So I thought I would post the Y post today for the A to Z challenge, but I didn’t get around to it so it looks like I’ll be doing Y and Z tomorrow. And yes, I know that “expectations” was a cop-out for X, but hey, at least I didn’t spell it “x-pectations.” As… Continue reading A few quick updates
Category: Star Wanderers
X is for Expectations
What sort of expectations should or shouldn’t you have when you start self-publishing? What is plausible, and what is unrealistic? Honestly, it’s probably a good idea to go into it with expectations that are fairly low. Most books don’t sell more than a handful of copies, and there’s no way to tell what will and… Continue reading X is for Expectations
W is for Writing the Next One
If you want to make a living as a writer, you’ve got to write a lot of books. One book is not sufficient to make a career, unless you’re the exception that proves the rule. But that’s okay, because writing is probably the thing that made you want to do this as a career in… Continue reading W is for Writing the Next One
U is for Uncertainty
There’s a lot of uncertainty that comes with being a working writer. I’m caught up in the middle of it right now as I get ready to launch a new series, and it’s enough to drive me crazy. First of all, I’m not sure whether this new series, Sons of the Starfarers, will do well… Continue reading U is for Uncertainty
P is for Pricing
One of the most contentious issues among indie writers is how to price our books. With self-publishing, the decision is left up to the author, which can lead to some wacky rationales for pricing. Here are just a few of them: My book is worth more than a cup of coffee. This is clearly a… Continue reading P is for Pricing
M is for Marketing
Whenever indie writers get together to talk shop, the discussion almost always turns to marketing. How to sell more books and get more readers–that’s what everyone wants to know. Honestly, I’m not much of a marketing expert. My approach to marketing can basically be summed up in one sentence: “figure it out later.” That is… Continue reading M is for Marketing
K is for Keywords
I’ll take a quick break from formatting and uploading to do today’s A to Z post. Since B was on blurbs and C was on cover art, I figure it’s only natural that K should be on keywords. Cover art and book blurbs are definitely important in making a book stand out in all the… Continue reading K is for Keywords
New STAR WANDERERS cover art!
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I was getting some new cover art for the Star Wanderers books. Well, the art for the first half of the series is in–check it out! A big thanks to Libbie Hawker, who did the cover art. I’m really pleased with how they’ve come out so far.… Continue reading New STAR WANDERERS cover art!
G is for Genre
Are there certain genres that indie writers should write in if they want to be successful? Are there other genres that they should avoid? This is one of those pieces of common wisdom that really irks me, and not just because I write in a genre (science fiction) that isn’t as mainstream or popular as… Continue reading G is for Genre
D is for Discoverability
If there’s one thing that indie writers like to talk about when they talk shop, it’s “discoverability”–how to make their books stand out so that readers can discover them. You don’t have to spend much time on author blogs or writing forums to find some pretty intense discussions about this topic. For those of us… Continue reading D is for Discoverability