Posted by Sabine on May 7, 2013So here I am, bringing you another interview. Fantasy author Anthony Ryan agreed to answer some questions on his writing and publishing process. Anthony self-published his debut fantasy novel Blood Song and was within months picked up by Berkley for publication. He continues to self-publish his science-fiction/crime novellas, so he is actually one of those successful hybrid authors who are doing a little bit of everything. After reading Blood Song I became a true fan, and eagerly look forward to the second book in his trilogy Raven’s Shadow.
Here is the interview:
Q) I have read Blood Song, the first book in the Raven’s Shadow trilogy, and it’s an amazing fantasy story. But for a new reader, tell us a little bit about the book.
Blood Song is the story of Vaelin Al Sorna, a member of a militant religious order in a fractious realm. The story describes his life from the day he is placed in the order, through successive years of war and intrigue as he uncovers many secrets about both himself and the Faith he serves.
Q) How long have you been writing? And what was your motivation to write Blood Song?
I remember forming the ambition to become a writer at a fairly early age but didn’t start writing in earnest until my early twenties. However, it took quite a while before I wrote anything worthwhile – the 10,000 hour rule holds true for writing as much as anything else. Blood Song was probably most inspired by my continuing fascination with history, although the themes of religious conflict and corrupting use of power were at the forefront of my mind during the aftermath of 9/11 on the ongoing war on terror.
Q) You self-published Blood Song, but it was quickly picked up by Berkley. How was your journey from from self-publication to traditional publication?
It took six and half years to write Blood Song and another year to collect rejection letters from pretty much every literary agent in the UK. Most responses were standard ‘thanks but no thanks’ letters but a few were fairly complimentary, along the lines of ‘we liked this but we’ve got enough fantasy authors at the moment.’ The net result was I had a choice between consigning it to a forgotten corner of my hard drive or self-publishing. I was increasingly aware of the potential offered by e-book self-publishing and the success achieved by a few authors who had secured traditional publishing deals via this route, however my ambition was limited to selling a thousand copies in the first year of release, which I felt would be enough to justify writing the sequel.
Before publishing Blood Song I did a dry run with my first Slab City Blues story. It garnered enough downloads and positive attention to convince me it would be worth continuing. Blood Song was initially published only on Smashwords from August to December 2011 during which time it sold a whopping five copies. However, after publishing it on the Kindle Store in January 2012 things started to change. The sales were not immediately massive but it did sell much better than on Smashwords, rising to a total of 3,500 copies by May which was when Susan Allison, the Chief Editor at Ace Books (the Berkley / Penguin sci-fi fantasy imprint) got in touch. I should stress that, as far as I know, at the time publishers weren’t engaged in any systematic analysis of e-book sales in search of new authors, though I think that may have changed by now. Susan had been made aware of the book by a Penguin sales rep who in turn had been pointed towards it by Lars Townsend, an employee of the Politics and Prose Bookshop in Washington DC then engaged in a personal reading project of self-published books (Lars has written a detailed account on his own blog here). Ace came back fairly quickly after I indicated my openness to an offer and we agreed a three book deal in July 2012, by which time Blood Song had gone on to sell over 20,000 copies.
Q) The biggest advantage of self-publication is the control over pricing, cover, and publication dates. Do you feel at a disadvantage now or are you happy with the way traditional publishing is working for you?
Before I agreed my deal with Ace I had a day job, now I’m a full time writer. I’m not saying that wouldn’t have happened if I’d continued to self-publish but it certainly made the decision to make the leap an easier one. So far the main advantages have been the advance on royalties, increased visibility, access to the editing expertise at Ace which has resulted in an improved version of Blood Song (available in hardback from 4th July), professionally produced covers, and most importantly of all, foreign rights sales: so far the Raven’s Shadow trilogy has been sold to eleven countries. There has also been interest from film & TV production companies although no options have been sold as yet. I fully appreciate that all of this is achievable by self-published authors without the benefit of a traditional publisher’s expertise, however, as a complete newcomer to the business, I’d really rather leave it to the experts and concentrate on the writing. Also, whilst self-publishing is continuing to progress and lose much of its previous stigma, there is a lingering reluctance amongst readers to take a chance on independently published titles. My sales ranking on Amazon UK has increased dramatically since my UK publisher (Orbit) took over the e-book in April 2013, despite a price increase.
Q) You are continuing to self-publish Slab City Blues novellas. Tell us about them.
Slab City Blues is an outlet for my love of crime fiction and sci-fi. They’re basically noir-ish, hard-boiled detective stories set in a less than pleasant future where humanity is beginning to colonise the solar system. The stories are all told in first-person from the point of view of a war veteran detective who lives on an orbiting slum known as The Slab, complete with gene-spliced vampires, werewolves and warring crime syndicates. There have been four novellas so far but I intend to finish the series with a novel-length story tentatively entitled An Aria for Ragnarok (you read it here first).
Q) You have released free audio versions of Slab city Blues. How has the readers’ response been? Is there a big market for audio books?
The first two stories are available as audio downloads on my blog, but the third, A Hymn to Gods Long Dead, was distributed via Podiobooks which allows access to iTunes and the other principal audio download sites. So far total downloads amount to 14,000. All Podiobooks content is distributed for free but they also enable readers to make donations direct to the author. The money received so far isn’t huge but I think the real benefit of putting out a free audiobook is in the publicity and potential to garner a following, plus it’s just something I enjoy doing. I’ll be putting out an audio version of the fourth story, The Ballad of Bad Jack, if ever I find the time to record it.
Q) Now that you are full time author, what is your work routine?
I’m pleased to report that I’m writing more on a daily basis and am much less tired in doing so now I don’t have to write on the train to work, at my desk at lunchtime, on the train home… etc. My routine varies as life often gets in the way, but I usually spend an hour in the morning dealing with emails before writing until midday. I try to get out of the house for a walk on most days during which I’ll listen to audiobooks (currently making my way through the works of Fritz Lieber which are a complete joy). In the afternoon I’ll spend three or more hours writing. When working on a first draft my daily output varies between 2000-3000 words a day (I work on a 2000 word a day minimum and usually manage to surpass it), though I try to have a day off once a week.
Q) What is your advice for aspiring/new writers?
The obvious advice has become something of a cliché: write as often as you can and read a lot. However, like most clichés, it’s true. So, apart from the obvious I’d say it’s important to concentrate on the craft of writing, by which I mean the mechanics of putting a coherent sentence together. There’s no point telling a great story if no one can understand what you’re trying to say. Also, it’s important to learn how to finish. I wasted a lot of time in my twenties starting stories or novels that never got finished. Some writers hate the whole idea of planning but I find it a vital element in actually producing work that gets finished.
In terms of self-publishing I would strongly advise new writers to learn from my mistakes. Any success I’ve had has been achieved in spite of not having my manuscript professionally proof read or commissioning a professional cover, both of which are the bare minimum new writers should do before publication.
Sabine’s note: If you love epic/high fantasy novels, I would urge you to buy his book. It’s absolutely fantastic. I did leave a review of it on goodreads which you can check. The book has high reviewer ratings and is selling extremely well. If you like reading or writing fantasy, you can also checked the interview of fantasy author Martin F. Hengst, author of The Last SwordMage.
Posted by Sabine on May 1, 2013I self-published Serpentine Love ( a free romance/fantasy story) in September 2012, but it still has not appeared in apple iBookstore. I emailed smashwords, and got a prompt reply that the book contains a link of another one of my books that leads to Amazon and hence, it was refused by iBookstore. I just need to remove the link and republish the book. I have yet to do it as I have been busy editing another book. However, two things that I have learnt, and wish to pass on: one; smashwords is extremely author friendly and responds efficiently to queries, two; don’t put any links that lead to Amazon when uploading a book to smashwords.
Do you have any publishing tips you would like to share in this blog? Leave it in the comments, or contact me and I will post it here along with your name and a link to your blog. Also, I have started a new Manuscript Critique Service (first two pages free). If you are interested, take a look here. It’s for new writers of fantasy, romance and paranormal stories.
Happy Writing!
Posted by Sabine on April 23, 2013Once more I bring you another author interview…with a twist. Mr. Main has answered these questions under the cloak of anonymity. The only information I can share regarding her is that he has published three books with a small, digital publisher. Many people on this blog seem to be searching for information regarding money earned by digital authors and even though it took me quite a few weeks to convince Mr. Main, I feel he did come through to provide some interesting facts.
Q) How much money have you made with three books?
Less than a hundred dollars.
Q) Wow! That’s a pretty low number. Was it disappointing to sell so few books?
Terribly disappointed! I even contemplated giving up writing. The only thing that encouraged me was that those who bought and read the books liked my writing. Also, I love writing and can’t imagine a life without it. Even if I never sell another book, I would happily spend my life crafting new characters and stories.
Q) Still, as a writer, you probably want some success in your work? What do you think is the reason for this failure to sell books?
I don’t think my writing is terrible, because overall reviewer ratings were good. Not great, but good. I may be biased but there are two main factors I feel are responsible for low sales.
1) All my stories are novellas, and not related to each other. They are in the same genre but have different sub-genres and readers who like one book might not like the other.
2) The price set by the publisher is well above 4 dollars per book, and I think when there are self-published novels available at 3 dollars and less, why would a reader invest a bigger amount for a shorter work, and that to from a writer they have never heard of.
Q) What do you plan to do in the future?
The important thing is to keep improving as a writer. I am planning to write novels in a series. My aim is to make each novel longer than 100,000 words. I will self-publish them at a lower price, maybe 0.99 dollar for the first book. Let’s see if that works.
Q) Do you any advice for new writers?
Self-publish your work only after getting it edited by a professional editor.
A well-known digital publisher may be a safer bet than an unknown one. Check the ratings of the books that your publisher has published in the past. Compare their prices and covers. Don’t sell more than one title to a publisher until you experience good sales from the first book. Be prepared for low, low sales and high disappointment. There are far too many authors out there who are not making money. Amanda Hocking is an exception and not the rule. Not every writer who self-publishes will get a traditional publishing contract or earn lots of money. Also, not ever writer who is published by a traditional or digital publisher will sell lots of books. Some writers do better than the majority, not matter how they publish. Your job is to put your best work forward, and to constantly aim for self-improvement.
For every writer the journey would be different. You have to go in with your eyes open. And most important of all, do it for the love of the writing process and not because you want to become famous and/or rich.
Sabine’s Note: Thank you, Mr. Main for sharing this information. And I hope some of this blog’s readers have found information they can use in their own journey to publication. If you have been published by a digital press, or self-published your work, please leave a comment and share some information anonymously. I would love to hear about your experiences.
Posted by Sabine on April 16, 2013Today I bring you another author interview. And I am really happy to introduce to you Martin F. Hengst. Sure, many of you may not have heard of him now, but mark my words, all those fantasy readers would have heard of him in a few months’ time. His books are amazing. His fantasy book, The Last Swordmage, first in his Swordmage trilogy was released in December 2012, and is already at #32 rank in Amazon’s fantasy category (#640 overall). The second book, The Darkest Hour, was released in March 2013 and is ranked at number 30 (#718 overall).
What an amazing accomplishment by a new, self-published writer!
So here is an unedited version of his interview.
Q. Tell us a bit about your fantasy The Swordmage trilogy?
The Swordmage Trilogy follows Tiadaria, a young woman sold into slavery by her father, on her travels as she becomes, all unwitting, the last swordmage. In The Last Swordmage we meet Tiadaria and follow her adventures as she’s rescued from execution by a retired soldier and taught to be a fighter. Tiadaria’s adventures continue in The Darkest Hour where she must use all she has learned to continue the battle against the Xarundi and their hunger for domination. In The Pegasus’s Lament, the final installment of the trilogy, due out later this year, Tiadaria must face some of the most challenging personal decisions she’s ever had to make in her quest to ensure the safety of Solendrea and its people.
Q. How did you come up with the world of Solendrea where your stories are set?
The people, places, and things in the world of Solendrea have been with me for more than twenty years. I began the imagining when I was in high school and over the years I’ve gotten to know the people well enough to finally start putting down their stories on paper. Solendrea is a wild and magical place and I’m glad that others get to come along with me on my journey of discovery.
Q. Do you plan to release more stories set in the same world?
Absolutely. I currently have plans for at least six more novels and an anthology of short stories, all set in Solendrea and sharing threads to form a common tapestry.
Q. Why did you decide to self-publish the books?
I primarily write for my own self-enjoyment. That others seem to enjoy the places and characters I’ve created has been a wonderful and pleasant surprise. I chose to self-publish because it gives me complete creative control over what I release and when. I’m not limited by having to pitch new ideas, wait for them to be accepted (or rejected!), then go through publishing, marketing, etc. Self-publishing has also been a wonderful experience in learning to do things like copy editing (of which I still have much to learn) and formatting, and so on.
Q. Currently your books are only available on kindle. When do you plan to release the books on other formats?
Part of my marketing strategy was to utilize the Kindle Select program early on to generate interest and reviews for the books. My participation in the Kindle Select program comes to an end in the middle of June, so it is likely that you could see different formats available as early as late June/early July. Additionally, that is around the time that The Pegasus’s Lament should be ready for publication. Additionally, for those who would like to get their feet wet with the world of Solendrea, but are unable to utilize the Kindle store for whatever reason, my short story, Volinette’s Song, which is based on a young girl’s quest to enter the Acadamy of Arcane Arts and Sciences in Solendrea, is available on Smashwords.
Q. Do you see any advantages of releasing books on KDP select?
I think there are definite advantages to utilizing KDP Select. Especially when you are starting out. Being able to offer a book for free for a day or two as a promotional item to generate buzz and increase interest can be invaluable. That’s predominately how I got my foothold in the market, by generating social media interest and coupling it with a free promotion early in the marketing life cycle. Additionally, what many people don’t know about KDP Select is that Amazon Prime members are able to borrow your books enrolled in KDP Select for free, and you are compensated for those “borrows” out of a Kindle Select fund, so though your royalties may not be as much as they would for a straight sale, you’re still receiving good value for your hard work.
Q I haven’t seen any evidence of a marketing and promotional strategy and yet your books are in the top forty in the kindle bestsellers. Do you believe a writer can do well without any marketing strategy if his stories are good?
I wouldn’t say that I have no strategy, I would say that it is very much an organic strategy. My marketing comes from asking others to provide their honest reviews, answering every review I receive (positive or negative), and encouraging others to tell their friends and loved ones about the story if they enjoyed it. I like engaging people, and Solendrea is something I’m very passionate about, so I have that working in my favor. As far as a writer doing well without a marketing strategy, I think it helps if the stories are good, but I think its as valuable to have a network of people willing to put themselves out there on your behalf on social media sites to get the word out.
Q. Any advice for new writers?
I have lots of advice, but the most important advice I can offer anyone is this: don’t ever give up. No matter what you write, or how well you write it, there will be people who HATE what you’ve written, and that’s okay. None of us will be loved by all the people, all the time. Don’t let that criticism, no matter how harsh, stop you from creating. Always be creating. Live in your world, love it, and put that life and love into everything you write. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Some things will work, some won’t, but never give up.
You can follow Martin at Twitter or join his facebook fan page. He can also be found on goodreads.
Sabine’s Note: And that’s the end of this interview…but certainly not the end of Solendrea, or Martin. I am sure we will be reading many great stories set in this fantastic world. Yes, you have guessed right; I am a fan of his writing already. So here’s a tip from one fantasy reader to another, go and grab your copy of The Last Swordmage at Amazon, or download his free short story.
Happy Writing!
Posted by Sabine on April 9, 2013If you are self-publishing, KDP select can be an effective tool to gain more reviews on Amazon. KDP select allows an author to make the book free for five days. More downloads mean more opportunity to get reviews. Make sure your book has a request at the end to leave a review. Also, promote the book during free days so that is downloaded many times.
Do you have any publishing tips you would like to share in this blog? Leave it in the comments, or contact me and I will post it here along with your name and a link to your blog. Also, I have started a new Manuscript Critique Service (first two pages free). If you are interested, take a look here. It’s for new writers of fantasy, romance and paranormal stories.
Happy Writing!
Posted by Sabine on March 27, 2013Ashuliya, The Lost Kingdom is out. It’s a romance, fantasy novella. A beautiful princess, a murder plot and an ancient, magical curse – it’s an interesting read. Here is the first chapter.
First Chapter of Ashuliya
For Princess Jaelyn, it was the end of her life as she knew it.
She bowed before her father’s coffin to pay her last respects. Pale evening light filtered down from the temple’s windows and played on the ebony casket. Tonight, by the wan light of the moon, her father would be interred in the royal crypt, next to his wife, Jaelyn’s mother.
It was time for Jaelyn, born and brought up as a princess, to honor her father’s memory and ascend the throne as the queen of Ashuliya, the magical kingdom to which she belonged.
Unfortunately, she would never live to fulfill the duty for which she had been groomed. Her father, King of Ashuliya, had been murdered. And she was the next in line to join him in the underworld.
“Jaelyn.” Itahid stood behind her. He had been her father’s oldest friend. His red rimmed eyes showed evidence of his grief at the king’s untimely demise. “The council is ready.”
Straightening, Jaelyn brushed the tears from her cheeks. She had not been able to sleep since the news of her father’s death reached her. She was tired and anxious, but it would not do to show her sorrow in front of the council. Her father would not have approved of a display of emotions in public.
“Would you speak on my behalf?” she said.
Itahid sighed. “I know you want me to, but I’ve already told you that it will not serve any purpose. Once again, I urge you to reconsider your decision to speak to the council.”
Rather than argue, Jaelyn strode out of the crypt. They had already had this discussion before. She trusted Itahid as he was her principal tutor and confidant. Still, she was not willing to change her mind. She needed to do this.
“My father’s murderer remains free. It is my duty to bring him to justice,” she said as they walked down the wide palace corridors.
Old tapestries hung on the walls, depicting scenes from age-old stories and pictures of former kings and queens. Today, the grand décor of the palace failed to impress Jaelyn. Her mind was focused; she needed to do something to find her father’s murderer.
“They will not believe you. You’ve no proof, only conjecture.” Itahid placed his hand on her shoulder and forced her to stop.
“I’ve to try. The people of this kingdom need to know the truth. I need to know the truth,” she said.
A sudden gust of wind burst across the corridor from one of the open windows. Stopping, Jaelyn took a quick peek outside. The courtyard was crowded with palace guards and officials who had come to pay their last respect to the king. In the far distance, she could see the snow-tipped mountains. It had not begun to snow here in the lowlands yet, but winter was well on its way.
They reached the massive oak doors that barred entry to the council room. No one was granted entry into this inner sanctum except council members or the reigning king or queen. This was the first time Jaelyn would set foot inside this chamber.
Squaring her shoulders, she adjusted her somber black robes. She pushed open the doors. To her surprise, the massive doors opened easily. Perhaps, they had been spelled to recognize her touch?
The council room was simply furnished. A square white granite table stood in the center, occupying most of the space. At its head was the seat of the king. On two adjacent sides were three chairs each. Seated on them were the council members. Itahid went to take his customary seat.
Jaelyn knew that she could not claim her father’s place until she was crowned queen. She stood before the council with her head held high. It was imperative that she convince them to acquiesce to her wishes.
“Princess Jaelyn, although you have been granted an audience with the council, please remember that this is an unprecedented move. No council has ever gathered without the reigning king or queen. An exception has been made for you because of your position as next in line to assume command of the council…and also because…” Tamid, one of the council members faltered as he came to the main reason why she had summoned a council meeting.
“Because I’ve suggested that my father, the late king of Ashuliya was murdered. His was not a natural death due to a lack of control over a spell, as is commonly believed.” Jaelyn finished the sentence with an icy determination.
“Princess Jaelyn!” Ajin had been one of her father’s principal advisors. “We understand how distraught you are. But you know as well as we do that that these soul levitation spells are potentially deadly.”
“For a less skilled wizard, perhaps? My father was a veteran at soul levitation spells,” she countered. It was imperative that she persuade them to open an investigation into her father’s death. They could not simply set aside this matter as if it was of no consequence.
Ajin put his hands on the table, and sat up straight. His voice was gentle when he addressed her. “The king knew that in any one of those times he could lose track of time. Once the soul is out of the body, it needs to be back before the spelled candle burns out, or else the body stops living.”
Jaelyn brushed aside his feeble argument. “Do you think he didn’t have safeguards to ensure that an error such as that never happened?”
“The spell he must have conjured to pull him back failed, or else he forgot to set one up.” Tamid joined the discussion once more.
“He was too experienced a wizard to make a mistake.”
“Everyone can make a mistake,” Tamid said.
Jaelyn took a deep breath. “So you’re not going to pursue the matter any further?”
“You know as well as we do that tracking the progress of a spell that has already taken place is near to impossible.” Tamid ran his hand over the edge of the table. “Unlike other spells, the re-creation spell is not accurate.”
Jaelyn pressed her hands together. She had hoped the council might listen to her agitated request and start an official investigation. They either did not believe her or were being manipulated by her father’s killer.
Was it possible that one or more of the council members was responsible for her father’s murder?
“Princess, may I suggest that you start preparing for your departure to the Temple of the Goddess. We intend to hold the coronation as soon as your customary thirty days of mourning are over,” Majhid, another one of the council members, suggested. His manner was mild, perhaps even timid as if he desired not to hurt her feelings.
Ignoring him for the moment, Jaelyn studied the rest of the group. Barring Itahid, there were two council members who had not said anything. Jian and Rafiat.
Rafiat was an expert spell caster as well as a master of theurgy, the art of convening spirits.
Jaelyn looked at him as she spoke. “Perhaps if we were to call on the spirit of my father…”
“Impossible!” he said, looking alarmed at the suggestion. “The great spirits of kings and queens cannot be disturbed, as per the law of the kingdom.”
There indeed was a law that protected spirits of former kings and queens from being summoned. Theurgy was a highly controlled art. It was regarded as highly dangerous magic. Anyone practicing it had to take a special license from the kingdom and was monitored to ensure that he or she did not disturb the spirits unnecessarily. Angry spirits sometimes turned on the theurgists who summoned them. Two had been killed in the past seven years.
Jaelyn did not have the necessary knowledge to perform such a feat. She was only a level two theurgist, and had left off her studies of this particular magic a good eight years ago.
“Princess Jaelyn, we understand your distress. Your father’s demise is a loss to the entire kingdom. I urge you to concentrate on your duties and leave the pursuit of this…theory. The nation needs you to be strong and wise, especially now when there have been reports that eegars are forming an army to invade the kingdoms, “Tamid said, as he leaned forward on his seat.
“The eegars have always honored the centuries’ old agreement with our kingdom. They are content to stay in the mountains. Why would they invade us?” Jaelyn had also heard the rumors that the ancient race of non-magic creatures were assembling an army.
“It’s said that they want access to the flatlands, the beach and permission for free trade,” Majhid said.
“Nonsense. They are incapable of living in a united community. They live in small tribes,” she said. “What’s more, they wish to stay away from magic people.”
“I’ve heard they have a new leader and he is organizing them into an army.” Itahid said. “If it is true, they can be a real threat, because magic will not stop them.”
Despite being non-magic, eegars were formidable foes. No magic worked on them. This made them nearly invincible when faced with witches and wizards who relied on their magic to fight a battle.
“They have no reason to attack us.” Jaelyn dismissed the claims. It was a rumor someone had started long before the demise of the king. Her father had not believed in it, and neither did she. The eegars were incapable of collaborating together as a nation. They were simple creatures, who foraged and hunted in the mountains and had lived there peacefully for centuries.
“Still, we will all feel better once you’re crowned queen and they have taken their pledge of loyalty to you,” Tamid said. “For that reason alone, we wish for you to stop delaying your entry into the temple. Your coronation is important to the nation’s sense of safety.”
Jaelyn locked glances with him. “And if I refuse to go until you start an inquiry into my father’s murder?”
He stared back at her. “A few of us have already discussed the possibility. You know that you’re the only heir to the throne, since the king had no other children. However, the council has the power to try and revoke your candidacy and appoint someone else to claim the throne.”
“You cannot–”
“We can. None of us wants that. The heirs to the great king Mianka have ruled this kingdom for centuries. You are the last of that line. It would bring great unrest to the kingdom if we were to remove you from the throne, especially as we seem to be on brink of war with the eegars. Still, if you insist on this foolish scheme of yours… We will be forced to take such a step.”
“You will never get the unanimous vote you need to do that,” Jaelyn said.
“Perhaps, we will not. Do you wish to risk that?” Ajin said.
Jaelyn glanced at Itahid. He nodded imperceptibly. With Itahid supporting her, they would not get the unanimous vote they would need for such a rash act. At the same time, she was not willing to alienate the entire council.
Once she ascended the throne, she would need their expertise and advice. It was best to retain amiable relations with them.
How could she convey to them her fear that if she entered the Temple of the Goddess, she would never come out alive?
Her father’s murderer was surely waiting for a chance to kill her, and the temple was a perfect place to do so. She would be alone there, without the protection of the palace guards.
The murderer could not afford for her to become the queen and start the inquiry, despite the opposition of the council. As queen, she would have the power to order them to do so.
Jaelyn swallowed her pride and curtsied to the council members. “Thank you for your time and consideration.” She knew she would not see them again.
She would be dead before her coronation.
Posted by Sabine on March 20, 2013If you are self-publishing, keep on experimenting with various prices to see what works best for you. It’s a good idea to make the first story free or price at a low, low price of 0.99 dollars. Series work better because readers get hooked on and want more, and also giving away the first book for free can encourage readers to leave reviews.
Do you have any publishing tips you would like to share in this blog? Leave it in the comments, or contact me and I will post it here along with your name and a link to your blog. Also, I have started a new Manuscript Critique Service (first two pages free). If you are interested, take a look here. It’s for new writers of fantasy, romance and paranormal stories.
Happy Writing!
Posted by Sabine on March 14, 2013Just heard that Google has announced on its official Google Reader blog that they will retire Google Reader in July 2013. For those who don’t know, Google Reader was the perfect way to keep track of all blog subscriptions. I have been using this platform for years, and its retirement means I must begin my search to find a new system that will allow me to keep track of all those blogs that I follow.
Google Reader is incomparable; it’s fast, easy and can be used while checking email (that is if you have gmail, and who doesn’t?). Of course there are other alternatives that one can look into; and the ones I am considering are Netvibes and Feedly.
This move just proves that in the fast-changing world of social networking the customers must always be ready to adapt to new changes.
And speaking of changes: I have started a new Manuscript Critique Service (first two pages free). If you are interested, take a look here. It’s for new writers of fantasy, romance and paranormal stories.
Happy Writing!
Posted by Sabine on March 12, 2013Lately it seems that writers who are selling well on Amazon are being offered publishing contracts by the big print publishers.
And why not?
Traditionally the print publishers had to read thousands of manuscripts to discover a story that they believed might appeal to the readers. Now, they have a better way to gauge the popularity of a manuscript. If you self-publish and your book sells well enough to enter the top charts at Amazon, it is likely that you will get an offer for a publishing contract. After all, there is no better endorsement than actual sales.
Anthony Ryan, a self-published fantasy author, received an offer from Penguin just a few months after he self-published his book in 2012. Amanda Hocking is old news; as are many others who have used self-publishing to break into print publishing.
For self-published authors, this is good news. If you write a good book, get it edited by a freelance editor, you don’t need to go the route of queries and submissions. Instead use the self-publishing platform to get noticed by agents and publishers.
So don’t just write off self-publishing as a platform used by those who can’t get a contract from a traditional publisher. A smart writer uses whatever means necessary to get himself noticed. More importantly, self-publishing gives you a control over your career that publishing companies don’t. I won’t advocate that self-publishing is for everyone, but indeed, as a new writer, it is an option you should consider.
Related Posts:
The unglamorous life of an author
Traditional publishing versus Self-Publishing: No great difference in Income
Happy Writing!
Note: If you are a new writer looking for some feedback on your manuscript, for a limited period I am offering a free critique of the first two pages of your story. You can send it at mail (at)sabineareed (dot) com. For a complete look at my Manuscript Critique Services, check here.
People:
fantasy,
self-publishing,
the business of publishing,
writing Posted by Sabine on March 8, 2013A protagonist should not go on a journey alone. It would get boring for a reader to only read about the main character’s thoughts and opinions. Dialogue is essential to hook the reader. That is why in most fantasy books, a protagonist has a sidekick travelling with him or her. They engage in conversation, discus issues, fight and allow the reader a glimpse into their world through their words and actions.
Do you have any writing tips you would like to share in this blog? Leave it in the comments, or contact me and I will post it here along with your name and a link to your blog. Also, don’t forget that I am offering a free critique of the first two pages of your story, as long as it is in the genre of fantasy, romance and paranormal. For a look at the full manuscript critique services, check here. In order to avail the free critique, email me the first two pages of your story as a word or RTF attachment at mail (at) sabineareed (dot) com.
Happy Writing!
Loading ...