writing

When Destiny Isn’t Enough

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Tricia Drammeh

I’ve been reading lots of YA Paranormal and Urban Fantasy lately. The current trend in these sub-genres is the celebration of the bad-ass, kick-butt heroine. When the bad-ass heroine was first introduced, everyone was really excited. It was about time women stepped up, took the lead, and learned to fight. It was great to see female characters who saved themselves (and their families, friends, and love-interests) instead of hiding in a tower and waiting for their prince to save them. Am I the only one who thinks this trend is getting old?

I have nothing against a courageous female character. I have no problem with women taking a leading role. I don’t want to see my favorite bad-ass heroines trade in their daggers for a pair of knitting needles. I don’t want to see my heroines forgo a demon-slaying for shopping with the girls. Nor do I want to see them replace courageous missions to save the world with makeovers and pedicures. I don’t want to see ‘girly’ heroines. What I do want to see are likable and believable heroines.

Here’s what I’ve been reading lately. Let me know if this sounds familiar…

Character A is a shape-shifting Demon Slayer. She goes to high school by day, but by night, she relentlessly slays demons. Before breakfast, she blithely yanks a dagger from her shoulder while studying for her mid-term in Biology. Why does she forgo sleep and endure brutal stabbings? It’s her destiny.

Character B is ass-kicking spy. Her parents were spies. Her grandparents were spies. So she’s a spy too. She spends all her time spying, kicking ass, and hurting people. Why? It’s her destiny.

Character C is the chosen one. She was born with a mark on her back which symbolizes her destiny as an ass-kicking warrior. From the time she was a little girl, she’s learned the sacred art of ass-kicking. When her path crosses with a cute, smart, courageous hero, they fall in love. Why? I have no idea.

These are pretty decent premises for a fast-paced, action-packed novels, right? In the hands of a good author, these characters have serious potential. So, what’s the problem?

Destiny isn’t enough.

Destiny isn’t enough to make me fall in love with a one-dimensional character. Destiny isn’t a motivation. Destiny can be a starting point, but unless the heroine questions her fate, doubts her own abilities, or tries to fight her destiny, I’m not going to be invested in the story. I need more conflict than just an endless stream of fight scenes–I’d like to see some internal conflict too. I’d like to see the heroine succumb to self doubt. To mourn the loss of a friend–not just vow vengeance as she sharpens her dagger. I’d like to see the heroine make really bad decisions that make her situation worse–not move through the story, killing without breaking a sweat. I want to see real, multi-dimensional people.

When Character A isn’t slaying demons, what else does she do? Does she often think about ignoring her destiny and becoming a doctor instead?

Does Character B have friends at school? Does she often have to leave in the middle of soccer practice to go on special-ops missions? Does she struggle to keep her identity as a spy secret from her friends and her crush at school?

Why does the cute, smart hero fall in love with Character C? Why does she fall in love with him? Is he able to look past her stoic, ass-kicking demeanor to discover hidden vulnerabilities?

These are things I want to know. But, in some of the books I’ve read lately, I’m left wondering. But, I don’t wonder enough to want to read the next book in the series because I’m not invested in any of these characters. They’re wooden. One-dimensional. Unlikable. There’s tons of external conflict as the heroine moves from fight scene to fight scene, kicking ass and making rude comments as she goes, but there’s no insight into who she is as a human being. Therefore, I’m not invested. Therefore, I can’t care what happens to her.

Lately, I’ve learned there’s a fine line between being a skilled demon-slayer and a sociopath. Some of the characters I’ve been introduced to cross that line. If a character’s primary emotion is blind rage, it’s really hard to me to like them–whether that character is male or female.

Give me characters who are ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Characters who rise up to meet their challenges. Heroes and heroines who can be courageous, while still displaying human emotion. Characters who have a destiny, but do not let destiny define them.

Readers, what do you look for in a hero or heroine? Authors, how do you make your characters multi-dimensional?

 

Categories: Advice for New Authors, authors, books, character development, heroes, heroines, writing | Tags: , , , | 14 Comments

Write Another Book

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Tricia Drammeh

Back in the days when I was querying a single book, it was easy to become consumed by the process of writing letters, emailing agents, and receiving subsequent rejections. Requests for partial manuscripts created the ultimate high, while “sorry, this isn’t the project for us,” sent my spirits spiraling into the abyss. While researching agents and reading tips on how to craft the perfect query letter, I stumbled upon a bit of advice to help authors survive the querying process. Actually, I saw this advice in more than one place and I’m going to share it with you:

Write another book.

Pretty simple, really. While querying The Claiming Words, I was writing the second and third books in the series, so I figured I was doing a pretty good job of following that advice. When the querying process got tough, I could distract myself by immersing myself in my fantasy world. Once I’d racked up twenty rejection letters, my other works-in-progress weren’t doing a very good job of distracting me, because what’s the point of writing an entire series of books if you can’t get anyone to publish the first one? (Back then, I thought the only path to publication was the agent/traditional publisher route. I didn’t even consider self-publishing.  I was innocent and foolish back in the early days. )

I still think “Write another book” is good advice for the querying writer; however, I think it’s important to write a totally, completely different book. Don’t get too caught up in one series. Even if you land that agent or publisher, those other books in the series could take years to see publication—if ever. Write your series—but write other stuff too.

“Write another book” is great advice for any author, whether published or unpublished. Not only can writing another book distract you from the querying process for a book you’re currently pitching, it can distract you when sales aren’t so great for a book you’ve already published. Writing hones your skills—the only way to become a better writer is to write. Writing (and publishing) another book builds your resume. It’s easier to gain a following when you have more than one book under your belt.

Here’s how writing another book helped me. I wrote The Fifth Circle for two reasons:  because I’d been writing books in the same series for so long, I wanted to see if I had what it took to write an unrelated book AND because it was a good distraction from the endless rounds of writing/editing/querying of The Claiming Words. When I realized a few months ago that The Claiming Words series was a total loss (for now), I was able to self-publish The Fifth Circle. When one book (or in my case, series) didn’t work out, I had something to fall back on. I have other books too, finished and unfinished. I can always write more.

A real writer writes. It’s as simple as that. I’ve seen writers who finish their first book and become so caught up in querying/self-publishing/marketing, they never seem to find the time to write another. If all your time is spent promoting one book and you don’t have time to write, you’re not a writer anymore—you’re a salesperson. Cut back on marketing and get back to what you love. Write another book. Rediscover your favorite characters or create new ones to fall in love with. Just write.

 

 

 

Categories: author, tricia drammeh, writers, writing, writing & publishing tips | Tags: , , , | 16 Comments

My Greatest Mistake

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Tricia Drammeh

If you’ve kept up with my blog over the past couple of months, you’ve probably noticed I talk about small presses a lot. There’s a reason for this. It’s because I don’t want to see any other authors make the same mistake I did. I signed with a brand new small press and that’s a decision I deeply regret. It’s very hard to admit I made such a foolish mistake. For a long time, I made excuses for my publisher and tried to hide my stupidity. But, it’s time to come clean.

I would like to stress that the experiences I am referring to are my personal experiences. I have lots of theories and I’d love to speculate, but at this point, I have to stick with facts I can back up with saved emails and screen shots from the publisher’s original website.

Okay, now that my disclaimer is out of the way, let me tell you how I signed away my happiness.

My story begins with a manuscript. I peddled the manuscript to several agents, but received very little interest. I posted my query on a blog and a publisher asked to see a partial manuscript. After about three weeks, the publisher asked to see a full, and a few days later, expressed interest in publishing the book. I researched the company before viewing the contract. I just didn’t research enough. They weren’t listed on P&E, but this was because they were too new to have appeared on any watchdog radars.

Mistake #1 – I assumed no news was good news. Since there were no complaints against the publisher, I figured it was safe to plunge ahead.

The company was brand new and had no titles to their credit, but boasted several editors (who were named individually on the website). The company claimed these editors were “professional and freelance editors, and avid readers of the genres with several years of experience.” Everyone has to start somewhere, right? I figured if this brand new company was willing to take a chance on me (a brand new author), then I could do the same and take a chance on them.

Mistake #2 – I assumed the publisher would share my values and work ethic. I assumed their reputation was as important to them as my reputation is to me.

I read the contract. At the time of reading, it seemed to be sound, but there were a couple of clauses I questioned. The clause I was most particularly concerned with was a Right of First Refusal clause. I didn’t want to be tied down to the publisher for future works. I asked the publisher if he could put a time limit on the clause so I wouldn’t have to submit manuscripts to him for the duration of the contract. I was told it wasn’t practical to do so and that they would pass quickly on any manuscripts that were a genre they didn’t publish.

Mistake #3—I didn’t have a lawyer look over the contract. I assumed I was smart enough to negotiate a simple publishing contract. If a publisher is unwilling to negotiate clauses within the contract, they are not the publisher for you.

I signed. Everything was great for a while. We started on edits right away. The first thing that caused a niggling doubt was when the publisher asked me to seek out a graphic artist to work on the book cover. The contract clearly stated book cover services would be provided by the publisher, but the author could commission a cover if they chose. I began to search for a cover, but none of my choices met with the publisher’s approval. It was at this point I discovered there was a fundamental difference in the way we each viewed my book. The publisher viewed the book as a fantasy with some romantic elements. I saw the book as a romance with paranormal elements. Indeed, my original query stated the book was a YA paranormal romance.

Mistake #4 – I assumed the publisher and I were on the same page. I should have asked the publisher about his ideas for cover art, marketing, etc before I signed anything.

The publisher was very attentive at first. Edits were forwarded to me on a regular basis. He had grand plans for the website—author pages, a bookstore, many of the same features you’d expect to see on a typical publisher’s website. He indicated he would takeover commissioning my cover art and I was pleased to hand this over to him. He asked me to send a detailed character description and said he found an artist to work on the cover. He asked me to pen two blurbs—one for soft cover and one for the inside flap for hardcover. Contracts were signed for the rest of the series. He stated his intent to publish the first book in late spring 2012 in hardback, with the second book releasing six months later.

Mistake #5 – I let my ego override common sense. I assumed the publisher was in a rush to sign the other books because my first book was so stinking awesome. I didn’t pause to wait and see how he handled the first book before signing contracts for the other, and with the Right of First Refusal clause hanging over me, I didn’t feel I had any choice but to sign over the remaining books.

And then things weren’t so great. In the New Year (2012), the publisher asked me to resend information I’d sent in October 2011—the character descriptions, bio, and blubs. I kept getting conflicting information about the book cover. In February, he told me the cover artist was working on the cover and would have a mock-up soon. In April, he told me he was waiting on a contract from the cover artist before they could start working on it. The cover wasn’t finalized until July.

Communication was sketchy. Emails were often ignored. If I asked more than one question in an email, he would often answer only one of the questions asked.

The website went for months without being updated even after I questioned it several times. I did not appear on the website until February 2013, and that was only after pointing out his failure to update the site was a breach of contract. I am still not on the author section, but at least my book appears—with the old cover. And, this is only the main site I’m talking about. Technically, my book was published under the YA imprint. The website for this imprint hasn’t been updated since 2011 and looks quite abandoned.

The release date for the book was pushed back to August. And, then pushed to September. And, then finally October. Though the paperback became available in mid-September, the Kindle version wasn’t available until October. The hardback version he mentioned never materialized.

There was—and still is—a typo in my name on the title page of the Kindle version of the book. There were also editing problems. The publisher promised to fix the errors in November, January, February, and in March. I asked again a couple of weeks ago and was told it wouldn’t be fixed until May. Over six months to fix an obvious and embarrassing error!

In January, I received an incorrect accounting statement. When I questioned the exclusion of books sold at my signing, he said those books didn’t count in the totals since they were distributed outside normal sales channels. When I asked him to provide the contract clause that allows him to exclude those sales, I received no response. After I sent a breach of contract letter, the publisher said he would send an updated statement and blamed the oversight on someone else.

The publisher now has a ‘Strongly Not Recommended’ rating on P&E and a thread on Absolute Write due to a problem he had with another author.

As per the Right of First Refusal clause, I submitted a book to the publisher. After a couple of months, I asked about it, but was ignored. Four months later, he finally passed on the project AFTER I withdrew it from consideration. The Right of First Refusal is very vague and undefined. It doesn’t say how long the publisher has to look at a manuscript before he makes a decision. It doesn’t say I have to sign with the publisher either. As a matter of fact, it’s so vague, I’ve been told by a couple of lawyers it’s not enforceable, though the publisher might have a different interpretation and decide to cause trouble for me if I self-publish something he later decides he wants.

I could go on and on. There have been other problems. My complaints could fill a novel.

My greatest mistake: Assuming.

Maybe my greatest mistake was that I assumed too much. I assumed someone who set up shop as a publisher would know something about publishing. I assumed his references to traditional publishing practices and minimum print runs meant he was a traditional publisher, and not reliant upon print-on-demand services. I assumed that since thousands of self-published authors around the world could easily format a Kindle version of a book, that meant several editors with multiple years of experience could do the same. The fact that the Kindle version of my book is still sitting uncorrected suggests otherwise.

Contract clauses should not be open for interpretation. Everything in a contract should be written out down to the last detail. Take nothing for granted. Don’t assume the publisher you’re working with is honest. Don’t assume the publisher will be reasonable. Don’t even assume the publisher will know a single thing about publishing. Don’t assume anything.

So, where am I now? I’m the author of two published books—one of which is unmarketable due to the embarrassing errors the publisher has failed to correct. I have four books in a series that are contracted to a publisher I don’t trust and since I foolishly signed away my rights, those books might never see publication. I’m disillusioned and depressed. I feel like I sold my creativity to the devil. But, it could be worse. I’m not out any money (well except for my new book cover and some bookmarks). Unfortunately, it’s unlikely I’ll ever make money either. The contract is very author-unfriendly, and it’s hard for me to promote a book I’m embarrassed to have my name on–well, my misspelled name, to be precise. I plan to send a termination letter, but whether or not the publisher will choose to do the right thing and acknowledge my termination is another matter. I can’t imagine why a reputable publisher would have any interest in continuing to work with an author who is so obviously unhappy, but I guess we’ll see what happens.

I took a risk by choosing to post this. In America, anyone can threaten legal action for any reason, with or without proof, so it’s possible the publisher could threaten me with legal action for posting this. But, I know truth is on my side. I can only hope this post will help newbie authors who might be tempted to sign with the first publisher who expresses interest in their work. I don’t want to see anyone else sign away their happiness.

Please keep your comments clean. This is not a place for name-calling, threats against any publisher, or unfounded accusations. Feel free to share your personal experiences, but be careful to withhold any information that might land you in court. If you don’t feel comfortable posting on this public forum, please feel free to email me at: tricia@triciadrammeh.com

Categories: About Publishing, Advice for New Authors, bad publishers, contracts, independent publishers, publishers, publishers from hell, publishing, small publishers, vanity publishers, writing, writing & publishing tips | Tags: , , , , | 20 Comments

It Takes a Village to Write a Book

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Tricia Drammeh

Okay, so maybe it only takes an author to write a book, but it certainly takes a community of beta readers and editors to make a book publishable. A small percentage of authors say they can self-edit and publish a book without any input, but that is a very small percent. Most authors rely on writing communities, beta readers, and editors in order to craft a flawless novel. Though writing is largely a solitary pursuit, once the first draft is finished, it’s important to reach out to others.

I rely heavily on beta readers. Without my betas, I’d be completely lost. With each beta, I look for something a little different. Some are great at finding plot holes, while others critique from an emotional perspective. Are the characters likable? Dialogue realistic? Are all the loose ends tied up by the end of the book? With my YA series, it’s especially critical to have beta readers. They can pick up on inconsistencies and continuity problems I miss.

Beta readers come in all shapes and sizes, and I’d recommend finding at least one who will be brutally harsh with you. If all your betas are related to you by blood or marriage, it’s unlikely you’ve found a good mix of betas. I think it’s essential to have a sister or cousin in your cheering section to boost your self-esteem and tell you how proud they are of your endeavors, but it’s equally important to find someone who will be brutally honest. While your sister might lift up your spirits when the going gets tough, your harsh beta reader is the one who’ll really hone that manuscript. And, since opinions may vary, I recommend getting more than one harsh beta. The more the merrier, in my opinion.

What’s the difference between a beta reader and an editor? Your beta is focusing on the story–characters, plot, overall enjoyment. An editor focuses on the construction of the manuscript–grammar, repetitive words, spelling. You might get some crossover. I have a couple of betas who will do some light editing by pointing out obvious errors, but what I really want from my betas is their overall impression of the story. What worked? What didn’t?

Once you’ve hammered out your story, you’ll want to work with an editor, especially if you’re self-publishing. There are different types of editing, some more involved than others. A substantive editor will work with you to develop the story, but this is generally a very expensive service. Your best bet is to swap critiques with a few good betas so by the time you get to the editing stage, you’re just looking at proofreading services.

Here’s a list of helpful sites if you’re looking for a beta reader, critique partner, or some writerly folks to chat with:

Did I miss any good critique sites? Let me know and I’ll add them to the list. How many villagers do you have? How do you find your betas? Leave a comment and share your tips and advice.

 

Categories: Advice for New Authors, author, beta readers, fiction writing, publishing, readers, tricia drammeh, writers, writing, writing & publishing tips | Tags: , , , , , , | 9 Comments

It’s Nothing Personal

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Tricia Drammeh

I’m not sure how many of you are aware of this, but there’s a war going on. Waged on the battlefields of Goodreads and Amazon, it’s a war between readers and authors. Well, actually, it isn’t quite that simple. Authors seem to be split–some side with the readers, some side with the authors crying ‘bully,’ and others choose to stay out of it altogether.

You see, there’s a group of authors out there (many who happen to be self-published) who have a very difficult time handling unfavorable reviews. That’s putting it mildly. Let’s be honest–there are authors out there who throw full-blown tempter tantrums when they receive a bad review. They’ve commented on the review, hurling insults and obscenities. They’ve even tracked down the reviewer’s email address or blog and pursued them on Facebook. In an extreme case, a few of the authors got together and started a website aimed toward outing the real identities of these ‘bullies.’ (True story)

Now, these authors will claim the reviewers are the real stalkers. They claim other authors one-star their books in order to knock out the competition. There are accusations of sock-puppetry on both sides. To sum it up, it’s a hot mess.

As authors, what can we do to keep from becoming embroiled in such a battle? What can we do to ensure we won’t end up on an Amazon or Goodreads Authors Behaving Badly List? Well, here are a few tips…

  1. Don’t freak out over bad reviews. Every author will receive at least one bad review. It’s inevitable. Don’t argue with the reviewer. Don’t defend yourself. Don’t comment on the review and try to explain where you were coming from. You’ll just sound like a whiny baby. Accept bad reviews with grace.
  2. Don’t argue with readers or reviewers over anything else. A forum post about how badly your book sucks. An accusation that all your five-star reviews came from sock puppets. “But, Tricia, I didn’t do anything. I don’t know why they’re targeting me.” Maybe someone took offence at a review you posted on another book. Maybe someone saw you were a Goodreads-friend with someone they hated and they decided to extend their hatred to you. Maybe someone just hated your profile pic. Whatever. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. I know an author who ended up on a Badly Behaving Authors list because he tagged books in a way some readers didn’t approve of. There was an Amazon forum post…and before he knew it, there was a whole, big, huge issue–all over something he didn’t realize was wrong. Did he argue? No. He stayed out of it and it all blew over pretty quickly.
  3. Don’t treat your writing like a hobby. (Well, unless it is a hobby.) Here’s the deal–the moment you decide to publish your work, you have entered the professional arena and your book will be judged alongside the works of other authors who are writing as a career. “But, I’m just writing because I love it. I don’t care about grammar, and besides, I’m too poor to hire a professional editor. And, I need new glasses. And, I’m tired because I work full-time.” As a poor, tired author who needs new glasses, I can totally sympathize with all those excuses and more. But, guess what? The reader doesn’t care about your excuses. Whether they paid ten dollars or one dollar or uploaded your book for free, it doesn’t matter. You made the choice to place your book in a professional arena and the reader has every right to critique your book accordingly.
  4. Don’t be an author if you want to live a quiet, private life where no one ever criticizes you or talks about you on the internet. Being an author involves an emotional risk. You’re putting your book–and yourself–in front of the world to be judged. Prepare for people to say things about you and your book (good and bad). It’s nothing personal–it’s just comes with the territory of being an author.
Categories: Advice for New Authors, amazon, authors, books, readers, reviews, tantrums, tricia drammeh, writers, writing, writing & publishing tips | Tags: , , , , | 19 Comments

Bracing for the Worst

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Tricia Drammeh

Now that The Fifth Circle has been released, I’m bracing myself for the inevitable bad reviews. I’m pretty sure I know what the negative reviewers will say: the characters are too  unlikable, it’s too preachy, the plot doesn’t move quickly enough, it’s depressing. Bad reviews always hurt, but it’s one of the risks you take when publishing a book. I’ve received a bit of criticism on The Claiming Words, but I haven’t taken it personally. I’m afraid I won’t be as emotionally detached when the inevitable unfavorable reviews come rolling in on The Fifth Circle.

It’s not that I like The Fifth Circle more than my first book. I love The Claiming Words and I want everyone else to love it too. But with The Fifth Circle, I really want readers to understand where I’m coming from. Even if people hate the characters, I want them to walk away from the book with a renewed compassion for those suffering from mental illness or abuse. I want people to view the world around them a little differently. I want people to think about the defining moments in their lives. When I wrote the book, I didn’t set out to lecture or to impose my values on anyone else, but I still hope people think about the story after they read the final page.

Isn’t that something all authors hope for? Isn’t that the point of writing a book? All writers hope to make an impression. We want the reader to laugh, or cry, or think. We want someone to read what we’ve written, even if the reader leaves a scathing review in response. As authors, we have to take the good with the bad, even if that means reading a review that rips our book apart. We hope for the best, but brace for the worst.

 

Categories: author, books, reviews, tricia drammeh, writing | Tags: , , , | 6 Comments

The Costs of Self-Publishing

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Tricia Drammeh

Today, I’m going to leave small presses alone for a bit while I pick on a different sector of the publishing industry. As my good friend, Will, pointed out in a comment on my Plague of Independent Publishers post, there are self-publishing services out there that can help–and harm–authors. With small presses, what you see is not necessarily what you get. Don’t get me wrong–there are some great small presses out there. I review books for some very respected small presses. Heck, I even published The Claiming Words with a small press. So, for anyone who thinks I’m a small press hater, that isn’t so. Here’s what I hate: people who misrepresent themselves. And, for those of you considering self-publishing, there are publishing services you need to watch out for.

Editors: Hiring an editor is one of the first things you’ll need to do once you decide to publish. You can do some of the work yourself and save money by making your manuscript as clean as possible. Enlist beta readers to find plot holes and inconsistencies. Ask ruthless friends to have a hack at it. But, before publishing, you’ll have to have at least one professional set of peepers have a peek at your manuscript. When searching for an editor, you’ll find a wide range of services and prices. So many choices! What type of editor are you looking for? Do you need someone to shift commas and fix misused words? Or, does your manuscript need a substantial amount of work before you can even consider punctuation? Different editors offer different services, so you need to know what you’re looking for. You need to be clear about your expectations. And, you need to make sure you are hiring the right editor for the job. Has your editor ever tackled a five-hundred page epic fantasy novel, or is yours the first? Does your editor even like fantasy, or are her eyes going to glaze over five pages in to your book? Is the editor a retired nun who is going to red-line all the sex scenes in your erotic romance novel? Is your editor qualified to edit anything at all? Anyone can set up a website and offer editing services. Make sure you get a referral. Read something the editor has worked on–is it well-edited, or did you find errors on the first page? Be careful what you’re paying for.

Formatting Services: If you’ve ever cruised around the KDP Select Forums, you’ve heard horror stories about formatting. There are some great free resources out there that will walk you through the formatting process. Kindle can be formatted right from a Word doc. CreateSpace has downloadable templates. There are books and websites out there. You probably have friends who have formatted and will be happy to give you some tips. But, if you abhor technology or don’t have the time to do it yourself, you can pay someone else to do it for you. Again, you’ll want to make sure the company you choose is an experienced, honest, established entity before you send your manuscript to them. Prices may vary, usually depending on how many formats you need and how long the manuscript is. A friend of mine paid under one-hundred dollars for Kindle and CreateSpace formatting. This seems reasonable compared with others I’ve seen. Always use caution when sending your manuscript to a stranger on the internet. Do some research before you hit that send button.

Cover Art: This is one of the most important marketing tools for your novel. An eye-catching cover is super-mega important. They range from about thirty dollars for a pre-made e-book cover to astronomical amounts that will make your head spin. Shop around, pick a budget, and go from there. It is possible to find an affordable cover, but be careful. Don’t try to make your own cover unless you have some serious skills. Don’t let your six-year-old make your cover with the Microsoft Paint program. And, don’t be tempted to snatch images from Google to create your own cover. If you’re skilled enough to make your own cover, be prepared to spend money on stock images (double-check licensing agreements before using). If you pay an artist who uses photo-manipulation, make sure they have the rights to use the images they are using. Ask questions before hiring an artist.

Marketing and Promotion: There are some great tools out there, many of which are free (Facebook, Twitter, telling your mom to buy your book). Marketing a book is hard work. You can pay for Google ads, Facebook ads, or Goodreads ads, but this can get expensive. Start with a small budget and see what works. There are services out there that claim to help self-published authors. I’ve never used one, but I’ve had a few contact me on my Authors to Watch site. They always approach me on behalf of ‘clients.’ I never respond. It’s infuriating because these ‘clients’ are paying thousands of dollars to be featured on promotional blogs like mine–free blogs that are always happy to help new authors. I never charge for a spot on my site. Most blogs don’t. I have paid for a blog tour. A blog tour is a great way to get a dozen reviews, interviews, and book features over the course of a week for two. I’m happy to pay a nominal fee (forty dollars or so) for someone else to organize this. I am NOT willing to pay hundreds of dollars for someone to do the very same thing. If an online service wants to charge you hundreds of dollars for what is essentially a blog tour and a couple of spots on blog-talk online radio show, run! If someone offers to get your book noticed by millions of readers, they’re probably full of crap.

Self-Publishing Supermarkets: There are lots of services out there that offer to help you self-publish your book for a low, low fee of several thousand dollars. They make it look so easy–they do all the editing, formatting, cover art, and even offer marketing and promotion! What more can you ask for? How about a second mortgage on your home? I’m all for streamlining and making life easier. Hey, no one is lazier than I am. But, I’m also cheap. And, I know if I break down all these services offered in “premium platinum packages” I’m paying way more than I have to. What are these services really offering? Can you do some of these things yourself for free? Will you have to sell your first born child to pay for their packages? Be super careful with these services.

Book Review Services: Okay, here’s where it gets tricky. It’s okay to pay for a blog tour that sets up potential reviews as long as the reviewers aren’t being paid. Let me rephrase–it’s okay to pay for organizational services, but it is not okay to pay for a review. There are services out there that pay reviewers to give five star reviews on books. No, really! I saw an advertisement on Craigs List when I was job hunting. Here’s how it works–the author pays a service to get them some good reviews. Some of these services charge four-hundred dollars for one review!!! The service that was advertising on Craigs List pays reviewers twenty-five dollars per review. Hmm. Someone is making lots of money. (It isn’t me, by the way.) If you decide to use one of these services, please don’t tell me about it because I don’t want to know. I’ll be very disappointed. Very.

Well, that about it sums it up. The moral of this post (and all my posts like this one) is this: Be careful out there. You worked hard on your book–you should be working just as hard to make sure you have a polished finished product. Don’t throw away all that hard work by publishing a poorly editing, badly covered book. And, don’t part with your hard earned money unless you know what you’re getting in return.

I’m sure there’s lots of stuff I either didn’t think of or forgot about, so please feel free to add to the conversation.

Categories: author, books, tricia drammeh, writing, book promotion, marketing, promotion, book covers, publishing, publishers, vanity publishers, small publishers, edits, self publishing, independent publishers, Advice for New Authors, About Publishing | Tags: , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

The Plague of Independent Publishers

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Tricia Drammeh

I thought long and hard about posting this, shelved it for a while, and eventually decided the issue is too important to ignore. If this post forces one author–just one–to look a little more closely into his or her publishing options, I’ll feel like some of my experiences had a purpose.

Now, in order to avoid being sued or hurting any feelings, I want to stress the fact that this post isn’t about my publisher, your publisher, or any specific publisher. This isn’t a call for folks to name names or ‘out’ unscrupulous publishing companies. It isn’t a place to shame authors who have made uninformed choices. This is a  place to share our collective knowledge about the publishing industry and to help our friends make their own choices by providing as much information as possible.

We’re going to talk about the plague of independent publishers. There are more small presses than any of us could possibly count. They pop up seemingly overnight, publish ten or two-hundred books or so, and then vanish, often leaving bewildered authors to pick up the pieces of their publishing careers. Though there are vanity presses and scammers intent on defrauding authors, there are many small publishers who started their company with the very best of intentions.

I’d like to believe that most small presses set up shop with the intent to help authors and perhaps make a bit of money in the process. I’d like to hope these well-meaning entrepreneurs have a solid business plan, a proven marketing model, and good financial backing before they undertake such a venture. I’d like to hope the publishing company and their authors will thrive, eventually growing the business and becoming successful, respected players in the industry.

That’s what I’d like to believe.

Sadly, the majority of these overnight indie publishers burst into the industry, believing their ambition and passion will overcome their lack of experience. Or, they believe a couple of years editing their college newspaper and a degree in English Literature is enough experience. They think it will be easy. They might be passionate, they might have years of editing experience, they might even be successful authors–but, do they know what it takes to run a publishing company?

Many of these small publishers are the nicest people you’d ever want to meet. They’re honest, reliable, and, smart. The twelve-year-old who mows your lawn is nice, honest, and smart too, but would you trust him to edit the book you’ve worked years to write? Would you trust the helpful teller at the bank to market your book? Would you ask the friendly waiter at your favorite restaurant to take over all aspects of publishing your book? How about your doctor? Your hairdresser?

The fact is, anyone can claim to be a publisher. All they need is a website and a few willing authors. They don’t need a business license. They don’t have to pass a State test for certification. They don’t even have to know what the hell they’re doing, because if they can convince you they know more than you do, chances are you’ll sign with them. In many cases, the publisher doesn’t know any more about editing than the author. The guy who sets up shop as a publisher today, might have been a bank teller, waiter, hairdresser, or doctor yesterday. They might not have any experience in publishing at all!

If you’re lucky, the newbie publisher will outsource formatting and cover art to professionals. If you’re NOT lucky, they’ll use their amateur skills to perform these tasks themselves, often with bad results. They’ll use print on demand services in order to produce paperback books. They’ll list your book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The rest is up to you.

Guess what? Any author can hire an editor, commission cover art, and outsource formatting. We all have access to print on demand services, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. So why do we need a publisher?

We don’t.

Why give up control of your book and a percentage of royalties to someone who doesn’t have any more clout in the industry than you do? For some of us, we might think any publisher is better than no publisher. We find the prospect of self-publishing daunting. Before you shake your head and mutter about the naivety of newbie authors, remember this: We were all newbie authors at some point and we’ve all made mistakes.

If you’ve made a mistake and you’ve signed with a nice, but inexperienced publisher, all hope is not lost. You might have lost out on some book sales, maybe lost a bit of money, maybe learned a few hard lessons…but, you’ll be stronger and wiser going forward. If your publisher is an honest businessperson, there should be a way to terminate your contract. An honest publisher won’t want to hold on to an unhappy author and will work with you to find an amicable resolution. I know several authors who have been able to terminate an unfavorable relationship with a publisher and are now happily self-publishing.

So what happens when your starry-eyed publisher realizes setting up shop as a publisher isn’t as easy as he thought? What happens when he isn’t able to turn a profit after a couple of years and decides to close down his business? Or worse–what  happens if your publisher stops putting forth the effort to do his job, but refuses to close up shop? Some small press owners quickly tire of ‘playing publisher,’ but aren’t quite ready to close up shop, leaving your poorly edited and unmarketed book languishing in Amazon cyber-hell. After all, it doesn’t make any difference to them if your book is selling. It doesn’t cost them anything to hold on to your book–the burden of selling the book is on you. And, who knows? Maybe it’ll start selling some time in the future. They don’t want to miss out on the big bucks if your book suddenly hits the bestseller list.

So, what’s worse? A dishonest publisher, or an inexperienced small press? Which is worse in terms of your reputation as an author: A well-edited self-published book, or a poorly produced book with a small press’ logo slapped on the back cover?

For those of you (like me) who chose to take a chance with a small press, I wish you the best of luck. We all make decisions based on a number of factors. I’m not telling authors to avoid small publishers, nor am I telling anyone they made a mistake. I just want to make certain up-and-coming authors look more closely at their publishing options. Self-publishing, vanity, small presses, or traditional publishing–they all come with risks and benefits. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for every book.

So, here’s my advice for new authors: Ask questions, do your research, go with your gut, and do what’s best for you and your book.

Categories: About Publishing, Advice for New Authors, author, books, contracts, independent publishers, publishers, publishing, self publishing, small publishers, tricia drammeh, vanity publishers, writers, writing | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

The Rise of New Adult Fiction

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Tricia Drammeh

There’s a problem in Teen and Young Adult Fiction, and if you’re a parent of a teen or an author who writes YA, you know what I’m talking about. The age group gravitating toward Young Adult fiction seems to get younger and younger every year. YA appeals to readers of many ages. I love it. Heck, my mom loves it too! There seems to be no limit to the ages YA fiction appeals to–and this has caused quite a problem. Children as young as eleven are plucking YA books off the shelf, and as any parent of teens can tell you, a book that is appropriate for a seventeen-year-old may not be suitable for a younger teen or preteen.

This puts authors and parents in a tough position. For parents sifting through the ever-expanding YA section in the bookstore, it isn’t readily apparent which books have strong language or sexual content. YA authors risk facing the wrath of parents who become angry over edgy content–or risk losing their older YA audience because a book isn’t edgy enough.

It’s tough for publishers too. If a book features teenage characters, does it automatically fall under the YA heading? Should an editor advise his or her YA author to eliminate obscenities to suit younger readers? Do we cater to preteens who seem to find the YA shelf irresistible or do we write fiction for the older teens and young adults?

New Adult enters the scene…

New Adult is a fairly new category, rarely claiming a spot on bookstore shelves. These books appeal to older teens and young adults–readers who are old enough to drive and vote. New Adult novels have the widespread appeal of Young Adult fiction and encompasses a broad range of genres, but language and sexual content are geared toward the more mature reader. From vampires to romance to literary fiction, New Adult novels are sure to snag a huge audience, primarily those older YA lovers who enjoy reading about characters ranging from older teen to mid-twenties. And, I would predict we’ll see more and more ‘crossover’ novels that begin in high school (YA) and follow characters into adulthood. As the teenage characters graduate and grow up, so will the audience.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m super excited about the rise of NA fiction. As a YA author, I see this as an opportunity to expand my horizons. As a YA reader, I look forward to reading more books with vibrant characters, snappy dialogue, and fast-paced action generally found in YA, but with steamier romance and more colorful language. It’s not that I love curse words (okay, yes I do), it’s that sometimes a well-used obscenity adds authenticity to certain characters. As for the steamier romance, well, that’s for another post.

As New Adult fiction rise, so does the NA indie author. Let me introduce you to a couple of my favorites…

Siren Snow (Book One of the Redhaven Saga) by Victoria Barrow – This book would fall somewhere under the paranormal/ urban fantasy heading, but is so unique, I hate to categorize it at all. Lucy is a Witch–a really cool witch who can do real magic and has real (adult) responsibilities. She’s young enough to be totally adorable (in my opinion), but mature enough to be out on her own, saving magical creatures, and making decisions that affect the people under her care. She’s got a firecracker personality I absolutely love. Besides a few choice words and the occasional steamy thought, this book would be fine for YA, but it’s those few choice words and steamy thoughts (oh, please let them become steamy moments in future books. Yum!) that make Lucy who she is. I wouldn’t change a single thing about the book. And this, ladies and gents, is why NA is so awesome. We have YA charm with a bit of maturity and a whole lot of great writing.

Celine (Book One of The Night Touched Chronicles) by Maegan Provan- This fast-paced urban fantasy would appeal to lovers of NA or adult fiction. If you’re looking for vegetarian high school vampires, you won’t find them here. Provan’s vampires are young adults who struggle with complicated romance and high-society expectations. They’re independent, curfew-free, and are not restrained by YA standards. While Celine could easily nestle into the wide world of adult novels, I would recommend it to NA readers. The characters are very appealing and twenty-somethings will be able to identify with them, while older teens will want to be like them. There’s language and violence inappropriate for teens younger than seventeen, but it’s absolutely perfect for New Adult fans. The vamps who were so popular with teens five years ago may not appeal to those readers who have grown up and are looking for something more. Well, guess what? The vampires have grown up in Celine and I predict grown-up Twi-fans will flock to The Night Touched Chronicles.

The Chrysalis Series by Michel Prince – Remember when I mentioned ‘crossover’ books? Well, Prince’s series is a prime example. With the first book, Chrysalis, we find ourselves in the high school hallways, following the journey of Ellie and Oscar. This book is so steamy, it scarcely falls under the YA heading at all. There are some very intimate scenes and some very strong language. As the parent of an older teen, I happen to know some of the situations described in this book are very realistic for a certain segment of older teens. I’m okay with this. I would let my older teen read this book because I think there are some very good messages within the pages–and it’s a hell of a good story. But, for the eleven and twelve-year-olds perusing the YA section of the library… nope. Not for them. Chrysalis is just on the very edge of what’s acceptable for YA. With the second book–The Beam–we are definitely jumping over that edge into the NA pool. As teenagers tend to grow and change, so does the Chrysalis series. Prince does a wonderful job guiding her characters from teen to adulthood. As such, I highly recommend this for older teens and for young adults looking for a book with magic, romance, and substance.

 

Categories: authors, books, celine, chrysalis, maegan provan, michel prince, new adult, paranormal, readers, redhaven, teens, urban fantasy, victoria barrow, writing, young adult | Tags: , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

First Things First

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Tricia Drammeh

When I was at the dreaded day job, I often had so many things to do, I’d feel guilty for working on one task (even though it was essential) because I knew there were a million-billion other things I needed to do. I could never give my unwavering attention to one project because the other projects danced around in my head, taunting me. I thought when I quit the dreaded day job, I’d leave all that behind me.

Now I feel like that in regards to writing. Part (okay most) of this is my fault because I have several unfinished manuscripts. I also have completed manuscripts in need of editing. When I’m writing, I feel guilty for not marketing The Claiming Words, or for not editing, or for not writing something else. When I’m not writing I feel guilty for not writing. Then of course there’s the guilt I feel for spending so much time writing or doing writerly things when it brings in no income at all.

The fact is, my writing might never generate an income. If that’s the case, should I give up now and get another job? Should I put writing on the backburner once again and call it a hobby? Is there any point in finishing any of my incomplete manuscripts?

These are questions I’ve struggled with all week. It isn’t the first time I’ve batted these ideas around in my mind. I could list all my frustrations, but it would be pointless. We all suffer from setbacks and frustration. We all have moments of self-doubt. Sometimes I move from self-doubt to confidence and back all in the same week.

It’s time to finish an unfinished project. Nothing is more of a confidence-booster than writing the words “The End.” Though I’ve put off finishing the final book in The Claiming Words Series, I think now is the time to wrap it up and put it behind me. I can only do one thing at a time and right now, it’s time to finish this book.

How do you handle self-doubt? How do you prioritize? What do you do when you feel overwhelmed?

 

 

Categories: writer, writers, writing | Tags: , , , , , | 15 Comments

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