So that happened today.
Monday Musings
Monday Update: Everybody Loves A Sale! a.k.a. Black Friday and Beyond!
As there is a lot of work to do in preparation for the release of The Twelfth Labor next week as well as finishing my next manuscript (expect previews soon!), and general holiday madness, today’s update will be a quickie but a goodie!
Speaking of holidays, Thanksgiving is this week which means that Black Friday, the infamous shopping extravaganza follows right after as well as Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday and so on. I’m not one to be left out of the excitement, so I’ll be handing out sales like candy starting this Friday!
So keep an eye out for the details later this week! Until then good reading, good writing, and good luck!
Monday Musings: Don’t Close Your Eyes! a.k.a. Optimism and Complacency
As I’m up to my ears in work, today’s Musings will be short and sweet … hopefully. You all must know by now that I can ramble when I get into something, so no promises!
Optimism is a great thing. It helps gives us hope in our futures, in our life paths, and in our fellow man. The ability to see the best in the world around us can help us go on, even when events in the world around us may look bleak. When balanced with a proper dose of realism to keep your heads from going into the clouds, optimism is an incredible tool for writing and for life in general.
There is a problem, though, and that is the looming threat of complacency. If you get too wrapped up in optimistic thought, it can be easy to expect that things will go right all the time, even if you don’t put in 100% effort or when you expect all of your fellow men to be as optimistic and forward-thinking as you may be. In thinking the best about our fellow men, we might be willing to sit back instead of making sure to help them along the path to a better future.
Essentially, the ideas that we are our brother’s keeper, that we are all shepherds for our neighbors, and that it takes a village to raise a child all exist for a reason. It’s great to think the best of your fellow humans and of our future, but you still must do everything you can to make sure it happens.
Until next time, good reading, good writing, and good luck!
Monday Musings: A PSA a.k.a. If You’re American, Vote!
We’ll keep this short and sweet.
No matter your political beliefs, no matter who you support, if you’re a U.S. citizen and capable of voting, VOTE. Our system of government doesn’t work if you don’t participate.
And don’t just worry about voting for President. Take a few moments to look at your congressional choices, local elections, and especially any state amendments or measures up for voting. These are just as important as who is the President.
Get out there tomorrow and do it!
Monday Musings: Not Starving As An Author Is Hard Work! a.k.a. The Artist’s Burdens
The idea of the starving artist may be a stereotype at this point, but it’s far from an unfounded one.
I’m lucky in that I’m not technically starving, but there are times I come way too close for comfort. Many of my fellow authors would argue that I’m lucky to be doing THAT well, and I won’t argue with them on that point. I am fortunate to be in the position I’m in and I feel like I’m near the cusp of a real breakthrough in my chosen career, my passion.
Monday Musings: Manuscript Homestretch! a.k.a. Almost A Return To Normal
Quick update this Monday before I get back to the hard work of writing!
The third book of Clans of Shadows is reaching completion, at least the manuscript I and J. A. are working on. Then it’s the usual editing and all that jazz, but we should still be able to squeak it out before the end of the month.
What this means is that my writing load is going to lighten some for the next few months. Oh, there’s still books to be written, like Packie’s Problem (the next Redmane Mystery) and the final editing for The Twelfth Labor, but there won’t be the very tight deadlines needed for this collaboration series.
What that really means is that Starving Reviews should be back on the table in November! Let’s hope I get some good books on the plate to come back to!
Until Wednesday, good reading, good writing, and good luck!
Monday Musings: Give and Take, Push and Pull a.k.a. The Art of Collaboration
Collaborative writing is a fascinating thing. I’ve never been really involved with it before the past few months, but I’ve always wanted to try it. Obviously when I was given the opportunity, I jumped at the chance.
Needless to say, it’s been a real learning experience for me. Collaboration means many things to many people and the first step is to define exactly what that collaboration means for, uh, that, uh, collaboration. Who has what responsibilities? How much interaction will the writing team have? Who has final say on things? Who’s footing the bills and who’s in creative control?
There’s a lot that goes into just that essential first step! However, it’s vital to get all of that done, as it makes every other step of the creative process that much easier. After that, if you set up everything well, you get to step into a truly revolutionary creative experience.
There’s one big rule when it comes to the actual writing part though, one that took me a few days to really get down. It’s a give and take process. No matter who has what duties, outside of that vital final call thing, it is something that all the writers are pouring themselves into. Even if one writer has ‘primary’ writing duties, s/he isn’t the sole writer! It’s not called a collaboration because one person’s doing the job, right?
If you ever get the chance to enter a collaboration, I’d wholeheartedly suggest going for it. It’s a brilliant learning experience and, if you make sure to have everything laid out properly, a hell of a lot of fun as well!
Until next time, good reading, good writing, and good luck!
Monday Musings: MobiCon 2016 After-Action Report!
Well, we are back safe and sound from Mobicon 2016 and it was quite a blast!
I certainly feel like the whole ‘baptism-of-fire’ thing has come and gone. There are certainly things I could have done better, both in planning and in execution, but I’ve been lucky to have gotten tons of advice from my fellow local authors. All in all, things felt like they went well and I certainly felt like I hit a certain groove by late Friday.
The big things I learned to improve on for the future:
- Get prepared EVEN SOONER. It allows for greater flexibility and fiscal planning.
- Branded tat! I knew this ahead of time, but I failed to take full advantage due to some last minute changes of planning and unexpected front-end expenses.
- Incorporate some more three-dimensionality in the displays, both to improve table use and to help catch eyes.
So the next confirmed con visit is Kansas City Comic Con in August! More info and updates to come!
Monday Musings: It’s Almost Time! a.k.a. Mobicon This Weekend
Right, so it’s almost time. Now, I’ve been to conventions before, even been to conventions for ‘business’ reasons. The last two Pensacons I’ve attended have been more for promotion and networking than just for the fun of it. Mobicon, though, will be the first time I’ll be sitting at a table, trying to get you to buy my books.
It’s a step forward, but it’s a step on uncertain ground. At least psychologically, this could be a make-or-break moment. It’s one thing to sit back, behind the shield of the internet, and excuse away any lack of success or moments of failure as there’s a certain distance involved. This, though, will be personal, face-to-face, nitty-gritty. Basically, this is where I either grow up or drop out.
Well, not so dramatic as that, of course! While this is a stressful moment, it would also be short sighted to lay everything on one convention, especially my first! No, while this will remain a big step, it’s entirely a step forward, a step in the right direction. At worst, it will be a learning experience, letting me know what I need to do for future conventions. At best, I’ll come home with empty book boxes and the knowledge that I’m doing things the right way. Either way, it’ll be fun!
In other quick news, my free promotion for Indomitable went like gangbusters. Just a reminder, though, that all of The Push Chronicles are available for free through Kindle Unlimited. If you have that, swing by my Released Books list and start reading! Also, don’t forget that The Songstress Murders will be released at the start of Mobicon! You can still pre-order your Kindle copy from Amazon. Physical copies will be available for order around the time of the e-book release.
Until next time, good reading, good writing, and good luck!
Monday, uh, Wednesday Musings?: WORKLOAD MAXIMUM! Oh, and Kindle Unlimited things.
Right, so I’m obviously a bit behind on Ye Ole Blogging and Reviews, good sirrah!
There is a good reason for this, though! Unfortunately, it’s not something I can be completely clear and transparent about *quite* yet. What I can tell you are these things:
- It’s a writing related thing and a collaboration related thing.
- I really, really promise to try to get back and caught up on reviews soon!
- I should be in a sufficient groove shortly to be back on track in general around here.
In other news, I have decided to take a chance and focus my writing and marketing efforts by enrolling most of my books into the Amazon Kindle Select program. Yes, I know it’s giving into the evil corporate overlords, but you also have to realize that I’ve sold almost no books EVER through all the other channels I was putting books out through. Outside of free books, which really don’t count as ‘sales’ when they don’t translate into reads of the sequels, there was never really an ‘upside’ to having a wide distribution.
Will this pan out into better interest and more focused promotion? I don’t know yet, but it’s worth a try, isn’t it?
J. B. Garner - Musings of a Starving Author 