From the beginning, agents, editors, and publishers have asked me who my "reader" would be. They told me to visualize and write for that person.
Well, I learned, almost every time I have a book signing, that there is a flaw to approaching it like this. Because there are always one or two people who are so far away from that reader profile that you'd never think this person would read a book like mine. Now, one or two people out of 3 to 14 is a lot.
So, I'd like to concentrate on just writing well. Write what I love. Write what I find interesting. And I pray and hope that my reader will find me. It's such a pleasant surprise and a learning experience to encounter these outliers.
I had a book signing today. And I sold out! But before I get too excited, I sold out three books. Between employee transitions and a book order glitch, no one noticed that my books weren't there until...this morning. However, they were able to gather three books from surrounding stores and I signed those. I handed out my business cards, but I don't know how many of those would convert to book orders.
A flip side to this is that they are holding two book fairs with local high schools, and the community relations manager is trying to tie me in with those book fairs (I'm in the process of scheduling book talks at a high school in Hayward and a couple of ESL classes in the same area). So, it was ying yang kind of day, but aren't all our days like that?
I think it's all a matter of perspective. Half full or half empty. I'd like to think mine is always half full. I overwhelmingly choose to be happy (on most days when I'm not confronted with the dismal realities of trying to make money writing).
I guess I am digging myself out of my funk, at least a little.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Hazards of Research
I knew I shouldn't have done it, but I wanted to be able to describe the Japanese militray uniforms more in detail. So, with great hesitation and trepidation, I opened a book which I promised never to read again - The Rape on Nanking by Iris Chang.
This is not a particularly a well-written book, but it is a very important book. Especially with the denials of these events ever taking place from the Japanese government (at least some parts of the government and no real owning up to it as a nation like Germany) I think everyone who has the constitution should read it. Once should be enough. It's not even really the words, but the pictures that leave a series of disturbing and searing images that keep you awake at nights.
Now, why did I do this? I'm working on another book and the feedback was - need more history to anchor the story. And since my book spans from early 20th century to Korean war, this research definitely was required. But having said that, I'm going to need weeks of light, happy readings to make up for this one.
This is not a particularly a well-written book, but it is a very important book. Especially with the denials of these events ever taking place from the Japanese government (at least some parts of the government and no real owning up to it as a nation like Germany) I think everyone who has the constitution should read it. Once should be enough. It's not even really the words, but the pictures that leave a series of disturbing and searing images that keep you awake at nights.
Now, why did I do this? I'm working on another book and the feedback was - need more history to anchor the story. And since my book spans from early 20th century to Korean war, this research definitely was required. But having said that, I'm going to need weeks of light, happy readings to make up for this one.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
A matter of perspective
I've recently decided to go back to work (yes, back to Engineering). I'm not giving up. I'll still be working on marketing Waiting for Appa and working on my next book. I'm just not making the progress I had hoped and I'm running out of things to look into....
I guess that's the most frustrating part of all this - being self-published. I don't know what I need to know and even worse, I don't know what I don't know. So..., once I figure this out, I'll post it here.
I'm in a funk and I can't seem to dig myself out. I'm not sure I'm trying that hard. Ok. I'll try harder tomorrow. I try to remember, it always gets better.
I guess that's the most frustrating part of all this - being self-published. I don't know what I need to know and even worse, I don't know what I don't know. So..., once I figure this out, I'll post it here.
I'm in a funk and I can't seem to dig myself out. I'm not sure I'm trying that hard. Ok. I'll try harder tomorrow. I try to remember, it always gets better.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Editing
I love writing. I think I'll wither away and die if I couldn't write. I've written on pieces of paper, envelopes, napkins, gum wrappers, etc. But editing. Editing I hate. There is no end to editing. You can always find one more way to phrase something you've already changed many times over.
I've been editing my first book once again and I hate all the cutting I have to do. It's already at almost 400 pages and I have to cut it back to 300, add more material to make it almost 400, then cut it back to about 350. So, there's a lot of work to do. But after about two weeks of doing this, I think I'm getting pretty good at it, but more importantly, it doesn't pain me as much as it used to.
I remember when I was working with an editor to cut my manuscript down, my editor told me to shorten 50 page scene where a woman is dying. She's a minor character, but a very important one. My editor sends me an email saying - I bet you can do it in 5. I thought 5 what? 5 tries? Then my heart dropped. 5 pages? Finally, although we've pretty much communicated solely via email, I called her. She answered, then said, "I was wrong." I thought. Thank goodness. She's got to be reasonable about this. Then she continued, "I think you can do it in 3." Yikes! Well the thing is, as painful as that was, I did get it done in 4 pages. It was painful to cut out the 50 pages (my editor agreed that they were beautifully written 50 pages, but they were ultimately cut), but it saved me 46 pages. So, I try to remember this lesson and keep cutting.
Things are slowly progressing on the marketing and sales front, but what I need is a miracle. A miracle like the one that Christopher Paolini had when a random 15 year old boy picked up Eragon, read it and told his father what a wonderful book it was. The boy's father was either an agent or a publisher. Christopher Paolini was still going from a library to library and bookstore to a bookstore doing readings (dressed in costumes) when this miracle happened. So, I'm praying for a miracle. The thing is I believe in miracles and my life is full of them. Hopefully, chances are good.
I truly believe that no one ever goes into writing for money (there are hundreds of better ways) but for the love of it. Well, the love it, weighed against the reality of having children, saving for college & retirement, etc., could run out enough to get me back into the work force. If that does happen anytime soon, I'll just have to do it part, part, part, part-time. In the mean time, I'm praying desperately for a miracle.
I've been editing my first book once again and I hate all the cutting I have to do. It's already at almost 400 pages and I have to cut it back to 300, add more material to make it almost 400, then cut it back to about 350. So, there's a lot of work to do. But after about two weeks of doing this, I think I'm getting pretty good at it, but more importantly, it doesn't pain me as much as it used to.
I remember when I was working with an editor to cut my manuscript down, my editor told me to shorten 50 page scene where a woman is dying. She's a minor character, but a very important one. My editor sends me an email saying - I bet you can do it in 5. I thought 5 what? 5 tries? Then my heart dropped. 5 pages? Finally, although we've pretty much communicated solely via email, I called her. She answered, then said, "I was wrong." I thought. Thank goodness. She's got to be reasonable about this. Then she continued, "I think you can do it in 3." Yikes! Well the thing is, as painful as that was, I did get it done in 4 pages. It was painful to cut out the 50 pages (my editor agreed that they were beautifully written 50 pages, but they were ultimately cut), but it saved me 46 pages. So, I try to remember this lesson and keep cutting.
Things are slowly progressing on the marketing and sales front, but what I need is a miracle. A miracle like the one that Christopher Paolini had when a random 15 year old boy picked up Eragon, read it and told his father what a wonderful book it was. The boy's father was either an agent or a publisher. Christopher Paolini was still going from a library to library and bookstore to a bookstore doing readings (dressed in costumes) when this miracle happened. So, I'm praying for a miracle. The thing is I believe in miracles and my life is full of them. Hopefully, chances are good.
I truly believe that no one ever goes into writing for money (there are hundreds of better ways) but for the love of it. Well, the love it, weighed against the reality of having children, saving for college & retirement, etc., could run out enough to get me back into the work force. If that does happen anytime soon, I'll just have to do it part, part, part, part-time. In the mean time, I'm praying desperately for a miracle.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Book talk at the Hayward Library
I had a good time at the Hayward Library book talk on Saturday. I was nervous and excited, but the first person who showed up for my talk really helped me feel comfortable.
I had nine people come for the book talk (1 came late and 2 left early) and had very positive and encouraging responses to the talk. What was so wonderful was that there was a high school teacher in the audience and after the talk, she asked if I would come and speak to the students at her school. To top it off, she asked me what my fee was. Fee? I'm praying for opportunities to get my book exposure! When I told her I'd come for free, she asked me if I could come for a whole day of classes. Of course, I said yes.
I'm not known for my patience and this publishing business is almost all about patience, up to this point. I hope my patience will pay off, in time.
I've been reluctant to do book talks at book stores because I'm a complete unknown. My thought was...who'd come to a book talk by someone they don't even have a name recognition, but maybe I should consider it....
Now, digressing and going back to the exercise in futility...I'm thinking about trying to crack the Borders stores book signing process once again. Or should I say enough is enough?
I had nine people come for the book talk (1 came late and 2 left early) and had very positive and encouraging responses to the talk. What was so wonderful was that there was a high school teacher in the audience and after the talk, she asked if I would come and speak to the students at her school. To top it off, she asked me what my fee was. Fee? I'm praying for opportunities to get my book exposure! When I told her I'd come for free, she asked me if I could come for a whole day of classes. Of course, I said yes.
I'm not known for my patience and this publishing business is almost all about patience, up to this point. I hope my patience will pay off, in time.
I've been reluctant to do book talks at book stores because I'm a complete unknown. My thought was...who'd come to a book talk by someone they don't even have a name recognition, but maybe I should consider it....
Now, digressing and going back to the exercise in futility...I'm thinking about trying to crack the Borders stores book signing process once again. Or should I say enough is enough?
Friday, February 26, 2010
Goodreads.com
Goodreads.com is a great place for book readers, book lovers, and authors. I'm trying to find ways to generate interest in my book and Goodreads.com offers a perfect, free way to do that.
You can list your book to giveaway and people can request it over a certain period. At the end of the giveaway period, Goodreads.com sends you who the winners are and you send the books out to them. They are not required to write a review, but that is highly recommended.
I've listed two book giveaway in November and I had 347 requests (limited to US only), but I've listed another two book giveaway in January and two days before the giveaway closes, I have 1014 people requesting my book (this time, I opened it up to US as well as Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Taiwan, and Korea). Woo. Hoo. However, only 71 of these people have marked my book as "to-read." This supposed to mean that they’d eventually buy and read it, even if they don’t win it. I know it's still an uphill battle, but it also meant that 1014 people have read my book summary, probably checked out my profile and decided that this was something they were interested in reading. That's 1014 exposures. I'm so happy.
I know..., this is half full/half empty stuff. I'd rather think of this as half full. Always.
You can list your book to giveaway and people can request it over a certain period. At the end of the giveaway period, Goodreads.com sends you who the winners are and you send the books out to them. They are not required to write a review, but that is highly recommended.
I've listed two book giveaway in November and I had 347 requests (limited to US only), but I've listed another two book giveaway in January and two days before the giveaway closes, I have 1014 people requesting my book (this time, I opened it up to US as well as Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Taiwan, and Korea). Woo. Hoo. However, only 71 of these people have marked my book as "to-read." This supposed to mean that they’d eventually buy and read it, even if they don’t win it. I know it's still an uphill battle, but it also meant that 1014 people have read my book summary, probably checked out my profile and decided that this was something they were interested in reading. That's 1014 exposures. I'm so happy.
I know..., this is half full/half empty stuff. I'd rather think of this as half full. Always.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
temporary setbacks
My laptop needs a repair. I dropped it (this morning, as I was blogging on this site) and it needs a new screen, which will take 4 weeks and $250. Considering my royalties for the 1st three months of book sales was less than $35, this definitely hurts.
The ironic thing is...I was blogging about how depressing it was to sell only three books at my last book-signing event (1/27/10). It didn't make me feel any better to know that they sold eight books that month and it's considered "brisk" for an unknown, self-published author. These are the numbers I'm working with....
1. I need to sell at least 1,000 to get any kind of article written or book reviewed by a local paper.
2. I need to sell at least 2,000 to 5,000 books to get any kind of attention from a publisher or an agent.
Considering the best book signing I've ever had was for 14 books at a single event, this seems like an impossible challenge. Yet...I believe in miracles. I need to find some way to generate a buzz online. Tomorrow, I'll be spending most of my day at a library or a bookstore researching.
The thing is...as stupid as this sound, I'm glad that my laptop screen broke this morning. It taught me so much about what's important in life. My 3 year old daughter has been pushing my buttons for a while and yesterday, I cautioned her about being careful around my laptop (she was watching a netflix movie). If she had dropped it, I would have gotten so angry with her. After being really mad at my stupidity, I realized that it's just money. My computer is still OK. It'll take some work, but I can access my files. I can replace everything. Is it really important? No. Just irritating.
So, I go back to my favorite quote - The glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time you fall (Chinese proverb).
The ironic thing is...I was blogging about how depressing it was to sell only three books at my last book-signing event (1/27/10). It didn't make me feel any better to know that they sold eight books that month and it's considered "brisk" for an unknown, self-published author. These are the numbers I'm working with....
1. I need to sell at least 1,000 to get any kind of article written or book reviewed by a local paper.
2. I need to sell at least 2,000 to 5,000 books to get any kind of attention from a publisher or an agent.
Considering the best book signing I've ever had was for 14 books at a single event, this seems like an impossible challenge. Yet...I believe in miracles. I need to find some way to generate a buzz online. Tomorrow, I'll be spending most of my day at a library or a bookstore researching.
The thing is...as stupid as this sound, I'm glad that my laptop screen broke this morning. It taught me so much about what's important in life. My 3 year old daughter has been pushing my buttons for a while and yesterday, I cautioned her about being careful around my laptop (she was watching a netflix movie). If she had dropped it, I would have gotten so angry with her. After being really mad at my stupidity, I realized that it's just money. My computer is still OK. It'll take some work, but I can access my files. I can replace everything. Is it really important? No. Just irritating.
So, I go back to my favorite quote - The glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time you fall (Chinese proverb).
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