From the Trenches: Unbroken

Receiving rejections is a wearing, wearying experience. Each brand-new letter brings a ray of hope. Every time the envelope is opened, that hope is crushed. It's like standing on top of a mountain for thirty seconds before falling to the Earth...and it's a long, long way down.

One author refused to let that fall break her, and because she wouldn't give up all of us know her name.

Being Stubborn

Judy Blume was born in 1938 in New Jersey. As a child, she liked to make up stories in her head. After graduating high school, Judy attended Boston University, but went on to graduate from NYU with a degree in teaching.

Teach she would, but not necessarily in the classroom. Judy went on to marry in the early 1960s, and became busy with a home and a young family. But all those stories were still in her head. So when her children started attending school, July Blume finally had the time to start writing them down. She wrote prolifically, and eventually got enough gumption together to submit her stories to publishers.

They were promptly rejected. Undeterred, Judy Blume continued writing and submitting...and she continued receiving rejection letters. She began selling short stories to magazines, but for two straight years only rejection letters came in the mail.

Blume recounted her experience in her own words on her website: "One magazine, Highlights for Children, sent a form letter with a list of possible reasons for rejection. 'Does not win in competition with others,' was always checked off on mine. I still can't look at a copy of Highlights without wincing."

True Grit

"I would go to sleep at night feeling that I'd never be published. But I'd wake up in the morning convinced I would be."

Blume said that she learned a little more with each new story she created. And finally, someone else agreed. She published her first book in 1969, then a second quickly after. But it wasn't until Are You There God, It's Me Margaret came out in 1971 that Blume officially became a bestselling author.

Her books have sold more than 80 million copies around the world, and today Judy Blume is considered to be one of the foremost children's writers in the business. Take that, Highlights magazine!

Judy Blume was stubborn, and continued to dream about being a writer even when her hopes were repeatedly crushed. She didn't give up, and eventually the publishing industry gave in. She wrote in the trenches, fueled on little more than hope, and she's still writing today.

Writing 101: Print Marketing

No, you haven't fallen into a time warp. Print marketing is still relevant, up to a point, and there are a whole lot of good reasons why you should be using it to market your self-published books. 

Really, It's a Good Idea

I know, I know. Everyone and everything is online these days, including self-published books. So what can print possibly hope to offer to a digital-savvy writer who's hip to social media and an entire world of e-marketing? 

Bookmarks. Lots of people still love their paper books, and each one of those rectangles is a marketing opportunity. First, print them up using images from your book cover. Add pertinent info in easy-to-read text, like "available in print and online at Amazon.com" and maybe your author blog address. A quote or two praising the book probably wouldn't be out of hand, either. Remember to print images and text on the front and back. 

Once you've got them, give them away. Go to your local bookstore (if you still have one) and ask if you can set them on the counter to give away for free. They can also be set out at card shops, novelty shops, and even the grocery store. Just ask someone for permission, and set them out. And whatever you do, don't forget the library. Your local library is probably very willing to give out your bookmarks, hang up your flyers and maybe even have you in to give a little presentation about self-publishing, literacy or another book-related topic. Take your bookmarks with you. Local marketing is a powerful tool, because people are going to find it much harder to reject you when you're standing there, in their faces.

Make up some flyers, as well, and if you're truly feeling ambitious make up a couple of posters. Make them beautiful. If you're going to do it, then go ahead and do it well. The more gorgeous your printed materials are, the more successful your local campaign is going to be. Hang posters and flyers in the library and bookstores, if they let you, and anywhere else you can. Local coffee shops and music store are often very supportive of local artists of all types, including authors. While you're at the coffee shop, ask them about open mic night if they've got one. Read a short story, a poem or a compelling excerpt of your book. And before you leave, make sure you pass out all of your (that's right!) bookmarks. This tangible proof of the existence of your book will make it much easier for them to remember to buy it. Go to the college bookstore and college hangouts as well to give our your stuff. The campus environment is very supportive of indies and local artists.

It does cost an investment, and there's no promise of a return on that investment. But print is such an unpopular medium these days, you can probably take advantage of sales and budget deals that will help you save a little money. You may also find it more cost-effective to print the stuff up yourself. Take the time to do some pricing on your bookmarks, crunch some numbers, and figure it out.

To get more for your time and effort, you can always re-use the graphics. Post the bookmarks on your blog or website as a template so people can print out their own copies of your bookmark. You can offer it at-large, or maybe as part of a special gift that you give to readers through a promotion. People do still read on paper, and I have paper copies of books that I'll never part with. Bookmarks are still the best way to save one's place in the middle of Harry Potter, or whatever, and there's no reason why I can't be using yours to do it. Maybe I'll look at the book cover and think it seems interesting, and I'll remember your name the next time I go shopping for ebooks on my Kindle. 

Aren't you willing to take that risk?

Writing 101: Re-Releases, New Editions and Extras

The first time she submitted Flowers in the Attic, V. C. Andrews was rejected. It was too long, the publisher advised, and boring. So Andrews went back to the book, eliminated about 100 pages and added the stuff that would "make [her] mother blush." It was a huge hit right away, leading to a movie, three sequels, one prequel...and a career that outlived the author herself.

Authors don't always get it right the first time, especially self-published authors who have to learn how to do every bit copyediting, formatting and marketing on their own. There are lots of reasons why you might have to issue a re-release or a new edition of a book you've already published in the past. But if you do it, make sure you do it the right way.

Re-Releases

Re-releases are common in the book world, and there's no reason self-published authors can't join in. Books that have been re-released usually are not changed in any way; all the text of the book is the same. In some cases, the text may be newly copyedited for correctness. But even in this case, the story hasn't changed; nothing has been added, or taken away.

That's why you've got to add one crucial element to make your re-release more successful: you need a new cover. You have to bring something new to the table, and you have to distinguish this new re-release from the old version of your book. An introductory price definitely wouldn't be out of line, either. Promote the new cover, the temporary price and the re-release itself. 

New Editions

If any significant changes have been made to the book, including very thorough editing, you have to release a new edition (in most cases, the Second Edition). It's okay to stick with the same cover if you like, because when you put out a new edition you won't be creating a brand-new page for the book. You will be wholly replacing the first edition of the book, so the cover can carry over if you like.

However, you'll have to promote the new edition really hard. With self-published authors, new editions are most commonly released because major editing errors or formatting problems have now been corrected. This is a great thing to do; if there are problems with your book, fix them. If you've decided to address a bunch of problems at once and release a whole new edition, you've got to make a whole thing out of it. 

Why? Because, chances are pretty good that you got several negative reviews regarding the editing and formatting (why else would you go to such trouble to fix it all?), and now you've got to win readers back. You'll have to respond to the negative reviews, and announce on your book's information that this second edition has been fully edited and re-formatted, or whatever. 

To make the new edition even more palatable, and perhaps get some second-time buyers as well, you might want to include something else: an author's note. It's promotable, and it's a good way to address the readers directly and tell them why you've released this new edition of the book. Since significant changes have been made, it's a good idea to reference these changes and re-invite your fans to read the story. 

Extras

Of course, there's another really important reason you might issue a re-release of your books: you wrote a series. It's common practice in the book biz to release boxed set editions of serial books; I personally own several of these sets. Self-published authors are in the book biz, so why not release a boxed set of your series?

If you do, it's a good idea to give the fans a reason to re-buy all the books they already read. You're going to need to add extras. Did yo draw up any sketches while you were working on the books? Maybe create some maps, calendars, notes? What research materials did you pull? Take a look back through all your notes, and you might find some interesting tidbits that you can share with your readers. Add a few extras to your re-releases and new editions, no matter why you're releasing them, and you'll give readers that much more incentive to check out your new-old book. You're trying to get a second chance, so make it as easy as possible for them to give you one.

Writing 101: Getting to the End

Have you ever loved reading a book so much that you didn't want to finish it? Sometimes, writing a book can inspire the same sort of feeling. Writers spend a ton of time inside the world they've creating, looking into the minds of different characters, and ending the book is a very bittersweet experience. Sometimes, maybe too bittersweet. Getting to the end can be so difficult, authors end up putting it off...and ruining the story. 

All Good Things...

Once an author is really into the story and into their characters, the writing flows naturally. The dialogue style of a particular character, specific thought processes -- it all becomes second nature. Putting an end to all of that can be really heart-wrenching and difficult. Sometimes, authors may not even realize that they're having trouble getting to the end of the story...they just keep inventing more and more and more story. 

Getting that deep into a particular story can create a one-way flow of creativity; the author's mind is so focused on these characters and this setting that other stories just aren't springing up. That's how intense focus and concentration work. But all good things must come to an end. 

It's not always easy to face that fact. Fear of facing the end can create all sorts of bad decisions, like over-writing. It can also lead to missed deadlines. I had a lot of trouble getting to the end of my most recent book, the last in the Deck of Lies series. My writing slowed down dramatically; there were nights when it took hours to write half a page of text. Finally I realized that I was a little bit unwilling to face the end of the entire series. The minute I realized I was having the struggle, my writing got right back on pace.

Sometimes, you've just got to grit your teeth and get to the end. In some writers, the fear manifests itself as too much writing; others (like me) have trouble writing anything at all. When the fear gets into you, it might cause all sorts of things -- you might constantly re-think scenes, and go back to re-write them over and over again. You might find it impossible to focus, and wind up doing everything but writing. 

If you find that you're just not on track with your book, check your emotions to see if you have a fear of reaching the end. It's a really common emotion among authors. Endings are often more difficult than beginnings, and there's a ton of work that follows every time you finish another novel. Once you face the fear, it'll probably go away.

Writing 101: Should You Be Writing Every Day?

Lots of writers, even the most famous ones, advocate that if you're a writer you ought to be doing it every day. It's a good way to exercise your creativity, they say, and how else can you get finished with a book otherwise? Should you be writing every day?

Habits, Hobbies and Obsessions

I found a quote online where even Mark Twain himself advised writers to writer every day. Easy for him to say, right? Writers in the 1800s didn't have to think about tweeting, or blogging, or checking their own sales figures. It may come as a surprise to know that Mark Twain self-published, but you can bet he wasn't spending an hour wading through emails every day or digging through book blogs to find reviewers. And then there's the fact that Mark Twain became pretty famous in his own time, and his books sold quite well.

So naturally, Twain had time to write every day because he was getting paid to write books. Lots of self-published authors aren't getting paid (at least, not enough), and that means they've got to get paid for doing something else.

By some standards, that means you ought to work a full day on the job, come home and then write. Every day. It's just not practical advice by any stretch of the imagination. Self-publishing is hard. Don't make it harder on yourself by wearing yourself out. Fatigue isn't going to help your creativity. For most people, it has the opposite effect. 

Setting daily goals is a good way to maintain discipline, but you can also make yourself crazy. If you've got time to write every day, good! But if you don't, there's nothing wrong with making a decision to write on the weekends, on on Tuesdays and Thursdays, or whenever it fits into your schedule. When you reach Mark Twain status, then yes you should write every day. But when you're working multiple jobs, trying to establish yourself as a writer and logging onto Twitter all the time to boot, writing every day is a huge burden. 

Don't turn writing into a chore, because that could affect your love of writing very negatively. If you're making yourself write, you're not going to be producing your best writing. 

Getting Dramatic with Justice

 "I loved the development of the story line right from chapter one." 

"I would recommend this book to any young adult because it's the perfect amount of high school drama for any adolescent."

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) has been reviewed at The Rise of a Novelist. Go and read the whole thing, and get an inside look at how I get my reviews!

On the Edge with Justice

"This is a suspenseful, mystery book that has you gripping every lie as they multiply in the palm of your hands."

"This book felt real and I will recommend it to everyone I come across."

Addicted to Novels has reviewed Justice (Deck of Lies, #1). Read the whole thing to find out where to get your copy of the book!

Books on Film: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

It's hard to believe The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was published just 62 years ago, in 1950. It feels like it's been a part of children's literature for ever. It's certainly been part of TV movies, miniseries and  films for a long while, but then things move pretty quick in the movies. It's the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, and one of Times All-TIME 100 Novels. C. S. Lewis nearly didn't get it published, and now it's one of the most beloved children's books ever written.

The Book

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is set in war-torn 1940s Europe...and in a mythical land called Narnia. It opens with the four Pevensie children, of whom there are two boys (Peter and Edmund) and two girls (Susan and Lucy). They've been forced from London due to WWII and into the country home of Professor Digory Kirke. 

While exploring his large home, Lucy goes into an old wardrobe...and all the way through it into a magical, snow-covered landscape. Here, she meets a faun named Mr. Tumnus. They have a lovely tea party, and he thinks about turning her over to the evil Queen of Narnia, also known as the White Witch, but admits that he cannot do it. He explains all about the evil White Witch, who has trapped all of Narnia under her magical thumb. Lucy goes back through the wardrobe to tell Susan, Peter and Edmund about the magical place she's found. They do not believe her.

But Edmund suspects she may be telling the truth, and follows her one night into the wardrobe. He ends up meeting the White Witch, who offers him delicious treats and uses her own magical powers on him. Lucy finds him in Narnia, and together they go back through the wardrobe. Once there, however, Edmund denies that Narnia exists to the other two, betraying and upsetting Lucy.

Finally, all four of them end up in Narnia together. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver (who are, yes, actual beavers) invite them to dinner and they hear more about the evil White Witch. A prophecy holds that two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve will break her terrible winter curse, which holds the land in its icy grip.

Edmund leaves them to visit the White Witch's castle. When the Beavers discover his betrayal, they leave their den to take the remaining Pevensies to Aslan, the true King of Narnia. During the journey, they see signs that the curse is breaking. Snow is melting, and they meet Father Christmas during the trek. Peter receives a sword and shield as his gift, while Susan gets a horn and a bow. Lucy gets a dagger and a magic potion. They soon meet up with Aslan and his army.

The White Witch arrives to have a meeting with Aslan, and demands to execute Edmund for being a traitor. They work out a secret deal betwixt them, and in the night Aslan steals away from camp. Lucy and Susan wind up secretly following him, and see him as the Witch ties him to the Stone Table and kills him. The next morning, the table is broken clean in two and Aslan is totally fine. This is all due to magic, naturally.

Battle ensues, and in the end Aslan kills the White Witch. The children take their thrones at Cair Paravel, fulfilling the prophecy, and spend many years reigning over the kingdom of Narnia. Years and years later, the four are hunting a white stag in the forest when they find the lamppost that lies just beyond the wardrobe. They slowly begin to remember the lives they left behind in Narnia, and go back through the wardrobe. Here, they become children again and find that hardly any time has passed in England at all. The Professor tells them knowingly that they will, one day, return to Narnia.

The book is full of magic, mythical creatures, and battles. It's pretty much made for the movies, and maybe that's why the book has been re-made into film many, many times over.

The Films

The Lion, the Witch and the Wadrobe has been a TV movie at least three different times. ABC made a massive 10-part adaptation of the book in 1967. An animated version was released in 1979. The BBC made their own version in 1988 using puppets, animation and live action (covering all the bases). Subsequent TV adaptations followed.

The story finally became an epic film adaptation in 2005, courtesy of of Walt Disney. It won Oscars, raked in hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office and, so far, spawned two sequels. In this film version, Lucy Pevensie hides in the wardrobe during a game of hide-and-seek to accidentally discover Narnia. She does meet Mr. Tumnus, who does not turn her in, and returns to the Professor's house. Edmund winds up following Lucy into Narnia to meet the White Witch, and again Edmund lies to Peter and Susan about Narnia.

All four of them are forced to run from the dour housekeeper after accidentally breaking a window, and wind up in the Narnian wardrobe. They again meet the Beavers, and after Edmund sneaks off the remaining three go to meet Aslan. Again, they succeed in battle and return home at the end of the book. It's a very faithful and well-done adaptation, but there are some differences between the book version and the Disney film version of the story for the nit-pickers out there.

What Got Adapted? 

The film version of the story actually shows the bombing of London, an event the book handles much more benignly. In the book, the four children go into the wardrobe together because the house is open to tours and they are supposed to keep themselves "scarce" during these times. The near-drowning scene in the film never happens in the book. Father Christmas, or Santa Claus, also looks quite different in the movie than he does on the page. The Witch also looks different. In the book she has black hair and a gold crown, clearly a departure from Tilda Swinton's blonde and icy beauty on film. Other differences are very minor, and even these small changes don't take anything away from the story. All in all, this is one adaptation that Disney managed to get right. They certainly had enough practice fouling up other stories. If you haven't already read the book, do it! Then watch the film, and compare for yourself.