Monday, May 25, 2015

mobi edit is finished

Now I've just got to incorporate my notes into the manuscript.  Then I'll do the audio edit.  After that, only formatting and back matter remain.

It will be interesting to see how well Buddy: Evolution sells.  If it succeeds, then I'll consider another sequel.  If it doesn't, then I won't.  Either way, I'm anxious to move on to something different.  Any more Buddy stories will have to wait a while.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Got an email from Kobo

They're giving me a $5 credit with which to purchase ebooks.  Awesome!

I didn't even know I had a Kobo "reader" account, but apparently you automatically get one when you publish with them.

Thanks, Kobo!

Started the mobi edit

I've started the "mobi edit" for the Buddy sequel.  This is where I upload the story to my Kindle and read through it, making notes along the way.  It's a tiresome, boring process, and no fun at all.  But it improves the book, and I consider it necessary, so I do it.

Actually, there are really only two parts of the writing process I enjoy, and neither involve any writing.  Here's the process I use:

1.  Idea for a story is formed in my mind.  Some notes are taken.
2.  Idea is explicitly outlined.
3.  First draft is written.
4.  First draft is gone over from the beginning and altered in the process, becoming the second draft.
5.  Second draft undergoes the mobi edit on my Kindle.
6.  Story is read back to me audibly and I correct any errors I hear.
7.  Finishing touches such as back matter are applied, and story is uploaded to KDP.

I like coming up with ideas.  And I like the feeling of accomplishment I get when I finish a story.  I like seeing the finished product.  But everything in between?  I really don't care for that.  You know... the actual writing part.  There are times when I enjoy writing that first draft, but those times are always tempered with impatience.  And, in the case of writer's block, frustration.

Does this make me unusual?  Other authors seem to enjoy crunching out the words.  *shrug*

In the end, I suppose it doesn't matter as long as I'm getting the job done.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

I used to love reading

It had always been my favorite thing to do.

Since getting serious about writing, though, that has changed.  I'm finding it difficult to remove my editor's hat.  I notice everything I would have changed during revision.  Finding stories that I read all the way to the end has become a challenge.  I give up on most books nowadays, usually before getting to the 10% mark on the Kindle.

Or maybe the stuff I'm reading isn't all that good.  Maybe Amazon's rating system isn't infallible.  Actually, I know it isn't, but still--you'd think something with an average rating of four stars or better would have a fair chance of hooking me.

I used to love reading.  Now?  Not so much.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Mr. Wilson is available on Nook

Added the link to the sidebar.

I had to change some of the prices for Europe and Britain.  The auto-convert was conflicting with their pricing policy, so I just set everything to 0.99, whether it's dollars, euros, or pounds.