Shooting Stars
I've scheduled some promotions for the next month.
January 11-15 the ebook of "Shooting Stars: A Teenage Vampire Love Story from a Boy's Perspective" will be free on Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S98RVO8/ref=series_dp_rw_ca_1
January 25-29 the ebook of "Flypaper Boy: Coming of Age" will be free on Amazon.com
February 1-5 the ebook of Shooting Stars 3 "Blue Moon" will be free on Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CTDZKFQ/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
These are not new years resolutions, only the things I currently have planned, coinciding with starting a monthly news letter and email list. With the way Amazon, Facebook, and other platforms may change their policies over night and cut my exposure down in an instant, it only makes sense to create a more intimate source, a more individually captained source, for contact with people who might be interested in my fiction.
So, if you're interested, here's what I have planned:
A monthly newsletter updating the status of each of my projects, sharing personal successes in writing, running, and family life, probably sharing an absurd observation or two, and sharing a short story from one of my fictional environments which shouldn't be available elsewhere.
Projects I currently have going are:
The Price of Friendship (ebook). It is through edits. I'm working on the book cover and formatting. It should be out by the end of February 2019.
The Galactic Battle Base: Space Dust (ebook) It is also through edits, the cover is almost done, and it needs formatting. Also should be out by the end of February 2019.
The Pariah. Episodes 15-20 are ready to be recorded and released as podcast episodes. After that, they will be released as the fourth novella/chapter book. I'm editing Episodes 21-24. When they are recorded and released as podcast episodes, I will re edit the entire novel and then send it to an editor.
Shooting Stars 4 needs another major edit with another 10K words.
Next week I'm taking a day off from the day job to outline my short stories for my monthly new letters with the first news letter due out at the beginning of February.
To all my imaginary "regular followers": You know I am experimenting with different ways of developing my "platform" and establishing myself as a successful and productive author.
My latest attempt has been to join a book tour. I've seen ads to have books promoted through such a tour, but haven't had the courage to put up the cash yet--considering the lack of success I got from the money paid to "Free And Discount Books" for my launch of "Shooting Stars". For the $60 is shelled out, I can't see that I got a "Red Cent" worth of promotion from it.
So, this time I saw a tweet about reading a book and reviewing it on my blog for a book tour organized by www.elitebookpromotions.com. The book is, "Reporting Lives". I read the book, wrote my review and will have it posted next week. (Right here for your nonexistent eyes to peruse.)
pec
I read a post on Twitter this morning where an author was describing how much of her was consumed various thoughts and actions. She mentioned something called, "Imposter Syndrome".
That's one of those things which keeps authors from finishing their books, or if they finish it, it keeps them from seeking out agents or publishers. I think the idea runs along the idea that, "I'm not really an author. I'm just faking it. I'm an imposter. So I don't deserve to finish the novel, or get published, because then, everyone would see what an imposter I really am."
I feel that myself. On the one hand, I believe that anyone has the right to write the requisite number of words as long as they meet the criteria of following a story arc which logically proceeds from beginning to end. They can then call themselves an author, writer, novelist, etc. A real one, too.
I tell myself that all the time.
And still, I look for validation all the time. Sales and reviews of my books help me validate it. Though, if you know me personally, books sales have not been phenomenal. I somehow think that if sales had rocketed through the ceiling, I would feel much more validated.
I work full time as an orthotist. I'm a good one. I'm creative and talented and many of my patients even like me. But then, I feel like, if I'm an orthotist full time, then I'm only trying to be an author, writer, novelist part time, faking along the best I can until...
I was running the projects through my mind that I currently have going, mentally trying to get a grip on what I should work on next. Here was the list I came up with:
The Pariah Podcast:
The Intro and Episode 1 are recorded and in the can.
Episodes 3 - 7 have been edited once.
Episode 2 has been read out loud, re edited, and ready to record.
I want the first 4 Eps in the can by the launch date of February 6th.
I've decided to broaden the plot of The Pariah and will probably bring another 25K words into it. So I need to outline that and write those five episodes.
I need to make bookmarks of my books and podcast to hand out at a Comic Convention I'm going to and get them printed.
I committed to a website trying to serialize digital writing for a monthly subscription. I said I will serialize a Galactic Battle Base Novel and will need to have my first episode ready by March 31. Again, I would rather have the first four episodes ready, about 2500 words each to be release every two weeks.
The Galactic Battle Base is with the editor. I would like to release that in May. I need to do another edit, at least, and get cover art for the book.
I want to release "Shooting Stars 2" in the summer. So I need to do at least two full edits of that before sending it to the editor.
In the fall I want to release "The Price of Friendship 3" on Podiobooks.com. So that needs to be written, edited twice and recorded.
So, the realization which I had was that, while I may not believe the rest of the world should take me seriously as a writer, if I am to get all of this done on time, I need to take myself seriously as a writer.
What's Happening Now.
So. In trying to find out if writing a blog every day was something that would help me sell books, I found out that it has no short term effect. I found I would only get new people reading my blog if I advertised it on twitter. The only person who came to my website and read my posts consistently was my daughter. Thanks, Lisa. Maybe longterm blogging will have an effect. Trying to come up with an idea every day was too hard. Maybe once a week.
In the last week I have finished editing the text of six episodes for the podcast novel, "The Pariah". I've recorded the first episode and I'm edeting it right now. I want to have at least three episodes completely done and ready to play at the end of the month (January). I want to post my first episode on Feb 6th.
I've signed up for the Grape Con, in Lodi, California for the 8th of Feb. It's a pretty small comic con, but it's a place for me to get used to taking to people about my books.
I got 25 copies of "Shooting Stars" to add to the 23 copies of "Flypaper Boy" to have at the con and I'll sell them for $9.99 instead of the regular $12.99. I ordered a iPhone credit card reader for Paypal, that I will have there so I can take credit card payments. I'll also have flyers about the Pariah Podcast and the Patreon.com compain for it.
"Shooting Stars" launches on January 26th. It's really already on Amazon, but I'd like to have people buy it on that day if at all possible. I have a Kindle Countdown starting on that day for "Flypaper Boy" so it will be selling for 99 cents. It will be 99 cents until Wednesday, when it will change to $1.99 and then back to $2.99 on Friday.
I paid for an advetisement for the first three days. I also paid for an ad for "Shooting Stars" whichi will be 99 cents for those first two days as well. I'm hoping the two books cross pollinate each other and boost sales over all. I'm also doing a book giveaway for Shooting Stars at good reads from now through launch day.
Finally, I'm giving away a Kindle Fire HD7 through a website that will administer the drawing and collect email addresses for me from an opt-in form they fill out while entering the give away and generating likes for my author's page on Facebook.
I added an author page on Amazon.com.
Trigger Warnings is still will the editor. The picture book idea sounded too risky for a publisher I talk with about it. I may try doing it for the Kindle with an application they have developed for picture books on the kindle.
pec
Today on the 'Writing Excuses Podcast' they each talked about what they had learned in the last year. The writing prompt this week was to come up with the same thing for ourselves, what we learned, and then carry it forward and determine what we want to learn next year. (Then put it some place where you can find it at the end or 2015 and review it.)
If you are trying to be a writer and you haven't listened to this podcast, you're missing out. I've picked up and dropped a lot of podcasts, gown out of them, I guess, but this one always stays fresh and useful. The four normal participants have varied and valuable experience. Of course, just hearing what Brandon Sanderson is working on, or releasing, would make it worth it to me all by it self.
I won't go into what they said; you can listen to that yourself. I want to take the writing prompt and run with it for a little bit. I've already stated that this is the purpose of my blog; try and share what I learned this last year, and what I want to learn in the coming year.
One thing I learned in 2014 about writing.
Just setting a goal doesn't mean it's going to happen. They, whoever they are, say you need to make your goals realistic and achievable, but also make you stretch. I've always had a problem aligning these two concepts. If I'm going to be realistic I figure I need to set it within my current capabilities, and if I've set it there, I'm not going to do much stretching.
So I guess and alternate way of setting goals is to commit to completing them and adjusting expectations as you work toward that goal.
Last March I set a goal to publish three novels by the end of the summer. That really didn't happen. I learned that it just takes more time to do some things than I had counted on.
"Shooting Stars" was the novel I thought I would publish first. I had made the unfounded assumption that a friend whom I valued very much for her writing and editing skills would read what I had done with my vampire love story and say, "Yup. Here you are. It's ready to publish." It turns out it wasn't as perfect as I thought it was. I learned to lower my expectations of what I have given over to others to do and that I use the words 'was' and 'felt' way too much.
In the mean time, I finished an edit of "Flypaper Boy" and sent it to an editor I met at LDStory Makers in April of 2014. She got that one back to me and I fine tuned it and was able to make it my one published novel of the year. (September 29, 2014. A week after summer ended.)
In the meaner time, I rewrote my 2011 Nanowrimo story, "The Galactic Battle Base: Family Ties", during the summer and renamed it "TGGB: Trigger Warnings". I let that rest while I finished up Flypaper Boy, and did my rework of Shooting Stars, based on my friend's recommendations.
I got both of those done just in time for Nanowrimo 2014 and wrote my first draft of Shooting Stars 2: Drawn into the Mist.
With family visiting at Thanksgiving, I didn't get as much time to write/edit as I thought I would, so only sent the final draft of Trigger Warnings to Winston Crutchfield on the 15th of December and then reworked Shooting Stars, based on my editor's input, (Of the story that I thought was done, again.)
So, at this point, both my 'completed' novels are in the hands of editors, and I have learned that if I am going to make a career of writing it has to be Nanowrimo every month--no days off to breath after one project is complete/passed to the next player.
So, that's what I learned about setting goals. I've learned about other things, but those will have to come later. You know what I want to learn next year. You're going to be the first to hear what I learn, as I learn it, because I'm going to learn how to sell novels.
pec
I crossed the 50K line on my Nanowrimo a few days ago. I still haven't verified my win yet. I'd like to see if I can get it all written before I do that. I think I have another 10K left to write.
They are currently embroiled in climactic battle of the story.
A week or so ago I started listening to Episode #199 or the "Mental Illness Happy Hour" podcast. Paul Gilmartin mentioned a book at the beginning of the podcast called, "What it is Like to Go to War", written by Karl Marlantes who was a marine officer in Viet Nam.
After the first three hours I had to turn it off. It was too intense in the description of combat and killing. I came back to it a few days later and have since finished it off. It was extremely moving and touched a lot on the psychology of war and killing.
I went back to my Nanowrimo manuscript and rewrote two scenes which I had written based on my limited knowledge about battle. I've ramped up those scenes with some of the psychology Marlantes discussed in his book and I think it gives a better idea of Chuck's personality and feeling as he is drawn into mortal combat with evil.
"What it is like to go to war" is available through Audible and I'm sure it's available on Amazon.
I was working on my Character Motivations this morning. I finished my outline yesterday and ended up with over 7K words.
David Farland's Daily Kick in the Pants yesterday talked a bit about writer's block for him was usually that he hadn't fleshed out his characters and their motivations. I figured since I had another day before the madness would begin, I would do just that.
My story this year is called, "Shooting Stars 2: Drawn into the Mist". "Shooting Stars 1: A Teenage Vampire Love Story from a Boy's Perspective", will be released in early to mid-December. I thought it would be good to get started on the second in that "Trilogy", in the odd chance that someone, other than family and friends, actually buys in and looks forward to the next in the series. I will admit, up front, that the first book ends, but it is obvious that a second must follow. And I'll clue you in now, it will take a third to resolve. I will probably write that book in the summer, just as soon as I get #2 published.
So. Back to the Character Motivations. I know my primary characters well and am pretty clued in on what they are after. It's the secondary characters that they interact with in this book that I wanted a better clue about. While I was working on the motivation of these background people, and what brings them into contact with my primaries, I fell upon the plot for the fourth novel, (in this trilogy). (I know that jokes been used, but I like it to much to not apply it to my own story.
Look for Shooting Stars on Amazon in early December. This has been a favorite story of mine since I began it and all the feedback I've gotten from beta readers has been equally as positive.
Check out "Flypaper Boy: Coming of Age" available for Kindle and Print-On-Demand at Amazon. And get on my mailing list by sending an email to norvaljoe@gmail.com.
Thanks.
Ok.
Really quick. Here's what I've got going right now. And this is why I only have five minutes:
Fly Paper Boy is through its final revision and sent to editor for line and content edits. I've commissioned Dan Absalonsen to do the cover. We've talked a bit about what I'd like and he's excited about getting it done.
Shooting Stars is with an editor as well and I just got back chapters 3 through 7 to review and modify. A preliminary cover looks really nice as well.
Galactic Battle Base: Knife Cuts. I pledged to write the next 60K words of it to support Clarion Write Athon. That started on June 22nd and I only have 1000 words written so far. That's mostly because I reviewed the first 21K words I've written and deleted almost 1000 words at the same time. I'm on new ground now with only my outline to guide me, so I should be able to pump up the word count.
I supported Winston Crutchfield on a Kickstarter for the prize of editing a novel. So by August 2, when I finish the writeathon, I should be about ready to bring him into the loop.
Now, I'm off to writing.
In the last quarter of 2013 I stepped up my writing career to a new level. I feel like I made some significant progress. Here are my four successes of that quarter:
1) Submitted a novel manuscript to a publisher. This was the major turning point for me. After five years of practicing it's time to start playing the game.
2) Purchased my dedicated website. If you are reading this, you're at my site. That's good.
3) In November I took my sixth Nanowrimo challenge. I've completed at least 50K words each year, but never really felt like I had a complete novel in that amount of time. This year I finished the story in 28 days with a total of 100,138 words. That was almost 3600 words a day.
4) I edited my 2011 Nano, "Fly Paper Boy: Coming of Age" before January 2014. That ended up with 93K words.
What I believe this shows is that I can create a rough draft in a short period of time. With this years Nano, I did outline heavily in October, but ended up only covering the first third of the plot in this novel. It also shows that I can take that rough draft and smooth it considerably in an equally short period of time.
Goals for the first quarter of 2014 are:
1) Edit "The Pariah" (2013 Nano)
2) Write a short story for Jeff Hite's new anthology about a magic portal beneath the kitchen sink. I'll look for the link.
3) Fine tune Fly Paper Boy for submission. It's currently out to several beta readers and I've asked them to read it and get back to me with in 30 days.
Other things on the back burners are outlining the second and third books for "Shooting Stars", outline for the final book of "The Price of Friendship", a first edit on "Human Magnetism", my Nano from 2012, and finally, the second book after "The Pariah".
That should be enough to keep me busy.
Norvaljoe