I’ve been reading Secrets To Ebook Publishing Success by Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords.com. It has great information in it; one point he stresses is that for an indie author to find success a good product is a must. Some advice I’ve come across over and over again also is to write about what you know. I really can’t get behind ‘the write what you know expression’. I don’t think I know anything important that everyone else doesn’t already know. I’m also not trying to write the next ‘Great American Novel’. I’ve said before that I love reading. I will read almost anything and have since I was in elementary school and the assistant librarian taught me to read silently. I read for entertainment; I love reading because it keeps my problems at bay for a while. Reading is fun for me, and that’s the way I approach my writing. I write what I enjoy and hope my stories give some fun and enjoyment to someone else. So that’s the ‘good product’ I strive for something fun and entertaining that provides an escape for anyone needing a little relief from the stress of everyday life.
Tag Archives: books
I’m Back
It’s been almost a year since I’ve written a post. I lost my confidence had stopped writing for a while. I tried working a customer service job but I wasn’t happy so, I’m going back to my writing. I’ve started editing my next story and have been checking my accounts with all the companies that carry my first book. I’ve had sales I knew nothing about and even a review. I was so happy. It’s proof someone besides one of my family members thinks my story is good. 🙂 That is encouraging and helps me feel that I did make the right choice about my future. When I finish tinkering with the first couple of chapters, I’ll post them here. I hope someone will read them and give me some feedback. 🙂
Just News
It has been a while since I’ve had anything interesting to share but the last couple of days have been busy. Smashwords has sent out an email saying PayPal has demanded that Smashwords remove several categories of erotica or PayPal will stop processing their sales. I was shocked; I thought I lived in the United States. What is the world coming to when PayPal and credit card companies can decided what I can read and write? I would like to ask anyone that reads this post to please click the links below and tell these companies that we will not allow them to dictate to us.
Visa: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=V+Profile American Express: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=AXP+Profile MasterCard: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=MA+Profile Discover: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=DFS+Profile Ebay (owns PayPal): http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=ebay+Profile
Just News
I read another article today. 🙂 Between looking for more ways to advertise and Facebook, I’ve been reading a lot about Indie Writers. This article was about a site called Kickstarter and how writers, game developers and others are raising money by getting people to pledge money for the project. I’m not worried about getting my stories in print any longer. I really don’t feel it’s necessary. I’m just as proud to have an ebook as I would be if it were print, being a kindle-holic these days, may have something to do with that. 🙂 The only reason I would consider such a possibility would be for a book cover and that would be a fleeting thought more than a serious consideration.
Just News
I read another article today. This one asked if this was the best or worst time to be a writer. The article suggests it’s a good time for the computer savvy writers but a bad time for less technically skilled writers. I personally believe it’s a good time for anyone that really wants to be published. Today if you really want to be an author you can be. You don’t have to be rejected over and over because someone doesn’t feel that they can make a return on their investment. You can turn all the energy you’ve would have used to convince an agent or publisher to accept you, to convincing readers to purchase your work. I personally find it liberating that I can put out a work exactly how I want it and have someone sample or purchase it. It feels wonderful knowing for start to finish that I produced a story someone wanted to read.
Just News
www.npr.org/2012/02/19/147112456/e-books-flipping-the-page-on-publishing-standards
Today I read this article, I found the link on the smashwords facebook page. At the end of the article they were discussing authors and readers interacting during the writing process. I personally don’t like the idea. As a reader I don’t want to be involved developing a story. To me the joy of reading is getting swept along by the story and if I knew everything going on there would be no surprise. Personally I wouldn’t want to show anyone my story before I’d finished it. That goes back to why I love reading I guess, showing an unfinished work is ruining the surprise of the story to me. I also wouldn’t want to tell someone what their story should be. Maybe I have applied an interpretation that wasn’t intended but as it stands now I’m not in agreement with such an idea.
Just News
I completely avoided the issue of the book cover and went shopping today. While we were out my friend asks if I would like some help. I’ve know her since 1993 and she decides to tell me today she can draw; I guess you really do learn something new every day. 🙂
Just News
Now that I’m getting close to finishing my story, I need to start on the cover. Making covers has been the hardest thing for me. I really have no idea what I’m going to do for this cover. For the other two stories, I tried using the title and subject of the stories to design something. I haven’t picked a title for this story yet and neither of the titles I’m trying to decide on spark any inspiration for a cover. I can already tell I’ll be going around and around on this one. I’m going to change the title and the cover over and over until I drive myself nuts.
Just News
I didn’t finish much on my current story today. I was distracted thinking about a concept for a short story. I really want to concentrate on one story at a time but I knew if I didn’t write down my thoughts about the new story I would forget them. I know that from past experience. My mind has never been a steel trap; I have a very selective memory. 🙂
Just News
I’m in a good place with my story. 🙂 The main male character finally has a plan. Now I only have to write the ending. I’ll be sure to post when it’s finished.
Silent too long! 