Indie Insider - Carolyn Chambers Clark

What is the best way to create tension? 

I think the best way to create tension is to have a character with conflicting emotions/goals or two characters with conflicting emotions/goals.

Do people judge a book by it’s cover?

Yes, a book cover is uber-important. You have a couple of seconds for someone browsing Amazon to decide. Who makes yours? I make my own book covers. I put up covers that attract me. I don't like dull and dark covers, so mine are always with bright colors and big letters. My husband ran a printing business for many years and advised me on these things. The covers of e-books are pretty small on Amazon, so you have to use a big enough and readable enough font to grab the reader's attention.


What are the best ways to ‘show’ and not ‘tell’?

Show means enveloping the character in the five senses, including smell, taste, vision, sound, and touch. The more that's done, the more the story comes alive. However, there has to be some telling else it's all action or emotion or thoughts. But, this has to be woven in, using dribs and drabs. Although, I notice that many bestselling authors use a lot of telling, especially in the beginning of their stories. I think this is to make the reader "fall in love" with the character.


How many books do you produce a year? Are you meeting your goal?

That's hard to say. When I'm also writing fiction for the academic market, fewer fiction books are produced, and my goals are reduced in the fiction arena.

How many words do you produce a day? Do you have a daily quota to fill?

No, I don't have a daily quota. Writing words isn't a problem for me. Getting the first sentence, paragraph, and page perfect is.

What is your greatest challenge as an author?

Patience. I have a brain that runs on several tracks at once and I'm always getting new ideas for books, both fiction and nonfiction. I have file folders full of book ideas, which I could never complete in a life time. It's hard for me to realize not everyone's brain works the way mine does.


Do you use a professional editor, critique partners, or beta readers? Briefly describe your process.

Have used a professional editor, but didn't find that as useful as experienced critique partners with high motivation to be helpful.


What is you favorite part of the whole process? (Besides receiving a check or 5 star review!)

Two favorite parts: getting the idea and starting to write a new book. That often flows and is no work at all.


What are three web sites or blogs that you can recommend? (related to writing etc.)

http://hollylisle.com/ (offers writing tips as well as a free newsletter for writers)
http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2010/01/why-word-count-goals-can-be-destructive.html (great info for writers)
http://www.thepassivevoice.com/ (sends out a daily tome for indie publishers/writers; terrific stuff! and he's a lawyer who likes to take apart book contracts)


Is there anything else you would like to share?

Yes, thanks for this opportunity to share my ideas and books.

For descriptions of these (and our other) books, sample chapters, and how to purchase,
go to http://www.freeandbargainebooks.blogspot.com and scroll down the red section until you click on BOOKSTORE.

Indie Insider - Ann Werner

How long does it take you to create a book from start to finish on average?

It usually takes a year, more or less. I’ve got novels sitting on the back burner that I‘ve written over the years and I’m planning to update them. Right now I’m working on doing just that. Sometimes the rewrite process is more difficult than starting from scratch.


How many hours a day do you spend writing? Editing? Procrastinating?

I’m GREAT at procrastinating. Then I feel guilty and get down to it. It depends on what I’ve got on tap for the day. When I’m writing a brand new novel, I spend about three to four hours writing. After that, I feel almost physically exhausted, so I go away from the computer but I continue to think about the story and more often than not, will jot down notes on scraps of paper that I have strategically located throughout the house. Now that I think of it, I follow the same process for editing. Sometimes I’ve awakened in the middle of the night because I’ve dreamed of something about the project I’m currently working on. I have a pen and paper handy in the nightstand next to my bed for such occasions.


How are your book covers designed?

I have used a gentleman by the name of Ralph Faust. I’ll tell him what I envision and he comes back with something wonderful. He never ceases to amaze me. Like me, he’s very nitpicky and pays attention to detail. I love that!


What do you do when you get writers block?

Walk around in circles and talk to myself. I’m not kidding. I really do. I ask myself what I would do in whatever situation is causing me to freeze. Sometimes it’s not so much a block as how to put something into words. When that happens, I go to my bookshelf and pull down a few of my favorite authors and flip through their books and get ideas from the way they’ve opened chapters or paragraphs.

Which narrative form and tense do you use and why?

I’ve run the gamut. I’ve got a couple of stories that are told from the protagonist’s point of view, using the first person, past tense and others that are observational and use the third person, past tense. However, the novel I’m working on now is using both. The villain is an unknown factor for a large portion of the book but the reader is inside the villain’s head, hearing the first person present tense thoughts as they play out. I think if you use different techniques, and use them judiciously, it makes a story more interesting and involving for the reader.


Where do you get your ebooks formatted?

I’ve utilized Create Space to format for Kindle but I’ve also got a friend in the industry, Julie Ricks, who has formatted Dreams and Nightmares for NOOK and Smashwords. She’s working on a project right now for a non-fiction my daughter and I have produced.


Do you use a professional editor, critique partners, or beta readers? Briefly describe your process.

Once I finish a manuscript, I pick out ten people who I know are readers and will give me an unvarnished opinion and give them a copy of the manuscript. The understanding is they will finish reading it and give me a critique within two weeks. At that point, my primary concern is mistakes in spelling, grammar and mistakes or holes in the plot. I don’t always use what they tell me but if more than two people mention something, I know it needs attention. Actually, if two people point out the same thing, it’ll warrant attention.

In Dreams and Nightmares one of my readers, a woman I’ve known since grade school and a good, Catholic lady, thought the language from my less than savory characters wasn’t strong enough. I was worried the nasty language might offend her but she pointed out that these were criminals and weren’t going to be speaking the King’s English. Point well taken! After I get all that feedback and make whatever changes I feel are necessary, then I’ll go to a professional editor.


Which is the most important social media platform and why? Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+, LinkedIn, or any other one you use.

I think they all have their uses. Twitter is great because you can reach so many people but you’re on a feed that blips by at sometimes lightning speed. I utilize all of them to one extent or another. Facebook allows you a lot more leeway in what you communicate to your followers and it’s great to be able to put up a graphic of your book to make an imprint on the brains of the people seeing your post. Same thing goes for Goodreads. I’ve used LinkedIn more to gather information than to promote myself. I participate in a few groups there and also on Goodreads. There’s a very supportive community out there and you never know where your next tip or cheerleader is going to come from.


What are three unique web sites or blogs that you follow on a regular basis? (related to writing etc.)

I am subscribed to A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing and I check in with Preditors and Editors, which is a great resource for finding out who is on the up and up and who is out for your money. It covers everything having to do with writing, from publishers to agents to contests etc. I’m also subscribed to several discussions on Goodreads and LinkedIn and have been a member of Born2Write in Yahoo Groups for at least a decade.


Is there anything else you would like to share?

I love to read and I love to write. I know not everyone will be my demographic but for those who are, it is my sincere hope that I will deliver a satisfying experience each and every time. I once went to a three-day writer’s conference where there were several well-known guest speakers. One was a man who wrote biographies of famous people and he advised the audience to make sure that what they wrote was IMPORTANT. I was very new to writing for public consumption back then and just getting my feet wet. I had a novel I’d finished and was sending around titled The People Next Door.

After hearing him speak, I went back to my room and cried because I felt like what I had written wasn’t important. But then I started to think: what does that mean? I thought about the times in my life when I was going through hard times: when I was a young woman and my new husband was sent off to war and I was pregnant, when I was going through a wrenching divorce, when I lost people I loved, when I didn’t know if I could pay the rent or put food on the table.

To get away from the stress of those problems I would turn to a book. Not a big, “important” tome, but something that would rescue me from reality for a brief time: make me cry, make me scared, make me laugh and yes, sometimes educate me. But most of all, entertain me. THAT is important. And that is what I wish to do. Entertain you.

http://arkstories.com
http://insidethemindofannwerner.blogspot.com/
http://tinyurl.com/D-NKindle

Indie Insider - Matt Posner

Introducing Matt Posner, author of the School of the Ages series, magic expert, teacher, poet, percussionist, indie author advocate, and nearly full-time interviewee.

Hi, Patricia. Thank you for thinking of me for this interview.


How many words do you do write a day? Where do you do it?

I don't have a consistent writing schedule. I sneak in writing where I can here and there. Typically I write in a notebook on the subway, in the car, in bed. Lately I have been writing on my iPad, using a Bluetooth keyboard, when I am at lunch or some similar situation. However, my main habit for years has been to do the first draft in a notebook and the second draft by improving and adding as I type. Then I niggle at the second draft on the computer. I still have a notebook with me and I will open it when I am at loose ends and try to add to whatever incomplete projects I have in mind. My present notebook has about five different projects in it.


Do you think that people judge a book by its cover? Who makes yours?

My covers for School of the Ages have been made by my cousin Mike Cohen, who is a videographer by trade. His covers have beautiful proportions and color balance. People do judge a book by its cover -- that's what book covers are designed for!


What do you do when you get writers block?

I switch to a different project. If I can't write my novel, I write another novel. If I can't write one part of a novel, I write a different part. I don't get writer's block anymore per se; instead, I get "no time to write because of other stuff that's going on." However, I did have writer's block for many years. I think writer's block has two causes. One is not having done the planning necessary to write the material you want to write; and the other is feeling bad about your writing or yourself. I have faced all of those problems. Improving how you feel is a complex process; as for the other, it might mean that you need to do some outlining or creativity exercises, or it might mean the project isn't right for you at that particular time. All of us writers have what might variously be called "albatrosses" or "tar babies," projects that weigh us down and interfere, projects that get us stuck. I have plenty. I actually made a computer file called "Tar Babies" back in the 90s, and I still look at it once every couple of years, but my creative impulse is pretty different after so long, so I doubt I will use any of that material ever again.

How much time do you spend on social media per day? What do you concentrate on?

At this point I spend several hours a day on social media. Mostly I am networking with other writers on Facebook. There's a Facebook group called Writing Kindle Books that you and I are both active in, Patricia. I also try to maintain my website to the extent I can, and I twitter a few times a week. I can also do that while I'm walking from my car to my workplace and in other such situations. I retweet stuff in order to get followers and don't advertise myself too much. And of course I have some activity in Goodreads also. I don't use Google+ or LinkedIn, and I rarely visit Kindleboards anymore. As overwhelmed as I am with the social media I'm already doing, it's unlikely I will add anything. I wish I were doing less of it, but I'm very attached to the people I interact with and I'm always trying to hustle for a marketing opportunity also.


Which narrative form and tense do you think is the most difficult and why?

I don't write in present tense at all. It feels very weird to me. I prefer past tense, which feels most comfortable to me. I write with equal facility in first or third person, but I like first person more, or at least a limited viewpoint. I have never written in second person, except in poetry maybe. As far as narrative forms, I like novels better than short stories, because I like the space and time to develop characters and situations with more situations and dialogue, but I can write short stories well, too.


Do you use a professional editor, critique partners, or beta readers? What is your process?

I use beta readers and critique partners. I met some at critters.org that I am building ongoing relationships with. Here's a shoutout to Felicia Cash, who is fast and tireless and patient. I am still open to meeting more partners for this purpose. I don't use a professional editor; I don't think I'd be satisfied that I got my money's worth.


How important is it for an indie author to use a professional editor?

It depends on the author. I need other opinions -- I am painfully needy in my craving for feedback from people, of course -- and I need proofreading help, because I have trouble seeing my own typos, but I don't think I need major help with anything structural, such as an editor would provide. I trust myself for that. I have an academic background in fiction writing that is sufficient to help me recognize and solve gross problems, and my beta readers can help with the rest.


How long does it take you to create a book from start to finish?

My first published novel, The Ghost in the Crystal, took five years. The second and third took a year and a half each for first draft, and then of course more time after that for revision, formatting, and so on, but I think I am doing so much social media now that I am slowing down. I haven't worked on my novel-in-progress in months. Eventually I'm going to flip out and vanish from social media and focus on writing, but not yet.


Please list three unique blogs or web sites for writers that you read on a regular basis.

I don't read anything regularly anymore except New Yorker magazine, a clinic in writing style, I daresay.


Is there anything else you would like to share?

I think many writers who are struggling creatively seem to me to be struggling with the fact that that their work is focused on concept not character. It really doesn't matter how intriguing your situation is if the characters aren't interesting enough for the reader to journey along with them. I absolutely hated being in graduate creative writing for many reasons, and I was writer's-blocked for years as a result of many experiences there, but I did learn a few things that I still use, and the main one is that the characters you are focused on need to be complex, and that a good piece of fiction is always about the characters more than anything else.


Here are some of the many links that bring you to me.

My website, with links to my books in various places: http://schooloftheages.webs.com

My amazon author page in the U.S: http://www.amazon.com/Matt-Posner/e/B005HA0J0E/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

The Kindle All-Stars Project website (I am one of the All-Stars): http://apiarysociety.typepad.com/kindleallstars/

An interview with my character, Goldberry Tinker: http://celiacanread.wordpress.com/2011/08/27/ghost-in-the-crystal-matt-posner/

An extra-long interview I did recently: http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.com/2011/09/author-interview-matt-posner.html#comment-form

Indie Insider - Steve Norris

How long does it take you to create a book from start to finish on average?

If you totalled the amount of time spent writing end to end then I reckon I would be shifting a good few books in a year. As it is, paid employment is a major inconvenience to both writing opportunity and resultant brainspace left to get virtual pen to paper. With everything going on I think a year is about the time taken from beginning to end although my 2nd novel is in danger of drifting into a second year due to a difficult working year. Now if someone would pay me to write…


How many hours a day do you spend writing? Editing? Procrastinating?

If I’m lucky I get an hour in normal day. However sleeping and travelling time do provide a lot of thinking time so usually when I do sit down there’s no messing about.


How are your book covers designed?

My publisher came up with a design. I disagreed.
To be fair, I didn’t know what my book cover should like until I saw what I didn’t want it to look like.
This was where it ended it up and liked how many aspects of the story found their way to the cover. I also like the colours. I made it stand out and fitted with the theme of the book.


What do you do when you get writers block?

Have a drink, go to sleep. Tomorrow is another day.

Which narrative form and tense do you use and why?

My books are written in the past tense, it didn’t seem a conscious decision and I think on my first go, a few other tenses creeped in as well. I have dallied with the present tense in short stories. With thriller writing it creates a real intensity to the scene.

As for narrative, I love to get into the head of my characters. I use a lot of characters in my books and tell the story from each viewpoint. The super confident marketer in me would say that I skillfully interplay the storylines from each viewpoint providing a richness and balance to the story. A more feeble view might suggest it can get confusing at times with so many names and personalities.
In the end, it’s my writing and love it. I believe, if you are going to write, challenge yourself to be someone you’re not. By occupying another’s head for a while you really open yourself out to other people. Especially when dealing with the controversial and opposite viewpoints of my stories.

Did I say I love it?


Where do you get your ebooks formatted?


My Indie publisher, Mirador Publishing http://www.miradorpublishing.com does that, not really sure how. That’s what I pay them for.


Do you use a professional editor, critique partners, or beta readers? Briefly describe your process.

My first process involved parting with a lot of money and making a right old mess of it. I sent first draft to an editor, loved the story but told me to write it again to sort out writing issues. Fair enough, did all that, but didn’t feel the urge to re-spend the editing money. On recommendation from some beta readers I went ahead to publish. Immediately regretted it with some criticism from readers, so with a bit of help with some great friends, I have a clean second edition out there.

Moral of the story, don’t scrimp on the editing. Get it done otherwise your reputation will suffer.


Which is the most important social media platform and why? Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+, LinkedIn, or any other one you use.

I have used them all but probably facebook has produced the most sales from marketing. But my view is that the cost of marketing against returns on sales is a harsh ratio for a new author with no background. Use the social media to get your name out there, but think laterally and be choosy where you spend money. I’ve tried charity promotions, author groups but few have created enough of a response to say that I know the final answer. I’ve started using twitter more recently and that has been very responsive in terms of contacts if not sales as yet.

The most effective cost per sale activities I have done is book signings in store. The risk is all on the storeowner and gets your books on a shelf where people can see it. Can’t beat that for creating a name for yourself. Talking to people in stores about your book also is great for sales, once they’ve engaged you in chat, a sale is not far away.


What are three unique web sites or blogs that you follow on a regular basis? (related to writing etc.)

I use a website WritersCave http://www.writerscave.co.uk which is a fabulous writing critique and challenge site. The writers on this site have changed me from someone who aspired to write into someone who can. It’s totally free and utterly priceless

I follow a friend’s travel blog on http://www.farawayhammerwriting.com. As a previous expat, I love this.

The other site I use regularly is www.authors.com, found some great ideas and advice on there for promotion.


Is there anything else you would like to share?

Indie Authors is the future. The established published market is constrained by the view of the salability of a book. Indie Authors is where people write because they love to write. Overlooking a writer because you never heard of them before might mean you’re denying yourself a great story and a great writer an opportunity. Sadly great books don’t sell themselves, they need people to buy them and read them and tell someone else to read them.

Buy an indie book today, you never know, you might find something unique and brilliant.


Check out Steve's blog: http://sgnorristheauthor.blogspot.com
His Amazon page is here.


Showcase your book here with an Indie Insider!

'Wired' - An Author Interview with Martha Randolph Carr

How did you find your agent?

I was introduced to my agent, Rachelle Gardner with WordServe Literary by a mutual friend four years ago who was represented by the same agency and we hit it off right away. Rachelle loves thrillers and in particular my style of thriller. There are lots of ways to find an agent but doing a lot of research beforehand is definitely the best way to go. Who likes the very specific genre you’re working in and has repped similar books? Then get the elevator pitch down and put that in the opening paragraph. Not ‘why this story is great’ but why this book will sell. Writing is this wonderful art form that has to mesh with the nuts and bolts of business. There’s nothing wrong with that and being able to do that can even result in a better book.


What do you do when you get writers block?

I have things I do to prevent writers block especially since I write based on deadlines and the other end really doesn’t care about my lack of a muse. I never end a writing day at the end of a chapter. While things are still hot I write the first page of the next chapter. I make extensive notes about the backgrounds of the characters, the era they live in and what they’re struggling with and use those notes to move forward. And, if I really need to I have a couple of people I can call who will talk plot with me as if the characters existed. Like fictional gossip and that helps to get me going.


How many hours a week do you spend writing? Editing? Procrastinating?

My entire work week consists of writing whether it’s for me or someone else (I also ghost write books and write interactive web copy and SEO) I edit as I write and then put down the piece for a day and come back to edit more. Procrastination to me is just the mind’s way of mulling things over and spitting something creative back out to put down on paper.


How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish on average?

I’ve been writing for a long time, which means there was raising of children and taking care of parents and other life events that took some mixing in as well. With that in mind it takes me about 8 months to finish a thriller so that it’s ready for Rachelle to see.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on The Keeper, the sequel to The List, which Rachelle is currently showing to publishers. It’s a thriller about a happy American family caught between two old political powers that have always existed behind the scenes, invisible to most of the public. The sides have battled over control for hundreds of years, actively recruiting new members at a young age to groom them for politics, Wall Street, corporate corner offices and the military. However, families find out a little too late that once they’ve joined, there’s no ‘out’ clause.
Wallis Jones is the wife of Norman, mother to Ned and a successful attorney living the good life but she’s about to find out that she’s also a pawn in the deadly games of two powerful global secret societies at war with each other and her loved ones are the ultimate prize.


Do you use a professional editor, critique partners, or beta readers? Briefly describe your process.

I have belonged to small writers groups in the past where we critiqued a chapter every month of each other’s work and I found that to be very helpful. It gave me outside opinions and an artificial deadline. But I’m on my 8th or 9th book (6th of my own – the rest were ghost written) and I let Rachelle see it first these days.


Which is the most important social media platform and why? Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Goodreads, LinkedIn, or any other one you use.

I’m on all of them including LibraryThing and Shelfari and I think it’s important to make a presence on all of them but remember to not make myself crazy. I have them all interconnected, along with my mystery blog www.marthacarr.com so that I don’t have as much repetition and I try to be a listener on those sites as well as a content provider.


What are three resources/web sites that are indispensable for authors?

Rachelle’s web site, www.RachelleGardner.com has won awards for three years in a row from Readers Digest and packs in information about how to get published, how to market yourself as an author. www.NovelPublicity.com does a great job of showing people how to use social media to their advantage in new and clever, cost-effective ways and www.FundsforWriters.com by Hope Clark is one of the oldest writer sites that includes jobs, grants, news, publishers and agent info.


Is there anything else you would like to share?

Wired is an amazing thriller and when it first came out I went on a country-wide book tour dotting the entire country. Every time I did an appearance someone came up to me clutching the book and would then lean in to tell me a secret they had kept for years that was swallowing up their life. The look of release and joy on their face was magical and left me feeling humbled that they entrusted me with their secret. I always encouraged them to go and tell others and really set themselves free. Plus, I love how many times reviewers have said the book scared them till they had to lock the front door or check the windows. That’s what I hope for as a thriller author – not gross you out or horrify you – slowly scare you by what you’re worried may come next.



Tour Notes:

Enter to win 1 of 3 free paperback copies of this novel on the official Wired blog tour page. The winner of the give-away will be announced on Wednesday, October 26 – be sure to enter before then! Just can't wait to read Wired? Pick up your copy in the Kindle, Nook, or iTunes stores or visit Smashwords with the coupon code AK95A to receive a discounted price (just $2)!

Don't forget to vote for my blog, Indie Writers Zone, in the traffic-breaker poll for this tour. The blogger with the most votes wins an Amazon gift card and a special winner’s badge. I want that to be me! You can vote in the poll by visiting the official Wired blog tour page and scrolling all the way to the bottom.

Learn more about this author by visiting her website, Facebook or GoodReads pages or by connecting with her on Twitter. You'll definitely want to check out Martha's Mystery Blog--each week a new short thriller is serialized Monday through Friday. The entries are nice and short, easy to read via smart phone or tablet. It's all at www.MarthaCarr.com.

Indie Insider - Tracy Falbe

How are your book covers designed?

For Rys Rising: Book I my newest release I hired the company AvatarArt.com to development a scene featuring two major characters. After getting the art, I added in the title and author name with Adobe Illustrator and then exported the image in the formats and resolutions I needed for various digital and print uses.

What do you do when you get writer’s block?

If I’m having trouble deciding what to write next, I spend time reading and editing chapters I’ve already written. There’s no shortage of editing and proofreading and contemplating that needs to be done. These activities usually get the juices flowing for writing again.

How many hours a week do you spend writing? Editing? Procrastinating?

Between writing and editing, I put in a consistent 15 to 20 hours a week unless those pesky “life issues” get in the way. I don’t really do much procrastinating. My time to focus on these tasks is restricted because I’m raising small children. So when it’s my time, I don’t waste it. Anyway, I love writing. It’s what makes me feel good. Why would I put it off?

How long does it take you to create a book from start to finish on average?

My novels are very long, ranging from 150,000 to 220,000 words. Including writing, reading, and editing, each one roughly represents two years of effort.

Where do you get your ebooks formatted?

I do all of my own ebook formatting. I recently obtained Sigil, which makes creating an epub very easy. I use the Mobipocket creator software to make my Kindle versions. I have Adobe Acrobat professional and with that I make pdf files out of either Microsoft Word or Adobe InDesign. I always teach myself as many technical skills as I can. I need the money I make from my novels for living expenses. I have to be careful about throwing it away on services. As any businessperson can tell you, there are always many vendors out there ready to take your money. I only outsource when I feel I can derive real value from it, like with my recent audiobook production of another novel Union of Renegades.

Do you use a professional editor, critique partners, or beta readers? Briefly describe your process.

I go over every word of my novels numerous times. I read my work. I edit it. I rewrite it. I proofread it. I once estimated that I spend from 10 to 20 hours total on each chapter. Part of my process is to read my work from the point of view of a reader. I’m capable of wearing many hats. I can sit back and relax and just consume the story, and I then I can become an editor and deeply analyze every paragraph. I’ve never sought beta readers. My novels are long and it would seem like too much of an imposition. Also I’m not really interested in a bunch of feedback from some committee. How would it be my novel if I was making adjustments based on other people’s opinions? That sounds too much like a job.

As for an actual editor, the thought of someone cutting a word or adjusting anything in my manuscript is horrific to me. An editor might cut a phrase thinking it’s extraneous without realizing that it adds meaning hundreds of pages later. I’ve considered every word and detail in my novels carefully. That’s my purpose as a novelist. I know you’re thinking that my novels are long and need editing, but I assure you I’ve cut thousands of words from each manuscript before publishing. My novels are long because I write epics with dozens of characters, multiple races, and two or three separate civilizations. I very much take to heart the advice in the little book The Elements of Style. Just the other day I changed the phrase “failed to hit” to “missed.”

I also very much enjoy editing my novels. They are born of my deepest thoughts and feelings, and I need to be the one attending to the details. I am qualified. I have a journalism degree that trained me as a writer and copyeditor. I always got A grades in writing courses in high school and college. I’ll grant that there are probably a few errors within every hundred thousand words, but I can live with that. I put my name on my novels and accept the judgment of the public. I stand by my work and some people enjoy my novels very much and ask me to write more.

Which is the most important social media platform and why? Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, LinkenIn, or any other one you use.

I wish I knew! Personally I enjoy Twitter, so that is the one I use the most. I suspect that Goodreads might be the most valuable to authors because everyone there actually reads books. I should do more there. I honestly don’t know what to make of Facebook. I’m on Facebook but don’t have any clue if it accomplishes anything for me. In general I don’t have any advice about social media. It seems like it could be useful but I’m not sure how to use it.

What are three resources/websites that are indispensable to authors?

Indispensable:

Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com

Kindle Direct Publishing http://kdp.amazon.com/

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I’ll be brief and just quote AC/DC…

“It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock’n’roll.”

I invite readers to discover my epic fantasy. I am the author of two series: The Rys Chronicles and Rys Rising.

Free samples at Brave Luck Books

Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I

http://www.falbepublishing.com/braveluck/free_ebook.html

Rys Rising: Book I

http://www.falbepublishing.com/braveluck/free-fantasy-ebook-rys-rising.html

Also see all my titles at these retailers:

Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/braveluck

Amazon Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Tracy-Falbe/e/B002BLWI3S/

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/tracy-falbe

Apple iBooks http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/tracy-falbe/id365797627?mt=11

Sony Reader Store http://ebookstore.sony.com/author/tracy-falbe_160285

Is Writing A Book Like Following A Recipe?

It depends. Of course it does. It depends on many factors. It also depends on what kind of a cook you are. If you’re the kind of cook that never follows a recipe and just adds things as you go, then the chances are that’s just how you’ll write your book too. Good luck!

Me? I’m a little more organized than that. In my work life I’m a project manager, and project managers have to be well organized and structured. They also have to be able to react to change and manage risks and things that may (and do) go wrong. I think it’s pretty good training for writing a book!

So how exactly do I write a book? Let’s start at the beginning (and I want to add a comment here that due to the fact this is a blog post, the following process has been summarized). First off I have an idea for a story. It’s usually something really simple, and there are a few characters involved; the protagonist and the antagonist. Oh, and some kind of setting and back-story too. I usually write this down – a few bullet points – and then I let it sit and bake for a while. I come back to it from time to time and then add a few more notes. Eventually there comes a time when I’m ready to structure the story properly. I decide on the length I want it to be (80k – 120k depending on audience, genre, etc.), and I also decide on the number of chapters I want to write. 

This is where my project management experience kicks in. I know from personal experience that for every plot point I create, I will write somewhere between 400 and 600 words of story. This means that if I want to write an 80k word book, I’m going to need about 160 plot points. That’s a lot of things happening in a story!  My first job – before I write a single word – is to create at least half (preferably two thirds) of those plot points. This gives me a firm basis and direction for my book and also allows me to add other storylines as the book develops and gets ‘its own life.’ Then I write the book.

Okay, easy part done! Next I like to let my newly written manuscript sit for a while (just like letting bread prove). I don’t touch it for at least a month – preferably two – so that I can mostly forget about it. Then I come back to it anew and re-read it, editing as I read. It’s easy this time through to spot parts that don’t work or need changing somehow. After this is done the manuscript is ready to send out to a team of pre-readers (as I call them). These are people who are prepared to read through my manuscript at least three times, looking for different things including plot and character inconsistencies, grammar, spelling, parts of the story that don’t work, and all sorts of other things. I require my pre-readers to give me written reports that follow a strict template.

Next comes the final edit. I take all the feedback I have received and decide which I want to take and which I don’t (it’s still my story after all), and then I make my edits. One final reread and the manuscript is probably good to go. This just leaves covers, book blurb, pricing, marketing, press releases, advanced reader copies (ARCs) – for reviews - and all that great stuff to organize.

End to end timing? Wow, that’s a tough question. It depends on the actual writing part. I try and allow a month to let the story grow inside me, then a further week or so to flesh it out before I write. Then I write it. This usually seems to take about 3 months. Then a month to let it sit, a week to make edits, another month to get feedback from pre-readers, a week to make final edits and another couple of weeks to finalize all the other details. 

All in all, it’s about a 7 month process, end to end for an 80k novel. I’m sure some people can do it quicker and some people take longer. Just remember, you get one shot at your reader, so don’t rush the process – it will show through in the final product. We all want to start earning money off the book tomorrow, but a book is on sale forever and can generate revenue for years. Think about that when you come to the editing process. Spending quality time before the book goes on sale in order to create a better book is well worth it. Good luck!

John Cox

Tel: 206-228-6006

"This world is not my home; I'm just passing through"

Follow me on Twitter: @jcx27

Read me online at: http://pauldorset.blogspot.com

Books available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords

Guest Post by Author Boyd Lemon

Digging Deep: A Writer Uncovers His Marriages

By Boyd Lemon

Twelve years after my third divorce I began writing a memoir about my marriages.  Digging Deep: A writer Uncovers His Marriages has just been released by the publisher, Outskirts Press.*  My journey in writing the memoir was excruciatingly painful, but in the end healed me and brought me the peace that I had never achieved by simply “moving on” after each divorce.  I believe the book can help others to deal with issues in their own relationships.

The impetus for writing the memoir came from a suggestion by the then 26 year old woman whom I call Kate in the memoir.  After 40 plus years practicing law in California, I had moved to Boston to live platonically with Kate, a singer-songwriter attending a music college in Boston.  Guided by her critiques and encouragement I had written a dozen short stories before I left California and continued writing short fiction and a few essays in Boston.

I wanted to write, and I knew I needed a change from life in California where my four children and grandchildren lived.  Boston is a writing city, and I had always enjoyed it when I had visited.  Kate could continue helping me with my writing.  She is a talented writer and teacher, despite her youth.

I didn’t go to Boston intending to write a memoir.  I was itching to write a book, and, of course, a novel came to mind.  When I mentioned that to Kate, she suggested I write a memoir about my three marriages.  “There’s gold there,” she said.  Encouraged by Kate, I started drafting the memoir, not having any idea how it would make me feel.  I finished the first draft six months later.  It was painful reliving the incidents of conflict in my marriages and how it affected my four children, but I had no idea how painful what was to come would be. 

When Kate read the draft, she said it didn’t work, that I could do better.  She advised me to throw it away and start over.  I needed to understand and write about my role in the destruction of my marriages, she said.  I realized she was right.  With her help, the help of another mentor, the great writing teacher and writer, Natalie Goldberg, and dogged persistence, I began digging and meditating and agonizing and thinking and digging some more, and what I came up with as I wrote shocks me even now.  What I had buried was astounding.  The process was excruciating, but in the end healed me.  I learned that writing can do that.

I submitted it to three different editors, in addition to Kate, and a proofreader and revised it numerous times.  Rather than wait the months, sometimes years, that it takes an unknown author to find an agent and then a publisher, I sent it to an author services, print-on-demand publisher, Outskirts Press.  They were a pleasure to work with and put up with my numerous changes and edits before I finally approved the final proofs.  

At the urging of several artists, I used a drawing that I had done of myself for the cover.  That was a thrill to see in itself.  I am hopeful that people will be attracted by it, buy the book and benefit by it.  Relationships these days are terribly difficult, and I feel privileged to write a book that I think might help people understand and deal with their relationships.

*Digging Deep: A Writer Uncovers His Marriages is available on Boyd Lemon’s website, http://www.BoydLemon-Writer.com in print and Kindle formats, or, if you prefer, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and by order from your local bookstore.

Thanks for visiting Boyd, best of luck with the book!!

Patricia

Interview With Zoe Winters - Paranormal Romance Author

Zoe Winters writes quirky and sometimes dark paranormal romance.

Zoe’s goal as a writer: “I want to write a book that makes you almost pee your pants because you don’t want to put it down long enough to go to the bathroom. I want to write a book that you miss meals for. I want to write a book you miss bathing for. I want to grab hold of you and not let go until the very last page, where you crumble to the floor in a blissful heap, ask for a cigarette, and say: “Damn, was it good for you too,” then tell 300 of your closest friends about it on Twitter.”

Interview:

Please tell us about your latest book Save My Soul.

I hate to do copy/paste but the best way to sum it up is the back cover copy, since that's the "best" I could ever figure out how to describe it. :)

All he’s asking for is her soul.

After buying the antebellum home she’s fantasized about since childhood, Anna Worthington discovers Luc, a dangerously seductive incubus who has been trapped in the house by a fifty-year-old curse. To rid herself of her problem house guest she’ll call on a priest, gypsies, ghost hunters, and the coven of witches from lust bunny hell. All she has to do is resist him long enough to break the spell so they can go their separate ways. If she doesn’t, she could die. And that would be the best case scenario.

Where did you get the idea for this book from?

Oddly this may be the only book I can say: "Here's where the idea came from" because mainly books are a smattering of a bunch of different random things running around in my head like stoned circus clowns. I was driving in the historic part of town and was looking at this old house and most of the plot fell into my head. Truly the creepiest way I ever got an idea. I have no idea what else was percolating in my brain to make that all come together. I was just driving, trying to come up with something to write for NanoWrimo (national novel writing month) that year, and saw the house, and there it was. Or most of it anyway. Some of the cooler stuff came to me later in the planning stages. (Like the twist at the end. I resisted the twist forever!)

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real people you know?

Yes and yes. My characters are totally made up, but I think every author in some way borrows from people they've been around and observed. But we mix it up so nobody can get mad at us. My husband says some of my villains sound suspiciously like him, especially Cain. He should be flattered though, Cain is my favorite, and he gets his own book later. :)

I loved your ‘Save My Soul’ book trailer.  Do you have plans to make more for your other books?

Yep. Right now I plan to do book trailers for all the books in the series (except Blood Lust, since I don't want to back track). They're a lot of fun, and I think can help get fans excited about the book.

Do you have a writing process?  If so can you please describe it?

I sit down and type stuff.  Not very sexy, I know. ;)

Did you hire a professional editor or use any beta readers?

Both. I use a pro editor and have several beta readers/critique partners.

Please tell us about the book you are currently working on.

Right now I'm deep into worldbuilding and planning for books  3 and 4 of the series. I'd like to get them both ready so I can release them close to around the same time. Maybe two weeks apart. It means a slightly longer wait for the next book, but double reward and almost instant gratification for the fourth!

Your book covers are fantastic, who designed them?

Thank you! My cover artist is the fabulous Robin Ludwig of Robin Ludwig Design Inc. People can find her at: www.rldprint.com

Any ideas for future work you want to share?

Well, I'm pretty secretive about what I'm working on in the earlier stages but, I will say that book 3 features an agoraphobic witch named Fiona and a panther shifter named Z. Jane, Cole, and Cain will all make important appearances in the book. I'll also be introducing my heaven dimension and angels in this book. And book 4 is Cain and Tam's book. I'm fascinated by their story and can't wait to share it. After that, things get weird. But that's all I can say. :)

Do you have any advice for new authors?

Write a lot and read a lot. Not very original, but pretty much the most important thing you can do. Also, ignore as much Internet drama as possible. I was super happy when I wrote before I started interacting with writers online. It's not that writers are bad, it's just that they are VERY passionate and opinionated and have a way with words. This sometimes leads to more online drama than you want and it can easily get overwhelming. The writer friends I have are like gold to me, but... there are always going to be those you don't click with so it can be refreshing to just go into your bat cave and get away from it. The more you can shut that out, the happier you'll probably be. At least that's true for me. 

Anything else you’d like to talk about?

If it's all right, I'd like to give my site information and maybe share the book trailer for Save My Soul with those who haven't yet seen it. 

Twitter: @zoewinters

Site: http://www.zoewinters.org

Blog: http://zoewinters.wordpress.com (buy links for Save My Soul are at the top of my blog.)

Book Trailer: http://vimeo.com/19083065

Thanks for having me!

Thanks so much Zoe and best of luck!

Patricia

:)