Vanishing Cheap Tricks

One of the challenges I’m having in writing "The Whirlwomen Trilogy" urban fantasy novels is NOT making every moment magical. Falling back on the paranormal to explain or progress too many plot points in a story set in modern-day makes what should be the exception predictable and mundane. Readers want their imagination stretched, not bombarded with so many mystical interventions and newly discovered powers that they lose sight of, well, reality.

Here are three guidelines I’m using during the first-draft rewrite of “Flicker” to weed out paranormal overkill:

-One of my main characters is still discovering the extent of her powers and I'm itching to give her magical abilities infinite rein. But I can't unless she's evolving into a superhero, which she is not. So, I'm checking to make sure that I maintain a 70/30 balance between obstacles that are overcome with normal human capabilities and those that are surmounted with discovery of a new power or extension of a known one. 

-Another character in "Flicker" is a shapeshifter. She leans towards shifting into cats and birds, but her ability is unlimited. She's a perfect scout in situations dangerous for humans, which is fine, as long as she doesn't become the hound dog of the group just because she can. To avoid this character rut, I'm limiting her shapeshifting to fight or flight situation and having another character who is a skilled tracker (in this world and beyond) flex his keen ability when the need arises.

-Finally, the biggest challenge is not being cliché. That's true with any kind of writing, but in fantasy, sci-fi and paranormal fiction, where the author is limited only by her/his imagination, I think it's critical. That's not to say I can't use magical/paranormal device that have been used before. I do, however, have to showcase my character's more traditional abilities in unique scenarios or have them used in a new way. A great example is the way J.K. Rowling gave the magic wand and flying broom stick a modern-day makeover in the Harry Potter series.

These are only loose guidelines that are specific to my work, but they do reflect observations made while reading popular fantasy and sci-fi works by well-known authors. Much of learning the craft of good writing is in good reading. 

Wishing everyone some Happy Holiday Reading!

Marketing Options Beyond the Fridge

I recently had a burst in ebook sales. Okay, so 11 purchases of "Flung" in four days may not be a big deal, but it is somewhat satisfying considering my marketing efforts have been zilch + zero = nada these past few months as I focus on getting "Flicker" (book II in the Whirlwomen Trilogy) finished, edited and ready for publishing. I can only imagine what my sales would reflect if I was actually doing some marketing.
Sometimes, you have to pay for what you need. So, I've been doing some scouting for marketing services that are affordable, target e-savvy readers, and have a proven track record. I've found a few options that meet these criteria and thought I'd share.
Duolit is a team of two women who describe themselves as an author and a geek. Together, they blog regularly about self publishing, offer an impressive amount of ePublishing information on their website, and provide support services for indie authors. Services range from an hour-long phone consultation to a three-month long, intensive coaching program designed to boost indie publishing success. The first option will cost just under $100; the second, just under $1,000.
The book promotion services offered by Joey Pinkney provide different options. I found this brother via Twitter. His social media game is tight with 25-30K visits to his website monthly and more than 70K Twitter followers, and more than 3K Facebook friends. His pricing starts at $5, which will get you a banner advertisement on his web page for three days; an author interview will cost you $25; and for $100 you'll get an author interview, a book review (good rating not guaranteed), a review trailer and social media campaign. View his full marketing menu on his website.

A more traditional approach is the press release service offered by Piece of Cake Pr . As a journalist, I know the value and the pitfalls of the press release. It will either land in the right hands or be super SEO friendly and rank high on Google search, which could lead to a published book review read by thousands. Or, it will be used for scratch paper and be buried on page 10 of a Google search. Either way, every author should have one for each book release (even if it ends up being an addition to your refrigerator art which I'm sorry to say is as far as mine got though it is an inspiration every time I refill my wine glass). Piece of Cake PR offers two press release packages priced at $89 and $159 respectively.
There are lots of other choices out there, as well as some good books that can guide do-it-yourself efforts. The operative word, however, is effort. A concerted effort at that for a successful campaign. Effort takes time and for me I'd rather shell out a little cash than take time away from writing.
(On a side note, consider this: ePublishing is revolutionizing the publishing industry. Indie authors have created a niche market for editors, graphic designers, and other support services. In effect, we are creating jobs. Let's support each other's efforts so that everyone can do what they do best and we can all have a little change in our pockets.)

Old School; New Tricks

I'm old school. I always believed that a true writer slaved over a lengthy--say 100,000 word-- manuscripts for at least a year then handed it over to a gray-haired, bespectacled editor with a flask hidden in his top drawer who then whipped it into bestselling shape. And of course, said editor worked for a big New York City publishing house which had already validated said writer's talent by forking over a six-figure advance.
Times have changed. And so have I.
Having jumped into the ePublishing world as an Indie author/publisher, I'm noticing a trend that I believe will eventually be an industry standard--even for the big boys. This trend became apparent to me last night as without hesitation I kept spending $1.99 to get to the end of Stephen King's Odd Thomas intermission mini-series "Odd Interlude." There are four installations, probably not more than 90 pages each. I might have thought twice before one-clicking (damn/bless Amazon for making it soooooo easy) a purchase totaling about $8, but $1.99? I could probably scrape that up from the bottom of my laundry basket.
When it was all read and done, I felt the satisfaction of having read a full-length novel, which, in fact, I had if you multiply 90 x 4. I did have the benefit of having access to all four installations, something that would not have been possible several months ago as the episodes were published a few months apart, but either way I'm pretty sure I would have stayed with the story.
While King is a mega-author and can probably sell his stories by the letter, I've noticed a few Indie authors who are doing well selling shorter fiction, but in volume. Chick lit author D.D. Scott is one of them. She chronicles her book sales and offers great insight to self-published authors on her website The Writer's Guide to ePublishing. Since 2010, Scott has ePublished about 30 books and made over $1k last year. Her books aren't more than 200 pages and she sells them for .99 cents, but she boasts a 300K readership and did I mention her profits?
Short fiction sells and for the Indie author, volume is where the profits start adding up.
I revisited my business plan/production schedule today and noticed I'd made a note on June 29th (also my mom's birthday--RIP) to consider publishing "Flicker" in three installments (mainly because I was behind schedule and panicky that my readership will lose interest by the time I publish book II of The Whirlwomen Trilogy). Now I see that's not such a bad idea and am gearing up to get the first 100 pages to my editor and the cover designed.  I may be old school, but I do know how to learn from others and I'm always up for new tricks. 

iTunes U: Learning Management and Inspiration

I recently updated my iPad and was immediately intrigued by the iTunes U app that was installed during the process. The app is a doorway into a world of learning, inspiriting and research that speaks directly to my obsession with knowing a little bit about everything. And for those on a more organized learning curve, like college students, the app is an extension of the classroom that can be utilized on-demand.
iTunes U gives instant access to free, educational media including lectures, white papers, how-to's and curriculums. Learn best practices and trending theories from business leaders and educators; chill out with 3-minute meditations designed to increase mindful awareness (right on!); or listen to Ian Frazier expound on The Art of Literary Humor. Students can search for the most recent lectures and papers by college professors and the more tech savvy k-12 schools are providing content for parents, teachers and students that significantly expand the educational experience. I think it's a pretty cool way to get in the know about stuff you didn't even know you cared about.
I have to admit, however, I already struggle with limiting the time I spend online drilling down on topics that catch my interest, or are necessary to move my writing along. But with iTunes U, the difference for me is that it offers organized extemporaneous information loading. I know that reads like an overwritten contradiction, but this is where that comes from: When I first opened the app and figured out what it offered, I was relieving myself from writing that wasn't going well. I needed some inspiration and motivation to chew on that would get me back to work sooner rather than later. I needed some fundamental reminders that would shoosh the editor and quell the critic.
So, the first course on my iTunes U bookshelf ends up being "Creative Writing: A Master Class." The suggested duration of the course is 8 weeks, but I get what I need in about 8 minutes when I plug into a video of award-winning playwright/screenwriter Suzan-Lori Parks and her first rule of thumb is "entertain all your far out ideas." Those words (golden to a writer in the midst of an urban fantasy trilogy) and the anecdote she offers with them have me nodding and smiling and eager to get back to writing.

Sophmoric Effects

Today I am asking myself "why a trilogy?" Was it not enough to write one book without promising readers another two are on the way? Deep in the bowels of book II, I am swimming around the notion that I am in over my head.
Not that I can't do it. It's getting done. It's just that right now the pressure I'm putting on myself is annoying. And, I think it's having an impact on my creativity. That Editor in my head is now joined by the Critic. The Critic says things like "there were so many components in 'Flung', how are you going to top that?" or "Remember what so and so said about such and such character--maybe you should change things to make so and so happy." It's enough to make me, myself and I close down Word and open up Netflix instead.
Octavia Butler, RIP, said herself that the hardest thing about writing a series is the second and third book. With the first book there is so much hope, so much excitement, so much possibility that gets squashed by the second book and the sheer e-f-f-o-r-t of writing anything that's good enough to keep the tale spinning and readers reading.
Then again, maybe there's my answer right there to "why a trilogy?" It's a challenge that keeps me accountable.  I really don't want to have to look folks in the eye a year from now still promising "Flicker" is on its way. Nope. Because then not only would there be the Editor and the Critic, but they would be eagerly joined by the Doubter.

Let the Write One In

"Let the Right One In" is one of my favorite foreign films. It's a 2008 Swedish film (an American remake came out shortly thereafter) about a young vampiress who befriends a young boy who is being bullied. The film is about trust and courage as much as it is about bloody, vampire-inflicted deaths and fear. Writing is like that sometimes--an enlighten salvation on one hand; an agonizing thorn of discontent on the other. I think the determining factor is what you decide to let in.
You can let in procrastination. You can let in distraction. You can let in paralysis/writer's block. You can let in sleepiness; or choose to dull the flow--because there is so much other stuff flowing with it--with Spirits. You can let in paying work (which is decidedly good). You can let in naysayers. You can let in the Democrats, the Republicans and CNN. None of those, however, offers much creative satisfaction.
You can, however, let the WRITE one in.
You can let in creativity. You can let in trust. You can let in discipline. You can let in confidence. You can let in whatever it is that gets you cranking out sentences, paragraphs,  chapters.
Letting in all those things that don't allow writing is as agonizing as being mauled by zombies--I imagine--as that's what writer's do when the right one has been let in.

Hiatus, Research and Other Unrelated Stuff

Yes, the date of my last blog was April 20. Fifty plus days since my last blog. You'd think I'm not a serious writer. But life happens. I've had to turn my full attention to employment issues (which I'd been deferring due to the fact that my savings was, umm, healthier) like job seeking. I recently finished studying for and taking the Foreign Service Exam-- a stimulating exercise that reminded me how much there is to know and how much I like knowing it.
Ironically, the part of the FS exam I found most challenging was the essay question. I was given 30 minutes to write an essay on my feelings on a controversial international topic. It wasn't an especially difficult topic, but as I gathered my thoughts to begin writing, I found myself wishing I could have just five minutes to do some quick research to enhance my writing and check some facts.
I believe that most good writing--fiction or non-fiction-- requires an inquisitive writer who doesn't mind doing a little research. The more you know about something, the more detail and dimension you can give your writing. And sometimes, what you learn opens new avenues of thought, plot and opinion. Anne Lamott writes an engaging essay on getting help from experts in her book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Lamott shares an experience where she calls around until she ends up on the phone with a man sounding like father time who tells her that the little metal cap that covers a champagne cork is called a muselet. The simple phone encounter not only gave Lamott expert-specific language, but provided a unique human interaction that she said enriched her overall writing.
I keep a list of topics that I need to do research on handy for those moments when the writing isn't flowing, but I want to do something that supports the creative process. Just writing it down starts information flowing. Like learning more on gardening. I know some basics, but I have a character who is a Master Gardner so I need to know more than that for those moments when she is tending her garden. Ironically, a few days after adding gardening to the list, I overheard a woman say she was a Master Gardener after yoga. She gave me her card, told me about some websites, and said she'd be happy to answer questions. Perhaps as I learn, I'll get motivated to enhance my tiny yard with some flowering perennials.
I'm trying hard to make this blog about something, when its really just about getting back into the saddle. Forgive my lapse, wish me luck on reemployment, and stay tuned for further ramblings.