Hard Work or Hardly Working?

At the end of last week's post I promoted "hard work" for this week's topic.  See, my husband made an off-hand comment that stuck with me. It was so off-hand he probably won't remember saying it. Here it is: "Not everything is about writing, sweetie."

Gak! WTF? Not everything is . . . what?

See, in my world, pretty much everything IS about writing. I've gotten so one-tracked it's scary.  I mean, as if writing to publish isn't challenging enough, I threw commercial writing into the mix, too. Oy.

But does that mean I'm working hard? Or hardly working? How can something we love and look forward to be considered work? For example:

Ironing. That's work for me. But I know someone for whom ironing is a relaxing activity. "It's mindless!" I said once, to which she replied, "Exactly!"

Chairing committees. That's work for me. But my mother-in-law was a social butterfly with the organizational skills of a Roman general. She chaired everything from the Jr. League of Women Voters to the French Cooking Club.  She could organize a moon landing in her sleep and never break a sweat.

Writing. Is it work? I know people who tell me that for them it is. But since it's an activity I jump into at every opportunity, how can I call it "work?" And if I do label it as hard work, does it mean that I'm masochistic on some level to enjoy it so much?

What do you think? If you enjoy something and find it a pleasure in spite of the effort required, do you consider it work or play? Can something that delights you be lumped with the stuff that doesn't just because it takes gargantuan effort? Or is "challenge" a better word?
 
Here are some quotes by famous people about hard work. The one thing they all agree on is that it is a requirement of success.

Without hard work nothing grows but weeds. ---Gordon B. Hinckley

For every two minutes of glamour, there are eight hours of hard work. ---Jessica Savitch

Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them. ---Ann Landers

There is no substitute for hard work. ---Thomas Edison

Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work. ---Stephen King

A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. ---Colin Powell

Hard work has made it easy. That is my secret.  That is why I win. ---Nadia Comaneci

No great achiever---even those who made it look easy---ever succeeded without hard work. ---Jonathan Sacks

See you next week for the naked truth about . . . Blogs!

Have a great week -
Lisa

Clip art courtesy of Webweaver.nu.

Shameless!

Garfield clip art courtesy of Webweaver

Shameless self-promotion rules the net. As writers/authors, bloggers, Tweeps, and Face-peeps we all engage in it to some degree.  These days, it's pretty much required.

At this writing, Stats-WordPress.com declares there are 65,303,968 active WordPress sites. That's just WordPress, buttercup. Tumblr boasts 106.3 million blogs as I tap these words on my keyboard. I spent precious time hunting stats for Blogger, but Google is keeping that information under lock and key. The closest number I dug up was a very nebulous "millions of blogs." Even the Blogger page on Wikipedia doesn't offer numbers, and you know Wiki would blab if they knew. I have no clue why it's such a closely held secret, but apparently if Google tells us, then they'll have to kill us, and that would certainly put holes in their marketing strategy.

Suffice it to say that most of us---certainly yours truly---are the teeniest of quarks in the vast universe of social media. We may blog, Facebook and Twitter our hearts out, but the cold, hard fact is that with so many people vying for the same attention, it's easy to get lost in the crowd. The result is shameless self-promotion as we scream---virtually---to be heard. And you know what? I'm actually okay with that.

Shameless self-promotion is all about drawing people into our circle, yes. But more than that, it forces us to stand up and acknowledge who we are, what we do, and what matters to us, in ways that nothing else does.  It requires us to look beyond our self-doubts and negative self-talk into those personal components of ourselves that are worth sharing with others.  And that, buttercup, is a very good thing.

How do you feel about self-promotion? Do you promote yourself, your talents and successes on your blog, Facebook and/or Twitter? Do you agree that it is a good thing? Or do you think social media has become one big billboard?

See you next week for the naked truth about . . . hard work.

Have a great week!
Lisa

50 Shades Anyone? Benefits of DIY Publishing

What is your gut reaction to the term “self-publishing?” Unfavorable, I'm betting.

There is a certain veneer of validation when an author’s work is published by one of the *Big Six (Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Group, Random House, Simon/Schuster).  But the truth is that today’s publishing climate is changing more rapidly than ever before, and there is no longer the stigma attached to self-publishing that once existed.

Let me specify that I’m not speaking of vanity presses or small indie publishing houses. I’m referring to the author himself as the DIY publisher, using the services of companies such as Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)  or Smashwords.com. In this instance, the author is solely responsible for all aspects of publishing his book. If that sounds like a lot of work, it is. But consider the benefits:

• Control over editing, cover art, title, and --- this is important --- selling price of the book. 
• Faster delivery from author to readers. Traditional publishing may take 1-2 years to put a book into print. A DIY author is limited only by his own timetable.
• Self-publishers have the ability to reach MORE readers with ebooks than with traditional publishing (availability and price factor in largely here).
• A self-publisher is his own boss and meets none of the barriers typically encountered trying to "break in." No months/years spent querying and hoping for a positive result.
• Keep your copyrights! 
• Earn 70% of royalties. Compare that to only 17.5% on ebooks through a traditional publisher. On this point, Amazon's CEO Jeffrey P. Bezos says it better than I can. Here's an excerpt from a letter he wrote to shareholders (read the whole letter HERE):  

"KDP authors can get paid royalties of 70%. The largest traditional publishers pay royalties of only 17.5% on ebooks (they pay 25% of 70% of the selling price which works out to be 17.5% of the selling price). The KDP royalty structure is completely transformative for authors. A typical selling price for a KDP book is a reader-friendly $2.99 – authors get approximately $2 of that! With the legacy royalty of 17.5%, the selling price would have to be $11.43 to yield the same $2 per unit royalty. I assure you that authors sell many, many more copies at $2.99 than they would at $11.43."

There's no doubt that self-publishing has opened up a whole new world for authors. Now, more than ever before, authors---new authors in particular---have publishing choices and opportunities that never before existed. One of these includes exposure to editors and agents that goes well beyond the query letter and slush pile.

In an interview with Forbes Magazine, Jim Levine with Levine Greenberg Literary Agency, said (read the whole interview HERE):

"So we’re happy to take a look at self-published books. Of the more than 10,000 proposals we get every year, a few hundred are self-published and that number is growing. Sales track is key. If the author has sold 5,000 copies in the previous year, it interests publishers.  And if an author has sold that many, she or he probably has some sort of platform.”

So is self-publishing the new slush pile? Not so fast. It depends on who you ask. While more and more editors, agents and publishers are looking to successful ebooks for new talent---and why not? A successful DIY author will bring with him a known readership---the slush pile isn't yet a thing of the past. In an effort to offer a balancing view, here's a link to a post by agent Rachelle Gardner who explains why she believes slush piles are still top dog.

I think, buttercup, that a lot depends on your confidence level. Are you the next big thing like E.L. James (50 Shades of Grey) or Amanda Hocking (The Trylle Series)? For every millionaire self-publisher there are countless others languishing in the virtual stacks. But like every other facet of life, the cream rises to the top, so if your work is as good as you think it is, isn't it worth a go at the self-publishing paradigm? Even if you don't earn millions, isn't it likely that you'll earn more than if you wait for a traditional publisher to recognize your brilliance or if you don't publish at all?

So is self-pubbing for you? With the stigma removed it will be an option for many who harbor an entrepreneurial spirit. For many others, it will continue to be the lesser choice, regardless of the possibilities. Which are you? Would you ever consider self-publishing, or do you have your heart set on a contract with one of the Big Six?

See you next week for the naked truth about . . . the necessity of shameless self-promotion. (I promise it will be a shorter post than this one.)

Have a great week!

Lisa

*The Big Six links are not direct to their websites. I chose to link to About.com pages that provide a short history and overview of each.

P.S.  If you're interested in learning more about self-publishing from people who really know their stuff, I recommend you poke around these best-selling author sites:   Barry Eisler: The Official Website and Joe Konrath: A Newbie's Guide to Publishing.

Ah, Romance! What's Not to Love?

Today's post is for my writing pals. I'm sharing information gleaned from a recent day-long workshop hosted by GRW (Georgia Romance Writers), a chapter of RWA (Romance Writers of America).  I'm proud to belong to both of these organizations, and just to round it out I'm also a member of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) which covers YA, including YA romance.

Yes, buttercup. I'm all about the smoochie-smoochies. I believe in happy-ever-after. But don't let the ooey-gooey stuff fool you.

RWA and GRW focus, as their names imply, on the romance genre. But let's be clear---these organizations are about the business of romance writing. This is an important distinction because so many people assume these are some sort of lightweight fan clubs, and nothing could be farther from the truth. These organizations are fully focused on business---which brings me back to today's topic: Saturday's workshop.

The day was divided into three workshops, each presented by successful, published authors. There is too much information to share in a single blog post, but these are some highlights:

• Don't look down your nose at self-publishing. More and more editors, agents and publishers are trashing their slush piles in favor of looking to the internet for self-pubbed authors. (More on this in next week's post.)
• Writing may feed your soul but if you hope to earn a living at it, then you must never forget that it is a business. You write it, you sell it, and that means money changes hands. That's business, buttercup, and that is your goal. 
• Know what it costs you to be a writer and track your expenses. Keep a calendar reflecting your life as a writer---critique group meetings, book signings, promotions, hours spent writing or learning your craft. You may not be earning money now but one day you will. The IRS won't treat your writing as a game, and you shouldn't either.
• When your work appears in print, buy extra copies to give away. Every book you hand out encourages readers to enjoy your work and pass it on to others. One free book might mean ten new readers. 
• Promotion - the bulk of promotion falls on the author and 25-30% of your project earnings should be earmarked toward that end. Publishers aren't promoting new authors as they did in the past. It's up to you.
• Learn to network. This isn't new info, but it is pertinent.  Yes, social media is time consuming. Do it anyway. The more the better, BUT put the bulk of your energy into the one or two social media outlets that you most enjoy. Writing is business, but it shouldn't stop being fun.
• The audio book industry is booming. It is a 1.2 billion dollar industry.  Don't discount it as a potential outlet for your writing just because you want to see your work in print.

Imagine, all of that and not a word about romance. But just so you don't forget where all that info came from, here are some numbers about the romance genre that might pique your interest. Take a look at these statistics from Business of Consumer Book Publishing 2012:

• Romance fiction comprised the largest share of the U.S. consumer market in 2011 at 14.3 percent.
• Romance fiction generated $1.368 billion in sales in 2011.
• From 2007–2011, romance was the second top-performing category (based on consolidated ranking across the NYT, USA Today, and PW best-seller lists).
• Romance fiction sales are estimated at $1.336 billion for 2012. 

Look at those numbers, buttercup! Ah, romance---what's not to love?

See you next week for the naked truth about . . . self-publishing and why you ought to consider it.

Have a great week, y'all!
Lisa

She Hates What?

The Osmonds

My youngest daughter sat at her laptop, fingers poised over the keys, and announced: "I hate writing." 

What? How could such a statement issue forth from my own flesh and blood? Horrified, I considered requesting a DNA test from our family physician.

"What?" I squeaked, breathing held in suspended animation. Surely I misunderstood.

"Writing." She wrinkled her nose. "I don't like it. But I have to do it. I have an English paper due."

"How can you not like it? Of course you like it! I'm your mother, and I'm a writer!"

"I didn't say I don't like writers, I said I don't like to write. You're a writer. I'm not. If I wanted to write I wouldn't be majoring in photography."

Well, she had me with that one.  A photography major she certainly is, and knows what to do with all those little buttons and knobs and twisty things on her camera that flummox me.  Cameras are too complicated. A photo? Forget that. Give me a pen and a slip of paper and I'll write you a picture.

That got me thinking about my other two kids and our differences. My son discovered his inner nerd and is in school studying computer programming. (Ugh. Watching my cat snooze through her sleep cycle would be more exciting to me.) My older daughter is an education addict holding two degrees and working on a third with an eye toward a PhD in forensic psychology. (Interview criminals? For a living? Uh-uh. Not me . . . unless it's research for a story.)

The same two parents, three kids, all so different. Isn't it awesome?

Of course we share many of the same traits, likes and dislikes. But some of our differences are fundamental, and I think that's every bit as cool as the genetic stuff that connects us. Once I thought about that I had to give my girl a pass on her feelings toward writing.

What about you and your kids, parents and siblings? Do you see the differences and celebrate them? Or are you one of those families, like the Osmonds (remember them?), that seem to be interchangeable?

See you next time -
Lisa

P.S.  For the record, I was a Donny fan back in the day. He was pretty adorable. Actually, he was pretty AND adorable. :) 

Because Nothing is Always Something

Attribution: Graham Horn

 

Nothing is a word that covers a lot of area, especially for something that’s supposed to be, you know, nothing. As proof that nothing is, indeed, something, I offer the following scenarios:

George and Madge are driving. Madge stares out the window. Look at that field of cows. So content. I wonder if mama cows worry about their babies? Lord knows I fret over mine. Mine. Mine better remember to bring the dog in so he doesn’t bark and bother the neighbors—oh! The neighbor’s mail. I promised to bring it in while she’s in Aruba. Mmm. Aruba.  I’d like to go back to Aruba. Haven’t been there in years. (She smiles, recalling a particular night at a beach party during spring break when—)

“Well that’s quite a smile,” George says. “What are you thinking about?”

“Oh,” Madge pats his leg and flutters her lashes. “Nothing.”

Alone in the master bathroom, 8-year-old Chauncey bribes the family Golden Retriever, T-Bone, with a tablespoon of peanut butter to keep him occupied while 9-year-old Maurice uses Dad’s razor to shave the dog’s tail end. 

Mother calls from down the hall, "Boys? What are you doing?"

Chancey grins at Maurice, and both boys call out, “Nothing!”

Herbert stares at the hockey-puck pork chop on his plate while his mother-in-law Edith complains about his unappreciative response to a home-cooked meal. Herbert remains silent while Edith grumbles about his lack of appetite and, while she’s on a roll, his inability to support her daughter in the manner to which she is accustomed. Herbert eyes Edith. He stares at the pork chop and imagines it transformed into a live pig. But not just any pig. A killer pig. A killer pig out for revenge that wants to go for the throat of the woman who cooked him to death and then buried him in apple compote. Yeah. A killer pig could do some real damage. And where, Herbert wonders with a sly grin, will I bury her body?

“Herbert, did you hear me? Did you? Do you think this is funny? What in heaven’s name are you dreaming about?”

“Oh,” Herbert says, stabbing his fork into the charred pork. “Nothing."

See what I mean? Nothing is often something. In fact, it is always something, even if the something is really . . . uh, nothing. Like last night at dinner when my husband said, “What are you thinking about?” I could have said: . . . the bird feeder is almost empty, the trees needs trimming, the deck furniture should be pressure washed—will we have time for that this weekend?—the phlox and day-lilies have to be watered or they’ll die in the pots before we ever plant them, but it’s getting dark and I still have laundry to fold and my blog post to write. Oh, geez. My blog. What am I going to write?

“Honey?” He prodded. “I asked what you’re thinking about.”

“Oh," I gave him a smile and spoke the absolute truth. “Nothing.” 

See you next time!

Lisa

Squish!

It’s that time of year again. I know, because the Bradford pear trees are blooming, the pushy daylilies in my garden are nosing through the pine straw groundcover, and my neighbor’s azaleas are a riotous explosion of fuchsia and white. And let’s not forget the pollen dusting everything like powdered sugar over French toast, and the red-breasted robins that are so plentiful they’d take over the world if they could trade in their little bird feet for hands with opposable thumbs.

What’s that you say? The signs of spring? Why no, buttercup. My annual mammogram.

See, I take the girls for their annual Squish every April. A creature of habit, I would never dream of scheduling a Squish in December. That medical torture device is cold enough without adding the chill of winter. Besides, if I have to succumb to the indignity of having my ta-tas flattened to a mere shadow of their former selves (as if the poor girls don’t have self-esteem issues already) I’d rather do it on a day that is bright and bloomy. Even if it rains, so what? April, remember? It’s supposed to rain, and when it does the blossoming things look so happy. Ever seen a daffodil turn its face from a good spring shower?

The point is, if I have to engage in something unpleasant, I’d rather it be done on an otherwise cheery day. So my annual Squish, a must-do for every woman over the age of 40, occurs in April.  

When is your annual Squish? If you don’t know, you should.  The Squish isn’t something to be forgotten or trifled with. Even if you have no family history of breast cancer, why risk it when mammography can offer early detection and cure?

If you’re past due for your mammogram, schedule it today.  And next year when you spy those first green sprouts destined to be daffodils, when you catch wrens nesting in the hanging baskets on your patio, you’ll hear a little voice in the back of your mind holler, “Squish!” and you’ll know it isn’t in reference to the suicidal squirrel that just darted in front of your car. No ma’am. It’s a shout out to your girls.

Take care of them. You only have two.

Squish!

See you next time –

Lisa