Which Kind Of Writer Are You: A "Pantser" Or A "Plotter?"

You’ve got a great idea for a novel, but how should you go about it? Are you a “pantser” or a “plotter?” Are you a “writing wanderer” or do you prefer a map for your writing journey?

 

(image by Glenn Carsten-Peters via unsplash.com)

First of all, let me say that every fiction author has their own method for writing novels. Do what works best for you! But after writing four fiction novels (three of which are published so far, plus my current WIPs, and a couple other books that aren’t novels), I’ve had some experience with this.

Generally speaking, the popular notion is that there are two camps: “pantsers” and “plotters.” Pantsers are writers who “write from the seat of their pants” without using any plotting at all. “Plotters” (sometimes called “planners”) are writers who outline a book ahead of time. I’ve written both ways.

As I see it, writing a novel is a journey. Plotting is like unfolding a map to guide that journey. That map guides your way so you don’t get lost along the trail, helps you choose the most efficient path and see the pitfalls, and you know your destination. But maybe you are a pantser, a sort of “writing wanderer,” preferring to explore the wilderness of your story. Getting lost along the way can be exciting, with unexpected obstacles to overcome. If so, your writing experience is not about the destination, but the journey to get there, wherever that may be.

Stephen King is a famous pantser, as he described himself in his book, On Writing, a book that is often cited as a sort of textbook on how to write novels (though about half of it is an autobiography and, frankly, King broke a lot of his own rules, particularly in his early books that made him big). He goes so far as to say, “Outlines are the last resource of bad fiction writers who wish to God they were writing masters’ theses.” Wow, okay. But he enjoys discovering the book with the characters and being surprised by the ending.

John Grisham is an example of a famous plotter. He has said, “I’m doing the outline [of my story] upfront so I always know where I’m going. I work on the outline for weeks, months, sometimes even years if I can’t get it right. But when I start the book on January the first to finish by July the first I’ve got a clear outline—I know exactly where the story’s going— I know how it’s going to end.” Given that he’s published at least 74 books (about as many as King), 47 of which have made the New York Times Bestsellers list (King has had only about half as many), it sort of blows away King’s statement that he’s a “bad fiction writer” because he makes outlines.

In fact, King and Grisham had an online discussion with each other that included this very topic. King asked Grisham if he ever wrote himself into “a blind alley,” and Grisham responded quickly: “No.  I don’t write the first scene until I write the last scene.  So I always know where I’m going.” This must have made King’s head explode, since in On Writing he likened this to “eating dessert first.”

As far as I can tell, the term “pantser” may have come about from NaNoWriMo, an annual event where writers attempt to write a draft of a novel in just a month. From their website: “National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing.” Who has time to do careful plotting when you only have a month to write a book, after all? (Personally, I can’t imagine being able to write a quality book in such a short amount of time, even as a draft, in part because I have a 50 hour work week dayjob and a life outside of writing, too. But I digress.).

When I wrote my first novel (which is still unpublished), I was a pantser. I had a great idea for the start and some general ideas of what I wanted to have happen in scenes throughout. I had some characters in mind, too. But for the most part, I just let the ideas flow. Pantsing is a free-form storytelling. You, as the author, let the characters and action guide the story. You’re along for the ride, exploring the plot as it develops, which makes the process of writing more fun, at least at first. You’re as surprised as your readers will be when the plot twists. You get started writing quicker. The ending is an exciting discovery! I experienced all of these things as I wrote mine, and it was really interesting to see where the story went.

The problem with pantsing, though, is that you can’t see around the corner. Without knowing what’s coming, you can’t build in foreshadowing. You can’t develop the characters, plan the setting, or place important items along the way. You can’t as easily build up to events. This can lead to what writers call “the messy middle” – a situation where the plot and subplots just seem to fizzle or go astray, and you have trouble bringing them together, sometimes resulting in writer’s block. And the ending can fall flat. Coincidentally, Stephen King is often criticized for having poor endings. I wonder if this is why. The book I wrote as a pantser also had a “messy middle”, years to write, and it took far too many words to bring it all together. In fact, the first draft was a whopping 220,000 words! (I eventually pared it down to about 122,000 in a later draft). I think the ending was good, but maybe it wouldn’t be satisfying to everyone. It was bittersweet.

A hybrid approach is to write a synopsis or a partial outline. This would include a beginning and ending, significant scenes you expect along the way, and character descriptions. When I wrote my second book, which became Dragon of the Federation, a high fantasy novel, I used this hybrid approach. I basically wrote out a one-page synopsis with paragraphs describing the important scenes and characters. I had a defined beginning and ending, and the scenes acted as crucial stepping stones along the way. This approach worked pretty well, but I had to be very careful along the way to make sure everything came together, particularly since it was told from two different points of view. It took me years to write it. At some point in the middle, I wound up making a more careful outline using Microsoft Word in order to keep it all coherent. That was the moment I realized the full strength of proper outlining. Once I made it, the story came together in a much more seamless way and the writing went much quicker.

Plotting involves making an outline of each chapter. But even before that, it’s a good idea to write a one-page synopsis, or even an “elevator speech” (one or two sentences on what the book is about, as if you were describing it to someone during a short elevator ride), to summarize the book and it’s important concepts. The outline might be as simple as a short description of each chapter, or it might be as thorough as carefully describing each character’s motivations and actions, character arcs, settings, and how they weave into subplots. Again, everyone is different.

The third novel I completed became The First Nova I See Tonight, a fun science fiction space opera novel. By this time I had a lot of real-world experience with writing and had a better idea of what worked best for me. From the very start, I began with an “elevator speech.” Then I wrote a general outline of the book, chapter by chapter, each with a short paragraph of the character actions and story plot. After spending some time trying to visualize the book as a sort of movie in my head, I then created an Excel document with each of those chapters as a separate line and a few sentences of what was going to happen in each chapter. Since this was a fast-paced novel with lots of action, I wanted shorter chapters and a shorter overall length, so I aimed at an average of about 2000 words per chapter. This gave me an idea of how many chapters for a final length of around 80,000 words (in the end, I was just under that at about 79,000). Once I had that groundwork done, I started writing the book. I found that the outline was tremendously helpful. Even while working a full time job and having an active lifestyle, I still wrote the draft in about a year. Writing it was lots of fun, I didn’t have the “messy middle” problem, and the ending came together smoothly on the first try. I wasn’t rigid about my outline, however. I allowed flexibility, moving chapters around a bit, combining or separating chapters, and allowing the characters to develop in their own ways, which changed the outline a bit as I went.

An excerpt from the "visual outline"
I created for Footman of the Ether.

The fourth novel I published, Footman of the Ether, a sequel to Dragon of the Federation, also used this plotting method. It, too, went more quickly. The outlining helps pace the book and judge the length. But because it was told from four points of view (POV), I had an additional outline: a “visual outline.” This visual outline was a color-coded guide of how the four character viewpoints weaved through the novel. See the image attached here. Trust me when I tell you that involving multiple POVs makes the writing of the story much more difficult, as it requires careful balance. I doubt I’ll ever do more than four in one book, for this reason. The challenges of writing multiple POVs is a topic for a future blog post.

In another later blog post I will go into more detail on my current plotting method. For now, though, I hope this article gives you a good idea of the differences between pantsing and plotting, and a hybrid of the two, and their pros and cons.

 

Cheers and happy writing!

Footman of the Ether is Now For Sale!

 

I'm overjoyed to report that, at long last, Footman of the Ether is now for sale: the explosive fantasy novel is the sequel to Dragon of the Federation, and book two of the Heartstone series!

Available direct from GladEye Press, Amazon, or any other bookseller!

Who can fathom the motives of a demon?

Azartial, demon-dragon, is meddling in the affairs of men. Disguised as a human mage, he conspires with a mysterious cult and the Emerald Dragon to destroy an entire town and its institute of magic. When Torra Com Gidel, a young mage with untapped potential, comes to investigate the destruction of her hometown, the demon seems to side with her and her companions.

Drawn to the energies of the renegade magic used todestroy the town, the Gold Dragon, Ingal Jehai, suspects the sinister Triumvirate Gods are at the root of it. Complicating matters, a cruel general from the Southlands also seeks a powerful artifact that can restore his family to the imperial throne. Azartial schemes to draw them all together.

But to what end?

Cheers and happy reading!

Should You Get A Writing Coach?

You want to write the best book you can, but there’s so much to learn. Can a writing coach help you? Keep reading….

Image by John Schonobrich from Unsplash

Writing a book isn’t just about putting words on paper. Congratulations if you’ve gotten that far. Really. I can't tell you how many people I've talked to who say "I've got this great idea for a book," but never seriously tried to write. 

But there’s so much more to it. And I’m not even talking about spelling, grammar, sentence structure, plot, characters, and all of the “craft” of writing. We will assume for the moment that you’ve taken English classes and a good creative writing class. What comes next?

This is where you need a writing coach. There’s a lot they don’t teach you in that creative writing class when it actually comes to the business of being an author. Here are just a few of the basic questions they could help you with:

• What program or app is best to use? Microsoft Word? Google Docs? Scrivener? The days of simply writing on a pad of paper or a manual typewriter are long gone. You have to get those words into a digital format.
• How do you manage your writing time? We have busy lives, after all. Most writers still have day jobs. Many of us have children to raise and households to run. We have active lives. Where can you fit in writing time?
• Should you make an outline? What does that even entail? There are different kinds of outlines. Which is best for your kind of book?
• How do you find an experienced editor?
• How do you query a book to get an agent or publisher?
• Do you need an author webpage? How would you go about doing it?
• What sort of social media sites should you have an author page on?
• How does one promote or market a book after it’s finished? Will the publisher take care of that? What if you self-publish?
• Should you join a writer’s group?
• How do you go about designing a book cover and image?
• Should you self-publish? Or should you try to get published traditionally?
• Should you have a writer’s blog?
• What sort of writer events should you do after publishing? Book fairs? Author tables? Public readings?
• How do you handle the finances? Do you report book sales on your taxes?

 

And there’s so much more. When you stop to think about it, really think about it, the actual writing of your book is just a portion of the overall picture of your writing journey. And if you want to make a living from your writing, especially if you self-publish, then you need to learn how to make it a business and wear many hats. It can be a bit dizzying.

Enter the writing coach.

A good writing coach can bring order to the chaos, step you through the process, and help you build a good foundation to build on. You can’t be expected to know it all. They can lend their experience and organizational tools. They can answer the questions I posed above.

Like any other professional, they should be paid for their service, and this would be negotiated with them. But I assure you, it is worth paying for.

Recently I had the opportunity to be a writing coach for two different authors.

One is an author who has published a book and who has been in my writing group for years. Our group recently moved to being all-virtual, and she needed help understanding how to use the technology, namely using the virtual meeting app (Discord), uploading and downloading manuscripts from Google Docs, and how to leave comments on the virtual copy of a manuscript. We had several virtual sessions, and one in-person session, each about an hour long. I believe she now understands how to do these things, giving her the ability to continue benefiting and contributing as a member of our writing group.

The other person I coached is a beginning writer who has a great book idea (an autobiography with a bit of self-help added in), and she has a very compelling life to learn about – and learn from. But she needed help understanding how to outline the book, how to structure the sort of book she wants to write, how to do voice-to-text in different writing programs, and some general information about the business of publishing and marketing books. We had a phone session for about an hour and a half, and then an in-person session of about four hours. I really enjoyed sharing my knowledge, and I believe she feels better about the processes we talked about and more confident about proceeding.

And I’ve had a coach, too. Well, sort of: she’s a life coach, actually, not a writing coach. I needed help from Danielle for a very specific goal: to help me better organize my writing time each week. Over several sessions, we hammered out a weekly schedule and realistic expectations for my writing time and activities each day, then she followed up with me on a regular basis to measure my progress. As a result, I’ve doubled my efficiency. Despite working 50 hours a week and leading a very active life, I’m churning out at least a chapter a week, I’m blogging regularly again, and still finding time for all my marketing and promotional efforts.

And yes, just for the record, I would love to do it again. If you would like to hire me as a writing mentor, contact me.

How do you find a writing coach?

• Start locally. If you know some experienced authors, don’t be afraid to approach them and ask if they could help you as a writing coach, or if they know someone.
• Local writing organizations can be found in most regions and states and you can ask them if they have a listing.
• Online service sites, such as Fiverr.com, will have listings by professionals who are offering their services. Search for “writing coach.”
• Or contact me!

What qualities should you look for in a writing coach?

• Experience: They should have several publications, preferably of the sort of genre you are wanting to publish. Or they should have experience in the business of editing and publishing.
• References: They should come well-recommended.
• Cost: Negotiate a fee for their service that you are comfortable with. A typical range can be between $20–100/hr (I charge $30/hr) and may depend on the package deal
• Services: What sort of services do they offer? Can they help you with the questions you are needing answered? Do they do editing too? Do they offer different packages?
• Scheduling: Can they meet virtually, or in person? Can they work with your schedule?

 

Writing can be a solitary activity, with just you and your words, but it doesn’t have to be. In addition to writer’s groups and writing organizations, a writing coach can be another option to help you in your writing journey. I urge you to consider their help.

 

Cheers and happy reading!

How To Get A Book Cover As An Indie Author

You’ve written a book. Congratulations! But as a self-published author, you now need to get a cover image. What do you do? Read on….

 

Photo by Mediamodifier on Unsplash

Publishing houses hire their own artists to make cover images, and have graphic artists format those images into book covers with text. They also have a marketing department to help decide what sort of cover art is selling the best, collect “voice of customer” feedback to choose from several designs, and can afford expensive graphics software and fonts to do the design work. It can cost them thousands of dollars to do all of this, but the end result is professional and appealing.

But as a self-published author, chances are you don’t have that kind of money to lay out.

I know it seems daunting. You’re probably not a graphic artist, painter, or photographer, much less experienced in changing art into a book cover, so where do you go to get a professional-looking cover made?

I’ve self-published four books so far, and I haven’t needed to pay more than $300 for a cover. In one case, it cost me nothing at all.

I’ve used three different methods to get covers made, so it’s a good cross-section of the available opportunities. I think I have a pretty good handle on the pros and cons of these methods.

Options include: 1) Commissioning a professional for a custom cover, 2) Making your own, 3) Purchasing a pre-made cover, or 4) Using Amazon’s “cover creator” app. And I’ll say a final word about AI art and about attributing images.

 

OPTION 1: CUSTOM COVER BY A PROFESSIONAL

This is often the first thought that a new author thinks of. It’s also what traditional publishing houses do. But it is by far the most costly and time-consuming.

And no, I haven’t gone this route, precisely because of the cost.

Where to go:

• Probably the most common is to go to a gig site such as Fiverr.com.
• Better yet, identify another self-pub author whose cover art is similar to what you want and ask them who they went to.
• Make sure they are experienced doing both the art AND the layout. Be sure to ask for examples of covers they’ve made, and maybe ask the authors of those books what they thought of their experience with the artist, before you agree to anything with the artist.

Pros:

• They can customize it exactly how you want it. They can make an image of your exact protagonist and setting, if you want, or maybe something abstract. They can make your dream image come alive, with whatever type of art you can conceive.
• The finished work is almost always going to be professional. Likely it is a mix of digital art and photography, but some artists will even make paintings on canvas and then transfer that to digital.

Cons:

• Super expensive. Expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $3000. No, I’m not kidding. It’s art, after all.
• Turnaround time is very slow, usually months before the art is ready, with a lot of back-and-forth communications. And you may have to get in line if the artist has a lot of commissions lined up already.

 

OPTION 2: MAKE YOUR OWN

For my first publication, Around the Corner from Sanity (a collection of paranormal/horror stories), I had a friend who is a photographer and he already had an image which was perfect. It fit one of my stories to a tee, and it had a creepy vibe that fit the horror stories held within. I had a copy of Adobe Photoshop and knew how to use it pretty well. So I decided to save money and make my own cover. I colorized the image slightly, decided on fonts, then laid it out and formatted it with Photoshop. There are more suitable publishing apps for publication formatting, too, such as Microsoft Publisher.

I’ve also done this for the five different “quick read” short stories I’ve published on Amazon as Kindle, where I purchased images made by artists I knew from curating social media contacts. But because of the cost of the original images from the artists and the very low royalties and few downloads, it’ll take a very long time to break even.

Where to go:

• First you need a cover image. In my case, I purchased the photo and the rights from my photographer friend for $150. However, there are sites such as Unsplash.com or Pixabay.com where you can search for and find free or low-cost stock images and have the rights to use them (as long as you attribute them appropriately).
• If publishing with Amazon KDP, they have a “cover calculator” to help you determine the dimensions you need for formatting your print cover image. HERE is more information from them on formatting print covers.
• Also for Amazon KDP, they give guidelines for dimensions for the Kindle cover.
• You will also need image manipulation software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Canva, or Gimp (which if free!) and know how to use it.
• Make sure to agree to the rights to use the image in writing and signed and dated, not just for using it for the cover, but also to use the image as part of your social media posts, promotions, and even merchandise.

Pros:

• This is very low cost. If you get a free image from one of those sites and use Gimp (or already have other software), it can even be completely free.
• You can make the cover exactly the way you want.

Cons:

• Chances are, you aren’t experienced with image manipulation software. Good luck learning it. It’s a steep learning curve.
• Also chances are, you aren’t experienced with graphic design and layout. Formatting it can be tricky.
• Most of us aren’t marketing professionals. Are you sure you know what readers want and what they find appealing? Have you studied the market? Do you even have interesting fonts to choose from? Are you sure that lovely picture of yours really fits the genre?

 (HERE is a related article on designing your own book covers)

OPTION 3: PRE-MADE COVERS FOR SALE

Two of my book covers were purchased from pre-made cover artists, for my scifi novel, The First Nova I See Tonight, and then again for my fantasy novel, Dragon of the Federation. Basically, there are a lot of different sites where you can browse a wide variety of covers, by genre, and find one that seems reasonably similar to what you’re wanting, as long as you’re not too picky. No, it won’t feature your special protagonist on the cover or have specific call-outs to a scene in your book, but you can easily find a cover that is eye-catching and probably close enough, with interesting fonts and good layout. The cost is usually very reasonable, between $100-$300, with packages that include both paperback, hardcover, and Kindle versions, and the cover artists will usually do some simple customizations.

I was so pleased with the cover from Dragon of the Federation, by an artist who goes by Iron Serif, that I (or really, the small press I’ve now signed with, GladEye Press) have hired him to make the cover for the sequel, Footman of the Ether, which is coming out in the spring and will feature a comparable motif to the first book’s cover. When I eventually come out with a sequel for my scifi book, I will probably hit up the artist for the first book as well, Ivan Zanchetta.

Where to go:

• If you type “pre-made book covers” in Google you’ll find a plethora of sites. Book cover artists will advertise their images across many of them, so there’ll be repetition. I recommend you browse through several sites and find multiple cover options and prices before settling on one.
• You can also find cover artists on Fiverr.com who offer pre-made covers.

Pros:

• There are a lot of sites to choose from.
• Most sites have a wide variety of covers to choose from, for many genres.
• Prices are reasonable.
• Artists will usually make small customizations.
• Turnaround time is usually quite fast, since the covers are pre-made and they just need to adjust the text and make small changes.
• Artists often offer packages that include formatting for paperback, hardcover, and ebook designs.

Cons:

• What you see is what you get. Quality varies, but you’ll see it in the images provided on the sites.
• Few, if any, customizations.
• The cover might not be exactly what you want, but hopefully close enough. You’ll find a lot of “generic” sort of images to fit the genre.

 

OPTION 4: AMAZON’S COVER CREATOR

If you are self-publishing on Amazon, a fourth choice is a free app on their website, called the Cover Creator. You can bring your own image (whether you make it yourself or get it from a site like Unsplash or Pixabay) or you can choose from free images on the tool. You then choose from a variety of attractive cover templates, fonts, and color palettes, type in your text, preview it, and click “save and submit.” It will then generate a file that you can upload to Amazon’s KDP site when publishing there. It’s incredibly easy and fast.

I used this method, in addition to a free image from Unsplash, to create the cover for my book of poetry, Guide Me, O River. It cost me nothing at all, and I’m very happy with the result. As far as I know, Amazon is the only online publisher that has this tool.

Where to go:

• HERE are guidelines for using the tool, along with a how-to video.

Pros:

• The tool is free, fast, and easy.
• There are lots of images, templates, and color choices to choose from.
• Everything is automatically formatted for you.
  

Cons:

• The tool is only used for publishing on Amazon KDP.
• Though there are a number of different templates, there are only those templates to use. So if you want something truly original or unusual, then this isn’t the tool for you.

 

A WORD ABOUT AI ART

One final thought: There are a number of AI art generators out now, and you can quickly and easily generate really interesting art for free or nearly free, and customize it to a large degree by refining your AI criteria (and maybe further customizing it in an image manipulation software such as Photoshop). You could then use this art to create a cover using options 2 and 4, above. There are also cover artists who use AI for their work, which you can then purchase from them using option 3.

While generative AI is all the rage right now, be careful. Most AI art is flawed. I can spot it easily due to little glitches (like too many fingers on the hands, odd arm placements, or weird facial expressions like over-the-top smiles) and have a certain cartoony appearance. But AI is getting more powerful and more refined every day. It won’t be long before AI images will be indistinguishable from real photos. I’ve seen a few that were almost there.

It can’t be overstated that AI art isn’t truly original. AI trains on *already existing data* that pulls from existing art, so it’s all derivative. And nuanced details or symbolism are lacking. Want something truly original and meaningful? Hire a human artist.

And let’s face it: most likely the artists who made the art that the AI program is training on haven’t received a cent for it or given permission for their art to be used that way. This is creating an ethical and legal copyright dilemma that will ultimately be decided by the courts. It’s just too new, right now, to have those questions fully addressed. Personally, I prefer to support artists. But the fast and free nature of AI art is definitely tempting.

 

A WARNING ABOUT LICENSE AND ATTRIBUTION

Whatever image you use for your cover, you need to make sure you have a license agreement on paper before you use it, granting you rights to use the image to make the cover, to adjust it as needed, and to use it for promotional purposes for sale of your book. Even if it is free! How you negotiate this is up to you.

You also need to attribute the image properly in the front pages of the book, with the name of the artist and maybe the source of the image (if you found it on an image gallery site). As a courtesy, you might also list the artist’s primary website if they wish. Even if you generated the image yourself, it’s still important to attribute yourself so that others might not claim credit.

 

I know this is a long post, but there’s more to say about all of these things. Hopefully this will be a good introduction to get you started. I wish you well on your cover image journey.

 

Cheers and happy reading!

Why I Chose To Publish With A Small Press

Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay

Not so long ago, I blogged about why I chose to be self-published. But as of January of this year, I’ve been moving away from that and have now signed with a small press, GladEye Press. Why did I change? And should you pursue such a deal, too? Read on.…

I spent the better part of ten years trying to pursue the traditional publishing route without success. In a nutshell, it was hard to even get an agent to read sample chapters, much less a publishing house. The road was paved with rejections, being ignored, and unprofessional behavior by agents. But then Amazon made it easy to self-publish, and I eventually went that route. I started self-publishing in 2019 and have felt reasonably successful at it. I’ve published four books that way, as well as several "quick reads" short stories.

The primary benefit of self-publishing is that you have complete control over everything: the creative process, cover design, deadlines, editing. You name it. And the royalty percentage can't be beat.

But there are also downsides. I had to pay for everything up front, including editing and cover art. I had an uphill battle learning how to do my own marketing and promotion. And I had to do all the convincing to get bookstores to carry my books.

Most importantly, I had no in-roads for distributing print books to bookstores.

Established publishing houses still own the majority of distribution. They are pretty much a monopoly, with the “Big 5” publishing houses controlling the vast majority of the publishing industry and revenue. And they do next to nothing for writers who aren’t already well-known. Even if, by some miracle, you manage to get a book deal with one of them, they want to control everything. You have almost no creative control over anything, and they will make demands on what you write and how to write it. They choose the cover. They choose how to market it. And if at any point they decide that your book isn’t what they want to keep printing, they can choose to stop printing it and bury it. It is a corporate world and money is king. Unless you’ve already hit the bestseller lists, you’re opinions don’t matter.

Sure, you can try to dream big if you wish, but I for one don’t want to keep on the road of rejections.

As for the small publishers, though, I kept my options open.

The benefit of a small or hybrid publisher is that you maintain the lion’s share of creative control. But they pay little or no advance on publishing, and they don’t hold much of the market. And most, if not all, of the promotional efforts and marketing still falls on the author. But one big advantage is that they are typically connected to the print distributors and bookstores. And that’s the key!

In my self-publishing journey, I didn’t just want to sell on Amazon or Barnes & Noble online. I wanted my books in bookstores. So I started locally, going to area bookstores, talking to the owners, and asking them to carry my books.

Some of the bookstores refused outright. They only sold books that could be ordered through Ingram. The bought into the idea that a independent author was too much of a risk. It’s a stereotype that continues to push down self-published writers. Yes, there are some indie books I’ve read that had typos or some plot holes, but the vast majority are just as well-written as what comes from the Big 5 publishers, I feel. Yet there was no convincing those stores.

Other stores did work with me, but only one would buy my books outright, and only a couple copies. Most of these stores instead choose to purchase on consignment. But the percentage of what they wanted from the sale varied widely from store to store. Further, some store owners were friendly, others were extremely rude. Some were organized and kept good inventory, others did not. One store owner didn’t even use a computer or email, choosing instead to use index cards, which were badly organized, and we would just wander the shelves to see if any of my copies were still in-store!

I do author table events, and the owners of GladEye Press had a table at some of them. They saw how my readers would visit my table, rave about my books, and purchase more. They heard my pitch to customers, summarizing my books. And they liked what they heard and saw.

So, and miracles would have it, they invited me to join their small press as one of their authors!

I negotiated with them over several sessions, and we came to an agreement. They’re now in the process of republishing my four books, starting with Dragon of the Federation, and will be publishing the sequel, Footman of the Ether, this spring.

What is GladEye Press doing for me, and what might a small press do for you?

• They are in with Ingram for printing and distribution, and pretty much any bookstore in America can order it.
• They have connections with bookstores in the Northwest and belong to publisher organizations.
• They have excellent cover design skills
• They do editing
• They make promotional fliers for me
• They help with marketing
• They do formatting of my books
• They handle publishing my books with different retailers
• They help organize some table events

What are the down sides of going with a small press?

• They have limited staff, which limits how fast they can get things done.
• They are more regional than nationwide
• Many are new to audio books or don’t do them at all (GladEye is making their first)
• They have limited reach with social media
• They take much more of my royalties than self publishing (though not as much as the big publishers would)
• They don’t have a lot of other authors in their stable
• They haven’t been around for as long
• They don’t do much marketing or promotion
• They pay little, if any, advance

I already have a big following on my social media platforms, including Twitter/X and Facebook, a webpage, and this blog. And I have experience doing my own ads and marketing. I’ll keep doing those things.

I still consider this a gamble. I’m basically trading the lion’s share of my royalties for better distribution routes to bookstores. But I’m also saving money by not having to pay for editing and cover art, and I can focus more of my attention on actually writing!

I also know that my efforts haven’t paid off yet by self-publishing. Not enough to make a living at it, anyhow, and I can’t quit my dayjob yet. But I have high hopes that this will be a good and profitable choice.

And, frankly, the folks at GladEye Press have been very friendly team players. I’m looking forward to working with them.

Cheers and happy reading!

Want To Take Part In Author Book Fairs? Here’s How.

Are you a writer who has published at least one book and are looking to get some exposure to potential readers and make some sales? Then taking part in a local book fair is something you’ll want to look into! I love interacting with other readers and writers, so I jump at every chance I get to take part in author book fair events as one of the authors. Last year I took part in four book fair events, including events that were part of the county fair, the state fair, a holiday market, and a book festival. I expect to do more than that this year.

WHAT IS AN AUTHOR BOOK FAIR?

Author book fairs are events where published authors set up tables to display and sell their books and to interact with potential readers. Count me in!

Typically the venue will have a large room or event hall where tables are set up and each author will get a table (sometimes, two authors per table), at convention centers, community centers, senior centers, or libraries. Sometimes the event is shared with artists. Sometimes the author portion is part of a larger event, such as a fair or holiday festival. I’ve seen these events as small as a couple of authors or as large as fifty.

The events are most often sponsored by local libraries (or library leagues), writer organizations or coalitions, or simply very organized individual authors who have done this a lot. Once in a while they are put on by local businesses that cater to readers, such as bookstores, coffee shops, or wineries. Sometimes they are part of a fundraiser (such as for the local library).

Usually there is a small fee to take part in the event, and sometimes I have to drive a fair way to get to them, but it’s worth it. I make more from book fair events each year than I do from Amazon book sales.

BE PREPARED TO TALK TO PEOPLE

It goes without saying that if you’re engaging the public and trying to sell your books as a writer, you’re going to have to talk to potential readers. They are customers, so you need to be a salesperson. Be your own advocate. And sometimes you’ll meet people who have long wanted to write and publish their own books and want to ask you about the process and how you got to the point you’re at.

If you’re really shy or have anxiety about meeting people, maybe a table event isn’t for you. I’m a bit odd in that I love public speaking. Over the years I’ve become a bit of an extravert, so it delights me when people walk up to my table and ask me about my books. Public speaking is the number one phobia (glossophobia) behind the fear of death, so if you have such a fear, you’re in good company. Somewhere around 75% of the population shares your fear. Sitting at a table isn’t exactly “public speaking” in that you’re not standing on a stage or giving a presentation, but you do need to advocate for yourself and entertain a little bit, too (such as by relating a scene from your book or talking about the process).

And, remember, you’re competing for their attention against a room full of other authors. You want to draw customers in by smiling at them and engaging with them as they step by. Often I’ll meet their eyes and say, “Hi! What do you like to read?” If they like the sort of thing I’ve published, I’ll say, “Oh, then maybe you’d like this book….”

HAVE A QUICK BLURB OF YOUR BOOK(S)

“What’s your book about?” is the most common question you’ll get. It’s also a question that many authors dread. How do you sum up a 100,000 word novel (or longer!) into a blurb that’s only a few sentences long? After all, you’ve got a masterpiece with complex characters and multiple subplots. I’ll admit, it ain’t easy. But you have to conquer that challenge anyhow in order to write a query letter to an agent or publisher, put text on the back of your book cover, or describe the book on the Amazon book page, so you might as well make it happen. This isn’t a synopsis (which describes the entire book and is a spoiler). No, this is a fast ad for your work.

Here's an example I tell people when they ask me about my fantasy novel, Dragon of the Federation:

Have you ever read a fantasy book told from the point of view of the dragon? A young female mage travels to see an ancient gold dragon who rules over a land of humans. She wants to warn him that the gods are angry and seeks to find out why. While she’s at the dragon’s palace, a visiting elvish prince is assassinated by one of the prince’s own guards. Meanwhile, a war is brewing with a neighboring civilization, threatening the security of the land. Sensing a link between these things, the dragon and the mage team up to investigate, uncovering a conspiracy to unleash arcane gods upon the land. If they fail to stop the scheme, control of the world’s magic could be lost forever.

There are lots of online pages and videos that will help you write (or say) a great book blurb, but your overall goal is to impel the reader to pick up your book to read more and hopefully purchase it from you.

They’ll have other questions, too. “Where do you get your ideas?” a customer might ask. Or “How long have you been writing?” Are you ready to answer those?

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BRING WITH YOU?

What do you need to bring with you for your event? Here is a list of what I bring:

• Books. Obviously you need copies of your books to sell. But how many? Have enough to sell at least a couple copies of each book per hour. Bring more than you think you may need. I keep a box of extra copies in my car, even, in case I sell out. Plan ahead of time how you’ll set up your books. You want them to be neatly organized, and you may not get a lot of room on your table (or even your HALF of the table sometimes).
• Tablecloth. Some events will provide a tablecloth for you. Others won’t. It’s a good idea to bring your own, just in case. Mine is purple, which is eye-catching.
• Folding table. Most events will provide a table for you. Some will make you pay for a table. A few will make you bring your own. Check beforehand with the organizer!
• Money for making change. Not everyone carries coins or dollar bills, or enough of them anyway. I price all my books in increments of $5 so I don’t have to carry around dollar bills or loose change. In any case, be prepared in case someone hands you a large bill to pay for that book of yours.
• Credit card reader. I’ve found that over half of the people I sell to want to pay by credit card. So you’ll want to download a commerce app on your phone and have a card reader that goes with it. I use Square, which has an easy app and will give you a card slider that plugs into your phone for free. You can also use the “tap” function on many phones and readers. I’m always surprised by writers who aren’t prepared to take credit cards. They miss out on sales because of it!
• Cell phone. If you have a card reader, you’ll need an app to go with it. Some customers also might want to pay with Venmo or PayPal, too, so be prepared. There are a surprising number of authors who don’t use cell phone money apps (I’m sorry to stereotype, but it’s usually the elderly authors who have the hardest time understanding how to use those). It’s a good idea to bring a charging cable and plug, or an external battery pack, so your phone doesn’t run out of juice during the event. Also, don’t be tempted to play on your phone during the event or constantly check it for messages. People will just walk by if they think you’re occupied or distracted.
• Promotional signage. You’re marketing your books, and signage is important for that! I have a table banner with my logo and striking pictures of my books that hangs on the table. I also have a couple of signs in holders on the table (one advertising my website, and another announcing my coming books), as well as copies of a special flyer to advertise my “quick read” stories sold on Amazon. There are websites that specialize in making such signage, such as Vistaprint, or office supply stores and sites.
• Price list. Make sure to show how much your books cost. Maybe you could even advertise a deal? For instance, if you have more than one title for sale, maybe you’ll offer them $5 off if they purchase one of each?
• Pens. People love it when authors sign their books! So bring a couple pens so you can do that. And be sure to ask “Would you like me to sign that for you?” when they make a purchase, and ask if they want it made out to them or to someone special. Make sure the pens are working beforehand and have nice, thick lines. Some people sign with fine-tipped Sharpie markers. I use new gel pens.
• Business cards. Be professional and have some business cards in a special holder. Many readers won’t want to buy your book right away. Or maybe they want your website. Or perhaps they don’t want the print version but prefer the Kindle ebook version and need a link. So have a good business card they can take with them that has all of that information. I even stick a business card into every copy of my books that I sell.
• Swag. Have something to give away to people who come by your table. Maybe a dish of free hard candies or chocolates. How about a specially-printed bookmark that has information about your books and webpage? Maybe some pens to hand out (with your logo and website printed on them, perhaps)?
• Bags. Have bags ready to hand to people. Most authors don’t do this, but I’ve found that customers love having a bag to carry your book and the other books they bought. I have bags that have my logo and website printed on them! They aren’t that expensive when you buy them in bulk. (HERE is the one I buy from Amazon). A few events will provide a bag to customers.
• Food and drink. These events often last all day, and you want to minimize how much you leave your table. Some events have food venders, but I bring with me something to drink (a couple sodas or water bottles) and food (usually a sandwich and a couple snacks). Don’t bring anything messy, though. Don’t want to get stains on your books!
• Hand cart. All that stuff, above, fits in about three boxes. That’s a lot to carry! And maybe you can’t park right at the door of the venue. So I bring a folding, wheeled hand cart to carry it all.

HOW DO YOU SIGN UP FOR A TABLE?

Don’t know how to get a table at an author book fair? Here are some suggestions:

• Go to an event. I mean, you’re interested in going anyway, right? Because books! When you go there, ask to talk to the organizer. It might be too late to get a table this year, but how about for next year? Or maybe they run several events a year.
• Inquire at a venue. Contact the event center and ask if they have an author event and, if so, if they can put you in touch with the organizer.
• Ask your local writer’s organization. Chances are the writer’s organization in your area sponsors events or has lists of events, with contact information for the organizers.
• Contact your library or bookstores. Libraries and bookstores are in touch with the local book scene. They advertise events. They might even sponsor one themselves. They can put you in touch with the organizer.
• Ask more experienced authors. Chances are the more experienced authors in your area have taken part in these events. They can tell you who to contact.
• Plan your own. Obviously this is a more daunting option, since organizing events is a skill set that many people don’t have. But it is do-able. And if you partner with a local writer’s organization, venue, and/or sponsors, you might just find others who have more experience and can help you.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Regardless of the size of the event or the venue, I think you’ll find it very rewarding to have a table at an author book fair. Not just because of the revenue you can generate by selling your books, or even the chance to find more readers, but because you get to meet new readers, network with other writers, and get experience in the “writer scene” to build your writing career (or hobby, however you see it). Writing isn’t just about putting words on paper, after all. There’s a LOT more to it when you get to the point of publishing. Enjoy the experience!

Cheers and happy reading!

I Want To Write Full Time

I have a day job, but like so many other writers, I dream of one day writing full time and making enough to make a living at it.

It’s a dream shared by so many other creative people out there: artists, musicians, dancers, poets. Our creativity is part of our core being. As we go about our daily drudgery, our minds often go to our work in progress (WIP) or our next big idea.

Don’t get me wrong. I actually enjoy my day job and the people I work with. I earned two higher degrees for it. And after that, I’ve worked hard at my career as a scientist for almost three decades since then, through hard times and good times. I now make enough to live reasonably well. I’m not hurting.

And yet, writing is in my blood. Every still moment, my mind goes back to my books. Coming up with the next plot point while waiting in the doctor’s office. Visualizing the action during a break at work. Hearing the dialogue as I make some tea. Thinking up ideas while in the shower. All day long, I feel an irresistible urge to be back at my writing desk to bring it all to life on the page.

But I have to bring in the money. I can’t make enough of a living on my writing yet to even live modestly. Not yet. I still have a family to pay for. Too many bills to pay.

After self-publishing four books on Amazon, I’ve recently signed with a small press, GladEye Press. They will cover the editing costs, cover image art, and maybe a bit of marketing, so that I can focus on the writing part and not have to shell out money ahead of time. They will also help get my print books distributed to brick and mortar bookstores. They take a massive chunk of my royalties for these services, but if distribution is significantly higher than what I was currently selling, it’ll pay for itself and more, and we both profit. They are in the process of republishing each of my books with their brand, and this spring will publish my fifth book, Footman of the Ether (a sequel to my fantasy novel, Dragon of the Federation).

Related blog post: Before signing with GladEye, here’s why I self-published.

There was a time, up to a couple generations ago, when it was expected that an author would only publish one book a year, and it was enough to make a living on. Publishers would actually limit authors to only one book a year (this is why Stephen King took the pen name of Richard Bachman, in fact, so that he could publish more often). Now, the expectation is at least three a year, and the author has to do much of the publicity themselves (unless you are big name, of course). If you don’t already have a huge following on all the social media channels to do that, agents and publishers won’t give you the time of day, much less actually pay attention to your query letters or read your submitted work. Trust me. I spent more than a decade playing that game before I self-published. I feel lucky to get accepted by GladEye Press, frankly. If you still want to self-publish, you’re going to have to publish a dozen books, do everything yourself (or pay for others to do them for you), and have side gigs (such as editing or tutoring) before you can maybe earn enough.

I don’t say this to dissuade anyone from hoping for one day being a full time writer, even if self-published. There are lots of writers who have make it. I’m just being realistic. Like entering any other career, you always start at the bottom and have to overcome obstacles, train hard, and work even harder. Just don’t expect to live like a (Stephen) king!

As for me, I have a plan. It may be too ambitious, I admit. But in three years, my financial responsibilities will lighten. Then, if all goes well, I’ll quit my day job, sell my house and most of my belongings, and move to a cheaper area to live in. I’ll live a more modest lifestyle, too. By then I should have at least 3-5 more books published, bringing in royalties. Maybe … just maybe … I’ll be able to make enough to live a modest lifestyle with a roof over my head and enough food on the table.

Is it a pipe dream? We’ll see. But I’m clinging to it with one hand and a pen with the other.

Is it your dream too? Let’s help each other make it happen.

Cheers and happy reading.