Besides blogs out there, like mine, which are by writers helping writers both be seen and providing information on writing, there are others by those who don't write but are concerned with promoting books. Some are primarily aimed at promoting independent writers because they believe in this brave new world. Laurie is of that ilk and not an author (yet-- those things can change fast sometimes), but she really gives indie writers a chance and does it for the love of reading.
I really appreciate the feature she put together for my latest book, Sky Daughter. If you have time, head on over and take a look. Bookmark her blog for future reference as she does both paranormal and non-paranormal books on two different blogs where she provides a mix of reviews, interviews and information.
Naturally as a writer, where the hardest part after writing is getting a book even seen, I feel much appreciation to her. She put a lot of work in making this blog look good with so much information. She definitely has a marketing gift.
But as a reader, I think she is also providing a real service to help people like me find out more about the books and writers before I buy. This kind of thing can also educate future writers about different aspects of writing. Thanks again, Laurie.
Showing posts with label indie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label indie. Show all posts
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Where books are going
Last night I had one of my very vivid dreams which I am still evaluating for its meaning. Basically I was in a used bookstore and looking to see what was being published in the romance line. I opened some and to my surprise, they were a combination of words and little videos which were like movies with sound and moving images. I was a little upset by it as it seemed the videos, although very attractive, were distracting from the words.
It's not hard to understand why I'd dream such a thing given my work lately with covers and trailers. I had even seen a book trailer on YouTube which did have actors portraying the characters in live action.
Although I've gotten into the idea of trailers and want to make at least one more, I have also seen a drawback to them and that includes the more graphic covers. When I wrote my stories, I tried to use descriptive passages to let the reader imagine these characters. When I began to put together covers with photos, even when digitized, they took on a reality that then gave them a focus point that they hadn't previously had. The cover image became the character.
I guess that dream was an expression of the conflict I feel. Create a photographic kind of cover or trailer and it is a draw. For me, it's also fun to do, but it also is a firming up of something that previously was only in imagination and words. When words for books went from paper to this world of light and color, the potential for trailers as part of the book was there.
Where it comes to the issue of eBooks or paper ones, I like both and feel no conflict as some do. This new world is, however, throwing a lot of preconceived notions into the air for rethinking. With the government going after eBook publishers with the accusation they have been in pricing cahoots (like what part of our consumer world isn't?), there is a lot of concern for what it will mean.
The notion is that eBooks, which don't have physical substance, should be cheaper than those published on paper. The argument on the other side has been that the big publishing houses must be protected from the encroachment of this new world which might sink them, and that publishers and authors deserve the same price for an eBook (or even more).
Well if the worth of a book is in the words, than they are right. If the worth of a book is in its cost to produce, the argument grows slimmer. But publishing houses maintain editors, graphic artists, publicists, and the facilities required to create and get to the market. They sell books not just by the reputation of the author but also their house. So they do have cost that Amazon won't have for the books they put up like mine. Should their industry be protected even if that means price fixing?
An author's fame can help sell a book. It happens again and again. People want books by authors who are famous and have been reviewed by experts (although some of those experts are basically in cahoots with publishing houses). When someone like a Tom Clancy brings out a new book, he has sales waiting. Is that worth more money? Up until now, the market determined that. If his book didn't sell at the higher price, the publishing house would either lower it or find a new author.
I have heard indie writers worrying about the cost of the big name writers coming down and fearing it will impact their already meager sales. I don't see that as an issue as unless an indie writers wants top dollar, their books (generally between $.99 and 2.99) will always be a lot less than the big guys.
As to whether videos will ever become part of books, I doubt it. The cost alone would preclude most writers going that route. In the dream I found it hard to pay attention to the words on one page when on the other was a scene being acted out.
The idea there was you'd go between videos and words to get the whole story. It's rather as though a movie had been created from the words, kind of like graphic novels (where some go a stage beyond the comic book to a theatrical film).
It's not hard to understand why I'd dream such a thing given my work lately with covers and trailers. I had even seen a book trailer on YouTube which did have actors portraying the characters in live action.
Although I've gotten into the idea of trailers and want to make at least one more, I have also seen a drawback to them and that includes the more graphic covers. When I wrote my stories, I tried to use descriptive passages to let the reader imagine these characters. When I began to put together covers with photos, even when digitized, they took on a reality that then gave them a focus point that they hadn't previously had. The cover image became the character.
I guess that dream was an expression of the conflict I feel. Create a photographic kind of cover or trailer and it is a draw. For me, it's also fun to do, but it also is a firming up of something that previously was only in imagination and words. When words for books went from paper to this world of light and color, the potential for trailers as part of the book was there.
Where it comes to the issue of eBooks or paper ones, I like both and feel no conflict as some do. This new world is, however, throwing a lot of preconceived notions into the air for rethinking. With the government going after eBook publishers with the accusation they have been in pricing cahoots (like what part of our consumer world isn't?), there is a lot of concern for what it will mean.
The notion is that eBooks, which don't have physical substance, should be cheaper than those published on paper. The argument on the other side has been that the big publishing houses must be protected from the encroachment of this new world which might sink them, and that publishers and authors deserve the same price for an eBook (or even more).
Well if the worth of a book is in the words, than they are right. If the worth of a book is in its cost to produce, the argument grows slimmer. But publishing houses maintain editors, graphic artists, publicists, and the facilities required to create and get to the market. They sell books not just by the reputation of the author but also their house. So they do have cost that Amazon won't have for the books they put up like mine. Should their industry be protected even if that means price fixing?
An author's fame can help sell a book. It happens again and again. People want books by authors who are famous and have been reviewed by experts (although some of those experts are basically in cahoots with publishing houses). When someone like a Tom Clancy brings out a new book, he has sales waiting. Is that worth more money? Up until now, the market determined that. If his book didn't sell at the higher price, the publishing house would either lower it or find a new author.
I have heard indie writers worrying about the cost of the big name writers coming down and fearing it will impact their already meager sales. I don't see that as an issue as unless an indie writers wants top dollar, their books (generally between $.99 and 2.99) will always be a lot less than the big guys.
As to whether videos will ever become part of books, I doubt it. The cost alone would preclude most writers going that route. In the dream I found it hard to pay attention to the words on one page when on the other was a scene being acted out.
The idea there was you'd go between videos and words to get the whole story. It's rather as though a movie had been created from the words, kind of like graphic novels (where some go a stage beyond the comic book to a theatrical film).
Friday, February 3, 2012
Writing and rewriting promos
As hard as it is for me to create a good author profile, I think even tougher is creating an enticing title, cover, and product description (henceforth to be known here as promos) for my books. Here are the basics-- I wrote it, I love it. I know all about it and consider it to be wonderful-- absolutely. It's my child. I still have to convince a reader of the same thing.
For those published by big publishing houses, promos used to be, and maybe still are, taken care of by them. They often even redo titles. Likely authors who don't self-publish haven't wanted to create a cover, but the image in their mind might not be what the House wants. Those pro covers will all be done by commercial artists using generally professional models. Some of those models, like one called Fabio, became so famous they even did other ads-- and pretty much ruined the books for someone like me who didn't want the book's hero to look like him. Still the importance, of covers, titles and promos, has not been missed on the publishing houses. They are how you get people to read the story.
In the world of self-publishing, the writers are working with an added problem. Many readers are predisposed to think it won't be good. I mean if it was good, it would be published by a corporation, right? So the reader is looking for an excuse to reject the book. Their turnoff can come fast and for many possible reasons. Some the writer can fix. Some not if they happen to be part of a story that doesn't fit the genre market of that time.
First promo is the title. As a reader myself, I will only rarely override a terrible title to look beyond for more about the story. What might convince me to look twice after an awful title (which that writer likely felt was wonderful) would be a great cover.
In the Kindle Forums I have read that you absolutely must hire a professional artist to do your covers. They say it's worth the money. I don't know about that since I am turned off by the professionally done romance covers I see in the stores.
When I decided, since I have done a lot of digital painting, that I wanted to do my own covers, I went into the bookstores to see what was 'in'. Why do readers like the cover guy to look like he's on steroids or spends his life working out? My characters are not that. It appears, however, that real people on covers are not popular with the romance reading population.
I went against the grain on this one and did my own anyway. I had several reasons besides feeling I'd enjoy doing them. One was my belief these books may not generate enough profit to cover a commercial artist let alone leave anything left over. I don't have money to put into it. I won't know for about six months whether I am right on that; but I have a lot less pressure with not putting any dollars into the project than if I had been spending money and still finding they didn't meet what the buying public wanted.
To be honest, when I read a promo from bookstore books, I generally can't stand them. There are exceptions, but too often heroes and heroines aren't interesting and the stories seem repetitious. How many feisty heroines and tough bad guy heroes who turn soft when they fall in love can a person read before throwing up? So if that's what the public wants, I am not going to be selling books. My only chance is aiming toward the atypical romance reader. Which leads to the real problem-- how do I get to those and convince them to give the books a try?
I could use any of my stories to illustrate this but will use the first one I put onto Kindle-- Desert Inferno. I have tweaked various aspects of the promotion through the month, but the cover does seem to suit the characters. But they don't look like movie stars or professional models. Will that hurt it when potential readers look at it?
Then I am asking myself if that title, which speaks to the climax, maybe it isn't working. I am open to changing a lot of things where it comes to promos-- just not the story I wrote as if I start changing that, it's all over for me. I can correct mistakes but I can't let myself lose that story in trying to promote it.
After title and cover comes writing something about what this story is, what can a reader expect from it? How do I get across the essence of that in few words? Somehow with this story I fear I have not been projecting the adventure, the danger, the excitement and the essence of this love between two people very different on the outside but inside, soul mates.
But the thing is my books don't fit a genre. I knew that and it was part of the problem with publishing houses. What can I do about that if anything?
The hero in Desert Inferno is probably one of my favorites but he's very unconventional in that he's not handsome. He describes himself as ugly although the heroine sees him as very attractive to her. BUT unattractive simply doesn't happen in romances. The heroes are always supposed to be gorgeous. What can I really do about that aspect?
So I know this much. I'm not the usual romance writer. How do I find others like me-- the offbeat readers? That's where this is still a learning process. I've only been doing it about a month; so I am trying to just kind of back off in terms of trying to figure this all out. I do read a lot on the subject.
For those published by big publishing houses, promos used to be, and maybe still are, taken care of by them. They often even redo titles. Likely authors who don't self-publish haven't wanted to create a cover, but the image in their mind might not be what the House wants. Those pro covers will all be done by commercial artists using generally professional models. Some of those models, like one called Fabio, became so famous they even did other ads-- and pretty much ruined the books for someone like me who didn't want the book's hero to look like him. Still the importance, of covers, titles and promos, has not been missed on the publishing houses. They are how you get people to read the story.
In the world of self-publishing, the writers are working with an added problem. Many readers are predisposed to think it won't be good. I mean if it was good, it would be published by a corporation, right? So the reader is looking for an excuse to reject the book. Their turnoff can come fast and for many possible reasons. Some the writer can fix. Some not if they happen to be part of a story that doesn't fit the genre market of that time.
First promo is the title. As a reader myself, I will only rarely override a terrible title to look beyond for more about the story. What might convince me to look twice after an awful title (which that writer likely felt was wonderful) would be a great cover.
In the Kindle Forums I have read that you absolutely must hire a professional artist to do your covers. They say it's worth the money. I don't know about that since I am turned off by the professionally done romance covers I see in the stores.
When I decided, since I have done a lot of digital painting, that I wanted to do my own covers, I went into the bookstores to see what was 'in'. Why do readers like the cover guy to look like he's on steroids or spends his life working out? My characters are not that. It appears, however, that real people on covers are not popular with the romance reading population.
I went against the grain on this one and did my own anyway. I had several reasons besides feeling I'd enjoy doing them. One was my belief these books may not generate enough profit to cover a commercial artist let alone leave anything left over. I don't have money to put into it. I won't know for about six months whether I am right on that; but I have a lot less pressure with not putting any dollars into the project than if I had been spending money and still finding they didn't meet what the buying public wanted.
To be honest, when I read a promo from bookstore books, I generally can't stand them. There are exceptions, but too often heroes and heroines aren't interesting and the stories seem repetitious. How many feisty heroines and tough bad guy heroes who turn soft when they fall in love can a person read before throwing up? So if that's what the public wants, I am not going to be selling books. My only chance is aiming toward the atypical romance reader. Which leads to the real problem-- how do I get to those and convince them to give the books a try?
I could use any of my stories to illustrate this but will use the first one I put onto Kindle-- Desert Inferno. I have tweaked various aspects of the promotion through the month, but the cover does seem to suit the characters. But they don't look like movie stars or professional models. Will that hurt it when potential readers look at it?
Then I am asking myself if that title, which speaks to the climax, maybe it isn't working. I am open to changing a lot of things where it comes to promos-- just not the story I wrote as if I start changing that, it's all over for me. I can correct mistakes but I can't let myself lose that story in trying to promote it.
After title and cover comes writing something about what this story is, what can a reader expect from it? How do I get across the essence of that in few words? Somehow with this story I fear I have not been projecting the adventure, the danger, the excitement and the essence of this love between two people very different on the outside but inside, soul mates.
But the thing is my books don't fit a genre. I knew that and it was part of the problem with publishing houses. What can I do about that if anything?
The hero in Desert Inferno is probably one of my favorites but he's very unconventional in that he's not handsome. He describes himself as ugly although the heroine sees him as very attractive to her. BUT unattractive simply doesn't happen in romances. The heroes are always supposed to be gorgeous. What can I really do about that aspect?
So I know this much. I'm not the usual romance writer. How do I find others like me-- the offbeat readers? That's where this is still a learning process. I've only been doing it about a month; so I am trying to just kind of back off in terms of trying to figure this all out. I do read a lot on the subject.
The last thing Border Patrolman Jake Donovan wanted to find at the end of a long day in a remote stakeout was a beautiful woman who had reported a dead body. For a lot of what he considered very good reasons, Jake avoided emotional entanglements of any sort especially with a woman like Rachel O'Brian, spoiled probably and rich without a doubt.
As soon as she saw this rugged man, Rachel was equally determined that what he wanted was not what he needed. A successful landscape painter, who lived on a remote ranch with her father, she had finally found the man she wanted. So the chase was on as this time, Jake found he was the prey-- not only of the beautiful Rachel but of an old enemy from his past.
This is a story of love of the Southern Arizona desert, its dangers and beauties. It's about smugglers of Mexican antiquities, with a villain who has a taste for the macabre. It is most of all about passion and a man who doesn't yet know that love will be his salvation both physically and emotionally.
As soon as she saw this rugged man, Rachel was equally determined that what he wanted was not what he needed. A successful landscape painter, who lived on a remote ranch with her father, she had finally found the man she wanted. So the chase was on as this time, Jake found he was the prey-- not only of the beautiful Rachel but of an old enemy from his past.
This is a story of love of the Southern Arizona desert, its dangers and beauties. It's about smugglers of Mexican antiquities, with a villain who has a taste for the macabre. It is most of all about passion and a man who doesn't yet know that love will be his salvation both physically and emotionally.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Moon Dust
At first, home decorator, Susan Connors gives up on even trying to unravel the breakup of her marriage to her high school principal husband, Dane. Then as she discusses all that went wrong with a psychologist friend certain facts begin to make sense. Is it worth her own risk of more heartbreak to try again?
Dane Connors faces his own risks but of a more physical nature. He fights for the education of the kids in his school against a ruthless militia leader who is determined to undo all Dane has tried to accomplish. Dane wants his wife back but the truth is he has a secret that he is unwilling to explore or share with anyone.
The consequences of one of these threats could cost Dane his life-- the other any chance to live a whole life.
Moon Dust is a story of love, reconciliation, danger, and honor of both a man and a woman. It is set in the Pacific Northwest, an imaginary school in Portland, Oregon, but it could be any big city today where gang activity can threaten students and administrators.
Could a fairy tale point the way?
Currently available on Kindle at-- Moon Dust
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