Publetariat was started as a movement to celebrate and champion the indie author. So we are very happy to support Indie Author day, October 8, 2016.
During the Inaugural Indie Author Day on October 8, 2016, libraries from all across North America will host their own local author events with the support of the Indie Author Day team. In addition to these local programs, each library’s indie community will come together for an hour-long digital gathering at 2 pm Eastern featuring Q&A with writers, agents and other industry leaders. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity for libraries and authors to connect on both local and global levels!
Check to see if there is a library near you hosting events or if that doesn’t work for you they are having a webcast, open to all, at 2 pm Eastern Time.
Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.
Poor Linda Formichelli! She had a horrible experience launching her last book, but was gracious enough to share her experiences at Renegade Writer Press. Be careful out there!
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I Lost $6,500 on My Last Book Launch: Details, final tally, lessons learned
Linda Formichelli
Be careful out there!
Hello, Renegades! You may remember that I started a series of posts on the work and expenses that have gone into writing and publishing my new book, How to Do It All: The Revolutionary Plan to Create a Full, Meaningful Life — While Only Occasionally Wanting to Poke Your Eyes Out With a Sharpie.
I promised to follow up with a final accounting and to let you know if all the work and expense was worth it. That’s what you’re reading now.
In short, I’ll tell you that the book cover designer, interior layout designer, and proofreader were all 100% worth the cost. They all delivered on what they promised in their contracts.
The launch team that constituted the bulk of my expenses ($6,500 of the $10,000 spent)? That’s another story. I learned a lot of hard lessons from this, and hope you will, too, as I’m passionate about helping writers and want to make sure no other self-publisher has to go through what I experienced.
Some key information to remember as you read this: How to Do It All is a nonfiction self-help title aimed at a female audience between the ages of 20-60.
If you liked this article, please share. If you have suggestions for further articles, articles you would like to submit, or just general comments, please contact me at paula@publetariat.com or leave a message below.
If you liked this article, please share. If you have suggestions for further articles, articles you would like to submit, or just general comments, please contact me at paula@publetariat.com or leave a message below.
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Stereotypes are a cheap way to write characters. Megan Leigh at SFWA argues the need for more strong female characters and by strong she means complex, not she-hulks. As a long time Sci-Fi fan, I do think it has gotten better. I fell into Tolken, who has only a few (strong) female characters, but at least women were not objects to be possessed featured on the cover as scantily clad as the publisher thought they could get away with.
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Dispelling the Myth of Strong Female Characters
by Megan Leigh
You would think a princess could afford more clothes. Click for a great site on bad 70’s book covers
When it comes to equal representation in fiction, women have a long way to go. There simply aren’t enough female characters in books and that’s counting those that appear only as romantic interests, victims to be saved, or someone’s mother. Is it really so much to ask for an equal number and variety of well-written, three-dimensional female characters?
What is a ‘strong’ character?
It is important to understand what we mean when talking about strong characters, be they male or female. This isn’t physical strength or the strength of their convictions. A strong character has strong characterisation. They are flawed, complex, varied, fallible, and realistic.
A common issue with novels claiming to have a strong female character is the creation of an arbitrary distinction between strong and weak, useful and ineffectual, passive and active. In such cases, women are often pigeon holed into stereotypes – the weak woman is caring and vulnerable, overly emotional, and concerned with domestic issues, while the strong woman is aggressive, abrasive, violent, and has difficulty connecting emotionally with others.
When critics cry that there aren’t enough strong female characters, they aren’t talking about women adhering to the masculine warrior stereotype. Instead, what they are looking for are female characters who have as many varied personality traits as their male counterparts.
The fallacy of the exceptional case
The chosen one is one of the most common tropes in SFF. The chosen one, by definition, must be exceptional. If the narrative involves a chosen female, many writers – and readers – will, by default, exclaim that they have found an example of a strong female character. But simply being the prophetic wunderkind does not make a character strong by default.
If your story hinges on this particular woman being special, an exceptional member of her gender, it is easy to brush off the majority of women as ‘weak’. While stories involving such characters often involve men slowly realising they shouldn’t be so surprised that a woman can handle herself so well, the very framing of the narrative in a way that has men writing off most women as incapable is an issue unto itself. If only one woman is ever shown to be capable and is presented as an exceptional case, gender equality has a long way to go.
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Hey did you know that there are other platforms out there besides Amazon and Apple? I know, I know, I kid, I kid. But we talk about those two so much with B&N occasionally thrown in that it is nice to remember that Google actually has game in this race. So here are some updates on Play Book from Android Police. Anyone have any luck with getting their titles on Google Books?
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Play Books v3.9 adds smarter search suggestions, badges for series with new content, and more [APK Download + Teardown]
by Cody Toombs, Jul 18, 2016
It has been a couple of months since Play Books has been in the news, but there’s a new update rolling out and it brings a couple of new features. Version 3.9 gives search a little more help with more thorough suggestions and adds a badge to series when new content hits the store. Those two things along with some other general bug fixes and improvements are certainly nice, but there are also a couple of things to talk about in a teardown. Keep reading for details or skip straight to the bottom for a download link.
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Literary devices are the spice of books. They add interest and depth to a story. Laura Drake explains the differences and gives some examples over at Writers In The Storm.
We just finished binge watching Penny Dreadful on TV and loved how the theme seemed to be that those who sought immortality didn’t find peace, but those who died did. What is your favorite literary device example?
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Motifs and Symbols and Themes – Oh My!
June 24th, 2016 By Laura Drake
Symbolism is as symbolism does
I love almost all literary devices, but the three in this post’s title are my favorites. I’m sure you heard of them, and have probably used them in your writing, but you may not know the definitions, so here they are:
Motif is any recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story. Through its repetition, a motif can help produce other narrative (or literary) aspects such as theme.
Theme is what the author is trying to tell the reader. For example, the belief in the ultimate good in people, or that things are not always what they seem. This is often referred to as the “moral of the story.”
Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense.
Thematic Patterning means the insertion of a recurring motif in a narrative.
I’ve used all of them in my books: An ugly scar, to remind the readers of the protagonist’s guilt and shame (Nothing Sweeter). A cowgirl hat to signify the protagonist’s reluctance to change (Sweet on You). White roses, to remind a mother of her grief (The Sweet Spot). Even a motorcycle, to show a character’s running from her past (Her Road Home).
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Sometimes when you haven’t thought about something for a long time you don’t quite remember it the way you should. So today we bring you the Daily Writing Tips‘ article on capitalization within quotations.
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5 Sentences Demonstrating Whether to Capitalize and Punctuate Quotations
By Mark Nichol
Because everyone can use a refresher!
When the syntax of a sentence containing a quotation is not straightforward, it can be difficult to determine whether the first word should be capitalized and which punctuation marks, if any, should attend the quotation. The following sentences illustrate some of the pitfalls, and discussions and revisions point to their solutions.
1. After years of finger-pointing, Smith says “enough is enough” and is filing suit against Jones.
The statement may seem insignificant, but it is a complete sentence and should be treated as one; it should also be preceded by a comma following the attribution (“Smith says”): “After years of finger-pointing, Smith says, “Enough is enough” and is filing suit against Jones. (Note, too, that no punctuation follows the quotation, because what follows is not an independent clause; it would be one if it included a noun or pronoun after and: “After years of finger-pointing, Smith says, “Enough is enough,” and he is filing suit against Jones.”)
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What is holding you back in your writing career? It is very appropriate that this article come from Writers In The Storm, as I know there are a lot of writers who struggle with different obstacles to reach their goals. I know for me there are a few fears that I struggle with including, of course, finding time. Jamie Raintree wrote a great article on how she recognized and over came her fears to be more successful with her writing.
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Overcoming the Emotional Obstacles to a Writing Career
June 22nd, 2016
By Jamie Raintree
Writing obstacles can be as bad as pull ups in 3rd grade gym!
I started writing my first novel 8 years ago, almost to the day. (I don’t know why I’ll always remember it was July 12th that I wrote those first fateful words.) I had already been writing for years, mostly short stories and some failed attempts at novels, but there was something about this time that was going to be different.
It wasn’t so much that this story idea was any better than the rest. It was more a state-of-mind. I had recently discovered National Novel Writing Month, and along with that, the realization that yes, truly anyone could write a novel. Before then, it had seemed like a pipe dream–something to poke at in the dark corners of my space and time.
That book did end up becoming my first complete novel, but I still didn’t consider myself a “writer.” I’d managed to find the time over those six months to complete a first draft, but there was still so much I didn’t know. It was still just a “hobby.” I hadn’t made it a priority in my life.
ANSWERING THE CALL
Over the next few years, I had my two girls. Through the exhaustion of two pregnancies and the endless sleepless nights that come with newborns, I continued to write because I couldn’t not write, and because in all the chaos, it was my lifeline.
I didn’t think too hard about what writing would mean for my future–it took every ounce of energy I had just to make it through the day.
When my second (and final, for sure!) daughter turned one, life started to finally settle into a routine. The girls weren’t quite so dependent on me, and with that opportunity to breathe and regroup, I had to take a look at what role writing was going to play in my future. Would it continue to be dirty little secret or was I going to make a career of it? In my heart of hearts, I always knew it would be the latter, but being a young mother had been a convenient (and valid) place for me to hide, avoiding the next step. Because let’s face it, declaring yourself a career writer is scary, and the path is hard. We’ve been hearing since we first picked up the pen that it’s almost impossible to make it in this industry, so why set ourselves up for failure? Why put myself out there for rejection?
Nevertheless, I reluctantly decided to move in that direction. I wasn’t 100% sure it was what I wanted or that it was even possible, but felt like it was time to either sink or swim.
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At Helping Writers Become Authors, K.M. Weiland shares her tips on how to avoid making one of the biggest mistakes on plotting a story. Spoiler alert, you need to start with the antagonist, not the protagonist, because the whole story revolves around them. Sure the hero is important, but without a worthy foe how can the hero shine and be the best things since sliced bread?
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How to Plot a Book: Start With the Antagonist
by K.M. Weiland
“And then instead of moving the assets to the positive side of the accounting sheet, the evil bean counter divided the dividend….” Bad protagonists aren’t bad enough.
I hate antagonists. Not so much because they’re, you know, the bad guys. No, I hate them because 90% of the time, they bore me into catatonia. Evil plan to take over the world? Yawn. Just please do whatever you gotta do to make the hero look good.
That’s how many authors approach their antagonists–as an external force who is present in the book solely for the purpose of giving the hero a reason to do all his cool hero-y stuff.
You may have planned almost all of your story–in your head, in an outline, or in a first draft–before giving even an afterthought to the antagonistic force. This is a mistake. Why? Because the antagonist is the catalyst for everything your hero does in his story.
TL;DR: Your antagonist is the catalyst for the entire plot.
In short, if you’re struggling with how to plot a book, the answer is easy: start with your antagonist.
The Plotting Mistake Almost All Authors Make
I’ll admit it if you will: my creative inspiration for my stories is always the protagonist. I can see him so clearly in my mind. There he is: going all Jason Bourne on some faceless thug, maybe weeping touchingly over a fallen comrade, then striking a melancholy heroic pose against the sunset. Let’s start writing!
But the plot? Hrm. You mean the reason why nameless thugs are coming after him, felling his comrades, and leaving him in such a melancholic mood? You mean the antagonistic force that’s opposing him for presumably watertight reasons?
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So you have decided to self-publish, but are wondering what services are necessary, which ones can be avoided, and most importantly how much is this going to cost? Ali at Ali’s Adventures has some great advice for you.
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What Should You Pay for When You Self-Publish a Novel?
by Ali
Even paying out fake money hurts….
One reader asked me to write about, “Self-publishing, whether to use editors, cover designers etc and how much is a reasonable amount to pay them.”
This is a big and important question, and one I wanted to tackle on the blog. (I normally run reader questions in the weekly newsletter – if you’re not already receiving that, and the various bonuses that go with it, get on board here.)
Here’s the quick answer to the question – one that virtually everyone writing about self-publishing will agree with:
If you’re going to self-publish, you should definitely use an editor.
If you’re going to self-publish, you should definitely use a cover designer.
Let’s dig a little deeper into that, though.
Your Plans and Hopes for Your Novel
Before you make any decision about what to pay, it’s important to think about what you want to achieve with your novel.
There are dozens of different reasons to write and publish a novel, such as:
Having a book in your hands with your name on the cover.
Being able to give your book to friends and family.
Receiving the validation of “being published”. (If this is your main motivation/goal, then you might want to aim for traditional publication, with a publishing house.)
Having your book on the shelves in major bookstore chains. (Again, you might want to aim for traditional publication here.)
Getting your work in front of readers.
Making money from your novel.
If you’d be happy to simply print a dozen copies of your novel to give to friends and family, then paying for editing or cover design is probably overkill.
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Jane Freeman tackles the question should you try to publish traditionally or go the self-publishing route. She gives you some thoughts you might not have heard before. Personality has a lot to do with it. As someone who is self-employed, self-publishing seems a more likely route for me, if I ever get a book finished. ; )
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Should You Self-Publish or Traditionally Publish?
June 21, 2016
The key is to know yourself. You got to check yourself, before you wreck yourself.
by Jane Friedman
Are you wondering if you should self-publish or traditionally publish? You’re not alone. The same question is on the minds of many writers I meet, regardless of their career path or how established they are.
When I began working in the publishing industry in the mid-1990s, a stigma surrounded both self-published books and self-published authors. I recall speaking at the Chicago chapter of the Romance Writers of America in the mid-2000s, and running a workshop on how to self-publish. About three people showed up and two of them were already self-published; it was by far the worst-attended session I’ve ever run at a major writing event. At the time, self-publishing was not a well-regarded path to success, and it indicated some kind of author failing or eccentricity.
Times have (dramatically) changed, and now some self-published authors accuse traditionally published authors of being misguided or short-sighted in their allegiance to a “legacy” system.
But there is no single right answer to this question because it’s context dependent. That means the right answer can change—even for the same author—from book to book, and from year to year.
This post outlines what I think are the biggest factors that play into the decision.
1. Do you expect or want to see your book stocked in bookstores across the country?
It next to impossible for a self-published author with a single title to achieve wide-scale distribution for their book at bricks-and-mortar stores. You may be able to get your book stocked locally or regionally, especially if you have the right connections or are a well-known person in your community. But for the most part, a self-published authors’ books will sell primarily through online retail, whether as a print book or an e-book. That’s not the drawback it used to be, given that more than half of all books sold in the United States sell through Amazon (regardless of format).
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I have posted before about my love for anthologies, as a great way to find new authors. It is a great way to get your work in front of more people, and for the reader you get a bunch of great stories, usually at a bargain price. Susan Span from Writer’s Unboxed discusses the legal side of anthologies, and what you need to watch out for.
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The Legal Side of Writing for Anthologies
Be careful, cause friends don’t let friends sign shitty contracts.
June 20, 2016
By Susan Spann
Anthologies offer writers an excellent platform for shorter works and create opportunities for reader cross-pollination. When managed and published properly, anthologies have many benefits and relatively few drawbacks for authors. However, authors do need to ensure–before submitting or signing a contract–that the anthology publisher is offering industry-standard contract terms and proper legal protection for the contributing authors and their works.
Today, we’ll review a few of the legal traps and pitfalls authors should beware (and avoid) when contributing work to an anthology:
1. Contracts Are Not Optional.
Every anthology should use a professional, written publishing contract (or release) containing industry-standard terms for anthology publication. If the publisher is taking only non-exclusive rights, and not limiting the author’s right to reprint and re-use the work in any way, a simple release will often suffice, but even this should be in writing. (Note: The author should always retain the copyright and subsidiary rights to the work, as well as the right to re-publish in other contexts. Also, the author should never have to pay the publisher any money or be required to purchase copies of the finished anthology.)
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Are you one of those people who are very hard on themselves? I know I am, and it gets to the point where it stops me from working at my best. John Yeoman is talking directly to us when he gives us six reasons why maybe our story isn’t as bad as we tell ourselves. Go on over to Writer’s Village for a little pick-me-up.
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Be good to yourself. Have a kiss on me.
6 Surprising Reasons Why Your Story Is Better Than You Think
by John Yeoman
June 17, 2016
Have you ever tumbled into a trough of writing despair? “My stories are no good,” you say. “I’m a hopeless writer, witless and inept.” Baloney. Everybody is a bad writer – at least, in their first drafts.
More to the point, your self-opinion is wrong.
Wrong.
Wrong.
Your stories – and your writing skills – are probably a lot better than you think. Why? Let me count the reasons, all six of them.
1. You love your story – or something about the story.
If you don’t love it, nobody else will. Trash it. But if you do love it, there’s something lovable in it – which can be developed.
Maybe it’s a character.
Dorothy Sayers fell in love with her grandee sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey. Was he Sayers’ imaginary son or lover? Only Freud could say.
No matter. Her passion drove her to write 15 classic Wimsey novels plus five story collections.
Or maybe it’s a world.
Each of Sayers’ stories is a microcosm of her social world, an age when everyone in Britain had servants. If you didn’t, you were nobody. She was tacitly in love, not just with Wimsey, but with a between-wars golden age now lost to us.
(Some might say, well lost. It was no ‘golden age’ for the servants in those days.)
Build on that passion. It’s too strong to dismiss. Soon you’ll have a story – even a novel – that other readers will fall in love with too.
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Libraries get more offerings for their patrons, authors get more exposure.
In The News – Articles Of Interest For Authors
While this is a local news item, I am sharing for the information on Self-e. Self-e is a free program for authors and small publishers to get their books into local libraries. The Olympian is just one news organization that is highlighting the opportunities this presents for authors. Anyone out there tried Self-e? If so let us know your results.
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Timberland libraries now offer access to self-published books
By Ben Muir bmuir@theolympian.com
SELF-e is a website that lets libraries distribute the work of independent authors
It helps authors who don’t have publishing houses increase their visibility
It increases the library’s offerings for patrons
There are two ways to publish a book these days.
The first is through the six prominent publishing companies that are still the recommended route to maximum exposure.
The other is through independent publishing, an approach authors take when they haven’t signed with an agent or a publishing house, but still want their work to be read.
And there was no middle ground until SELF-e became the compromise.
SELF-e is a website that lets libraries distribute the work of independent authors, and offer an array of genres and content for subscribing patrons.
The Timberland Regional Library system has joined thousands of other libraries across the country in providing SELF-e offerings, said Timberland public relations specialist R.J. Burt.
“One of the barriers for writers is being recognized enough to be picked up by a large publishing house,” Burt said. “Libraries have broken down that barrier for writers, so they should certainly use it.”
How it helps local authors
Publishing on SELF-e is not only free but effortless, said Kim Storbeck, a library collections development specialist. After authors upload a book to SELF-e, there is a vetting process that takes roughly a week.
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We have a tendency to surround ourselves with people who are like us, that have the same interests and hobbies. But when you are a writer and your friends are writer, it can get tricky. How can you tell someone you cherish in your life that perhaps their writing can use a little sprucing up. Ali Luke posting on Helping Writers Become Authors has some great tips on how to be a good writer friend.
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8 Tips for Editing Other Writers’ Work (While Remaining Friends)
June 15, 2016
Real friends love you no matter what your color, species, or position on the Harvard Comma
by Ali Luke
Have you ever been asked to edit someone else’s work? Do you need tips for editing without ruining friendships? You’re not alone!
If you’re part of a workshop group, or if you have a bunch of writer friends, then you’ll probably find yourself acting as an editor at some point. Perhaps:
In a group workshop setting, giving feedback on a draft-in-progress.
As a beta reader, taking on a whole completed manuscript.
As a paid editor, carefully reviewing a client’s work.
Your role is a significant one: as the editor, you could well make the difference between a so-so novel and one that really lives up to its full potential.
A bit daunting?
Probably. After all, you not only want to do a good job… you also want the author to still be on speaking terms with you afterwards. You also don’t want to end up spending countless hours perfecting someone else’s prose, at the expense of your own writing.
Top 8 Tips for Editing Someone Else’s Book
Here are eight key tips to have in mind when you’re editing (or thinking about editing) someone else’s work.
#1: Be Careful How Much You Take On
Do you struggle to say “no”? Me too (though I have two small children now, so I’m getting plenty of practice!)
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During the Inaugural Indie Author Day on October 8, 2016, libraries from all across North America will host their own local author events with the support of the Indie Author Day team. In addition to these local programs, each library’s indie community will come together for an hour-long digital gathering at 2 pm Eastern featuring Q&A with writers, agents and other industry leaders. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity for libraries and authors to connect on both local and global levels!
by Cody Toombs, Jul 18, 2016
