Rambling Thoughts After the First Round of Edits

 I know, there's a proper name for this phase of my editing process, but I'll leave that to the academics; I'm a writer.

Yesterday morning I set aside my red pen and orange and yellow highlighters.  What was left behind?  A manuscript littered with notes, mark-outs, circles, and, of course, highlighted passages.  The manuscript is a first rate mess and I can't wait to clean it up.

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I think a lot of people like to utilize YouTube for a little help with projects like changing out ball joints on a 2016 Subaru Forester, or how to change the battery in a 2019 Indian Roadmaster.  I also like to use it to stay focused while maybe picking up on a few things here and there.

Part of my daily writing routine is to watch a random Booktuber.  Sometimes the video is a complete miss, other times there are little nuggets of golden information, lessons to tuck away into my writing toolbox, and even, like this morning, I stumble on a creator worth following (Ginger's Creative Corner).

The most disappointing of those are the one's that exist for only one purpose; to sell you their product.  Don't get me wrong, I think all of us are here in the online atmosphere to sell something.  (Buy my books!)  The part that turns me away is when these creators pitch a thought process that is wrapped around a middle of the video hard sell of a product that will help the viewer with the very thing they are discussing. It happens in a way that screams they are interested in helping you, if you choose to buy their stuff!

I see this a lot from the freelance editing community.  They present themselves as your peers in the writing community, yet in reality, they view themselves as above you and if you want to improve, you must hire them to edit your pathetic attempt at a story.  There is typically an element of discouragement.  A lot of times you catch it in the titles, "Your Cover Design is Wrong!".  (that one coming from a publisher wanting to sell his services)

Some of it is phishing for that sweet spot within the algorithm that drives traffic.  We all know, two things sell, sex and negativity, and writing just isn't sexy (to most, at least).  So, telling the writer how bad they are in the title and even in the content of the video, brings viewers.  It also discourages new writers, whether that is the intention of the creator is left for another discussion.

I take issue with this approach (obviously). Why brow beat authors with a title like "7 Cringey MISTAKES Writers Make With MALE Characters".  The title immediately implies that you, the writer, are writing cringeworthy characters.  And really, the tone of the video does kind of reflect this (at least the short bit I watched).  The purpose of the video is made clear, five minutes in, with a forty-five second sales pitch.  Can't the title and overall tone of the video be more like what the video creator is pushing the hard sell on "How to Write Realistic Men and Women".  

I feel the writing community, overall, should be encouraging, and in some cases, a little more humble.  My way of doing things is, well, my way of doing things.  It works for me, and I'm more than willing to share, but I'm not going to tell you that what you're doing is wrong.

Writing is full of guide wires that can be pushed a bit here and there, and if you bend that guide wire with intent, the result just may be golden.

Late Again

November 17 is the new release date for the second book in the Drums of Rallinwar series.

Three months later than I anticipated.

Why?

I’ll begin by stating this book was destined to be behind schedule without any outside influences.  The editing process is far more intense than it was for Blood of Two.  So much so, I would like to revisit Blood and put it through the same strainer.  I feel as though this book is better written and you, as the reader, will see that.  While some of the improvement can be attributed to my learning of the craft, most of the improvements are a result of my enhanced editing schedule.

To say this year has been eventful would be an understatement.  In May, three tornadoes tore through my life.  Friends and family lost their homes, and insignificant in comparison, we lost a good portion of our fence.  Not only did those three events take me away from the book physically, helping with the cleanup, but mentally I just couldn’t focus.  You can’t live in Oklahoma and not know somebody who has lost something to Mother Nature, but even then you can’t prepare for when it impacts your life.  That sh*t sticks with you, and the impact it had on me is minor in comparison.

Those three events (three days) set the book back 30-45 days.  Add in a few everyday squirrels and the August release day was not achievable if I wanted to put forth my best effort.

So where am I now?

In one of my earlier posts I outlined the editing process I set in place.  I am in the middle of steps 4 and 5 (of 7).  The initial copy edits for the first half of the book were completed a few weeks ago, and that portion of the book passed off to the evil editors.  One of those editors is done; the other two are about half way through.

I completed the checklist edits (step 3) for the second half of the book this last weekend and am now in the middle of the copy edits for that portion.  I hope to complete that part this weekend and then forward the second half of the book on to my editors.

Monday I expect to begin step 6 (appeasing the evil editors), and from what I have seen to this point, I will catch up with the editors (who are in step 5) rather soon.  When they finish up with part two of the book, and I complete my portion, I will make one last pass with the copy edits.

I am not sure where Lucky is with the cover art, but you can expect another beautiful cover that continues the theme begun with Blood of Two.  I also need to print off a map so that he can paint one up for me.

I’m excited to finish this project.  I will take a short (very short) break, and then drum up Book Three.  At the moment, it appears the series will be completed with the third book, which would basically make it the cliché fantasy trilogy.

Beyond that; I have the beginnings of a story about a man from Saimus’ home country.  It will likely be a stand-alone novel.

I am also still sitting on a short story I promised earlier (which I have the cover-art for), but I have been so focused on the book, it has just been gathering dust.  If there’s a chance before November 17, I will brush it up and publish it.

And of course, I still need a title for Book Two.

Anyway, that is where I’m at.  I apologize for the delay.  I let things interfere with my productivity and it will probably happen again.  Tis the life of a writer who has a day job.

I, Am a Writer

Bonus points to those who caught the movie reference in the title.

Over the last couple of years I have found myself amused at the similarities between the reader and the writer.  We both want a good story.  We cheer the good guy, jeer the bad guy.  Sometimes we even find ourselves wanting to find some nugget of good in the bad.  And the similarities carry on and on.

I often tell people I write what the people in my head tell me to write.  Other writers understand the premise, my wife and many readers fear I am mildly insane.  Yes, I am.  My characters have to have some semblance of "real" to them in order for them to come across as believable in the readers eyes.

So, as I write, though I have the rough story in mind, the characters guide the story.  They do things as they would do them, not as I would want them to do.  Many times their reactions surprise me and toss the storyline from its straight line.  In essence, the story unfolds for myself, as a writer, in much the same manner that it unfolds for you, the reader.

When it comes to the end of the book, I feel much the same anticipation as you do.  How will this end?  What happens next?  It always seems the last few chapters of a good book holds my attention the most asss I read them, and it does much the same as I write.  I experienced this when I wrapped up the rough draft of Blood of Two and I am experiencing the same feeling as I roll to the finish with the follow-up.

It's not just the excitement of completing this phase of the project, but it is the story.  I have an idea of how this book ends, much like I do when I read Stephen King or John Grisham.  I may have an idea, but I want to know.  What will these characters do when they are faced with these events?  You would think I know, but I do not.  This is one of the reasons I find writing so exhilarating.  I get to experience those same emotions I have as a reader, and I am writing the darn story!

I only hope that one day my skills reach the level that I can spend my time living these stories without the intrusion of a real job.

Quick update on the progress of Drums of Rallinwar - Book Two:

A stormy spring interrupted what I had going.  It wasn't just the cleanup alone, but my mind was on more important things.  The tornadoes had a devastating impact on friends and family.  If I wasn't helping with the cleanup, I was thinking about it.  Honestly, the book had fallen down the list of priorities.

Things are still not as they should be, and likely will never be.  Even as I type this I yearn for things to return to some sort of normal.  However, the last week I have been able to set aside a substantial amount of time for the project, and my mind has been on the task.  The progress has been amazing.  My wife has been amazing for allowing me to lock myself away for hours at a time.

I anticipate the completion of the brain purge within the next few days.  With that said, there is still a long road of editing ahead.  I have told you before, I will not release a substandard product to meet a deadline.  I will put every effort into making Book Two better than the first.

Look for the new title in November.  I will keep you updated.  And most of all, thank you for your understanding.

Anybody Want A Peanut?

Some conversations just stick with you, and often, when the conversation is over and you’ve had a few days to digest it, you think of that thing you should have said.  In this case, it was one of those things that needed to be said, but was left better unsaid; unless of course your goal is to hurt feelings.

As with most people, writers seek out those inspiring quotes from those who have been successful in our field.  These quotes are often motivating, or enlightening, some of us turn them into words to live by.

                                   “The first draft of anything is ****” – Ernest Hemingway

I love that quote, because regardless of how great you feel about that brain purge, well, Hemingway said it best.  I’m pretty sure it was a direct quote, though I have failed in finding the source of the interview and where he put it into print.  Too lazy to pursue it any further, especially since this is a well known quote of his…

There is a problem with these quotes.  Many times, like a quoted bible verse, the quote is taken out of context and the meaning is twisted and reformed into something that agrees with a belief we already hold.  This harkens back to one of my other mantra’s “Research, research, research.”

During the conversation the other day, one of the individuals involved quoted Lewis Carroll.  Taken at face value, this quote bothered me.  It seemed incomplete, and, well, wrong.

             “Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop” – Lewis Carroll

This quote has the aura of being profound, so it must be good.  Right?  The person who used this quote is an aspiring writer, and they strongly believe in those words, because Lewis Carroll said them.  If an accomplished writer said those words, they have to be true.

                  “I could tell you my adventures – beginning from this morning, but it’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.” – Lewis Carroll

Taken at face value, this quote appears to be in conflict of the first quote.  But, according to the presentation, this quote is something Lewis Carroll said.  Again, if an accomplished writer said those words, they have to be true.

Let’s take a gander of other “quotes” from established authors.  Feel free to pass judgment, since that is what we have done with the two quotes from Lewis Carroll.

                        “You probably mean well, but handing these people food is the worst thing you could do for them.” – Brandon Sanderson

                          “There are lots of guys out there who write a better prose line than I do and who have a better understanding of what people are really like and what humanity is supposed to mean – hell, I know that.” – Stephen King

                           “I am a disappointed drudge, sir.  I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me.” – Charles Dickens

                           “Many that live deserve death.” – J.R.R. Tolkien

                           “If you’re in trouble, or hurt or need – go to the poor people.  They’re the only ones that’ll help – the only ones.” – John Steinbeck

Interesting quotes, to say the least.  If we take them at face value, as the aspiring writer has taken the Carroll quote, we come to some bothersome conclusions.  Sanderson is selfish, King is humble, Dickens had no friends, Tolkien and Steinbeck were cynics.

Every quote on this post has one thing in common:  They were pulled from works of fiction.  They didn’t come from an interview, nor were they quoted from books about writing, all of them came from works of fiction:  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Elantris, Misery, A Tale of Two Cities, The Fellowship of the Ring, and The Grapes of Wrath.

I know.  The argument is that the writer’s thoughts are often brought out in their works.  So, the first Lewis Carroll quote is how he feels about writing.  Okay, I can accept that.  As long as you can accept that Brandon Sanderson believes feeding people who can’t feed themselves is the worst thing you can do for them.  I can accept your blind devotion to that single quote as long as you hold that same devotion for EVERY phrase in that book.

I write words that would never come out of my mouth.  My characters say things that make me cringe.  Now, I could be pompous enough to believe I am the only one, but the truth of the matter is; when a character says something in a book, it does not always reflect the author’s beliefs.  I find it difficult to believe someone would be naïve enough to think otherwise.  But, if you are using a quote from a work of fiction as your mantra on how to write a story, well, that’s a tad bit on the naïve side.

On the other hand, if you just like something a character said and you want to use it as your mantra, then by all means, use it.  Just credit the character.  Don’t put words in the author’s mouth.

“And I mean it.”

“Anybody want a peanut?”

In the Beginning

I suppose my latest theme on this blog has been opinions on writing.  Sometimes I feel a bit pretentious offering up these opinions, and someday I may find myself disagreeing with what I write today, but keep in mind these are just the mere opinions of an old man still perfecting his craft.

I was a part of an interesting discussion this week and it involved where to begin when writing a story.  In the writing world, we call this the Point of Attack.  In a world filled with expectations of instant gratification, Point of Attack is extremely important.  I guess it goes without saying (yet I'll say it anyway), it hasn't always been this way.

One of the traps that we fall into, as writers, is trying to emulate successful stories of the past, but when you do so with tunnel vision you may be setting yourself up for failure.  Would Moby Dick even make it to print in today's environment?  Would The Hobbit take so long to get off the ground?  In my opinion, no.

We are programmed to believe Moby Dick and The Hobbit are wonderful tales that must be read, so we suffer through what we would now consider shortcomings in an effort to find that wonderful tale.  If either tale was published, as they are, next week, they would fall off into obscurity.  Not because they are bad stories, but because they aren't written to match up with today's expectations.

So, as writers, we can't pick up a book written before our parents were born, copy the formula, and expect the same results.  No matter how good our tale may be.

Which brings me back to the Point of Attack.

Some people say you must engage the reader within the first five pages, others say the first five sentences, and they may both be right, so it behooves me, as a writer, to start the story off in an engaging manner.  We want to share with the readers every aspect of our characters.  We want them to see where they came from and why they are who they are today.  But, if we begin a story with the birth of our character, we may lose the reader in those first five pages and never get to share the growth of the character with them.

You can share all there is to share and still engage the reader.  Begin your story with some conflict, and sprinkle in the past along the way.  Probably not in flashbacks, as they are often overused, but a couple of sentences can say a lot.

"Ole Joe knows hospitals better than anyone in this room.  What with that cancer he had as a child."

You don't even know Joe, but your imagination just painted a picture of his childhood.

When I say to begin a story with conflict, don't take that to mean you must begin with an epic fantasy battle or the like.  A simple conflict will do.  Think about an opening chapter where Joe is panicking because he forgot to pay the water bill and it's cutoff day.  Zipping through traffic to get to the utilities office before noon.  Worried about his wife's reaction.  Hoping the check doesn't bounce.  This is real world situation that could very well connect with your reader.  They find themselves wanting to know if he gets the bill paid on time.  How much more mundane can you get?  But, this is conflict in the writing world.  And, as an added bonus, it is something the reader can connect with.

So when someone tells you to start the story at the beginning, keep in mind the beginning of the story may not be the beginning of your character's story.  If we did that, The Hobbit would have began "There once was a hobbit born in the Shire."

Pretentious Writing

I recently read a post on one of the writing forums where the individual was looking for a word to call his magic.  You see he didn't want to use the word "magic".  He felt what he used in his world was something different, grander, more far-reaching than such a simple term.  And, after reading the description, I could see his argument.  He presented a three sentence description of his magic and several of us offered up different words to use that might better represent what it was.

But, when it comes down to, his readers will call it magic.

I don't believe he was attempting to be pretentious by using another term, but the topic did bring to mind other works where the author's were being pretentious, whether they wanted to be or not.

League
Furlong
Cubit
Stone

Pop quiz.  What are the modern comparisons to those units of measurement?

Maybe you know the answer, maybe you don't.  I don't.  And quite honestly, if I am reading a fantasy novel that uses those terms, I will most likely not look them up.  Those terms are of no use to me in my daily life, so I will remain blissfully unaware for your entire novel.

Yes, those terms have a certain fantastical ring to them, but what good are they if they don't communicate the measurement you want.  Next time you see someone reading Lord of the Rings, ask them what the modern equivalent to a league is. You may just find I'm not the only one too lazy to look it up.

To me, it is like flipping open a Thesaurus and using a word for the sole sake of being different.  Instead of sounding different, you sound pretentious.  As in carpentry and mechanics, you use the best tool for the job.  In a lot of cases a simple hammer will do the trick.  No need in getting fancy.

I started to read a fantasy series that used made up terms for weight and distance.  At the back of book one was the all-to-common fantasy dictionary where it explained what those terms meant.  Why?  What is the purpose in using strange terms for measurements?  For immersion in your world?  Balderdash! (n. stupid or illogical talk)  If the reader has to flip to the back of the book, or look up the term online, you have just accomplished the opposite.  As a matter of fact, I never moved on to book two, because that was not the only area of pretentiousness in the prose.

We are story teller's.  We love to take the stories in our heads and share them with anybody who will listen.  It is as simple as that.  Don't try to make yourself seem more important than you are through pretentious writing.  Don't talk down to the reader.

The Most Intelligent Orc in the World

This title has been available for a week or so, but I was waiting until it hit most of the markets before I announced it.  As opposed to giving daily updates on its availability.

It's a freebie, and another installment in my Tales From Nilrus project.  Princess Elanya is in this story again, as well as Malik, Prince Eldric, Qa'Veck, and General Grunsch.  I enjoyed writing it, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

Here are a few links:

Smashwords

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

Diesel eBookstore

KOBO

Sony eBookstore - this link is to my author page as they do not have this story yet.

Progress on book two for the Drums of Rallinwar series is going well.  I hope to complete the brain purge (rough draft) within the next couple of weeks.  Full bore editing will begin in June, with a target publishing date somewhere in September.

It'll Never Happen

When the term technology is used our minds fill with visions of computers, wires, and laser beams.  Wind the clock back a hundred years, a couple of hundred years, or several hundred years, technology takes on a different sense.

The printing press was a technology frowned upon for many reasons, one of which was the belief that monks would become lazy.

The automobile.

Photography.

Flight.

All technological advances.  The commonality?  They were all feared, shunned, played off as a fad, and touted they would never, ever, not in a million years, replace “x”.

You just have to love us human-types.

Digital photography will never replace film.  That statement came from a photography magazine printed in 1994.  In all fairness, digital photography has not “replaced” film, but when was the last time you saw a new film camera for sale at your local superstore?  As a matter of fact, without doing a search on the web, tell me fast, where would you take that film to get developed?

People will always want to read the morning paper.  It will never be replaced by the internet.  There are hundreds (if not thousands) of newspapers and magazines that no longer exist because they failed to recognize the oncoming train of technology, and countless more that are struggling to catch up before they too go under.

“X” format will never replace the LP.  People long for the hiss and pop of the classic vinyl record.  Been to a “Record” store lately?  Oh wait, you can just get that online.  If you dig deep enough, you can even get a copy of that song with the hiss and pop included.

So, why do we believe electronic books will never, ever, not in a million years, outsell print books?

Already we see signs of that flawed belief.  Whatever happened to the “Big Six”?  What are we down to?  Five?  Four?  The big publishers sat mired in the mud for years.  Now they struggle to catch up with the very technology they downplayed.

When was your most recent trip to Waldenbooks, B Dalton, Borders?

Will the e-book ever completely replace the coveted print version?  No.  Much like a photograph printed on special paper, the desire will always be present.

However…

Much like a hand-tooled leather belt, the printed photograph, the hardback novel, will become cost-prohibitive for the average customer.  They will become novelty items relegated to the collectors and those with disposable income.

It won’t be today.  It won’t be tomorrow.  It may not even be within a decade, but there will come a time in your children’s life when special orders for printed books will be the norm.

The bookshelf, much like your photo album, will be virtual.  So, instead of fighting technology, find a way to make it work to your advantage.  After all, technology is coming, and it has been proven over the centuries, its force is greater than any resistance you can provide.

Go ahead, keep saying it’ll never happen.  You’ll be one less competitor we have to worry about when it does.

Shameless plug here:

I have three titles available; one novel, Blood of Two, and two shorts, The Leaf Pendant, and The Most Intelligent Orc in the World.  Check out Smashword, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Diesel, or iTunes to find a copy.

A Different Perspective

I look back some twenty years ago when I dabbled a bit with writing a book and I see a different outlook on writing.  Back then, before I was ready to write, I had big dreams.  I would be another big time writer.  My books would be side by side with King and Grisham at the front of the stores.

How things have changed.

I suppose one of those changes is the fact that bookstores are becoming more and more difficult to find.  Like it or not, technology has changed the face of the book world.  The most important change, for me, is my perspective on my writing career.  I'm a few years older, and a bit more aware of the reality of writing.  Having a title share the headlines with Terry Brooks is a long shot.  It is still a goal, but it is no longer get there quick or give it up.  I like to think there will be a day when my writing attains that quality and reach.

Twenty years ago, the dream of quitting my job and writing for a living had a different perspective as well.  I would write a few hours in the morning and play the rest of the day.  The goal was a life in luxury.  Now?  Not so much.

Last night was another one of those nights where life interfered.  It happens a lot to us writers.  Outside of our imaginary worlds we still have real world commitments; things that need to be done around the house.  I wanted to write a few thousand words last night.  I really did.  Somehow, some way, my adult responsibilities hovered over my keyboard and kept my fingers at bay.  This was when I realized just how much my perspective has changed when it comes to writing success.

I still want to make money off my imagination, but it's different now than twenty years ago.  I want to make enough to quit my job so I will have time to write.  Not so I will have time to play, but to write.  I want to spend as much time as I can writing without work getting in the way.  My duties at home do not get in the way of writing, it is my job that gets in the way.  At forty some odd years old, I just want my writing to sell enough that I can concentrate on writing more.  That's quite a bit of difference from twenty years ago.

I still want to write "that book", I think most of us do.  I think that dream will always remain.  I want people to look back on one of my titles and say "That is the book that changed the face of the genre."  That thought never even crossed my mind twenty years ago.  It was all about the money, which is likely why I never succeeded in getting anything written back then.  Today it is all about the writing.

It's just a different perspective.

Nothing In Particular

Really, I have nothing in particular to say.

2013 looks to be a promising year.  At least I hope so; there is a lot on my imaginary plate.
Somewhere over the next few days I intend to publish my next freebie, Diplomat Elanya.  I posted the raw cover art on the Facebook page if you want a peek.  I like the impact these freebies have, so you can expect me to continue.  I expect to release at least two more before book two launches.

Speaking of book two...  Wow.  One of the story lines took an odd turn and I blame it all the characters.  They just can't stick with an outline.  It may lengthen the story a bit, and change up how I originally intended, but with any sort of luck (and time), the book should be ready by August/September.  However, this time I really need to put something extra in the edits.

Editing...phew.  Look, I know Blood of Two had some issues (my wife told me so).  I haven't looked back since I published the book, but I am now having a change of heart.  At some point, you can expect a revision, not to the storyline, but more to address grammar issues.  I am sure there are more issues than I think, but I still want to tighten it up and provide my readers with the best quality.  This will likely happen around the release of book two.

Beyond book two, you can expect more short story freebies.  I do anticipate packaging the shorts at some undetermined point (maybe after 10 or 15 of them) and selling a hard copy of the collection.  Not for the money, (I make very little off paperback copies), but just to tie them all in a pretty package.

Beyond that, of course, is another book.  I'm liking this writing thing.

Know What to Expect

When I jumped into the world of becoming and Indie author, I pretty much knew what to expect.  Or, I suppose, more of what NOT to expect.

I was not going to become an overnight success.
I was not going to make millions on my one title.
I was not going to grab the attention of a major publisher.
I was not going to let any of this slow me down.

It is really quite amazing to see how many of my peers expect the opposite.  I know of one author (and have read of many more like her) who published her book and expected it to sell in blockbuster numbers.  One of the problems was that the extent of her energy ended when she published the book.

Several weeks passed and her sales were non-existent.  She vented on her personal Facebook account about how people she thought were friends had obviously not supported her by purchasing her book.  That vent was the first time many of her friends even knew she had written a book.

Never mind the quality of work.  If you do not expend energy on marketing, you lose.  Unfortunately, there are a million ways to lose on marketing.

Research, research, research, research.  Before you publish and after you publish, research.  One marketing path may work for one author and fail for another.  A lot of it is a gamble, so you have to decide which avenue is worth the gamble for you.

I recently ran an advertisement on Goodreads.com because of the success stories I had seen about it.  It is relatively inexpensive, and it reaches my target audience.  I have sold books because of this campaign.  Not a lot.  I still have my day job, but through that campaign, I was able to reach more people.  My audience has grown, and I only spent the money I felt I could afford to lose.

The Leaf Pendant was released as a freebie.  Yes, it is another story, but it is also another marketing tool.  And this one cost me nothing.  That short story has garnered sales and increased the size of my audience.  I have broadened my exposure.

I didn't expect the world to know C. Hollis Gunter when I published Blood of Two, I did expect to have to tell the world who I was.  Nobody will open up their web browser and google your name if they don't know your name.  So, tell me, why do you expect instant sales of millions and an invite to Oprah?

I hesitate to call marketing work, because I have seen work (from a distance) and that ain't it.  Marketing takes time.  Time that could be spent writing your next masterpiece.  Your next masterpiece won't matter any more than your first if you don't spend some of that time to spread the word.

If you write, and that is all you want to expend your energy on, then know what to expect.

A Question of Money

A common misconception I have heard/read on several occasions is that epic storylines (longer than the traditional trilogy) are all about the money.  You know, I could be a bit naive about this, but I will have to strongly disagree.

23 years and 14 books long, Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series was wrapped up last week.  For those who have read the books, we know the length of the story was in large part due to Jordan's penchant for foreshadowing.  Chapters of non-consequential scenes littered the series, but those scenes were used to set up things that often didn't happen until two or three books later.

Millions of people enjoyed his writing style.  Millions of people, not two or three friends at work, but millions of people around the world.  I enjoyed his style, my wife doesn't care for it.  His writing style and the breadth of the story contributed to the length of the series.  Did I mention that millions of people liked it?

Money was not the bottom line.

Jordan had a story to tell, and if he was anything like myself, he wasn't going to cut it short just to meet some arbitrary number of acceptable books.  Sure, there were ways to crop the story; cut down on the characters (which he had aplenty), don't tell the readers about the sub-plots that contribute to the final page, knock it off with the foreshadowing, etc.  Jordan stuck to his guns and told the story HE wanted to tell and the story the READERS wanted to read.

My Drums of Rallinwar story is being told in the same manner.  I am telling you the story that I want to tell, and I hope the you want to read.  Granted, my story isn't fourteen volumes.  My story may only last three books, or it may go four books, but there is no number that I am tied to.  The story will end when it chooses to end.  Money has absolutely no bearing on the length of the tale.  I have other stories to tell.

While I'm rambling on, keep in mind that some author's tire of their stories and want to wrap them up.  Some have wrapped them up despite the cries for more from their readers.  Aren't they losing money by not continuing the story?

Just because your world revolves around the money that other people make, does not mean that their world revolves around your desires.

Here you go, shameless plug:  BUY MY BOOK!  Blood of Two: Book One in the Drums of Rallinwar series.  Available where you buy your ebooks and you can even find it in paperback on Amazon (do a search for C. Hollis Gunter).  Buy it, rate it, review it, and if nothing else, I hope you enjoy it.  However long the series is.