Book Trailer Madness

Here's a little video I've been working on that will be included in my book trailer. Its the Red Sage Introduction using elements and tutorial info from Video Copilot. Can I just say Andrew Kramer rocks? Well, he does. Be sure to check out his site here.

Let me know what you think. BTW, I mixed the music too. Yeah, I'm just that good. :p

So You Want To Write A Book

Writers more and more are turning to “vanity” publishing in order to get their work out there. There are several problems with that, which all can be boiled down to quality, or better said the lack thereof.

Let’s face it, we all have egos. We all think we’re pretty damn good at what we do and when we hear criticism or rejection we get defensive, including yours truly. If you let it get to you that’s going to be a problem if you want to be a successful writer. Yeah, I’ve heard the “I’ve got a thick skin” smack that holds as much water as a Dixie cup on the Titanic. Need proof? Simply send your work to a number of agents (not all at once, mind you as most don’t accept simultaneous submissions) and wait for their response. I guarantee you that when you read their bland form rejections again and again and again you’ll see a pattern here. That’s right, you’re work doesn’t cut it.

There are many factors that involve their decision. It could be a formatting issue. Agents generally require specific things in each submission, but most people don’t even bother to do their homework by checking the agent’s web site to find out what the agent wants to see. It could be grammatical errors in your query and/or synopsis. Nothing turns an agent off faster than grammatical errors. Why? Because the public hates them too. It also could be timing, where the market is saturated with the genre of your book or it’s on a decline. Oh sure, these are all legitimate reasons to reject your work. But the reason they send you that bland reply most often than not is because your work needs work.

After several rejections you turn to self-publishing (aka. vanity publishing). Hey, if Amanda Hockings can do it, so can you. Right? Actually, there's more to being an author than just writing a book. That's a fact. You spend a good portion of your time doing other things related to writing, but don't despair. Sometimes the other stuff can be just as much fun.

We all want our novel to shine, but in order to do that you have to spend some time researching and getting into the business side. Without this knowledge you can make fatal mistakes that turn your best seller to your best stinker. Things to consider are:

1. Sales data on genre. If it ain’t selling it ain’t selling. That means you could have something great on your hands, but if the market isn’t buying you’ll have a tough time selling it until the trends change. If you’re patient, great. If you’re not, try reading what’s hot and see if that genre is something you want to write in. However, and please read this very carefully, do NOT write something for the sake of it. If you’re not feeling the story (i.e., getting into the heads of the characters down to their dark little secrets) then forget about it. Stick with what you want to do. Who knows, you could prove everyone wrong by writing the best novel in that genre that’s ever been published.
2. Know your genre (even if it’s mainstream). There are specific things readers expect from their favorite genres and if you don’t deliver them they are most likely not going to buy the next book. In some cases you might even get a negative review. And trust me, readers do read these. I know. I do. In fact, that’s the first place I start, because I do not trust people to be honest about the work. Check association web sites (like Romance Writers for America or Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America) to get the latest scoop. These are fantastic resources for writers, and given that many have advice on writing, it behooves you to check them out.
3. Editor, for reals! Don’t have your family and friends do your editing for you. If you have to hire someone do it. You want someone who does this for a living in one capacity or another, preferably either someone who works in the publishing industry or has experience editing large documents and has a passion for reading (before you hire someone make sure to check Writer’s Beware for hacks and con artists). If the editor reads in your genre, even better. They will be able to give you insight on what’s working and not working in your manuscript, which can be vital to turning a story into a best seller. Remember, these are people who read a lot and know what’s out there. Keep your trap shut and listen. It doesn’t mean you have to do everything they suggest, you’re simply ingesting information. Who knows, it just might be exactly what you need to hear, even if they tell you “This stinks!” If they do tell you your work stinks have them quantify exactly what they didn’t like about it (i.e., grammar, plot, lack of character development, etc.).
4. Read. Seriously. Read until your brain is mush. Include blogs like Joe Konrath’s A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing and Eric’s Pimp My Novel. Joe is a prolific e-book author. Eric works in the publishing industry in marketing (he’s the guy who helps you sell your books, like imaging, branding yourself, etc.). Both have different takes on the industry, but their sage advice is valuable for all sides of publishing. If you’re publishing ebooks or heading into the traditional legacy house publishing both will provide you statistics on market trends, the health on book distributors like the big box bookstores, and tips and tricks to get you published. Eric goes into ebook sales, so its worth a look. There's also this fabulous blog entry from Nathan Bransford that goes into revenues and current trends. Very informative stuff.
5. Thou Shalt Not Criticize the Critic. Don’t go Howett on a critic. The worst thing you can ever do is argue with one. It’s not even advisable to argue over someone else’s work. Read #3 if you don’t get it, particularly the part about keeping your trap shut and listening. Critics take their free time to read your work and then offer their insight on what they liked and what they didn’t like. You can learn a lot about your work even through scathing critiques. You just have to chill out and process what they’re saying. And don’t chalk it up as “that’s their opinion.” Yeah, an opinion from someone who reads a lot and knows a thing or two. Countering a critic can lead to spectacular rejection by the public, even those who haven’t picked up your book. That’s what Howett is about. An author not only posted repeated arguments against the critic and his visitors, she resorted to throwing the “F” bomb. Do you know what happened to her ratings on Amazon? Yep, it tanked. People posted reviews of her work who blatantly declared they hadn’t read it simply because of her reaction to a critic. Bad form on the author’s part. Period.
6. Get Up Off of That Thang. Well, figuratively speaking. You want to be out there, in the public, and with all the social networking opportunities this is a great time to start publishing your polished work. Some great advice on this comes from Joe again, What Works: Promo for Ebooks. He goes into the nitty gritty about electronic and self-publishing. The man is brilliant and successful. One more thing I would include that he hasn’t, and that is getting involved in your local association. I’m a member of the Northwest Houston chapter of Romance Writers of America and I can tell you they’re a wonderful group of people. In just two visits, I learned about voodoo from an actual voodoo priestess (Ms. Ava Kay Jones) and how to dig up bones of your character (a lecture on the intricacies of introspection to determine character style, personality, and weaknesses). Plus, I’m surrounded by brilliant artists from all walks of publishing and their advice is like mana to my starving writer's soul. Getting out there gives you presence and that presence can have a positive effect on your writing and publishing, without a doubt.

The last thing I will tell you, but will not add to my list because it goes without saying, is to write. Take Amanda Hockings advice. Don’t get distracted. Sit down and write. When the other stuff starts to creep in, don’t get up off that chair. Focus and keep working on that chapter until you’re in the zone. If you have to, find a place where you’re alone. Tell your family and friends that you are working and not to disturb you. Remember, you’re investing time without pay for future rewards, which means you are working, on a job. It is your job to write and you’re the boss. If you have to, use Amanda’s trick or put a large picture of you shaking your finger at yourself or shut your door and don’t open it until you’ve written a chapter. That type of discipline is necessary. Trust me, it never gets easier. Something will always try to creep into your mind. The difference is you’ll learn to recognize it and have the appropriate arsenal to contend with it.

And above all, remember you can do it. The difference between an unpublished author and a published one is tenacity. NEVER give up on your dream.