Indie News: Newspaper Content Brings Indie Books into the Limelight

Ever dreamed of having your self-published book reviewed by an authoritative newspaper? The Guardian is giving indies that chance.

Spotlight on the Self-Published

Working with Legend Times, The Guardian will review self-published authors in the newspaper as part of a contest for indie authors. 

You have the option of submitting one novel a year to the contest, which is held monthly. Judges include members of the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency, Lauren Parsons of Legend Press and authors Polly Courtney and Stuart Evers. The winning novel of the month will be reviewed.

The first entries for the contest began on April 8.

Writing 101: What Other Authors Do

Eyes on your own paper. It's the dire warning of teachers the world over, and it can still apply to you no matter how long you've been out of school. When you're an author, you can't worry about what other authors do. 

Finding a Market

A lot of authors have no doubt dreamed of writing the next Twilight or Hunger Games, but that's not how it works. You can't force lighting to strike, and you can't make yourself write within the confines of a specific outcome you want to achieve. In short, what I'm saying is this: you can't worry about finding a market for your books. You can't worry about what other authors are doing. 

Writing 101: Undecided

I've always been the sort of writer who has a one-track mind. Once I commit to a project, that's it. That's what I'm working on, and I'm working on it until I'm done. But lately, it hasn't been like that. I've recently found myself working on two different books at once, and I'm weirdly synced up because they're both on the same chapter right now. Have you ever been undecided while writing your books? 

One Way or Another

Focusing on a single story has always been my habit. I think about it when I'm not writing it, I worry over it when I don't really need to, I go back and reread it way too many times. But I realized, after a particularly poignant moment, that I have a habit of getting way too involved. And that's not good for me.

Writing 101: Forcing It

There are times when you need inspiration to strike, when you have to wait for the right creative mood to hit you. And then, there are times when you just have to sit down in front of the keyboard...and force it to come.

Disciplined

More than any other trait, I think writers have to be disciplined. It's incredibly difficult to sit down in front of a screen for 12 hours at a stretch, making little black characters appear on a white screen. Your family will be all around you talking and yelling and asking questions. Intriguing stuff will show up on TV, and weird questions will appear in your mind to tempt you into using Wikipedia. Twitter will beckon, emails will arrive, phones will ring and at some point you may wander off to go get a snack. Discipline is the only thing that makes it all work. But discipline isn't just about ignoring the TV show or telling your family to hush up. It needs to go much deeper than that.

Writing 101: You May Not Be Googling Enough

If you're like me, Google is your homepage. You refer to it constantly to look up words, find information...and sometimes, figure out the name of that person in that movie who's now in the TV show that's driving you crazy. But Google isn't just there to lead you on weird Wikipedia trivia hunts or help you find that particular Family Guy clip you've got to watch again. In fact, as an indie author you may not be Googling enough. 

Are You There, Google? It's Me, Jade

I use Google to take a look at maps, learn more about trees and figure out if I'm really using further the right way in that sentence. It's always open on all my devices, and I've asked it any number of insane questions. But there's something else I always do with Google, and all other indie authors should as well: I check all my titles and names. Do you? 

I Can't Believe I Forgot About Craigslist

Regular readers of the blog know that I've written posts about countless ways to market your indie titles. I've written about social media and finding book bloggers, trading reviews and using forums. And today, while doing my regular online chores, I saw something that managed to catch even me by surprise: an ad on Craigslist.

No, Not Literally

No, I haven't been living under a rock and yes, I've been well aware of Craigslist for many years now. I used it once during a brief stint where I played editor and had to hire a couple of freelance writers. I tried using it to find a cover designer for Justice, which didn't work out too well. But I never even considered using it to get reviews...until I saw someone else doing it first.

Writing 101: Misunderstood

If you're a self-published author, it's because you failed in traditional markets. If you're an indie, it means you're struggling just to get your words read (because who really wants to read an indie?). If you're not a well-known author being published by one of the Big Six, you're just not worth reading. These are just some of the misconceptions that people have about indie authors...and I'm here to debunk all of them.

Never Less Than

It has come to my attention that some people think self-publishing is some sort of last resort for authors. After years of desperate struggle and rejection, they finally turn to self-publishing because this is the only way for them to be heard. And naturally, because they are amateurs, they flood the market with substandard material. 

To play Devil's advocate, this story probably rings true for some authors and some books that are currently available at Amazon.com. But for a great many of the authors who go the indie route, it doesn't. I've found that many self-published authors are being plain misunderstood by readers, even by book bloggers. 

Writing 101: Don't Try to Do Everything

As an indie author, you will spend most of your time doing things other than writing. It sounds strange, but it's true. You will spend more time editing the book than writing it, and more time promoting it than you even want to think about. But don't try to do everything. Don't try to be on every site or promote every book on the same day. If you do, you'll find you don't have time to do anything else.

Burning Both Ends

How many times have you logged into Twitter or Facebook to check out one thing, and suddenly an hour has passed? Social media is time-consuming, just like book marketing. That's why you have to focus your marketing, because you just don't have time to do it all. 

Writing 101: 'S

Language is an ever-changing entity. It lives and breathes. You can easily find the proof of it. Open up a novel written 100 years ago, something by Mark Twain for example, and now go open one that was published this year. You'll find extreme differences in the language used. But there are some grammar and punctuation rules that won't ever change, and never have changed...and yet somehow, people still manage to get it wrong. 

There's No Apostrophe in Yours

The rules of using 's are extremely clear. They're hard and fast. And they have not changed since the very first rules of language were invented. So why, why, do we keep getting it wrong?

It's a riddle for the ages. But I am dedicated to repeating this rule, and pointing to it, until no one is making the mistake anymore.

I'm going to make it very clear again: 's is not used to pluralize. It never makes anything plural, not ever. That's why all of the following examples are wrong: 

Did you see all these envelope's?

How many Twitter follower's do you have?

Have you watched all those episode's?

Yes, all of the above examples are wrong because all of the above examples are pluralized words. Eliminate all the apostrophes,  and now everything is correct. You see, 's is only used for two reasons, and neither of them have anything to do with making something plural. 

Let's look at the first example of 's: substitution. 

In the sentence above, I'm actually saying let us look at the first example. The same thing is true for the word it's. Such as it's a beautiful day. What I'm really saying is it is a beautiful day. The apostrophe in the sentence is used as a substitution for the missing letters. This is how all contractions work. 

But 's is also used in another way: to show possession.

That is Becky's envelope.

It was my follower's tweet.

That episode's final scene was crazy.

The above examples use the same subject matter as the first wrong examples we looked at, but all of these examples are correct. In the first, we are talking about something that belongs to Becky. This is why it becomes Becky's, with the 's. The tweet belongs to a follower on Twitter, so it is the follower's. The final scene in one episode is crazy, so it is the episode's. 

Use 's in any other way, and you're using it wrong.

Writing 101: How Do You Know You're Done Editing?

So when you mention self-publishing, at some point someone is going to bring up editing. They'll talk about the lack thereof, or they'll express amazement that an indie book is edited so well. It always comes up, and you always have to pay careful attention to it. So when you're working on a new novel, how do you know when you're done editing it? 

Words, Words, Words! 

For many, editing is the worst part about writing. It can be humbling to read through the pages of a first draft and catch all those ugly mistakes - the kind of errors that only a rookie would make. It can be daunting to find plot holes and gaps in your story, and it can be time-consuming to fix all of this mess and turn it into a smooth, polished book. 

Because first drafts usually are such a mess, you can't edit your book just once. You have to go back again and again, read it over and over, in order to catch all those mistakes. I read each one of my books at least 5 times. I read over everything I write once I'm done writing for the night. I read over it again if I get stuck anywhere. I edit the first draft from beginning to end. Then I read it at least three times, in three different ways, to catch all the tiny mistakes that are still left. But I may not stop at 5, because the book I'm checking may be too riddled with errors. 

How do I know when I'm done? How do you know when you're done? How does any author know when they're finally finished editing that book? 

The answer is simple. When you can read your entire manuscript, from title page to the last page, without finding a single error then you are done. As a matter of fact, you should still read it at least once more after this. Because no matter how many times you read it or how carefully you check it, that book will still have at least one mistake in it. That's the nature of the beast. But if you can get it down to just one mistake then you're doing amazing. 

You're done editing when you stop finding errors, and even then everything may not be completely perfect. Being an author means getting as close to perfect as you can with every book you write. Editing is the only way to do it.

Writing 101: Self-Published Authors and Paying Taxes

Most countries tax their citizens. Lots of people complain about that, but the world would stop functioning if goverments could not charge taxes. They're used to create roads and repair bridges, among many other important tasks, so we all pay them more or less willingly. And if you've been earning money as a self-published author, you may be required to pay them as well. 

Taxing Your Income

By law, you are required to give the government a certain percentage of your earnings. When you work and receive a paycheck, these taxes are automatically deducted from that paycheck. At the end of the year you may even receive a tax return from paying too many taxes throughout the year.

But when you earn income through self-publishing, taxes are not taken out because you do not receive a paycheck. You are not someone's employee; you are receiving royalties. Because this money is not taxed, legally it is labeled as self-employment income. And when you receive a self-employment income, your tax burden increases because now you have to claim that income and pay the necessary taxes.

Writing 101: Making the Switch from Indie to Traditional

For some authors, self-publishing is just a starting point. But making the switch from indie to traditional isn't as easy as writing a hit book, waiting to get noticed and hoping the phone calls start coming. If you do a little bit more work, you could even make this change happen yourself. 

Changing Your Spots

Indie authors enjoy a lot of freedom, but it's not something that suits all writers. It is possible to switch from self-publishing to more traditional publishing, but don't wait for it to happen on its own. See if you can make it happen for yourself by following a few essential steps.

Writing 101: Saving Time

Most writers don't make a lot of money. This is a fact you must embrace if you expect to keep being able to plug away at the keyboard. The truth is, in order for most to make any sort of decent career with writing at all you have to write  a lot. That means you have to master the art of saving time. Otherwise, you'll spend most of that time just working.

Time Machine

In most cases, indie authors don't make their sole income from self-publishing books. The majority of indies must also have a day job. And if that day job is writing, it's more like a day and night job. If you write articles and books to make money, you have to write a lot of them. This takes up a whole lot of time.

Time management helps. Staying organized, staying focused -- sure, that's all well and good. But if you want to successfully juggle all your responsibilities, you should also learn how to save time. 

Writing 101: Gonna, C'mon and Other Bastards

When two words are shoved together to make a brand-new word, it's known as making a bastardized (or corrupted) word. If the word catches on, it becomes a part of common language. But when is it okay to use these corrupted words in your books?

Why, I Oughtta

Gonna is one of the most common corrupted words. It's real meaning is used like "going to," as in "I'm gonna finish this blog post soon." This is an example of a true corrupted word, with letters just shoved together to form a whole. The new word is spelled the way it sounds, as is often the case with corrupted language.  Emcee is another example. It's a bastardization of MC, which stands for master of ceremonies.

We use corrupted words so much, in fact, that it can be hard to keep track of which words are bastardized and which are not. When you face one of these corrupted words in the pages of your manuscript, what should you do? 

Proper English

Words like gonna appear in everyday conversation all the time, along with other corrupted words like c'mon and oughtta. And when they appear within the dialogue of your books, it's okay to use them because that's how people talk. But your character should not be thinking gonna or oughtta; they should be thinking going to and ought to. 

Bastardized words can, and in some cases, should, be in your dialogue. But in the rest of your prose? Proper English is always called for.

Writing 101: Action vs. Dialogue

When you really think about it, all decisions really boil down to one of two choices, don't they? Every battle is decided based on those two choices. And as an author, you have to decide which you'll use to introduce your plot points: action or dialogue? 

One for the Ages

It is truly an epic battle that is waged on every page of every manuscript ever written. Should you use the spoken word to convey that piece of information, or a scene involving actions instead? Should you blend the two together into one multi-layered scene? And if so, how? Action vs. dialogue is a never-ending struggle...and I've noticed one common thread among the authors who find themselves losing that war. 

You can't ever let dialogue win. If you want to win this war, then you must embrace the fact that action must be your champion. He's your Achilles, your David, your Russell Crowe. Dialogue is a scrappy little fighter, and it's fine to let him win a few battles. But action is going to carry your book, and it's going to eventually win out. Otherwise...well, you're going to have a pretty boring book. 

Writing 101: Going with the Flow

Sometimes, writing is the hardest thing in the world. You have to think twice about every word, struggle with each line, repeat the dialogue out loud before you change it all around. But sometimes, it's not. Sometimes, you'll settle into a groove. You'll get into a zone. And that's when words just start flowing. When that happens, you've got to go with it. 

Words Before Agony

I'm a big advocate of doing the research and getting it right, and I don't care what you're writing about. If you're going to describe a tree, I think you should get out your reference materials (like Google) and learn about that damn tree. But I also believe that when the words are flowing, you need to go ahead and flow with them. Because when the well is dry, you'll have plenty of time to do your research.

Writing 101: Being Ridiculous

By nature, writers spend a lot of time in their own heads. I'm one of those writers who takes this to a dark place. I'm overly analytical, highly critical, and I've learned that I'm getting in my own way when it comes to creating stories. My newest project is a perfect example of how I spend so much of my time being afraid to just be ridiculous.

Wishy-Washy

As I've mentioned, I've been struggling with my current manuscript. It's one of those stories where I have to bleed over every line and I'm soaked in sweat before even one more paragraph is completed. Every time I try to think about it, I change my mind about 10 times and end up right back where I started.

I found myself taking another look at different projects instead, anything to distract me from this nightmare of a story. And I found myself drawn to the same project again and again, something I started working on before the Deck of Lies. I realized that I have a full outline and character sheet for the book, not to mention 5 completed chapters. Why did I ever stop working on this in the first place?

Affected by Hope's Rebellion

"This book is so jammed packed with emotion that you can’t put this book down without feeling unaffected." 

"This book gets under your skin in ways you didn’t think of and draw a lot of emotions out of you."

Hope's Rebellion has been reviewed at the Reading Cafe. Visit the blog to see the review, and you'll find a post from me about deadline stress (and how to deal with it)!

Indie News: A Time for Segregation?

If the self-pubishing craze continues to grow as it has done, next year 50% of ebooks will be self-published or indie titles. And now, some bloggers are saying they should be separated from the traditionally published books. In fact, one says it's time to start segregating them. 

Talk About Shopworn...

If history counts for anything, segregation of anything doesn't really work. When it comes to people, forced separation leads to resentment. When it comes to products, the market usually ends up choosing for itself.

But to play Devil's advocate, there are reasonable points to the argument. The blogger calling for the change points out that many books with very adult themes can appear online inside inappropriate categories, and self-published titles may be listed right along with more traditional books. The blogger says plainly that ebookstores must separate the "good" authors from the "bad." According to him, "good" authors earn a living solely through writing books and "bad" ones do not.

Judging Jade

"I read this amazing book in one day. I read it until my eyes were twitching and watery because it was such a page-turner (like the rest of the books in the series)."

Amazon

"Just go read this series because it’s one of the best out there! GO, NOW!"

The fourth and final book in the Deck of Lies, Judgment, was reviewed recently at Little Book Star. Read the whole review to find out why the reader loved the book!

Writing 101: It's Not Always Emotional, It's Physical

Start looking online, and you'll find hundreds of articles and blog posts that detail the emotional toll of being a writer. You're going to get rejected. You're going to get bad reviews. You are going to get your feelings hurt, and it's going to be really hard. But even if you think you're handling these dark emotions well, there may be something you've overlooked: stress can cause physical complications, too. Even if your mind can handle the trauma of being a writer...can your body, too? 

A Gut Feeling

I began to experience extreme pain in my abdomen last summer. It became chronic, an everyday affair, so I began seeing doctors. I'm a woman, and being a woman always muddies the waters no matter what the hell you're attempting to do. And when you're a woman experiencing pain and there is no immediately obvious cause, everything is more complex because now all your female parts have to be studied under a microscope, along with all the usual pain-causing suspects in the anatomical lineup. 

Writing 101: Listening to Your Inner Voice

Normally, stopping a project before it's finished is considered a bad thing. But when you're a writer, you have to learn how to listen to your inner voice -- and how to respond to it. 

Compulsion

I've been working on a new project lately, as writers are wont to do, and I've been struggling with it. The words don't want to come, so I've been trying to force them onto the page. 

But while struggling through every paragraph of this manuscript, I kept finding myself continuously drawn to a different project -- one I'd discarded long ago. I kept reading it, and looking at the outline, and thinking about it. And then I kept on going back to that other manuscript, and just staring at the screen.

So the other night, I was back to that unfinished project again -- and I just started typing. Before I knew it, I'd finished a whole new chapter. Now that's the project I'm working on, because that's the project I'm currently compelled to write. The words are coming easily now, and the ideas are flowing. 

My inner voice started telling me to switch projects, and I listened, and now I can say I definitely don't have writer's block. I'm excited about the project, and I'm writing with ease again. I don't know that it's going to stay this way, and I can't guarantee that this is going to be the next project I finish. Because I don't know what I'm going to be compelled to write next. All I know is, right now I'm listening. And that's working. 

Sometimes, that's just what you have to do.

Writing 101: The Art of Brevity

Mark Twain famously said that writers should replace the word "very" in their manuscripts with the word "damn" instead. Then, editors would remove the word and all would be as it should. It gets really easy to stick extra words into manuscripts, and it doesn't stop at "very." Have you learned the art of brevity yet?

Just the Facts, Ma'am

Extra words are just one problem that keeps you from mastering brevity. I don't have a big issue with very, but I do have a problem with just. My characters are always just going to do this and just thinking about that, until the word has completely lost all meaning. Once you know you use certain extra words, it's easier to spot them and rout them out of your manuscripts.

Writing 101: Let's Go to the Movies

Many authors write books about authors, because that's what they know. And I've learned that watching another writer struggle can be very beneficial to actual authors who may also be having trouble finding the right words. At least, it's helpful to me. So today I'm going to share my favorite movies about authors with all the other indie authors out there.

Stories Within the Story

It happens in Stephen King adaptations all the time. The main character or the main narrator of the film, or both, is an author. Or a writer. Maybe a poet. Even a screenwriter. They've all been the subject of film, books and anecdotes the world over. But some have the power to make you feel a lot better about your own writing. At least, that's what happens for me when I watch them.

Books on Film: Camille

I only recently learned that one of my all-time favorite movies was actually based on a book. It's not my fault for not knowing this; the book is French, and it was written in 1848. But the story itself is timeless.

The Book

Alexandre Dumas, more famously known for The Three Musketeers, wrote The Lady of the Camellias in 1848, before the United States ever waged its Civil War. The story is so popular, it became a stage adaptation almost immediately. Many film adaptions would follow. The book also inspired the opera La Traviata and a popular Broadway play. According to legend, the main character in the book was based on the real-life lover of Dumas, Marie Duplessis.

That character is Marguerite Gautier, a courtesan. In other words, she lives off the kindness of stranger like so many great heroines (think Holly Golightly, in a far different time and place). She is known as the lady of the camellias because she wears white camellias when she is available to her lovers. When the red camellia is donned instead, she cannot entertain.

By chance one night, she meets Armand Duval. They fall in love, and all is well until Armand's father intervenes. It all leads up to a heart-wrenching ending that you have to experience for yourself. The character of Marguerite Gautier has become one of the most coveted roles of all time. On stage, Sarah Bernhardt played her in London, Paris and on Broadway.

The Film

There are almost too many adaptations of this story to count. Across multiple countries, at least 20 different films have been made. But among them, I have one particular favorite: Camille. 

It was made in 1936, and it stars Greta Garbo in the title role. She's sensational as the flirty woman of the evening, who entertains friends lavishly and does exactly as she pleases. She plays with heartstrings until she finally meets a man who can touch hers. Camille is truly one of the most romantic movies ever made.

This particular version was directed by George Cukor, so you know it's good. Robert Taylor stars as Armand and Lionel Barrymore does a strong turn as his father. If you've seen Annie, you know Camille. It's the movie they watch together in the empty theater. It's every bit as good as it looks and too amazing to spoil, so go watch it for yourself already!

Writing 101: Elements of a Story

If you want to write a book, it's helpful if you understand the basic mechanics of creating a story. It's sort of like learning do-re-mi. Once you've got the fundamentals down, you're ready to start working on true wordcraft. 

Dissecting a Story

It's true that every story should be unique, but all the good ones are built around the same basic structure. Use this foundation to construct your books. As long as the basic story elements are in place, you can write whatever you like around them. 

• Exhibition: Introduce your main characters and your setting. You've got to set up the story. Some authors take longer with the exhibition phase of storytelling than others. This may go on for several chapters, or occur in a few brief paragraphs. The way you write it depends on how quickly you want to get to the next phase, and on how much information you need to share.
• Action: When stuff starts to happen, the plot unfolds. It's not enough to create a world and populate it. Something needs to occur, and your characters need to move around and interact with each other. Otherwise, what the hell am I reading? 
• Conflict: All the best stories contain conflict, so yours ought to have some as well. Introduce a villain or an obstacle, or several of each, and make your characters attempt to overcome this challenge. Every story needs a challenge. You can do this however you like. Some characters are their own biggest enemies, and they create internal conflict. Other stories contain overt villains who are clearly opposed to the main character.
• Resolution: All good things must come to an end, and that includes your story. You need to resolve conflicts and obstacles in order to finish the tale. The only exception is the cliffhanger ending, which is really only appropriate if you plan on crafting a sequel.

Write around the basic elements of a story, and write a better one.

Writing 101: What It's Like

People want to know what it's like to be a wordsmith by trade. My answer? It's a war. And if you want to be a writer, you'd better be prepared to be a soldier. 

Behind Enemy Lines

"Oh, really? That sounds interesting!"

This is invariably the response I get when I tell people that I'm a writer. I can tell you, with no humility whatsoever, that it is not. There is nothing at all interesting about me sitting in front of a screen for up to 12 hours at a time. I am told I often make faces, and I'm completely incapable of hearing anyone who speaks to me while I'm in the middle of typing something. So basically it's me pulling faces, grunting, ignoring people. Interested yet? 

Writing 101: A Different Kind of Writer's Block

I haven't made a secret of the fact that I got stuck on my current manuscript, lodged somewhere between two chapters and a time gap. None of my normal tricks and techniques were working, and the other day I realized why. I've got a different kind of writer's block...and I think lots of other writers have it, too.

Double-Edged Sword

Being an author is both a blessing and a curse in many different ways, and in a way I'm cursed by blessings. I started working on my newest manuscript even before my latest novel (Hope's Rebellion) was published. It's been on my "idea" list for quite a while, inspired by something I saw on Jeopardy! like two years ago. The point is, I've been very excited about writing this story. So why have I been stuck on it?

Women's Lit Event

As a female writer, I'm proud to participate in the Women's Lit Event over at Lost in Books and I'll be happy to remind you all that March is Women's History Month! 

Women have been voting in the United States for 95 years, as of 2014. They've only been wearing pants with no shame for about 60 years. And they still don't make as much money per hour as men who perform the exact same job. But it can be argued that female authors have truly mastered the written word. Check out my guest post at Lost in Books -- and read all about it!

Writing 101: Why It's Okay to Use Ain't

I'll go toe-to-toe with any editor over words like "a lot" and "for ever," and I have, but there's one battle I'm never going to fight: ain't. This battle was lost long, long ago. So all writers are now obligated to wave the white flag...and use it in their novels.

A Lesson in Speaking History

The writers who hate the word ain't should turn to embrace it immediately -- because it was an author who originally popularized the word. Maybe if Charles Dickens had been a bit less successful, today's blog post would be about me baking cookies instead.

Indie News: Self-Published Authors are Getting Conned

The self-publishing boom has inspired a lot of writers to become self-published authors, but at what cost? Many companies and individuals are offering services designed to tempt indies. Unfortunately, some of those authors are getting conned.

For What It's Worth...

Almost 400,000 indie books were published in 2012, a 422 percent jump over the number of self-published titles created in 2007. There are new indie authors being born all the time...but you know the maxim states that a sucker is born every single minute.

Turning a word processing file into an ebook is not the simple process it seems to be. I happen to know this from experience, because I stumbled and bumbled my way through the entire procedure while looking up instructions for every single step on the Internet. What I discovered, what many indies discover, is that there are a lot of people out there willing to complete the process for me. 

Last Hope's

"This book was awesome! I loved everything about it."

"Surprising twists...emotions from happiness to anger to sadness."

The Book Owl Extraordinaire has reviewed Hope's Rebellion. Read the entire review to find out why the book got an A+ rating! 

This is the last day of the Free Love, Free Words event. Go to Smashwords now to get your copy of the book for free while you still can! All you need is the code WQ47M.

Writing 101: Why Self-Publishing is a DIY

I'm crafty by nature, so the letters DIY never frighten me. But for others, it's a terrifying prospect to create a book from scratch and market it to the masses. The popularity of self-publishing has led to a wide availability of services geared toward indie authors. At some point, you may be tempted to hire someone to publish your book for you. I'm here to tell you not to do that. 

Elbow Grease

The moment you begin writing out that idea which has taken root in your imagination, it stops being yours. After you write your manuscript and turn it into a book and share it with anyone, it will become something different. That book will never look to readers the same way it looks inside your head. You're the only one who will ever really understand that book, everything about why you wrote it and what it means.

That's why you're the best person to turn that manuscript into a book that others can read. Believe me, this is not going to feel like the most attractive option when you're in the thick of it -- but it still remains the best.

Writing 101: All the Little Tips

You know about the hard work that goes into writing a book, and you probably have some idea of what you'll need to do as an indie author. But there are lots of little things you need to know that lots of people skip over -- until today.

Details, Details, Details

Little things matter, but as an author you're expected to be detail-oriented. So don't forget about all the little things that can help you on your journey, and don't neglect those details.

Writing 101: Is It Creative, or Just Crazy?

Don't we all have an image of the brilliant genius? The Vincent Van Gogh, locked away in a room, painting masterpieces furiously in order to work through all this issues? The Sylvia Plath, writing brilliantly of suicide just before ending her own life? But at some point, doesn't behavior take a step beyond the eccentric and into the insane? Is it creative...or is it just crazy? 

There Are Quirks, and Then There Are Quirks

T.S. Eliot was a highly successful writer, best known as a critic, poet and playwright. He was somewhat less well-known as an incredible eccentric. Allegedly, Eliot lived above a publishing house but rented a room at another business. Here, he answered only to the name "the Captain" and once inside his room painted his face green so he would resemble a corpse.

Writing 101: Can You Write Non-Fiction?

So you want to write a bestseller, right? Want to do a book signing in public? Have fans? Maybe even appear on one of those talk shows? Look at the statistics and pay attention to what sells, and you'll see that the non-fiction market is (always) booming. So here's what you need to figure out: can you write non-fiction?

Real vs. Imagined

Because I can't...not really, anyway. This is sort of a shame, since in my day job I'm required to write non-fiction for many hours on end. Lately I have been getting a lot of feedback about the need to incorporate myself more into these articles, add personal anecdotes and whatnot. I've written, at some length, about my great inability to actually do this.

Indie News: Good-Bye, Paper Books

Since the first ensign handed the first captain the first datapad on Star Trek, I wanted one. Amazon made that fantasy a reality when they unveiled their Kindle, the device that changed the book market. And today, at last, I think we're all ready to say good-bye to paper books for ever.

eReading

Well, maybe not all of us. But ebooks are definitely here to stay, and they're getting more popular all the time. The ebook market continues to grow, and more writers are coming out of the shadows to self-publish their own stories. 

At the end of 2012, 23 percent of adults had read an ebook. At the end of 2013, it was up to 28 percent. Now, about 4 percent of people read ebooks exclusively and never sully their hands with paper volumes. Bookstores offering paper books continue to go out of business all around the world. But there are also less blacksmiths these days because fewer people are riding horses. 

Because the lessening popularity of paper books hasn't affected readership. Around 76 percent of adults in the United States read a book in the last year, with the typical adult reading about 5 books per year. Meanwhile, ebook sales are up at digital bookstores.

The age of paper books is over, and I'm totally ready. Beam me up, Scotty.

Books on Film: Where the Heart Is

I found out accidentally that Where the Heart Is began its life as a book first. Until I was randomly searching for information on Wikipedia one day, I thought it was just a pretty good Natalie Portman film. Then I learned it's actually a really amazing story.

The Book

Where the Heart Is, by Billie Letts, was published in 1995. It became a film after Oprah singled it out as a Book Club selection. 

Writing 101: Do Looks Matter?

Ernest Hemingway did not describe his characters, and his fame never suffered for it. So do looks matter, and should you or shouldn't you include them in your books?

Let's Get Physical

Anne Shirley has red hair. It's an important part of her book series, and something everyone knows about her. In this case, hair is a big part off the story. But I've read many others where the looks of the main character didn't much matter...and they were included anyway.

Writing 101: How Do You Write?

Have you ever looked at those images of the proper typing position? It's some weird guy sitting straight up with his elbows bent just so and his wrists arched just right and who the heck has ever written a novel from this position? I've had one knee up, both legs crossed, two feet propped up and I'm not at all above completely laying down while typing. How do you write...and how strange are you for doing it that way?

Positioning

According to legend, Virginia Woolf wrote standing up. It's because of a lifelong rivalry with her sister, who was an artist. Virginia didn't want her sister to say she had the more difficult job.  There are lots of weird ways to write. Do you use one of them?

Jack Kerouac wrote all of On the Road on pieces of paper he taped together to create one massive scroll. This method actually did have a function, as odd as it sounds. Using one sheet of paper allowed him to work quickly without changing the paper in the typewriter. It's just too bad he didn't have Google Drive.

Hope-Full Dreams

"If you, like me, loved her Deck of Lies series, you MUST read this one."

"Anyone with a mature point of view, love for clever stories and in search for a good book should read it."

Hope's Rebellion has been reviewed at Reading...Dreaming, friend to the blog but brutally truthful when it comes to books. 

Read the whole review to find out why you should get your free copy of the book before the end of February. Go to Smashwords with the code WQ47M to get it in any electronic format.

Writing 101: Rewriting History

When it comes to historical stories, I'm a bit of a purist. I want every single detail to be accurate to the time period, and that's it. But lots of people do not agree with me. Many storytellers are doing very well by rewriting history. So when will it be okay for you to do it, too?

Anything Quentin Tarantino Can Do, I Can Do Better

After all, if Disney can change the tale of Pocahontas and Tarantino can change the outcome of World War II, it's okay if I write a book about Queen Elizabeth living as a secret lesbian -- right? 

The appropriate term for this sort of thing is historical revisionism, and it's been happening since history was written down. Some scholars argue, in fact, that all history as we know it today has been rewritten with time. Isn't it the winners who get to tell the story of the battle? So if all history is a little bit suspect, why can't I turn a former President into a killer of supernatural beasts?

Writing 101: Who Are You?

I've written posts about finding your audience, figuring out your characters and working out your plot. But I've failed to address one of the fundamental issues I struggle with almost every day: who am I? If you're an author and lots of other things besides, you may also struggle with this very basic query.

If This is Belgium, It Must Be Tuesday

For me, the issue is probably a little more convoluted than most. I was born with a name, like most people, and got pretty used to it over the years. I'm a modern gal, but at his request I took my husband's name upon our marriage, so I acquired another name at this time. I earn my bread as a freelance writer by day, and for this I use a pen name. It's different from the pen name I'm using right now, which is the one I've reserved for certain self-publishing endeavors. I'm about to acquire another pen name for my day job (long story). So if I get a phone call, I have to clearly establish to whom the person wants to speak before I know who the heck I'm supposed to be.

Indie News: Amazon Bestsellers Make Less Than Minimum Wage

Aching to get on the Amazon bestseller list? Despite the title, the view isn't really so much better from the top of the heap. According to a new report, the authors on that list aren't even making federal minimum wage. 

Money, Money, Money

In fact, you'd earn more money (now) as a full-time government employee than as an Amazon bestselling author. Hugh Howey released a report detailing the actual earnings of Amazon's indie and self-published authors. He studied 3,439 authors responsible for the 7,000 bestsellers listed on Amazon. These are books that sell more than one copy daily. Only 944 of them were earning more than $58 per day, which is the amount you'd receive working 8 hours per day at federal minimum wage earnings of $7.25.

It's not very promising, but other numbers-crunchers argue that this is just a glimpse of a small piece of the big picture. Publishing is changing quickly now, and self-publishing is becoming more of a force in the industry.

Books on Film: A Little Princess

Frances Hodgson Burnett, one of the greatest children's book authors of all time, first conceived of "A Little Princess" way, way back in 1888. It got its lasting title and became a novel in 1905. A few years later, it became an iconic Shirley Temple film. And many years after that, I became familiar with the tale. It's still one of my favorites.

The Book

A Little Princess was serialized before it became a book. When the story was complete near the turn of the century, it was revised and richer in content. The book follows Sara Crewe, who is 7, as she arrives at Miss Mincin's boarding school in London. Sara is the only child of the well-to-do Captain Crewe. The two have been residing in India, but now it's time to go to school. 

She fits in well with the other girls at the school, delighting them with tales of India. They begin calling her "a little princess" because she's ladylike and has lived such a lavish lifestyle. But Sara is not snobbish despite her upbringing. She becomes friends with the school's misfits: Ermegarde, who is not regarded as intelligent; Lottie, a very young student; and Becky, a scullery maid.

Tragedy strikes when Captain Crewe is killed in a mining accident and subsequent business troubles render his estate very poor on funds indeed. Miss Minchin realizes she won't be reimbursed for the money she's spent on Sara since the last check, and puts the girl to work in the school as a servant instead.

Wearing the mean black dress she's been given, Sara is forced to work to earn her keep at the school. Living next door to Becky, Sara runs errands, teaches other students and engages in all sorts of chores. One night a pet monkey finds its way into Sara's room, and she becomes acquainted with a man named Ram Dass who lives next door. Sara begins to receive food and other small comforts, and she shares them with Becky generously.

Upon actually going next door to return the monkey, Sara meets Mr. Carrisford. He's her father's former business partner and he's been searching for her. At the end of the story, Sara's fortune is restored and she will be the daughter of Carrisford from now on. Becky is invited to come along as Sara's attendant.

It's a fine happy ending...but I must admit to liking the movie ending much, much better.

The Film

The movie was made in 1939, which some have said was the best year for film in history. It starred Shirley Temple, then the must-have child star, and it was her first to be shot completely in Technicolor. It's currently in the public domain, which means it's free to watch.

The plot is changed around a bit, and this is one of the rare instances where I believe the changes actually improved the story. This time around, Captain Crewes has been called up to serve in the Second Boer War. This gives us a tangible reason for why he's ditching his young daughter in London. 

Sara is given a hobby, horseback riding, and the appropriate animal to go with it. She lives at the school as a princess for much less time on film (because years go by in the book, and Shirley Temple just wasn't going to grow that quickly), receiving word that her father has died shortly after her arrival. His real estate has been confiscated, and that's why Sara is so poor this time.

Sara is again turned into a servant, but quickly strikes up her relationship with next door neighbor Ram Dass. She doesn't believe her father is really dead, so Sara spends all her free time combing through the hospitals. A few musical numbers speed the film along, and then Miss Minchin visits Sara's attic room. Here she discovers edible treats, rich blankets and other lavish gifts that Ram Dass has provided. Miss Minchin instantly believes Sara has stolen all the goods and locks her in the attic. Sara escapes and runs to the hospital.

An unknown man is at the hospital today, and viewers see it as Sara runs around trying to escape detection. It's Captain Crewe, but he has no papers and some sort of brain trauma whereby he has no memory. Also at the hospital today is none other than Queen Victoria herself, who meets Sara and actually grants her permission to search for her missing father. The actress really looks like the real Queen, and the addition of so grand a character is one of my favorite aspects of the adaptation.

Will Sara find her father, go work for the Queen or get captured by Miss Minchin and the police? You'll have to see the film in order to find out. Temple is an adorable dynamo who unfailingly carries all major scenes of the movie. This adaptation (the only one I'm prepared to acknowledge) does vary from the original book, so you'll have to enjoy both to truly experience the story. 

Shirley Temple

Temple passed away just a few days ago at age 85. She began her film career in 1932 and remained active in the industry until 1949. She is, arguably, the most famous child actress of all time. Watch her in "A Little Princess," and you'll know how she earned this legacy.