Lots of stuff going on, which is partly code for “I can’t be bothered to write fiction just this second” and is fully as lame as you might expect.
I started messing with book covers a couple of days ago, then gave up. I’m probably going to pay a pro for a cover for The Secret (both ebook and pbook). Meanwhile I’ve signed up for a six-week book-cover workshop. I’m hoping the workshop will help me to improve the covers I have out there. And to publish seven stories individually, one of which isn’t available anywhere at the moment. And, you know, to do this business thing, like even with books on, y’know, paper and all? Dudes?
Speaking of business, many moons ago I tried signing up with a group of authors in a mutual-back-scratching thing where we’d all interview each other on our blogs, post nice stuff about each other’s books, and so forth. But it turned out I didn’t like the books much, or in a couple of cases the authors either, so I quit almost immediately. All this trading of (insincere) favors just rubs me the wrong way even when it’s not oddly predatory. Plus, I recently killed my Facebook fan page and I don’t like promoting my stuff on Twitter either, so what good am I to anybody?
And: years ago I got involved in a couple of critique groups. I tried to help people, but I’m not sure I succeeded. In return I got mostly junk advice from folks who didn’t like my stuff (who are not my inspiration-sources of choice) or cheerleading from people who loved it (also not so helpful). Very little of the feedback was actually useful. So I quit doing that too, in favor of running my fiction past a few beta readers and calling it done. (So far I haven’t found a good editor, though I’ve certainly tried. I’m beginning to think there are so many scam artists preying on authors that it simply isn’t worth the effort to wade through them. Got stuff to write, here, and limited time.)
Still. What if I found a few writers whose stuff I actually liked? Writers who seemed to be decent people? What if they liked me and my stuff too, and we only admitted new authors with unanimous consent of those who were already involved?
I have this radical notion that writers banding together could create a publishing imprint that really works but doesn’t take a cut of anybody’s royalties. Complete with catalogs and such, sent to indie bookstores. So I’m doing a lot of thinking about exactly how to pull it off. I’ve reached out to a couple of people already, but in the main I think I need to prove I can sell a bunch of books on my own before I get too excited.
Meanwhile I’ve signed up to do a guest blog post. The post will be mostly for laughs–I know that’s a shock to you guys–but it’s aimed at other writers more than at my readers and will get more exposure elsewhere than it would around here.
And I’m waiting on a couple of phone calls. Waiting for people is just about my least-favorite thing. But both of these are moderately important or better, and since they’re taking over my brain…I took the time to fill you guys in on what I’m thinking.
Anyway. I hope to get back to writing new fiction within a couple of hours. And (aside from the Wacky Wednesday thing, which is already done) I’ll see you guys next week. ‘Cause I’ve fallen behind on my schedules, and I plan to catch up.
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