I am moved to write about style because I am currently reading books with very different styles, and the contrast is a nightly experience for me. I am 500 pages into Ian Pear's An Instance of the Fingerpost, an example of a fine literary narrative style, somewhat Dickensian in feel and most effective for the tale he … Continue reading Style
Thoughts on Writing
Formatting Frustrations (learning by experience)
I find most technology somewhat frustrating. Code is written by left brain people and organized in very logical ways - logical to them. To others of us, those hierarchical layers of processing do not compute. That complaint aside, my personal method for utilizing technology is persistence...try and try and try and then go to Google … Continue reading Formatting Frustrations (learning by experience)
New Novel Mestaclocan
After weeks and months of editing and a solid week of formatting followed by 6 attempted uploads, my second novel in the Zack Tolliver Series is uploaded to Amazon KDP Select. I am told by my readers that Mestaclocan is even more intense and hard to put down than The Other. The action moves to … Continue reading New Novel Mestaclocan
Reviews, Anyone?
Would anyone like to review my crime thriller, THE OTHER? This should be the cry of every author. The life sustenance of a writer is arguably reviews...good ones, that is. In the final analysis the author needs folks to read his/her book and then comment on it, pass it along, or in some way help it … Continue reading Reviews, Anyone?
The Complexity of Domains
As one who has recently tried to switch a domain from one registrar to another, I'm astounded at the intricacy of this simple sounding process. When I purchased my domain, I believed that as long as I paid the annual fee the domain was mine to have and to hold and to move about as … Continue reading The Complexity of Domains
Where Do Characters Come From?
It's always interesting to consider the origins of characters in books. What part of the author appears in each one? Does any one particular character represent the author more than another? Or are characters simply what they seem - pure fictional creations? I've looked back over my own work with curiosity regarding this question. Clearly, … Continue reading Where Do Characters Come From?
Do You Know Your Market?
For those of us who got into this business because we want to write, marketing is a huge unwelcome distraction. It presents conflict, and not just because of the time it consumes. There are other, more disconcerting conflicts as well. For instance, market expectations. I was recently told by an agent/publisher that my new novel is … Continue reading Do You Know Your Market?
Where Have All The Readers Gone?
Ever notice that there's no category for "readers" in Twitter? You can find writers in abundance. I suspect it is because virtually any topic can be associated with readers. As an author, if you want to reach readers you need to go where they hang out. Virtually, that would be places like libraryThing, Shelfari, and … Continue reading Where Have All The Readers Gone?
Speaking Out
In discussions about marketing your book the experts always mention Author Talks. Presentations of this type appeal to me because they are real; that is, I am in direct contact with the people I hope will read my book.Not only might the audience be persuaded during my talk, but there are the inevitable questions and … Continue reading Speaking Out
On Line? Or In Person?
I have found that the world can be broken down into two kinds of people; those who are comfortable socializing in person and those who are more inclined to do so on-line. When it comes to marketing books, this is an important distinction. Even if you are able to devote full-time to book marketing, it … Continue reading On Line? Or In Person?
