Writing within the fog #writerslife

I hope you're all safe and well. 2020 has been a crazy ride so far, and it's not over yet. The image of the pier reaching toward the fog is how I feel. I don't know what lies ahead of us. Some days, I can't even tell where the water is and where the fog begins. It all blurs together. I'm just taking one day at a time.

Now that my homeschooling days are done for the summer, I had hoped to watch and read a lot more. I've not been doing either. My island is getting a lot of attention on Animal Crossing, though. Barovia will rise again!

My presence online has also stumbled and gotten lost in the mist. I need to find my way back and establish a regular schedule again. Slowly but surely I'll get there.

One thing that has picked up is my writing groove. I'm actually working on two projects, and they're coming along marvelously.

Project #1 - Heirs of Blood and Feathers. First book of a post-apocalyptic paranormal romance trilogy co-written with a good friend of mine, Pixie Stormcrow. I'll be publishing it under my pen name, Morena Silver. We're moving along so well, we might go with an August 1st release date! More news next month on it.

Project #2 - Ravage of Revenants (Book #1 in the Khthonia trilogy). I might keep that name for the second book in the series and name the first book <Something> of Specters. A Shudder of Specters? I'll figure it out. This is my LitRPG novel, and I'm nearing 65,000 words. I'm so excited I'm nearly at the end! This book has been so much fun to write. It appeals to both the gamer geek and the fantasy lover in me. It's a little grim dark and has a light touch of romance.

Please leave me a little message and let me know how you're doing. And be kind not only to others, but to yourself as well.

I have an interview at Yolanda Renee's blog

Good morning, everyone!

I'm so excited to start off the month with an interview. The fantastic Yolanda Renee asked me a bunch of questions about writing and life. Come find out what I'm currently working on!

New covers, website, and lessons learned #writerslife

First new cover!

Fearless finally has a cover it deserves! Though I'm already itching to make another. I'm telling myself to wait until next year. I need to get some writing done!

The book got a little boost in downloads when I changed the cover on Amazon, but it has settled back into its normal rank. It does all right. It always has downloads every month, but does it convince readers to buy my other books? I don't think so.

Writer Lesson #1: Times have changed. Free books do not lead to sales of your other books.

The TOTEM series!

I LOVE these new covers for the TOTEM series. I spent much more time on them than I anticipated, but it was worth it. The covers are much more urban fantasy than the previous ones.

There have been no bumps up in sales when I changed the covers and the keywords on Amazon. Yet I haven't done any promoting either.

Writer Lesson #2: A great cover and a fantastic story aren't going to sell books. Promotion is key. If you have the means, buy ads.

Feeling quirky!

For the Sasquatch Susies trilogy, I was inspired by my cozy mystery friends. I love their simple and fun covers. These were easy to make and I really love them. I'm going to do up new covers in this style for my other erotica titles. But next year. Need to write.

Writer Lesson #3: Write first. All the other author business can come later.

I've also been fussing around with my website. I left the hosting company and that was a mess. They'd been perfectly fine until I expressed my desire to leave and take my domain name with me. I finally managed to get my domain name from them and registered it with another host. It was half as cheap, and I was feeling good. Then I discovered that if I want to actually use my domain name with my new host, I'm going to have pay more for it. They didn't say this upfront. I had to go digging for it. And the price to use my domain name with them was much more than my former host.

I'm not paying that much money just to attach my domain name to a site. BUT my domain is registered with them, and I can't change that fact for 60 days. I can't even get a refund.

So I've currently moved to a free site on Wix. It will likely be my permanent site from here on out. I like the way it's designed, and it's easy to use. I'm also going to stay here on Blogger for a while. I need to get around to catching up with everyone!

Two lessons learned here.

Writer Lesson #4: Always read the fine print, even when you have to dig for it or ask. Ask for the details even if you don't think there is anything else to know.

Writer Lesson #5: I surveyed several author friends, and many feel that readers don't go to author websites anymore. It isn't essential to have your own site these days. (Don't waste money on your own domain name!) Usually only writers check out other writers' websites. Being present on social media is important, but an Amazon page or a Facebook page is enough as a home base.

It's been a while, but I'm writing again. It's a short Samhain story for my pen name, but at least it's something!

What lessons have you learned lately that you would like to share?

Back to Business #writerslife

After a very busy summer, school is back in session, and I have my writing time back. Woot!

Not that I've done any writing. Very little happened in front of the computer this past season. It's put me even farther behind schedule, but it has also give me a lot of time to think.

I thought I had a pretty good handle on this writing career thing. Loose as it might be at times, I had done my research. I'm smart. But nothing is working. Why isn't it working?!

Perhaps I've been too loose. I need to be tighter with my time management and what I put my time into. I need to seriously get down to business.

First, I'm going to put time limits on what I do and stick with them. Usually when I'm on social media, time gets away from me. No more. It takes away from writing time, and as a writer, the number one thing I need to be doing is writing.

Write in the mornings and write in the afternoons. Write. (Includes revising and editing!)

I need better covers. I created a new cover for The 13th Floor Complete Collection earlier this year, and it has perked up interest in it. (Anything from zero interest is an improvement!) My next task is to make new covers for the majority of my books. Yes, I realize there are a lot of them, but it makes a difference. It will be slow going, but one by one, I can do it.

I will be fixing my social media. First, this will mean a new website. I dropped my provider and I'll be setting up on Wix. I'm working on how to keep my domain name and transfer it over. Wix is not only free, but easy to use. I use it for my pen name and love it. I may move my blog to Wix too. I like Blogger, but it would be convenient to have everything in one place. Has anyone had experience with Wix's blog? Any info would be helpful, please.

Promos do help get new eyes on your books, and I want to participate in more. Yet after years of having books for free in promos, I realize it doesn't help. It's a momentary boost in my Amazon rank, but then it goes back down after the promo is over. It doesn't nab me reviews. Readers are much more likely to leave a review if they pay for something. 99c sales are better or 50% off. That way the readers feel they're getting deals, but they're still paying.

Write. Then write some more.

That's the plan. Rule the world. You and me. Any day. I mean, uh, consolidate, strict schedule, new looks, and write.

How do you handle the business of being of a writer?

Word Witch Wednesday - purging and organization

While lots of folks were out buying stuff this past weekend, I spent hours purging. We cleaned out the garage and installed a ceiling storage shelf. I can now open my car door without hitting anything. I combed the backyard, picking up toys and raking. I had my son sort through his massive collection of water guns and water toys and reduced it down to one bin. I cleaned out the kitchen and stripped the wallpaper off the wall to prep it for painting.

What does this have to do with writing? I cleaned and organized my email and writing folder. I keep emails of contests and anthologies. I missed several of them, but I still had the notes. I sorted various stories, articles, and critiques into their proper folders, and organized images.

While I'm doing this all physically (and digitally!), it helps to tidy me up mentally. The cobwebs have been brushed away, and I've got all this new space. Space for potential stories. I've had so many pop up in my head this past weekend.

Plus it gives me room to rev up and finish off my current WIP. It's been slow-going lately, and perhaps it's because I was feeling mentally crowded. So much to do, so little time.

Yet now I see I can do it all. I've made lists and scheduled time slots. Funny how a neat house and a few lists can make everything seem so clear.

How often do you purge and organize?

#IWSG for September 2017

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

This month's awesome co-hosts are: Tyrean Martinson, Tara Tyler, Raimey Gallant, and Beverly Stowe McClure!

Today I'm so excited to share the theme of this year's IWSG anthology. It's an incredible opportunity for writers.

The Annual IWSG Anthology Contest

Word count: 3500-6000

Genre: Mystery/Crime/Thriller

Theme: Tick Tock. The story revolves around a clock, is time sensitive, or has something about a specific time. This theme has plenty of scope and we’re open to pretty much anything along these lines. No erotica, R-rated language, or graphic violence.

Story deadline: November 1st, 2017.

How to enter: Send your polished, formatted, previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging or Facebook IWSG group.

Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges.This year, we are honored to have seven incredible judges: Elizabeth S. Craig, Anne Hawkins, Candace Havens, Lynn Tincher, Ion Newcombe, Patricia (Pat) Stoltey, and Mason Canyon.

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.

We’re excited to see the creativity and enthusiasm that’s such a part of this group put into action. So don your creative caps and start writing. And spread the word!

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This month's IWSG question: Have you ever surprised yourself with your writing? For example, by trying a new genre you didn't think you'd be comfortable in?

I surprise myself all the time! It's one of the things I love about being a writer. First off, I'm a pantser. I let my stories flow organically, and it amazes what tales I weave. I just mentioned in a recent post that I didn't know how my Totem series was going to end, but when I got there and it happened, I was astounded. It was my best ending ever.

I also write short stories and flash fiction. This gives me a chance to try different styles and genres. I surprised myself once writing a western story, and it got picked up by a publisher. I'm uncomfortable writing non-fiction articles, but I stretch out and dare myself to share what I've learned. A few times, I read it later on and went: "This is good. I wrote that?!"

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Don't forget, next month is...

Show Us Your Writer Insecurity!

On Wednesday, October 4 (IWSG Day), post a photo of yourself (or your alter ego) with any of the IWSG swag or with the IWSG logo. Then leave a comment that day at either the IWSG website’s post or the IWSG Facebook post directing us to your photo. (All blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and newsletter members welcome, but photo must be posted on a blog or Facebook to qualify.) There are prizes!

IWSG Newsletter reminder: Please send me your news. We want to help shout-out and celebrate with you. Email me ( christinerains [dot] writer @ gmail [dot] com ) with a line or two and a link. Make sure to put "IWSG newsletter news" in the subject header so it doesn't get lost on me.  

Having fun with author photos

You might have noticed that I changed my author photo recently. The old one was stale. I needed something fresh, with more color and a little more personality. Perhaps I should have included my cat, but I figured he's not the one writing my books.

General advice says to update your author photo about every four to five years. It's like getting a new driver's license. It's a little terrifying and a lot more frustrating, especially for those of us who don't like being on that side of the camera. No picture is ever good enough. But you have to pick one.

As a writer with a current budget of zero dollars to hire a professional photographer, I enlisted my husband's help first. The day was a bit too sunny, though.

 

Even standing in the shade, there was no spot that didn't have reflections on my glasses.

Then there were sunspots. Pink sunspots in that one. Maybe I could get away photoshopping those out, but there's still the reflection on my glasses.

Really, honey? Get down from that tree!

Unsatisfied with that round, I was sitting around with another mom the next day while our sons played. She's an art and Spanish teacher, and she has a good eye. When I suggested it, she was eager to help out.

Lovely bush in bloom in the background with an evergreen. Just enough cloud cover to eliminate the reflection on my glasses and still provide enough light. But...

It can't help the fact that I'm uncomfortable in front of a camera. It looks like I'm standing at attention, ready for duty!

Finally...

An author photo I'm satisfied with. Good lighting, no shadows or reflections, and my hair isn't totally flipping out. The art teacher did a great job!

 

Author photo tips:

- unless you can really pull off moody or quirky, don't do it.

- don't overly make yourself up. Look like how you would if someone saw you in public... without your kids or the white cat hair on your black shirt.

- be professional. No offensive t-shirts or political messages, unless that's what you write.

- look friendly. You want readers to like you, and an author photo is part of your brand.

- hire a professional, if you can. If not, art teachers are awesome!