Monday, June 30, 2014

Uninspired To Write

When you're uninspired to write, make your next book cover.

My covers are simple and have no sexual overtones at all despite writing romance, contemporary women, and erotica genres. The reason, I'm cheap. I don't want to spend money to buy a stock picture that most of the writers in the same genre are using. I'm pretty creative and knew that I could figure out something for the covers. I've taken photography, especially product photography, for a long time. In my first cover, I used a black foam board and white feathers from the craft store. I did the post processing online using Pixlr Express.

This time, I used a white foam board, a broken engagement ring*, a sunny window, and Pixlr Express to post process.


It's not perfection. It is super simple. Not sexy at all. Eventually, I hope to be financially capable of adding more to my self-publishing budget and have the bells and whistles. When you're starting out and navigating the indie publishing business, you reduce costs as much as possible, especially as a stay at home mom with no self generated income.

*No engagement rings were harmed in the making of this cover. I stupidly broke my ring while moving around a heavy washing machine. My mistrust of people is the reason I haven't gotten it fixed, much to my husband's chagrin.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Multiple Stories

I never imagined that in writing a book, I would divert from the present series I'm writing and trying to publish on a self created deadline. A couple of weeks ago when I lost steam writing Book Two, I started writing another story. The new story is written in the third person, which is a departure from my first published book, Rebound, which is written in the first person of the main character, Perla.

My favorite author, Mario Puzo, gave writing advice in an interview. His advice was to always write in the third person. When I started writing the new story in the third person, I could see an immense benefit of writing in the third person. When I started writing the future novel, I felt like I could be more descriptive when going back and forth between all the characters. I could interject each's thoughts and feelings. It was freeing. When I went back to the The Pentagon series in the first person, the writing felt a little forced at times.

I don't dismiss the notion that I was writing more freely because I was excited by the new story line and characters. And because this new story will be a stand-alone book, I don't have this immense task of stretching it out between two to three books.

For the writers, which point of view do you prefer to write in and why?

For the readers, which point of view do you prefer to read and why?

Thanks for reading.

Rosa

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Encouraged

I self published my book in April before turning forty-years old, two days later. I was discouraged because I didn't get any sales on my books. I asked Kristie from Book Bangers Blog to read my book. She gave me my first review. Just that one review has given me the motivation to finish the book, even if it is just for Kristie and her Book Bangers Blog followers. As a goal oriented person, I am also a deadline person. If I don't see profit or acclaim from the book within a year, I'm going back to work full time in my chosen profession, which is law.

I have a lot to learn about marketing myself and promoting the work. I was under the really naive impression that I needed to focus just on the words of the printed page, or in most of our cases, the lit tablet. The publishing houses would do the legwork in promoting. I was under the false assumption that I upload to Amazon Direct and request to be in the Select program, and by the end of the month I would sell thousands of units. Never happened.

As an indie, I have to do both. Yes, duh!

If you are an author, what advise would you give to a indie writer for promoting?
If you are a reader, what draws you to a book?

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Self Published First Book



My new book, Rebound: The Pentagon Group, Book I can be purchased on Amazon. Please read my first review. Very excited that the reader liked the book and she can't wait for the second book, which I'm feverishly writing. If you read the book, please leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads.