I'm finding out that being a newbie author is a lot like moving across country when your car breaks down. That is to say, using the telephone directory to find a reputable car mechanic is not an ideal situation. What to do? Close my eyes, point my finger at a phone number on the page and hope? Or, shove myself out of my comfort zone, confide in strangers who might be my new neighbor/dentist/school teacher - or sociopath - while I sit on the side of the road? In my case, I'm doing both.
Why indie? I could have submitted queries and hopped (limped?) along the traditional writing route. I also could stare at my naval until I'm 90. Suffice it to say, I'm not overly inclinded to be patient. Also, while researching traditional publishing v. independent publishing, it appears that even with traditional publishers, most of the marketing, promotions, publicity and overall leg work is on me. So why would I want to work more, for less? As far as I'm concerned, at least monetarily speaking, more is better.
Then there's my neurotic fear of my personal inner theme songs having a meltdown. Yes, I have theme songs play inside my head while I do stuff. Hey, it's free entertainment. Right now the newbie indie author theme song is along the lines of "Rocky's Theme" (underdog new writer #winning). My fear is that somewhere along the traditional pound-your-head-against-the-wall-newbie-author route the "#winning" theme song will spin into Melanie Safka's "Look What They've Done to my Song."
So while the newbie author in me is sensible enough to seek out professional criticism (ie. I hired an editor); the insecure new novelist cringes about facing a Vito Spaghetti used-car-salesman publishing house type, "Sweetie, Cookie, Baby, you gotta write like everyone else or no one will buy your book."
Speaking of Vito Spaghetti, I can use his name in vain. He's my character and I hope you have fun meeting him in the debut novel KITCHEN ADDICTION! And, now that we're talking about marketing...I like marketing. I like meeting new people. I like thinking outside the box and developing new promotions. What I don't like is promoting myself. Now, here's where the beauty of being an author comes in: I'm not promoting myself - I'm promoting my book and my new family of characters who happen to live inside my head. Which is getting crowded. Which is why I'm working on the sequel to KITCHEN ADDICTION! And, as it happens, thanks to putting my nose to the grindstone to finish KITCHEN ADDICTION!, as well as courtesy of the internet, I've found out that I really DO enjoy writing. Especially as I get to play with my imaginary friends.
How has the internet helped me write? I've probably written more personal essays, thoughts,opinions, one-liners and jokes through emails and Twitter and Facebook posts than I ever would have done by snail mail years ago. I just wouldn't have considered that my thoughts were important enough to put down on actual paper. But virtual paper? Without killing trees? Done. As a note: I've read about the horrors of writer's block. It now leaves me completely baffled as I apparently have writer's diarrhea. Answer an email. Post a comment on a blog. Write a grocery list. Post on Facebook or Twitter. Sometimes you just need a jump start.
Now that we're back to talking about cars... I probably will need a new one in the not too distant future. Don't get me wrong; I love Sophie (yes, my car's name is Sophie). But since I don't expect to win the lottery soon, a second source of modest income from my indie novels wouldn't be a bad thing (remember the "more is better" thingy? insert here). And writing, in my book (get it?) sure beats flippin' burgers. Unless of course, you're a chef, like my husband, and the burgers are your own. :)
Why indie? I could have submitted queries and hopped (limped?) along the traditional writing route. I also could stare at my naval until I'm 90. Suffice it to say, I'm not overly inclinded to be patient. Also, while researching traditional publishing v. independent publishing, it appears that even with traditional publishers, most of the marketing, promotions, publicity and overall leg work is on me. So why would I want to work more, for less? As far as I'm concerned, at least monetarily speaking, more is better.
Then there's my neurotic fear of my personal inner theme songs having a meltdown. Yes, I have theme songs play inside my head while I do stuff. Hey, it's free entertainment. Right now the newbie indie author theme song is along the lines of "Rocky's Theme" (underdog new writer #winning). My fear is that somewhere along the traditional pound-your-head-against-the-wall-newbie-author route the "#winning" theme song will spin into Melanie Safka's "Look What They've Done to my Song."
So while the newbie author in me is sensible enough to seek out professional criticism (ie. I hired an editor); the insecure new novelist cringes about facing a Vito Spaghetti used-car-salesman publishing house type, "Sweetie, Cookie, Baby, you gotta write like everyone else or no one will buy your book."
Speaking of Vito Spaghetti, I can use his name in vain. He's my character and I hope you have fun meeting him in the debut novel KITCHEN ADDICTION! And, now that we're talking about marketing...I like marketing. I like meeting new people. I like thinking outside the box and developing new promotions. What I don't like is promoting myself. Now, here's where the beauty of being an author comes in: I'm not promoting myself - I'm promoting my book and my new family of characters who happen to live inside my head. Which is getting crowded. Which is why I'm working on the sequel to KITCHEN ADDICTION! And, as it happens, thanks to putting my nose to the grindstone to finish KITCHEN ADDICTION!, as well as courtesy of the internet, I've found out that I really DO enjoy writing. Especially as I get to play with my imaginary friends.
How has the internet helped me write? I've probably written more personal essays, thoughts,opinions, one-liners and jokes through emails and Twitter and Facebook posts than I ever would have done by snail mail years ago. I just wouldn't have considered that my thoughts were important enough to put down on actual paper. But virtual paper? Without killing trees? Done. As a note: I've read about the horrors of writer's block. It now leaves me completely baffled as I apparently have writer's diarrhea. Answer an email. Post a comment on a blog. Write a grocery list. Post on Facebook or Twitter. Sometimes you just need a jump start.
Now that we're back to talking about cars... I probably will need a new one in the not too distant future. Don't get me wrong; I love Sophie (yes, my car's name is Sophie). But since I don't expect to win the lottery soon, a second source of modest income from my indie novels wouldn't be a bad thing (remember the "more is better" thingy? insert here). And writing, in my book (get it?) sure beats flippin' burgers. Unless of course, you're a chef, like my husband, and the burgers are your own. :)
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