Writing Priorities, Maximizing your Potential for Profit.

• If you are anything like me, the news of the day can destroy your creative bubble.  Distractions like Alexa or news flashes also can remove you from ‘your world.’
• Eliminate distractions. Alexa can be told to go into do not disturb mode, as can your smartphone.

The real point of this blog is to recognize why we do what we do.  Somewhere in the back of our minds, we want to be the next New York Times Best Seller.  In a talk recently, many denied it but, after a little soul searching, it turned into ‘maybe one day.’

• Honesty with yourself at least puts you on the correct road.

That little voice in my head has always been there but, it certainly lives in the back of my head.  Throughout my writing career, I have kept a day job. Keeping it real, keeps you grounded.

My career in writing began as writing technical documentation and then teaching from it.  I published in some international magazines for technical things but, that is not creative writing.

Today I see many blogs on how to publish on Kindle or other services.  There are other blogs on snaring agents and so on.  Should how do I publish be your priority?  How about something like, how do I layer my story so I keep my audience engaged?

• Much like a story, one of the first things you must do is build a foundation or skeleton.

I can create flash fiction in less than an hour, and it is a good story.  Short stories and flash fictions are excellent ways to practice using words judiciously while conveying a set of ideas, or in this case, a story that entertains.

Not knowing anything about creative writing, several years ago, I launched out writing a large novel.

The bones of the story are perfect.  The story entertained me as I created it, and I fell in love with many of the characters, even the quirky robot.

As for the craft of writing, that is a different story.

In all honesty, I should unpublish much of my earlier works while I take the time to install the layers or the craft of writing. Had I used traditional publishing methods, a good editor would have pushed me through the process of improving my craft, way back then.

While the bones are white and the structure sound, what color are the walls? What does it look like? What does it smell like or sound like to be there?

I could go on and on about story structure.  Perhaps I could lament about the use of symbolism or alliteration. I could expound upon creating that emotional appeal to the reader through the eyes of the characters, that in itself might be an entire chapter.

The bottom line is this.  There are tens of thousands of writers out there that are light years ahead of where many are.  They know to create a New York Times bestseller that the bones are only the beginning.

Last week my Grammarly report informed me that I had checked over 26 million words.  Those are words much like these that I have typed. I have published over 30 novels, most full-length.  Not bragging; none of them are on the New York Times bestseller list.

Currently, I have left them published as I feel like those that want to learn from my path can get an e-book version and see the progression of ‘the craft.’ Then there are those who actually leave feedback that assists me in improving my craft as well.

One way that I know I am improving is this; when I finish a novel, I look at the word count.

Under Roswell, while a great story is huge.  My latest creation is 45K words, or about a third of the word count.

The latest is in what I call an aging folder with other manuscripts that are waiting for me to revisit them. 

“What, you’re not promoting them to agents?”

Not unlike the works I published already, these stories are aging to the point that when I go back to read them, edit them, it will be as if I have never read them before.

I know writers who have been working on one novel for over 30 years.  They are hobbyists and will likely never get that one published as it will never be done.

Writers must be prolific, and they must be ruthless with their time.

Writers must live their lives and must not get their material from TV or others’ writings.

Writers must be open to critique, self-examination, and honesty.  Sure, dream big and go for the brass ring but, have a net.

I give my time and talent to other writers constantly. A rising tide lifts all ships.

When I go to different writing groups, give talks, and so on, I can tell who is looking for that one break and who is there to be part of the tribe.

The bottom line with that elusive ‘prize’ is what the audience will connect with when your book hits the market?

I wrote a number of books inspired by 50 shades.  Those sell but, not really my cup of tea.

Who will your audience be?

I see many new titles about pandemics.  Are you tone death?

My last bit of advice for you writers out there is this: Write to please yourself.

I am an artist, and I paint to please myself.

I love to play musical instruments but only for my own enjoyment and as a way to find my center.

I write to live in that world, love those characters, and escape this world.  In my paintings or my writings, I can live there and be at peace.

Yes, I know what is going on in the world. In many of my blog posts, you can tell when I am overwhelmed by the idiots who try to rule us.  There are many who should be facing Nurnberg-style tribunals and many more who should be swinging at the end of a rope.

We will never know who killed JFK, and we will never know the truth about the current pandemic.

Control the things you can, ignore the things you cannot, and try to live in peace in your own bubble.

Much Love -TW

What an Honor!

So, I just looked at my sales for the first of this year.  Last year was good; 2021 looks like it might even be better.

When you realize how many different authors are out there, I am humbled by the purchases.

Before I go much further, allow me to thank you!

Currently, I have no campaigns going.  The news has ‘befuddled’ the creative side of my brain.  I see the remarks on social media, and it hurts. So much of what we hear and read is for some political agenda.

In their angst, and the media’s craving for ratings, they have not only injured the creative side of many people’s brains, but they have hurt the people who they claim to serve.  To regain some sense of normalcy, I find that it helps if I leave my phone somewhere away from me.  The phone is constantly blaring news feeds from CNN or some other site, all with some tease. I don’t need or want the distractions.

The burdens of the pandemic, friends that have passed, and the unknown all play a part in how we deal as a nation and as a people.  The vitriol and animus from the media and the elite class is revolting.

How do we survive the virus and, oh yes, the pandemic?  The virus being politicians.

I escape through my novels and others that I read.  To be a good writer you must read a lot.  Even the books you think are terrible, read them. As you read them before you throw them at the wall, ask yourself why they are so terrible.

In that way, you can make your writing better.  I champion self-awareness, even in my slightly naughty novels.  It is imperative that you know why you like or hate something.

One thing you might try if you too are like I am, go back and read something you wrote when all was well.  I look at the titles that people are buying and remember the stories with fondness—some of those stories I might revisit at some future date.

I find that when I read them, invariably I think of new ways to make it better.  I also enjoy what I write, so it is a win win.

Writing is much like any other activity. Suppose you play a musical instrument or even video games that require some amount of talent.  It will come back to you. I don’t really want to call it muscle memory but, it kind of is.

As to the people buying my work. Thanks again.  If you like it, please leave a review for me.

Reviews are essential, and few leave them.

Here is the kicker, if there is something you didn’t like, contact me via my website at www.authortwscott.com. Go to the contact page and tell me where I missed something.  Many of you have taken advantage of that portal, and I appreciate it.

Feedback makes us all better writers.  Since I am now president of a writer’s group, I have many beta readers, which helps. I love giving back to the community and friends; that is what we are.

Whether I know you personally or though this site, we have that in common.

For now, I am off to another world where the news of the day will be a distant memory.

It is rather funny when you think about it, I dream about my characters.  In many of those dreams I am those characters.

Yes, I lived through the sixties.

Take advantage of every moment you are alive.  Make your mark in history, (in a good way).  I choose to do so through my art and my novels.

Much Love -TW

Reviews, Feedback and yes, some Assholes

One of my favorite little bathroom books is a quick read called ‘Dear Asshole.’

The authors are Jillian Madison and Michelle Madison. 

Before I became an author, I was known well for my ‘Dear Shithead’ letters.  When someone gave me this book for my birthday, they knew I would appreciate it.

Dear Shithead, letters never made it to their intended audience as written.  Instead of sitting around fuming over the world’s injustices and stupidity, I would take to the keyboard and write.  They were probably rants in truth, but they never saw the light of day.

Many, too many of them were directed at my boss, who only had the position as he was a good liar. I think he had pictures of his boss with someone’s wife, but that is another story.

If you need to vent, writing such a letter is an excellent way to do it; just don’t hit send.

Now, on to the reason for this post.

I research a lot of stuff for my writing.  Part of that research is to look at what other books are available in that genre.  Lastly, I look at the reviews.

Here is some ‘shithead’ advice from someone.

“Just because you can write, does not mean you should.”

I love how people who write shit like this always post under a pseudonym.   Firstly, Asshole or Shithead, pick your adjective; you suck. 

No, this was not written to me or one of my novels.  One day, as there are shitty people who build themselves up by criticizing others, such a comment might be directed at me. 

Have you published a book?  

It takes guts to write a book, believe in that book, and then put it out there for assholes to write negative shit about.  I am perfectly ok with constructive criticism.  I welcome it.  Any writer should; that is how we improve our craft.

It can cost an easy $1000.00 for an editor to read your book and fix things.  Most self-published authors might make $10 the first year.  Now, the cover art is another bugaboo in that you can spend $500 on.

One of my author friends spent over $5000 to get her book on the market, and it is just sitting there.   In truth, unless you can score an agent or are very rich, it is a tough market.  If you can afford to navigate the shark-infested waters of predators, your novel is not going to be up to the quality of one published by Simon and Shuster.

This particular author has it for free on Kindle Unlimited, which is the kind of abuse he is getting.

If you cannot say anything nice, or at least constructive for your free read, keep your mouth shut!  That is why people write books like Dear Asshole.  You should get that book and read it in front of a mirror.  I would wager more than one of those pages will apply to you.  Just try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes before you write bullshit poison pen nonsense.

This world needs much more love and a lot fewer assholes!

Ever notice how you might be in line at the store, and everyone is polite.  You get in your car, and those same people will run you over while flipping you off.  That is the world we live in, and we need to change it.

Whew!  For you authors, if you would like constructive criticism as time permits, let me know.  With NaNoWriMo in a day or so, my time is limited but, I believe that a rising tide lifts all ships.

I donate a lot of time to local writers groups.  That is what I think we all should do.  Lift each other up instead of using them as a stepping stone to lift yourself while on their backs.

I know people who will Beta Read for a whopping $20… Can you imagine someone who will do that?

Yes, I have used them.

For you authors, realize that objectivity is not going to be your strength.  Also, understand that other authors will give your novel a one-star review because they have written something that competes with yours.  Yeah, some people suck!

I ignore one-star reviews, especially if they are under a pseudonym. Let’s face the facts; we give a percentage of the book away for free.  If they look inside the cover and buy it for a whopping two dollars after reading some of it, and then give it one star…sorry, that is unbelievable.  

I hope you find this post informational and inspirational. 

Much Love -TW

Day 47

How has your life been affected?

What changes have you made to affect a positive effect on your life?

I joke about naturism but I did read a blog post about naturists getting together on zoom.  How would that work?  Why?  I thought the purpose of naturism was to be one with nature?  Is it something else?

Life goes on, my friends.  We do what we must to make ends meet.  Currently, I am pulling from savings to keep everyone happy, but that can only last so long.  Sadly there are many out there that cannot scrape together $500 if they needed to.

Today the blog is not about writing; it is about being human.  If you have followed me for any time at all, you know that I am a humanist.  I love people.  With luck, one-day people will be my bread and butter.  By that, I mean studying that which we do, all end up as fodder for my novels.    Some of this stuff seems unreal that it could be made up.

Months ago, when this all started, I wrote a blog about mental health.  I knew that this much of a change in people’s lives would bring out or manifest aberrations in their personalities.

Did you see the video of the two police harassing a mum who lived in a mobile home?  Two officers banged on her door and spoke to her in a very demeaning manner.  They, in fact, talked to her as if she were stupid.  The story made the rounds on the media, and they made sure to tout the fact that she lived in a mobile home.  Not everyone can live in a gated community with $24K freezers filled with $16 a pint ice cream.

Whatever your station in life, put yourself in the other person’s shoes.  They did not need to be terse with her.  Her child plays with one of the neighbor’s children and has done so for some time.  This child cut across one of the neighbor’s lawns, and they called the police.  For real?

I was out getting the mail the other day, and my neighbor was walking their dog.  I stopped as usual to visit, but on this day, she stays a good ten feet away from me.  Her dog didn’t hesitate to get her belly scratched or give me a doggy kiss.  Are we becoming a nation of paranoid people?

A comedian was making fun of Biden.  We all know he is a little on the creepy side when it comes to women and their hair.  They said this social distancing is going to kill him.

Ok, I am a hugger.  Not any of those half-ass hugs either.  Again if you read my novels, you know that I preach about being there for the hug.  I get it.  For my neighbor who has also been in her house for 46 days, to stay ten feet away from me, is alien.

I have noticed that many are talking about how China is going to repay the world for their deception.   The more we learn about the lab, the virus escaped from, the worse it gets.  While many leaders of countries might feel like letting it slide under the rug with a few good old boy deals in cigar smoke-filled rooms, occur I don’t think all countries will deal with Xi Jinping in that manner.  I saw a picture of Vladimir Putin talking about this virus.  Somehow I don’t think he will settle for some Chinese made crap in exchange for the damage to his economy, not to mention the death and destruction in Russia.

The problems with this virus are many.  We don’t know what we don’t know.  All of the research was destroyed.  In a face-saving move, the propaganda has been prolific, but, somehow I think the chickens will come home to roost.  The WHO will need to clean up its organization, and China will need to find some way to make things right with the world.  How?  That is the question.

Please keep in mind I do not blame the Chinese people.  I know many, and I am very appreciative of their culture.

As of right now, 212 countries and territories have reported a total of 3,402,018 confirmed cases of the virus.  There are over 239,622 deaths because of this. The numbers are the highest in the United States because the US is doing the most testing.  1,131,492 cases with 65,776 deaths and counting.

This event is historical, and many of us writers should be documenting it.  Before history is changed to fit some narrative, I would encourage writers to tell their stories.  Blog about it if nothing else.

Once you put it on the internet, it will be somewhere for all eternity.

Much like these blogs, I could delete them, but trust me.  Somewhere in some vault along with 33K emails, will be these words.

Will yours be among them?

I did spend some time working in the garden today.  It was a sunny day.  You would never guess where the sun kissed me…

Much love, Stay safe.  We will get through this.  -TW

 

“If you’re going to get stuffed, get stuffed by your friends.”

 

Years ago, too many to mention, I had a ‘friend’ tell me that once.  In my current work in progress, one of my characters is supposed to play the part of a used car salesman.  He denotes his distaste for them as they are all mostly dishonest.

Why am I writing to you about this rather than working on my novel?

This novel is about a young lady who discovers that she is a witch.  While learning her ways in the world of magic, all hell breaks loose.  There is a dark force attempting to convince all witches to be in their coven.  An undercurrent of government conspiracy is in the heart of the novel.  The conspiracy is yet to find its way to the screen.

As I was writing about a car salesman, I thought back on the day when a friend of mine was a used car salesperson.  If you saw Matilda with Danny DeVito as the unscrupulous dealer, that is what my friend was.  We soon parted ways as I don’t associate with dishonest people.

I was in the market for a car.  Instead of being honest with me as a friend, he tried to sell me an old Chevrolet that they had rolled the mileage back on.  When they invented reverse drills, it was an easy way to change the odometer.

From sawdust in the gearbox to super thick oil to keep it from smoking, they did it.

Taking my chances with a car from the paper; my friend was incensed with me for purchasing a car. In retrospect, the person that sold it to me had put super thin oil in the crankcase as the oil pump was going out.

He told me, and I quote, If you are going to get EFFED, you might as well get EFFED by a friend.

Is there truth in that?  What do you think?

I needed a roof after a terrible storm and elected to allow a person at my church to have their company put a roof on for me.  It cost more than those of the people around me, took over a year to get it right, and they put on cheap shingle instead of what I originally had. What’s worse is there were no drinks and no kiss afterward.  Not that I would want one, just saying, some pillow talk would have been sweet.

Speaking of shady, the same people that worked for the other fly by night companies are the ones that put my roof on too.  I got nothing for the extra thousands of dollars.

I used to travel a lot.  There is one state out of fifty that I have not been too, and that is Main.  In one state, I was talking with a person who was justifying effing his neighbor. He told me, and I quote, “I need to put cheerios on my table too.”

I shook my head and walked away from the deal.  If you cannot do business and treat your fellow person correctly, you should do something else.  There is no justification for effing your neighbor, and you certainly never do it with friends or family.

Arkansas, I swear you folks take the cake at times.  This one-man was talking to his friends at a local diner.  I listen to people as I get ideas for stories or characters.  This guy was bragging to his friends that his wife’s mother’s tractor needed a simple fix but, he convinced her it was not worth it to get a new one.  When pressed, he told them, she gave me the broken one, and when she dies, I will get the new one too and the land that goes with it.

Whenever I need an asshole in one of my novels, that guys face comes to mind.  I almost choked on my coffee when I heard that.

Life goes on.  How are you all doing?

Look for updates on my newest novel; I am going to try and find an agent with this one.  I have over 32 books out there published, so why not see if I can lure an agent into my lair.

This is a young adult, coming of age story of a witch.  What is cool about this story is I make a compelling case that anyone could do it.  We live in an escapist society, and with the current events, you can see why.  We escape through the TV, video games, and yes novels.

Why not write a fun novel that will engage the reader?  After taking hundreds of hours of writing courses instead of watching TV, I have pages of notes.  From Dan Brown to Judy Bloom…Wow, everyone had an opinion.

After I get this one polished and marketed, I will be going back to my published novels and making changes to the ones that are underperforming.  I love it when I get to a point, and you get that ‘ahaa’ moment.  You know the one where you say ‘shit, is that why?’

The original Ailani series I might go back and rewrite the whole trilogy and condense it into one novel.  It is a great story, but I think 350k words might be too much.

While I write and visit the cutting room floor, you all don’t forget to follow me here and, of course, on Twitter.

Much Love and Stay Safe -TW

 

Presidential Assassins

 

During the last few months, I wrote Presidential Assassins.  The editing of it and so forth took time, but it is quite good.

The quite good is a quote from some of my beta readers and some initial feedback.

One of my readers told me that my book reads a lot like some movie that is being advertised currently.  I have not seen the leads for it, but it is about a shadow government and assassins.

My novels are selling well, and people are giving me good feedback thus far. Someone was telling me that if you write a book where the hero is a kick-ass woman nobody will buy it. FFS!  Did they happen to see the movie Wonder Woman?

I don’t like misogynist at all.  Women can indeed be badass assassins, just as good as Tom Cruise.

This novel is aching for another volume.  Waiting to see if enough readers demand it. I hope that they do.  I already have some ideas of where I would take it.

If you take the time to read it, let me know what you think.

Before I get an agent, you can acquire my novels very inexpensively. Why? An agent has a team of people who they assign your book to.  Some editors fix the participles and antecedents and split infinitives.   They look for grammar punctuation and of course inconsistencies in the story.

Now they do other things as well, they look for parts of your story that need punching up or deleting.

I liken this part of the process to what my art instructor did to me on several occasions.

I would paint this exquisite painting that I loved and then she would come by and tear it apart.  One time she took a rag full of turpenoid, (odorless turpentine) and wiped the canvass clean.  Well, it was a gray mess. I was gobsmacked!  I was happy with mediocrity, and she knew I could do better. Painfully she was right, I could, and did.

Agent’s, if they take you on as a client can push you to the next level.  Now I know that my books even though they are selling around the world with the right agent, they could be a lot better.

Query letters and begging for representation is not my thing.  Query letters take a minimum of four hours to produce.  In four hours I can write at least one chapter, and maybe two.

My time is worth something to me.  I need an ROI and “if you never hear from us consider it a pass.” Does not get it!

These books will make some agent a ton of money and right now that money is going to Amazon and Smashwords who push them out to the big e-tailers like Barns and Nobles.

Of course, Smashwords and Amazon don’t do anything for their 30 odd percent. By anything they don’t advertise them, they don’t edit them or create the cover art.  They don’t even read them and tell you what might need to be fixed.  They host them on a site, and the rest is up to you.

I recently plugged myself into to a writers guild with hopes of making connections and getting others to critic my work. Stay tuned in here, as I will be blogging about it.

If you follow me, you know that I am about paying it forward.  If I can assist any of you in your endeavors through what I am learning, you can count on me doing so.

Thanks again for the follows, retweets and indeed if you are one of my customers, you rock!

People are buying these books all over the globe, and it is heartwarming!  I appreciate it, I genuinely do.

 

Much Love!  -TW

What if an Alien visited us tomorrow?

I am rather amazed to see actual real footage of UFO’s caught on military aircraft cameras released to the public.  This is from 2012.

More and more we are seeing actual footage of alien type anomalies reported and making the news.  Is Trump allowing the American people to actually see some of the truth about this subject to grasp how we react?  Was the 1947 Roswell crash true?  Are we being groomed to allow us to learn the truth or is it all lies and deception?

Will we ever know the truth about Area 51?

It is no secret that I am a huge science fiction fan.  It is also no secret that in many of my novels currently selling worldwide, I talk about the danger of being discovered by an alien interloper.

While Hollywood paints this picture of friendly aliens trying to phone home or aliens that are benevolent that want to come and assist us, I fear that the more accurate representation of aliens would be that of Independence Day!

Had someone asked me when Carl Sagan was sending a roadmap to the earth on a golden record out into space complete with our human anatomy on it, I might have dissuaded him.

I found it interesting the other day when Michio Kaku said we do not need to be meeting with any aliens.  He said it would be like an intellectual trying to talk with a squirrel.

I disagree “respectfully” with him, however.  I think it would be more like an intellectual trying to talk with a cockroach.

The significance is that they would think nothing of squashing a cockroach, and at least a squirrel has some redeeming qualities.

In The Saga of the Starduster, one of my latest novels, I humorously portray what an alien society might make of earth and its population.  While my point was on target, I try to always interject humor.

The absolute truth is that we are a people ruled by our emotions.  The society that abducts Don has decided to do away with feelings as they are unpredictable and can cause war.

Our petty squabbles on this planet are purposeless.  We go to war for what someone else has.  From Cain and Able to modern day, we go to war if not literally then certainly figuratively.  We get this case of the “by gods” and stop listening to anyone else’s point of view.

No, I fear that the visits, if they are indeed happening are trying to decide just how dangerous we are.  Should we be allowed to leave our planet?  They might be researching what our natural resources are before deciding what to do with us.

Currently, as we presently are, I would say we have no business greeting other races outside of the human race.  Can you imagine the bigotry that we have today on any difference what so ever pushed out into a population of aliens who can travel light years in hours?

Given technology to reach to the stars would be dangerous for advanced civilizations.

Some of the happiest, most well-adjusted people that I know, are people who have very damned little stuff or money.  They make do with what they have.  Family, friends, enough to eat and nobody messes with them, is what they want.

The better off people are it seems to me the more screwed up that they are.  Is that just my perception?

I once met a man in an elevator going to see his oncologist.  We were in a clinic in Houston, I was bringing things up to the doctor to sell him.  As we waited for the elevator the water from the recent rain shower, we both walked in from the parking lot, dripped off us.  There were puddles on the tile floor as we closed our umbrellas and tried to look as though we had just not left a sauna.  I was not thrilled with the weather and wished that I was not working that day. I was, in fact, sure that a warm bed with a purring feline and good book would have been a much better use of my time.

Man, was I wrong!

I asked him how he was, and he said… “Every day the good lord lets me wake up and suck air, is a good day!”

I never forgot that bit of wisdom from an old gray-black gentleman.  He was wearing a suit to see his doctor, and I was thrilled to meet him.  That meeting was the most important meeting of that day and probably that year.

We should all be like that!

I stopped complaining that day.  Changed my life.  I was there doing my job, and he was there to see how much life he had left.  He was happy and cheerful, even in Houston’s miserable hot rain.

In a way, I would like to try and live in an Amish community for a bit.    The more that I know about the world that we live in, the less content that I am. Without the smartphone reminding me every few moments about how evil Trump is, or why the Democrats are so great, just possibly I might think for myself.

Why Yahoo news has joined with the likes of Facebook and Google to cast dispersions on the president of the United States is beyond me.

“How can a people this advanced be this damned stupid!”

If you want to take over a country you take over the media.  Google, Facebook, and Yahoo are the media that most look at for their news.  Ninety-Seven percent of it is negative on Trump!  Even with American’s getting fatter paychecks they still trash Trump.  Why?

It would be ok if they were balanced but they are not. Every report on the president has a negative spin on it. Triggered much Google?

Stupid might not be the correct adjective.  Possibly we are just short-sighted. Our values seem to be turning upside down and for what reason?  Who is selling this pack of lies and why?

We can only hope that if we are being visited by aliens from another galaxy or solar system, that they are more intelligent and benevolent than we are.

From what we have seen of them “which is very limited” it would appear that they do not comport with our understanding of physics.   Flying at right angles at incredible speeds would not fit our understanding of physics.  They have apparently figured out how to manipulate time.

While it appears to us that they are moving at right angles at incredible speeds they are just cruising along in a “different time zone” if you will, and when they need to get away from us they just change the time variable.

Time as we understand it is incorrect. It is not a constant as most of the world believes.

In Under Roswell, I go into detail on Time as well as in Ghost Signals from Colorado Springs.  I believe in my Hole in Time series I talk about it as well.

I certainly talk about it in The Saga of the Starduster.  Check it out!

Thanks for the purchases of my novels.  Follow me here on this blog, or on Twitter and of course, check out my website and http://www.AuthorTWscott.com

Much Love  -TW