Authors--Traditional or Indie? Publishing Wins and Pitfalls By Connie Vines #Round Robin Blog Hop, #WritingTips

October Round Robin Topic: Indie or Traditional Publishing?

Pros and Cons.

Like many authors, my writing has evolved but has also changed to accommodate the publishing industry.

Once upon a time...

I wrote nonfiction articles for children's magazines, short stories, flash fiction, and stand novellas.

Later, I branched into YA/Middle School Historical fiction. Western Romance, RomCom, and Romantic Suspense.

All of these markets were "Traditional".

I am currently contracted with a Traditional publisher. My books are marketed as ebooks and in trade paperback to accommodate the reader market. 

I am comfortable with the traditional market platform. 

Why? Because an editor does a final read of my manuscript and will adjust my formatting if needed. 

(Yes, I understand HTML. But it's a left-brain function. If I am left-braining, I have zero access to the creative side of my brain.) 😕😢

We share promotion responsibility and watch market trends. (I like to write what I want, but that is not a key to success.) 

Most importantly, I have input for my book cover, but I do not have to design one. 

Indie Publishing: 

Have I ventured into the world of Indie Publishing? Yes, though not solo.

I have been involved in numerous anthologies. A common location, characters who interact with each other (to a limited extent). A defined genre: romance, mystery, etc. 

The promo is extensive. The timeline is short, and the word count is predetermined.

Limited meetings via text, short phone time, or a designated FB room to keep up-to-date work well for me. 

I'm an introvert. Intense interaction with others, even via weekly or daily Zoom meetings, is physically draining. Especially when I'm required to change what was already agreed upon. 😕😖

Plus side?

The marketing/promo is divided among the members.

Pre-release and early release are effective ways to garner readers and build momentum. 

The way to publish is a personal decision.

It is defined by an author's personality, writing style, willingness to promote, and love of accounting and tracking sales results.

Happy Writing and Reading,

XOXO

Connie Vines

Please hop to the next Blog...where another member has his/her story to share :)

 Connie Vines (you are here)

 Bob Rich

Diane Bator

Victoria Chatham

Skye Taylor

Writing in a Whole New Genre- (Pros/Cons) My Personal Experience By Connie Vines #Writing Tips, #Round Robin, #New Genre vs Established Readership

 Topic:  The Wisdom and or Experience of Trying a Whole New Genre    

Thank you, Skye, for this month's topic.

I began my career writing nonfiction, short stories, and preschool games in magazines (Humpty Dumpty, Jr. Medical Detective, etc.). So, it was only natural to branch out into Y.A. historical fiction.

I assumed it would require extensive research, travel, and interviews.  

The challenge was adding more. More descriptions, additional characters, multiple plot lines, plot twists, etc. In other words, a storyline that was not linear. 

Historical documents, interviews with tribal storytellers, and interviews with those who attended Native American boarding schools.

This also required adapting my story to the reading levels of the Y.A. readership and their understanding of what I was explaining: the sensory details, the harshness of life, and the meals prepared. Was the information relatable to a child who watched television and had a microwave oven? 

I was blessed with beautiful book reviews and student letters.

I was proud of the book and its recognition: awards for historical accuracy, "Teen Read Selection" in Public Libraries, the G.A.T.E. program, and speaking engagements in Southern California.

Will I attempt another Y.A. historical novel? Probably not. 

This project was a five-year journey. The most discouraging part was the shrinking of the hardbound/paperback publishers. I signed a contract for a hardbound novel, but the editor pulled it when he learned the company was being sold. (I discovered later that he did me a huge favor).  

   

Spanish Version

English Version

The next growing market was women's fiction. I selected Contemporary Romance.

Did I hesitate? No, I decided to dive in. 

Setting? 

I have all this Western research material. My father's people were Texans, and I enjoyed Bull Riding events. My hero was a cowboy. My heroine lived in Montana; her late father was a Bronc Rider.

My plot, characters, subplots, setting, etc. I'm at the keyboard after the kids are in bed, writing chapters one, two, and three.

I reread and reread the chapters.

Something needs to be fixed.

This was the kicker. I knew something was wrong but did not know precisely what it was.

Was the flow? Word choices? Pacing? Or was it the tone?

I was residing in "The-Land-of-in- Between." And I need an intervention! 

Fortunately, I joined a critique with members of my local R.W.A. Chapter. We wrote in multiple genres (though I was the only one who started out in children's). We read each other's chapters, made suggestions, and brought revisions the following week.

I garnered a few rejections, made changes, and sent the story out again.

Then I received that "Phone Call" in February, and the book was released in July!

This book received multiple awards and excellent reviews.

Will I change genres again? I've branched out into Romantic Suspense, RomCom/Paranormal. At the moment, I'm writing several novellas, and I've begun another romance series. I may write a Cozy Mystery novel or a Western Gothic (only if I don't cause myself to experience nightmares!)

The emerging genres seem to be Worldbuilding, Horror, "Bad Mothers," Science Fiction, Western Gothic, Foodie Romance, and Fratito. However, this could change next month.

If you want to write in a new genre, look into it. Examine the market and see what is trending. If you are selling novels and have a following, you're good. 

If you still want to change, consider a nome-de-plum. And see how it goes.

Good Luck & Happy Reading,

Connie 

XOXO

Follow the links! These Talented Authors have much to share!!

Dr. Bob Rich: https://wp.me/p3Xihq-3jJ 

Anne Stenhouse: annehousenovelist.wordpress.com 

Connie Vines (you are here)

Skye Taylor: https://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

  

 

How to Avoid Telling the Reader too Much Too Soon (AKA: Info Dump) By Connie Vines #Round Robin Blog Hop #Writing Tips

This month's Topic: How to Avoid Telling Your Reader Too Much, Too Soon.

Authors get so excited about a new project. We love to conduct research, pore over dusty documents, and discover exciting nuggets of information. 

And we love to share our latest discoveries with our readers.

This free-flowing enthusiasm can become too enthusiastic. 

Really? How?

Do you recall Monday mornings when you attended elementary school? The schools I attended allowed everyone a moment to "share about his/her weekend" at the front of the class.  

One child mumbled while staring at her shoes, another focused on the family dinner, another on a cry-baby sibling or, heaven forbid, dog poop/cat poop, etc. 

You get the general idea. Enthusiasm run-a-muck.

"Well, don't do that!" Stifle the urge to overshare and over-tell.

Why? 

Because that is an information dump. The author tells the reader too much or completely unnecessary information.

Keep your focus on the story. Drop information like petals of flowers on a long and uneven path of discovery...to an adventure...or to find true love.

It's the journey the reader loves.

The act of discovery, the twists and turns of the plot, 

the read-herrings, the delightful surprises. 

Remember, the magic that each storyteller weaves lives on and on.

Your written words are magical.

Magical. Powerful. Healing. Words of courage, kindness, comfort.

Your stories transport your readers to another place, another time, a moment to forget his/her troubles or to escape into a safe haven.

Select your words with care.

Remember, a reader is waiting to read your next story.

Connie

XOXO

This month's participating writers have stories to tell.

Please visit them :)

Anne Stenhouse

Connie Vines

Helena Fairfax

Diane Bator

Skye Taylor

 Dr. Bob Rich.

Where Do Your Ideas Come From? By Connie Vines #Writing Tips, #Round Robin Blog Hop, #Ideas,

 Where do my ideas come from?

I must confess that it is not an easily defined topic, but it is worth pondering.

There are three general perspectives when it comes to the origin of ideas:

Psychology, Philosophy, and Anthropology (none of which I will delve into).

Instead, I will muddle through my process. 

1. Dialogue will pop into my head. I find myself 'obsessed' with a style of music, a period of history, or even a type of food. 

2. I have stenopads where I compile research. (Pen-to-paper assists in the creative process.)

3. False starts. Numerous.

4. Staring at the blank computer monitor.

5. Then something clicks, and I create an opening scene. 

6. My ideas are a mixture of my life experiences and how I process them. 

7. My stories contain humor with a HEA while still dealing with real-life challenges (childhood abandonment and an alcoholic parent) "Lynx."

Raising a child after the death of a spouse. "Brede."

My stories can also be funny, quirky, mysterious...

...Or even supernatural 

 8. While a nomadic childhood has given me insight into the regional quirks and cultures of the USA.

Texas rodeos, farm and ranch life, tales of the 'dust bowl' years. And, of course, hundreds of ways to prepare chili. 

Swamps, hurricanes, learning to bake, when to wear gloves, and, most importantly, alligators can sprint uphill.

I will forever dislike snow, and I'm still petrified of snowmen.

This lifestyle also made me an observer. I evaluated what worked and did not work for me. 

 9. It's the start of summer, and a mini heatwave is underway (temperatures are in the low 100s). I'm sipping my morning coffee outdoors, overlooking the rose garden.  

10. Right now, I'm in the development phase of two novellas and plotting a new series.

Please visit the authors participating in this month's Round Robin Blog Hop.

Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com

Diane Bator https://escapewithawriter.wordpress.com/

Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com

Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog

Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/

Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-3ef

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

Using the Senses in Writing By Connie Vines #Round Robin Blog Hop, #Writing Tips, #Sensory Details

 

This Month's Topic: Using the Senses in Writing.

Thank you, Skye, for this month's topic

** My apologies, readers, for the giant photo in this post. (I've examined all the HTML info and cannot find the photo's stream.) Please scroll past it.

Sensory Details are what bring a story to life.

A gentle breeze blew my hair across my cheek (TOUCH) as I walked along the uneven trail (TOUCH). Leaves rustled (SOUND) above me, and a lone crow gave several loud caws (SOUND) overhead. I took a deep breath. The smell of decay and leaves (SMELL) made me wary, and the coppery taste of fear coated my throat. I scanned my surroundings to ensure I wasn't being followed (SIGHT).

The Five Senses also sets the story's mood/tone/genre.

My first example lets the reader know this isn't going to be a straight-forward romance. 

The reader will expect a murder mystery/suspense/or even a Gothic novel.

Never cheat your reader. Sensory details draw your reader into the story, trigger emotional responses, and, most importantly, make them feel a part of your story world. 

Since I'm an introvert and tactile, adding these details/emotional reactions is natural for me. In contrast, a more analytical person's writing might focus on the visual and take a more detective approach/reaction to the sensory clues. 

It is how your character processes his/her sensory details.

This is for fans of Star Trek (original series: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and Forest Kelly) and the movies that followed (Chris Pine, Zachery Quinto, Karl Uban). 

Mr. Spock was my favorite character. Though I observe, analyze, retain facts, and relate deals decades later, I am not, and will never be, "Mr. Spock."

Captain Kirk was a physical, in-your-face kind of guy. He yelled, punched, and bled. First and the scene or to make a scene, the man didn't seem to ever sleep. 

Then there is "Bones," Doctor Leonard McCoy. He grumbles and points out injustice, holds his ground for what is right. and saves his patient's life. He has empathy, compassion, and wit. 

So, the first key to successful sensory details in a story is to know your character. How does your character look at the world? What lens does your character use?

Excerpts from Gumbo Ya Ya (an anthology)

A Slice of Scandal

She ignored his question and continued with her narrative. "Instead, the scenes are shot according to where they are set. The cooking, naturally, will be here on the sound stage. But Harvey wants some location work, too."

Sebastian felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. "Location work?" How would he investigate a murder and a smuggling ring if he wandered over some tourist site? He flipped through the script. "My contract doesn't say anything about location work."

Julia glanced over her script, making eye contact. "You're joking, right?"

Think fast, Beaux, just stall her. "I'm not ready."

"You're not ready?" she asked, her voice heavy with disbelief. You've lived in a swamp, caught and eaten alligators, frogs, snakes, and fish....and you don't want to appear at a local shopping mall?"

"I'm not ready; you told me that. I still get nervous...in large crowds."

The look she shot in his direction clearly labeled him a liar, but she kept silent since Harvey was stationed nearby.

Love Potion No. 9

"Don't shake your finger at me, Simone Basso. I know what I'm doing." Persia Richmond said, holding a pipette to fill a crystal half-ounce atomizer with perfume. The top notes of peach blossoms, bergamot, and mid-notes of gardenia, honey, and tuberose tanalized. The tuberose, being the most carnal of the floral notes and high-ticket natural essence for her fragrance compound, merged with peony and orange blossom to temper the intoxication properties. The base notes lingered while a hint of something unnamed and mysterious beguiled and skimmed across the narrow processing room, saturating her senses.

The fragrance was New Orleans, culture at its most upscale moments, and Mardi Gras at its naughtiest.

The imported essence oils of the tuberose had nearly emptied her bank account, leaving Persia only one egret. Her Grandpapa hadn't lived to experience her mastery of perfumery.

Holding up the bottle, she allowed the light to shine through the tempered vial for a moment before she ensured the stopper was tight. 

Simone leaned over Persia's shoulder, "I done warned and warned you about messing with love potions."

The statement sent Persia's heart thundering in her chest. Snagging a steadying breath, she regained her composure. "You worry too much, Simone. This is a perfume. Nothing more, nothing less."

I hope you've enjoyed this month's post :)

Please visit the other talented authors' blog sites to learn more about the 5 Senses and story snippets!

Happy Reading!

XOXO

Connie

Anne Stenhouse  http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com

Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/

Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog

Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-3cc

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea