Finishing a First Draft

It's coming... really.

Let's just say, I've got a sketchy track record of completing first drafts. When I first wrote Multiples of Six, it took me 5 years, on and off, to complete the first draft. But, during that time, I also managed to crank out a 63,000-word YA fantasy in a matter of 6 months (not published). So, when it came time to put together the first draft of Multiples follow up, Divisible by Six, I was feeling pretty confident. So confident, that I made promises of 6-10 months. That was obviously a mistake. Two years later, I'm finally finished with the first draft. Yeah, I might've oversold it by 18 months or so. My bad.

So, what is it about the thrillers that bogs me down? Well, right off the bat, it's a much more complicated plot scheme. Multiples had 2 distinct plot lines. Divisible ramps it up a notch with 4. Four plot lines that have to intertwine and come to a resolution (of sorts) by the end of book 2. It was a first for me. Most of the other stories I've written have been fairly straightforward linear plots from the perspective of 1 or 2 characters, tops. Four was a pretty big jump.

But, the mere complication of the plot wasn't what slowed me the most. You see, and it shames me to admit it but, I'm a lazy writer. Not in the sense of form and function, but in the sense that I need someone to stand over me and crack a whip. I'm too easily distracted and even more so when the writing doesn't come easy. I overcame this recently by finding a group (which I detailed in a past blog) to act as my whip. It's just a group that meets to sit and write, but it was exactly what I needed. It gave me two islands of time during the week in which to focus solely on my writing and it accelerated my completion time immensely.

Writing a novel is as much about story creation as it is about putting one word after another until it's finished. You can have brilliant ideas pouring out every orifice in your body, but unless you take the time to crank out the words, all you have are ideas that might be good stories. I definitely envy my colleagues who can regularly crank out a novel every six months. Maybe I'll get there some day. For now, I'm just content with the good things I've got going on. I'm looking forward to getting Divisible finished up soon and the trilogy's finale, Power of Six, started.

Have you struggled to finish that first draft? Would love to hear about your experience.

A Return to Truly Social Networking

Isn't it redundant anyway?

Remember when the term "networking" had everything to do with being social, but nothing to do with online "social networks"? It wasn't that long ago (Friendster [Facebook's grandfather] started in 2002). Nowadays, though we appear to be "connected" to more people, for the most part, we are further away in terms of "connectedness." In my arsenal of connectivity, I have 2300 Twitter followers, 3600 Pinners following my boards, 317 Facebook fans, and 80+ blog followers. Now, assuming some overlap, there may be ~4k-5k folks I'm "connected" to. Out of that, there are perhaps two dozen I recognize immediately through various online networks (outside of friends and family, of course) and consider colleagues who converse and share thoughts. That's a pretty poor ratio, methinks, but probably not a rare one. We like connecting, but conversing and actually making a connection is a very different thing. Are you tired of it? Well, guess what? The old-fashioned method still works.

Who needs to network in person?! That's pretty much how I thought of it when I first self-published two years ago. At the time, I didn't think that actually rubbing elbows with fellow authors was anything more than self-congratulatory excess. It couldn't possibly produce the same results that being connected to thousands of followers could. And, until this year, I had done very little in terms of getting out and meetin my fellow authors.

Then, back in March, I stumbled across Meetup.com and found a local writers' group whose sole purpose was to get together and write. Plain and simple. It might sound strange, but it's exactly what I needed. A place to go and be surrounded by others quietly tapping away on their keyboards. I've met some wonderful folks and, in the process, was directed to another group of local authors.

The New Jersey Author Network is a group of traditionally- and self-published authors from around The Garden State. It's goal is to connect local authors with local reading groups and libraries. By doing so, it provide authors with opportunities to sit on discussion panels as well as potentially present on topics related to writing and publishing. It also seeks out book stores where authors may be able to have signing events. Membership is free and while there are members who are more active at pursuing opportunities, all members are encouraged to go out and create the kinds of events they want to attend.

Since joining a few months ago, I've attended one signing event, have another set for August, and will be conducting my first industry topic solo presentation in September. Outside of the group, I've also scheduled another two signing events for September and October. I've also agreed, tentatively, to be on an independent publishing panel in the Spring of 2014 (check out my schedule of upcoming events here). While most of these events are open to outsiders, the group has certainly made these opportunities more easily accessible. It has also inspired me to seek out potential opportunities at my local library.

So, get out there and rub a few elbows. Trust me, it won't take anything away from your "lone-wolf" author persona. As independent authors, we need to be open to as many networking opportunities as possible. Besides, you might meet some great people and, equally important, you might find some new channels through which you can market your writing.

Have your own story about traditional networking success? Please share!

Busted! - Plagiarism in Publishing

Sigh. Two steps forward one step back. Independent publishing has come a long way, in case you didn't come to light that a certain successful debut novel by a certain independent author was merely a plagiarism of existing content from two previously published books.

know. It's going mainstream. It's getting recognition where it used to get ridicule. And then something happens and you smack your forehead. "But we were doing so well!" Recently, it's

Plagiarism isn't a new problem in the publishing business. Where there is written language, there will always be plagiarism of one form or another. However, in today's day and age of copy and paste and simplified electronic publishing platforms, the task is simpler and, I imagine, much more tempting to the potential perpetrator. Find some successful books, mesh similar plot points together, fill in some blanks, draft up a cover, upload to Kindle Direct Publishing and voilà! You have only to get people to read it. Here is where the potential for success begins to fade. You see, this country (and others) is filled with voracious readers. And those readers like to read the same genres. And, if they read something similar, it doesn't take them long to sniff out a rat.

Some folks are suggesting (some seriously, some not so) that this was a conspiracy to put down independent publishing. While I wouldn't put it past Big Publishing to resort to dirty tricks to get their way, I highly doubt this was staged to besmirch indie publishing. While there was definitely some thought put into the act (and a lot of money spent on marketing to the New Adult bloggers who praised the book just prior to its release), I think it was just someone who thought they could trick the system. Luckily, it's harder to trick the people than it is to trick the system. In this case, the people prevailed. It was caught in such a short timespan that no check was cut to the perp and funds will more than likely (I hope!) be redistributed to those who bought the book.

The whole thing is very disappointing to an indie like myself. I'm not perfect, but my mistakes are mine. I own them and live with them every day. Sure, I use a pseudonym, but it's not to hide behind. It's purely marketing and anyone who wants to know my true identity doesn't have to look very far. So, to those folks out there who think they can cheat their way to the top. Well, go for it. Sure, I'll mourn the black mark you temporarily put on the face of steadfast independents, but I'll laugh when your facade comes down and you're left scampering away naked into the darkness of failure.

For some heated (and inquisitive) discussion on the topic, check out the KBoards.com thread.

Thoughts? Feelings? Please share!

6 Things to Know Before Your Author Signing

This past weekend, I attended my second ever author signing event. Organized by the NJ Authors Network, this was an opportunity to set up a table at a public venue hosted by a local book store. Being as my book has been out for 2 years, you would think I'd have attended more events, but I pretty much fell off the public book event radar last year. I was too ashamed at having not finished the second book in my series (it's coming, I swear). That being said, I'm now booked for four more events this year and am hoping to schedule a few more.

It occurred to me that, even having just attended one prior event (2011 Collingswood Book Festival), I knew waaaay more about public signings than I had going into my first. And, that I especially had a bit to share with folks who had never done a signing event. So, here are some tips to prepare you for your first public signing.

1. Bring plenty of your books. This might sound obvious, but there's a point here. Even if you only have one book in print (like me!), you're going to need to take up real estate on a table (or even a booth for larger events). Even a six-foot table starts looking enormous when you only have one book. Bring 15 copies at least and make staggered piles. This is the "I had more, but already sold a few" trick. Keep some in reserve, though. You don't want to pile a hundred books on the table that you have to look around in order to greet someone.

2. Have something small to give away. Think bookmarks, flyers, business cards, or some other branded trinket. Heck, tape your business card to a piece of candy. Candy draws kids, but can also draw the ire of parents. Be creative with your giveaways. Try a theme if your book suggests one. Vampires? Give away fake teeth. Mobsters? Give away fake tattoos. Romance? Ummm...yeah... stick to candy.

Normally, I print my little signs in color, but the printer was down. :(

3. Consider getting some swag. I'm a huge proponent of Vistaprint. They have a lot of different options for marketing materials. It's not cheap, but here's the trick: wait for a Groupon (or Living Social) deal. Right now, you can get $70 of stuff for a $17 Groupon! You can get some serious swag for $70. As you can see in the photo, I have bags and mugs on the left side of the table. A dozen of both cost <$50 because of coupons. A bag works well, especially at a large show where folks may be carrying a few books with them. And, it's free advertising!

4. Bring a pen. Another obvious one, but there's a caveat here. Make sure it's the right kind of pen. Make sure you test it out. A Sharpie might be too heavy and run through your page. Practice with your pen and be confident about which page you're going to sign. Oh, and take it from me, if you've got a pseudonym, PRACTICE your signature a lot!

5. Have a hook. This is my least favorite part of the public book signing. The circus barker call. The "hey, come see what I have over here," only... a little less creepy. I'm passive aggressive. This can be surprising to some folks who know me, if only for the fact that I can be downright gregarious at times. Let me tell you something, the two are not the same. I hate confrontation and I'm very empathetic. I don't want someone shouting at me to buy their book, so why would I want to be that guy? Instead, I tend to engage only those who engage me first. They have to at least look my way and/or glance at my book. "Suspense, thriller. First book in a trilogy. A little bit of James Patterson with a dash of Dean Koontz." If they linger longer, I add a bit about the story. "Young man is accosted on his back porch by an identical twin he never knew he had." That's where I leave it. If they inquire further, I know they're interested. Otherwise, I give them the kind of space I would want.

6. Prepare to be disappointed. Be realistic. Let's face it, no matter how well prepared you are, things might not go the way you hoped. Maybe the venue is slow. Maybe the clientele isn't your typical readership. Maybe you get a bad traffic location. Maybe you didn't find the right hook. Maybe the guy next to you was so aggressive, he was scaring everyone away. Stranger things have happened. As a self-pubbed writer, you also have to understand that some folks don't want to buy a book from someone they've never heard of, even if your idea is the greatest ever. I sold three books at my first signing. I'll admit, being at a large book festival, that number was a bit disappointing. But, I took what I knew from that experience and applied it to my second event. I had the same number of sales with much less traffic and a much smaller venue. I'd tempered my expectations and walked away pretty satisfied.

The point of doing a signing isn't about making money. If you go into it with that as the primary goal, you'll more than likely come away with a bitter taste in your mouth. It's an opportunity to get your name and the title(s) of your book(s) out there, and to talk books with fellow readers and writers. Book signings are as much about networking and socializing as they are about selling books.

If you live in NJ or the tri-state area, be sure to visit my Facebook event page and check out some of the places I'll be this summer and fall.

Multiples of Six Audiobook Giveaway!

Enter to Win!

Free Audiobook!

I'm giving away two copies of the recently release audiobook version of my suspense thriller, Multiples of Six! Narrated by the very talented Eddie Frierson, he adds a whole new life to the story. These free copies will be available through Audible.com. While no purchase is necessary, you will be required to create an Audible.com account to receive the free copy. I hope you'll check out the giveaway page over on Facebook. Thanks!

Achieving Writing Goals the SMART Way

We all have goals as writers. Some folks want to write more. Some want to get published. Some want to write better. Some want to finish their project. Others want to start. So many goals, so little time. So, what do we need to do to achieve these goals? Well, the details are different for everyone, but if we apply a standard formula, the steps are pretty much the same. Using the SMART method (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound), anyone can create a path to achieving their goal.

So, let's take a look at an example.

SPECIFIC This is where you lay out your goal. It's important that your goal is as specific as possible so that it can answer to scrutiny. What do you want to accomplish? Why? As we're talking about writing, let's have a goal that most writer's have: "I want to increase my per day word count so that I can finish novels quicker and produce more content over the course of the year." Nothing vague there. Let's move on.

MEASURABLE It seems obvious, but this is where you define how you will measure the success criteria for achieving the goal. In this example, it's a matter of being able to point to a higher word total per day and, therefore, more finished projects and content (eg, I write 500 words a day now and publish a novel every year. I want to write 1000 words a day and publish 2 novels a year).

ATTAINABLE Is this a realistic goal? Is it achievable? Have I set the bar to high? And, if it isn't achievable now, what tools or resources do I need in order to achieve this goal? You may not even know the answer to this right away. Do some research. Find out how others have gotten over this hurdle. In our example of "writing more," I'm sure there are many answers out there. However, you need one that works for you. There may be several ideas that you can use at once (eg, carry a notepad wherever you go, write before you go to work, write on your lunch break, set your alarm a half hour early in the morning and write then).

RELEVANT How much does this matter to you? Guess what? If you don't care, you'll probably never achieve the goal you set. It doesn't matter what it is. You don't just accidentally accomplish anything, right? Well, at least for me it doesn't work that way. You have to want to get there. And, it has to make sense for you to get there as well. You may be at a point in your life where the additional stress of another goal, or a particular goal, isn't worth the hassle. But, you must also consider that by achieving the goal, you may relieve other stressors in your life (eg, writing 2 novels a year may increase my cash flow and pay a couple of bills).

TIME-BOUND When? When do we start? Now. How soon before I start evaluating my progress? Two weeks? A month? If you don't set a time boundary, you're setting yourself up for failure. We're creatures of habit and if your goal involves a new one, you've got to put it into motion right away. Even if your goal isn't habit related, you should still have a due date at which point you need to assess your progress toward your goal. Have you met it? And, if not, what went wrong? What can you do to get back on track? Do you need to adjust your goal, or the process that you're using to achieve it?

I hope this provides some guidance for setting and achieving goals. The SMART criteria were first described in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran as a method for writing goals and objectives for management. I think it's a good tool for just about any goal-setting objective.

What do you think?

Can You Hear That? My Book Is an Audiobook!

As I mentioned several weeks ago, my debut novel, Multiples of Six, was in production to become an audiobook. Narrated by veteran movie voiceover actor Eddie Frierson (IMDB, Matty.org), I could not be happier with the end results. It is now available through Audible.com, Amazon, and iTunes (clicking this last link will open iTunes).

From the author's perspective, the process is relatively easy. You just have to go through the grueling torture of listening to your own words spoken back to you. I mean that in the most loving way, of course. But, I found it exceptionally difficult to hear my own writing. Not that it was badly written or poorly spoken (did I mention how awesome my narrator is?), it's just mine... and I've only ever heard those words in my head as I wrote them and as I read them. It's definitely a leap of faith on many levels, but Eddie was able to produce a gem. I really love what he did with the characters.

If you're an author and you've been wondering about audiobooks, head over to ACX.com (an Amazon company) and check it out. With luck, you'll find someone to team up with to produce your own book.

Have experience with audiobook production and sales? Please share your story!

Fan Fiction Gets A Venue - Amazon Announces Kindle Worlds

Fan fiction's new best friend.

Amazon has announced a new platform available to authors called Kindle Worlds. "Amazon Publishing has secured licenses from Warner Bros. for Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and The Vampire Diaries, with licenses for more Worlds on the way."

Definitely an interesting development and another sign that Amazon is doing all the right things for independent authors. While I don't personally have an interest in fan fiction, I can see this being HUGE for those who started their writing this way. It will be interesting to see what other licenses Amazon acquires for Kindle Worlds in the future.

What do you think?

Let's Tell a Story

A while back, I wrote a piece about how to plot your novel. Well, today, we're going to break that down
even further into its basic elements. How do you go about the “simple” process of telling a story. I've read and seen a lot of answers to this question, but we're going to keep it as simple as possible.

At its base level, there are 5 parts to a good story; foundation, change, significance, culmination, and purpose. That’s not to say that these are the only parts or the order in which they must appear. However, take any one of these away and you might be left with a story that doesn't feel whole. And starting to write before fully understanding what makes your story complete can make the experience harrowing. Writing can be challenging as it is. Let’s go through the parts and see what we have.

1.       Foundation – This is the “Once upon a time…” or “A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…” aspect of the story. What’s the norm? What’s the average day-to-day like in your story? Even if it’s just a glimpse, providing this information gives your story a platform on which to build. We don’t always need to put this up front, but we need to know it’s there. No character should live in a bubble… unless your story is about a character in a bubble… so, show the life that goes on around him/her/it. Bob was a hard-working man who loved life and his family.

2.       Change – Something needs to change the status quo. You’ve established the norm, so now you need to introduce the catalyst that induces a change to which your main character(s) needs to react. The extent of the change need only be relative to the main character’s need to be affected. Folks have a tendency to assume that big things need to happen in order to invoke change in a story (eg, death, cataclysm, zombies). However, sometimes the smallest stones make the largest ripples. Bob loses his well-paying job.

3.       Significance – The change has occurred. What does this lead to? How is your main character’s daily life affected? In life, as in the stories we tell about it, events aren’t usually cut and dry; Bob can’t afford food anymore and is forced to kill his neighbor. Hmmm…seems like we might be missing something. Like maybe some details? Bob can’t afford food anymore; Bob’s neighbor offers to give Bob help, but he wants something in return (a night with Bob’s wife); Bob’s got nowhere to turn and is running out of options; Bob’s sadistic neighbor taunts Bob and threatens to… and we could go one, but you get the point. A series of events then leads us to the…

4.       Culmination – …and in the end, Bob and said neighbor struggle in a fight to the death before Bob comes out on top. Extreme? Yes. Overly simplified? Indeed. But, you get the picture. You’re significant events must lead to a focal point, or climax. This is where everything comes together and the conflict that has propelled the story to this point is resolved, one way or the other.

5.       Purpose – Why did the character just go through all of that? What’s the resolution, or the new norm? Essentially, what’s the moral of your story? I would argue that this is the most important part of your story. What is it that you’re trying to tell the reader? When Bob is arrested, the police discover that his neighbor is a wanted serial killer and Bob is exonerated and they all live happily ever after (except for the neighbor, obviously). The moral? Don’t mess with Bob.

These 5 points create the thread of your story. While the order of the story thread can vary, it’s rare to find a good story that doesn’t incorporate each one of these. If you have an idea for a story, determine which of these parts you know and which you don’t. I often have 1, 2, and 4 in mind before I ever start writing, but 3 and 5 can often be the most difficult to put together on the fly. Starting your next project with all of these pieces in place can make the story-writing experience that much more enjoyable.

My $0.02 on the Boston Marathon Bombing

Let's get something out of the way. I'm not going to pretend for a moment that I have anything new or insightful to say about the who, what, and why of the Boston Marathon incident. But, I have to say something. As Anne Morrow Lindbergh said, "I have to write it all out, at any cost. Writing is thinking. It is more than living, for it is being conscious of living."

So, what do I know of terror? What can I add to this story that has any sort of relevance? I honestly don't know. My wife said to me, "Why would someone attack a marathon? It's not like they're affecting the people who make the decisions." True, but that's not what they're after, is it. They didn't strike at the infrastructure of the industrial machine. They struck a blow at the heart and soul of what makes America a wonderful place to live; that sense that you can stand on a street corner and watch something as simple as a footrace and not fear for your life. When I use "they," I mean terrorists. But, don't get me wrong, I believe terrorists and terrorism are a means to an end, not some poor generalization of a particular group of people. Timothy McVeigh was just as much a terrorist as any of the men who perpetrated 9/11.

The Boston Marathon attack is so hard for those of us in the United States to grasp, but it should look very familiar if you simply compare it to the many attacks that occur in Middle Eastern countries. A marketplace, a place of worship, a police recruitment center. Someplace where people have gathered in a place they believe they are safe. The significant difference here? The attackers walked away from the bombs. Instead of strapping themselves to the devices and going out for their chosen god, they dropped and ran. To me, that says a lot about who these people are and who they aren't. I might be wrong, but this seems to me to be a politically motivated attack carried out by people who want to make a statement and instill fear, but aren't willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. That may seem to blur the line, but there's a very clear difference between someone who has no regard for life (including their own) and those who simply have no regard for the lives of others. As a sidenote, I find it interesting that Massachusetts has no death penalty, though capital crimes are prosecuted by the federal government, so that might be moot.

 In the end, 3 people died (as of this writing on 4/18) so that someone could be heard. That someone made the decision that this was the only way to get their message across and be heard. Blunt, cowardly, and destructive violence perpetrated at a moment of least expectation against people whose only fault was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. An 8-year-old boy, a 29-year-old young woman, and a grad student whose age was not disclosed. Three people and countless others who more than likely thought they were safe. Three people whose lives were cut short. Countless others who will never look at a crowd of people, or a man with a backpack, the same way ever again. This is how it begins. They've planted the seed of distrust and fear. Just like they've done before. Killing the seed is impossible. It's there; it's taken root. We can't fight it either. That just makes it spread; violence begets violence. We simply have to refuse to let it grow. Refuse to fuel the flame. At a time when it seems an impossibility, the best thing we can do is put this in the darkness of the past and move on.

Update: Just a note that, despite the post time being 9 AM, this was written on Thursday night, prior to the manhunt that occurred Thursday night and is currently in progress.