It's not all bad in the virtual world

Seriously, it isn't. I know I've been ranting about social media for ages, and I certainly stick to my main opinion, but it has good sides, too. I've made friends I may not have made without the Internet.
I've recently said to my lovely friend Winn Smith, that I'm glad I've taken up writing, and that I am on Twitter. Why? Because I wouldn't have met her otherwise. It all started out with me posting a link to my short stories and she downloaded them and tweeted that she really enjoyed the bok. Of course I was flattered, I would be lying if I said I wasn't, but somehow it started a wonderful series (novel-sized by now) of e-mail exchanges about everything in life, and of course: writing. She's become a beta reader, a proofreader (very good one, I will add), a humorist and a friend. We're going to meet up shortly for the first time, because, although both living in London, we haven't managed to find a date in over a year. Sad, but true. I'm really looking forward to meeting her in person.
In fact, due to social media, I've become friends with quite a few people. Readers, who got in touch and befriended me on Facebook, now get a close update on what I'm up to. We chat, have exchanges about our everyday life, support each other when the going gets tough, etc. I've learned that many readers like to see a human being behind the author, and that they are also very interested in getting involved in the process of the writing. A few have offered to beta read my books, or I've asked them straight out. For an author there's almost nothing more important than beta readers in the early stages. Here is where a reader can have a say and be a big part of making a novel better. Although many authors say they write for themselves, as I do, I also want my readers to like what I'm writing. They need to connect to the book in order to feel something, so if they collectively don't like something in a book, I must go a back to square one and change it. Not that it ever happened, but my beta readers have their say and I take them seriously.
I've also seen enthusiastic tweets about my books or my writing, often from people I have never spoken to. They share their emotions through Twitter or Facebook with their friends, which, to me, is means the world. Nothing is better than word of mouth in the publishing business.
So, yes, it's not all bad in the virtual world. As long as the good outweighs the bad, I'm happy to be part of it.

Tip of the week: be selective

A while back, my friend and fellow author Dixon Rice entered the world of rants after discovering that he'd promoted an author's rubbish novel. Dixon, being one of the nicest people I've ever come across, has kindly helped many people by just sharing a link, recommending books on authors' behalf, in order to spread the word. Then he made the 'mistake' to take a look at one of the books he blindly recommended and promptly decided to not do that again. Read his excellent rant here.
And I couldn't agree more; while it's wonderful to help each other, I find that it's taken to an unacceptable level: Indie authors, or still unpublished writers, join networks where they do nothing else than share each others' links and push their books, regardless of the quality.
Be honest: how many times have you recommended someone's work without even knowing if it's of a certain standard? And how many times did you know the book wasn't good, but you recommended it nevertheless, because you've been conversing with the author so much?
People are more likely to help someone they've been talking to a lot, it's only natural, but as a published author, you have a reputation; and such reputation can be damaged easily. If you recommend books of mediocre or lesser quality, you'll automatically lower your own profile. What is a reader supposed to think of you if he or she buys a book upon your suggestion and it's utter drivel? The reader will think you can't tell good from bad and will most probably pass on your books, too.

Think about it. Only recommend what you have read and consider good or excellent.

The same goes for editors or proofreaders. I've recently seen people recommending an editing and proofreading service that, in m opinion, doesn't deliver. Yet the service keeps being recommended as the person is a big part of a community. I've had a look at the website and a book which was mentioned on the site. The book had inconsistencies and errors (different speech marks, commas in direct address missing, dialogue attributes). Another book, edited by the same service was published with several errors, too. On the US site, there was a comment saying that the book contained too much telling, and not enough showing, something that an editor should have eliminated before publishing. Of course, this could very well be the author's fault; some authors think they know better and ignore the editor or proofreader. Or they suddenly decide to make changes. There's nothing an editor can do in that case.

Before recommending someone, check the person's work. Never recommend someone just because they're 'nice' and you had a laugh with them.

Indies, sometimes I just want to slap them!

Some people's actions leave me speechless. For a few seconds, then, I'll blow off. Seriously, only Indies can pull such stunts as I'll describe in the following.

A few days ago, a newly published author sent me a message on Twitter, asking if I'd be interested to promote his book on my blog via guest post or an interview.
To be honest, I was stunned. I don't know this person, I can't even remember to have ever conversed with him, neither do I remember when or why I followed him back. It was probably back in the earlier days, when I started my Twitter account and connected with everyone basically.I didn't know better back then. You probably guessed it, I unfollowed immediately. I mean, I know that we need to get word out there and promote like there's no tomorrow, but, seriously? Just 'attacking' random people you are connected with is definitely a sure way of annoying people. There are plenty of bloggers who promote Indies, who do interviews and have regular guest blogs. I don't! If you, Indie author, would have taken the time to look at my blog, you would know that! So why, Indie author, do you feel the need to ask me? What were you on that day?
Another example: there's a guy (author) on the Amazon forum, who regularly insulted people. When I told him that you shouldn't call people names, I ended up being insulted, too. Not only by him, but by his friend as well. (Apparently, I'm stupid.) So I told him I'm not going to converse with him any longer, which he agreed to. He recently popped on one of my threads where we had a discussion about the KPD-Select programme and its results and dumped a link to his book informing us that the updated version is now available. How obnoxious can a person be, I wonder. Maybe he wanted to annoy me -- in which he succeeded -- but it felt more like an attempt to get some downloads for his book.
That kind of desperation makes me want to slap them. Hard.
I've only ever 'promoted' one event: a few people who came together for a special occasion and I knew whom I'm helping.

If I wanted to promote someone, I'd approach them myself. But, hey, guess what? I've got three of my own books to promote, you see? And I'm not even doing that anymore like I used to do. Why? Because it's all a bit for nothing. Though it's fun to do guest posts and interviews and I'm always happy to do them, it didn't do anything for my sales and my theory is that it's mostly Indie authors who set up Indie promotion sites, which then often will resolve in Indie authors being the audience. There is one person, whose mere mention of my love for 2nd person POV in a pod cast had triggered some sales: Morgen Bailey, a fearless blogger, who does daily interviews, guest blogs, pod casts and more. And she's an author, too. Take a look at her page, if you're a reader, for many suggestions, and if you're an Indie, for being a guest on her site. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against them, I'm an Indie myself, but I want readers. Those who are not in the massive gum-like Indies bubble.
So, for that, I must write a book that's going to be read by readers and therefore I don't have time to promote my, let alone, other people's books.

The pains of rewriting

There's not one book I can't fix. I'm an editor, in the end and no matter how terrible the book, I can see clearly where it needs improvement; be it on the character or plotting front, I'll have suggestions on how to make it better. Not one book! Except the one I finished writing a year ago and despite going back to it several times in an attempt to fix it, I seem to be unable to do it. It not that I'm totally clueless; I know exactly what I need to do and how I want it to be done, but somehow I can't translate it on to paper. Being the Universe's slowest reader doesn't help much either. The problem is that the book has no chapters, and deliberately so. It's also not a plot driven novel, which means everything relies on the character, to whom I'm trying to give more depth, make him more edgy and have him struggle a bit more. I'm adding a dog, a neighbour, another hobby, something that wasn't planned in the first place and they need to be added very carefully as they interrupt the flow otherwise.The book mainly lets the reader follow the main character's thoughts and life. There's hardly any dialogue in it and it's all written in second person point of view and no, I will not change any of those 'broken rules'. If people complain, sod them. It's not your average book and I never intended it to be. The feedback I had so far was overwhelmingly great. Readers said they felt like something pulled them in, they couldn't stop, had to read on, mesmerised, which, I think, is good, but I'm still not happy, because that special something is missing. To me, that is.
It's not that I have been rewriting and editing like a manic -- far from it. I gave it a proper go and got totally confused and muddled up, then left it alone. I haven't even touched the second half yet. The main character's life is so boring, repetitive and uneventful, it's hard to make heads or tails of it. I also need to make it more commercial, more general. Which means, rewriting huge parts of it, deleting minor characters. At the moment, he works, writes, reads and sleeps. Every day the same. Only the 'online-relationship' he encounters shakes up his world. A bit. It's also a story based on a true event, so I stick to what happened as closely as I can.
I deleted huge chunks that didn't work and they made space for the additions. My problem is that I can't find the ideal places on where to put the additions. Something I never had before. I'd happily add scenes to other books I wrote, but this particular one makes me want to shoot myself. I know it'll be like Marmite; people will either love or hate it, but to get it to the point that I can actually release it, seems a very far cry from what I'm standing at the moment. I'm determined to get there and if I can't fix that book, nobody can. I have an idea on how to make it easier for me, but if it works, remains to be seen. I'd like to publish this masterpiece some time this year, so I better get going, eh?

Hi, I'm Stella and I'm an editing addict

I

Editing

So, you might now declare me officially mad, but it's true: I love editing. And I will even tell you why. 

Well, to begin with, I always loved helping people. Editing is basically helping writers or author see their manuscript from a different angle. Things they don't see, for they are too close to their books, will most certainly jump at me, in addition to others. 

Take my friend, for instance. He's an experienced and skilled writer, even had been published with a small press many moons ago, He's trying to land an agent and received many rejections. For he's too blind to see what's wrong, he turned to me. And because I'm a good friend, I helped him with one of the books. I'm harsh, I'm strict and I can be rather pushy, but he took it on the chin and reworked. We never 'worked' together and he was rather surprised how much I picked up; on voice, on pace, on character and plot inconsistencies. His words were, "I'm impressed, you really have a talent for editing."

Made me go all fuzzy, because it has just been a couple of years since I actually found my calling as an editor. Luckily, most of clients think the same, which is a good sign. Of course I made some mistakes by taking on clients who weren't 'ready' yet, but we all make mistakes and learn from them.

My friend was so taken, that he now has come back with the next book. Working with more seasoned writers has the advantage that you can dive straight in, they know the basics, they know the techniques, in short, they just need someone with a keen eye to do the dirty work for them. I rather enjoy that, and in addition, I get to read an exciting book. 

Working with new authors has its perks, too. I love to teach them the basics, to see them adopt the suggestions and slowly getting better; some take longer, some are quick to learn. It's wonderful to see them grow, their writing season and their confidence increase. Although it's often more difficult to edit a new writer's work; many are not used to be criticised and are hurt easily. In many cases, I will try to comment on the first few chapters to give them some sort of guidance so they can take the suggestions and rework their manuscript, learning as they go. A service, by the way, I'll offer soon: first 10k for a certain price and if the person doesn't feel confident enough after that, we can agree to do the whole book to a fixed price. Ideal for new writers who need a quick assessment of their skills. Some return with their revised version and it always makes me proud to see how much it has improved and that I was part of it.

As editor you are a teacher, a motivator, a bringer of bad news, a tough hand and often go out of your way to help the person whose book you are trusted with.

That's it, I'm done! It's time to say

Goodbye

to the Branded Series, that is. I've said it in the past, after No Wings Attached sunk into the bottomless belly of Amazon, that I contemplated to stop writing the sequel and put the series to a rest. Only after readers repeatedly asked where the sequel is, I finished the book. Now, Candlelight Sinner has been released last month and performs equally: a block of concrete couldn't sink faster than the book. So I thought back and forth and decided to not write the third book.

To say or pretend I'm not disappointed would be a lie. Of course I am. Three years of my life went into the books, they have made me laugh, cry and angry. I'm proud of them and I know many of those who read them loved them and it was a rather interesting journey; No Wings Attached taught me all about the craft and I had plenty of fun writing the two novels.

I feel that part of the 'not selling' is because of the first published version of No Wings Attached was error-riddled. No reader in their right mind would buy another book by an author who can't take care of their books. Well, if only I had known. Never mind, that's something I can't reverse.

Personally, I don't know why else the books won't sell, it might be the lack of vampires, the lack of erotica, the weird mix of genres being paranormal romantic comedy, or the reviewers who keep referring to Tom as being an angel, which he isn't - at least not in the common sense - who knows? Fact is that self-publishing is a good way to find out if your book tickles the fancy of the crowd.

My Branded series doesn't, so it's time to move on to other projects, which is what I'm currently doing. So for those of you who are waiting for the third book: I'm sorry. Really really sorry. But I won't continue this series.
This is not a whiny post, in fact, I think I'm rather relieved to not have to write a third book. As much fun as it was, I've somehow outgrown the books and the style and I'd like to take other challenges. So, maybe it's a good thing because now I can just step away with a clean conscience. I see that as a positive thing. And I'll continue to love the books 

I threaten you, however, to unleash a new book at some point this year.

Up to then, there's always my short story collection Excuse me, where is the exit?

Give small presses and new publishers a chance

Last week, I posted about vanity publishers and how to recognise them. This week I want to concentrate on how to find the right publisher for you.
I'm deliberately leaving out the big six, because you probably won't get a deal with them without an agent. In fact, even the smaller publishers who are big in business won't deal with authors directly anymore. But this is not the end of the road. Maybe you have exhausted the agent-route and have been rejected by the independent publishers of your choice and all you want is to have your book out there. Before giving up, keep in mind there are still other options.
In the age of e-books, more and more new publishers surface and are open to submissions. They will often offer to publish your book in e-format first and if successful, also in paperback. Some will only stick to e-books. This model provides something very important to those publishers: testing without a massive investment. Print costs are terrifyingly high if you don't go for POD.
Why would I go with an e-publisher if I can do it all myself? you ask. To be fair, it's a valid question. Then again, many people with busy lives don't have the time or knowledge to edit or proof-read their book, let alone knowledge of formatting, cover design or the intense marketing that is required before and after publishing. They'd have to pay good money to get their book into a presentable stage. So why not submit to a small publisher who will then -- in case they offer you a contract -- take care of all that. Sure, there's still some work involved -- the edits/revisions need to be done, but as soon as the book is published, the author can relax and has not invested money, but will receive some in return.
I'm often amazed about the arrogance of some writers who snort at a new publisher, saying they won't go with a company that has not yet or maybe just one author at the moment. I can't help thinking: who are you to dismiss this new company trying to give new wannabe authors the chance to get their books out there? Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about those who want to make the quick money with desperate souls, I'm talking about start-up companies, new publishers with a love and passion for writing and books, those who are fully commited to do whatever they can to help their authors soar; those who provide all services, are legally registered and offer a fair deal. What's wrong with being the first author? I mean, they're taking the greater risk with you, being a nobody in the writing world and they still invest money because they believe in your writing, in you.

Of course it's crucial to see if you're a good match; do you have the same goals? What do they offer for the royalties they're taking from the sales? Do you click with your  assigned editor? Etc. There is a lot to be considered. It's rather important to research them, to find out about them, talk to them openly about your concerns. With small presses you often are more like a team member and the people are more open to your suggestions or worries.

And besides: even the big six have started somewhere. Who knows, maybe this publisher who is unknown today, will be best known for the quality of books they publish and you can proudly annouce, you were the first.

When truth hits home

Yesterday, I blogged about the consequences of 'never give up' advice, mostly given by well-meaning friends or those who have already achieved what most of us wish for. In publishing that usually means a contract with one of the big six or selling so well, that we make a living from writing. That post sparked a rather interesting discussion on facebook. One person, though, was so upset by my words, in quintessence called me an arrogant, inexperienced idiot (not her words, but my translation) and unfriended me. Fair enough, but I seriously wonder how she is going to survive in this business; is she going to pull a Hewitt once she receives a negative review? I knew my post was provocative, but I didn't address her personally, nobody in fact. It's that kind of reaction that puts agents and publishers off. I can't stress enough that they're out there, observing, and you never know when someone's watching you.
Going back to the topic of success: I see publishing as a business, I write, I edit, I proof, I publish. If I'm lucky, I sell -- a product for money. I said that if you don't sell your 'commercial' book despite all efforts to promote it, then it's perhaps one reason for being rejected, agents didn't see a market for it. Self-publishing usually is the last resort after failing to land a deal, or the way to go with beautiful niche-market writing.

Let's take my novel No Wings Attached, a romantic comedy, chick lit-style a la Cecilia Ahern, with a good measure of paranormal a la Charmed. Both very successful and one would think the book could be commercial enough. I got about 30 rejections. I knew it's neither here nor there, the readers who don't like paranormal but love chick lit won't go near it, the ones who love paranormal expect vampires and werewolves, but not comedy.  I've sold about 100 since its release in June. My conclusion: there's no market for it. Not now or never will be. Those who read it, loved it, apart from one person who wasn't a happy bunny. I pondered if I should finish the sequel, asking myself if it's worth it to put time and effort into a sequel when the first book doesn't sell. My decision is: I will finish the sequel because I've been asked by a few people who are waiting for its release and I've promised them. But if it still doesn't sell it will be the end of the series, if it flies off the shelves, I might continue. It's a simple business decision for me.
Of course it's disappointing if you put blood sweat and tears into your book and it doesn't turn out to be the next bestseller, but that's the price you pay for being independent, you have no stamp of approval and the big marketing department in your back. And even if you have, it's no guarantee for success, most of the books being accepted by publishing houses end up being dust-collectors. Only a few really make it into the bestseller lists, so we're in good company. The reader is king and if he or she rejects you, don't get upset, think about the reasons and react with a cool head.
 

The importance of a book cover

My novel No Wings Attached will be out soon. Originally I had planned end of May, but some unforeseen things happened and it's delayed. My sincere apologies if you are waiting, it's not going to be long anymore, promise.

Part of the delay is me being picky with the cover. Though some say, the cover is not important, it's what's inside that counts, I tend to disagree. Being a visual person myself, covers are the first that catch my eye, giving me a clue of the genre; then the title and after that the pitch (text on the back of the book). If all three fit my mood, I'll buy. If I'm not sure, I'll sample.

So the cover is important, why else do publishing houses have a marketing team that also decides on the cover? I usually have a very clear idea of what I want. Unfortunately, I'm not designer and that shows when speaking to people who are supposed to translate my ideas into covers that swoon me. Difficult, as I'm a difficult client.

I drew the first few covers of the book in Paint. A hard job and took ages, but I was pleased as I was able to see my ideas form into something visible. Of course I wouldn't be able to use it when actually selling the book. Thinking back, I went through all kind of covers, some I liked a lot, some I didn't.

My almost final cover is this:

We will tweak it a bit more, but the girl's perfect. Celia is 32, funny and warm-hearted. The book's a light-hearted romantic comedy with a paranormal twist. A bit like Bridget Jones meet Charmed.

I hope you'll like the final cover as much as I do and find yourself lost in the story, forgetting for your daily troubles for a while.

You can read the opening here:

No Wings Attached will be avaible on kindle and smashwords and later via POD.

Writing is easy, then comes editing...

I have to admit I had no idea how writing, editing, the industry itself works when I began with my first novel. I asked a friend who said,' You just send an overview and the first few chapters to a publisher and that's it.' Easy, I thought.

My aim was 120k. Why? Because I didn't know better. So every day I typed and typed, edited as I went along and in 2.5 months, my brand new baby was complete. My friend did the cold reading, commenting along, but it seemed I've done a good job plotting and creating scenes and characters, looking back with the knowledge I've got now, she didn't suggest anything major.

Then I went on the hunt for publishers, thinking, well the book is SO great, they'll rip it out of my hands and the editor will fix my Germisch. That's what all my non-writer friends believed, too.
What an awakening when I learned about authonomy and that publishers want a near-perfect manuscript. What? They won't invest their money into me, the raw diamond and future best selling author? Their loss! Rejections proved others were right, I was wrong.

Thrown off the high horse of dreams, I got down to business and learned as much as I could about writing and editing. And there's a lot to know about. With every new thing I learned, I went through my manuscript, cutting out long-winded passages that cost me hours to write, changed dialogue attributes back and forth, comparing published books with my humble scribblings. Went through it again and again and again and.... ended up hating my book.

I tend to read books only once, twice perhaps if I really like it. Imagine to have to read a book up to fourteen times and even being the one who wrote it! It's painful. I procrastinated, I pushed off, I neglected and at some time I plainly didn't want to go near it anymore. I put it aside after the 13th edit and wrote two other books instead.

After a few months, I decided I need to get it over with, because I still believed in this book, it's my baby in the end and I want to get it out there, pretty and entertaining and maybe even successful, it didn't deserve to be hidden away. And somewhere along the process of reading and making small alterations, I fell in love again. Tonight, I've finished the last chapter of a 82.382 k novel and by end of May, it will be available to download on kindle, hopefully also on smashwords and nook. I can't wait!

When gaining editing skills means losing the desire to read

How come, you might wonder. Well, I'm inclined to tell you, because I think you know exactly how it feels like. Since March 2009 I've written three books. Now you might think it's not many, but I'm quite happy with this. I'm also published as a contributor to the anthology Words to Music, which is available on Amazon now. All profit goes to several charities. Yes, that's a hint. :-)
I've just started the forth, a cook book with a theme, but I still need to do the proofing for my second book, which is the most 'ready' to be published.
The first book needs rewriting, for I'm turning it into a series and the third book, which I don't have on show anywhere, apart from some excerpts, will go through its first edit, too. So I have three books that need work to get them out there, one that needs to be written and I've started a venture that will take up most of my time, let alone another book-project that I'll co-author with a dear friend of mine.

What I find peculiar is that I do have trouble to read, I mean really to enjoy it. It's like my editing skills have killed my desire to let go and step out of my life into the story. As a teen, I used to read stacks of books, always brought home half the library. Even as a slow reader, I got through a vast amount of novels. I would forget eating, sleeping - everything around me. As an adult I continued, perhaps not as many books anymore, but still, I read every night before going to sleep. Since I began to take writing seriously, I stopped. Completely. First, because I was busy with editing my own work, then with editing other people's work, I read, but it was still work, second, because I started writing on my next novel.

But I actually began reading again about a month ago. At the moment I'm reading Eats, shoots and leaves and am enjoying it immensely while learning. I don't have the red pen in my head, I don't roll my eyes and I don't sigh over cliches. I only laugh and nod a lot. It's a wonderful book if you want to learn about punctuation, which was my intention. Every night, I will take time out from my day and read. Even if only a few pages, but I really want to get back to loving a good story, because I always have.