Enter to win a copy of 'Seven Days Normal' at the following link:
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/42450-seven-days-normal-a-story-of-fame-addiction-and-love
Friday, January 18, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Fresh Fiction Blog Guest
Here's the link for my guest blog post on the Fresh Fiction website! Happy reading everyone!
http://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=4674
My Thoughts on Self Publishing
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year! We did at the Wilson residence, with our baby Scout turning one and having her first Christmas morning within days of each other. I'm still tired! But I wanted to post about a certain topic because I've been asked this question numerous times within the last few weeks: 'Would I have self published had I not gotten picked up by a publisher?'
My answer friends, is a big, fat NO!!
Don't judge me yet; I certainly don't want to give the impression that I'm too good for such a thing, or not humble enough to admit there are many good writers out there who have gone the self publishing route. My reasons are simple- so simple that it's kind of laughable really.
First reason: self publishing intimidated me more than submitting to a publisher.
Second reason: I was not in a hurry to get published, at least not in the literal sense of the word.
Why intimidated?
Well, I won't lie. I did a little research on it. My dad has a friend who self published and told him to inform me that it was easier, you're in control, no contracts, yada, yada, yada. So I looked into it. But not for long. Ten minutes max, probably. I'm sure I didn't educate myself on the subject enough to eradicate the fear that made my gut tingle, but it seemed SO hard! Getting a printer, a distributor, and even a publicist to help you promote sounded downright scary to me. Not to mention the cost! It truly seemed too much for my amateur brain to handle. And truth be told, it still does. I would rather write a thousand query letters than to find a reliable distributor or a publicist who was dedicated to my work, just to name a few things.
So my hat goes off to those who take that leap, whether they're worth a darn at writing or not. Maybe I'm wrong, but it just seems like it takes a lot if bravery to self publish. Especially in today's market, where excellent writers get turned down left and right by the higher powers that be.
Then there's reason number two. When I say I wasn't in a hurry, well I wasn't. I kinda wanted to get a few rejections, simply for the feedback. When a publisher tells you the word count is too high, but the story is good, well, that's an encouragement and a place to improve and tighten up the story a bit(I was told this by two publishers and cut my word count in half!). I wanted as much advice and feedback from the professionals as possible. Yes, I got discouraged, but you have to take that emotion and use it to the benefit of your writing. Don't raise yourself on a self righteous pedestal and think you're too good for rejections. Utilize every one of them to hone your story into a great book. I was willing to wait years to be picked up, with the intention of starting on a new story. And another. And another.
So there is my answer. But please, if you want to self publish, go for it. I will say that the market is brutal. It's hectic, and impossibly aggravating at times, but I don't care who you are, to see a story you created in physical form in the palm of your hand is priceless. So do whatever your heart leads you to do to make it happen!
My answer friends, is a big, fat NO!!
Don't judge me yet; I certainly don't want to give the impression that I'm too good for such a thing, or not humble enough to admit there are many good writers out there who have gone the self publishing route. My reasons are simple- so simple that it's kind of laughable really.
First reason: self publishing intimidated me more than submitting to a publisher.
Second reason: I was not in a hurry to get published, at least not in the literal sense of the word.
Why intimidated?
Well, I won't lie. I did a little research on it. My dad has a friend who self published and told him to inform me that it was easier, you're in control, no contracts, yada, yada, yada. So I looked into it. But not for long. Ten minutes max, probably. I'm sure I didn't educate myself on the subject enough to eradicate the fear that made my gut tingle, but it seemed SO hard! Getting a printer, a distributor, and even a publicist to help you promote sounded downright scary to me. Not to mention the cost! It truly seemed too much for my amateur brain to handle. And truth be told, it still does. I would rather write a thousand query letters than to find a reliable distributor or a publicist who was dedicated to my work, just to name a few things.
So my hat goes off to those who take that leap, whether they're worth a darn at writing or not. Maybe I'm wrong, but it just seems like it takes a lot if bravery to self publish. Especially in today's market, where excellent writers get turned down left and right by the higher powers that be.
Then there's reason number two. When I say I wasn't in a hurry, well I wasn't. I kinda wanted to get a few rejections, simply for the feedback. When a publisher tells you the word count is too high, but the story is good, well, that's an encouragement and a place to improve and tighten up the story a bit(I was told this by two publishers and cut my word count in half!). I wanted as much advice and feedback from the professionals as possible. Yes, I got discouraged, but you have to take that emotion and use it to the benefit of your writing. Don't raise yourself on a self righteous pedestal and think you're too good for rejections. Utilize every one of them to hone your story into a great book. I was willing to wait years to be picked up, with the intention of starting on a new story. And another. And another.
So there is my answer. But please, if you want to self publish, go for it. I will say that the market is brutal. It's hectic, and impossibly aggravating at times, but I don't care who you are, to see a story you created in physical form in the palm of your hand is priceless. So do whatever your heart leads you to do to make it happen!
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
It's Here!
As a newly published author, I simply can't put into words( which is a shocker for me) how effing excited I am that my baby debuts tomorrow. 'Seven Days Normal' was a joy to write, and even more of a joy to edit, honing it to make it crisp and clear and the story it was meant to be. But to finally see my work in print, to be able to hold it in my hands, is, as my husband would say, the berries my friends. And in less than four hours, all the pre orders will be shipped, and hopefully within a couple of business days, as promised by Amazon.com, my book will be in the hot little hands of readers who decided to give a sista a chance. My guts get the bubbles every time I think of that first review popping up on Amazon. Will others like it? Of course, just as no one could ever love my own children as I do, the same holds true for my book, but I do hope it will be a favorite to many. Will readers catch the message it holds? Will they feel Casy's angst? His hope? His love?
Or will they hate it?
Agghh, I cast that thought from me now!
Oh, I know I will get some negative feedback. I'm not that proud. I willingly humble myself to the cruelty of those readers out there who are hard to please. Even literary greats get their share of bad reviews. I will not delude myself into thinking that I am above such negative feedback.
But still, I haven't fully prepared myself to what I may see. Good or bad. I just really don't know how to process any of it right now, because I guess when a dream really does come true, part of you expects it to still be simply that, still just a dream, thinking, 'Did this really happen to me?'
Yes it did. I am a published author. My book debuts tomorrow.
And I truly hope for my fellow writers out there, that one day soon you can feel the same excitement, joy, and surrealism that I'm experiencing right now as your book debuts too!
I will keep you posted on the stats. NY Times Best Sellers List, anyone?
Happy writing!
Or will they hate it?
Agghh, I cast that thought from me now!
Oh, I know I will get some negative feedback. I'm not that proud. I willingly humble myself to the cruelty of those readers out there who are hard to please. Even literary greats get their share of bad reviews. I will not delude myself into thinking that I am above such negative feedback.
But still, I haven't fully prepared myself to what I may see. Good or bad. I just really don't know how to process any of it right now, because I guess when a dream really does come true, part of you expects it to still be simply that, still just a dream, thinking, 'Did this really happen to me?'
Yes it did. I am a published author. My book debuts tomorrow.
And I truly hope for my fellow writers out there, that one day soon you can feel the same excitement, joy, and surrealism that I'm experiencing right now as your book debuts too!
I will keep you posted on the stats. NY Times Best Sellers List, anyone?
Happy writing!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Networking
I just want to pass along an epiphany I had today while speaking with NY Times best selling and multi-award winning author Jodi Thomas. She was humble enough to sit down with me at Barnes and Noble and pass along some valuable information on marketing. I got to pick her brain for about an hour, and I learned so much, and, seeing as how this blog is meant to educate fellow writers, I shall not withhold my learnings. I shall share.
My first question to her was how she marketed her first novel. It was published in 1988, before social media, or at least as we know it today. Her answer was so simple it was shocking: You put yourself out there in every way you can possibly think.
But how does one do that when you can't reach thousands via Facebook, Twitter, blogs and websites?Another simple answer: You tell everyone you know, and in turn, make sure they tell everyone they know.
In other words, network!
Well, duh! Why didn't I think of that?
I guess I did, but in our society we do that by utilizing the internet. I guess I never stepped back long enough to think it through. Or I thought it through too much, really. Yes, it is an advantage to have the internet to reach people you don't know, but don't underestimate those you do know!
Jodi told me she had friends in different cities. She would travel to each city, telling her friends to gather their friends and meet her at a local bookstore or what have you. Same worked for family. They brought their friends and their friends brought their family, and boom, she would be pleasantly surprised with a crowd, which garnered attention from strangers who were curious about said crowd. The sales of her first novel eventually took off, and bam, she became known.
So the moral of the story: don't underestimate networking through family and friends by word of mouth. Out of all I learned today, that has stuck with me the most. I made a list of towns within traveling distance which are home to friends and family. Next, I plan to contact libraries, bookstores, or even coffee shops(anywhere that will house an author desperate to make her name known), and set up dates and times to do a book signing, or even just a little 'talk' about writing or my novel. Then I will have my friends and family bring every friggin' person they know who has at least read one book in their life, and well, there you have it.
One person essentially equals ten. If I learned anything working in retail, it was that. Don't forget the power of word of mouth.
And thank you Jodi for talking to me. When I'm a big time author like you, I will gladly pass along my knowledge to those who need it, just as you did for me today. Just goes to show, we writers are in this together!
My first question to her was how she marketed her first novel. It was published in 1988, before social media, or at least as we know it today. Her answer was so simple it was shocking: You put yourself out there in every way you can possibly think.
But how does one do that when you can't reach thousands via Facebook, Twitter, blogs and websites?Another simple answer: You tell everyone you know, and in turn, make sure they tell everyone they know.
In other words, network!
Well, duh! Why didn't I think of that?
I guess I did, but in our society we do that by utilizing the internet. I guess I never stepped back long enough to think it through. Or I thought it through too much, really. Yes, it is an advantage to have the internet to reach people you don't know, but don't underestimate those you do know!
Jodi told me she had friends in different cities. She would travel to each city, telling her friends to gather their friends and meet her at a local bookstore or what have you. Same worked for family. They brought their friends and their friends brought their family, and boom, she would be pleasantly surprised with a crowd, which garnered attention from strangers who were curious about said crowd. The sales of her first novel eventually took off, and bam, she became known.
So the moral of the story: don't underestimate networking through family and friends by word of mouth. Out of all I learned today, that has stuck with me the most. I made a list of towns within traveling distance which are home to friends and family. Next, I plan to contact libraries, bookstores, or even coffee shops(anywhere that will house an author desperate to make her name known), and set up dates and times to do a book signing, or even just a little 'talk' about writing or my novel. Then I will have my friends and family bring every friggin' person they know who has at least read one book in their life, and well, there you have it.
One person essentially equals ten. If I learned anything working in retail, it was that. Don't forget the power of word of mouth.
And thank you Jodi for talking to me. When I'm a big time author like you, I will gladly pass along my knowledge to those who need it, just as you did for me today. Just goes to show, we writers are in this together!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Goodreads.com giveaway
Enter for a chance to win Seven Days Normal at www.goodreads.com! Go to http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/37420-seven-days-normal
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