For the past few weeks, news of self-publishing success stories have permeated the Internet. In between talk about Amanda Hocking's brilliant foray into self-publishing (check out her honest blog post What I Can Say Right Now) and Barry Eisler's no-thank-you to $500,000 in order to self-publish (I came across his story via Jane Friedman at There Are No Rules. You can read her summary and find the full interview at Bestselling Author Turns Down $500K Deal to Self-Publish), the cry that "traditional publishing is dead," or "traditional publishing is broken" runs rampant.
Traditional publishing is not dead. It's not broken either.
When something is broken, it does not function. A broken glass cannot hold water. A dead clock will not tell the correct time. If traditional publishing were broken or dead, books would not be published each month. They wouldn't arrive in book stores, grocery stores, or supercenters. Books simply wouldn't be available.
Let's face it, the publishing industry took a massive hit with the economic downturn, similar to the auto industry and housing industry. The housing market still hasn't turned around, and prices for staples such as gas and food continue to rise. Most of us have less money to spend.
Some of the success of self-published authors can be traced to the prices of their books. They typically offer bargain prices--99 cents to $4.99. Readers don't mind spending a few bucks on a new author, much like homebuyers don't mind buying foreclosures. The benefits outweigh the risk.
Can traditional publishers work on their e-book models? Yes, but that's not the point of this post.
Publishing houses aren't witches to burn at the stake, nor are they empty, greedy middle-men. Traditional publishers provide valuable services to authors like top-notch editors, talented artists, detail-oriented copyeditors, and experienced marketers. They offer authors a percentage of profits, and, if an author sells tons of books, the author makes more money.
I don't have a problem with self-publishing. Authors who have honed their craft, are savvy about marketing themselves online, and who are willing to devote a large portion of their day to promoting their books may find self-publishing rewarding and profitable.
Writers unwilling to self-assess their work or who see success stories and have glitter in their eyes about getting rich quickly will be disappointed. Just because we have a product, doesn't mean we'll be able to successfully sell it.
What do you think--do traditional publishing houses provide value to their clients? Can anyone simply plop an e-book on a website and expect it to sell without spending enormous amounts of time marketing it?
On a side-note, Amanda Hocking recently signed a four-book deal with St. Martin's Press for an estimated $2 million. Read about it at L.A. Times, "Amanda Hocking, Self-Publishing Star, Finds 4-Book Deal." Congratulations, Amanda!
And traditional publishing is dead? Hmm...
Have a terrific Monday!
Showing posts with label 2010 writing goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010 writing goals. Show all posts
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Verbal Goals, Time Management, and UsWeekly Magazine
On Saturday, I attended my local writer's group, MVRWA, and we discussed our personal goals for the year. Each January, we take turns telling the group what we want to achieve with our writing. Then we write our goals down on an index card. Hearing my fellow writers' dreams is a huge mood booster and always motivates me to reach higher.
The Saturday before, I kidnapped my husband and forced him to Panera Bread for a discussion about my 2011 business goals. Wendy Delfosse asked me to share the details, so here goes.
I was nervous. Over the years, we've had informal discussions about my writing, but we'd never set an actual date to talk about my plans. After ordering two coffees and settling into a comfy booth, I handed him a printout of things to discuss.
My nerves dissipated as we began with the easy stuff, my hours--no surprises there--then moved on to expenses, writing goals, and my wish list. My husband supported most of my points, but we don't see eye-to-eye on everything, and that's okay. He trusts me to make good decisions, and I trust him to be honest with me.
I highly recommend sitting down with a close friend or your significant other once a year to discuss these things.
Writers, especially unpublished writers, need to view themselves as professionals. By setting verbal goals with another group of writers, you validate your choices. By taking the time to create a business plan and discuss it with someone close to you, you validate your choices. Validation leads to respecting yourself and sticking to your plan.
Once you've set the goals and shared them out loud with someone, you need to actually come up with a plan on how to achieve them. I recently came across a post by Sarah Sundin (do yourself a favor and check out her WWII inspirational romances) at Novel Journey. Her article, Taming Time is so good, I recommend printing it out and keeping it in your planner.
And finally, when you've set your goals and made a plan on how to achieve them, reward yourself! I indulge with a subscription to UsWeekly. It's wonderful to check off my weekly goals and lose myself in a few pages of Fashion Police.
Do you tell anyone your writing goals? What's your favorite regular reward for a job well done?
Favor to ask--MVRWA is launching our group blog today!! I'm the welcome wagon and would love to have you stop by. One of our twelve contributors will be posting every Monday and Wednesday, and we have some extremely talented authors. We'd love to see you, just click here for the MVRWA Group Blog!
Happy Monday!
The Saturday before, I kidnapped my husband and forced him to Panera Bread for a discussion about my 2011 business goals. Wendy Delfosse asked me to share the details, so here goes.
I was nervous. Over the years, we've had informal discussions about my writing, but we'd never set an actual date to talk about my plans. After ordering two coffees and settling into a comfy booth, I handed him a printout of things to discuss.
My nerves dissipated as we began with the easy stuff, my hours--no surprises there--then moved on to expenses, writing goals, and my wish list. My husband supported most of my points, but we don't see eye-to-eye on everything, and that's okay. He trusts me to make good decisions, and I trust him to be honest with me.
I highly recommend sitting down with a close friend or your significant other once a year to discuss these things.
Writers, especially unpublished writers, need to view themselves as professionals. By setting verbal goals with another group of writers, you validate your choices. By taking the time to create a business plan and discuss it with someone close to you, you validate your choices. Validation leads to respecting yourself and sticking to your plan.
Once you've set the goals and shared them out loud with someone, you need to actually come up with a plan on how to achieve them. I recently came across a post by Sarah Sundin (do yourself a favor and check out her WWII inspirational romances) at Novel Journey. Her article, Taming Time is so good, I recommend printing it out and keeping it in your planner.
And finally, when you've set your goals and made a plan on how to achieve them, reward yourself! I indulge with a subscription to UsWeekly. It's wonderful to check off my weekly goals and lose myself in a few pages of Fashion Police.
Do you tell anyone your writing goals? What's your favorite regular reward for a job well done?
Favor to ask--MVRWA is launching our group blog today!! I'm the welcome wagon and would love to have you stop by. One of our twelve contributors will be posting every Monday and Wednesday, and we have some extremely talented authors. We'd love to see you, just click here for the MVRWA Group Blog!
Happy Monday!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Plotting the Scene
Whether you plot your book in advance or write by the seat of your pants, it’s a good idea to know the elements in a scene before you write it.
First, what is a scene?
According to Jack M. Bickham’s book Scene & Structure: “A scene is a segment of story action, written moment-by-moment, without summary, presented onstage in the story “now.” It is not something that goes on inside a character’s head; it is physical.”
Mr. Bickham goes on to describe the pattern of a scene as:
1. Statement of goal
2. Introduction and development of conflict
3. Failure of the character to reach his goal, a tactical disaster
In other words, each scene takes place in real time—it’s not a memory, it’s not a character reflecting, and it’s not a summary of events that took place at another time.
Decisions to make before writing the scene
I think most writers have an internal sense of story whether they plot, write a brief outline, or completely wing it. However, to avoid missing key story points along the way, one thing that can help is to plot your scene in advance. I plot all of my scenes before writing them, but do what feels comfortable. You might find plotting a scene helpful when you’re stuck.
Answer the following questions for the scene you are plotting.1. Where does this scene take place?
2. What day and what time of day is it?
3. How long after the last scene does this take place?
4. Who is in this scene?
5. Which main character has the most to lose in this scene? This answer will decide whose viewpoint the scene is told in. For maximum tension, write from the viewpoint of who has the most to lose.
One of the popular “rules” of writing is to avoid head-hopping. This means that each scene will take place from one character’s point of view. Other characters may be in the scene, but the reader will be experiencing the action from the point-of-view character. It’s a personal call on your part if you choose to follow this. I prefer to write each scene from only one character’s point of view because it clarifies the scene for me.6. What is the mood of the viewpoint character?
7. What is the viewpoint character’s goal in this scene? (What does he want?)
8. What is the viewpoint character’s motivation? (Why does he want it?)
9. What is the viewpoint character’s conflict? (Why can’t he have it?)
10. How does this scene affect the character—what is his growth?
When you answer these questions, you’re ready to write your scene. Remember to include the setting details (who, where, when) at the beginning of the scene, and state the scene goal early. Unless the scene takes place immediately after the previous one, the reader won’t know three days have passed and the character is now in a deli unless these details are clarified up front.
Getting tripped up on the character’s goal? It can be as simple as Jim wants to buy a cup of coffee. His motivation? He needs caffeine to think straight. His conflict? Before he enters the coffee shop, his mother bumps into him.
If you review the Jack M. Bickham’s scene essentials from above, you’ll see this fulfills the criteria.
Scene goal: Jim wants a cup of coffee
Introduction and development of conflict: His mother bumps into him, preventing him from entering the coffee shop.
Failure to reach goal: He does not get the coffee.
Obviously, to keep the reader interested, you would want this meeting to increase Jim’s conflict and allow him to grow in some way. If this is just a nice meeting between mother and son, it probably does not belong in your book.
If you try this and find it helpful, you might want to record your scene outlines in a spreadsheet. I use Microsoft Excel with the following columns.
Scene POV Setting POV character’s GMC Character’s Mood Char. Development Growth Chapter Notes
This allows you to keep track of how many scenes are in your book, how often each character’s viewpoint is being used, if you’ve overused a setting location, if each scene has a clear goal, the reason for the goal, and a failure to meet that goal, the character growth and if you’ve missed any loose threads, and how many scenes are in each chapter. It also allows a place to jot key details in the notes section.
Whether you’re stuck and only plot one scene or you use this as a tool to plot all of your scenes, I hope this serves to enrich your writing and move your story along.
This article is available on the articles page of my website, Jill Kemerer, and it is linked on the side of my blog.
Join me on Wednesday when we return to our discussion of plateaus.
First, what is a scene?
According to Jack M. Bickham’s book Scene & Structure: “A scene is a segment of story action, written moment-by-moment, without summary, presented onstage in the story “now.” It is not something that goes on inside a character’s head; it is physical.”
Mr. Bickham goes on to describe the pattern of a scene as:
1. Statement of goal
2. Introduction and development of conflict
3. Failure of the character to reach his goal, a tactical disaster
In other words, each scene takes place in real time—it’s not a memory, it’s not a character reflecting, and it’s not a summary of events that took place at another time.
Decisions to make before writing the scene
I think most writers have an internal sense of story whether they plot, write a brief outline, or completely wing it. However, to avoid missing key story points along the way, one thing that can help is to plot your scene in advance. I plot all of my scenes before writing them, but do what feels comfortable. You might find plotting a scene helpful when you’re stuck.
Answer the following questions for the scene you are plotting.1. Where does this scene take place?
2. What day and what time of day is it?
3. How long after the last scene does this take place?
4. Who is in this scene?
5. Which main character has the most to lose in this scene? This answer will decide whose viewpoint the scene is told in. For maximum tension, write from the viewpoint of who has the most to lose.
One of the popular “rules” of writing is to avoid head-hopping. This means that each scene will take place from one character’s point of view. Other characters may be in the scene, but the reader will be experiencing the action from the point-of-view character. It’s a personal call on your part if you choose to follow this. I prefer to write each scene from only one character’s point of view because it clarifies the scene for me.6. What is the mood of the viewpoint character?
7. What is the viewpoint character’s goal in this scene? (What does he want?)
8. What is the viewpoint character’s motivation? (Why does he want it?)
9. What is the viewpoint character’s conflict? (Why can’t he have it?)
10. How does this scene affect the character—what is his growth?
When you answer these questions, you’re ready to write your scene. Remember to include the setting details (who, where, when) at the beginning of the scene, and state the scene goal early. Unless the scene takes place immediately after the previous one, the reader won’t know three days have passed and the character is now in a deli unless these details are clarified up front.
Getting tripped up on the character’s goal? It can be as simple as Jim wants to buy a cup of coffee. His motivation? He needs caffeine to think straight. His conflict? Before he enters the coffee shop, his mother bumps into him.
If you review the Jack M. Bickham’s scene essentials from above, you’ll see this fulfills the criteria.
Scene goal: Jim wants a cup of coffee
Introduction and development of conflict: His mother bumps into him, preventing him from entering the coffee shop.
Failure to reach goal: He does not get the coffee.
Obviously, to keep the reader interested, you would want this meeting to increase Jim’s conflict and allow him to grow in some way. If this is just a nice meeting between mother and son, it probably does not belong in your book.
If you try this and find it helpful, you might want to record your scene outlines in a spreadsheet. I use Microsoft Excel with the following columns.
Scene POV Setting POV character’s GMC Character’s Mood Char. Development Growth Chapter Notes
This allows you to keep track of how many scenes are in your book, how often each character’s viewpoint is being used, if you’ve overused a setting location, if each scene has a clear goal, the reason for the goal, and a failure to meet that goal, the character growth and if you’ve missed any loose threads, and how many scenes are in each chapter. It also allows a place to jot key details in the notes section.
Whether you’re stuck and only plot one scene or you use this as a tool to plot all of your scenes, I hope this serves to enrich your writing and move your story along.
This article is available on the articles page of my website, Jill Kemerer, and it is linked on the side of my blog.
Join me on Wednesday when we return to our discussion of plateaus.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Is Your Main Character Acting Like a Little Kid?
We couldn't have a discussion of the inner child without applying it to our writing, now could we?
So here's the question.
Is your main character acting like a little kid? Be honest with yourself.
Our main characters need to grow, but they shouldn't start out so stunted they come across as unlikable. This is especially true in mainstream fiction. Readers need to connect to the characters. They need to like them and understand why they act the way they do. From page one, the main characters should show redeeming qualities to make the reader care.
Donald Maass describes it perfectly in his book The Fire in Fiction. "Whether they are public figures or just ordinary in profile, our heroes and heroines are people whose actions inspire us."
Later he continues, "Demonstrating a character quality that is inspiring does cause readers to open their hearts."
If your main character needs major growth, you'll need to come up with ways to counterbalance his negative aspects. Don't wait until chapter three to start showing your hero's good qualities.
Think about your friends and family. What makes you love them? Are they perfect? Of course, not! But if you can inject reasons for the reader to love your hero or heroine, you won't have to worry that your characters are acting like immature children.
What traits do you find attractive in a hero or heroine?
Join me on Wednesday for the final post on the inner child--field trips!
So here's the question.
Is your main character acting like a little kid? Be honest with yourself.
Our main characters need to grow, but they shouldn't start out so stunted they come across as unlikable. This is especially true in mainstream fiction. Readers need to connect to the characters. They need to like them and understand why they act the way they do. From page one, the main characters should show redeeming qualities to make the reader care.
Donald Maass describes it perfectly in his book The Fire in Fiction. "Whether they are public figures or just ordinary in profile, our heroes and heroines are people whose actions inspire us."
Later he continues, "Demonstrating a character quality that is inspiring does cause readers to open their hearts."
If your main character needs major growth, you'll need to come up with ways to counterbalance his negative aspects. Don't wait until chapter three to start showing your hero's good qualities.
Think about your friends and family. What makes you love them? Are they perfect? Of course, not! But if you can inject reasons for the reader to love your hero or heroine, you won't have to worry that your characters are acting like immature children.
What traits do you find attractive in a hero or heroine?
Join me on Wednesday for the final post on the inner child--field trips!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Writing Schedule in the Summer
If you're like me, you're curious as to how writers do it all. They may have busy careers, small children at home, elderly parents to care for, or all of the above. Yet, they continue writing, and many keep churning out amazing books year after year. Their non-writing responsibilities haven't gone away. How do they do it?
Photo by willsisti
I don't know. I'm not big on comparing--it just makes me feel bad. I do know that we all have different personalities, different rhythms, different ways of approaching things. My way would not work for everyone but it works for me.
My children are old enough to make their own breakfast and entertain themselves for a few hours upon waking. I set my alarm, get up early, and write or revise until noon. The kids know I'm all theirs after lunch. I do not cheat them of this time, and they in turn, respect that I'm working in the morning. A few days a week, after dinner, I spend a few hours on social networking, blogging, and updating websites.
I always feel a push-pull between my writing and family responsibilities. It's hard to mix it up right each day. Some days, I'll feel I should have spent more time with my family. Others, I'll panic that I haven't checked blogs in forever. I'm making peace with it, because it's not something that's going to go away.
Ten years ago, I wrote up a personal mission statement for my life. I no longer have the copy, but I clearly remember my priorities. 1. God 2. Husband and children 3. Work/personal pursuits.
I don't believe I need to spend every hour of every day catering to my children to prove they are a priority in my life. However, I can easily let my personal mission of being published overtake every waking minute. So I set aside each afternoon in the summer to spend with my kids--no writing allowed. In a few short years, I won't have the opportunity to spend precious summer hours with them. They'll grow up. They won't live here forever.
Writing has been my career (although I'm not yet published) for almost three years. My writing goals are attainable but challenging, and I push myself hard to meet them, even during the summer. Discipline isn't always fun. It doesn't always feel good. But without it, my writing would sputter to a stand-still in the summer.
With any career commitment, we have to juggle responsibilities, and those tasks don't always fall into an easy nine-to-five schedule.
Does your writing schedule change in the summer? How do you feel about it?
Join me on Friday to set one goal!
Photo by willsisti
I don't know. I'm not big on comparing--it just makes me feel bad. I do know that we all have different personalities, different rhythms, different ways of approaching things. My way would not work for everyone but it works for me.
My children are old enough to make their own breakfast and entertain themselves for a few hours upon waking. I set my alarm, get up early, and write or revise until noon. The kids know I'm all theirs after lunch. I do not cheat them of this time, and they in turn, respect that I'm working in the morning. A few days a week, after dinner, I spend a few hours on social networking, blogging, and updating websites.
I always feel a push-pull between my writing and family responsibilities. It's hard to mix it up right each day. Some days, I'll feel I should have spent more time with my family. Others, I'll panic that I haven't checked blogs in forever. I'm making peace with it, because it's not something that's going to go away.
Ten years ago, I wrote up a personal mission statement for my life. I no longer have the copy, but I clearly remember my priorities. 1. God 2. Husband and children 3. Work/personal pursuits.
I don't believe I need to spend every hour of every day catering to my children to prove they are a priority in my life. However, I can easily let my personal mission of being published overtake every waking minute. So I set aside each afternoon in the summer to spend with my kids--no writing allowed. In a few short years, I won't have the opportunity to spend precious summer hours with them. They'll grow up. They won't live here forever.
Writing has been my career (although I'm not yet published) for almost three years. My writing goals are attainable but challenging, and I push myself hard to meet them, even during the summer. Discipline isn't always fun. It doesn't always feel good. But without it, my writing would sputter to a stand-still in the summer.
With any career commitment, we have to juggle responsibilities, and those tasks don't always fall into an easy nine-to-five schedule.
Does your writing schedule change in the summer? How do you feel about it?
Join me on Friday to set one goal!
Friday, January 29, 2010
2010 Writing Aspirations
This is the last post of January. Hard to believe, isn't it? Since we examined healthy habits and what we're doing right all month, I would love to share my writing goals and hear yours.
What do you want to accomplish in 2010?
Right now, I'm finishing up the first draft of book one in a three-book series. I will finish the series this year and I'd love to write a fourth book by December 31. I'm realistic, though, and will be happy just to complete the three. (For those of you gagging, I write category romances which are shorter than single title.)
My other goals are continuations of what I do every year. Submit to editors and agents as I complete each book. I also plan on entering a few contests. I haven't narrowed them down yet, but I am keeping an eye out for potentials. Another annual goal is to study six books on the writing craft. Such a chore, right? (Wink, wink!)
What are your goals this year? I'd love to hear your aspirations!
Have a wonderful weekend!
What do you want to accomplish in 2010?
Right now, I'm finishing up the first draft of book one in a three-book series. I will finish the series this year and I'd love to write a fourth book by December 31. I'm realistic, though, and will be happy just to complete the three. (For those of you gagging, I write category romances which are shorter than single title.)
My other goals are continuations of what I do every year. Submit to editors and agents as I complete each book. I also plan on entering a few contests. I haven't narrowed them down yet, but I am keeping an eye out for potentials. Another annual goal is to study six books on the writing craft. Such a chore, right? (Wink, wink!)
What are your goals this year? I'd love to hear your aspirations!
Have a wonderful weekend!
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