Questions re: Traditional Publishing vs Self-publishing

 

I belong to a number of online groups for writers. I enjoy people telling what the writing life means to them. But over the last few months, the comments have become variations on the same theme. A question like - I've just finished my first book, should I go for traditional publishing, or should I self publish?

I know what it means to be a beginner, and I have tried to provide answers in some cases. Unfortunatly, I sadly admit that I can be long-winded. Furthermore, my kind of answer, especially in the limitations of a twitter or facebook setting, probably ends up being more confusing than helpful. But the questioners keep showing up, many of them asking the same things. So I have decided to try giving my insights and responses to the questions of beginning writers here on this blog.

There are many important things a new author needs to consider when they first begin writing. 

First: You need time, money and, most of all patience 

In some ways, publishing can be analagous to remodeling a home. Some people and projects require the use of a general contractor to take charge.  Other people feel competent put in the time and energy to manage the details themselves, and need the control of engaging individual workers and making certain get exactly what they want. Your personality plays the biggest role in selecting which path you will do best in as far as publishing your manuscript.  

In modern traditional publishing, patience is not only a virtue, it’s an absolute necessity. Years can pass between the time you write THE END and when an acquiring editor agrees to buy the rights to publish your book.  Conversely, you may only need months to do it yourself and self-publish. The self-publishing path will cost you in money more than in time. 

Second: Your individual goals drive the decision

When you first start writing a manuscript, decide if your future plans include publication.  The sooner you make that decision, the sooner you can start looking into things like editing. Not everyone wants to publish. That’s absolutely OK. A member of my critique group is a fantastic writer, with zero desire to publish. Not even in a magazine. I love her writing, and a few years ago I tried to get her to consider publishing. No interest. Her goal is to have something that tells her history to her family when she is gone.
If you want to publish someday, start making decisions before you write THE END. If you are looking at traditional publishing, you can get an early start on researching agents and acquiring editors who are willing to take unagented submissions. If you decide to self-publish and want more than the pride of holding your book in your hands, and maybe seeing copies in the hands of your friends and family, the sooner you stargt learning more a out the realities of publishing the better. If you want to sell thousands of copies and eearn best-seller status while making a pile of money, start moving in that direction as soon as possible.

This includes an honest self-assessment on your comfort with marketing. While it is true that you have to market yourself and your book whether you pursue traditional or self-publishing, marketing is critical to any hope of making significant sales for a self-published book. People prefer buying books from authors they know, or at least feel they know. Celebrities, best-selling authors, authors with a major platform. That’s why you should begin your marketing work even before you finish your book.  

While many self published romance books and authors beat these numbers, the average self-published book sells 250 copies. The average self-published author earns $1,000 per year from their books. 33% of self-published authors make less than $500 per year. 90% of self-published books sell less than 100 copies.

Marketing yourself is crucial to helping you surpass those numbers. Use social media, your website, and any other means you have to build a group that will follow you. Over time, they will feel like they grow to know you, they will feel you are one of them. Then, months, even years later, when you have a completed book, you also have people who feel they know you and are therefore more likely to care about your book.

Third: Know your own personality

Are you ready to face rejection without feeling compleely dejected. Here are a few statistics accumulated a few years ago. 

Agents and acquiring editors reject around 90% of submissions. If you don’t accumulate a large number of rejections in your quest for traditional publication, you have either given up on getting an agent or being acquired by a traditional publisher - or you have the goddess Tyche in your corner (Greek goddess of fortune, chance,  and fate, much like the African goddess Oya who appears in my newest (and as yet unpublished) manuscript). In order to achieve you must be prepared to see a lot of nos first.

I hope I have managed to answer some issues aspiring authors may have, without making things more confusing. I would love to have you share any issues or alternate opinions in the comments. I too am eagefr to learn. For the record, I have traditionally published three books, and self-published two, so I have seen both worlds.   

The Seven Year Itch!

Leaving a comment on this blog puts you in the drawing for a copy of By Design  http://a.co/eN0PQg as well as this lovely pillow.

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

What a difference seven years makes. Who would have thought that seven years ago the world of traditional publishing would have changed. The difficult decision was to keep plugging away writing proposals that were either rejected, or if accepted, the advances were abysmal.  It was either keep at it, hoping advances would increase, or wait out the rejections.

By then, I’d traditionally published over twenty five books, and admittedly I was something of a snob. I’d been published by Kensington, BET, St. Martin’s Press and Harlequin. I had come a long way from the woman who’d read for the Harlequin/Silhouette line in the early nineties. I was one of their readers (freelance) for seven years. I took  a deep, hopeful breath and went the Indie route. What choice did I have? It was either remain a snob, accept the paltry advances the publishers were offering, or not get published at all.

In 2012 my first self-published book Real Temptation was released.  Real Temptation was a story I hadn’t been able to sell.  I’d come up with the idea of a romance set in the world of a reality television show. Here’s the blurb you’ll find on Amazon - http://a.co/8SBUnXN

Rae Tyson is way over her head in credit card debt. Her personal assistant’s salary isn’t covering the bills.

Kael Whittingham’s ex wife turned him into the IRS. Now the IRS wants big bucks.

Can shopaholic, Rae and no-nonsense, Kael share the same living space?

$100,000 is the deal maker. But is the reality television show's reward more tempting than their sensual encounters? 

Encounters that leave them wanting more...much more.  

Following that effort was Truly Mine. This time I took the easy way out.  Rather than starting a new book, I republished my first book.  I’d gotten the rights back and with a little sprucing up, a change of cover, and title, Remembrance became Truly Mine.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Hey, Girlfriends!” The shout came from above. All four looked up and there she was. True to form Kimberly Morgan-Smith-Goldberg-Daniels-Rosellini – Morgan was surrounded by men. Even now Kim’s elaborately braided head peeked over the shoulder of a man so amazingly handsome, he made movie star Denzel Washington look like a troll. Rendered speechless, Charlie’s lips formed into an 0. Oh, God! Devin Spencer!

Time and place ceased to exist. Charlie no longer saw Kim. She’d been transported to a balmy spring day at Mount Merrimack. She’d sat next to that same man on a rolling green lawn, enjoying his kisses. Back the he was only a boy, barely nineteen and as gorgeous than ever. Plain old Charlie Canfield, zits and all had snared Mount Merrimack’s most eligible jock.

I had no idea what I was doing when I wrote that first book. I just knew I had to write it from the heart. Filled with mistakes, it remains one of more popular books.

Following that, I released Mine Forever, another book I had written and gotten the rights back to. It was the sequel to (Remebrance, re-titled Truly Mine.) In my traditionally published life, Mine Forever was titled A Reason to Love.

Several other self-published books and novellas followed, and not necessarily in the below order:

Baby, I want you          http://a.co/f8restY

Just You                        http://a.co/hpm3ZiL

Seducing Circe             http://a.co/6FVurHG

Islands Apart                http://a.co/aZS2TA0

His Call                        http://a.co/hKCjONp

Tempting Andie           http://a.co/i1cOjBr

His Golden Heart         http://a.co/4ZrQ2if

Loose in Las Vegas      http://a.co/hQCSPM

Naughty in New York  http://a.co/eADACoj

Rockin’ the Rockies     http://a.co/9MYnQ8z

And By Design,  http://a.co/eN0PQg my recent collaboration with Sandra Kitt

Going from traditionally published to Indie was a huge change, and a challenge. I was a business owner which meant I was in charge of marketing, promotion and distribution. But it was a change for the better, and a change that has helped me grow as an author.

A year and a half ago, four of my books were bought by Audible, and I continue to collaborate with several authors to produce books that would never have been published traditionally. When you traditionally publish, you are asked to produce  work that fits the guidelines of a particular publishing house.  .  

Now I enjoy the freedom of writing about topics that are near and dear to my heart. Yes, change is good and frees you to create projects you never thought you could!

About Marcia King-Gamble

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS

Indies & Libraries, Together In Midwinter

Hi everyone! I am YA, and now MG author Barbara Binns , writer of contemporary and realistic fiction for adolescents and teens. My tagline tells you what I am about - Stories of Real Boys Growing Into Real Men - and the people who love them.  My newest book, Courage, is middle grade fiction that will be coming out next summer from Harper Collins.

I spent the weekend at the American Library Association Midwinter conference in Denver, Colorado. I attended the conference as a retired (and current volunteer) library worker. And because, as a writer, I consider librarians a major part of my audience. (I feel the same about RTG readers, so please read all the way to the end for a surprise. Pretty please with sugar on it, as I used to say when I was young.)

Beautiful Downtown Denver

First, let me say, being “Mile High” is a real thing, not to be trifled with. The convention leaders greeted us with instructions on staying hydrated and other survival tips. Literally thousands of librarians crowded the city from all across the country, occupying almost a dozen hotels.

Librarians and vendors.

The exhibit hall was filled with companies that make every type of library tool. And all kinds of publishers. Not just the big five. There were dozens of small presses. And, a surprising number of Indie publishing houses.

It has been two years since I last attended an ALA meeting. I was surprised to see how many booths were manned by either individual Indie authors/publishers, or by groups of indie authors joined together to manage the costs of participating at the conference. I am going to tell you some of the things I saw. This is not an endorsement of any group or service, just my observations about the possibilities for libraries and indie authors.

Images from four different Indie  booths 

A number of companies that provide self-publishing and on-demand services, companies like Ingram, iUniverse, Xlibris had their had booths. Many were collaboration efforts, with books from authors who published using their software. These firms are making a presence to get their users books in front of librarians. 

There was also booth from Indie consortiums, authors who could not afford an independent presence at the conference, but joined together to purchase a booth and get their work in front of the thousands of attendees.

The Indie Press Collective provides a number of services for Indie authors. In addition to showing books at associations like ALA, they have a review service for pre-pub bed Indie Books only, Foreword Reviews  Anyone can ask for a review, you can see more information on the process at - https://www.forewordreviews.com/about/ 

There is no cost for a review. But, since they get thousands of requests, only a small percentage of the authors who want a review actually get included in Foreword Reviews. There are costs associated with post publication reviews, as well as for being included in the books displayed at booths or for advertising in their magazines. 

Even more, the Indie books obtained a time slot on the Book Buzz stage - two to two-thirty on Saturday. The Book Buzz stage is located on the Exhibit floor of every ALA convention. This is the fourth ALA conference I have attended over the years. For the first time I know of, Indie groups had their own time slot on stage, where some of their up-and-coming books were individually highlighted for librarians in attendance.

I want to say again that I am not endorsing any of these groups or efforts. I was simply impressed by the shear number of Indie authors and small presses. Impressed by the fact that they were not only in small, less expensive booths in the back, but also in the larger, decorated booths manned with specialists ready to engage with librarians. I am happy to see the way some authors join consortiums to give themselves a chance to be noticed by librarians.

Only the future will tell how much success individual authors will have breaking into the library market. That includes public libraries, college and reference libraries, and school libraries. That represents thousands of potential sales. I spoke with one woman who was looking at possibilities for her areas "One community, One book" program, and she intends to purchase 3,000 copies of the selected book. Libraries can be a great market for Indies to break into.

---

And now, your surprise. I would love to hear any of your comments, about libraries, Indies...or about my new book - http://www.babinns.com/books/courage/ . I have some Advance Reader Copies of Courage, my Middle Grade debut coming out at the end of July.  I have reserved two for readers of this post. On Feb 28 I will select two commenters to receive copies. Check back at the end of the month to see if you are a winner of a hard copy ARC that will be mailed to you.

While I want to hear comments from everyone, please note that only commenters from the continental US will be included in the raffle. 

Nadine Mutas - The Perks of Pivoting

I’ve been an indie author for two years now, and if someone had asked me back in 2015 what I think is the biggest perk of self-publishing, I would have probably said, “Money!” Ha. Of course, the appeal of higher royalties is still a big factor.

Another perk of self-publishing, however, has risen to the top of my list of priorities, and this one I have learned to appreciate during the past two years. I’m talking about flexibility. Being able to pivot and adjust my strategies, to change product packaging and pricing, is key when it comes to publishing.

In the past two years I have changed not only the covers of my books but also the titles, to better position my books in the market and appeal to my target audience.

The first decision, to change my covers, came last year, after much deliberation and watching what my fellow authors did (and how well). I noticed that my covers – while professional and beautiful – didn’t particularly signal paranormal romance. In our fast-paced world of social media and online retailers, covers are often viewed in thumbnail and in passing, and they need to clearly signal the sub-genre to catch the attention of the reader looking for that kind of book.

So I pivoted. I got new covers, which featured more standard paranormal romance elements.

The decision to change my titles came about earlier this year, and it stemmed from much the same considerations. My original title of the first book was the one I came up with while I was writing it, and I never thought about changing it. I liked it, it fit the story, so I kept it, and I made sure that the titles of the subsequent books matched the branding of the first one.

After a while, though, and after reading a few comments from readers who said they almost didn’t try the first book because the title put them off, I got to thinking and realized that, indeed, especially the title of the first in the series could give readers the wrong impression about the sub-genre and content of the book.

So I pivoted. I brainstormed and came up with all-new titles for my four books (and the next one I had already planned). Those new titles feature paranormal romance keywords right in the name of the book, which increases discoverability and, in combination with the improved branding of the new covers, lets readers know at a glance what the book is about and what sub-genre it is.

I love the fact that I have this much control over my own product, and that I can change according to the market and my experiences. Evolution teaches us that the ability to adapt is key to success. And being an indie author gives us the best option to adapt in an ever-changing market.

Check out my website:
Website: www.nadinemutas.com

You can find me on social media here:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorNadineMutas

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/nadinemutas

Covering the Cover

by Diana McCollum

I have been a part of two anthologies. The first was a collaboration with other Windtree Press authors. I wrote my story. It was edited by other authors. And I had no control over the cover or anything really but my story. One person handled each and some times more than one of the tasks in putting the anthology together.

In the anthology "Gifts from the Heart", released early January 2015, I wrote a very short story "Saved by the Ring". This story is based on a true story my father told me about. The incident took place during WWII. I updated it to a contemporary story.

I felt the book turned out great. I liked the cover. It's hard to please everyone, and the more authors involved the more differences there are of what would work and what wouldn't. So the fact that one person or maybe two were in charge of that aspect was great.

Fast forward a couple years and I had two short stories come out in the anthology "Love & Magick". All together there are six different short stories, from various genres, and by three different authors. There are historical, time travel, a grown up fairy tale, contemporary, western and paranormal.

In  the anthology, Love & Magick my first two short stories were published, "Ghost of a Chance" & "The Crystal Witch".

We all chimed in on what we wanted on the cover. When you think about it, covering all the different genres on one cover would be impossible.

Having three women with their own ideas, almost impossible.

Our cover went back to the cover artist half a dozen times until we finally settled on this one. And this last cover one of us didn't like the fact the lady looked like she was NOT wearing a swim suit.

Although, she could have been wearing a strapless bikini top. So it went back to the cover artist and Karen Duvall of Duvall Design photo shopped bathing suit ties around the ladies neck. A cover artist is an indispensable part of your publishing process. No matter who you hire, the money is well worth having a professional looking cover.

Our theme was romance and each story had some sort of magick in it. I believe our final cover suggests that.

The design of a book cover is so important since that is the first thing that grabs a reader to pick up your book and read the back copy/blurb and buy it. That initial emotional response, so important!

One thing you need to think about is the mood of your book. The colors, patterns, and type of lettering that resonates with your book theme.  "Love & Magick" I believe the cover mood shows mystery, magick and romance. The blues with the moon enhance the mood.

Another way is to check on the e-book outlets for covers in your genre. What is popular right now for suspense, historical, paranormal etc. You want your cover to stand out from the competition. Check out the covers of New York best sellers in your genre. Set up a file on your computer with all the covers you like. What is it that draws you to that cover? Then you have ideas to give your cover designer.

If you are creating your own book design it is better to go simple and sophisticated, rather than trying to cram too much on to the cover making it cluttered and too busy. If the reader's eye can't focus on the simple, she'll move on to another book. Fonts should be bold and clear for your title and your name. 

Always make sure you check your cover as a thumbnail size. Is the design show good as a thumbnail? Most people who buy online will see this thumbnail size first. You want your book to pop and show well in the small size.

Have you read books where you've wondered how on earth does the cover relate to the story?

When I write,  I weave elements of paranormal,  and fantasy into my stories. I always have a Happily Ever After, because I have to for my own satisfaction!  

My hope is that I am able to take you away from your everyday life for a journey that is both entertaining, and fun, and sometimes a little scary, then I've succeeded in my job as a writer.

To purchase click on links:
"Gifts of the Heart" by Windtree Press Authors
"Love & Magick" by Judith Ashley, Diana McCollum & Sarah Raplee

http://dianamccollum.weebly.com/books.html
http://bit.ly/2nld4AC  (visit my author page on Facebook)
@Dianasuemcc   Follow me on twitter

This Crazy Business of Publishing

By Courtney Pierce

When I wrote my first novel, Stitches, the thought of being published was the furthest thing from my mind. I wanted the challenge of plotting a compelling story, to learn the craft, and to dive into the story that burned in my imagination. I took a sabbatical from corporate life to write that story, a deeply personal story of immortality filled with humor and adventure. Now, two trilogies later, I’m finishing my sixth book, Indigo Legacy, and I’m back to balancing work, a new family, and my writing.

But there was no greater feeling than finishing that first book in 2012, a creation born from the pure joy of pushing through the process and challenging myself with questions. To turn over the manuscript to the first reader was a test of fortitude, self-confidence, and my openness to criticism. I developed that much-needed thick skin.

I came up for air in a swirl of adventure, humor, and magical realism, only to feel a bit lost atHow to get Published and critiquing queries for a hefty fee. They weren't selling many books. Publishers were only interested in celebrity memoirs and established authors with a proven track record, those who could make them money without a marketing budget. What to do next? The publishing industry was in chaos in 2012, and so were retail bookstores, both big chains and independent ones. Life for the average reader had shifted to be an E-book experience―at a rate of $.99 or free. Only a select few were making a decent living from being a writer, earning pennies on the dollar for the long hours invested. The book business was about volume...in the millions. The industry had been plunged into a perfect storm of capitalism: an antiquated, crumbling process in need of rebuilding, fueled by new technology. Amazon was living up to its name. Literary agents had shifted their focus to teaching workshops about

And then a funny thing did happen on the way to being published.

The lone writer―the little gal―suddenly could have her own voice.

I could do everything myself: Tweet, Facebook, set up a website, hire an editor and cover designer, format and produce a book at the push of a button. Not easy, mind you, but I would’ve had to do much of it anyway. If I was prolific and built my audience with a steady stream of books, then the publishing industry might chase me. Publishers aren’t in the business of making dreams come true. That’s my job.

I made the choice to be a pioneer. I decided to go it on my own, and the process was liberating if not amazing. As a first-time author during that tumultuous period, my chances of getting traditionally published were a long shot at best. Self-publishing allowed me to control my timeline, protect my content, and retain ownership of my copyrights. I taught myself the business, and I got better at it with every book. But most of all, I found my audience, without delusions of grandeur. If I didn’t sell millions of books, I wasn’t a failure. I’m thankful for those 73 Million baby boomers, just like me. Those boomers who bought my books and personally connected with me showed me the way forward.

My sense of purpose is to stay true to my audience…and to myself. Chasing trends doesn't work to be successful. That can't always be measured in dollars. I write for the pure joy of it. I’ve circled back to my roots of why I got into this crazy endeavor in the first place. 

Courtney Pierce is a fiction writer living in Milwaukie, Oregon, with her bossy cat. She writes for baby boomers. By day, Courtney is an executive in the entertainment industry and uses her time in a theater seat to create stories that are filled with heart, humor and mystery. She has studied craft and storytelling at the Attic Institute and has completed the Hawthorne Fellows Program for writing and publishing. Active in the writing community, she is a board member of the Northwest Independent Writers Association and on the Advisory Council of the Independent Publishing Resource Center. She is a member of Willamette Writers, Pacific Northwest Writers Association, and She Writes. The Executrix received the Library Journal Self-E recommendation seal. 

Check out all of Courtney's books at:

courtney-pierce.com and windtreepress.com. Both print and E-books are available through most major online retailers, including Amazon.com

The Dushane Sisters are back in Indigo Lake. More laughs, more tears...and more trouble. Protecting Mom's reputation might get the sisters killed―or give one of them the story she's been dying to live.

New York Times best-selling author Karen Karbo says, "Courtney Pierce spins a madcap tale of family grudges, sisterly love, unexpected romance, mysterious mobsters and dog love. Reading Indigo Lake is like drinking champagne with a chaser of Mountain Dew. Pure Delight."

Colorful characters come alive in Courtney's trilogy about the Dushane sisters. Beginning with The Executrix, three middle-age sisters find a manuscript for a murder mystery in their mother's safe after her death. Mom’s book gives them a whole new view of their mother and their future. Is it fiction . . . or truth? 

Get out the popcorn as the Dushane Sisters Trilogy comes to a scrumptious conclusion with Indigo Legacy. Due out in 2017.

Pulled in a Different Direction

by Diana McCollum

In 2010, or there about, I had two stories I was developing plots for, and writing, a historical romance and a contemporary romantic suspense. Working a full time job with a round trip commute of two to three hours a day left me too tired at the end of the work day to write. So my writing time was on the weekends.

This made for slow going for me, anyway. My husband was working out of town and only home on the weekends, so that was our honey time.

During this same time frame I started posting once a month on this blog and every couple months on the free short story blog Judith Ashley and Sarah Raplee used to run.

I found I enjoyed writing short stories. They were really short stories of 1,200 to 2,000 words each.

Feeling quite depressed one day, I complained to Sarah about the slow progress I was making with my historical and suspense stories.

She had an idea!

Judith and Sarah had been discussing self-publishing an anthology of short stories. Sarah asked me if I would be interested in writing two short stories to be included in the anthology. I said, “Hot, doggie! Sure I would.”

I knocked out two short paranormal stories, around 20,000 words each. And guess what I discovered? I enjoyed writing paranormal romance! My two stories, “Ghost of a Chance” and “The Crystal Witch” were fun to write. 

Along the way, I learned a lot about editing (hired an editor), choosing art for a book cover and working with a designer, I learned how to use Jutoh a publishing program, and create space for print books, and marketing etc.  And at the end of the learning curve was our anthology, "Love & Magick".  

It has been one great learning experience. Not at all the road I thought I was traveling on.

I now have a spin off novella, “The Witch with the TridentTattoo”, featuring one of the characters from “The Crystal Witch”.

I never would have guessed my first published book would be an anthology. But that’s the path I landed on.

The historical romance and romantic suspense I was working on? They are filed in a doc on my computer. Someday I’ll get back to work on them. Right now I’m having too much fun writing the “Twilight Witch”, the next story in the Coastal Coven series.

Have you started down one path, only to find you end up on another path

altogether?

Editing Your Book, Part 1

By Madelle Morgan

The editing of Caught on Camera, a New Adult romantic comedy, is complete. In a series of posts I'll describe the three stages of editing that made this book the best it can be before it's indie published in September 2016.

Stage 1: Developmental Editing

I submitted the first draft of the 58,000 word contemporary romance to my story editor, Lillian Chow. Lillian studied romance writing before she focused on screenwriting, so she has an excellent understanding of the conventions of the genre.

Lillian's advanced screenwriting training developed expertise in story structure and visual storytelling. I asked Lillian two key questions on today's topic.

1. What is developmental editing, and how is it different from line editing and copy editing?

Developmental editing, also known as story editing, structural editing, or content editing, analyzes story elements to develop a great story well told. Line editing is what I call "wordsmithing" paragraphs, sentence structure and word choice to improve clarity and flow. Copy editing corrects problematic grammar, spelling and punctuation.

As a developmental editor, I care that your characters' arcs, conflicts and relationship evolution are engaging and believable. I dig deep into your plot, subplots and conflicts to elevate your story. My questions and suggestions are aimed at making your story even more emotionally and intellectually satisfying.

Specifically, I analyse these elements:

• Story structure and intertwining of the "A" Plot and the Romance Plot (client provides the scene chart)
• Goals and motivations of each main character
• Intertwining of plots and character arcs
• Rising stakes and consequences of not achieving goals
• Theme(s) and subtext
• Clarity, connectivity and consistency
• Story questions and hanging threads
• Opportunities for motifs, symbolism and subtext
• and more...

2. How does your screenwriting training contribute to developmental edits?

Screenwriters write a concise, amazing story in 90 - 120 pages, so each story element must be pared to its essential power and tracked to ensure it performs to the max. Furthermore, movies emphasize visuals over dialogue—SHOW rather than TELL. Sound familiar?

Developmental Edit of Caught on Camera

Lillian provided a summary of her story analysis as well as comments within the manuscript. She pointed out where the motivations of the characters were weak or unexplained, where their behavior was not in character, or where the stakes were too low for the character's reaction to be believable.

Lillian identified the story's tensions, such as the HOPE that Rachel will pull this off versus the FEAR she'll ruin the wedding, and marked sections where the emotional conflict needed to be heightened.

Continuity errors creep in when time elapses between writing sessions. Lillian noted that Rachel's poor eyesight magically improved in certain scenes. She brought to my attention unanswered story questions; e.g., What did Rachel do with the gift certificate?

My working theme was Deception Leads to Heartbreak. Lillian identified another theme of How far would you compromise your ethics to achieve your dream/goal? I subsequently shaped the hero and heroine's internal dialogue, dilemmas and decisions to reflect that theme.

I intended the bouquet to be a motif (it's on the cover!) Lillian pointed out that cameras were also a recurring motif. Duh, the word camera is on the cover too! Lillian commented that a cracked smartphone screen symbolized the break in the relationship. What do ya know? It never occurred to me. Apparently my subconscious is pretty smart about motifs!

Lillian's notes triggered my fine tuning of the character arcs of the protagonists. In the rocky transition to becoming the best person she can be, Rachel often regresses to acting like the star struck chambermaid she was at the beginning of the story. I needed to illuminate the internal character changes underway. Lillian suggested a screenwriting technique: Show that Rachel is willing to take risks that she wasn't willing to take at the beginning.

Summary

A developmental edit will identify story elements that are missing or need work, but it will not rewrite the story for you. Not all suggestions will fit your author vision, but they will focus your attention and spark ideas.

An objective analysis of your story is priceless, even if the report sends you into a dark room to curl up with a box of chocolates and a handful of tissues. Then it's time to get to work. Swallow your pride and rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. A professional analysis of your story is a roadmap for writing the second, improved draft.

Think of it this way. Ask a friend or partner to tell you how you look before a big event, and he's going to say you're perfect. Ask a stranger, and she'll tell you that, while your dress is nice, your teeth are stained with lipstick, your panty line is showing, and your heels are scuffed. You'd be grateful to know the truth before stepping out in public, right?

Developmental editor Lillian Chow can be reached at lilliananeditor@gmail.com.

In the next post I'll describe how I polished the second draft before turning the manuscript over to a professional copyeditor.

Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Madelle

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Madelle tweets and posts about Hollywood, filmmaking, the settings for her stories, and of course, writing. 

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Off with their heads! It's a revolution, baby...

Revolutions are, historically, bloody affairs. Upheavals of order, changing the status quo, out with the old and in with the new. People – especially the people in charge, for whom the old ways are working just fine, thanks very much – don't like change, and those in authority go down fighting, if they end up going down at all.

The rise of self-publishing – or the 'indie revolution', as some call it – has certainly created upheavals in the publishing industry. And it's sounded the death knell for a few old relics: the idea, for example, that a bunch of editors in New York should decide what everyone's going to read (and what they're not going to read, for that matter). The idea that authors need publishers more than publishers need authors, and that the person who sells the book should make more money than the person who writes it.

These are all good changes, for readers and authors both.

But other things have withered, too. The big advance. The publicity effort for anything other than the most carefully-selected bestsellers. The mass-market paperback, and ultimately the mid-list. All these things have suffered, and could die forever, for good or ill.

But that's okay, isn't it? Because we've cut out the middle man, and that's always a good thing, right? Authors are now in charge of their own destinies, and readers can drive the market like never before. So it's okay. Right?

Right?

Have we really eliminated the middle man? Or have we, like post-Revolution France, merely traded one king for another, and put the elephant in the corner (y'know, that big fat ugly one with ubiquitous online retailer stamped on his forehead) in charge?

Historically, revolutions die because the wrong people are put in power. The French Revolution committed suicide by executing the last man who had any hope of running the place – granted, the bloke was a maniac, but needs must – and calling in the army. The English, likewise, were one forceful republican personality short; their revolution wasted away when their pseudo-King died with no one to follow him. The world just wasn't ready for the ideas they'd birthed.

But I think the 'indie revolution' is different. It's an idea whose time has clearly come. Both for authors and for readers. We all wanted more. Well, now we've got it. What next?

Sure, the pendulum will swing: already, readers are complaining there's too much crap out there to find the good books, and authors are struggling for discoverability in the swamp of indistinguishable content. A shift back towards branded publishing is inevitable. And publishers are responding, with new digital imprints with shorter lead times, better royalties, more flexibility for authors. Wresting back control from General Bonaparte… er, I mean Mr. Elephant Retailer… has become a priority, lest the ideals of the revolution – that is, author control and reader satisfaction, in case you've forgotten – lest the very prizes we aimed for be lost.

The counter-revolution, citizens, is here. Who will emerge on top? Who knows?

But even 'failed' revolutions scatter newborn freedoms in their wake. The outdated and unfair French class system never recovered, and good riddance. The English Civil War birthed the right to silence, the presumption of innocence, representative government and other basic freedoms that every civilized society relies on to this day.

What's all this got to do with anything? I'm not really sure :) But nothing is cost-free. It's clear that you can't change the world without leaving some people bleeding by the wayside. And if you're going to chop off the king's head? You'd better have a plan for what to do next – or the elephant will just trample right over you.

xx Erica
http://www.facebook.com/ericahayes.author

Clueless—The More I Know I Don’t Know

By Linda Lovely

Each month Romancing the Genre bloggers are given a group theme to kickstart our blogging muse. In July, many of us are using the titles of movies or books for inspiration. After scanning lists of movie titles, I settled on CLUELESS. Though I haven’t watched this movie, the title seemed apropos as a header for some random thoughts about writing and authors.

I just returned from five days at the RWA National conference in Atlanta, attended by some 2,000 women and a handful of brave male authors (published and unpublished). Every time I go to a writing conference, I realize how little I know about the fast-changing publishing industry—and how often, what I think I know is wrong. The reality is that “facts” learned one or two years ago may be totally outdated and irrelevant in today’s market. As a result, I’ve come to grips with my ignorance. While I’ll always strive to keep learning, I will remain clueless about many aspects of our industry. Here are just a few of the tidbits I picked up at RWA, which will influence the publishing decisions I make in the coming year.

Self-Publishing

• In 2011, while self-published authors earned an average of $10,000 a year, the median annual income was $500. Translation: half the authors probably had negative profits, while a small percentage of authors made a bundle.
• Factors related to financial success for the self-pubbed were no surprise. Professional editing and professional covers plus sharing info with fellow authors increased success rates. So did the number of titles an author has to offer readers (more on that later).
• Authors can co-op to split the cost of participating in NetGalley to get manuscripts into the hands of professional reviewers.
• The ability to set up "pre-orders" for ebooks is on the near-term horizon.
• $1.99 appears to be a “black hole” for ebook pricing. E.g. authors who price books at 99 cents or $2.99 will probably make more than if they price their titles at $1.99.
• Digital book readers are said to buy 4.6 x more books (some of them print editions) than print-only readers.

The Rise of ‘Shorts’ or Frequency Matters

• New Amazon Singles and Short Story offerings are growing rapidly.
• Authors are being pushed (even by traditional publishers) to create short works that can be offered between their major releases to keep their names in front of readers.
• Many authors are collaborating on “shorts” for anthologies or collections.

Books Get Voice

• Audio books are growing at an even faster pace than digital books.
• Some 12,000 actor/actress/producers have subscribed to Amazon’s ACX.com (which matches authors with their creative audio counterparts).
• Amazon will be bundling digital & audio versions of books. This will allow a reader to stop reading on the Kindle, get in her car and start listening to the same book precisely where she left off. All automatic. The audio and digital books will be automatically synched.

Unchanged

• The most important thing an author can do to ensure success? Write a GREAT book. No matter how many changes occur in publishing, a good book (once it gains an audience) will have readers eagerly anticipating (and willing to buy) the author’s next novel.

  

What has surprised you most in the publishing world of 2013?

Overheard at... Lake Tahoe

“I feel like a celebrity.”

As many of you may already know, my family and I spent the holiday week up at Lake Tahoe. While there, we were fortunate to be able to visit the Ritz Carlton hotel at Northstar (see my personal blog for my complete story on this visit:>)

It was the first time my eight year old daughter had ever experienced this level of service and she was wowed.

As Romancing the Genres heads into December we have a fantastic list of indie / self-published authors who will be visiting our blog and sharing their stories. So, in preparation, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it does take to manage our own publishing and to WOW our readers. More and more, whether traditionally published or not, authors have to consider themselves as their own little business. Having published both ways now I see that the tension in being self-published stems from going it alone. There was great relief recently when I worked with the editor at my Publisher, Soul Mate, and took in her expert recommendations. While I didn’t agree with all of them, the extra eye made me feel much more confident of the final work, than of my first, self-published book.

And here is where I think authors can learn from really fantastic service companies. Great service requires teamwork of a supreme level. One missed opportunity and the ship is sunk. And this type of teamwork demands a few things. First, solid communication is paramount. It is not only about quantity of communication, but also quality.

Second, someone must be in charge. This was referenced over and over during our visit to the Ritz.

Finally, service is a mentality that everyone on the team must share. It goes beyond something you teach and lives deep in a person’s psyche (sometimes to their own detriment if they are always a people pleaser). So too, the values that an author holds most dear must also be held by those they gather around as support.

Writing and publishing a book may feel like an independent process when the author self-publishes… but in fact, just like a company, it takes solid teamwork. I would hazard a guess to say that the truly great self and indie published books that we’ve read got that way with support from a bunch of players.

So, who is your team and how do you communicate with them? Are you in charge and do you know what values to look for when creating your team of support? I’d love to hear what’s worked for all of the authors out there, and what readers think of what it takes to self-publish. In truth, the goal of readers and authors is the same; to be treated like we are the most important person, with the most important story to tell, in the world.