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Marketing Woes – Open Book Blog Hop #326

May 23, 2022 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #326
We’ve shared marketing tips that worked for us.
What have you tried that didn’t work?

Welcome back to another Open Book Blog Hop! The authors included in this ongoing series wish to thank you for your reads. Even more so, we appreciate that you share our writings with friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Prepare to become a regular reader.

Marketing woes are certain in the writing world. Even if you get the coveted contract with a mainstream big publisher, you’ll find yourself doing the bulk of that work. They aren’t investing in anyone below their top tier authors who have proved their clout. That business is run to make as much money off of others’ intellectual property as possible. This will include mitigating loses from those they take a gamble on.

Building a following will all be on the shoulders of the author. Crowds are fickle. You’ll be competing with celebrities as well as people who seem to just attract others to them with little effort. Proving you have something worth another person’s time is a struggle, and in writing it’s an extra-special struggle. Marketing woes are just part of the business.

Building a following is a struggle…

Books have always been a niche commodity. Back when they started only a select section of the population could afford them or wanted to bother with them. While there was a long span of time when books were the main form of escapist entertainment or information, there was also a huge suspicion and suppression of intellectual property. (I’ll refer you to the days when books were accused of giving women hysterical brain fever.) Valuing books, therefore, has been the purview of the rarer set.

With all of that taken into consideration, authors face a huge uphill battle. Their appeal will be to a specific section of the world population, reducing the number of exponentially right off the bat. Then, their genre will narrow the field further, as well as their gender and name recognition. What is a new author to do? Don’t despair as you shuffle through the marketing woes and figure this out. It’s normal.

I wish I had the fool-proof answer for you. What works is different for every author. You could have the magnetism that automatically makes you a contender, or you’re going to have to fight for the clout to be respected and therefore sought after. There’s no way around that. When you fall into the latter, as the majority of us do, what works is going to change and change as often as you’ll change your socks.

What worked yesterday for your colleague will cease to work quickly. I’ve experienced this first hand. Following a tried and true marketing method only works if it’s a brand new plan. Once it’s been around for a few months, the crowd get wise to the schlep. There are some articles out there on what you can do, in regards to small businesses. Please do start thinking of yourself in that manner, whether you like it or not. What certainly doesn’t work is feeling art is above commodity.

I don’t believe that the buy my book posts are at as high of failure rate as some say, however. A lot of advice in this area pans these right off. However, I’ve seen authors who have a steady stream about their books do much better than those who are just trying to connect with others on a personal level. Most of my followers aren’t even aware I write, because most of my posts don’t make it to their feed due to the busted algorithm of social media. And, that’s on purpose! Repeating these posts is effective. Yet, you can do too much, at the same time.

Let me explain why buy my book posts can be beneficial…

If you weren’t aware, social media helps the moneyed business stay on top, because those businesses have the capital to stay up there. Independent or small authors don’t have anywhere near this kind of funding. Trust me when I say that the big house publisher’s marketing teams are working hard to erase you from the feeds, because if that audience is buying from you, they’re not getting a cut! It serves them well to beat you down.

This is why your book doesn’t rank on Amazon for long either. You’re fighting a system that was put in place to serve those with money and clout, and protect their interests. Fighting that system is going to take a lot of effort and capital. Therefore, all those buy my book posts aren’t seen frequently by the readers they need to reach. The more you put them out, the more likely you are to annoy fellow authors who don’t want to see them gumming up their feed. And, they’re going to mute or block you, further limiting your reach.

This said, there is a sweet spot that you can reach. Make sure you’re posting valuable content for your potential readers and mixing in the book ad content to make them aware that you have something for them, too. You can make friends with others online, but the main thing you’re looking to do is provide them something quality to consume that draws them into you as an entertainment provider.

What’s the magic mix? That will entirely depend on you! As I stated above, if you automatically draw audiences to you, then you’ll do find on a 25% book ad basis. Someone who struggles will need to find out what is effective, and what works well with the algorithm of the media they’re working on. What is effective on Twitter is going to be different than what is effective on Pinterest, Facebook, Tumblr., or any other platform.

Do you see why this is so time consuming and such a fight? If you do, then you see why it doesn’t always work, too. The trial and error is a straight pain in the neck! While the platforms provide you tools, at the end of the day, you the author are not an experienced marketing team who understands how to analyze that information. Not only do authors need to study writing, but they need to study film, communications, and marketing to make a platform quickly effective.

What can you do?

I’m not lying. Yes, it is ludicrous. No, it’s not your fault. This is the fight we have when facing an industry that wants to cut us out because we’ve found a way to cut them out. This is a long haul effort, full of marketing woes! You’ll have to be quick on your feet, and calculating. Just don’t lose your genuineness. If anything works a genuine person will always rise above.

Keep in mind, too, that authors providing insight on their marketing woes is either a risk on their part for being honest, or a calculated maneuver. What do I mean by calculated? I’m not saying that all authors do this, but I believe there is a drive to mislead for one’s own benefit. Certainly not every author who falls onto this end of things is trying to harm you. Maybe they just want to see less buy my book posts, because their feed is inundated (they should just stop following a majority of other authors–which is another thing that really doesn’t help).

Of course, I am coming out and saying there are nefarious actors out there with the intent of purposely misleading authors. Rose colored glasses aren’t going to help you run a successful business as an author. Believing that every person out there has your best interest in mind doesn’t work for your personal life any more than it does for your author life. Be careful out there. Be discerning. Surround yourself with great people who enrich your life and whose lives you can enrich in return.

Also, take a minute to hop through the links below to read what the other authors on this hop have to say about this topic. If my advice doesn’t resonate with you, maybe theirs will. If it does, you’ll probably find more to add to your plan with them.

Names Are Everything – Open Book Blog Hop #325

May 16, 2022 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #325
How do you come up with the names for your characters?

Names are Everything. I emphasize this because it is so true it often is taken for granted in literary studies as well as by casual readers. Part of that is name meanings can be a bit of a trope-y device. Meaning, that it’s a well-duh, yeah kind of convention in writing. This said, not every writer even considers the meaning or nuances a name can provide a character. Most just like a name and go with it. The name can sometimes provide lucky happenstance when the meaning and the character personality, or the book theme, coincide. However, this shouldn’t just be left to chance. Being a great writer means having depth and writing with thoroughness of intention.

Some critics may feel that that giving characters meaningful names is unsophisticated and a waste of time. Those folks probably don’t appreciate the Easter eggs that filmmakers, comic book artists, game makers, etc. put into their work either. It takes some effort to unpack the intertexts. If you aren’t in the know, they’ll fly right over your head. So, therefore, they want things short and simple.

There’s sense in this argument as far as audience attention spans can be short, and the market is demanding hyper simple and short works to consume, which can also easily be adapted for other media without much effort. Easter eggs like names can bog that process down by making a book denser–more to explain to the reader, or which to allude.

To that, I say, not all books are for all people. Not all art will make meaning for all people. The Easter eggs are meant for a subset who like such brain puzzles, those who are in on the fandoms targeted, and literary enthusiasts who are always looking for more. Names being full of meaning provide a treasure to readers who like to go back and read books over again. The richness of this simple bonus can provide so much in the end.

So, how do I go about finding names? That depends on the type of work I am undertaking. A number of factors come into play: era/time period, setting, location, gender, and personality to name the main directives (mark that down historical fiction writers because boy does it matter). You’re not going to name a Greek Philosopher of the classical age Bob. And, please don’t trust baby name sites all the way. They provide a lot of information, but Hunter wasn’t a first name used in 16th century Europe (or anywhere). It was a surname attached to vocation.

You can really ruin your work by not taking care with names. As stated above, using names out of time would be tragic. You have a lot more leeway with fantasy and science fiction, but high fantasy likes to reflect the Middle Ages. You know what else can ruin your work via names? Choosing made up fantasy names that don’t make use of the linguistic conventions that would inform your world. For instance, Tolkien used a Finnish dialect for his elves. The Riders of Rohan had Norse elements. The Hobbits were as British as their creator.

Image by suju-foto on Pixabay. A neast in the green grass full of painted and designed easter eggs in brilliant colors. — Image by suju-foto from Pixabay

I’ve been there, trying to come up with a name for an elf and jotting down something like Starla. However, my character isn’t an 1980s stripper from a largely isolated, small town. It’s cute and all, but it doesn’t really fit, and it creates a strain on taking your writing seriously. Ever pick up a book and the main character has a name that your ten-year-old would give their fairy doll? Let’s move away from that and toward something that will have your readers still reading and not rolling their eyes, asking themselves why they’re bothering.

To help, you’ll want to think about what culture(s) are inspiring your world. In my case, the duta are inspired by Hebrew and Hindu mythological figures and culture (including language). My research delved into old texts like the Key of Solomon and the German project that is working on Sanskrit. Then, I determined what each guardian’s role and order was to be. And, then, I had to flesh out those orders with a bit more detail to find out what would be my conventions for them.

If you think that’s too much to undertake, that’s totally up to you as a writer, but I will always follow this process, because it feels more authentic and serious to me and my process. Of course, I also get to learn a lot about history, mythology, and culture in the process. Learning is a bonus, and the greatest part of that bonus is passing that information to others.

I do use baby name resources, too. Vetting that information across several sources is a must, as I mentioned above, because it can be very wrong! Information existing on the internet is not proof that it’s fact. For instance, if they have it defined on one site in a particular way, this doesn’t mean that is the correct origin, usage, and meaning of the name. You’ll want to seek that consensus.

Other things to look for: Names that were once surnames (like our friend Hunter), have found common usage as first names in today’s cultures. Ethnic names for those groups torn from their ancestry are more recent and the reconstruction of their meanings are ongoing. Those you use could lack the historical context sought. You’ll need to consult someone who can answer those questions.

Lastly, if you’re writing something that is culturally sensitive and you’re seeking meanings, it is a wise idea to use a sensitivity consultant to help you reach your goals, especially when you come from a dominant gender/ethnicity. Not only could you look foolish, but you could harm your career and those you intend to support. Yes, they cost money, but money well-invested (if you really care as an ally and want to continue as a writer).

Names do truly matter. Putting in the effort will help your writing sparkle. Trust me when I say that your readers can tell if you’ve cut corners. If you cut corners here, where else aren’t you giving your time? Although you might feel that names aren’t so important as plotting flawlessly and editing strongly, a poorly chosen name can take your credibility down several notches, even if the critics feel it is a simplistic device and raise their noses to it. They’ll be first in line to mock your Starla the minute you name her.

Let’s look at some of the ladies from my work…

Emily:
Origin: The Latin name Aemilia became Emilia in Italian, and Emily in English. Emily Conrad is of British European descent. “The name Emily is derived from the Roman family name Aemilius. The Aemilius family was a prominent and powerful family in ancient Rome. The name may come from the Latin word aemulus meaning “rival,” or the Greek term aimylos meaning “wily” or “persuasive.”

Popular writers of the period: Emily Dickinson and Emily Brontë — think about Stuart’s desire for his daughter and Hettie to be well-read…

Claire:
Origin: Clair/Claire is a French adjective meaning “clear,” “light,” or “bright.” It can also be a noun meaning “light,” as in the phrase “clair de lune” (“light of the moon”).

Ranked 167 in 1922. Has attachment to wealthy/powerful families in it’s origins. The name meaning ties in with the idea of clarity. Claire definitely exhibits clairvoyance when it comes to Carsten!

Maiel

Origin: Hebrew – Key of Solomon – name of member of the host. There are multiple reasons that I chose this name including that I dreamed it and then found it in the Key linked to an important family number and my zodiac sign, which also corresponds to twins. Have I mentioned that these dreams are more than vivid?

I hope that this exhibits the importance and depth of what a name can mean within a book. Although some find it mundane, I find it to be a treasure box just waiting for readers to open up and find all the loot inside. That discovery can be thrilling for them as well as you!

Be sure to click through the links below to see how the other authors handle their naming conventions.

The Worst – Open Book Blog Hop #324

May 9, 2022 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #324
Do you remember the worst thing you have ever written? Will you share?

The worst thing I had ever written is probably somewhere in the stacks of notebooks housing unfinished works I began in the 1990s. I never threw them away. The idea was that maybe there was some merit to the ideas. However, once my pen had run dry on the stories, I shelved them, and I have not looked back.

waste basket with crumpled paper, scrap pile — Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

To tell you which of the multitude is the worst would take going through them all. Although I have hung onto them, I have no interest in peeking into those notebooks at this point. That said, when I begin the next leg of Trailokya, I will be cracking open the giant binders that contain a very different book series. That series does have merit, and I have never forgotten it.

Rewriting the work from high fantasy to a paranormal and science fiction based story is going to take some doing. That said, the story is worth that journey. I had always known its place wasn’t in the fantasy realm I had created for it. I felt like I was retreading ground already well-travelled. That annoyed me to death. It needed to be more unique. Until Trailokya came to paper, I had not come up with any ideas on how to do so.

I am thankful for the Trailokya series forging a world in which I can work apart from such heavily trodden ground and create a deeper, richer world all my own. All those dreams from my childhood through to today have helped me flesh out those ideas. This makes me happy. The story is definitely worth returning to and saving from mediocrity.

I think it will be fun to explore the mythos of alien races and worlds that humans have already built a culture around in the Roswell era. If you’ve read my series, you’ll note that the Aghartians reflect the race known within the community as Nordics. The other races will be there as well, cetians, zeta reticulans, lizards and so on. However, I will not be closely following what is already believed to be fact about them within that community. Frankly, none of it has been proven true, and that gives me a lot of leeway, while giving me an anchor within established human ideas.

Mythology will still take a great presence in the story, and humans will definitely be there to screw things up as they are wont to do in most stories. Yes, there will be a strong female lead to take charge of this tale, too. I’m still considering some tie-ins, such as Shee (sidhe), Cursia, Belial, and others.

I do remember throwing a very early work in the trash after high school. Most of that has faded and I can’t tell you anything about it, thankfully. I am sure that some of the ideas have been recycled in some fashion in my other work. That was a very freeing moment for me, besides. I had parted ways with something that was truly unsalvageable and I recognized that. As a writer, that is a necessary skill to have. Not all of us are so willing to part ways so permanently with our worst writing. The permanent loss of material is pretty scary. Have you ever accidentally deleted a word file? I have. I will never recover from it, even years on.

Let’s hop through the links below and find out about the other author’s worst writing experiences…

Getting the Green – Open Book Blog Hop #323

May 2, 2022 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #323
What did you do with your first book “paycheck?”

Indie publishing is also an independent business, so keep that in mind whenever discussing the idea of a paycheck, income, or getting the green. Often writers get their idea of what writer life is like from films and what they assume they see through celebrity gossip and news. Contrary to what all of that would have you believe (because just like the single parent buying that sprawling Victorian is fiction), we are not mega millionaires. It is a serious rarity built by what is in the cards for those that do make a living from their writing, or grow rich.

Briefcase of money - Writing Historical Fiction

In remembering that writing is a business (be it an art business), you’ll realize that most of the profit from the sales of books just turn back around into the business. For example, the publication of my first novel, Blue Honor, led to my second book OP-DEC in print, too. I did marginally well with the little I had to get Blue out in the world. I paid editors and proofreaders at a grade I could afford, managed to get a snazzy photograph I took to build my cover myself with my modicum of graphics knowledge, and paid all the fees to put it on the shelf. People really loved that story.

I’m grateful to those who supported me through that endeavor, because I have been able to follow suit another three times with Trailokya. Each one gained me access to better services, such as editors, designers, and marketing with the green that built. This said, I am not living off proceeds. My art is moderately self-sustaining, until I start working on scripts, which are far more expensive to produce and shop. That has made it difficult to grow the book end of the business as much as I have wanted. There’s only so much green to go around!

Unfortunately, the money coming is the money going out to keep building my business, and therefore I have to work a regular job to pay the bills. That is a fact for almost all writers. Very few make a living just from the sale of books. I hope that young writers understand this before getting into it. What you see on social media is often a lot of posturing (faking it till they make it).

Maintaining my honesty about the process has been a passion of mine, because I wish I had someone so frank in the years I started out. It would have helped me plan and grow in smarter ways. It also would have helped me to not get so angry with myself for things I viewed as failures. Embracing the fact that I have published at all, for the miracle that it is, would not have felt anticlimactic. It really is not all about the green.

Author K. Williams Books — Using my successes since the initial publication of Blue Honor, I upgraded the cover through a fantastic designer. I also had an editor assist me with getting the story in its best possible shape. See the clear difference in the visuals?

Using my successes since the initial publication of Blue Honor, I upgraded the cover through a fantastic designer. I also had an editor assist me with getting the story in its best possible shape. See the clear difference in the visuals?

My first paycheck aided in better publishing the next round. Yes, my focus went there immediately, as stated above. Also, I used future proceeds to improve Blue in another edition, after my publisher closed, along with a new cover. It’s been a steady but small growing business. I am just blessed to be able to pursue my passion and share my stories with those who find me. Hopefully I’ll be able to use future cash flows for more marketing and build in that capacity.

I look forward to retiring from the day job so that I can focus more time on writing and my art. It will be nice to be able to put my focus on these areas, and not worry too much about how I’m going to sustain my energy. It’s a lot to do both, but a necessary conundrum until one finds more the means to complete projects. My brain has already started shifting in that direction even though it’s several years out yet. I just like to plan ahead!

Click on the links below to find out what the other authors did with the green from their first book pay check…

Dreamland – Open Book Blog Hop #322

April 25, 2022 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #322
Do dreams/nightmares influence your writing? Do you keep
a notebook by your bed to write down ideas?

Dreams are amazing. Proof of the fact is in how obsessed every culture on the planet is with them. It’s a strange phenomena that has been believed to herald future happenings and even be visions of another realm apart from the world in which we live (awake). I can’t say that I don’t feel these things to my core. Since childhood, I paid special attention to every dream. Some of them even came true.

It makes a ton of sense that dreams both inspire and affect my writing. Currently, I have four books that stem directly from dreams. The other is touched by adjacent experiences. Let’s focus, however, on just the four. First, there is OP-DEC, which came to me in a dream more like a film. Not all of the details are written exactly, because, as you know, dreams can use imagery that are nonsense and this wasn’t a comedy. What does still exist is the powerful story that played out in the dream.

The strangest part about OP-DEC is that I had woken part way through and fell back to sleep, and the dream finished! Up to that point, I had rarely experienced such. Trust me when I say that this is probably why it got turned into a book. If the ending hadn’t come, the idea would still be in a notebook, incomplete and certainly not even written past a few notes.

The dream took on a first person narration style, meaning that I was Claire. At no time during the entirety of the dream did I sense that I was myself or that something was amiss. I acted out the part as if it were my real life. In this way, I was close to the emotions of my protagonist and understood things without having to see the backstory. I could live within the few scenes and know the rest. First person, however, wasn’t the style I chose for the book when writing. I don’t care for the perspective, and feel it has become too much of a trope of writing in the current times.

Another thing that changed was the film that played for Claire and Carsten’s theater date. I couldn’t exactly go with Star Wars, even though my brain thought that worked just fine. Totally understand that choice, being that I was out with the supposedly perfect guy on a perfect date. It had to be the perfect film. Well, we know where my loyalties lie. Because my preferred film wasn’t out in 1942, I had to go with something else. The most logical choice was to figure out what was playing in theaters at the time. This drove the time period of the book. Boy, oh boy. Those facts still take my breath!

The dream of OP-DEC was inspiring enough, but to find that my story also fit neatly into an actual time period, where real historical events framed the story, is stirring to this day for me. I don’t know how to explain that. Certainly, I do have knowledge of the Second World War, and a lot of facts around military logistics. Most of that is just strategy. The better you are at it, the more likely you are to succeed. While my father is a veteran, I am not. Therefore, I think it is strange that I knew so much about the matter without the education or background specifically on it. This isn’t to say that I didn’t need to do research to fill in gaps, such as technical data.

OP-DEC was clearly penned before I sat down to write the Trailokya series. That said, the dreams that inspired that book have happened throughout my lifetime, beginning in my first years to today. They were never easy dreams. Sometimes they were awe-inspiring. How can I even begin to describe them.

Trailokya is described as a paranormal, dark fantasy book series. It delves into the mythological and swims through the waters of culture. Just like any dream world, it is surreal at times, diaphanous, perhaps ethereal. The solidity of things is ever indeterminant. I’ve found that defining it is quite difficult because of those metaphysical qualities. Yet, it draws you to it with the same power that dreams draw the interest of most every human.

I won’t go into great detail of all the ways in which the dreams have inspired the narrative over the years, because that would take an entire book to catalog. If you have time, you can peruse the many posts on this blog that discuss the work. One I would like to point out in particular is that of the Three Doors. The reason for me to focus on this over other portions of the material is that it graces the covers. So, when you see the books, you’ll have a bit of an understanding as to why they are there.

The three doors are a feature of recurring dreams I’ve had since childhood. They’re clearly symbolic, full of meanings for me to unpack. Their details were instantly burned into my memory upon the first time sighting them. The emotions connected to them were just as rich. Those dreams would always start as nightmares, running from a monster(s), seeking escape. The heightened fear mixed with the wonder of their mere presence as well as appearance helped convey their importance. Read the article linked above to find out all about them. It’s actually very important!

Until recently, the meaning behind red door was not so clear. It has taken years to understand them as that changes with context (what’s happening in my life at the time, as well as the dream, and the colors and symbols on them). Meaning shifts in that murky water of cultural relevance. Which culture? Is it the culture of what is communicating with me, and that is me or something else? If it is something else, who? If it is me, then what part of my ancestral cultures?

This year, it became boldly clear to me what the door meant when I stumbled upon a TikTok video discussing the Feng Shui of doors and colors. The video was about what color to paint your door depending on which direction it faces. Although Feng Shui belongs to Asian people, the idea of color and direction creating meaning and therefore being symbolic and carrying energy is worldwide. Humans use color and direction to manifest ideas and energies in every culture. Certain religions would have you believe otherwise, but the majority of beliefs counter that.

still ocean with a boat sailing toward a starry sky that seems to bleed into the water

The relief I felt at discovering this meaning, and finally nailing down the communication in a way that made absolute sense instead of being flimsy and obscure, was considerable! You see, that door has haunted my dreams and psyche for four decades. It scared me as a child and grew to an inevitable foreboding event in my young adulthood. Today, once I finally grasped it, I have found sense and security.

What threw me off about the door? The boldness of the red and the flames in the window suggested so much destruction, or perhaps it was something to hot for a child’s mind to wrap around, then again it could have been a warning about hell. I mean, the windows can appear to reflect Heaven, Earth, and Hell. That’s obvious! So, why wouldn’t I fear that I was tripping down the brimstone path? Oddly enough, I have turned my back on the church and chosen my ancestry and culture, nearly erased by the church, instead. I just cannot accept nor condone the hate, historical/current violence, greed, narcissism, sociopathy, and abuse.

The red door is success. The fire element suggests the ferocity of that success. The fact that the number 1 graces the front furthers the idea of success. I can’t tell you what it will look like, or what form it will take. But, I know that when I walk through that door, which I assume that I will ahead of finding this part of my life (because I did so with the other doors), I’ll know all the specifics. Will I have been chased by some unseen monster, a gaggle of toothy trolls? I cannot be certain. However, I know that what is beyond that opening is going to be inspiring.

Observing one’s dreams can open up a whole other world. That is certain. Pay attention to what is happening and become familiar with the symbolism of people, places, and objects. That in itself is a useful writing tool: symbolism. Just think of how rich your text could be if you grasped symbols and signs like your dreams do!

To find out how the other authors responded to this absorbing question, click on their links below…