you begin your next one.  And yes, you need to do both.

Here's quote I remember, and can't remember where I heard it, but believe it's truth:
"Writing a book is thin-lipped determination.
Getting a book published is vocal persistence.
Promoting a book is screaming madness."

Yep, there it is, in a nutshell.

The reality for writers is this - once you have a name the big publishing houses will probably allow a budget for promotion (but you'll still have to promote as well).  

Until then you're pretty much on your own.  They will do little to nothing to promote your book.  If you're thinking the publisher is going to arrange a national book tour and pay for your travel first class, think again.  It's much more likely the publisher will ask you to stay in Motel 6, share the costs of travel or even if you can arrange for -at different towns when you're on vacation.  Even more likely is they won't say anything at all and it'll be all left up to you.

So, the key question is, "who is going to buy this book?"  It's a question you need to be clear on when you begin promoting. And, actually it would be best if you begin promoting BEFORE the book is actually published. Think about it, tweak your promotion to that audience - think focused, not shotgun.

So what can you do to promote that doesn't cost you a fortune?  By all means set up book signings if you can.  You won't sell a lot of books that way, but exposure is good and many readers like to feel like they get to know the writer. And remember, turn out could be very light.  Don't take it personally. The bookstore may just give you a table and if you're lucky, a chair. Don't take that personally either. Bring some extra books, bring a blown up photo of yourself and your book cover, maybe some flowers and a bowl of free mints - or use your imagination and do better than that.

Don't give away any copies of your book free except to your Mom and reputable reviewers. It'll cost you a lot of money if you don't remember that advice.  When you publish the publisher will generally give you a few copies included gratis in your contract - maybe 10, if you're lucky perhaps 20 copies of the book.  After that you buy them from the publisher to hand out.  You won't pay retail, but you will pay.

The obvious these days is social networking.  Have a great following on twitter? Many friends on Facebook?  Make sure you get the word out that your book is available.  Give live links to where the book may be purchased.  Make sure you get onto Amazon and set up your author's page, and ask friends, relatives & the folks who do many reviews on Amazon to review it. 

And if it's an Ebook you've published?  Advice is similar.  You can arrange virtual book tours now.  Amazon is a great place to  pimp your book; investigate, use all the tools they supply that you can.

There's a great book out called Internet Rich, Your Blueprint to Book Sales by Mike Bray that offers a lot of ideas and resources (I take the 'rich' part with a grain of salt, but his info is excellent). And I, personally, can use all the  help I can get. I can recommend Premium Promotional Tips For Writers By Jo-Anne Vandermuelen as well, a kindle book on the subject.

Dig into it, be creative and remember the promotion really rests mainly on your shoulders -- and it will always be greatly your responsibility to promote your book. 

No whining, just get out there and do it.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Babbles From Scott Eagan

Photo by Allen

Babbles From Scott Eagan is a great blog run by Agent Scott Eagan, founder of Greyhaus Literary.  Check it out.  Lots of columns, frequently posted on query tips, defining your genre, pros and cons of social media and much more.  A great site to visit when you have some time and want to read about writer's subjects. 

Writing's Great Beginnings

Got ideas?  Thinking of writing?  Want to get that story down on paper, grab your reader's attention and not let go?

If you're at that stage then you're thinking about beginnings.  Or in the case of some writers you may be thinking about the middle or the end - but for most writers at this point you're wrestling with the beginning. 

So you need a strong beginning, something to pique the reader's or editor's interest and they'll want to turn page after page until the book is done.  All that hinges on the beginning - at whatever stage you think about such things.

So, how do you hook 'em?

A question can work well.  I've seen that used many times with great results. Pick up a few books, read the first page and frequently you'll find that question, the one that makes you wonder - and enough information to catch you, the reader.  After all, if the question engages you and makes you wonder about the answer you'll no doubt do a bit more reading before thinking of putting it down. And if you read past the answer you're probably going to buy the book.  That's what you want in your own book.

Another great hook is action.  Action always gets a reader's attention, at least initially.  "Still swathed in her ridiculous bridesmaid's dress of yards of purple voile, Casey ran like a sprinter to the root cellar, hiked her skirts well above her knees and dove straight in."  It's almost like another question.  Wouldn't you want to know what the heck was going on there? 

Want to catch attention?  You might try throwing your main character into the middle of a terrifying situation. "The forest trembled, the fire erupted around him with a force that sucked the oxygen from  his lungs and all he could think was, I didn't do it!"

Your first words can be someone else's.  Dialogue is a great way to open a story and catch a reader's attention.  People love to come in on other people's conversations. Ever picked up a weird tidbit when passing strangers in public? "Is it just  me or has the entire world gone stump stupid?" Sherrilyn Kenyon's "No Mercy".  Now there is a line to keep your editor or reader reading.

But  you don't always have to depend on some kind of action to get things rolling.  How about "Six minutes from now, one of us would be dead.  That was our fate..." Brad Meltzer's "The Book of Fate".  Now that's a problem!  How can the book continue if that's the  case?  Have to read on to find out.

So, you have that idea for a book swimming around in your head?  Pluck out a bit that's sure to grab and start your story there. Grab your reader from the beginning and don't let go.

 

Writers Websites Wednesday - Daily Writing Tips

This week I want to mention Daily Writing Tips. Ignore the ads  or don't, your choice.  But beyond those few blandishments there's grammar help, competitions, business writing, writing basics, articles to help and much more.  A good site to explore when you have a bit of time to spend.