I got my first review of my short story, Baby Muran. I was mostly a positive review. The reviewer said it was well-written and a good adventure, which I agree with. That was the plan for the story all along.
But the reviewer also did that she felt it was part of a larger story. And with this I take issue. Here's why:
In order for the main character to seem real and not flat, he makes reference to things that have no relation to the story. My first draft didn't have those scenes, but the final draft does for exactly the reason I mention. If that makes the story seem incomplete, I'm sorry. That's life or a slice of life.
Additionally, the story is set in a context which I explain, the city was invaded and it now in ruin. The main character is helping to clean up the ruins. This too may seem like there is a larger story but the invasion is back story. The reader may want to know about that, but including is really outside the scope of the story I'm telling.
Still, the reaction of the reviewer is worth noting and I will keep in mind. Who knows, I may revise Baby Muran again.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Breaking Up is Hard to Do
For those of you following this blog in Facebook using the NetworkedBlogs app, you may want to subscribe directly to the blog at aglaril.blogspot.com. I say this because I'm probably going to change how I use social media.
My plan is to use the blog for longer discussions. Shorter posts will go out at tweets or postings on my Fan Page. So if you want to keep track of what's going on with me, you'll need to follow me on Twitter (I'm sure you can find me if you search for Rich Feitelberg) or subscribe to my Fan Page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rich-Feitelberg-Fan-Page/178837248794252.
The reason for my doing this is simple: I want to keep everyone information on the release of my novel and progress on my stories, but I'm going to have less time to do it. Additionally, I want to spend less time blogging and coming up with things to say and more time writing the stories that need my attention.
So there it is. Next week I will probably disable NetworkedBlogs in Facebook so you have a little time to join or follow or take no action at all. But I hope you'll stay connected with me. If not, thanks for following me for the last few years.
Take care and keep writing.
My plan is to use the blog for longer discussions. Shorter posts will go out at tweets or postings on my Fan Page. So if you want to keep track of what's going on with me, you'll need to follow me on Twitter (I'm sure you can find me if you search for Rich Feitelberg) or subscribe to my Fan Page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rich-Feitelberg-Fan-Page/178837248794252.
The reason for my doing this is simple: I want to keep everyone information on the release of my novel and progress on my stories, but I'm going to have less time to do it. Additionally, I want to spend less time blogging and coming up with things to say and more time writing the stories that need my attention.
So there it is. Next week I will probably disable NetworkedBlogs in Facebook so you have a little time to join or follow or take no action at all. But I hope you'll stay connected with me. If not, thanks for following me for the last few years.
Take care and keep writing.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Focusing on my Book Publisher
With the release date fast approaching and the publisher falling further and further behind, I'm going to focus less on my blog and social media and more on tracking their progress. You'll still see posts from me but I think they will be shorter and more focused. Such things seems to work better for my audience based on the reaction I've been getting.
So for now, I'm done with the blog.
Keep writing everyone.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Book Economics
My trip to Chelmsford has given me a new appreciation of the economics involved with writing and its selling and marketing. Let's look at what the self-publishing writer is up against.
Before a book is even available for purchase, the writer has pay:
So by reckoning the writer is in the whole $1000 or thereabouts. Which means to make a profit, at $14.99 he has to sell over 67 copies. That doesn't sound like a lot, but try doing it when no one seems interested in your book. Also keep in mind that however you are distributing the book, someone is taking a piece of the pie. It could be Smashwords or Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Apple or some other bookstore. So the actually number you need to sell to turn a profit is more like 70 or 75 copies or more depending on the percentages.
You'll notice I didn't even discuss promotion. The self-published writer will have to do that too. And that adds to the cost.
Now if you go through a publisher, you can subtract the editing costs since they'll do that for you. And the costs for cover images and the ISBN, and the distribution plan. But you'll still have to pay for physical printed copies to sell. So it sounds like you better off this way, right?
Well, maybe. Publishers are slow and don't share your vision for the work. Plus still they pay for lots of stuff you get less per copy. So if you spend a $1000 on books to sell, you'll have to sell a lot more that 67 copies. The exact number depends on your royalty percentage. For example, if you get 40% royalty after the publisher's cost on $14.99 you are only getting $3 or $4 per book. Which means you have to sell somewhere between 250 and 334 copies just to break even.
Kind of daunting, huh? No one I'm having a crisis of faith. Perhaps this whole publishing idea was a bad one. I don't know. What I can say is that without physical copies of my book, I'm not making another appearance. It is just a waste of time.
Before a book is even available for purchase, the writer has pay:
- Hundreds of dollars for editing
- Maybe $60 for book cover images and creating the cover himself or paid for a cover
- For an ISBN; depending on how you plan to distribute your book, you may be able to get one for free, at least for your electronic oftening
- For a distribution plan; wherever you self-publishing you'll never help getting the book in bookstore
- For physical printed copies to sell. This can easily cost $100 or more.
So by reckoning the writer is in the whole $1000 or thereabouts. Which means to make a profit, at $14.99 he has to sell over 67 copies. That doesn't sound like a lot, but try doing it when no one seems interested in your book. Also keep in mind that however you are distributing the book, someone is taking a piece of the pie. It could be Smashwords or Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Apple or some other bookstore. So the actually number you need to sell to turn a profit is more like 70 or 75 copies or more depending on the percentages.
You'll notice I didn't even discuss promotion. The self-published writer will have to do that too. And that adds to the cost.
Now if you go through a publisher, you can subtract the editing costs since they'll do that for you. And the costs for cover images and the ISBN, and the distribution plan. But you'll still have to pay for physical printed copies to sell. So it sounds like you better off this way, right?
Well, maybe. Publishers are slow and don't share your vision for the work. Plus still they pay for lots of stuff you get less per copy. So if you spend a $1000 on books to sell, you'll have to sell a lot more that 67 copies. The exact number depends on your royalty percentage. For example, if you get 40% royalty after the publisher's cost on $14.99 you are only getting $3 or $4 per book. Which means you have to sell somewhere between 250 and 334 copies just to break even.
Kind of daunting, huh? No one I'm having a crisis of faith. Perhaps this whole publishing idea was a bad one. I don't know. What I can say is that without physical copies of my book, I'm not making another appearance. It is just a waste of time.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Waterlogged
It's raining...
Again.
This is the third rainstorm in a week and so far we've had a about seven inches of rain, which is enough to wipe out the deficit we had and flood my basement.
The sump pump is running regularly but when I have this much water, it is really can't handle the load.
On the bright side, each storm gives me more information on how to potential prevent future flooding. I've got some ideas to try now but I'll have to wait until things dry out.
And the really strange part is the western part of the country is dry and could use this rain but we, who don't need it now, are inundated.
Maybe July and August will be dry. That's happened before. Meantime I'm get waiting for the rain to stop so I can get out the wetvac and start cleaning up.
Keep writing everyone.
Again.
This is the third rainstorm in a week and so far we've had a about seven inches of rain, which is enough to wipe out the deficit we had and flood my basement.
The sump pump is running regularly but when I have this much water, it is really can't handle the load.
On the bright side, each storm gives me more information on how to potential prevent future flooding. I've got some ideas to try now but I'll have to wait until things dry out.
And the really strange part is the western part of the country is dry and could use this rain but we, who don't need it now, are inundated.
Maybe July and August will be dry. That's happened before. Meantime I'm get waiting for the rain to stop so I can get out the wetvac and start cleaning up.
Keep writing everyone.
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