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.

Horseshoes and Four Leaf Clovers

I suppose at some point I should like write down blog topics so I don't find myself bereft of things to say for weeks at a time.  But, let's face it, I ain't too good at this whole talking to people thing.

The last little blurb was about my wonderful busy life, and I am looking forward to at least four more weeks of busy.  Of course, that is assuming I finish the book on time.

Unlike Blood of Two, editing this book has been intensive (and I do hope it shows).  Things have fallen to the wayside while I've concentrated on the book; Facebook, Twitter, workshop forums, industry news perusing, reading (I haven't read a book in two months), marketing, and my short stories.

It makes you wonder how successful author's have time for the talk show circuit.  Well, not really.  You have to figure they went through much the same at some point in their careers, but then they reached a point where they had money to farm some of this junk out.

At some point, an author becomes proficient in their writing and the rough draft isn't quite as rough as it once was, which makes the author's initial editing easier.  Some author's even claim their rough draft is what they forward to their editor's.

Success will often bring money.  The author reaches a point where they can hire editor's they trust to do the work I do now.  I'm not talking about these editor's you find online at some editor warehouse, where they go back and pull one down from a hook and hand off your manuscript.  I mean someone who works with the author with a genuine desire to see an end product that matches the author's intent.

I could probably do some digging and tell you exactly how many hours of my life could be saved if I had the money to buy me one of those.

Then there is the marketing.  First of all, I suck at it.  I couldn't sell a Goo-Goo Cluster half price to a group of starving junior high students stuck on a bus in middle of a snow storm.  I can't even begin to imagine what a professional could do for my sales.  Again, there comes a point in the author's life where the money comes available for such luxuries.

The laughable part of this, at least in the Indie world, this rambling post actually makes a silly little circle.  You can't have success without good marketing, you need a well-edited product to market, and you need money to hire an editor.  But, you don't get money without some semblance of success.

In a large way, it all boils down to luck.

There are many get-rich-quick schemes out there in the world of Independent authors, but those are reserved for the hacks that have little to no desire to put out quality.  Those of us who want to create a durable product, we have to stretch those get-rich-quick schemes out over several years.

And hope for a little luck.

So, I will continue on with my busy life and keep plugging away at editing.  And I am loving every minute of it.  I am learning my craft, and (hopefully) improving.  I'm still a couple of years away from completing the most popular get-rich-quick scheme and I continue to search for four leaf clovers.  Will I be reach in the end?  Who cares.  When it is all said and done, I will have written a story I can be proud of.

I suppose, in some pompous way, I think that is what separates me from some of the others.  I'm not here for the money.  I'm not here for the fame.  I am here because I have stories to share.  When a stranger sends me an e-mail, posts on my page, or tells me face to face that they enjoy my stories, then I have found something greater than the dollar bill.

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.

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.

Finding Time

It has been more than a few days since I posted, and much of the reason can be blamed on the clock.

The rest is my own fault (but don't tell anybody).

I have been hard at it with the follow-up to Blood of Two and it is going slow, but it is going.  I'll save some of that for another post.

One of the things about writing a book and working a full time job is finding that short span of time to dedicate to writing.  It can be quite the challenge.  Some writer's get up early and spew out a few words before work.  Some will utilized technology and hammer out a bit during breaks.  Since I crawl out of bed at 3am to get to work by 4, I wait till after work.

I am a creature of habit.  Such a creature of habit it is almost silly.  Oh, heck.  There's no almost about it.  I get home from work, check the mail, check a few websites I frequent, pay a bill or two, take a shower and pour myself something to drink.  Most nights it's just a Mountain Dew, other nights it calls for something with a kick.

I then ease into my office, which is my writing domain.  I will check in with some of my social networking that I joined up with specifically for my writing.  This here blog would be one, the facebook page for my writings is another.  I haven't quite found the magic touch with Twitter yet, though I do occasionally tweet, and Google+ is still a mystery for me.  Regardless, I hit em all and contribute if I can.

Then it is time to write.  I fire up the music, light up the incense, and away I go.  For how long?  Until the characters in my head grow mute.

So, you see, I have found time to write, however there is another issue:  I have forgotten about the time to vegetate.

Some people call this vegetation time 'Re-charging', and there is a lot of truth to that.  Don't get hung up with word counts and progress if your writing has turned into work.  Take a few moments and hang back with your family and friends.

Just this last weekend I had just completed a chapter that was a chore.  It was like every word I typed had to be squeezed out of me like a clove of garlic in a press.  I had spent most of the last week with that single chapter (which will likely get shredded on the first edit).  Saturday and Sunday, I didn't write a thing.  I hung out with my wife.  We looked at new motorcycles, bought some stuff for our May bike trip, ate a couple of meals, and caught up on some television.

When I returned to my writing domain last night, I spewed out a thousand words before the first stick of incense expired.

You will often discover that finding time to do nothing at all will re-invigorate your writing.  Take a day off and when you come back to the keyboard you just might get lost in your story.

Of course, you can take this thought too far...

Office Space

For the last year I have been doing my writing at a pub table in the den.  Not the most productive area.  The den is full of distractions, including my beautiful wife who wanders through, sometimes in nothing but a t-shirt.

I am the type of writer that needs an environment conducive to, well, writing.  Although the den is definitely not that environment, I have surprised myself and finished up quite a bit of work.  Come on, I published a book while working in that environment.  Well, that is officially over.  I have returned to my office; my writing environment.

The room has been painted and the old twin bed moved away.  I bought a nice desk that will hold my computer, printer, and the various books I use when I am in full writing mode.  This new office is for one thing, and one thing only; writing.  If I want to take a break and surf the net a bit, I leave my office and go to the other computer.  This way my mind remains in writing mode while I am in my office.

It's really amazing how well this works.  I had some of my most productive days in that office, before it was occupied by another for a year.  Tonight, I dive back into some very serious writing, and I can't wait.  I have been productive as of late, but this change of environment is what I have been wanting for quite some time.  No more barstool.  I can sit at a desk and unload the voices in my head.

Now, where is my red stapler?

Characters v. Outline

One topic that makes its rounds a couple of times a year on workshop forums is the outline.  Some writer's will create an outline for their story, a hiking trail if you will, while other's preach the evil's of such organization.  Reader's would likely be surprised about the arguments that ensue among authors about this singular tool.  I have even listened to lectures where the speaker claims that a novel sans outline is destined for failure.

To both arguments, I say whatever.

After my novels have been written in my head, an outline is created.  By no stretch of the imagination is the outline a concrete entity.  It can't be, at least for my writing style.  It's begins as a basic outline; a beginning, the outhouse orcs, and an end.  As developement progresses, the outline maps out each chapter in a general sense.  But, like any map, there are places along the road that just aren't shown and you discover them along the way.  And don't forget the occasional flat tire and blown fuel pump that can cause a delay in your journey.

Then there are those lousy, good-for-nothing, disobeying, free-will, hateful, outline trashing characters.

With my writing style, no outline is impervious to character intervention.  Aeldon, a character from the Drums of Rallinwar series, begins as a not-so-bad prince.  His qualities bring you to hate him and love him.  You want this guy to grow out of his hatred and become the good man that he is quite capable of becoming.  The outline for the follow-up to Blood of Two has Aeldon growing closer to the man we all want him to be.  The dirtbag just doesn't want to do it.

As much as I prod and pull him toward his good side, he resists.  He'll launch an inkpot across the room, punch someone in the face, and preach the virtues of keeping the elves and dwarves in their place.  There are times when I look up from the keyboard, I expect to see an inkstain on the wall, or on my outlline.

With almost every scene a character will bring cause to alter the outline.  An encounter in a city is scrubbed because somebody decides it's too dangerous to venture into it.  Another chapter has to be added because a character decides that someone needs to be thrown into the dungeon.

My outlines are organic.  They change as the manuscript is written and all of the changes are due to character's decisions.  In the war between characters and outlines, it is a stalemate.  Neither wins, they both adjust.

Shameless plug:  Blood of Two: Book One in the Drums of Rallinwar series by C. Hollis Gunter is available at most e-book outlets such as: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, smashwords, Sony ebook store, Kobo books, and Diesel ebooks.  You can find the book by searching on their sites for Blood of Two, or C. Hollis Gunter.  Buy it, read it, rate it, review it.

Looking Back

2012 is winding down and instead of waiting around for its grand exit, I figured I would take a look back at the year now.  And what a year it was.

In January I was sitting on a completed rough draft of Blood of Two feeling a bit discouraged.  I had shelved the manuscript because it was the first of many in that story line, which is not an easy sell for a first time author.  Don't take that wrong; I don't walk away from difficulty, but from what I understood it was such a hard sell that it would be counter-productive.  So, Blood was shelved and work was underway on a stand alone novel .

Progress on Condr (the stand-alone novel) was labored, which is why I felt discouraged.  It is, without a doubt, a story that will get written, but it now sits on the shelf where Blood of Two once resided.

In May I purchased a cheap book for my Kindle.  The story was engaging, though the prose was littered with errors.  Even some of the phrases used had no business in a fantasy setting.  I was quite surprised to find that the author was an Indie.  No publisher had gotten their hands on the manuscript (and it showed), but it was selling.  Thus began my travels down a road that has really changed my life.

I began in earnest to edit Blood of Two, with a little help from my friends.  A breath of life had permeated my writing and the obsession has yet to subside.  In August I published Blood of Two and in September I began its follow-up.

Sales have been as expected, which is honestly unimpressive to the outsider looking in.  For those in the industry, which I am now a part of, my sales are considered average.  Again, sales of Blood of Two are going as expected.  I have sold more books than I have friends, and have gotten positive feedback from people that I have never met.  All things considered, life is good.

Since Blood of Two went on sale my writing life has been divided between actual writing, marketing research, and marketing.  Busy is the word.  I work, then I come home and write.  Life is good and life is different.

As 2012 winds down I find that I am now a writer.  I am a published author.  Strangers have seen what bounces around in my head and they approve.  On one hand this is surreal, on the other I can't help but think 'It's about damn time'.

As I move into 2013 my goals circulate through the veins of writing.  I have a short story about Celeste that I intend on releasing as a freebie.  I have two others about Princess Elanya, one of them a bit more light-hearted than most of my writing, and another story about Jaron Senith's nephew, Alik, who is shaping up to become a player in the Drums of Rallinwar storyline.  And, of course, the follow-up to Blood of Two is in the works.

Looking back, 2012 wasn't busy at all.  At least not compared to 2013.

The Word Count Trap

I took years to write Blood of Two.  What was the hurry?  I have a well paying job that I enjoy; writing was a hobby.  Now, I have a deadline for the follow-up (self-imposed as it is), and writing has transformed from hobby to second job (that I love).

In order to meet my deadline I should probably have a goal of where I should be at certain time; rough draft done by a certain date, first edit done by another date, etc.  Well, I don't.  Kinda.  Sorta.  Okay, I have a rough idea of where I need to be.  For example, by May I need to be working with editors on the almost finished manuscript.  By the end of July I need to be wrapping it all up in a pretty bow, and by August I should be publishing it.  Really, really, loose goals that some writer's would cringe at, while others would be like "That's about right."

In the writing world there is a lot of discussion about word count production.  Two thousand words a day!  You have to write at least two thousand words a day.  I stick my tongue out in your general direction.

I work a sixty hour week.  According to some studys, I should be getting about 56 hours of sleep a week.  Which leaves behind 52 waking hours I am not at work.  Take those hours and subtract a little thing called life.  Unclogging a drain, paying that guy named Bill, fetching groceries, eating said groceries, actually speaking with that other person who has tolerated you and your fantasy world for 25 years, and finally just a few hours of kicking back and enjoying what you have worked for.  Not much left over for a second career in writing.

I spend anywhere from seven to fifteen hours a week on writing.  Don't make the mistake in thinking that all of those hours are spent typing the next book.  I have to sell what I have already written, so a significant amount of time is spent in the marketing arena.  Then there is research, which just baffles me; I write fantasy because I'm too lazy to do research, yet I find myself looking up things like the anatomy of a sword...  And of course, there is other prep work involved with the new novel.  Maps to be drawn up, new characters to be fleshed out, etc.  All told, I probably spend around seven hours a week actually writing the book.

So word production should be a primary goal, right?  Wrong.  Granted, my initial brain purge is crap when compared to the finished product, but if I focus on that word count on the bottom left of the screen, then my focus is not where it should be.  My focus is creating an engaging story.  If you are focused on word count, then the story could very well suffer.

This is not to say that I don't track my progress by word count.  Every night, just before I close the laptop, I will write down the word count of the novel.  Sometimes I look at that notebook page and think "Damn, did pretty good last week."  I like to see that number get larger on a daily basis; it means I am moving ahead.  The number of words I write each night fluctuates between 900 and 3000.  I am happy with either number (though admittedly ecstatic with 3000).

Of course, I work in the Quality department at my regular job, so quality before quantity is embedded in my being.  Just don't get caught up in that word count trap.  If you have a smile on your face when you finish up for the evening, then I think that alone is worth 2000 words.

Shameless plug:  Blood of Two, Book One in the Drums of Rallinwar series by C. Hollis Gunter is available where e-books are sold.  Check it out at outlets such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Deisel, and Smashwords.  Read it, rate it, review it.

Sometimes it just works

Since the release of Blood of Two in August, I have had conversations with readers (some friends/family, some not).  To my pleasant surprise, some elements of my story worked how I wanted them to.

When I created Tarimot, he was to be the comic relief, but he didn't agree.  He became more of the advisor to the group and not so much funny, though he does have his moments.  But, one of the things that I used to round him out was his speech pattern.  I actually have a file called Tarimots cadence that I revisit from time to time just to make sure I write his dialog correctly.  In my mind, this wasn't really a big thing, but many of the readers picked up on this and were complementary of it.  I was told by one reader that he felt like I could write a paragraph of Tarimot's dialog, and it would be apparent that he was the speaker without the use of a speaker attribute.  If I could pull this off with all of my characters, I would be ecstatic.

Blood of Two had its share of unexpected events, at least I hoped it did when I was writing them.  Again, I was happy to find out that they worked as I wanted.  One character was expected to go off the deep end, but most of the readers didn't expect the degree of the dive.  There were a couple of deaths in the book, and one in particular that made a reader or two really ticked at the author (mission accomplished).  I wanted to create characters that got the reader hooked, and for the most part I succeeded.

One death scene received the greatest complement I could hear.  The reader told me that the emotion and reactions of the characters around this one death was so spot on that he assumed that I had suffered the same loss.  I was so taken aback that I failed to tell him that I hadn't.

And finally, there was the end of the book.  I agonized over it for months.  It still bothers me from time to time.  It came across as so damned altruistic, but the readers liked it.  That's what counts in this business of sharing the imagination.

The point of this post?  I once read, in one of my many writing books, that if you are particularly proud of a scene, or phrase, get rid of it.  Balderdash.  If after a few edits, you are still proud of it, then it must be good.  I have several readers that will back me up on this one.

Sometimes, it just works.

Shameless plug:
Blood of Two (Drums of Rallinwar: Book One) is available at most e-book outlets.  Check it out at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Diesel, Smashwords, and other electronic retailers.  Buy it, rate it, review it.

An Artist Needs Feedback

For those of you who know me, this post may appear to be entirely out of character.  I have lived most of my life bearing little concern for what people think of me, or what I do.  And then I wrote a book.

To this point, sales of Blood of Two have been as expected.  As I peruse the reports, numbers from the different outlets are beginning to come in and they are good, not great, but good.  What I am lacking is reviews.  Currently, Blood of Two has three reviews on Amazon.  As a percentage of books sold, this is a very low number of reviews.  This is where my personality takes an about face.  I want to know what you think.  Make that, I NEED to know what you think.

I have received feedback from those close to me, and even a handful of people that I don't know.  Overall the feedback has been good.  Most importantly, I have heard a few comments about how the story could be improved.  And that is what feedback is all about.

While positive reviews and feedback is awesome and extremely encouraging, the negative feedback is just as important.  When someone has something not so complementary about Blood of Two, I carefully weigh the criticism.  Is it personal taste, or is it something that I can use to improve the next project?

There is not much I can do about someone's taste in books.  There are multiple genre's out there and varying styles of authors.  If you didn't like Blood of Two because it's just not for you, then it's just not for you.  However, if you didn't like the book because there was not enough swords in the neck, or the imagery wasn't clear, then if I feel like there is validity to your argument; I can improve the next book utilizing your input.  We both win.  You get a book that is more enjoyable to you, and I get a book that sells.

Here's the other part.  I won't walk up to you and ask what you thought of the book.  Why?  This puts you in an awkward position.  Do you tell me the truth, or just tell me it was great and change the subject?  Right or wrong, this is how I am.  If you read my book and see me on a regular basis and never mention it, I can assume you didn't like it.  I'm curious.  I want to know why.  But, I won't ask.  I don't want to put you on the spot.  Just realize, no matter what you thought of the book, I NEED to know.

An artist needs feedback.  No matter the medium; paints, photography, words, chalk, or yarn.  An artist needs feedback.

To improve.

Shameless plug:
Blood of Two, book one in the Drums of Rallinwar series, by C. Hollis Gunter is available at most e-book outlets including: Barnes and Noble, Amazon, iTunes, and Smashwords.

Character Creation

In this ultr-political season my cynicism is at an explosive level, so I have opted not to subject you to my thoughts on liars and the morally reprehensible running for office...

I have been plugging away at book two in the Drums of Rallinwar series.  The process is slow going, not because of the story, but because of the characters that must be created.  You see, I have an issue with just slapping a name and description into the text and moving on; every character in my books has a story.

Leandros Coth plays a larger role in Book Two and when it came to writing his first scene I had two new characters to introduce.  The first character is his right hand man, Enicks.  The second is his lover/girlfriend/housekeeper.  Before I could introduce these characters I had to write up a sketch for each of them.  All of my character sketches are of the same format and provide specific information for them.  As you have most likely guessed, the information includes: name, height, age, build (or weight), but there is other important information that helps me flesh out these characters.

I include their family, not always names, but what family members they have; mother, father, wife, children, etc.  This helps in how they interact with other characters.  Think about it.  If you have children, you look at friends that don't just a little differently.  If you are unmarried, your married friends treat you a little differently.  What family you have, and who they are (or were), has an impact on your personality.  Like it or not.

I include a brief history of the character, which often leads to a short story to write when time permits.  This also provides a little insight to the character's personality.  In the case of Tandy Aramel (a new character in book two), her family was murdered by soldiers.  It is only natural that she mistrusts military.

The last item on a character dossier, and possibly the most important, is there desires.  What does this character want?  What a character wants often drives their decisions.  In the case of Enicks, he wants nothing more than to please his boss, Leandros.  Why?  Because Leandros is a rich business man with no known heirs.  In Enicks mind, if he serves Leandros to perfection he just might get a cut of his wealth with the man kicks over.

As I mentioned before, a lot of times these sketches lead to a story outside of the book.  I have written several shorts that involved many of my characters.  It's a nice distraction, and it also helps me to understand who these characters are.

Of course, it is my hope that this creation process makes the characters real for you, the reader.

Shameless plug:
If you haven't picked it up yet, Blood of Two by C. Hollis Gunter is available in electronic format at most e-book retailers.  A paperback copy can also be found at Amazon.
The ebook is cheap, only $2.99.  Pick it up, read it, and let me know what you think.

Characters do the Darndest Things

I get asked a couple of standard questions by those who have read Blood of Two.

What will happen to (insert character name here) in the second book?
How many books will encompass Drums of Rallinwar?

Both of these questions can only be answered by the characters.  Sorry, I have little to no input here.  I know it sounds a bit looney, but it is true.

When I sit down to write, I have an idea of what scenes I will be writing that day.  This usually goes hand in hand with a (loose) outline of the book.  That is as far as I can plan, because more often than not, the characters have their own ideas of what needs to happen.

Each character has their own personality.  While I may want Aeldon to sit back and take insolence from one of the Keeper's; he has other ideas.  You can guess where he will take a scene, and it will usually end with a sore hand.  I can't force a character to do something that is a departure from their personality.  That is not to say that they never surprise me.

The first scene in the second book with Qa'Veck took me off guard.  It was a simple scene meant to show us his new duties.  His reaction to the changes in Dalthanalle was not what I expected, yet it fit with his character.  Unfortunately, his reaction doesn't fit with a future scene I had schemed for him.

So, you see, I know what I want to happen in book two, but the mystery remains as to what the characters will allow to happen.  The destination is clear, but they are the navigators for this journey, and some of the paths they choose make driving difficult.  Maybe difficult is a poor choice of words.  Exciting, interesting.  Definately different than I had planned.

C. Hollis Gunter
p.s.  I sign this post only to populate search engines...
p.s.s  But who is going to google my name...
p.s.s.s  Maybe I should also include:  author of Blood of Two...
p.s.s.s.s  Now who would google that?

One Month In

A month ago today I began my journey as an author and published Blood of Two.  I suppose a writer diving off into this adventure without their eyes wide open would be disappointed at this point, but the results are what I expected.

One month in, I am not a rich man, nor am I a famous author.  Neither of which was something that I expected.  Am I content?  No.  Am I discouraged?  No.  As far as sales are concerned, the book has met my expectations at this point.

This is part of writing a book that is the most challenging for myself; marketing.  I have never been adept at selling anything, including myself.  I think numerous failed job interviews serve as testimony to that statement.  So, this is another lesson that I need to learn.  Hey, I taught myself computer programming and have become quite proficient at it, I can teach myself to market my book.  I hope.

The most difficult part of marketing is convincing myself that time spent in that arena is part of my writing.  I spent two hours last night working on the marketing aspect, all the while pining that I should be working on the follow-up to Blood.  In essence, I was, as well as continuing my work on Blood of Two.

The one thing that I didn't expect when I published Blood of Two was the feedback.  Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have published the book if I didn't think it was worthy.  However, often what I think is good is not what other's think is good.  The feedback has blown me away.

I have read reader reviews of Blood that were critical of certain aspects as well as complimentary of the book.  And for the most part, I agreed.  I was also elated that people that I didn't know enjoyed the story.  My friends and family, of course, have been extremely encouraging, which is priceless.  But when a complete stranger praises my work, it seems to add credence to what I have been told by those close to me.  These comments give me drive to continue.  Hell, even the criticisms give me drive to carry on.

I am doing something that I enjoy and people appreciate what I am doing.  My gut tells me that the sales will eventually pick up, with a little help.  So, I am happy with the process so far.

One month in and I'm not concerned with the sales, my concern lies with completing book two.  In eleven months I hope to do a search for C. Hollis Gunter on Amazon and see two titles.  And I hope that it is received as well as Blood of Two.

If You Read it, Review it

An honest review is as good as gold.

The world of independent publishing is populated with get-rich-quick schemers.  Formulae are being developed and some claim they have found perfection in theirs.  Write a book, e-publish it, market it through social networking, purchase online reviews, write another within six months, rinse and repeat.  By book number 3 (or five depending on who you believe), you will be able to quit your day job.

Did you catch that little piece about purchasing online reviews?  They are available for purchase, and not just for books.  And do you really think someone is going to pay for a review that is not a positive review?

I will say it now:  If you purchase a review for your book, you are NOT an author.

This practice does not bode well for the serious writer.  As a reader, if I surf around on an online retailer and find a 99 cent book that has a plethora of 5 star reviews and that book sucks, I will be wary of the next 99 cent book with a five star rating.  Eventually, if I get bitten enough, I will view all 99 cent books as useless crap.  Which, by the way, I do.

I like to support my fellow independent authors, so I have purchased quite a few titles written by them.  I have come across quite a few gems, but I have also found books that should have been left on a hard drive that was about to crash.  Almost every one of the hack jobs that I have read had nothing but positive reviews.

If every review for your title is an honest review, you will NOT have an overall five star rating.  Somewhere in that list of reviews, someone will give it less than five stars.  It is a fact of life.  People's taste in fiction is different.  What one person loves about your book, another will absolutely hate about it.  In the world of the internet, people are not afraid to tell you how they feel.

Don't believe me?  Check out the reviews for some of the classics on Amazon.  Take a gander at George R. R. Martin's reviews for his latest book, and everything this man touches lately is gold.

Bottom line:  The industry needs honest reviews.  Whether you liked the book or not, your review can be helpful to the author.  Maybe you disliked an element that the author thought they pulled off well, and you pointing it out brings to light a way for them to improve.  Maybe the book is just crap and readers need to be warned off of it.  Write the review.  Be honest.  Be tactful.  If you are hateful, or attack the author, the review will likely be ignored.  Have I said it yet?  BE HONEST!  I mean this whole-heartedly.  If you don't like my book I want to know why, and I believe most true author's should be like this.

If you read it, review it.

And I mean it.

Anybody want a peanut?

Vacation is Over

Blood of Two was published some three weeks ago and I took some time off from writing.  Last week I took off from my real job.  Today; I am back.  Back and excited for what is to come.
This evening I will dive back into book two and the thoughts churning through my mind have me anxious to put them in print.  The people in my head have been quite active these past few weeks.

A large part of my excitement is the feedback I have received from Blood of Two.  To be honest, I didn't expect much, but a couple of reviews on Amazon, and some comments from people I know have been more than encouraging.  Sales have been what I expected, being a debut novel and I can feel this train gathering momentum as it chugs away from the station.

My target date for book two is August of 2013.  I would love to have it out sooner, but I am not going to force the process.  For myself, there are a lot of steps in the process of making a publishable novel and to skip those steps would be to create a substandard work.  I will not push out a book that isn't ready for the reader.

One thing that kept coming back to me these last three weeks:  I am a writer.  Of all the things that I have been labeled throughout my life, this title has its own special feeling.  It is something that I have wanted to be for a long, long time.  I am a husband, a father, a brother, a son, and soon to be a grandfather, all of which have significant meaning and a special place in my life, but now, I am also a writer.  My brother is a photographer, my son a musician, and me, well, I am a writer.  Damn that feels good.

Vacation is over.  Time for me to get back to being a writer.

Lessons Learned

Now that the dust has settled on my start into this e-publishing adventure, I thought it might help others if I shared a few of the things that I have learned through this process.  By no means am I an expert now.  I think it's safe to say that I know just enough to get the job done.  I still have a lot to learn, but here is what I have learned to this point.

There are several resources available to the new author, and the more you read the more prepared you can be.  One of the first things you have to remember in the world of e-readers is:  What you see is not what you get.  By this I mean that your manuscript, as it appears in MSWord, is not as it appears on a Kindle, Nook, or the plethora of other mechanisms.  You have to take that wonderful manuscript and butcher it up to make it look good.

The best place to start is BEFORE you begin your manuscript.  Unfortunately, most of us don't know this until we have spent many long hours on our manuscript.  So, be prepared to spend hours doctoring up your work.  Be patient.  Don't skip any steps in the process, it will only prolong the process.

Save your original manuscript and modify a copy of it for the conversion process.  This way, you always have the original to fall back on.

A good starting point is to read David Dalglish's blog entry on this subject.  It is a good quick-and-dirty look at prepping your manuscript, but it is not the end all.  There are aspects of the journey that he doesn't cover, but I would consider this a must read.  Especially for those of you who are not on friendly terms with your computer.

Amazon Kindle

Step one is to download a free copy of Building Your Book for Kindle.  Give it a read at work, during your breaks of course.  Then open up your manuscript and just follow the instructions in the book.  Again, don't skip any steps in the process (especially the table of contents part...).
Amazon actually makes this whole thing fairly simple.  Once you have finished following the process that the book spells out, you will have an html file ready to upload to Amazon.  The most challenging part for me was formating the book cover correctly.

Smashwords

Download the free copy of the Smashwords Style Guide.  Just like with Amazon, follow the instructions in the guide, and do not skip any steps.
Smashwords is bit more demanding than Amazon.  This is because of the premium outlets like Apple and Barnes and Noble.  Your electronic book has to be formatted properly before they will send it on to other outlets.  Keep in mind, the 'meatgrinder' at Smashwords will not catch some formatting errors.  So even though your book may be approved by the software, issues can still exist.
When I uploaded my book the first time, I saw that text on the left hand side was cut off on Apple devices, and the map in my book would not show, yet the 'meatgrinder' accepted the book.  When the book completed the second step of the process (real people taking a look at it), I was instructed to fix these things.  Without a doubt I lost some sales here, because before the book made it to the second part of this process several people had already viewed the sample and most likely written it off because of formatting errors.
Again, do not skip any steps outlined in the style guide and you can avoid losing sales.  Take your time going through all this.  I know, you're ready to get your book out there, but getting in a rush will cost you.

Createspace

So you spend several hours working on your manuscript formatting it in silly ways to translate to the multitude of e-readers.  You head is stuck in the what-you-see-is-not-what-you-get mode.  Go eat a sandwich, watch TV, mow the lawn, whatever you need to do to get out of that mode.  Because when it comes to creating the print version with Createspace, what you see IS what you get.

Quite frankly, the print version of Blood of Two is embarrassing.  I love the cover, but the inner content looks cheap.  It looks cheap because I failed to make it look like a standard book.  Set up your word processor to reflect the print size of your book.  In my case it was 6x9.  Once you do that, grab a book off your shelf and see what you can do to make your document emulate that professionally published book.  What you see on your computer screen is what you will see on the printed page.

Again, take your time.  You want your book to look its best.  Take no shortcuts.  You took months to write your book, take a few hours to present your book at its best.  Do not make the same mistake I made.

I know there isn't much here, but the main thing to remember is patience.  Don't think that you will go home on a Tuesday night and be published by the time you head to bed.  While it is very possible that will happen, you can't jog into the process with that attitude.  Take your time to do it right.  It doesn't matter if you've written a masterpiece if people can't read it.

Coming Soon

People keep asking me if I am excited.  The simple answer is:  No.  I am anxious.

Just how will this book do?  I don't expect to sell more than a few copies, but those few who purchase it; how will it be perceived by them?  Friends, family, I mean no offense, but you are supposed to tell me you like it, even if you don't.  So, if you tell me it is good, by default I won't believe you.  Now, if you tell me you didn't like it, then I just might believe you.  However, if a complete stranger likes my book, then maybe I have hit on something.

Kind of weird when you think about it.  This is one of those few cases where someone would trust a stranger over family or a friend.

No, I am not excited about the impending release.  I am nervous as I could possibly be (translated to southernese:  Nervous as all get out).  I have spent a considerable amount of time (just ask my neglected wife) on this book, and it is an awful thought that it could just plain suck.  Nervous, nervous as can be.

Anyway, the book will be released in electronic and print format sometime between now and August 31.  I do hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Yo! Thanks

Most likely my last round of pencil edits is behind me.  I will spend the next week turning those margin notes into text and giving the book one last read.  After that, I have a "buy my book!" paragraph to drum up, and the Author Notes for the end of the book.  As I stretch my legs for this home stretch run, I just needed to say one thing:

Thank You!

There have been several people over the years that have motivated me to pursue this craft, either directly or indirectly.  On top of those people, there have been a handful more that have helped me take a rough draft to a (pardon my modesty) really good manuscript.

And then there is this social networking BS.  For those who know me personally, you know why I call it BS.  I am not exactly what one would refer to as a "people person".  I suppose it may be the fact that my mind lives in another world.  This whole social networking thing is really stretching my limits and has been an element leagues outside of my comfort zone, but for some off-the-wall reason it is working for me.

I look back at the history of this blog and can already see positive results.  The month of July alone has garnered more traffic than the last two years.  So, somebody actually reads what this old man has to say?  Seriously though, thank you to those of you that do read it.  And an even bigger thanks to those who refer this blog to other's.

Twitter.  Oy.  A place where I am compelled to come up with something to say on a regular basis.  I don't even talk to myself on a regular basis.  But, again, I have seen positive results come from my involvement in that area.  We will see if it translates into sales, but I doubt you will find me putting out the daily "Buy my book" tweet.  That's just not me.

Facebook.  Well my wife posted something on her Facebook account the other day about my upcoming novel.  Unlike myself, my wife is a popular person on Facebook.  That one post brought traffic to the World of Nilrus Facebook page, and I can only believe that more will follow.

Thank you to all of you who follow my progress and spread the word about my upcoming book.  Like I've mentioned previously, I'm not out to make it rich.  I just want to tell my stories.