Category Archives: The Writer

All experience of RJm as a Writer, including my thoughts theories and other clutter from my mind.

Will many writers survive Digital?

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I often wonder what peoples perception of what a writer actually does is, because when people find out that I write, it appears that they just naturally assume that somehow I am loaded and raking in masses of money, if only that was true.

In 90% of cases a writer barely earns enough to give their family a weekend away, let alone provide them with a luxurious lifestyle, and they have to take on extra jobs just to make ends meet. People really have little idea of how hard it can be to survive on book sales, they really only see the very lucky few who make it up the mid-lists and into that top bracket where life at the top has its privileges.

I was talking recently to a few friends who just naturally assumed I was making well over five English pounds per copy of my book sold. Oh if only that was the case, they were stunned to find out that the average author earns just fifty pence per copy sold, and therefore need massive sales just to cover the costs of living whilst writing, let alone any future plans.

From my own experience of writing, when I look at the amount of money spent on researching, travelling and reading to prepare my books before I even write a word, never mind the costs of a family containing a wife and two children, it is amazing how much money goes in long before you finally get that illusive publishing deal, and that was just to get the book finally printed.

The sad fact is that for most writers money is not the motivation behind the work, for myself it is the joy of preparation, researching and writing, to that point where you sit back and know that you have created something unique and feel satisfied that you have accomplished your goal. It is a wonderful feeling that stirs deep inside and you have a final result that you can look at with pride, knowing you gave it your all, and also knowing that somewhere it will bring a moment of escape and delight to those who read it and live in a world you created, there really isn’t any other feeling like it in the world. It is something that is very easily exploited by those who run the industry.

It is well documented that the publishing industry has used it for years to line their own pockets, stating their costs as justifcation and takeing the lion’s share of the money, leaving the author with the smallest amount of the profits, and I think we are all intelligent enough to understand that it has always been the way of things, and maybe we have all sat back and accepted it when we should have asked for more. The biggest problem with that though is that publishing deals have always been hard to come by, and we are also smart enough to realise that if we push too hard, we could end up out of deal, left high and dry with no contract.

There is no shortage of writers, if anything the numbers have risen steadily for years, so one wrong move and you can very easily be replaced, and that has always been something that has in a way acted as a deterrent to writers rebelling against the system. However things have been changing now for several years, and to be honest one has to question if there is even going to be a future for writers, as the digital age forces rule changes and working methods across the globe. The publishing industry is in a shambles at the moment, I spend most days reading the various Blogs and newsletters emailed to me from inside the trade, and I find it very hard to see how the future of books printed or digital, will survive without some radical changes of thought from not only the industry, but also from the consumers, because lowering prices are squeezing the life out of everyone.

Without readers there is no need for books whether they be on a page or a digital screen, but it looks to me like we are all heading for a very big stalemate, as consumers demand cheaper books, especially digital ones, but as the price falls, so do the royalties paid to the author. I am a bottom list author and believe it or not I am in the largest bracket, as there are many like myself out there all trying to get the word out about their books, and we all know our sales will not be huge. As much as we all dream of that freak moment when we get discovered, we do not have the support of a large company who will spend thousands on us to publicise our work, and most of us promote from home with the help of a few friends using the internet and social networks to try and increase our sales. Our print runs are low or use print on demand, which means the costs of our books is higher than the big names, and although we have publishers, we still only get the nominal royalty, so for us digital is a huge fear.

Its bad enough so much of the price of our books goes to the retailer, wholesaler and publisher, but recent trends show how little value our work has in this modern time, as the price of digital downloads is pushed into the floor. The bigger online retail companies are very aggressive; they list millions of books and are not reliant on massive profits per book to stay afloat, and so they have created an atmosphere of cheaper and cheaper in order to rival their competition, and the book buying public has sold into its practice to such a point that it is becoming impossible for any author to realistically get any return for their effort.

One very large online presence in particular pushes masses of books for just $0.99, and I see it on the screen and feel this must be madness. I am told this is what the consumers of books demand, and they are unlikely to pick your book if it is valued much higher, because digital is cheaper easier and faster, and therefore should be cheaper. I am sorry to disagree with the worlds leading book seller of the moment, but I got no discount when writing it because one day it would be appearing as digital download. My hours of dedication have not lessened because it will eventually be delivered via an inbox rather than a post box. To be honest it is insulting, how would the consumer feel if I asked them to work all week as I have for just $0.99? I am pretty sure they value the jobs they do to earn their living, so why has mine become so worthless? Is it not bad enough that I have to live with an industry that puts my creative ability as its last priority, whilst it makes twenty times more money from my work than I do? Do all writers now have to suffer the ultimate humiliation of being told by the consumer that their efforts rank lower than everyone else’s?

It’s a very sad truth that in the capitalist society we live in writers have no worth at all, and with the onset of digital, and the so called death of the book, the future for writers just became very dark indeed, and one can only wonder how long it will be before the writer has no choice but to stop publishing simply because they can no longer afford to. We could simply leave publishers and go the self publishing route, and upload our books directly, which is starting to happen, especially since publishers today are cutting their lists and courting the already rich and famous for their biographies and cookbooks, but even then, when the retailer takes their cut of the $0.99 there is little left to live on for the author.

Will we reach a time when writers have to write for free and just accept it? Or will we one day see a time when all there is to read is a classic that has gone out of copyright and so is available to download free, it is a very real possibility, because in the scramble to gain control of the digital book reading world, it looks to me like every single area is being scrutinised except the most important one of all, and that is the role of the future author.

I have no choice but to be a spectator at the moment, and I am watching very carefully, as depending on how things go, I may have to make a very difficult decision in my future. Will I stop writing? No, its not possible for me. Will I stop publishing? That is a question I will eventually face, and I am sure there are many out there who like myself will face the very same question. All I can say for now is, I am watching…. I will have to wait and see.

 

A Solitary Writers Life

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In a little over a month, I will have been a published author for two years, although I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I have been lucky enough to have published three books, and have spent my days writing more and promoting those that are out there, and I have reached that all important point, where I have sat back and taken a long look at how things have gone. As this blog is a record of my experiences, to share especially with other new writers, and those who love to read, I have set out some observations that may or may not help or interest you.

The first thing that is the most noticeable is the way I live my life, three years ago I left my shop to the demolition workers, and gave up my business to spend everyday at home dedicated to finishing the series I had started, so the good thing is that life has got quieter and warmer. It’s a move I do not regret, as I think it has done me a lot of good, I have worked hard with little time off for years, and I am not getting any younger, so its nice to slow down and spend more time at home with my family, although there are those odd days when I miss the hustle and bustle of the markets, and the flood of the different people I had contact with.

Looking back at my life then as a horticulturalist, and my life now as a writer, it suddenly impacts on me how much time I spend alone these days. For all writers this is factor of their working day, I am pretty reclusive and have had to live most of my life in the throng of market life, rushing around from dawn until dusk, so the tranquillity of my desk is actually a wonderful retreat for me. It may sound bliss, but this does have drawbacks not just for myself, but for every writer as the disconnection to write, also removes the ability to talk and interact, and so therefore it can be very hard to actually get a real gauge of how the books are received, especially if you are a new writer.

Being the new kid on the block, alongside the other million or two published authors vying for shelf-space and sales, can have huge drawbacks, the most obvious being that local bookshops who are under pressure from everywhere in the book selling world, rank you as the lowest priority, and its hard getting them to include your books. The most difficult thing is getting out the word of your published work, and most importantly actually meeting people who have read your work to give you their honest opinion.

I have looked at hundreds of writer’s forums over the years, and it does appear to be one of the hardest areas of writer’s life. A good well thought out book takes tens of thousands of hours to write, and there are days when there does not feel like there are enough hours in the day to fit everything in. I work more now than I ever have, often working until the early hours of the morning writing, promoting and posting wherever I feel the word is needed, and then hoping at some point, someone will take a few minutes to send me a message to let me know what they think.

Most of the writers I associate with or talk to on the forums, all suffer from the same massive lack of confidence in their work, as they know if the slightest thing is not right, the critics will attack and be merciless in their scorn, something that can kill a books sales dead. If like me, you are a recently new writer, that can kill your writing career before you even get it off the ground.

I am a pretty upbeat person, having worked for myself for well over ten years I have no problems motivating myself to work, I love writing, so for me it’s a simple pleasure emptying my thoughts onto the page, but even I have found that there are some days it feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. Feedback is the key, but it’s not so easy to find it.

Like all writers I use Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, but these in themselves can be traps if you are not careful. I have a Facebook page which I update as appropriate, I do make an effort not to fill it with the mundane routine of my life, or make it one long tiresome advert for the books, I do actually put a great deal of effort into keeping it up to date with just the specifics. People can access it through my Twitter or website, and also from FB itself, and when I first started out it seemed to flow as the numbers rose rapidly, and it was pleasing to see that I had what looked like some solid support. Two years later with three books out, and the numbers have fallen, not because I am doing anything wrong or different, its just that the trends have changed, and people spring clean their profiles once in a while. Two years ago I was trying to get published and was finding it very difficult, as most writers do these days, those on Facebook liked the idea of supporting a struggling author, today I have done it, and I am working on a fourth, its much less appealing and so they click off and follow someone else. It’s a fickle thing and so hard to use as a gauge of your writing achievements.

I will add that its not all bad news, as I do get people who post or write a review in the reviews section, and that can lift my day and make everything feel so much more worthwhile as I sit here alone, knowing that my words connected with another human being, is a tiny moment of triumph that brings the all important extra motivation to continue. Emails and feed back are the source of extra inspiration and the only benchmark we loners in front of the keyboard have to guide us forward. It sounds sort of sad, but it does make a world of difference, those few comments from the mass are a permanent source for others to tap, and that is how slowly over a great deal of time, a writer finds his way through the media jungle to get noticed and begin to make a living out of his solitary creativity.

Out of the millions of people sat writing in this world, just two percent will actually earn enough money to live off, if they are self published it can take years just to earn back the money they have invested, as every aspect of writing costs the author before the book is finally produced, and as a new writer I know it could be years before I break even, but one post at a time, I will move forward until I do.

If you love to write or follow other writers,  and like myself have sought to find the books of those you have followed, think about what they have done alone in front of a desk, and if you purchased online or know of a social network group they are on, take a moment to look them up and write a few words to them. All writers give their words freely to anyone who takes the time to read them, if you enjoy them, send a few back, and tell them of your enjoyment, believe me, it really does make a huge difference.

Most writers don’t write for vanity or prestige, they write because for them it is compunction, and a release for their creative abilities. It’s a hard thing to do as it takes a massive amount of will power and determination, to set your own deadlines and stick to them. Getting published is hard work, and with all the changes and uncertainty of life in the industry today it is getting a whole lot harder, we work the long hours in solitary conditions, and usually we get the smallest share of the profits, which are swallowed up by the retailers, wholesalers and publishers. We do it because we love to read, and we love the freedom of creation, it is a joy and one of the most satisfying things I have ever done, even if at times it feels like I forget that.

Alternative venues for Authors.

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     For most writers the experience of actually writing is a very solitary one, and that is very much the case for myself. I find that I need a certain amount of isolation when writing just so that I can fully concentrate on the story and nothing else, after all writers want to do their very best for their readers.

     Having said that, it is a wonderful and in many ways liberating experience to switch off the computer and head outdoors, to meet and greet those who are actively interested in what I write about. Such was the case last weekend where I packed up my computer and a box or two of stock, and headed to Bolton in the northwest of the UK to participate in the Autumn Festival, a medieval based markets event.

     Bolton has a rich medieval past and was once my home, so for myself it is a place that is close to my heart. I have been involved with this festival for some time now as a trader, I began by selling my plant stocks there, and as my horticultural business dwindled, I continued by using the event to help publicise my HTTK books. I share a modest stand with my fiancée who has her Jaded Opals jewellery business, and we don our costumes and join in to help make the event fun for everyone. It is a wonderful family event and our two children join in, and in many ways I suppose it is an odd sort of place to find an author and his work, but for me that is part of the appeal.

     With two books on display and a third being heavily advertised for release in the coming month, I am now in a position where I can talk to people who have read the first two books, and it is without doubt a rich and very enlightening experience. One particular member of the public already comes to mind as I write this, I think it was the way that her eyes sparkled, and her smile as she spoke to me about my second book, which has kept the memory of her visit so prominent in my thoughts. Seeing the enjoyment of someone who has read the books is simply wonderful to behold, to hear another person actually talk with great affection for those characters I have spent so many hours creating, really does warm my heart.

     In many ways it reminds me so much of my youth, and when I read some of my favourite books, and I do feel a little cheated, as I have never had the opportunity to talk to those great authors who I admire so much about their own work. I must confess I would have loved nothing more than to sit with Tolkein, or Harper Lee and let them know of the excitement I felt stir deep inside me as I ingested every line of their stories, and so as a new author especially, I feel that being available to those who wish to share their thoughts of the books is particularly important. I have never expected to be the biggest selling author, but to those few of you who have read the books and come along to support me, I am happy that you have enjoyed them, and it was delightful to have had the experience of meeting you all at such a wonderful event.

     Today’s publishing industry is in a state of flux, and many authors like myself are experiencing the wastelands, as publishing houses shrink their lists of authors and focus on household names. Self publishing is becoming the fastest growing area of publishing as more and more of us find it impossible to get a foot in the door, events such as the Autumn Festival may seem like an odd place to promote, yet more and more authors are now being forced to go it alone, and seek out places that they can meet and sell directly to the public. With large online and chain store retailers slashing the prices of books, it does look like it is a good deal for the public, but it is getting harder for authors to make a living, and our only means of survival will be to find other venues. I think this will become a fairly standard practice for authors, especially new one like myself, as it is our only means of being able to earn enough money to continue writing. On a more personal note I actually think it is better for us, listening and responding to the readers is the life blood of a writer, and that public engagement is actually immensely inspiring. I have really enjoyed my chance to get out there and be seen, and I hope there will be many more events in the future to set up my pitch alongside my family, and let all of you see what I have done and maybe give you a few hints about what I am about to do.

     To have your support is very humbling, and it adds to the joy of writing, and I feel very grateful for it, until we meet at yet another event I wish you well, and send you my deepest thanks, and look forward to our next encounter.

Worlds Watching.

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          My books reflect the difference between peoples in this land, and they draw from my experience of growing up at the tail end of the peace and love generation. I have lived through the seventies, a generation I have to admit that although slightly wacky, was actually one I very much identified with. I felt great sadness as we entered the eighties and nineties, as I witnessed the slow decay of a way of being that for me seemed like the only way to live. For the last three decades I have seen with my own eyes, how money and power have crept into society and replaced friendship, and community spirit.

            The world of Mason Knox is not very far from the reality we live in today, and those years of the woodland attitude in my mind are now very much a distant memory. I suppose like all writers, and although in many ways I am still very much at the start of my life as a writer, I do have the added benefit of being able to look back on 40 years of life and report my observations via the stories I write.

            The events of recent days, which has seen a large volcano in Iceland erupt, spewing massive amounts of ash into the atmosphere, has again brought to mind the very reasons that I divided my world in the ‘Heirs to the kingdom’ series into those of Mason Knox, and those of the woodland family of Lox. I very much think that if Mason was indeed a real person today, he would be investing heavily in hotel stock as he grabs an opportunity to jump on the gravy train that is the suffering of those left trapped in foreign lands with cancelled plane flights. Across the world Humanity is being trashed, as the greedy owners of hotels charge up to ten times more per room, per night, to line their pockets from the misfortune of those who are stranded. Today it feels very much like the stories I write are closer to that of the reality of the modern age than even I realised.

            In the past, one of my critics has labelled me a hopeless idealist, and in some ways I had to agree with them, but I also think I am very much a realistic thinker, I have sat for years talking and watching the world around me. It does very much appear at this moment in time, that for Robbie and Runestone, and a great deal of people who read my work, do hold that ideal of family and a peaceful life close to their hearts. I have not met many people who do not dream of a peaceful; and fairer world, where everyone lives in harmony, yet I find it ironic that as a teenager campaigning in the seventies for such a dream, I was scoffed at and ridiculed, yet here I sit each day answering emails and talking on social networks to those who have read HTTK, and they too seem to identify with the themes of my story and dream of the same things for their lives.

            As I sit here I am reminded of my character in the Lost Sword of Carnac, (HTTK Book two) named Fuse. When asked by Robbie what the modern life was all about, he gave his impression of the world he lived in (Today), and in many ways his view of the world feels very apt today, even though it was first written in 2006.  It is fascinating for me as a writer, and as an observer on the world, to see how the story of life in the real world compared to the lives of those in my imagined world pan out. No doubt there are many more chapters in both to follow, and with luck and good health hopefully you can enjoy the journey beside me.

Should certain topics, limit a writers film freedom?

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In today’s Telegraph ( Thursday 17th December 2009) online you can read an article by Tim Walker, which reports on the decision to drop the filming of the next two films of the Golden Compass, based on the Dark Materials series written by Philip Pullman. It’s worth having a look at it, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6829805/Philip-Pullman-disgusted-over-claim-Catholics-torpedoed-films.html.

I have read other posts over the last six months that just speculated about the possibility of the films being dropped, but it was not until today that it became final. I read the article in utter disbelief, as the consequences of what this meant, began to sink slowly into me. I have to say that I have no problem with peoples faith or beliefs, and I am not anti religious, I have always lived my life my own way, and I hold my own belief’sas private, and respect others, so within this subject I feel neutrality towards both parties. I am however a devout believer in the freedom of speech and expression, and will stand up and defend those who liberties and rights are removed. The ability for an organised religion to campaign and apply so much pressure to the producers of a Hollywood movie, to the extent that it is taken out of production, in my mind is wrong. Oh it feels so wrong on many levels, that it had me shaking in outrage, and as you can see has prompted me to sit and add this to my blog.

Philip Pullman is a self proclaimed atheist who I just happen to like his books, and he has fallen out with the church, its no big deal I hear you say, and I must admit on the surface it does appear so. What has caused me the concern and my reason for speaking out, is the underlying consequences of this below the surface, as I shall endeavour to explain.

To the Catholic Church of America his works go against their own beliefs, and yes it is easy to understand how a writer who challenges the ideas of their religion is a threat, because at the end of the day, let’s be honest, no one wants to hear something that is anti their view. But by that very same yard stick, Philip Pullman has the right to say what he feels is his belief and whether church agrees or not, they have to accept it. The lynch pin here is a minor part of our life in a democracy, and it is here that my feathers got ruffled, because this issue in my mind goes right to the heart of our most ancient of beliefs, we have the right to freedom of thought and freedom of speech and expression. I feel very strongly that this is an issue that is nothing at all to do with religion, but absolutely everythingto do with a writers basic right, of being able to express a series of thoughts, no matter what the subject, on paper and have it published. For writers that has to be a fundamental part of what they do, I know of no writer who would say no to having their own work portrayed on the big screen, if the Catholic Church of America  have used their powers of persuasion to halt the production of the two remaining films, then a very dangerous precedent will be set that could reverberate through the film industry for years to come, and hold some pretty dire consequences for writers.

Can you imagine the result of a victory for the church? It frightens me on many levels. At this current moment in time, one of the hottest movies is part of the ‘Twighlight’ saga, a film that depicts the love between a human and a vampire, I must admit I have not read any of the books, because at this time I am writing my own work, and tend to avoid reading, so as stay in touch with my own characters. Never the less one would question if Stephanie Meyer could be next on the church’s hit list? Most fantasy contains something that would be deemed unfit by the church, as does the horror genre, will this lead to film projects being scrapped because it does not conform to the view of organised religion? This whole issue goes beyond the belief of an organisation pitted against a writer of one train of thought, its seeps into the fabric of our liberty, and I might add, I find it all a tad insulting that the church can tell me what I can and can not go to watch.

The church quotes the exposure to atheist views by the young as its central argument, but it has already been announced that the script was changed, with the approval of Pullman to use the term ‘Magisterium’, which does appear in the books, to imply a fictitious organisation, and move the issue away from the church and religion. I have seen the first film, I love the Dark Materials trilogy, and it comes across to most people as an organisation that perpetrates evil, there is no hint of religion in the finished film. So what more can be done by the film makers and Philip Pullman to appease the church? Let’s be honest if the church really is worried about its image, could I suggest it took a long hard look at the history books available in every school, I think if it wants to find a source of damage, it need look no further. The whole of history is littered not just with Christianity, but wrong done by all faiths in the name of their faith, there are no clean hands wherever you cast your glance. Like every writer I rattle along on the keys and build my story. I have characters who hold religious beliefs who do bad things, does that means if I ever get into the mainstream (Lets face it I am still a long way off) then any hope I would have of turning heirs to the kingdom in a series of films will be dashed because of a few lines some religious group does not approve of? Its very dangerous ground, and not one that anyone should tread lightly or settle for. We must shout with our loudest voices and let Hollywood hear us, because if these films are not made, then maybe mine and many other writers chance’s are already doomed to never being watched in a movie house.

At the end of the day, those who will lose out will be you and I. If the church sets a precedent here then the future of fantasy and horror as films is bleak, and the fans of the books will never see a celluloid rendition of those books we have loved and adored. The saddest thing about all of this is, the film is only ever going to be a watered down version of the books, no matter how good a film maker you are, it is impossible to get a whole book into two or three hours of film. The books are out there and have been there in far greater detail for years. They have sold by their thousands, a tribute to the talent of Pullman’s writing skills, and the efforts of the church are wasted, because those precious little catholic children and the rest, have already read the books. All of this just seems to be a little like shutting the stable door, after the horse has bolted, so why ruin the future of film?

Modern Books (The Digital Age)

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I think it is safe to say, that  I am to all intent and purpose, a very simple sort of person. I live what is a very normal life, or as normal as could be, and have spent the last six months of my life absorbing and watching the book trade. I would like to think that my musings here on the blog, very much reflect the thoughts of many who find the whole industry confusing, and for those who have no idea at all about the world of books, I hope this is a little more enlightening for you all.

Having now released two books in one year, and studied all the media, I have begun to form my thoughts on the world of digital books. For myself this has not been the easiest of subjects to follow, as I know very little of the technology used to create and even read these things. But as I have watched, and I have noted the long debate that has been played out in the media over the last half of this year within the publishing industry. Here in the UK, there does appear to be an entrenched view of E Books, most of what I read does very much seem to reflect a reluctance on the part of publishers, to produce the digital versions of the books until the hard cover copies have been well and truly sold to death. I have seen a few posts on the many blogs across the net, on how they fear digital will bring about the end of the world of books, and publishers to their knees.

I decided to have a look at one of these applications, and a few days ago I visited the site of Mobypocket. I do not as yet own a reading device, although I quite fancy having a play with a Sony reader, or a Kindle. I do intend to visit my local computer store soon, and see if it is possible to actually have a trial, to see how I feel about them. The Mobypocket site offered me a free download to enable myself to read a book on my laptop, so I gave it a go, and I downloaded the player. I will admit openly that my curiosity was inspired by the fact that my first book has appeared in digital format on their site, so naturally being the nosey type, I wanted to have a look at it, and to my joy, there was a free extract that I have downloaded, and had a look at.

My first real thought was, “This is not a book.” I does not feel, look or smell like a book at all, well no I hear you say, its on your lap top. I can actually curl up in a corner with the lap top, but its not the same as holding a book, although I would imagine the experience with a reader, such as Sony or Kindle could very much be the same. I love the feel of the paper and so for myself I found I was at first a little disappointed, but I will quickly add, the reading experience is actually very good, and I did find that I warmed very quickly to it. After a great deal of thought, I began to realize that in many ways if anything, the difference between the book reading experience, and the digital reading experience were actually so different, they should not really be compared, and neither should those who use them. I felt that there is a fundamental difference between the two, it is easy to see why people are attracted to both. I began to wonder if printed book readers would continue to read their preferred format, and digital readers like wise, which does begin to open up your thoughts to the point of view, that actually there may be more room than first realised for both types of reading experience. I can not imagine a time when I pull down bookshelves and replace everything with a small pocket size electronic application, but I could see a time when I use a digital application to acquire a book that has gone out of print.

Surly there is room for both, and if so, why is it the publishing industry is making such a song and dance? From my own point of view, I can now see that there are those out there who embrace all modern technology, and to be quite frank about it, if I do not digitize my books, I have no hope in hell of getting my work to them. By the same chalk, I also need to continue production of printed books, for those who like myself  prefer to read a real book.

My first book has only been digital for a short time, yet I have sold a few copies, I am pleased as I get my royalty, and the publisher is obviously pleased, as he gets paid for the copy. This is where I think the real reason for the publishing industry to drag its heels lies. Most authors receive around £0.50 for every copy of a book sold, they get the same royalty for a digital copy. I know its not much, but that really is the industry standard, my friends were as shocked as I was. My first book was 209,000 words long, OK its a bigger than normal paperback, and it is a good thick read, its RRP was £15.39. Yeah I thought it was an odd price too. The fact remains that its a POD book (Print on Demand) and so yes, because it is printed in smaller quantities, the price is a little higher. I am the author so yes I think it does provide good value for money, it takes a while to read, but that is a bonus, and I can not knock the quality, it really is of the highest standard, and will last for years. I hope by now you see where this is going? I get 50p, the printer gets paid, as does the wholesaler and publisher, and at the end of the line, the seller. With every addition the price goes up, and those in the loop do rather well out of it. The industry is making money, and I might add quite a lot of it.

The digital version of my first book (Paper back £15.39) is available as a download on Mobypocket for €6.00, the EPUB format books, will be sold directly by my publisher for £4 to 5.00 when it is released later this year, I am lead to believe that the Kindle version will be somewhere around $9.99. Come on keep up, I realise I am working in different currencies, but the difference as you can clearly see is quite vast. I still make the same royalty, so in real terms I am actually getting a pay rise, as my percentage of the total price is higher, but alas proportionally everyone else who has been making quite a lot of money off HTTK, are getting less. I think the point is very much proven, digital media, is actually one hell of a lot kinder to the author than the rest.

I personally feel that the industry needs to be given a good shake up, there are many levels within the industry that do appear to be anti writer, simple submissions are the hardest things on earth to do, because no matter how well you write, if you are new, no publisher will spend money on an advertising budget for you. Follow the money always and then I think the truth reveals itself. There is one fact that is set in stone, and whether a publisher buries their head in the sand or not, it is not going to change. Digital media is here, and it is being embraced by a lot of people. Those people want books available to them, and as with all business’s it has to be supply and demand, The question I suppose the publishing industry is asking itself now is, do they supply? If they do not, I think we could see the end of traditional publishing as we know it, what I do know from years of running my own business is this much. If they do not respond soon, they may well find that a lot of retailers will have cut them out of the loop altogether, One only has to watch the rise of Amazon to see that. Like all business giants they too will have their rivals, I just wonder whether it will be publishers, or someone else.

How do you actually write it all down?

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This is a great question, and one I have been asked a few times, just recently I was again asked by a twitter follower, and its not easy getting it all into 140 characters, so I thought what the hey, lets see if I can blog it.

I think if you were to ask 1000 writers just exactly how do they write, you would possibly get 1000 answers. The aim of this blog has and will always be how HTTK came about, and how I was able to write and publish my story. I am a new writer in the sense that I have only just started publishing, but I have actually been writing for many years, again I have no idea how everyone else does it, I can only tell you how I do it. I have never really thought of myself as a writer, I am just someone with a wild imagination, who loves to write, so how I approach it is relatively very much a selfish pursuit. At this very moment as I write the rough draft of what will be published here, its a Saturday night, and most of the people I know are at the pub, or a club, and yet here I am planning another blog page, see what I mean? It may be considered sad, but this is my idea of fun, I love the feeling of stringing together words, and even though my books and blog are pretty much unknown in the world at large, I still feel the thrill of tapping the keyboard.

There is a wonderful feeling about having an idea and just sitting and looking at what is and what isn’t possible. In some of my earlier blog posts you can get an idea of how I approach this (Living with characters, A new world etc.). notes are made and ideas scribbled on many pads, and then from the vast pile, I try to find a logical order to run the story or idea. If I have a good gut feeling for the story, at this point I write bullet points. For the Bowman of Loxley my first book, I kept it very simple. for example.

Loxley is hard to find, even though its a fortress.

Robbie is restless, feels caged, loves Rune, is too nervous to tell her.

Billy is not really his brother, but was taken in ten years ago by his mother Jess. (Billy loves Alice, the cousin)

Robbie is great with a bow, and has an unnatural gift, Leenard has heard about it and in a chance encounter invites Robbie for coffee.

Robbie senses there is more to Leenard than meets the eye, Leenard feels the same about Robbie.

Leenard asks Robbie to give Rune archery lessons, Robbie is thrilled but a little worried, Leenard learns more about Robbie during their meeting, and finds out what he really knows about Loxley life.

The above is copied off my notes pad, and what you see has now been published as the 10,000 word chapter that opens the book. OK if you have not read the Bowman of Loxley at this point, you will not quite get it, but a quick visit to the Heirs to the kingdom web site, and a click on the books page will put you on book one, where you can indeed read the chapter via the Bookbuzzer widget.

The important thing here is, that just a few lines, became 10,000 words and the way I achieved it was to actually write small pieces that focused on each of the line headings. I saved each file in a folder on my computer, which I have labeled “Bits Box”. This folder contains a short written version of every idea I have had about this particular story. All are given titles that I can easily recognise, and so when the time comes to put a chapter together, I sort the files into order, and simply cut and paste them together, leaving a double line between each small piece. Its a very simple operation, and all I have to do is then read through carefully, and fill in the gaps with extra description and detail to connect each part of the story together. A friend of mine refers to it a quilting, and I think that possibly is a good description, because I do sew each of the parts together to make a whole.

Once I have put together the crude first draft of the chapter, I then sit and read through it making changes to make it flow. I add and subtract until I think I have the chapter pretty much as I want it, some chapters take an age and others fly out like some demon spirit being exercised, it can be a strange experience, but I find it to be highly enjoyable.

Every chapter is stored as a separate file, and only when I am absolutely happy with them do I do the first cut, which is usually blocks of five chapters. I never cut the whole thing together until I am happy that each block of five reads smoothly, the editing does take an age, as I go over it many times constantly making subtle changes, and adding new ideas. For myself the story occupies my thoughts more than I would care to admit, I am constantly thinking of what is already down and looking for ways to get it better, I tend to visualise the story as pictures and run it through my mind, almost like film to see if it works. The thought process of HTTK has occupied the major part of my mind for well over the two years I have been writing it. I have read endless piles of books on how the Celts lived and how they lived off the land. I have consumed folklore of the UK by the cart load, and noted anything that might help improve the story, and so when I sit eating my tea, or not really watching the TV, all this information washes around inside me.

It might sound strange, but I can only really describe it by saying, everything I have studied, or written down, mixed with the notes and all my thoughts gets stored like a huge filing system in my subconscious, so when I do sit down with my bullet pointed ideas, and actually start to write, my brain just seems to explode, and out come the words.  Its a thrilling exciting process for me, I type with huge speed and make loads of errors, but I just let it all flow out on to the screen until its done, and that’s when the editing process starts. There has been quite a few occasions when I have sat back having read the first rough draft of a chapter, and I have stared at the screen in wonder, and asked myself, did I really write this?

It is hard to explain it in words, themes appear that you never meant to be there and characters take on a life of their own, but I am alone in the room and so I know it was my fingers hitting the keys. I can only describe it as the preparation and long hours of thought before hand, that I think primed me for the writing , so I make my corrections and add to the bulleted list for the next chapter and then my thoughts turn to that task, and slowly but surely, one chapter at a time I put together my books, then it is time for the first five chapters to go to my readers group, and I begin the editing all over again, as I gain their insights to the story. Finally when all the blocks are as good as I think I can get them, I cut and paste it all together and for the first time, I read the story in its entirety, that is the moment when I know I have another instalment in the series, although I have to confess, it will get proof read many more times before I am fully happy with it.

This may, or may not make sense, its how I approach writing, and may not work for everyone, it does for me and so I stick with it. I think at the end of the day, all writers like actors or sportsmen, have their little rituals to help them, find yours and if any of the above helps, then please use it, and enjoy what you write, for it is a great pleasure for myself, I hope it will be for you…

Life on the Keys.

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I have now reached that point in the year where I have managed to stumble and fall through the world of a writer for four months. As I sit here and look back at it, I feel that I have been on a bit of roller coaster ride, which has taken me at huge speed into the sharpest learning curve of my life.
I smile at times when people talk, and they really do think its so easy to just sit and write. They have that, “it’s not that hard matey” look, as they talk and I sit here thinking back, I can only say that I have possibly worked harder and longer in the last six months than ever before. Quite a statement considering I have worked in horticulture for most of my working life. To throw a little light on my life as a writer I will fill you all in on what it is exactly that I do, once again I will take the opt out clause of stating clearly, this is how I write, I cannot speak for others.

I began many years back with an idea for my story, I actually have a pile of ideas, as I do keep a note pad handy at all times. The brain is never switched off, and ticks away 24/7. Once the idea was set I began to write down all my ideas related to what I thought the story could contain, please take into account this was a very long process that lasted years, and consumed 100’s of pads. The notes were vast and included such things as characters, places, types of magic, evil acts etc…

Once you have this cabinet of information filled with everything you think may be required, then its the task of sorting it into what appears to be a smooth flowing order. In my particular case this also included having to write a whole past history, so that in the current books, references could be made that were realistic and believable, and most importantly consistent. My books begin in the year of 2038, after a worldwide disaster in the year 2012, and relate all the way back to the year of AD421, see what I mean about a history? I have a full account written on around 1000 files that chart the history of every character from AD421, right up until the year the books begin. Its a lot of work, and also because I have played around with historical facts, I have had to spend thousands of hours reading history books and searching the net, to ensure that the facts, albeit slightly blurred, are still very credible. I have to admit that for myself its been a wonderful experience, I never actually intended to publish this story, it was just me playing around and having fun. I know, I should have gone out more, but hey, I am a little geeky and yes this is my thing.

Having established the notes and the facts, which I have been doing off and on for 15 years at least, in 2007 I began to write. I have now spent two years of my life writing and improving none stop as I create the series Heirs to the kingdom. Once again it has been a joy to do, it was incredible fun to see the readers group I worked with in the earlier days, as they got into the characters and digested the story, and although it was not the easiest thing in the world to achieve, getting book one finally published was indeed a very wonderful moment. I would at this point offer a word of advice. never try to publish a book whilst building a web site, just after having a new baby and working around 19 hours a day.I did and I was stretched to the point of exhaustion and confusion, so much so the first file I sent to the printer was indeed the wrong one. A book with errors is the kiss of death, one I am hoping to survive.

All writers make mistakes, hell I have made many, but the critics are a beast of huge power, who will hunt you down and kill you dead. I noticed my mistake and very quickly updated the file, but believe me these savage beasts of morals and high self importance, smell writer blood across the Internet like a wild bush fire. I have to say the least, had my share of attacks, but bugger them! I was knackered at the time and made a daft mistake, which I have worked very hard indeed to sort out and correct. Something that did amuse me, was the fact that those who decided to try and chew me up and spit me out did not show up on any author search done across the entire net. I wonder are these self appointed standard bearers of snobbery and literary credibility, just a bunch of failed want to be writers, who have not the spine to endure the kind of behaviour they themselves dish out with relish? mmm me thinks so. I pay them no heed, those who want to read what I write, are my only focus, so let them vent their spleens all they like, I could care not one jot. If just a small hand-full of people read my work and escape their lives for just a small time, as a writer I am happy and will smile.

The writing for myself is fast. I sit at the computer armed with notes and research, and my mind filled with endless possibilities, and out it all tumbles. Most of the time I am only vaguely aware of the words as they hit the screen, as my mind races at least three or four lines ahead of what I can see, and my fingers do their best to catch up. the result of the session is one of exhaustion, as I hold all the key factors in my mind as I weave the story together. It does require huge amounts of concentration and a large degree of silence, but when it is done and I sit back to view another chapter, although very tired, I feel a huge sense of accomplishment and actually feel really chuffed. It is at this point I collapse into bed and fall into the sleep of the dead as my mind shuts down to recover and recharge for the next intense bout.

The following day armed with copious amounts of coffee and cigarettes, I sit and read through the first draft. I think my old English teacher would scream with fright if she read it, it has many mistakes, but that all important text in its crudest form is there, and so begins the process of improvement. It is in this phase of the writing that the story is checked and double checked, as I ensure it all is in sync with everything else written. This is actually the longest part of writing the chapter, and I can do anything up to 100 edits on each chapter as it is read time and time again as I tweak it to fit with the rest of the work as a whole. I save each chapter as a single file, and it is only when I have written everything, that I finally cut all the chapters together and view the new book for the first time.

The following is usually months after writing the very first lines of the book, and it is now the time when I sit and give the book its first full reading. Every line has to be checked, and it is here I do more trimming and add more detail if it is required. Once I have completed the process, I hand it over to one of my proof readers, and they begin again with their highlighters noting their points and spotting any errors not caught by myself. Proof reading is boring, the book is not just given one reading, I have read every book I have written over fifty times, and spotted a mistake or error every time. People do not realise how hard it is, you have to note, that I know the story backwards. There are no surprises in the story for me, as I wrote them, and like it or not, it is a chore to read again and again, because I do know whats coming and I hold my hands up and say very clearly, its as boring as hell and yes, I lose concentration and miss bits. The book is returned from the proof reader covered in little yellow patches and I once again start the endless process of correction, I read it all again, and guess what? Yes, he dances with delight, I found some bits the proof reader missed, Yay! the joys of being human, Its a wonderful feeling to see we are all the same under the skin, well except the critics of course, they know how perfect they are?

The very simple facts are hard at first to believe. I began HTTK back in the mid eighties, and today in the year of our lord 2009, I am still at it with some way to go. I have spent almost three years writing the same story as a series and although I am a lot further ahead of what is being published at the moment, I am still reading the books over and over. I began with the first book and have written them back to back with very few breaks since I first started, that is almost three years of none stop writing, I am still working on the most recent book, and at the same time reading book two for about the millionth time to ensure as I approach the date for sending it to the publisher it is a spot on as is humanly possible. The weird thing is, it will still have a typo or two in it, that is the wonder of the world of humanity.

You now have some idea of my working approach to writing, and I do know that this is similar to some of my friends who write. The wonderful thing that does amaze many, and is the strangest fact of all is. That out of the huge amounts of money passing through book sales every day, your average writer gets paid just £0.50 for each book they sell. All that work comes down to just one half of an English pound for a copy of the book sold, not even enough to purchase a loaf of bread. Most writers seldom make more than two thousand English pounds on a book, it is a very small handful of writers who actually make a good living out of it, so why do we do it?

I can only respond buy saying that for me, the whole process caters to some deep internal need. I need to write, I need the process of putting words on to paper in my life, I do not need to publish, and to be honest 98% of what I have written will possibly never see the light of day. I was encouraged to share HTTK with the world, I actually am still torn about whether I should have done it? Being published is hard work, its emotional and stressful, and It does not sit well with me, but I listened to those around me who wanted to see my work in print and its now out there. I started and so I will finish, but will I continue to publish? That is a question for now I cannot answer, I will most certainly continue to write, I suppose once HTTK the whole series is out there, I will decide. Until such time I will continue to share my thoughts and experiences with the rest of the world, via my blog. Until my next post enjoy whatever you are reading at the moment, and if you spot a typo, smile, they have done everything possible, but it got through.

Are publishers their own worst enemy?

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Each morning of the week I get my electronic copy of “The Bookseller”, They are decent folk who send me via email a breakdown of many of the online articles about the world of publishing. As you can imagine this year the forecasts have been somewhat gloomy and if I might say, a little alarming. It is easy to see why book shops are panicking and not stocking new titles, whilst they compete by stocking the so called blockbusters.

As I have already written in previous Blogs, many new writers are turning to self-publishing, which is to be honest a very difficult route to take. In my mind the question I would pose would be why, when you look in the writers year and see hundreds of publishing firms? Once again I return to previous comments about how it appears that the whole of the publishing industry is hung up on celebrities, and looking at the bookseller this morning I have been given yet another reminder of this.

I have just read an article in ‘Variety’ and I think it is worth having a look at it to understand some of my points. www.variety.com/article/vr11180006746.htmlit is titled ‘U.K.shows hit the books, by Leo Barraclough.’ The article is a really good example of today’s thinking as the publishers run for the cash cow, whist walking over huge amounts of talented writers. The article quotes. “Every one of the top 10 hardback non-fiction best sellers in Blighty last year was written by an entertainer.”

Its scary for us poor old writers, its bad enough that we are on mass fighting to get our own creative work into print, now we have to face and fight the entertainers as well?  The sad truth is that just about every TV series on earth has a book out, on top of that the stars are writing their autobiographies, and the book shops are filling up fast with them, but please when will this stop? What has happened to the good old days when the publishers took on a writer and supported them, and created their own breed of celebrity? What is with this obsession to use those already made? doesn’t the publishing industry have a duty to those who are writing creative works? We all know it can be done as the list is endless, JK Rowling, Dan Brown, even in more recent times we have seen the overnight status of Stephanie Meyers rise higher and higher.

If publishers are looking to TV and celebrity biographies, they are not looking at new talent, I find it concerning that this year alone we have seen the deaths of some wonderful fiction writers, but who is going to replace them? Publishers at the moment seem to be worried that books sales have fallen and profits are down, no offence chaps but look at what your churning out, its not exactly awe inspiring, its a part of the market, but there are so many genre’s of books that appear to be getting lost in the lack of the media spotlight. The rich and famous are already rich and famous, leave them be and give a little more time to looking at the wealth of talent going through hell trying to get their own works in print. I find it disturbing to think that if C.S. Lewis or even Tolkien were new writers today, the odds are high that unless they did a TV show, we would all be deprived of their work, it a thought that is some what sobering and sends a cold chill down the spine, don’t you think?

I have to confess that I somehow feel that as the publishers complain louder and louder about how rough things are, I can only help but feel they are fighting themselves as their own worst enemy’s

 

Many thanks Leo Barraclough. Variety.com for UK shows hit the books. article vr1118006746/Friday Jul 31st 2009.

Demand But Low Supply

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One of the most rewarding experiences about writing a book, has been the support I have found from people all over the world. I began my building up of my profile on Facebook and soon moved into the other social networks, to give everyone an idea of what was to come. The response to be honest has been overwhelming and just for example, I have people who I have never met in person who have joined my page and become fans. Its a heartwarming experience as you see the fan list grow and you receive messages from people wishing you luck, and also expressing their excitement as the publishing date moves closer. The release of my book the first in the series of Heirs to the Kingdom was to be a wonderful moment, and sure enough as I saw my own work  in print the excitement was to say the least, explosive and tearful. But the honeymoon does not last, and what was a moment I will never forget, has now become a battle of pure frustration.

From the moment you publish, you become caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. On one hand you have the plight of local and independent bookshops, and the large chains, then of course you have the on-lines such as Amazon. If you favour one more than other you are in trouble. I built a web site to promote my books, this Blog is actually a part of it as the name across the top of the page shows. The site went live on May 1st 2009, it was half built, but the book was out and we watched as the site began to get hit. I had after all loaded it with extra facts and been shrewd enough to let all the social network sites know it was out there. There are adverts for Amazon, and also across many of the pages, there are little messages that show a large amount of support for all the local and independent shops. I use twitter a lot as it is a great way of letting the whole world know what the book is about and also where it is available, and yes I do mention Amazon, and my publishers outlet as well as trying to encourage local shops, and I also mention the website.

I feel that the coverage given to all parties is fair, as an Author I want bookshops to thrive and I have been an avid supporter of local shops all over the place for years, I have a huge collection of books from which a very large percentage are from local shops, I also have a good few from the larger book chains and I also buy online. I feel I have spread the wealth to everyone, in a bid to be fair and supportive to all. But you know what?  Its impossible to be seen as fair by any. Its frustrating and to be quite honest, dam well annoying. I mentioned Amazon on twitter and the indie bookshops cancelled their follow, why is it such a crime to show equal respect to all?

I have had over 125 thousand hits on the web site in the first two months, that’s more than I ever dreamed of.  These are all people who have taken the time to log in and look at the book because they are interested in buying it. Previous Blogs on this site have stated my experiences with local bookshops and the general book industry, but today I was told that unless I back my book with huge figures for advertising then there is really no hope of me ever getting my book on a shelf of a chain or a local bookshop. It just boggles my mind and leaves me lost for words. I have a web site that is being hit by a world full of people who want the book. 70% of them at the moment are UK based, and yet even though there is a demand to read my work, I still cannot get it on a shelf. I have to ask. Does this make sense to anyone out there, because if it does would you please explain it to me?

I have worked 24/7 for two months flat since the book was released and have been relatively successful, I mean in all honesty I know the Bowman of Loxley will not make the best sellers list.  Still there is a demand that would make a substantial difference to recouping the expense of all the printing costs and also the amount of IT software I have purchased to promote the book. Yet the shelves remain empty of the violet spine of my work, and the one company that has supported me, who to be honest I have used least in the past is that of Amazon, who lets be frank, has taken it’s fair share of digs over the years.  I hold up my hands because I cannot fault them, they did stock the book and they have sold copies. The locals who I have supported as you already know, have been far less than helpful, it does make me wonder how many really wonderful books are out there not being sold as their authors are self published or new. All the joy of having so many people who have read and adored my book has been tainted by the knowledge that all over this planet are those who want to read it, but never will as the bookshop does not stock it.

I read the publishing press that is screaming for more book sales and I am lost for words and frustrated beyond belief. If you have a solution or a suggestion then please you tell me, because for now I feel after two long hard years of work, I have ended up dead in the water through no fault of my own. There is a demand for The Bowman of Loxley, the social networks are talking about it, but those people are being denied a chance to purchase. I have emailed and written in vain to the large chains, their silence is unbearable, at  least the locals just say no your a risk, I don’t like it, but it’s honest.

I have no choice but to continue and fight for those who want to read what I write and no doubt here on this site which has more views than I have sales, hopefully I will be able to tell you all of what it is like being a new writer in this strange world…. please call back and find out.