I do worry that this race to the bottom will be damaging for the publishing industry in the same way that mobile game pricing has dramatically changed the video game industry.
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Writing-GAF: Writing, Publishing, Selling |OT|
- Thread starter AngmarsKing701
- Start date
I do worry that this race to the bottom will be damaging for the publishing industry in the same way that mobile game pricing has dramatically changed the video game industry.
1) 2/3 of your short should be sex
2) You need to hook a reader in the first 10% of the short (remember the "Look Inside" feature on Amazon)
3) Titles really need to be eye-catching for the genre
4) Nail your keywords
5) One bestselling author noted not to put your book in the erotica category
They also said to not use taboo, step-family, virgin or anything like that in keywords.
6) Blurbs need to be tight and suggestive (without getting you flagged by Amazon as ADULT), not meandering
I don't know why, but this is hilarious to me...
2) You need to hook a reader in the first 10% of the short (remember the "Look Inside" feature on Amazon)
3) Titles really need to be eye-catching for the genre
4) Nail your keywords
5) One bestselling author noted not to put your book in the erotica category
They also said to not use taboo, step-family, virgin or anything like that in keywords.
6) Blurbs need to be tight and suggestive (without getting you flagged by Amazon as ADULT), not meandering
I don't know why, but this is hilarious to me...
Well it comes down to, Books are the cheapest if entertainment to make. I'd have no problem pricing a 2500-5000 at 2.00 even cheaper since they are short and even if a lot of work went into them, unless I commissioned for a cover and editor I'm almost always going to make a profit.
It doesn't help that rarely writers are ever able to live off of their work. And if they do it's rarely the kind of work they want.
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
well duh. The cult of the amateur ruins everything, just look at that site for 'cover design' where everybody offers it at 5 bucks. At that price, I can probably (for realsies) do it myself.
As foretold by nobody less (or higher perhaps) than Harlan Ellison:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj5IV23g-fE
I love this video.
Sadly, there are a lot of people in the field. Books are the oldest things the create, as well. Once again, the cheapest
Conkersbadfurday
Member
Yeah. The game thing is a huge can of worms in its own right, especially given how fixed certain price points are, but the comparison is spot on.
But I've seen some clueless indie authors try and sell their wares for $11.99 digital. But they hurt the whole market in a different way
Crash Station
Member
Dammit, guess short 2 is delayed to Tuesday (hopefully). This sucks
In other news: Day 8 update! 1 sale, 1 borrow. I'll take it!
In other news: Day 8 update! 1 sale, 1 borrow. I'll take it!
H.Protagonist
[-_-]/
Oh, are you joining in?
That IS weird. Perhaps it's a sign that it's popular and now there's a cult following?
Well, mine is $8.99, but that's the price the publisher set. I have had reservations that's it's too high for a first-timer like me. Seeing everyone else price theirs much more competitively and just what the general market is like made me worry a lot. But... my editor argued (quite well) the case for not undervaluing your work, too. It did have several professional passes, commissioned art, formatting, etc., and they know their business, so I trust them. Both sides are pretty compelling. Will just have to see how it all pans out!
Congrats on your own, btw. The premise looks really fun, and you already have a good review from what I can see.
Crash Station
Member
That IS weird. Perhaps it's a sign that it's popular and now there's a cult following?
After what essentially amounts to 15 sales? lol, getting someone that cared that much already would definitely be interesting.
cr_blah_blah
Member
Yes? I'm saying Yes because that means I'm committed to not let you down now.
Ah, I see. Weird to have an abbreviation for that very specific thing though haha.
toddhunter
Member
Two shorts down. I don't think I'm writing it anywhere close to how you it should be. But it'll be what it'll be and I'm having fun with it at least.
Boo fucking hoo. This is pretty much: How to be a dick 101.
I read an interview of him talking about this a while ago. And all I could think of was: greed has ruined you, you self righteous prick.
You take one point, where you are justifiably right, and you run with it to the ends of the world.
There is undeniably a middle ground. Where one can make money. & giveaway 'art' for others benefit - as well as one's own - if you want to be cynical.
As well as an author, I am a reader. I love that classics are free and out of copyright. I love buying books from charity shops. and reading hand me downs from friends, family, etc etc.
I agree, though he is write about a lot of things. I mean,it comes down to. He's write, but he's kind of a dick.
Though I think he's more saying that it varies from place to place. I mean, if I have nothing to do and someone asked me to go to a book sighing for a few hours or use an interview for free. Then I wouldn't say no.
I would see myself as a writer and as a writer people aren't going to want to pay me for anything other than writing.
However that's me.
would you send out free review copies to critics?
Crash Station
Member
Alright, it's finally up. Awesome.
johngoodman.gif
On a non-collection-related front, I've been working on revising a short story that I initially wrote last year just before my daughter was born. In the hub-bub that followed, the first draft was forgotten, but I've recently picked it up and been revising it. The first revision went well, adding about 500-700 words to resolve some timeline/plot issues pointed out by beta readers, and the second revision, which I'm nearly finished now has focussed entirely on slimming down the word count, and improving the flow of the language. They say you're supposed to cut 10% off of an initial draft (which I've always taken with a grain of salt), and this revision will probably take the story from about 7,300 words to 6,500 words. So, right on target.
More interesting, and somewhat surprising for me, though, is that I decided midway through this revision to switch the gender of the protagonist/narrator from male to female. Since the first draft, there was always something niggling at me, some piece of the puzzle that just wasn't fitting properly, but I could never put my finger on it. Then, I tried switching the gender of the protagonist, a young thief, to female, and her relationship with the story's other main character, also a woman, all of a sudden took on a new level of nuance. Where before her actions, as a teenage boy, seemed flippant and disrespectful, now they seemed defiant, and it revealed some parallels between the two characters that I hadn't noticed before. I didn't expect the gender-flip to have such an impact, especially in a first-person narrative, but I've been quite pleased by the result.
Yeah, I mean. That is a whole different can of worms.
My second interview is up on SF Signal.
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
Nobody in the right mind would deny that Ellison is not a fun guy to have an argument with about money. James Cameron would approve of that statement as well. The point is, however, that he is talking from the perspective of the paid writer, that is to say the lucky few who made it. If on that level, people are already trying to get away with that shit, how do you think anyone else would fare?
He's a dick, but he's not wrong about this. Which was the point.
I also just like how angry he gets.
Crash Station
Member
Day 9 results!
Short 1: 1 borrow
Short 2: 1 sale, 1 borrow
Hmmm, second one not doing as well as the first in the same time period. Might not be as appealing or just isn't being found. Will see how things go over the week.
Short 1: 1 borrow
Short 2: 1 sale, 1 borrow
Hmmm, second one not doing as well as the first in the same time period. Might not be as appealing or just isn't being found. Will see how things go over the week.
Probably going to publish my book later this month or some time next month. Just waiting on the editing to be finalized. It's a 22K novella of sorts. Surrealist/Prose/Horror book. Difficult to describe but I can only offer comparisons to Naked Lunch and Maldoror. Similar to anything put out by Erasehead Press and the Bizarro movement but far removed from humor and being bizarre for the sake of being bizarre.
Anyone know any sites that review these kind of books?
Anyone know any sites that review these kind of books?
Conkersbadfurday
Member
wethenerdy.com does book reviews. Well, I do book reviews for that website. no one else does because COMIC BOOKS OMG! I can't promise very many hits though.
I am so excited for you man, good luck! Will buy when I get the cash
Thanks! I appreciate the support. From you and everyone here on GAF.
In today's exciting news, Tide of Shadows and Other Stories was featured in io9's monthly round-up of science fiction and fantasy books!
Conkersbadfurday
Member
So it took some time, but I finally think I've enough feedback to move onto my last draft of Amp. Problem is, half the people who read it didn't get or like the ending. It's open/ambiguous, so when I'm asked, "So wait, did Sam kill herself or did the monster get her?" I feel like I'm not showcasing the point properly.
"It's supposed to be ambiguous" I say
"Oh..." they say.
Could come down to personal taste of course. Some people don't like open endings. I personally don't prefer them unless they're done well. I think I've enough evidence throughout to make a compelling argument for Sam's insanity or Amp's reality, and i figure the fun comes in putting what pieces are there together. But maybe I'm wrong.
If I am wrong, then I've got more than one draft left to go in this thing.
"It's supposed to be ambiguous" I say
"Oh..." they say.
Could come down to personal taste of course. Some people don't like open endings. I personally don't prefer them unless they're done well. I think I've enough evidence throughout to make a compelling argument for Sam's insanity or Amp's reality, and i figure the fun comes in putting what pieces are there together. But maybe I'm wrong.
If I am wrong, then I've got more than one draft left to go in this thing.
Crash Station
Member
Day 10 results: nothing. Whelp....
By the way, anyone know the best way to make a cover for a bundle? Like if there's a template for it somewhere or something?
By the way, anyone know the best way to make a cover for a bundle? Like if there's a template for it somewhere or something?
Half the people is statistically significant enough to warrant introspection.
Better to opt for the right ending than to go down the route of 'it's meant to be open'.
And better yet, to have the right ending than to offer a resolution simply to meet people halfway.
Ambiguous endings tend to not be because authors could not decide (unless the author is shite at their job) on a resolution, but thought it more appropriate to let the readers finish the tale in their head, or even to leave the question open.
Personally, I think open endings tend to be truer to real life; as a very blunt example, just see the pile of unsolved mysteries/case in any police department - they're very high.
And if you adhere to the idea the literature ought to comment on the human condition, than open endings, when they are the right ending, tend to be better unresolved.
Having said that I do love a good mystery being solved. The solving of the puzzle can be immensely satisfying.
FlowersisBritish
fleurs n'est pas britannique
This is a small thing, why is the ending ambiguous? Why don't you answer their questions? Why not tell them? These are the kind of questions I ask before i do my ambiguous endings. It's better to have a solid resolution than ambiguity with no purpose.
You're so lame! Ambiguous endings are the best! I find that they're rarely done proper, but by god a good ambiguous ending can take any good book and make it amazing.
On the topic of ambiguity: I had a pretty ambiguous plot point in my Nanowrimo novel(which I really should finish...) about if a major character(an eccentric cult leader) had magical powers. I never answer this directly, but I keep bringing it up throughout the novel as he does magic that doesn't seem to do anything. The reason i think the ambiguity works in the first place is because ambiguity is throughout the novel. There is a mysterious reason for the populace of the world killing themselves, but there isn't any world saving resolution to it (unless you believe the cult leaders self sacrificed saved the world) conversely there is another character who hangs around as a ghost, but you never see her, so characters could just be talking to the air. To close this little aside with a moral, i think good ambiguity is something that has to be drowned in your novel, you just can't end with it. It has to come from an ambiguous home, it's gotta have an ambiguous journey, you've got to have a road filled with doubt to really deserve an ambiguous ending.
Crash Station
Member
Started on a 6th short just because. Even if this whole thing turns out to be a totally failed venture, I can at least keep hoping every week for over a year with all the bundle combinations I'll be able to release.
Eh, think of it like this way. You will make SOMETHING off of it, even if it's only a few dollars.
That's below minimum wage though.. I'm guessing.
It's not my thing, as probably indicated by anything of mine that you've read. I enjoy something like the end of Shutter Island where there's legitimate debate over
the mental state of the protagonist before he walks off to get lobotomized
Like Ashes said, ambiguity more closely resembles real life, but I only consume speculative fiction in books. I read for the escapism.
Crash Station
Member
Yeah, I know. Just the dismal sales/borrows of the second book are bumming me out and making me think it's not worth it when I could be writing things I actually want to write.
Of course the book sirap mentioned did say this kind of stuff would happen, so not that big of a deal, especially when I'm sitting on 3 more completed shorts to release.
Ambiguous endings is something that I'm often criticized for my often ambiguous endings. I like a lot of reader engagement and participation in my work--particularly short fiction--so I always saw soft, mysterious endings as a way to get the reader more involved, to ask them to finish the puzzle with the pieces I gave them. However, a lot of the time, this just left readers feeling dissatisfied, so, instead, I've worked hard to learn how to identify opportunities to leave little mysteries in stories, but also provide a more rounded and complete experience for readers. It's a bit against my nature, but I think the payoff has been positive overall.
Conkersbadfurday
Member
Right? The real problem is: The ending is my favorite part of the whole thing. It was the one thing I figured everyone would like, even if the road to get there might be shaky at points
So this was a huge letdown for me. Throughout the 80 or so pages the thing runs, the big question from start to finish is, "Is Sam crazy?"
She's either hallucinating Amp (the monster), or she's being stalked by him. She can't tell which, and honestly, she can't tell which is worse.
As the story progresses, her hallucinations either get worse, or Amp's entrance into Earth's reality is getting stronger. Both are bad. Sam comes to the conclusion that having Amp be real would be better, because he can be fought off, whereas if she's starting to have delusions, lose time, and generally muck her life up, she can never escape that.
In the end, Amp shows up, she grabs a gun and starts shooting, and the final scene is her covered in blood. It's either her own or Amps. If it's her own, she killed herself; if it's Amps, she's alive.
When I think about it, I don't really have a good reason as to why I don't answer the above question, other than I just don't think that's the right ending for the story. Some gut reaction and little else.
I'll have to mull this over, as the author side of me doesn't want to change teh ending up much at all, buuuuuuuuut the not narcissist in me is saying "if people don't like it, then I'm wrong and it needs to be fixed."
It's also important to note that these probably aren't our magnum opus. We are mostly doing this to test out the water.
Also, I don't think I'm going to stick to the older women theme. My themes are slowly starting to get more varied and I finally got my second short done at 2050 words.
toddhunter
Member
Speak for yourself.
FlowersisBritish
fleurs n'est pas britannique
I'm sure this'll be somewhat controversial, but I've grown to the opinion that all criticism should be taken with a grain of strong salt. On one hand, if you have a bunch of people saying "I don't get this!" then you should definitely examine that, but if he divide is 50-50, then maybe not. It really is a question of do you want the world to get your thing, or only as many people needed to get your thing? If you really like your ending, then you should keep it. Always try to keep the things you're proud of! That said, if you want to touch it up, drop more hints, leave more clues, then that's another matter.
But legit, I still need to format both of them, and edit for spelling and what not.
This is essentially my philosophy as well. If everyone who reads it provides the same feedback, I'll generally give in and change it. If it's a split, I'll think long and hard about it, and go whichever way I decide is best. If it's a one-off comment, I'll generally just stick with my gut, unless they've provided a good perspective on a situation to which I otherwise would have been blind.
Weird update: I had someone contact me inquiring about the availability of the film/tv rights to my collection. Not sure if serious.
Also, this was cool:
Top 20 in SF anthologies on Amazon.com!
I look forward to the aidan cinematic universe in 2020.