Category: Indie Authors

The Magic Editing Hat: Turn Your Manuscript Into a Book

 Someone asked a very fair question in the comments last week, so I’ll explain a little more about my self-publishing “credentials.”

I never submitted a manuscript or queried an agent before I decided to self-publish. I heard about self-publishing before I finished my debut novel, A Hidden Fire, and decided from the start that it was the direction I wanted to go. I published my first book in October 2011, and by June 2012, I was making a full time income. So I have been making my living from my writing for a little over a year and a half, and I have published nine books, two novellas, and a short story. I am a working writer. This pays the bills, and it does so better than any other job I’ve ever had. That’s where I’m coming from.

Crystal_Project_wizardNow, editing.

I’m starting out with one of the most difficult publishing hats because we’re going in the order I use myself for publication, and after I finish a book, the next step is editing that book. Like I said last week, I’m no expert. I’m simply going to share the process I use to give you some insight as to how this all can be done by someone who has absolutely no background in publishing.

Now, I didn’t say I didn’t have any background in WRITING. I have a bachelor’s degree in English and was a technical writer for years. Because of that, I’m familiar with proper grammar and structure. If you are not, and are coming at writing from a different background, then educate yourself. Part of editing is on you, the writer, and part of editing should be done by a professional.

Yes, you need a professional. If you have lots of arguments for me about why your special snowflake book does NOT need an editor than good luck to you, and I’ll see you around.

Yes, I know they’re expensive. For my first book (when I was completely broke), I begged and pleaded with a friend who was a professional editor to help me. After that, any money I made from the first book went into the editing fund for the second book. Many editors are willing to work on payments. There are editors in many price ranges. But don’t forget, this is a business. And all businesses cost money to start up. Publishing a book is actually pretty cheap compared to most start-ups and your book is an investment that costs you nothing to maintain if it’s finished properly. So take the hit and pay for the editor. You’ll be happy you did.

Editing is kind of a big scary word that writers like to moan about on twitter. I know this because I moan about it on twitter. It’s not the fun part of writing, but it’s the part that makes your manuscript a book.

First off, before we talk about hiring anyone, I want to to talk about your part of the editing process. What needs to happen before a professional takes a look at your manuscript? Continue reading “The Magic Editing Hat: Turn Your Manuscript Into a Book”

For Writers: The sum total of my marketing knowledge (which is not much)

picture by Sverre avnskog

From the very sharp Passive Guy this morning:

A couple of recent posts about Amazon sales, Watching the Numbers and KDP Select – Worth the Exclusivity?, generated lots of comments, some of them a bit heated. In PG’s experience watching the world of indie authors, this is typical.

The reason is that nobody knows anything.

Thank you, PG. Sometimes, the truth is uncomfortable, but it’s still the truth. And ignoring it will just make you itchy.

I don’t talk a lot about marketing on this blog, because I’m of the opinion that you should write about things you know. I know nothing about marketing. Some people can sell ice to polar bears. I am not one of them, though I admire their abilities with the kind of detached awe I have while watching magicians and contortionists.

So what can I possibly tell you about marketing your book? I should be able to tell you something, right? After all, I have three books in the top ten on the Amazon Fantasy list. (I’m not bragging, I’m as amazed by this as anyone.) That’s not small potatoes. But… I can’t. Not really. I can only tell you a few things that I’ve gleaned. None of them taken together amount to a “marketing plan” or anything like that. These are just things that happened to me. Small pictures of my own elephant, as Passive Guy would put it. Ignore or glean what you will.

Advice: Write good books and keep writing.

Most people know about the first part of that. A lot forget about the second. Which is a shame, because I think there’s something magical about a third book. I can’t tell you what it is, but I can tell you that, sometime a couple weeks after my third book came out, I started to see a serious uptick in sales. I think there are a couple reasons for this.

  1. It’s confidence building. Readers see a few books on your author page and realize, “Oh, this person is serious about this writing thing.” Three books look substantial, at least for a beginner.
  2. Avid readers read a lot. This is mostly my own experience, but if I know that an author is writing a series, I’ll often wait until 2-3 books are out to start. I hate getting to the end of one book, loving it, then having nothing else to buy. So, write more books. Continue reading “For Writers: The sum total of my marketing knowledge (which is not much)”

On Rivals and Competition in the New World of Publishing

Ever since the news hit that respected thriller writers (who shall remain nameless here) had been using fake accounts to leave online reviews for their own books AND leaving disparaging reviews on their ‘rival’s’ books, two thoughts have been circling my mind:

  1. As Chuck Wendig mentioned on Terrible Minds, say what you will about how this affects authors, but the people this really affects are readers.

They’re the one damaged when fake reviews prosper and review systems become unreliable. Can most savvy readers tell a fake review from an authentic one? Sure. But they shouldn’t have to. It’s irritating and time-consuming. So, if you’re an author who is doing this or has done this, cut it out. You’re ultimately hurting readers. Shame on you.

2. Who has ‘rivals’ in writing?

This last thought has been bothering me most as a writer. Is there a competition that I’m not aware of? Do I have people out to get me? Are there back alley brawls with pale, strung-out writers wielding laptops and slinging cups of cold coffee on each other?

How does one go about getting an arch-enemy and can mine be Dr. Doofenshmirtz?

Maybe I sound naive, but this is a foreign concept to me. After all, I have lots of friends who are writers, and I want them to be successful. There’s not another author out there that I can point to and say, “I’d like that person to FAIL professionally.” And as a reader, I don’t look at books and say, “Well, these two authors seem to be writing in the same genre and I only have one steampunk slot available this month, so… you win! Suck it, losing author.”

After thinking about this for a while, I’ve decided that this is a leftover attitude from the traditional publishing world. After all, once upon a time, if you wanted to get published, you needed an agent. And that agent could only take on so many writers, so there was competition for attention. Big time.

And that agent had to shop your book to a publishing house, who could only publish so many books a year, so there was more competition. Even after you were published, there was competition for bookstore space! There was only so much shelf space, so you’d better stand out. After all, Barnes & Noble couldn’t put every contemporary romance out in front.

Yet more competition.

In this environment, it’s pretty easy to see how another author’s gain could be your loss. Of course rivalries would form. Of course they would be vicious. We’re talking about people’s livelihoods and ability to write and support their families. In a traditional publishing environment, rivalry and competition would be endemic.

So can I honestly say I’ve never felt that way? Yep.

Now, there have been times when I’ve thought, ‘Why is that author’s work doing well and mine isn’t? What is he or she doing that I’m not?’ but that’s not rivalry. A bit of jealousy? Well, sure. I’m no saint. But wishing failure for another, so I could succeed? Nope. Never.

Really.

But then, I became a published writer in this new world of self-publishing. A world where there is no competition for an agent, because I didn’t need one to get my book published. There was no limit on the number of submissions KDP, or PubIt, or Smashwords took. They have endless shelf space and everyone has the same amount of room.

In short, my success has never depended on someone else’s failure. 

And for that, I am incredibly grateful. Because it creates a totally different publishing world. A world where cooperation and collaboration are the norm, not the exception. A world where you can enjoy a fellow author’s success, knowing that more readers for him or her doesn’t mean fewer for you. I’m happy and proud to be part of this generation of writers.

It’s a new world, with more choice, more control, and endless electronic shelf space. So I’m not going to worry about rivals. Don’t need them. Don’t want them. I’d rather write books.

But… if I could swing Dr. Doofenshmirtz as a nemesis, that would rock.

August wrap-up: Writing updates, Chicago news, and get ready for BLOODY SEPTEMBER!

I may have been a little bit happy about our seats…

The month of August is ending and what a month it has been! Lots going on, lots of new readers, and WAY more blog traffic. Hi to all the new readers! *waves like a dork* Welcome to my blog and I hope you hang around. Press the subscribe button if you like. I promise not to flood your inbox. I only post a couple times a week, max, but this is the best way to keep up with new releases, teasers, and other stuff like that.

WRITING NEWS!!! 

I’m finishing up revisions for Carwyn’s book this week, which is both exciting and nerve-wracking. I’m also continuing with the first draft of the new Cambio Springs book (you can read the first chapter here). Life is fun in shapeshifter-land.

What have I been up to personally? Well, work mostly, but I was at the last Gentlemen of the Road stopover in Monterey last weekend. Mumford & Sons? Yeah, they’re as amazing live as everyone says. Do yourself a favor and go to a show if it’s humanly possible. You’ll be glad you did. Crazy fun festival. Well run and not too big. If they do it again, I’m there. Also, if you haven’t discovered Gogol Bordello, fix that. Gypsy punk. That is all.

I was also able to attend an event last Friday with Mumford & Sons hosted by the National Steinbeck Center in downtown Monterey. Great tribute to a writer who was a huge part of my childhood and personal literary heritage. Like all writers from Central California, Steinbeck holds a special place, and Cannery Row is one of my favorite books of all time. It was also great to hear from the band on what some of the literary influences in their music have been. I use music a lot for inspiration in my writing, so it was awesome to see the other side of the coin.

What’s coming up in September? Well, I think I’m going to extend the free book promotion for A Hidden Fire. The series as a whole has been doing amazingly well, so I want to thank all my readers, new and old, and if it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right? I’ve always said that happy readers are the best advertising money can’t buy and you all prove me right every single day. Once I get done with revisions, I’ll be able to burrow into the writing cave and tear things up in shapeshifter-land so I can get the new books out faster.

~~~

I also want to remind everyone about Chicago! Seriously, you guys, the line up at this event is going to be amazing. NYT bestsellers, Colleen Hoover and Tracey Garvis-Graves will be there. Abbi Glines, Elizabeth Reyes, and a bunch of the hottest names in indie and traditional pub are meeting and the event is open to the public. I’ll be there meeting you all, selling the new editions of the paperbacks (they’re gorgeous), and signing whatever for anyone that shows up. The event website is here. Like I said, it’s open to the public and I’d love to meet anyone that could make it.

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Saving the best for last, are you ready for Bloody September? This is a new contest/blood drive that was the brainchild of the awesome Laura Bradley Rede, and I’m thrilled to be lending a… vein to the cause. (Along with some signed books.) Blood supplies in the US are at a fifteen year low and some of your favorite paranormal authors (including yours truly) are taking action! And we hope our readers do, too! Donate blood in September and get a chance at an awesome prize pack and some great runner-up prizes, as well. We just need photographic evidence of non-vampiric blood donation and you’re entered to win. I’ll be posting more about this later in the week.

Lots to do, so I’m out for now. Have a great week, everyone!

Thanks for reading,

Elizabeth

Meet me in Chicago!

Hello all!

I have a very exciting event to announce for September. I, along with many other of your favorite indie authors like Abbi Glines, Colleen Hoover, Nicole Williams and Stephanie Campbell, will be meeting with fans, signing and selling books, and partaking in general revelry on September 29th at The Palmer House in Chicago, Illinois!

This event is open to the public, so I’d love to see you there if you live in or around the Windy City. I will have paperbacks and other merchandise with me, but supplies will be limited. The event is from 12:00-4:00 pm and the address is:

The Palmer House

17 EAST MONROE STREET

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 60603, USA

TEL: 1-312-726-7500

Please see the 2012 TFEiC website for more information and a full list of the authors who will be attending the event. Hope to see you there!

Thanks,

Elizabeth

Why self publishing (part deux): It’s your story. Write what you want.

Grumpy cat does not want to follow “first-time novelist rules”

Most of you who have read this blog for a while know that I had my reasons to publish independently, free from both the constraints and the support of a large or small press. I’ve outlined them before, so I don’t feel the need to expound too much more on that. But as I approach the publication of the fourth and final Elemental Mysteries book, A Fall of Water, new reasons for doing this my own way have become clear to me.

I’m not usually one to pound the indie-drum. There are lots of people with a much bigger audience who do that very well. For me, it was always a personal decision, and one that I recommend to many, but not all. It’s a huge amount of work at times, and I truly don’t think it’s for everyone. That said, as I come to the completion of my first series, I realize that I could not have written the books that I did for the Elemental Mysteries without self-publishing.

I’ve never submitted anything to an agent or publisher, but I read enough, and know enough traditionally published writers, to know that there are some expectations for first time novelists. A first book shouldn’t be too long. It should fit into a well-defined genre. It should be able to stand on it’s own. These aren’t hard and fast rules, but they are the guidelines you hear repeated over and over.

Now, for established writers with a good audience, these rules can be bent. Even first time writers can tweak them, but you’re going to have a much harder time convincing an agent or a publisher to take a chance on you. And when I think about the book I wrote in A Hidden Fire, I realize that I broke a lot of those “rules.” Continue reading “Why self publishing (part deux): It’s your story. Write what you want.”

News, updates, and “ARGH!”

I’ve taken a few days off (“Really?” Yes, really.) and I’m enjoying a writing break before I start on my next couple of projects. The cover reveal for the fourth Elemental Mysteries book, A Fall of Water, will be happening tomorrow. ARCs will be going out to bloggers soon, and a teaser for the fourth book has already posted here.

As for upcoming projects, I have three that I’m very excited about. Carwyn’s book is still a work-in-progress, but is reaching the halfway point. I don’t have an estimated time for that release, since I’m trying to catch my breath schedule-wise. I’ve also been planning a brand new series in an entirely different universe for my paranormal-lovers out there. I’m really excited about it, and I think I’ll have a short story published over the summer that will be a prequel for the first book.

Most fun of all, my son and I will be working on a project together this summer for a children’s book series he’s concocted featuring a young and ethically challenged mad scientist named Max. Yes, Mr. Colin Hunter appears to have been bitten by the writing bug and is planning and plotting along with Mom now. (This doesn’t really come as much of a surprise considering he’s been telling me the bedtime stories for quite a while now.) I have to tell you, it really is a joint project. His imagination is so wonderful, all he’s needed is a little guidance (and, of course, my writing skills since he is seven and his typing isn’t quite as good as mine). It’s a testament to turning off the electronic devices and talking with your kids. *steps off soapbox*

Finally, there have been many articles written about book piracy, but I wanted to give you a few of my thoughts here.

An excerpt:

“I’m not going to rant about it. It’s pointless. …I’m not going to debate the ethics with you in this post; I think almost everyone knows that it’s wrong, even if they’ve justified it in their mind.

What I am going to do, is loudly say to readers who do buy my books legally…

Thank you.”

I hope you have a wonderful week, and be looking around the web tomorrow for that cover and the synopsis for A Fall of Water! I’ve only given the cover out to a few bloggers, but you’ll be able to see it over on ElementalMysteries.com and on the Facebook page, as well.

Thanks for reading and have a great week,

Elizabeth

P.S. If you’ve had the time to read The Genius and the Muse, I’d really, really, with-chocolate-sprinkles, really love it if you could take the time to leave an honest review where you bought it. It makes a big difference. Thanks!

Author Tribute: L.C. Evans

I just wanted to post quickly today to highlight a tribute to indie author L.C. Evans, who passed away earlier this month from cancer. Thanks to David Gaughran for posting about the tribute give-away and thanks to Simon Royle at The Indie View for organizing it. Though L.C. has passed, her family still benefits from the sale of her books and today, if you buy any of her titles, you’ll receive another book from a contributing author for free. In short, if you were thinking of purchasing a new book today, try one of L.C.’s!

I did not know L.C. personally, but one of the things I like best about the indie publishing community is that it is, in fact, a community. It’s a diverse group of people from all over the world, and I’m extremely proud to be a part of it. I’d like to take a moment to thank all of you who have joined me in this journey, and I thought it would be an appropriate time to share the dedication to my next book.

For my dear friends:

to those who inspire me

to those who challenge me

for all I have met along the way

Thank you for reading, and be sure to check out this tribute for a lovely member of our indie community.

Elizabeth

Author Interview: Nichole Chase

I’m incredibly pleased to have a friend and fellow author, Nichole Chase, on the blog today. Nichole is the author of the paranormal young adult series, The Dark Betrayal Trilogy, and has had great success with her debut novel, Mortal Obligation. She scored another hit with the follow-up, Mortal Defiance, this past month. Nichole, thanks for being here!

1.  Thanks for agreeing to this interrogation! Now, I know you are an adult-type person (or you pretend to be one in public), what attracted you to writing Young Adult fiction?

I’m an adult! Mostly. I’ve always known that I wanted to write YA. Don’t get me wrong, I have some adult novels planned for the future as well. However, there is something incredibly dynamic about the YA genre. It’s always changing. The characters don’t have the same type of emotional baggage that adults do, and they feel things so very strongly. It makes them so much fun to write. There is something inherently interesting about coming of age stories. Things that happen in our teenage years have a profound effect on who we are as adults. I think that is also one of the reasons that so many adults like to read YA.

2. I love the blending of gods and monsters in your work. I also like that you include a variety of world mythologies. Have you done a lot of research for the Dark Betrayal Trilogy?

I did have to research some of the mythology that I am less acquainted with and I loved it. I’m a bit of a research geek, (I can hear my friends and family snickering right now) and loved finding out little details about Japanese gods, African deities, etc. I didn’t want to focus on one type of mythology. It seemed to me that if they were real, there was no reason that the others weren’t real as well.

I’m also lucky that the majority of the Dark Betrayal Trilogy happens in the area that I live. I didn’t have to research roads, locations, etc. Though I did spend a few days for each book, walking around the historic district to make sure I had everything right. It was a lot of fun to imagine my characters walking around the places I know and love.

3. What has been the most unexpected thing about publishing your books? Good or bad.

The support. There is a massive amount of support from other authors, bloggers, and readers. It’s such an important factor too. Sometimes things happen to knock you down, or cause doubt, and the support of other people helps pick you up and dust you off. Or better yet, tell you to stop your moaning and write the next book. Continue reading “Author Interview: Nichole Chase”