This is a post from August McLaughlin, which I find inspiring and also wish that many aspiring writers get to read. Enjoy!
novel
Book Pricing – A True Mystery
English: A Picture of a eBook Español: Foto de eBook Беларуская: Фотаздымак электроннай кнігі Русский: Фотография электронной книги (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Book pricing has always baffled me, and with the introduction of eBooks, now more than ever. To illustrate this, let me compare a novel, which undergoes a creative process that can last months or years, to a painting, or to a magnificent cake, both creations by artists, but creations that take less time to complete. For example, many paintings start over $100 and reach the thousands in price – famous paintings, millions. An elaborate cake can reach hundreds and thousands in price, and it is consumed in no time at all, and it ceases to exist. The painting, an original will last many lifetimes, and most likely will appraise in value. Considering these examples, and all the labor that goes into making a novel – whether the story is published as a hard copy or an eBook – why is it that we allow it to sell for 99 cents, offer it for free, or price it so low?
What makes a painting or a cake more valuable than your novel, your story? I don’t know the answer to that question, but it may have something to do with supply and demand in some way, or the fact that people will collect original art, eat cake, and only pay big bucks for first editions of a famous author. It is one of those things that do not make sense when you think about it from the creative process aspect. This is why college textbooks sell for more money, hundreds. It has to do with buyer’s purpose/need (and who knows, maybe buyer’s remorse as well). Some novels have change the world, have touched lives, but once the cake has been eaten, and the painting hanged, the writer is left with royalties, and the satisfaction of touching (at least) the life of one reader (or more).
Still, it boils my blood to see a novel selling for 99 cents, when it may have taken many years in the creation process. Here, the conventional rules of pricing do not apply.
What do you think about this issue?
The Mausoleum Writer
This post was inspired by a postcard that my husband received in yesterday’s mail. It was a promotional card for buying your own mausoleum. The card is truly cute and kind of happy for such death talk. It is colorful and direct to the point, and I thought that the message was delivered in a smart sassy way and pushed the right buttons – family – significant other – guilt. The words Always and Alone are written in a fun aqua font so talking about the creepy topic is not so creepy, and that leaving the ones that you Always loved Alone to take care of the arrangements, is taken care ahead of time. This marketing card is going to get noticed for certain – look at me, I’m writing about it on this blog. It stands out from other too serious and “party of life poopers” promotional/marketing ads for funerals and mausoleums. The funny thing is that my husband and I have not even reached the age of 50 yet. But this got me thinking. Once you are over the hill, society starts thinking of your funeral, assisted living or nursing home care, life insurance, reversible mortgages … and so on, the promotional/marketing literature keeps on coming, because this is how you are seen, with just a few steps closer to one of those alternatives.
This got me thinking some more – do I view myself in the same light? The answer to that question was a bit conflicting and this is why. I, for certain, don’t feel closer to a mausoleum or a nursing home, on the contrary, I feel young, healthy, and with much yet to live and do. On the other side, realizing that I passed forty and fifty is in the horizon, brings a sense of urgency to my projects and things that I want to accomplish before hitting the mausoleum or the nursing home. I have read more than once, that starting a writing career in your forties, is starting a bit late, and for that matter, any other ventures that may require time ahead of you. I have never agreed with that philosophy. I think that each one of us goes on a journey, and the time is right when the time is right, and opportunities abound at each bent of road. The important thing is to follow your call, live your dream, and love what you do, but do it – no matter what age you happen to be.
I resent being told what to expect at any age, and I don’t like to be told what to do about it either. I am far from a procrastinator; however, I believe that there is a time for everything under the sun, and the sun keeps shining until my last breath – and that is when I would become the Mausoleum Writer.
Here is a picture of the Happy Death Card.
The front of the card.
This is the back of it. I hid the business name, but you can see the sense of urgency, the pretty and happy font, and tons of marketing psychology in between the lines.
We had a good chuckle. Do you think that you are too old for a writing career?
2013 Reading Agenda
“Study drawing shows the allegorical figure of Romance nude. She bends her head to read a book on her lap. Romance was one figure in a painting, The arts, in the north end lunette of the Southwest Gallery in the Library of Congress’ Jefferson Building.” Graphite drawing (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Over the weekend, I started thinking about some of the books that I wish to include in my 2013 reading agenda. There are tons of books that I wish to read, however, I included the ones that I have waited to read for some time or that at one point, have awakened my curiosity. If time allows it, I will be adding a few more to the list, as I go. Here are the ones that made it to the list.
January – Generosity by Richard Powers (This one was suggested to me)
February – The Lace Reader by Brumania Barry
March – A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire
April – The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King
May – Great Tales of Horror by H.P. Lovecraft
June – Secrets of the Freemasons by Michael Bradley
July – Aleph by Paolo Coelho
August – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
September – Confessions by St. Augustine
October – The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
November – The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
December – Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
As an extra on the list I added Twilight of the Gods by Adam Pffefer.
As you can see, this list has some old, some classics, some new, and as far as genres, it is all over the place. I like to mix things up a bit. There are tons of classics that I would love to read, and some that I want to read again, and there are many new authors whose works pick at my curiosity and make it to the beginning of the list. Titles capture my attention, reviews not so much, since everyone has their own guidelines for reviewing as well as taste in what speaks to them or not. Usually, I don’t go by reviews when selecting a book. One thing that does influence what I select is format. For some reason, I do not enjoy reading an e-book format; I prefer to have the real tome in my hands. It is just not the same experience, for me. Anything else, I can read on the PC, as long as it is not too long, but books, I like to experience as a whole.
Do you enjoy one format more than the other?
Creating the Space that You and Only You Need
English: Reminds me of the book & movie about Jonathan Livingston Seagull. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
You need space to breathe. You need space to think clear. You need space to fuel inspiration. You need space to unfreeze the soul. You need space away from the heavy load that your dreams may present at times. You need space away from them (whomever that might be). You need space to feel again. You need space away from the person you have become (and whom you don’t seem to recognize). You need space to come back. You need space to exist. You need space to be.
After reading a very inspiring book, I found myself searching for more. I enjoyed this book immensely, and got from it much more than I was expecting; however, it puzzled me to the point of wanting to know why I was ready to slap some of these characters, when I could read between the lines of their soul, and all I saw was little bits and pieces of me. That book touched my soul, deep enough to want to retreat for a few days, in the safe space I needed to create for me and only me – and so I did. And so I searched. And so I found. And so I understood.
Sometimes, it is necessary to stop and look at your current space, abandon it for a while, create a new one where you feel safe enough to meet with yourself, so you can come back, and make the necessary changes – if needed. The soul needs a nest from time to time, where it can renew, because the journey never ends.
I love books since I can remember, but I can count with a single hand the books that have touch a chord in my soul throughout my life, and at different stages of it. When I was a child, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis left a seed growing in my soul. When I was a teenager, “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach gave me wings. A few weeks ago, “The Grievers” by Marc Schuster gave a piercing jolt to my soul, which sent me back to visit the child and teenager long-lost forgotten.
I don’t know if any other books will talk to my soul as I continue in my journey, but I plan to read tons more, as I’ve always done. And if there is a time when I need to create the secret space that me and only me needs, I will do so, and I will nest for a while, rest my wings, and let go, so I can come back to my Narnia.
About Isolation and Inspiration
Namib desert dunes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Isolation – To cause to be alone or apart … (from the American Heritage Dictionary)
Inspiration – The excitement of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity … (see American Heritage Dictionary)
When we look at the common definition of these words, it is easy to see the relationship between being isolated and becoming inspired. One can lead to the next or may cancel the other.
Sometimes, it is necessary to remove yourself from the daily grind for a while and look for solitude, to isolate yourself, to be able to reconnect with the source of inspiration.
Sometimes, too much isolation can kill inspiration. This happens when isolation has led to boredom or lack of excitement, rendering the mind and soul victims of lethargic existence.
While a dose of separation from the world is good from time to time, an overdose will kill the spirit, which needs a flow of the senses, a flow of ideas, to create and rejoice on its creation/inspiration.
Isolation can fuel inspiration in short doses, but it can kill creativity when it becomes self-imposed for long. A bit of both is refreshing to the soul.
Have you experience this relationship between the two? Feel free to relate your writing or artistic experience.
Spotlight? No, thanks.
English: American author Stephenie Meyer at the Twilight premiere. November 2008. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
What prompted this post was an old vampire movie that I was watching last night. These days, when I think of vampires, Stephenie Meyer comes to mind, and Dracula of course. Then, I thought of how her quiet life became a frenzy of writing one book after another, short deadlines, one movie after another, many interviews, galas, tons of huge book signings, all marketable Twilight paraphernalia … and so on. The more I thought about it, the more I agreed with my inner self that I wouldn’t want to be in those shoes. Why? It seems so exhilarating and who doesn’t love the spotlight?
The answer is me, and I am sure that there are some writers who love their quiet lives and privacy, and would not like the type of success that brings all that frenzy with it. I am not anti-social, I like it quiet, and I love my privacy. I love to give when no one is looking – that is my overall style. Where is Stephenie Meyer today? Probably very busy with new projects and the current ones, as well as dealing with the comet’s tail left behind. God bless her, as it takes a lot of energy and patience to handle that kind of spotlight.
When I visualize a writing career, I see writing, readers, a strong sincere commitment to the readers, and more writing, and more writing, and more writing. Somehow, I wouldn’t want to include galas, craziness, and tons of attention into my writing dreams. Given that what happened to Stephenie Meyer is not the usual way things develop, and at such speed, however, she is a good example of what I wouldn’t want to experience in my future as a writer (and of course, I also want to make a living at doing what I love – the bills have to be paid).
Have you visualized your writing career? Are you published and experiencing it? How do you visualize your spotlight? At the flip of a switch or as a growing light with a dimmer? Which style suits you better – smashing Boom success a la Meyer or rhythmic success a la Coelho? Would you write for the love of it and for that one reader who has to read your book, or for fame? Do you write because you love the craft or with a future dollar sign/spotlight on the back of your mind (meaning becoming famous).
The answer to these questions will help you figure out what you want from your writing career and your internal level of comfort. Feel free to share your point of view.
It is All About Perspective
While cutting some veggies for last night dinner, I had one of my epiphanies. I always cut the ends of the carrots, tomatoes, celery, or any other fruit or veggie that crosses my path. Even when they are cut in halves, if pre-packaged, I go back and cut a slice from the ends just to have a fresh end (not sure if you follow me). Well, by the time I am done, I have a decent amount of veggie scraps that go into the garbage because I cannot compost where I live now (but that will be possible in the near future – can’t wait). It occurred to me that my waste was a perfect meal for people in some countries that will give anything to have a tiny slice of that scrap to make a soup – I mean countries where there is extreme hunger and poverty, and food is not an everyday sight. Not that I am not aware of hunger, for some reason this time, it was different.
Besides feeling terrible and wasteful, I thought of how much perspective matters in how we go through life and do our own thing, and then, I thought of how it affects our writing. When we write a story, even when we are writing from the character’s point of view, our own perspective of things and life is playing in the background. I don’t think that it is possible to escape it totally, even when we try to be true to the character and do a lot of research about the topic or character’s behavior, origins, culture … and so on.
My point is, our perspective follows us everywhere, it is how we see things, life, and how we interpret it, besides being influenced by our own upbringing, culture, and experiences. I have made vegetable soup countless of times, and yet, this time, those scraps meant something different, and have become meaningful somehow.
The Miracle of Senses
The pentagram is used as a Christian symbol for the five senses, and if the letters S, A, L, V, and S are inscribed in the points, it can be taken as a symbol of health (from Latin salus). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
As I have said before, sometimes I get so focused on a task that I forget everything around me; I block everything else, and many times I forget that I was just making pancakes for breakfast or that I had just put a load of laundry and heard the bell a minute ago. All I can say is thank God for all my senses. The smell of starting to toast pancakes or the too quiet house will alert me and bring me back. The gentle nag of a cat that wants a temptation treat has brought me back from the extreme focus vortex just in time. This brings me to the topic of appealing to reader’s senses in your writing.
Just as it is important to me to get rescued by my senses, I thought of how important sensory stimulation is on a novel or a piece of writing. Awakening readers senses gives a new depth to your story, and may rescue some readers from boredom – boredom of too much dialog or description. Even if you are deprived of one sense, another takes over, keener and improved. I try to keep this is mind when writing my story, as I tend to run into too much dialog. To me, the senses are a miracle; it is how we experience the world, and how readers can experience your story.
Sometimes, I tend to ask myself the weirdest questions, and I have asked myself if I was to be deprived of a sense or ability, which one will I give up. I know, it may sound sinister to many, but I think about unusual things sometimes. I would give up speech. I don’t talk much; I am the silent type, the observer, and I rather write than talk. As long as I can communicate when I need to in some way, I think I would be happy. I am a very visual person, and that would be the sense that I would miss the most, probably to the point of insanity, which brings me to this point – readers are very different in their consumption of reading material and learning, so the senses that prevail throughout your story may appeal to some readers more than to others. My point, striving for a good balance might not be a bad idea.
Do you think about stimulating the senses when writing your story? Which sense would you give up? Which one would you miss the most? If you are missing a sense, how have you improved the other senses?
Use a Mirror to Manage Writer’s Block
Image via Wikipedia
At one point or another, you may feel as if you cannot write or as if the story is not flowing quite the way it is supposed to flow. You may think that you have been plagued by writer’s block (or artist’s block) and when you try to work on your novel or art, you cannot go back to it, as if something prevents you from it. I have been there and what I found out was that it was not so much of a writer’s block, but more of a conflict with a particular part of the story. It may be a character, beliefs, philosophy, or even a particular scene. Somehow, you have an internal reaction or “a problem” with it. It may be that you do not agree with something that you happen to be writing, but know that you have to write, whether it is to keep the story going, or by mere inspiration. When you feel that you are stuck with the story, take a break and ponder about the last thing you wrote. Take notice of how you feel about it, and if an internal bell rings. This is a sign that you have something to work on (on yourself) before proceeding ahead with the story. The way I see it (and this is only by my experience with this) is that you either,
- acknowledge it and ignore it, meaning that you know the bug is there but you will ignore it and keep writing; however, it will come back along the way, impeding total free flow of your writing.
- take a short break, acknowledge it, ponder it, and make peace with it. I find that just because I may not agree with something in my story, that does not mean that I am selling out my beliefs. In the case of an internal conflict that one of your characters or scenes brings up, acknowledge it, try to find the link between your conflict and the story, understand it and move on.
The main thing here is that by recognizing that there is an internal conflict you are looking in a mirror, and therefore, are starting to open the flow of your writing once more. The mere act of looking at that reflection in the mirror is going to help unblock your writing. At least for me, it works that way.
Hope this tip is of any help.
Inkspeare 