AngmarsKing701
Member
Congrats! That's some awesome news!
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Writing-GAF: Writing, Publishing, Selling |OT|
- Thread starter AngmarsKing701
- Start date
Fidelis Hodie
Infidelis Cras
Damn, you're going at a blinding pace! That's awesome though, keep up the work. I think I'm at the halfway mark for Derek Agons 2 personally.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
I am so glad that I've graduated. Now I can dedicate my time to writing like I used to. That was the longest I ever took a break from writing.
lastflowers
Banned
Plowing out idea after idea for the second novel. It was supposed to be written during NaNoWriMo, but between vacation and moving I had a lame enough excuse that I used to abandon it when I got to ~13k. It's a much more (plotwise) fleshed out novel than the first one, and much more accessible. It should be much easier to finish than the first one which is still in a limbo due to mountains and mountains of research needed to complete it.
Hi hi, first off I am had no idea a thread like this existed on GAF. guess i need to expand my horizons outside of the gaming side.
I just recently finished my 1st book after years of constantly saying I would do.. It's a bit on the short side around 100 or so pages (but i feel it's really good lol), and currently penning my second.
I plan to go the indie route and use createspace. I feel it's bit more rewarding in my opinion. Does anyone have some advice on how to market predominately LGBTQ book? I finally got over the fear of yes I am penning my life down on paper and exposing it, but there's still a bit of nervous once it comes back from my editor to really get it out there.
I just recently finished my 1st book after years of constantly saying I would do.. It's a bit on the short side around 100 or so pages (but i feel it's really good lol), and currently penning my second.
I plan to go the indie route and use createspace. I feel it's bit more rewarding in my opinion. Does anyone have some advice on how to market predominately LGBTQ book? I finally got over the fear of yes I am penning my life down on paper and exposing it, but there's still a bit of nervous once it comes back from my editor to really get it out there.
Conkersbadfurday
Member
Tumblr, I'd imagine
Actually, this is a good question. I know there are plenty of small blogstyle video game websites out there that will gladly cover anything indie game related. They don't always get much views, but coverage still feels nice regardless.
I imagine there has to be that for books, right?
I know one of the small sites I write/edit for covers books, though rarely. We've never actually been sent anything to review, so ti's just what we find.
But yeah, there has to be something out there like that. The internet is too big for their not to be.
FlowersisBritish
fleurs n'est pas britannique
Oh my god, a short story of mine is getting published in a thing. I've been so miserable the last month, and this and winning the writing challenge have really brighten things up.
Anyway, does anyone have any advice on biographies? I've always been so awkward about them and never know what to put down :x
Anyway, does anyone have any advice on biographies? I've always been so awkward about them and never know what to put down :x
FlowersisBritish
fleurs n'est pas britannique
A place called the Cricket Online Review.
Congratulations, dude!
Congrats.
The Artful Dodger
Member
Amazing. Congratulations man.
H.Protagonist
[-_-]/
Ah, Christmas. Tis the season of potential. I've been given an early gift of a free ad somewhere online. Anyway ideas?
You know what's not cliche and would sell millions? Underwater llama drama. Anyone who wastes such a sublime theme should be punished.
Congrats! That's great news!
You know what's not cliche and would sell millions? Underwater llama drama. Anyone who wastes such a sublime theme should be punished.
Congrats! That's great news!
FlowersisBritish
fleurs n'est pas britannique
Oh god, I just had to describe myself as an unnamed third party observer. That was one of the weirdest things I ever had to do. Do I suck my own dick and describe myself as a handsome grizzled cashier, or a cool aloof too busy to care about other people? In the end, tired cashier won out. I still can't stop giggling at how weird that felt though.
"FlowersisBritish is a member of NeoGaf. All other information is irrelevant."
I haven't had to do this yet, but I feel like I'd really have to resist the temptation to write something really snarky and self-deprecating.
I actually took a crack at this as a writing exercise from a while back. It is a bit of an odd feeling, kind of like trying to cross your arms the opposite direction than you're used to or something.
Frankly I struggle more with submissions that request a bio blurb, because I have yet to be published and I don't have a lot of meaningful accomplishments to rattle off.
(^ From my website, not the actual copy I usually submit, though it's not terribly far removed.)
You're an amazing writer man, I don't know how you haven't been published yet!
I appreciate the sentiment ; )
I've really only started taking myself seriously enough to start submitting for publishing recently. Like... October. November was NaNoWriMo, and I'm currently in the process of relaunching my website to coopt as a platform to promote myself, so I'm currently setting myself a goal to start just hammering the markets with submissions in 2015.
It feels like a ton of work, but at the same time it all seems immanently manageable. Once I get the site back up and running, I'll have a lot more time to devote to submitting stuff : )
cosmicblizzard
Banned
I like how the cover turned out.
AngmarsKing701
Member
I didn't know this OT existed! My dream is to get a book published. I have so many amazing ideas that come to me in dreams (very vivid dreams) and I want to write them. I am in the process of writing one currently. More serious than before. It is all I think about. My only struggle is that in my head the book plays out as a movie. I can't find the words to put down because it just plays out so perfectly!
I am glad this OT exists
I am glad this OT exists
toddhunter
Member
Love the art. Not quite sure about the title font?
cosmicblizzard
Banned
Hmmm.
Well, I just emailed the artist to see if she can send me the raw data after she put the text in. I could fool around to see which fonts work and which don't.
Well, I just emailed the artist to see if she can send me the raw data after she put the text in. I could fool around to see which fonts work and which don't.
I didn't know this OT existed! My dream is to get a book published. I have so many amazing ideas that come to me in dreams (very vivid dreams) and I want to write them. I am in the process of writing one currently. More serious than before. It is all I think about. My only struggle is that in my head the book plays out as a movie. I can't find the words to put down because it just plays out so perfectly!
I am glad this OT exists
I think one of the eternal struggles of every artist is getting what's in your brain down onto the page as accurately as possible. It's hard!
Cosmic, love the cover art! Definitely see if you can play with the font a bit.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
That's true for me with my visual art, since that applies more technical skill with your hand coordination. Drawing pisses me off, but writing doesn't.
Just a milestone...
Exactly a year after beginning to write this novel I am nearly done at 67K words. Several thousand more words and I'll be done, and checking the timeline I made I am only missing two final points and I am working on both right now. It feels so exciting to finally being close to finishing (albeit the first draft) this thing.
Exactly a year after beginning to write this novel I am nearly done at 67K words. Several thousand more words and I'll be done, and checking the timeline I made I am only missing two final points and I am working on both right now. It feels so exciting to finally being close to finishing (albeit the first draft) this thing.
AngmarsKing701
Member
That's awesome! Congrats!
SquiddyCracker
Banned
I am actually writing a book, which is kinda surprising me.
It's going to end up pretty meaty, should have the first draft of roughly 320k words done in April, at which point I'll check back here to recruit some mad beta readers.
Don't worry, Mike M!
I'm still reading your thing, it's pretty great - but ton of stuff to do so my feedback will be late
It's going to end up pretty meaty, should have the first draft of roughly 320k words done in April, at which point I'll check back here to recruit some mad beta readers.
Don't worry, Mike M!
I'm still reading your thing, it's pretty great - but ton of stuff to do so my feedback will be late
AngmarsKing701
Member
One of my 2015 goals will be to finish book 2 of my loosely connected series. Hope to publish in early 2016.
show me your skeleton
Member
definitely want to finish my book this year. not even expected to publish it, just finish it. had the idea/s for ages now but made a massive progress the last few months in actually doing something so i am excited as to what i'll achieve this year!
best of writing luck for everyone in 2015!
best of writing luck for everyone in 2015!
AngmarsKing701
Member
Write it out first, then get someone(s) to look at it for you.I think I am making my ending too action-oriented. Its pretty intense but... perhaps too much action? The plot also takes several twists along the action and it drives it all but... I am worried there's too much. Is that possible?
I think I am making my ending too action-oriented. Its pretty intense but... perhaps too much action? The plot also takes several twists along the action and it drives it all but... I am worried there's too much. Is that possible?
Yes, it's possible.
Write it out. Revise it. Get feedback. More revision.
cosmicblizzard
Banned
Alright, editing is now totally done. Still waiting on the artist to send me the textless cover so I can play around with the font.
After that, I just have to figure out if I want to format it myself and potentially get supremely frustrated or hand it off to the formatter I used for my first book. If it's the former, I could release the book within two weeks or so. If it's the latter, I'll have to wait for her to finish which will probably take around a month, meaning I'd get the book out around mid-February. Hmmm....
After that, I just have to figure out if I want to format it myself and potentially get supremely frustrated or hand it off to the formatter I used for my first book. If it's the former, I could release the book within two weeks or so. If it's the latter, I'll have to wait for her to finish which will probably take around a month, meaning I'd get the book out around mid-February. Hmmm....
Dean Smith just posted a blog entry about Pulp Speed writing. Sounds like a fun challenge for those looking to push themselves in writing.
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/the-new-world-of-writing-pulp-speed/
I'm forcing myself to write 10k words minimum a day, now that I've converted to a polyphasic sleep schedule. Gotta fill those 22 hours with something!
Also just bought a new mechanical keyboard for writing. Got myself a KBC Poker II, this thing is fantastic! Small enough to carry around, and the Cherry MX Blue switches sound incredible.
Finally, I'm starting a new pen name today. I'll still be writing short erotica, but this time I'm going to make them serialized. So instead of one off smut stories, characters, event and plots will be interconnected. It's going to be a challenge fitting everything in 5k words, so we'll see how it goes.
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/the-new-world-of-writing-pulp-speed/
I'm forcing myself to write 10k words minimum a day, now that I've converted to a polyphasic sleep schedule. Gotta fill those 22 hours with something!
Also just bought a new mechanical keyboard for writing. Got myself a KBC Poker II, this thing is fantastic! Small enough to carry around, and the Cherry MX Blue switches sound incredible.
Finally, I'm starting a new pen name today. I'll still be writing short erotica, but this time I'm going to make them serialized. So instead of one off smut stories, characters, event and plots will be interconnected. It's going to be a challenge fitting everything in 5k words, so we'll see how it goes.
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
I'll stick with Stephen King's two thousand per day. And he considers himself a guy who writes pulp.
and other genres, obviously. I find that whole 'walking the line between being banned and published (for now)' to be (too) dubious myself.
and other genres, obviously. I find that whole 'walking the line between being banned and published (for now)' to be (too) dubious myself.
Are there any artists here in GAF to make a cover for my book? Would prefer to look here first and then look outside. Of course I am paying
Sounds good. Do we have a beta circle here?
Sounds good. Do we have a beta circle here?
phillipgessert
Member
Are there any artists here in GAF to make a cover for my book? Would prefer to look here first and then look outside. Of course I am paying
Sounds good. Do we have a beta circle here?
I may be able to help with your cover, I've got my book design work up at www.phillipgessert.com. If my style suits you, just give me a holler.
Nothing formal that I'm aware of, if anything's happening it's going on through back channels.
I get an itch to try and organize something every once in a while, but I worry about over committing myself : / As anyone who has ever had me read something for them can attest, I go to town, and I already have my IRL writing group to attend to.
Not to piss on your dreams (We all share them, after all), but for the love of all that is holy, have a fall back position. Even if you get an agent, and even if that agent sells your book, as an unproven, unestablished author, they will pay you a pittance for it compared to the amount of hours you put into it. Royalties will be a trickle as well.
AngmarsKing701
Member
This. Get a job that pays the bills and hopefully doesn't consume your life so that you can write on the side. The number of writers who do this for a living is extremely small compared to the number of writers who don't.
whatevermort
Member
I just found this thread. So, this is awesome. I'm a firm believer in community with these things.
I don't know if this is useful, but if anybody wants to ask any questions about the practical side of publishing novels traditionally, I'm more than happy to help. I've been published by HarperCollins for four novels, and have a new series being published by Hodder this year as well. So anything I can do, just ask.
I don't know if this is useful, but if anybody wants to ask any questions about the practical side of publishing novels traditionally, I'm more than happy to help. I've been published by HarperCollins for four novels, and have a new series being published by Hodder this year as well. So anything I can do, just ask.
Beta read all our novels!
Or at least mine? Heh : )
Seriously though, I would love to make connections with more published authors. What genre(s) do you work in?
cosmicblizzard
Banned
People ask this a lot. Sounds like someone needs to step up.
It's not going to be me, since I've already got two different groups on the go. But I can tell you guys what my group does, since it works well for us:
-7 members (8 is probably max if you're actually meeting)
-range of skill levels, all the way up to one member who's IMO publishable with her latest novel
-meet every two weeks via Google Hangout
-read one novel at a time, in chunks of 20-30k words, generally resulting in four meetings per novel over two months
-give feedback one person at a time, limited to five minutes, with everyone else muted and no responses from the writer (we later added a second round since people sometimes had stuff they really wanted to say that they hadn't gotten to in their allotted five minutes). We mostly stick to major stuff, with minor things being commented into the text while reading and sent over after the meeting.
-people can commentate or say "ditto" in the chat window
-feedback generally takes the form of pointing out: things I didn't believe, things I didn't care about, things I didn't understand, and things I thought were cool (we started out this way, but since we've gotten to know each other better we've moved on to more nuanced critiques that are more diagnostic. "I felt this way and I think this is why." We still try to stay away from prescriptive crits: "This didn't work and here's how you fix it."). This is done politely and kindly. We don't want to avoid pointing out problems, but we want to do it in a way that isn't hurtful.
-after everyone's done with their crits, the writer can ask for clarifications or ask questions about what worked and what didn't (they should under no circumstances be arguing with the critiques). Common questions in our group include: "What do you think will happen next in the story?" "What promises do you feel have been made to you as a reader that you expect to have fulfilled later?" "What do you hope will happen, and what do you fear will happen?" etc. Questions can be asked to individuals or in general. If in general, we usually respond in the same order we gave critiques.
The tricky part about actually meeting, even over Google Hangout, is finding a time that works for everyone. It makes a huge difference, though: not only can you express strong critiques nicely, when they might just come off as hurtful through text-only, but you really get to know the other folks in a way that doesn't happen as strongly through text. I think this is a big part of why we were able to move more to diagnostic crits from the basic stuff.
Some groups do multiple things at once. My second group focuses on short stories, and does three at a time, usually. This could work for novels, doing them a few chapters at a time, but it'd mean you're stretching them out over a really long period of time, in a way that makes the story more confusing and ruins any sense of what the pacing is. One at a time works pretty well for us, and so far no one has ever felt that they're not getting their fair shot at critiques.
Anyway. If I were to try to put something together here, I'd gauge interest, find out availabilities, and then put together something similar to the above, adjusting as needed to fit the needs of the different group.
I'd love to be the guy to manage this myself, but I'm in a similar boat where I can't possibly cram this on top of what I'm already doing.
I could maaaaybe moderate it, but I can't possibly read that much and offer meaningful feedback.
http://interactive-adv.tumblr.com/
My latest silly idea. You can send me commands on PM here if you don't want to sign up for tumblr.
My latest silly idea. You can send me commands on PM here if you don't want to sign up for tumblr.