Sh!t That Writers Hear
You know, sometimes I love HuffPo. They take a topic and sometimes hit the nail on the head.
And you know what, it’s the fastest way to cheese a writer off. I heard most of them. And honestly, I’m surprised that we writers aren’t shooting back with comebacks! I mean, come on. We the creatives can get creative with them too, can we not?
(In case you haven’t guessed yet, this post is mostly fun/sarcasm. And yes, I use some of those comebacks, because people really don’t think before they ask a writer a question…)
Have you been published?
Well of course I have! Else would I offer you this thing called….a book?
What do you write? [pause for answer] Oh.
Well, what do you like? [pause for answer] Oh.
Do you have, like, a real job?
Writing. Why do you think it’s not real?
I don’t read much.
So going online doesn’t count? Because seriously, you do read what’s on the screen, you realize that, right?
Do you know Stephen King? What’s he like?
I’d love to find out!
You should write a book about my life, it’s a bestseller for sure.
Sigmund Freud would agree! You certainly have a healthy ego.
I’m gonna write someday, when I have free time.
Then you never will.
[No sarcasm here. It's the truth. You either make the time, or you never will]
My sister likes to read. Have you written anything she would know?
Well, she’ll know what I’ve written when she reads it. If, on the other hand, you’re asking me if I can give her something to read, sure!
You write novels? I only read stuff that’s real.
Are those things on my bookshelf zombies?
I read your book. It was… interesting.
It is indeed, the Amazon reviews are favorable.
My mother loves your books.
That’s fantastic! Now what about you?
I’ve got a great story for you!
I’m not a literary agent.
I thought books were dead.
Have you read any lately?
You should write a screenplay! That’s where all the money is.
How nice of you to worry! Now why aren’t you writing one?
–
Snappy comebacks aside, few things irritate me as much as the idea that 1. books are “dead” and 2. there’s such a thing as a “real book”. If books are dead, then why has that particular medium been alive for several centuries? Come the hell on. Books aren’t “dead”. After all, there’s new authors writing them on a fairly constant basis, and the Hollywood movie factory needs to get its ideas from somewhere.
Far as 2, I’ve written about it at length here. Long post short: there’s no such thing as a “real book”. All books are real by virtue of being written. If you like nonfiction, you say nonfiction. Don’t denigrate a piece of writing just because it’s not something you read. You wouldn’t like it very much if someone devalued something that you’ve poured a lot of effort into, so why do you suppose you can do that to an author? You just don’t do that.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – and again, until it sinks in – that writing is a job. It’s a very difficult, sometimes thankless, and rarely financially lucrative job. If you’re not writing, you’re thinking about what to write. If you’re writing, you’re always thinking about what to write next. If you’re done writing, you always think about marketing and pushing it out to potential readers. It is a nonstop job, it requires a ton of mental resources, and considering the current financial conditions of being an author, it’s not lucrative. We writers do it because it is our calling, but we aren’t so starry-eyed to believe that we’re going to instantly become the next best-seller. That takes a hell of a lot more work than people think. Just because you see the finished product doesn’t mean it doesn’t take years to create it.
K.G.
Like this:
Some Retrospect on Book 4
Over the weekend, the proof files got approved and I bumped up the release date a little.
In other words, please welcome my baby: the wrap-up of the first arc, and the fourth book in The Index Series: Revival.
I released four books since 2009. And now that I’m back to the usual daily grind of promo, day job, studying, photo-retouching, and all those other things I do, I’m starting to slowly realize that I released four books, and I’m somewhere between surprised and having a conniption about what I’m going to do next.
This series, this story of non-human people in outer space dealing with very human problems on their scale and in their lives, has been something that I wanted to write since I was a kid. The fact that the story is written and published is more than a little surreal. In fact, I feel like I should pinch myself, just to make sure that it’s happening. Even though the hard copies of the books are all within my line of sight, it’s still difficult to believe that yes, I’ve actually stopped just dreaming and started doing all of this.
But there we go, and here we are. So now what do I do?
Well, first things first…PARTY! It’s the first complete arc. Instead of one volume, I have four to offer, and two more waiting in the wings to get released. This has been a labor of love, and a whole mess of work for more than just myself. My editor, Gayle F. Moffet, has labored over every installment since the second, and I have half a mind of having her overhaul the first, if only to have it up to par. This series, right now, is as much hers as it is my own, because if not for her eyes and red-pen feature on Acrobat, I shudder to think of what would’ve happened to my books otherwise.
And second things second, I have to think of the next arc. It will be three books; I have to start on rewriting the fifth one sooner rather than later (because holy plot holes, batman), and of course…artwork!
And speaking of the artwork…
You may have noticed that Jenna Bacci was billed as the original artist for the cover of Revival. That did not turn out to be the case, and instead, the back cover of Revival features the artwork of Tiffany Chaney, from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This is due to circumstances beyond my control; Jenna is getting ready for college, and working on all of that has been her priority. I’m cheering her on, whichever school she will attend. Tiffany Chaney has been hired to work on the character art for The Index Series, and she will work on the second arc as well. The front covers of Lineage and Revival have both been created by Marion Meadows (yes, the same Marion Meadows who’s on stage with the sax), and hopefully, he will stay aboard as the cover artist for the upcoming arc.
There’s a lot more research to be done for the second arc as well. I will not give away what I’ll be researching just yet, but let’s just say that if you think that this is the last you’ve seen of Morrhia, you’re wrong. And if you’re gleefully thinking that she’ll be back…well, I can’t really tell you what she’s up to, can I? :)
The most important retrospect, though, is how self-publishing has grown since 2009, when I released my first book. Think about it: 2009 wasn’t that long ago, only three years. And if only a year earlier I would’ve said that I’d be going self-pub, I would’ve heard, “That’s great if you want to have your books gathering dust in your closet.” Heck, I actually heard that from a published author as I was tossing the option around. But if I were to be a first-time self-pub right now, the amount of information about self-publishing is astounding. When the Kindle got cheap, it’s like someone poured Miracle-Gro on self-publishing, and suddenly, its view has shifted into a very viable, very lucrative, and very freeing way to get your stuff into print.
It’s been a hectic, madcap, exciting, and completely exhilarating three years in the publishing world, and know what I say? Full. Speed. Ahead.
K.G.
Like this:
The Majority Has Spoken
It will be Option 2: Release them simultaneously as soon as I know that the print version is up to par.
Which, actually, will be in a few hours. I’ve been approved for the proofing stage, and am looking over the digi-proof to make sure everything is up to par and as it should be.
In other words, I just might release it today.
That is, of course, barring any unexpected difficulties or last-second alterations. Cross your fingers, guys, here we go.
Also, in the meantime, now that I’m in a hotel room in CT and it’s just me and my Netbook, I’m thinking of putting this thing through a cycle of tech support. Sound off people: what do I have to do to Windows 7 to make it run faster than Usain Bolt at the Olympics?
K.G.
Like this:
To Jump the Gun, or Not to Jump?
That is the question, and the answer will be decided by majority opinion.
This is the thing. Revival, the fourth installment of the series, is finally done. It’s been rewritten, professionally revised, has a gorgeous cover courtesy of two amazing artists, and is good. to. go.
The print version…ain’t.
This is the thing: I was setting out to release the print book and the e-version at the same time. But while working on formatting the file for e-release, I found and fixed very tiny errors. Which means that the book has to be re-uploaded for print.
Which sucks, but what can I do? Perfectionist me is a perfectionist.
The e-book is fine. I did a sample conversion to check how it would look in Kindle format, and it passed with flying colors. I had to splice in a couple bits (Letter to the Reader, series list) and futz with the layout, but it should be fine, and it’s ready to get released, well…immediately.
You can see my quandary, can’t you?
So, ladies and gentlemen, a poll for you. Comment with an option.
Option 1: Release the e-book now, then release the print version whenever CreateSpace approves it
Option 2: Release both at the same time, as soon as the print version is up to par.
Option 3: Release both on the scheduled release date, May 13th
Yes, I’m actually letting my fans take charge of the book release! The option with the most votes gets done. Have at it! Comment and tell me why, if you’d like.
K.G.
PS: Gayle, your vote is tallied.
Like this:
Call for distributors!
No, not the book kind.
But! I got some gorgeous postcards to advertise Book 4 with. The launch is coming in two weeks, and looks like I might even manage ahead of schedule, which would be AWESOME!
But…need to boost me some exposure.
So, ladies and gents, if you’d like to help me out and leave some postcards in your neighborhood cafe, bookstore, hangout, something – please comment with your address and I’ll mail you a bunch. Comments are moderated and will not be un-screened containing your information.
I shall do the same for you if you send me yours also.
Any takers?
K.G.
Like this:
Blog Tour!
My first one, I might add. I’m excited!
This is what the schedule looks like. I’ll update the links as they become available, and add tour dates as those too become available.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25th: With Raymond Frazee, discussing screenwriting and selling the screenplay as reading material.
FRIDAY, APRIL 27th: With Julie Campbell, discussing writing as a business.
SUNDAY, APRIL 29th: At Amelia Curzon’s, talking about Amazon.
MONDAY, APRIL 30th: An interview with D. Von Thaer
THIS JUST IN: Interview with S.R. Torris.
Happy touring!
K.G.
