Writing 101: The Great Cheap Book Debate

Depending on who you ask, cheap ebooks are either a scourge upon society and the potential death of all literature...or an amazing way to affordably spread the written word. I got pulled into the great cheap book debate rather unexpectedly recently. Much of the argument has since taken place between me...and me. 

Why Cheap Books Are Bad

I search for myself quite regularly on Google -- not because I'm vain (though for the record, I am) but because I advise all indie authors to do this. I stumbled across some of my own blog posts being plagiarized one day, and I've since appointed myself as my own watchdog. So imagine my surprise when I found my name appearing in a debate about cheap books...and how evil they are.

I was introduced into the topic in the comments section, after I'd already read through an impassioned blog post and a very persuasive argument that nearly inspired me to run right to my Amazon page and lift the price on all my novels.

Writing 101: Write As Who You Are

Are you funny? Do your friends laugh a lot when you share little anecdotes? If you're funny by nature, you might really struggle to write a tragedy or dramatic novel. If you're not a touchy-feely affectionate person, maybe romance isn't your genre. You should write in a way that's true to your own nature...because this is how you'll do your best writing.

The Voice

You've probably heard about authors who need to find their voice, or the ones who already have. Your voice is really just your natural personality, and the way it appears on the page. Certain writers have their own distinct style, a way of writing that evokes certain feelings. 

Writing 101: Co-Authoring

All authors have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to writing a story. So what if you find an author who's strong where you're weak? When is co-authoring an option, and can it work for you?

Writing with Others

Finding another author to shore up your own work may sound like a good idea on the surface. But there are so many things to consider, even planning for it can be an overwhelming experience. And even the best-laid plans can go awry. Writing with others is difficult, and it doesn't always work out well.

Writing 101: Writing Realistic Dialogue

Many authors excel at the flowery descriptions, the planned-out plotting, the character development. But dialogue is a whole different animal. If you want yours to be any good at all, stop writing and start listening. 

How People Talk

In the movie Young Adult, Charlize Theron is a ghostwriter who writes a popular YA series. She's also totally screwed up, but that's beside the point. In the film, there are a few funny scenes were she noticeably eavesdrops on teenage girls having casual conversation. Later, she uses what she's heard in her writing. Listening to people talk, in a non-creepy way, is totally acceptable. More than that, it's what every author ought to do. 

Again, I emphasize the part about not being creepy. Don't listen in on people's intimate or personal conversations. But out in public locations when people are just chatting? Pay attention to what they're saying, and get more of a feel for how people really talk. And write that way.

You should always be writing your dialogue realistically. If you're writing about teenagers, know what teenagers are saying and how they speak to each other. If there aren't any teens handy and the mall is too far away, get on Twitter. Go into a chatroom. See what the teens are saying to get a feel for their language. If you're writing about someone elderly, listen to some elderly folks speak. Go to a nursing home, or to a McDonald's early in the morning, and listen. 

As a writer, you should always be listening. This is the only way you can learn to write real dialogue. If you listen enough, you'll be able to hear your characters talking while you write the dialogue. Then, you'll know if it sounds real or not. When you're done writing, go back and read your dialogue out loud. Great dialogue takes a lot of work, but if you can learn how to do it you'll always have people willing to read what you write.

Meet Me at Smashwords

My newest author interview is now live at Smashwords!

Indie News: What Did You Miss in eBooks in 2013?

Thanks to the wide availability of smartphones and tablets, things are happening quickly in the world of self-publishing...maybe too quickly. What did you miss in the market in 2013? 

Looking Back

If you weren't keeping an eye on self-publishing news in 2013, you missed a few big events. The year was packed with precedents in an industry that's still finding its way. 

One of the most notable incidents was the Apple ebook conspiracy. The company actually went to trial for being in cahoots with publishers to raise the cost of ebooks. Seriously, that happened. There were 5 companies named in the conspiracy, all of which settled before the trial. Apple didn't, and they were found guilty of violating anti-trust laws. And get this, several publishers filed motions saying that any action against Apple would actually end up hurting them. 

Books on Film: Girl, Interrupted

Susanna Kaysen published Girl, Interrupted in 1993. The book is based on her own life, experiences she had during the 1960s as a young woman. The best-selling book gained even more fame later in the decade when Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie, among an ensemble cast, made a movie about it.

The Book

Girl, Interrupted is well-written, but it's a bit hard to follow because it doesn't follow a linear story. The book details Susanna's stay in a mental hospital after receiving a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. She lived for nearly two years at McLean, and later obtained her file from the hospital. 

The book is a collection of stories about her life in the hospital and before her admittance. The theme of freedom is a running thread throughout. She was 18 in 1967, a tumultuous time for many people in the United States. She was admitted to the hospital after a suicide attempt, and a stay that was meant to be a couple of weeks extended to 18 months.

Writing 101: Self-Publishing in 2014

I realized the other day that just 100 years ago, we were still marveling at steam energy. The first cars had been invented, but they weren't popular or very affordable, and man had only just learned that he could fly. Today I walk around with a computer in my pocket, and I'm totally allowed to vote in all elections. Life has changed a lot in the last century, and it's going to keep changing in the next year. So what can you expect from the world of self-publishing? I'm going to make a few predictions.

Into the Future

Lots of things can happen in just one year. In 2013, a new Pope was elected. Eric Snowden broke the NSA scandal and promptly fled to Russia. The Chinese landed on the moon (not the whole country, just the Yutu rover). A future King was born (Prince George of Cambridge). And self-publishing boomed, with more than 100,000 new titles published.

New electronics devices and software programs have made it possible anyone to read anything at any time. The wide availability of ebooks has made it possible for more authors to publish titles than ever. So where will we go from here?