C h a z z W r i t e s . c o m

See all my books at AllThatChazz.com.

04/21/2011 • 5:34 AM 0

Writing Exercise: Idea Generation

Last Saturday I attended a great workshop on Editing and Revising with editor extraordinaire Brian Henry.

I’m deep into doing revisions on my own work and that of others, so a refreshing blast of continuing education was a nice change of pace. Brian is on the road every weekend to teach a workshop. He’s a genuinely nice guy and a skilled editor with tons of experience.

(Click here to find out more about his teaching or to receive his newsletter.)

The odd thing is, I did some freelance work for Brian when I worked at Harlequin in 1988/89. I was working in production, proofreading romance and after romance with a few military books mixed in so I wouldn’t grow breasts. (I proofread a lot of the Mack Bolan series back then.)

To pick up a little more cash, I waded into the slush pile for Brian, who was an editorial assistant at the time, to evaluate spec manuscripts. After taking several of his workshops over the last few years, he finally remembers who I am when I see him now. (I think.)

I’ve written a short story in two of his workshops now. I’m not usually a great fan of writing prompts from other people. I’ve got lots of ideas on my own. However, at Brian’s workshops I’ve leaped into the breach and come up with a couple of short pieces, written on the spot, with which I am quite pleased.

On Saturday, here’s what got the ball rolling; Brian called it his Chinese Fortune Cookie Exercise: We wrote a short fortune, say six words. Each participant came up with two fortunes to share. The fortunes preferably had a verb, included two people (implied was fine, not named) and there had to be an element of “tension or strangeness.”

Also, it’s okay if the fortune sucks. It’s just a prompt, not a plan. We exchanged fortunes with people at our table so everyone had something fresh. Then we started writing furiously.

The fortune I focused on was this:

“A relative will vex you.”

What I came up with was short and surprisingly soulful with a murderous sucker punch. My fellow participants were enthused. It is very affirming for any writer to come up with something quick on the spot that works so nicely. Now I have yet another short piece to add to my short story collection (available through Smashwords this summer!)

If you write, go read Quick Brown Fox, too.

Revive Your Writing Workshop: What I Learned (weswriter.wordpress.com)
The Big Authors Begin To Bolt – The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Writing Workshops: Creative Writes (thewriterrunner.wordpress.com)

Filed under: ebooks, links, manuscript evaluation, publishing, self-publishing, short stories, Writing Conferences, writing tips, Brian Henry, Mack Bolan, short story, Workshop, writing, Writing and Editing

04/20/2011 • 5:36 AM 3

How much should fiction cost?

There’s quite a gap between what publishers charge for ebooks and how self-publishers are pricing their work. Many authors (and readers) have a visceral reaction to price. Of course people are sensitive to a price they perceive too high, but many believe that if it’s too cheap, it must be crap. (JA Konrath suggests self-publishers play with price, and experiment to find the right price point.)

However pricing affects you intuitively, there’s no direct correlation between price and quality. Many fine ebooks are often priced low because the author is not well-known. Lower prices encourage timid readers to take a chance on new fiction. When the price is lower, readers buy more. It is freeing to click, click, click and still pay less for fiction than you might for a latte and a croissant. Self-publishers hope to make it up on volume.

If you are trying to figure out how to price your ebooks, or what a fair price might be, Dean Wesley Smith has a great and useful summary.

His suggestions have influenced my thinking greatly. As a result, my first book (that will be available digitally) will be a short story collection. I still plan to roll out my big novel in November, but the collection, including some award winners, will come this summer!

It’s all happening very quickly. It has to. And most glorious of all, now it can happen.

Time and me?

We wait for no one.

Not anymore.

Write. Commit. Do. (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
The Heart of the Matter: Ebooks and Self-Publishing Part 2 – Another Dialog Between Authors Barry Eisler and Joe Konrath (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Ebook pricing power is undermined by perceived value (radar.oreilly.com)
The Very Rich Indie Writer (novelr.com)
Making a Living Writing Fiction (selfpubauthors.wordpress.com)
A New Online Magazine For Fiction Writers (pittsburghflashfictiongazette.com)
EBookNewser interviews Smashwords’ Mark Coker on e-book pricing, costs (teleread.com)
E-Publishing & Pricing: How Much Is A Book Worth? (writeitforward.wordpress.com)
Writers: How to Publish on Smashwords (by Guest blogger Rebecca Senese) (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
eBooks Really Are Getting Cheaper! (geardiary.com)
The Ebook Will Evolve. So Should Authors. (jchutchins.net)
Science fiction writers, editors, critics and publishers talk the future of publishing (boingboing.net)

Filed under: Books, DIY, ebooks, grammar, links, My fiction, publishing, self-publishing, Writers, writing tips, Dean Wesley Smith, E-book, fiction, Pricing, Publish, Smashwords

04/18/2011 • 2:03 PM 7

Publishers: What do I need you for?

Over at The Ranting Crone, my friend Pam Brierley has a great post about an encounter she had with a panel of publishers at last year’s Canadian Authors Association conference.

If they aren’t editing and they aren’t marketing, what are they doing (and is it worth it?)

These very sorts of questions are what’s pushed me to self-publishing.

Go visit Pam!

The publisher’s temperament (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Traditional VS Self Publishing ~ Some Thoughts… (nfaa.wordpress.com)
“eBook Tops All Trade Publishing Categories in February” and related posts (newimprovedgorman.blogspot.com)
Publishers cannot pay higher royalties because the money has to go to fighting piracy (teleread.com)
Publishers: please tell your side of the story – an open invitation from TeleRead (teleread.com)

Filed under: DIY, ebooks, publishing, self-publishing, Writers, Writing Conferences, Bookseller, Publish, publishers, Publishing and Printing, self-publish

04/15/2011 • 5:41 AM 3

Support authors. Buy books.

FYI: I promised the big announcement today.

That post drops here

at 12:01 pm EST.

Now, to business:

Author Jeff Bennington from The Writing Bomb wrote a very helpful post for Chazz Writes comparing his publishing experience with Lightning Source vs CreateSpace.

Besides helping self-publishers out with some great information, Jeff’s written a great book. The early reviews are very exciting, so I’m not just asking that you help out an author. I’m asking that you enjoy a good book.

Jeff is trying to climb high in Amazon‘s rankings today so readers can find his novel. Get in on the ground floor and help kickstart Jeff’s career. He’s encouraging fans and future fans to buy Reunion today. The novel has received great reviews, so why not? It’s not expensive.

Check out the awesome reviews and blurbs here.

Why not buy two? I will.

For this strategy to work best, it would be great if you bought the book today, April 15, if you please. It’s tax day in the States, so console yourself and forget about that horror by reading Jeff’s cool horror story.

Please support the arts and chill with a good book. Thank you.

UPDATE: Just bought two copies of Reunion.

Can’t wait!

Createspace or Lightning Source: Pros & cons breakdown (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Author Profile: India Drummond’s Ordinary Angels (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)

Filed under: authors, book reviews, Books, publishing, Writers, Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Amazon.com, Arts, Author, E-book, horror, Horror fiction, Jeff Bennington, Lightning Source, Literature, Novel, Publish, Reunion, The Writing Bomb

04/12/2011 • 10:16 PM 0

Announcements and changes 1, 2, 3

First, author India (The Great) Drummond will be profiled right here in a few hours. She’s really nice, which I value immensely. And her book sounds interesting, so check her out and order some copies.

(Also, if you’re an author, you know I do author q&a profiles, right? Shoot me an email by clicking my happy pic above and we’ll chat about publicizing your book, too.)

Second, I have a big announcement coming this Friday. If you follow me on Twitter, you already know the broad strokes. If not, follow me on Twitter! Also, here’s a hint: I found a publisher for my novel. More to come on that but it’s all very exciting. Well, especially to me. Lots of new news unfolding over the coming year on the publishing front. You’re used to lots of links, opinion and non-fiction in this space. My fiction will be coming to the forefront in a big way soon(ish).

Third, I’m changing the schedule of the blog starting next week. You’ll recall I switched to three posts a week (unless I saw something that caught my fancy and couldn’t wait.)

I’m still in the publishing/information/curation business here

and will continue to be.

However, I notice that my Friday post stats take a dip so next week I’ll be posting Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Apparently on Friday afternoons, y’all just want to get the hell away from your desks and out into the sunshine! I don’t blame you. Might add or switch in a Sunday post in the future depending on how the stats work. I’m watching how I hit you for optimum impact with minimum annoyance on your part.

The blog is growing faster now that I only post three times a week! What does that say about me? Either a little of me goes a long way or girls just hate it when you look desperate.

Have a great night! Or make it one.

MakeUseOf Is Giving Away An iPad 2 Again! (makeuseof.com)

Filed under: blogs & blogging, publishing, Useful writing links, Writers, Author, fiction, Novel, Online Communities, publishing, publishing news, Social Networking, Twitter

04/11/2011 • 8:01 PM 0

#pubwrite may just be the best kept secret on earth! (via R. A. Evans writes…)

Cool! This is like being invited to a writer’s circle. What a great, Twitter idea!

I'm dark and mysterious, just look at the Asylum Lake book jacket if you don't believe me. Okay, maybe that's a bit of an overstatement. The author platform I'm creating is one of darkness and mystery. In reality, I'm just a guy behind a keyboard who is still unconvinced I can actually make a go of this writing thing. But you know what – I have a secret weapon. I have my friends at #pubwrite! If you're on twitter – and you should be – you can par … Read More

via R. A. Evans writes…

Filed under: publishing

04/08/2011 • 5:38 AM 7

The publisher’s temperament

Last week a baby video went viral. Two little twin boys babbled at each other. Back and forth they went with a lively conversation “Da! Da! Da! Da!” Though unintelligible, they both were excited to talk to each other. I couldn’t hep but think of the conversation that goes back and forth about whether you should publish, or self-publish. There’s a lot of energy but not a lot of signal getting through.

The answer to the question of whether you should self-publish depends on the “you”.

Are you prepared to think of yourself as more than a hobbyist? Are you intimidated by new and unknown practices so much that you’re frozen? Do you prefer that others take care of things for you without you hiring them? Do you have any financial cushion? Are you prepared to take a chance? What is your real tolerance for risk? What is your tolerance for some people underestimating your work’s worth because you went your own way. Are you open to learning what you don’t yet know and ready to be a beginner?

There are a plethora of other factors to consider, but first and foremost, it’s about you. Some people just aren’t interested in entrepreneurship. That’s not a judgment. Starting a business is not for everyone. You have to have a lot of discipline and interest in things beyond simply writing a good book (and god knows there’s nothing simple about that.)

Ask yourself, do you really want to do this?

We’ll have better self-published books when more authors ask themselves this question first. Why? Because they won’t just be self-publishers and the negative things that currently implies. We’ll have more publishers who happen to be publishing themselves.

‘Twin Babies Having a Conversation’ Video Explained (livescience.com)
Self-Publishing : Wave of the Future? (cjsandspot.wordpress.com)
Writers: Do you have time to get published? And can we dump the “self” from publishing? (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
The Wall: musings on self-publishing (writtenwings.wordpress.com)
The Amanda Hocking Effect: She didn’t sell out. Trad publishing bought in. (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Writers: TOP 10 Objections to Self-Publishing (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Writers: Are you skeptical about self-publishing? (chazzwrites.wordpress.com)
Are you sure about that? 6 things to consider before self-publishing (emlynchand.com)
An Epic Fail for Self Publishing (writingandpub.wordpress.com)

Filed under: DIY, getting it done, publishing, self-publishing, Writers, writing tips, Amazon Kindle, Author, Business, Publish, publishing, Publishing and Printing, self-publishing, writer

04/04/2011 • 5:37 AM 18

Createspace or Lightning Source: Pros & cons breakdown

Jeff Bennington

I’m trying to decide what company to go with to get my novel out. Smashwords grinds manuscripts into all e-book formats, of course, but what about the paper book issue? Createspace or Lightning Source? I recently asked some authors about their experience with companies that facilitate self-publishers. Some were satisfied with Createspace and others were fine with Lightning Source. Jeff Bennington, author of a paranormal thriller, Reunion as well as the blog The Writing Bomb, hit me with a great, detailed reply. He has experience with both Createspace and Lightning Source. Rather than pushing me one way or another, he laid out the pros and cons as he sees it from his experience.

“Dude!” I said (because in my mind I’m still seventeen and it’s the ’80s.) “This isn’t a mere reply to my question. This, sir, is a blog post. How about it?” He graciously said yes. Here’s his breakdown:

Cons

At Lightning Source, starting an account is a bit cumbersome (much more paperwork than Createspace.) Once the paperwork was complete I had to get my cover just right, but Joleene Naylor, an independent cover artist, helped me do that with ease.
However, I’m not as happy with Lightning Source’s ink/cover quality as I am with Createspace. Lightning Source’s paper is much thinner than Createspace. (Same number of pages and Lightning Source is at least 1/4″ thinner. Very strange.)
The initial work to get a proof copy is somewhat exhausting and cost $39 (overnight, mandatory) for a proof every time!
I can get five proofs for $50 (overnight, not mandatory with Createspace).
I’ll use Createspace the next time if I discover that print copies just aren’t the thing for my books. I used them this time to get advanced reading copies (ARCs) out early. Createspace was fast and easy to work with but I was very limited on the back cover and spine art.
Expect 1 to 2 days for email return. But if you call..they answer.

Pros

The number one reason to use Lightning Source is the distribution: return availability and full industry discount (45-55%). That was enough for me because very few publishers for indies do that and if they say, as Createspace does, that they have full distribution, you better make doubly sure that the wholesale discount is 45+ and that you can have a return policy. Createspace never told me that. I asked and they said, “We don’t make that decision.” I say “Bull^%$#!” Of course they do. They are the publisher.
With Lightning Source, you are definitely the publisher. I like that.
If you have a newer mac formatting is easy. Lightning Source will upload your sized PDF with no worries.
Once the book was uploaded and passed the tests, things moved rather quickly. Give yourself 2 months to get your account in process and book uploaded
The best thing is you are assigned a customer rep—a real and a very nice and helpful person. My rep at Lightning Source is Carol Egan. She is wonderful!

Overall, I’m happy so far. I mostly want my print version to be available to local stores for signings (if I have one) and a lot of my friends and family want to buy it at a store. I can’t do that with most other self-pub outlets. Lightning Source is the real thing. Great for a small press…like me!

Right about now you’re bubbling over with gratitude for Jeff”s insights. Act on it and check out his book. Reunion just launched and the reviews on Amazon are very good. Plus, you need to own it for research purposes. (See what you think of the binding etc.,…) Buy Reunion.

Amazon’s confusing self-publishing options (feldmanfile.blogspot.com)
Publishing Prep (prclcnovelinayear.wordpress.com)
Are PODs ebooks? (teleread.com)

Filed under: author Q&A, authors, Books, DIY, ebooks, publishing, Writers, writing tips, Amazon.com, Author, Createspace, E-book, Jeff Bennington, Lightning Source, Publish, publishing, Reunion, self-publishing, Smashwords

04/03/2011 • 11:00 PM 2

The Heart of the Matter: Ebooks and Self-Publishing Part 2 – Another Dialog Between Authors Barry Eisler and Joe Konrath

The Heart of the Matter: Ebooks and Self-Publishing Part 2 – Another Dialog Between Authors Barry Eisler and Joe Konrath.

Here’s a conversation all writers should grok. This is a long read, but worth it.

Filed under: authors, Books, DIY, ebooks, publishing, Writers, writing tips, Amanda Hocking, Barry Eisler, e-books, JA Konrath, publishing, self-publishing

04/01/2011 • 5:08 AM 2

The Big Authors Begin To Bolt – The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

Image via Wikipedia

This will blow you away. $30,000 a year for a short story? And to think I have boxes of short stories around the house to hold the edges of carpets down.

The Big Authors Begin To Bolt – The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan.

Love the delicious little dig at publishing at the end of Sullivan’s article. Hm. I’ll have to read more from Sullivan on this topic to see precisely what he’s on about.