Some of you may remember me telling you that I have an upcoming series entitled Akiri. Well, good news. My friend and NYT best selling author Steven Savile will be joining me. This year we will be releasing the first book - The Scepter of Xarbaal . We were already working on a new trilogy entitled The Genesis Chain and decided to continue our collaboration.
But never fear. The final book in the Dragonvein saga is in the works and should be ready by the Fall.
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Friday, November 13, 2015
It's been a while since I've written on my blog. As much as I know I
should do so more often, lately it's been hard to find the time. Between
finishing Book Three in the Dragonvein series, starting Book One in a new
series, and co-authoring a trilogy, I'm not left with much spare time. But now
that things are calming down a bit, I've had time to sit and reflect of what's
been going on in my life.
Since my heart attack a few years back I
have come to realize that I must do a better job prioritizing my time. I have
neglected to spend as much time with my son as I should. I wish I could chalk
it down to fatigue, but in truth I simply get caught up in myself and ignore my
responsibilities. I have been trying to do better, but I still have to work on
it.
The one thing I haven't ignored is my
career. This year has been my most productive year so far. Before the month is
out I will have released four novels in 2015. And though this is stellar, I
think I can do better.
There are two Dragonvein books remaining.
So those are a given. The first Akiri book will be finished by the end of this
Dec. (though being that they are to be marketed to the publishers I have no
idea when they'll be released) and I hope to have two more written by the Fall.
The other three I'm writing with Steven Savile should be done this year as
well, barring unforeseen circumstances. So that's eight in total. If I can do
it, I'll be extremely happy.
I've also taken the time to weed out
things in my life (as well as keep things out) that hinder or upset me. This I
have found to be important in order to maintain a balance. The negative gunk
can clog up the gears. And I've found that less negativity has allowed me to
accomplish more. It has made it easier for me to better myself. Not only
professionally, but also personally.
So in the end I must say that 2015 has been kind to me. I can only
hope I can maintain focus and make 2016 even better.
Friday, September 4, 2015
To Fans of The Godling Chronices
Recently, I have heard from a few readers who are unhappy with the
content of Dragonvein. Unlike The Godling Chronicles, I did not exclude
profanity or sexual content. Though I did my best to keep the scenes tasteful,
I understand how it might rub some people the wrong way.
Let me first explain that The Godling
Chronicles was the original concept of my son. Though I guided the story along,
without his initial inspiration, it would have never been written. From day one
I gave no small measure of consideration regarding content. How far should I
go? How much adult content was too much? In the end I decided to allow my son
to be my guide. It was his brainchild after all. If I didn't want him reading
it, I wouldn't write it. Period.
Though I truly believed in the quality of
the story, I had no idea at the time just how popular it would become. I didn't
intend on making a career writing fantasy - or writing anything else for that
matter. I had other ambitions and goals. But as luck would have it,
circumstances manifested and the stars lined up in such a way so that I was
able to focus all my attention on being a writer. By then, I was half way
through the series and forced to think about future projects. I was now known
as a YA fantasy author. Don't get me wrong. I love YA, but I was afraid that I
would be unable to branch out into more mature stories. I wondered if readers
would accept a grittier fantasy coming from an author they discovered through
reading YA material.
As The Godling Chronicles came to a
conclusion, I needed to decide what to do next. I had a book written and ready
for publication. But it included sex, profanity, and several situations
inappropriate for young readers. This was definitely a departure from what I was known for.
Frankly, I was terrified. I asked around, hoping to gain wisdom from fellow
authors, but that didn't help. Some told me I was a fool and was endangering my
career. Others said it would be fine. Sure, I would piss off a few people, but
so long as the story was good, most wouldn't mind. My wife was no help either.
She had sided with the less risky approach and wanted me to edit out the
objectionable content.
In the end, I decided to gamble and went
ahead with the book as it stood. Some of you who have read The Godling
Chronicles will have seen the difference. And so far most haven't minded the
change. Those of you who have only read Dragonvein may be wondering what the
hell I'm talking about. The content isn't pornographic and the language, though
harsh in places, only reflects the way people actually speak. Well, you'll
understand if you read my previous books - and I hope you do.
I would like to add that for those of you
who are uncomfortable with the new content and miss seeing new Godling
Chronicles books come out, I will be writing a sequel sometime next year. As
with the original series, it will adhere to the same YA guidelines. I haven't
abandoned YA. I only broadened my scope. I promise.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Back in the Saddle
After weeks of struggling I've finally found my stride. For a time I was starting to panic. I just couldn't work out what I should do about Dragonvein - Book Three. I had the middle and ending rattling around in my head, but the beginning...nothing clicked. I must have deleted more than 50,000 words. Not that it was a great loss. What I had written was military grade garbage. The world is better off without reading it, let me assure you.
Of course, now that I'm back in the saddle, I find myself in a situation where I have very little time to complete a whole lot of work. I've made promises to my fans which I intend to keep. Not to mention my agent is expecting a new book to shop to the publishers before the new year. So what I would normally allow six months to complete, I now have just a bit more than half that amount of time.
For those of you who have written a novel, or even made the attempt, you will understand what a massive undertaking this is. I need to produce close to 200,000 words worth of material. And just any old words will not do. If it was simply about a word count my life would be a breeze. No. They have to be good words. Words that make sense. Words that my readers will enjoy. This is not as easy to do as some might think. There are days when it seems everything I write sucks (though there are some who would say that is always the case with me). A few weeks ago, that would be all right. I could afford a day or two of non-production. Not anymore.
But never fear. I will soldier on. And I will live up to the obligation I have to my readers - and to my agent. But afterward don't be shocked and amazed if I disappear for a few weeks. I'd like to say to a beach somewhere. But in truth, I'll likely need a psychiatric ward to get my head back together.
Of course, now that I'm back in the saddle, I find myself in a situation where I have very little time to complete a whole lot of work. I've made promises to my fans which I intend to keep. Not to mention my agent is expecting a new book to shop to the publishers before the new year. So what I would normally allow six months to complete, I now have just a bit more than half that amount of time.
For those of you who have written a novel, or even made the attempt, you will understand what a massive undertaking this is. I need to produce close to 200,000 words worth of material. And just any old words will not do. If it was simply about a word count my life would be a breeze. No. They have to be good words. Words that make sense. Words that my readers will enjoy. This is not as easy to do as some might think. There are days when it seems everything I write sucks (though there are some who would say that is always the case with me). A few weeks ago, that would be all right. I could afford a day or two of non-production. Not anymore.
But never fear. I will soldier on. And I will live up to the obligation I have to my readers - and to my agent. But afterward don't be shocked and amazed if I disappear for a few weeks. I'd like to say to a beach somewhere. But in truth, I'll likely need a psychiatric ward to get my head back together.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
How To Succeed as an Indie Author Without Really Trying
The most common questions people have for indie and hybrid writers has to do with what it takes to “make it”. Well, I’m not sure anyone ever really “makes it”. Even the wealthiest superstar authors are seeking the next step along the path. And as for me, I see myself at the beginning of what I hope to be a long and prosperous career. My goals are far from having been reached. But that is not to say I haven’t achieved certain levels of success. My journey thus far has been filled with excitement and thrills. And I, in a relatively short time, have achieved more than I had ever hoped.
But saying this does not answer the question, does it? What they want to know is how to get people reading their book? How do they get eyes on the page? What are the steps? Does it cost money? How much time is involved? There are in fact answers to these questions. But I always warn whoever I’m telling that nothing I say is a guaranteed method for success. And there are other opinions which differ greatly from my own. That said…
Before you can sell your book, you must first write your book. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been giving advice about promotion, editing, proofing, etc., only to find out that the person I’m speaking to hasn’t even finished their manuscript. An idea for a story is worthless unless you write it down. So start there.
But let’s assume you have written your book. You have had the immense pleasure of finally writing my favorite two words, “The End”. You have your masterpiece in hand and it’s ready for the world to see. Not so fast. Regardless of your talent, you need to take a step back and realize you are too close to your story. You need more eyes. And not just any set of eyes. You need professional eyes. Yes, I’m talking about an editor. And finding an editor is not as simple as you might think. One size does not fit all. Find someone both qualified and from whom you can take critical advice. Ask for a sample edit before committing. And most of all be wary of discounts. Good editing is not, and should not be cheap. If someone says they’ll edit your 150,000 word book for $300, run away as fast as you can.
Your next step is proofing. Editing is NOT proofing. Even the best editor will miss a few typos. And here’s some good news. This is an area where you can possibly save money. I personally pay proofers, but that doesn’t mean you should. If you have enough people around you who are meticulous and helpful, you might be able to talk them into searching your book for mistakes. This is a very important step. The cleaner your manuscript, the better the reception it gets from the reading public.
Once proofed, some writers use what are called beta readers. This is a step that can be important, but can also send you in a wrong direction. Beta readers critique your work from a reader’s perspective. It’s a way to receive a review without it being public. Two things to remember about beta readers should you decide to use them: One – they need to be a fan of the genre in which you’ve written. This may sound silly and obvious, but I assure you it’s not. Ask the reader ahead of time what books they have read. Two – the beta reader’s word is not gospel. You can disagree. It’s allowed. But if you are using five readers, and four say the same thing, I would take it seriously. What you are really looking for is a consensus – not individual opinions.
Now that your book is ready…it’s time for a cover. On this subject there are many schools of thought as to what constitutes an acceptable cover. I tend to go with a single main focal point (nothing too busy). But what most people agree on, is that the two key aspects are the title and your name. Do not sacrifice the visibility of either in favor of the art. This may upset the artist, but who cares? Expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $500 for a decent cover. You can spend more, but for most writers starting out, this is within their budget. Be sure to take a look at best sellers in your genre. They can be solid guides as to what your cover should look like. Though I have seen debut novels with terrible covers sell well, more often than not it’s those with professional looking covers that get the reader’s attention.
Okay, you have your book, your cover rocks, and you’re ready to show the world what you’ve done. You set up your accounts on the various sites and hit the “publish” icon. Day one and you have five sales. But those are mostly friends and family. Still, it’s nice to see that your book has a ranking. Then day two…nothing. Day three…more nothing. What the hell? I did everything right! Why aren’t they buying my book? Well, that’s because this is only the beginning. Now you have to take off your writer’s hat and put on the one labeled marketing and promoting. This is when most people give up. “I’m not a marketing agent,” they say. “I’m a writer.” I hate to tell you this, but if you want to succeed at self-publishing, you have to be everything all at once.
Promotion is a slow, frustrating process. It takes hundreds of hours of relentless work to get your name out there. And there is no way to know what will and will not work for you. Some will recommend blog tours, others paid ads. I recommend anything you can think of. I’ve seen people have book signings in their front yard which did far better than you might imagine. Be creative. Each thing you do is a drop in a very large bucket. But over time, if you don’t give up, it will get filled. Soliciting reviews from bloggers, conducting interviews and podcasts, joining literary groups, advertising; all of it helps.
Finally – Keep writing. The indie world is fast paced. I can write three full-length novels in a year, as well as a few short stories. But I know other writers who put out more than double that. You cannot expect to build an indie career on one book. Even if your book does well from the very beginning, indie books typically have a 3-5 month window before sales decline dramatically. You need to have something new ready by then or you could lose momentum. The top indies are constantly putting out new material. Some as often as every 2-3 months. This is another leading cause of writers giving up. They simply can’t keep up with the pace and the workload. Unfortunately, there is no solution to this problem. In time you might be able to delegate some of the logistical aspects, but you are the one who must write the books. For this, there is no shortcut.
Now that you’ve read my take on the indie world, I have to break the bad news to you. If you do everything I said, it might not work. In fact, it probably won’t. There are thousands upon thousands of writers out there. Only a handful get to the point where they can make a living. You must ask yourself if the reward is worth the risk. Some people will say it’s all about luck. And I suppose luck does play a part. But Seneca said, “Luck is when opportunity meets preparation.” If this is what you really want, be prepared for luck to come knocking. Otherwise you are in store for a bitter disappointment.
But saying this does not answer the question, does it? What they want to know is how to get people reading their book? How do they get eyes on the page? What are the steps? Does it cost money? How much time is involved? There are in fact answers to these questions. But I always warn whoever I’m telling that nothing I say is a guaranteed method for success. And there are other opinions which differ greatly from my own. That said…
Before you can sell your book, you must first write your book. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been giving advice about promotion, editing, proofing, etc., only to find out that the person I’m speaking to hasn’t even finished their manuscript. An idea for a story is worthless unless you write it down. So start there.
But let’s assume you have written your book. You have had the immense pleasure of finally writing my favorite two words, “The End”. You have your masterpiece in hand and it’s ready for the world to see. Not so fast. Regardless of your talent, you need to take a step back and realize you are too close to your story. You need more eyes. And not just any set of eyes. You need professional eyes. Yes, I’m talking about an editor. And finding an editor is not as simple as you might think. One size does not fit all. Find someone both qualified and from whom you can take critical advice. Ask for a sample edit before committing. And most of all be wary of discounts. Good editing is not, and should not be cheap. If someone says they’ll edit your 150,000 word book for $300, run away as fast as you can.
Your next step is proofing. Editing is NOT proofing. Even the best editor will miss a few typos. And here’s some good news. This is an area where you can possibly save money. I personally pay proofers, but that doesn’t mean you should. If you have enough people around you who are meticulous and helpful, you might be able to talk them into searching your book for mistakes. This is a very important step. The cleaner your manuscript, the better the reception it gets from the reading public.
Once proofed, some writers use what are called beta readers. This is a step that can be important, but can also send you in a wrong direction. Beta readers critique your work from a reader’s perspective. It’s a way to receive a review without it being public. Two things to remember about beta readers should you decide to use them: One – they need to be a fan of the genre in which you’ve written. This may sound silly and obvious, but I assure you it’s not. Ask the reader ahead of time what books they have read. Two – the beta reader’s word is not gospel. You can disagree. It’s allowed. But if you are using five readers, and four say the same thing, I would take it seriously. What you are really looking for is a consensus – not individual opinions.
Now that your book is ready…it’s time for a cover. On this subject there are many schools of thought as to what constitutes an acceptable cover. I tend to go with a single main focal point (nothing too busy). But what most people agree on, is that the two key aspects are the title and your name. Do not sacrifice the visibility of either in favor of the art. This may upset the artist, but who cares? Expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $500 for a decent cover. You can spend more, but for most writers starting out, this is within their budget. Be sure to take a look at best sellers in your genre. They can be solid guides as to what your cover should look like. Though I have seen debut novels with terrible covers sell well, more often than not it’s those with professional looking covers that get the reader’s attention.
Okay, you have your book, your cover rocks, and you’re ready to show the world what you’ve done. You set up your accounts on the various sites and hit the “publish” icon. Day one and you have five sales. But those are mostly friends and family. Still, it’s nice to see that your book has a ranking. Then day two…nothing. Day three…more nothing. What the hell? I did everything right! Why aren’t they buying my book? Well, that’s because this is only the beginning. Now you have to take off your writer’s hat and put on the one labeled marketing and promoting. This is when most people give up. “I’m not a marketing agent,” they say. “I’m a writer.” I hate to tell you this, but if you want to succeed at self-publishing, you have to be everything all at once.
Promotion is a slow, frustrating process. It takes hundreds of hours of relentless work to get your name out there. And there is no way to know what will and will not work for you. Some will recommend blog tours, others paid ads. I recommend anything you can think of. I’ve seen people have book signings in their front yard which did far better than you might imagine. Be creative. Each thing you do is a drop in a very large bucket. But over time, if you don’t give up, it will get filled. Soliciting reviews from bloggers, conducting interviews and podcasts, joining literary groups, advertising; all of it helps.
Finally – Keep writing. The indie world is fast paced. I can write three full-length novels in a year, as well as a few short stories. But I know other writers who put out more than double that. You cannot expect to build an indie career on one book. Even if your book does well from the very beginning, indie books typically have a 3-5 month window before sales decline dramatically. You need to have something new ready by then or you could lose momentum. The top indies are constantly putting out new material. Some as often as every 2-3 months. This is another leading cause of writers giving up. They simply can’t keep up with the pace and the workload. Unfortunately, there is no solution to this problem. In time you might be able to delegate some of the logistical aspects, but you are the one who must write the books. For this, there is no shortcut.
Now that you’ve read my take on the indie world, I have to break the bad news to you. If you do everything I said, it might not work. In fact, it probably won’t. There are thousands upon thousands of writers out there. Only a handful get to the point where they can make a living. You must ask yourself if the reward is worth the risk. Some people will say it’s all about luck. And I suppose luck does play a part. But Seneca said, “Luck is when opportunity meets preparation.” If this is what you really want, be prepared for luck to come knocking. Otherwise you are in store for a bitter disappointment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)