Category: A to Z Challenge

F is for Face (to launch a thousand sales)

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F

“Originally the book cover was designed to sell the book to the book store, who judged solely on the cover whether to buy something for their store(s). Now, cover appeal is all about how it looks in a tiny square on Amazon.”

“If you are using a traditional publishing house, chances are your book cover will get art from the slush pile assigned to it. Few houses ask an author’s opinion on cover art until they make a name. The bigger the house, the less say you get.”

“A soulless picture on the cover is not going to connect to readers no matter how beautiful it is.”

“Europeans don’t like people on their covers. Consider a different cover for your European market.”

“Above all be true to the story and deliver what the cover promises.”

-Book Cover Hero(ines) Panel

E is for Editors

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E

“Most nos happen on the first page. The market is saturated and you only have maybe 500 words to grab readers. Have lots of people read your first page.”

“A new author cannot pitch anything to an editor. A pitch is worthless as few people can actually finish a novel. We’re only interested if you have a book done.”

“All correspondence with an editor is professional. Be clear and concise and polite. Quirky is often inappropriate.”

One editor said she only looks at the synopsis if she likes the first ten pages.

“Follow the guidelines on all the big things for submission, ie. genre, length, exclusions.” Do your homework.

“The professionalism of your indie product is the biggest attraction to a traditional publishing house.”

-Why Editors Pass Panel

D is for Dos and Don’ts of Social Media

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 4 Comments

 

-Don’t Dpush your book via social media. Do make sure a google search leads them to you (your website/blog/etc) and where to buy your book.

-Don’t over stretch your social media presence. Do a few things and do them well.

-Don’t try to imitate the really big name authors. Do be yourself, work at the level you are, and grow your empire slowly.

-Don’t use a platform just because everyone else is. Do pick the one(s) that is right for you.

-Don’t let your blog/website/etc languish. Do keep it updated.

-Do NOT obsess about your stats.

 

-How to be an Auhor on the Internet Panel

C is for Change (it up)

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 2 Comments

C.jpg

“Don’t assume what used to work always will; change it up.”

“If you usually work to a word count, hide it temporarily and assume any progress is good progress. If you normally ignore your word count, set a reasonable amount to make each day and then stop when you hit it, so you don’t feel guilty about living life as well as writing it.”

“There’s an unwritten publishing law that you can change an editor once with no harm to foul to your career, so leave the relationship if it is not working for your career.”

-Fighting Through the 20K Slump, The Art of Rewriting it Again, and Finishing Your Fiction Panels

B is for Bang, Bang, You’re Dead

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 2 Comments

 

B“When writing about guns and ammo, find an expert to take you to a gun range. Actually fire the guns you want to write about.”

“A handgun shot to the torso has an 80-95% survival rate in the USA. A rifle shot, same circumstances, 20% survival rate.”

“Any gun using compressed gas, will still be at least 110 decibels with a suppressor.” For comparison, a motorcycle is about 100 decibels, a power saw 110, and a rock concert about 115.  A Girandoni air gun is actually almost entire silent. Can fire about 20 shot/minute as well.

-Writing Firearms Well Panel

A is All About

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A

My A to Z Challenge this year will be all about Norwescon, which was the last weekend of March in “sunny” Sea-tac, WA. This is a Science Fiction and Fantasy convention with a strong bent toward writers and readers. I like to attend the writer track class and take notes from the independent authors making a real go of it on their own. I will bring you a few great quotes I heard for each letter this month. I hope you enjoy the wisdom…